The Ingoldsby Legends or, Mirth and Marvels. By Thomas Ingoldsby [i.e. R. H. Barham] |
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THE FORLORN ONE. |
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 | The Ingoldsby Legends |  |
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THE FORLORN ONE.
Ah! why those piteous sounds of woe,
Lone wanderer of the dreary night?
Thy gushing tears in torrents flow,
Thy bosom pants in wild affright!
Lone wanderer of the dreary night?
Thy gushing tears in torrents flow,
Thy bosom pants in wild affright!
And thou, within whose iron breast
Those frowns austere too truly tell,
Mild pity, heaven-descended guest,
Hath never, never deign'd to dwell.
Those frowns austere too truly tell,
Mild pity, heaven-descended guest,
Hath never, never deign'd to dwell.
“That rude, uncivil touch forego,”
Stern despot of a fleeting hour!
Nor “make the angels weep” to know
The fond “fantastic tricks” of power!
Stern despot of a fleeting hour!
Nor “make the angels weep” to know
The fond “fantastic tricks” of power!
Know'st thou not “mercy is not strain'd,
But droppeth as the gentle dew,”
And while it blesseth him who gain'd,
It blesseth him who gave it, too!
But droppeth as the gentle dew,”
And while it blesseth him who gain'd,
It blesseth him who gave it, too!
Say, what art thou? and what is he,
Pale victim of despair and pain,
Whose streaming eyes and bended knee
Sue to thee thus—and sue in vain?
Pale victim of despair and pain,
Whose streaming eyes and bended knee
Sue to thee thus—and sue in vain?
Cold, callous man!—he scorns to yield,
Or ought relax his felon gripe,
But answers,—“I'm Inspector Field!
And this here warment's prigg's your wipe.”
Or ought relax his felon gripe,
But answers,—“I'm Inspector Field!
And this here warment's prigg's your wipe.”
| The Ingoldsby Legends | |