The Poetical Works of the Rev. George Crabbe with his letters and journals, and his life, by his son. In eight volumes |
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 | The Poetical Works of the Rev. George Crabbe |  |
All this Sir Owen heard, and grieved for all;
He with the husband mourn'd Alicia's fall;
But urged the vengeance with a spirit strong,
As one whose own rose high against the wrong:
He saw his tenant by this passion moved,
Shared in his wrath, and his revenge approved.
He with the husband mourn'd Alicia's fall;
But urged the vengeance with a spirit strong,
As one whose own rose high against the wrong:
He saw his tenant by this passion moved,
Shared in his wrath, and his revenge approved.
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Years now unseen, he mourn'd this tenant's fate,
And wonder'd how he bore his widow'd state:
Still he would mention Ellis with the pride
Of one who felt himself to worth allied:
Such were his notions—had been long, but now
He wish'd to see if vengeance lived, and how:
He doubted not a mind so strong must feel
Most righteously, and righteous measures deal.
And wonder'd how he bore his widow'd state:
Still he would mention Ellis with the pride
Of one who felt himself to worth allied:
Such were his notions—had been long, but now
He wish'd to see if vengeance lived, and how:
He doubted not a mind so strong must feel
Most righteously, and righteous measures deal.
Then would he go, and haply he might find
Some new excitement for a weary mind;
Might learn the miseries of a pair undone,
One scorn'd and hated, lost and perish'd one;
Yes, he would praise to virtuous anger give,
And so his vengeance should be nursed and live.
Some new excitement for a weary mind;
Might learn the miseries of a pair undone,
One scorn'd and hated, lost and perish'd one;
Yes, he would praise to virtuous anger give,
And so his vengeance should be nursed and live.
Ellis was glad to see his landlord come,
A transient joy broke in upon his gloom,
And pleased he led the knight to the superior room:
Where she was wont in happier days to sit,
Who paid with smiles his condescending wit.
There the sad husband, who had seldom been
Where prints acquired in happier days were seen,
Now struck by these, and carried to the past,
A painful look on every object cast:
Sir Owen saw his tenant's troubled state,
But still he wish'd to know the offenders' fate.
A transient joy broke in upon his gloom,
And pleased he led the knight to the superior room:
Where she was wont in happier days to sit,
Who paid with smiles his condescending wit.
There the sad husband, who had seldom been
Where prints acquired in happier days were seen,
Now struck by these, and carried to the past,
A painful look on every object cast:
Sir Owen saw his tenant's troubled state,
But still he wish'd to know the offenders' fate.
“Know you they suffer, Ellis?”—Ellis knew;—
“'T is well! 'tis just! but have they all their due?
“Have they in mind and body, head and heart,
‘Sustain'd the pangs of their accursed part?”—
“They have!”—“'T is well!”—“and wants enough to shake
“The firmest mind, the stoutest heart to break.”—
“But have you seen them in such misery dwell?”—
“In misery past description.”—“That is well.”
“'T is well! 'tis just! but have they all their due?
“Have they in mind and body, head and heart,
‘Sustain'd the pangs of their accursed part?”—
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“The firmest mind, the stoutest heart to break.”—
“But have you seen them in such misery dwell?”—
“In misery past description.”—“That is well.”
“Alas! Sir Owen, it perhaps is just,—
“Yet I began my purpose to distrust;
“For they to justice have discharged a debt,
“That vengeance surely may her claim forget.”
“Yet I began my purpose to distrust;
“For they to justice have discharged a debt,
“That vengeance surely may her claim forget.”
“Man! can you pity?”—“As a man I feel
“Miseries like theirs.”—
“Miseries like theirs.”—
“But never would you heal?”
“Hear me, Sir Owen! I had sought them long,
“Urged by the pain of ever present wrong,
“Yet had not seen; and twice the year came round—
“Years hateful now—ere I my victims found:
“But I did find them, in the dungeon's gloom
“Of a small garret—a precarious home;
“For that depended on the weekly pay,
“And they were sorely frighten'd on the day;
“But there they linger'd on from week to week,
“Haunted by ills of which 't is hard to speak,
“For they are many and vexatious all,
“The very smallest—but they none were small.
“Urged by the pain of ever present wrong,
“Yet had not seen; and twice the year came round—
“Years hateful now—ere I my victims found:
“But I did find them, in the dungeon's gloom
“Of a small garret—a precarious home;
“For that depended on the weekly pay,
“And they were sorely frighten'd on the day;
“But there they linger'd on from week to week,
“Haunted by ills of which 't is hard to speak,
“For they are many and vexatious all,
“The very smallest—but they none were small.
“The roof, unceil'd in patches, gave the snow
“Entrance within, and there were heaps below;
“I pass'd a narrow region dark and cold,
“The strait of stairs to that infectious hold;
“And, when I entered, misery met my view
“In every shape she wears, in every hue,
“And the black icy blast across the dungeon flew;
“There frown'd the ruin'd walls that once were white;
“There gleam'd the panes that once admitted light;
“There lay unsavoury scraps of wretched food;
“And there a measure, void of fuel, stood;
“But who shall part by part describe the state
“Of these, thus follow'd by relentless fate?
“All, too, in winter, when the icy air
“Breathed its bleak venom on the guilty pair.
“Entrance within, and there were heaps below;
“I pass'd a narrow region dark and cold,
“The strait of stairs to that infectious hold;
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“In every shape she wears, in every hue,
“And the black icy blast across the dungeon flew;
“There frown'd the ruin'd walls that once were white;
“There gleam'd the panes that once admitted light;
“There lay unsavoury scraps of wretched food;
“And there a measure, void of fuel, stood;
“But who shall part by part describe the state
“Of these, thus follow'd by relentless fate?
“All, too, in winter, when the icy air
“Breathed its bleak venom on the guilty pair.
“That man, that Cecil!—he was left, it seems,
“Unnamed, unnoticed: farewell to his dreams!
“Heirs made by law rejected him of course,
“And left him neither refuge nor resource.”—
“Unnamed, unnoticed: farewell to his dreams!
“Heirs made by law rejected him of course,
“And left him neither refuge nor resource.”—
“Their father's?”—
“No: he was the harlot's son
“Who wrong'd them, whom their duty bade them shun;
“And they were duteous all, and he was all undone.
“Who wrong'd them, whom their duty bade them shun;
“And they were duteous all, and he was all undone.
“Now the lost pair, whom better times had led
“To part disputing, shared their sorrow's bed:
“Their bed!—I shudder as I speak—and shared
“Scraps to their hunger by the hungry spared.”
“To part disputing, shared their sorrow's bed:
“Their bed!—I shudder as I speak—and shared
“Scraps to their hunger by the hungry spared.”
“Man! my good Ellis! can you sigh?”—
“I can;
“In short, Sir Owen, I must feel as man;
“And could you know the miseries they endured,
“The poor, uncertain pittance they procured;
“When, laid aside the needle and the pen,
“Their sickness won the neighbours of their den,
“Poor as they are, and they are passing poor,
“To lend some aid to those who needed more:
“Then, too, an ague with the winter came,
“And in this state—that wife I cannot name
“Brought forth a famish'd child of suffering and of shame.
“In short, Sir Owen, I must feel as man;
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“The poor, uncertain pittance they procured;
“When, laid aside the needle and the pen,
“Their sickness won the neighbours of their den,
“Poor as they are, and they are passing poor,
“To lend some aid to those who needed more:
“Then, too, an ague with the winter came,
“And in this state—that wife I cannot name
“Brought forth a famish'd child of suffering and of shame.
“This had you known, and traced them to this scene,
“Where all was desolate, defiled, unclean,
“A fireless room, and, where a fire had place,
“The blast loud howling down the empty space,
“You must have felt a part of the distress,
“Forgot your wrongs, and made their suffering less!”
“Where all was desolate, defiled, unclean,
“A fireless room, and, where a fire had place,
“The blast loud howling down the empty space,
“You must have felt a part of the distress,
“Forgot your wrongs, and made their suffering less!”
“Sought you them, Ellis, from the mean intent
“To give them succour?”
“To give them succour?”
“What, indeed, I meant
“At first was vengeance; but I long pursued
“The pair, and I at last their misery view'd
“In that vile garret, which I cannot paint—
“The sight was loathsome, and the smell was faint;
“And there that wife,—whom I had loved so well,
“And thought so happy,—was condemn'd to dwell;
“The gay, the grateful wife, whom I was glad
“To see in dress beyond our station clad,
“And to behold among our neighbours fine,
“More than perhaps became a wife of mine;
“And now among her neighbours to explore,
“And see her poorest of the very poor!—
“At first was vengeance; but I long pursued
“The pair, and I at last their misery view'd
“In that vile garret, which I cannot paint—
“The sight was loathsome, and the smell was faint;
“And there that wife,—whom I had loved so well,
“And thought so happy,—was condemn'd to dwell;
“The gay, the grateful wife, whom I was glad
“To see in dress beyond our station clad,
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“More than perhaps became a wife of mine;
“And now among her neighbours to explore,
“And see her poorest of the very poor!—
“I would describe it, but I bore a part,
“Nor can explain the feelings of the heart;
“Yet memory since has aided me to trace
“The horrid features of that dismal place.
“There she reclined unmoved, her bosom bare
“To her companion's unimpassion'd stare,
“And my wild wonder:—Seat of virtue! chaste
“As lovely once! O! how wert thou disgraced!
“Upon that breast, by sordid rags defiled,
“Lay the wan features of a famish'd child;—
“That sin-born babe in utter misery laid,
“Too feebly wretched even to cry for aid;
“The ragged sheeting, o'er her person drawn,
“Served for the dress that hunger placed in pawn.
“Nor can explain the feelings of the heart;
“Yet memory since has aided me to trace
“The horrid features of that dismal place.
“There she reclined unmoved, her bosom bare
“To her companion's unimpassion'd stare,
“And my wild wonder:—Seat of virtue! chaste
“As lovely once! O! how wert thou disgraced!
“Upon that breast, by sordid rags defiled,
“Lay the wan features of a famish'd child;—
“That sin-born babe in utter misery laid,
“Too feebly wretched even to cry for aid;
“The ragged sheeting, o'er her person drawn,
“Served for the dress that hunger placed in pawn.
“At the bed's feet the man reclined his frame:
“Their chairs were perish'd to support the flame,
“That warm'd his agued limbs; and, sad to see,
“That shook him fiercely as he gazed on me.
“Their chairs were perish'd to support the flame,
“That warm'd his agued limbs; and, sad to see,
“That shook him fiercely as he gazed on me.
“I was confused in this unhappy view:
“My wife! my friend! I could not think it true;
“My children's mother,—my Alicia,—laid
“On such a bed! so wretched,—so afraid!
“And her gay, young seducer, in the guise
“Of all we dread, abjure, defy, despise,
“And all the fear and terror in his look,
“Still more my mind to its foundation shook.
“My wife! my friend! I could not think it true;
“My children's mother,—my Alicia,—laid
“On such a bed! so wretched,—so afraid!
“And her gay, young seducer, in the guise
“Of all we dread, abjure, defy, despise,
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“Still more my mind to its foundation shook.
“At last he spoke:—‘Long since I would have died,
“‘But could not leave her, though for death I sigh'd,
“‘And tried the poison'd cup, and dropp'd it as I tried.
“‘She is a woman, and that famish'd thing
“‘Makes her to life, with all its evils, cling:
“‘Feed her, and let her breathe her last in peace,
“‘And all my sufferings with your promise cease!’
“‘But could not leave her, though for death I sigh'd,
“‘And tried the poison'd cup, and dropp'd it as I tried.
“‘She is a woman, and that famish'd thing
“‘Makes her to life, with all its evils, cling:
“‘Feed her, and let her breathe her last in peace,
“‘And all my sufferings with your promise cease!’
“Ghastly he smiled:—I knew not what I felt,
“But my heart melted—hearts of flint would melt,
“To see their anguish, penury, and shame,
“How base, how low, how groveling they became:
“I could not speak my purpose, but my eyes
“And my expression bade the creature rise.
“But my heart melted—hearts of flint would melt,
“To see their anguish, penury, and shame,
“How base, how low, how groveling they became:
“I could not speak my purpose, but my eyes
“And my expression bade the creature rise.
“Yet, O! that woman's look! my words are vain
“Her mix'd and troubled feelings to explain;
“True, there was shame and consciousness of fall,
“But yet remembrance of my love withal,
“And knowledge of that power which she would now recall.
“Her mix'd and troubled feelings to explain;
“True, there was shame and consciousness of fall,
“But yet remembrance of my love withal,
“And knowledge of that power which she would now recall.
“But still the more that she to memory brought,
“The greater anguish in my mind was wrought:
“The more she tried to bring the past in view,
“She greater horror on the present threw;
“So that, for love or pity, terror thrill'd
“My blood, and vile and odious thoughts instill'd.
“The greater anguish in my mind was wrought:
“The more she tried to bring the past in view,
“She greater horror on the present threw;
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“My blood, and vile and odious thoughts instill'd.
“This war within, these passions in their strife,
“If thus protracted, had exhausted life;
“But the strong view of these departed years
“Caused a full burst of salutary tears,
“And as I wept at large, and thought alone,
“I felt my reason re-ascend her throne.”
“If thus protracted, had exhausted life;
“But the strong view of these departed years
“Caused a full burst of salutary tears,
“And as I wept at large, and thought alone,
“I felt my reason re-ascend her throne.”
“My friend!” Sir Owen answer'd, “what became
“Of your just anger?—when you saw their shame,
“It was your triumph, and you should have shown
“Strength, if not joy—their sufferings were their own.”
“Of your just anger?—when you saw their shame,
“It was your triumph, and you should have shown
“Strength, if not joy—their sufferings were their own.”
“Alas, for them! their own in very deed!
“And they of mercy had the greater need;
“Their own by purchase, for their frailty paid,—
“And wanted heaven's own justice human aid?
“And seeing this, could I beseech my God
“For deeper misery, and a heavier rod?”
“And they of mercy had the greater need;
“Their own by purchase, for their frailty paid,—
“And wanted heaven's own justice human aid?
“And seeing this, could I beseech my God
“For deeper misery, and a heavier rod?”
“But could you help them?”
“Think, Sir Owen, how
“I saw them then—methinks I see them now!
“She had not food, nor aught a mother needs,
“Who for another life and dearer feeds:
“I saw her speechless; on her wither'd breast
“The wither'd child extended, but not prest,
“Who sought, with moving lip and feeble cry,
“Vain instinct! for the fount without supply.”
“I saw them then—methinks I see them now!
“She had not food, nor aught a mother needs,
“Who for another life and dearer feeds:
“I saw her speechless; on her wither'd breast
“The wither'd child extended, but not prest,
“Who sought, with moving lip and feeble cry,
“Vain instinct! for the fount without supply.”
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“Sure it was all a grievous, odious scene,
“Where all was dismal, melancholy, mean,
“Foul with compell'd neglect, unwholesome, and unclean;
“That arm,—that eye,—the cold, the sunken cheek,—
“Spoke all, Sir Owen—fiercely miseries speak!”
“Where all was dismal, melancholy, mean,
“Foul with compell'd neglect, unwholesome, and unclean;
“That arm,—that eye,—the cold, the sunken cheek,—
“Spoke all, Sir Owen—fiercely miseries speak!”
“And you relieved?”
“If hell's seducing crew
“Had seen that sight, they must have pitied too.”
“Had seen that sight, they must have pitied too.”
“Revenge was thine—thou hadst the power, the right;
“To give it up was heaven's own act to slight.”
“To give it up was heaven's own act to slight.”
“Tell me not, Sir, of rights, and wrongs, or powers!
“I felt it written—Vengeance is not ours!”
“I felt it written—Vengeance is not ours!”
“Well, Ellis, well!—I find these female foes,
“Or good or ill, will murder our repose;
“And we, when Satan tempts them, take the cup,
“The fruit of their foul sin, and drink it up:
“But shall our pity all our claims remit,
“And we the sinners of their guilt acquit?”
“Or good or ill, will murder our repose;
“And we, when Satan tempts them, take the cup,
“The fruit of their foul sin, and drink it up:
“But shall our pity all our claims remit,
“And we the sinners of their guilt acquit?”
“And what, Sir Owen, will our vengeance do?
“It follows us when we our foe pursue,
“And, as we strike the blow, it smites the smiters too.”
“It follows us when we our foe pursue,
“And, as we strike the blow, it smites the smiters too.”
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“What didst thou, man?”
“I brought them to a cot
“Behind your larches,—a sequester'd spot,
“Where dwells the woman: I believe her mind
“Is now enlighten'd—I am sure resign'd:
“She gave her infant, though with aching heart
“And faltering spirit, to be nursed apart.”
“Behind your larches,—a sequester'd spot,
“Where dwells the woman: I believe her mind
“Is now enlighten'd—I am sure resign'd:
“She gave her infant, though with aching heart
“And faltering spirit, to be nursed apart.”
“And that vile scoundrel—”
“Nay, his name restore,
“And call him Cecil,—for he is no more:
“When my vain help was offer'd, he was past
“All human aid, and shortly breathed his last;
“But his heart open'd, and he lived to see
“Guilt in himself, and find a friend in me.
“And call him Cecil,—for he is no more:
“When my vain help was offer'd, he was past
“All human aid, and shortly breathed his last;
“But his heart open'd, and he lived to see
“Guilt in himself, and find a friend in me.
“Strange was their parting, parting on the day
“I offer'd help, and took the man away,
“Sure not to meet again, and not to live
“And taste of joy.—He feebly cried, ‘Forgive!
“‘I have thy guilt, thou mine, but now adieu!
“‘Tempters and tempted! what will thence ensue
“‘I know not, dare not think!’—He said, and he withdrew.”
“I offer'd help, and took the man away,
“Sure not to meet again, and not to live
“And taste of joy.—He feebly cried, ‘Forgive!
“‘I have thy guilt, thou mine, but now adieu!
“‘Tempters and tempted! what will thence ensue
“‘I know not, dare not think!’—He said, and he withdrew.”
“But, Ellis, tell me, didst thou thus desire
“To heap upon their heads those coals of fire?”
“To heap upon their heads those coals of fire?”
“If fire to melt, that feeling is confest,—
“If fire to shame, I let that question rest;
“But if aught more the sacred words imply,
“I know it not—no commentator I.”
“If fire to shame, I let that question rest;
“But if aught more the sacred words imply,
“I know it not—no commentator I.”
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“Then did you freely from your soul forgive?”—
“Sure as I hope before my Judge to live,
“Sure as I trust his mercy to receive,
“Sure as his word I honour and believe,
“Sure as the Saviour died upon the tree
“For all who sin,—for that dear wretch and me,—
“Whom never more on earth will I forsake or see.”
“Sure as I hope before my Judge to live,
“Sure as I trust his mercy to receive,
“Sure as his word I honour and believe,
“Sure as the Saviour died upon the tree
“For all who sin,—for that dear wretch and me,—
“Whom never more on earth will I forsake or see.”
| The Poetical Works of the Rev. George Crabbe | |