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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 | II. |
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| III, IV, V. |
| VI, VII. |
| VIII. |
 | The Poetical Works of the Rev. George Crabbe |  |
In an autumnal evening, cool and still,
The sun just dropp'd beneath a distant hill,
The children gazing on the quiet scene,
Then rose in glory night's majestic queen;
And pleasant was the checker'd light and shade
Her golden beams and maple shadows made;
An ancient tree that in the garden grew,
And that fair picture on the gravel threw.
The sun just dropp'd beneath a distant hill,
The children gazing on the quiet scene,
Then rose in glory night's majestic queen;
And pleasant was the checker'd light and shade
Her golden beams and maple shadows made;
An ancient tree that in the garden grew,
And that fair picture on the gravel threw.
Then all was silent, save the sounds that make
Silence more awful, while they faintly break;
The frighten'd bat's low shriek, the beetle's hum,
With nameless sounds we know not whence they come.
Silence more awful, while they faintly break;
The frighten'd bat's low shriek, the beetle's hum,
With nameless sounds we know not whence they come.
Such was the evening; and that ancient seat
The scene where then some neighbours chanced to meet;
Up to the door led broken steps of stone,
Whose dewy surface in the moonlight shone,
On vegetation, that with progress slow,
Where man forbears to fix his foot, will grow;
The window's depth and dust repell'd the ray
Of the moon's light and of the setting day;
Pictures there were, and each display'd a face
And form that gave their sadness to the place;
The frame and canvass show'd that worms unseen,
Save in their works, for years had working been;
A fire of brushwood on the irons laid
All the dull room in fitful views display'd,
And with its own wild light in fearful forms array'd.
The scene where then some neighbours chanced to meet;
Up to the door led broken steps of stone,
Whose dewy surface in the moonlight shone,
On vegetation, that with progress slow,
Where man forbears to fix his foot, will grow;
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Of the moon's light and of the setting day;
Pictures there were, and each display'd a face
And form that gave their sadness to the place;
The frame and canvass show'd that worms unseen,
Save in their works, for years had working been;
A fire of brushwood on the irons laid
All the dull room in fitful views display'd,
And with its own wild light in fearful forms array'd.
In this old Hall, in this departing day,
Assembled friends and neighbours, grave and gay,
When one good lady at a picture threw
A glance that caused enquiry,—“Tell us who?”
Assembled friends and neighbours, grave and gay,
When one good lady at a picture threw
A glance that caused enquiry,—“Tell us who?”
“That was a famous warrior; one, they said,
“That by a spirit was awhile obey'd;
“In all his dreadful battles he would say,
“‘Or win or lose, I shall escape to-day;’
“And though the shot as thick as hail came round,
“On no occasion he received a wound;
“He stood in safety, free from all alarm,
“Protected, Heaven forgive him! by his charm:
“But he forgot the date, till came the hour
“When he no more had the protecting power;
“And then he bade his friends around farewell!
“‘I fall!’ he cried, and in the instant fell.
“That by a spirit was awhile obey'd;
“In all his dreadful battles he would say,
“‘Or win or lose, I shall escape to-day;’
“And though the shot as thick as hail came round,
“On no occasion he received a wound;
“He stood in safety, free from all alarm,
“Protected, Heaven forgive him! by his charm:
“But he forgot the date, till came the hour
“When he no more had the protecting power;
“And then he bade his friends around farewell!
“‘I fall!’ he cried, and in the instant fell.
“Behold those infants in the frame beneath!
“A witch offended wrought their early death;
“She form'd an image, made as wax to melt,
“And each the wasting of the figure felt;
“The hag confess'd it when she came to die,
“And no one living can the truth deny.
“A witch offended wrought their early death;
“She form'd an image, made as wax to melt,
“And each the wasting of the figure felt;
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“And no one living can the truth deny.
“But see a beauty in King William's days
“With that long waist, and those enormous stays;
“She had three lovers, and no creature knew
“The one preferr'd, or the discarded two;
“None could the secret of her bosom see;
“Loving, poor maid, th' attention of the three,
“She kept such equal weight in either scale,
“'Twas hard to say who would at last prevail;
“Thus you may think in either heart arose
“A jealous anger, and the men were foes;
“Each with himself concluded, two aside,
“The third may make the lovely maid his bride:
“This caused their fate.—It was on Thursday night
“The deed was done, and bloody was the fight;
“Just as she went, poor thoughtless girl! to prayers
“Ran wild the maid with horror up the stairs;
“Pale as a ghost, but not a word she said,
“And then the lady utter'd, ‘Coates is dead!’
“With that long waist, and those enormous stays;
“She had three lovers, and no creature knew
“The one preferr'd, or the discarded two;
“None could the secret of her bosom see;
“Loving, poor maid, th' attention of the three,
“She kept such equal weight in either scale,
“'Twas hard to say who would at last prevail;
“Thus you may think in either heart arose
“A jealous anger, and the men were foes;
“Each with himself concluded, two aside,
“The third may make the lovely maid his bride:
“This caused their fate.—It was on Thursday night
“The deed was done, and bloody was the fight;
“Just as she went, poor thoughtless girl! to prayers
“Ran wild the maid with horror up the stairs;
“Pale as a ghost, but not a word she said,
“And then the lady utter'd, ‘Coates is dead!’
“Then the poor damsel found her voice and cried,
“‘Ran through the body, and that instant died!
“‘But he pronounced your name, and so was satisfied.’
“A second fell, and he who did survive
“Was kept by skill and sovereign drugs alive;
“‘O! would she see me!’ he was heard to say,
“‘No! I'll torment him to his dying day!’
“The maid exclaim'd, and every Thursday night
“Her spirit came his wretched soul to fright;
“Once as she came he cried aloud, ‘Forgive!’
“‘Never!’ she answer'd, ‘never while you live,
“‘Nor when you die, as long as time endures;
“‘You have my torment been, and I'll be yours!’
“That is the lady! and the man confess'd
“Her vengeful spirit would not let him rest.”
“‘Ran through the body, and that instant died!
“‘But he pronounced your name, and so was satisfied.’
“A second fell, and he who did survive
“Was kept by skill and sovereign drugs alive;
“‘O! would she see me!’ he was heard to say,
“‘No! I'll torment him to his dying day!’
“The maid exclaim'd, and every Thursday night
“Her spirit came his wretched soul to fright;
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“‘Never!’ she answer'd, ‘never while you live,
“‘Nor when you die, as long as time endures;
“‘You have my torment been, and I'll be yours!’
“That is the lady! and the man confess'd
“Her vengeful spirit would not let him rest.”
“But are there Ghosts?” exclaim'd a timid maid;
“My father tells me not to be afraid;
“He cries when buried we are safe enough,
“And calls such stories execrable stuff.”
“My father tells me not to be afraid;
“He cries when buried we are safe enough,
“And calls such stories execrable stuff.”
“Your father, child,” the former lady cried,
“Has learning much, but he has too much pride;
“It is impossible for him to tell
“What things in nature are impossible,
“Or out of nature, or to prove to whom
“Or for what purposes a ghost may come;
“It may not be intelligence to bring,
“But to keep up a notion of the thing;
“And though from one such fact there may arise
“A hundred wild improbabilities,
“Yet had there never been the truth, I say,
“The very lies themselves had died away.”
“Has learning much, but he has too much pride;
“It is impossible for him to tell
“What things in nature are impossible,
“Or out of nature, or to prove to whom
“Or for what purposes a ghost may come;
“It may not be intelligence to bring,
“But to keep up a notion of the thing;
“And though from one such fact there may arise
“A hundred wild improbabilities,
“Yet had there never been the truth, I say,
“The very lies themselves had died away.”
“True,” said a friend; “Heaven doubtless may dispense
“A kind of dark and clouded evidence;
“God has not promised that he will not send
“A spirit freed to either foe or friend;
“He may such proof, and only such bestow,
“Though we the certain truth can never know;
“And therefore though such floating stories bring
“No strong or certain vouchers of the thing,
“Still would I not, presuming, pass my word
“That all such tales were groundless and absurd.”
“A kind of dark and clouded evidence;
“God has not promised that he will not send
“A spirit freed to either foe or friend;
“He may such proof, and only such bestow,
“Though we the certain truth can never know;
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“No strong or certain vouchers of the thing,
“Still would I not, presuming, pass my word
“That all such tales were groundless and absurd.”
“But you will grant,” said one who sate beside,
“That all appear so when with judgment tried?”
“That all appear so when with judgment tried?”
“For that concession, madam, you may call,
“When we have sate in judgment upon all.”
“When we have sate in judgment upon all.”
An ancient lady, who with pensive smile
Had heard the stories, and been mute the while,
Now said, “Our prudence had been better shown
“By leaving uncontested things unknown;
“Yet if our children must such stories hear,
“Let us provide some antidotes to fear:
“For all such errors in the minds of youth,
“In any mind, the only cure is Truth;
“And truths collected may in time decide
“Upon such facts, or prove, at least, a guide:
“If then permitted I will fairly state
“One fact, nor doubt the story I relate;
“I for your perfect acquiescence call,
“'Tis of myself I tell.”—“O! tell us all!”
Said every being there: then silent was the Hall.
Had heard the stories, and been mute the while,
Now said, “Our prudence had been better shown
“By leaving uncontested things unknown;
“Yet if our children must such stories hear,
“Let us provide some antidotes to fear:
“For all such errors in the minds of youth,
“In any mind, the only cure is Truth;
“And truths collected may in time decide
“Upon such facts, or prove, at least, a guide:
“If then permitted I will fairly state
“One fact, nor doubt the story I relate;
“I for your perfect acquiescence call,
“'Tis of myself I tell.”—“O! tell us all!”
Said every being there: then silent was the Hall.
| The Poetical Works of the Rev. George Crabbe | |