The Poetical Works of Anna Seward With Extracts from her Literary Correspondence. Edited by Walter Scott ... In Three Volumes |
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THE VISIONS,
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 | The Poetical Works of Anna Seward |  |
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THE VISIONS,
AN ELEGY.
With languid step and heart by sorrow torn,
Haunt of my youth, I wander thro' thy grove,
My loved Alinda's fate incessant mourn,
And drop my blighted garlands as I rove.
Haunt of my youth, I wander thro' thy grove,
My loved Alinda's fate incessant mourn,
And drop my blighted garlands as I rove.
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Yet e'en these rankling woes some respite find,
And on the smiling landscape sooth'd I gaze,
Where joy's wild music cheers the drooping mind,
As Nature's warblers swell the song of praise.
And on the smiling landscape sooth'd I gaze,
Where joy's wild music cheers the drooping mind,
As Nature's warblers swell the song of praise.
The blooming trees bend o'er the glassy stream,
In June's gay pride they wave their flowing heads;
While, from the setting sun, a golden gleam
O'er these green fields the soften'd radiance sheds.
In June's gay pride they wave their flowing heads;
While, from the setting sun, a golden gleam
O'er these green fields the soften'd radiance sheds.
But ah! behold the transient glories fly,
And on the fair horizon steals a cloud,
A few cold drops fall from the louring sky,
And mute the plumy warblers, late so loud!
And on the fair horizon steals a cloud,
A few cold drops fall from the louring sky,
And mute the plumy warblers, late so loud!
What means this sudden damp—this awful gloom,
This more than usual presage of the soul?
All things are silent as Alinda's tomb,
All but the death-bell's melancholy toll!
This more than usual presage of the soul?
All things are silent as Alinda's tomb,
All but the death-bell's melancholy toll!
From the rent earth why starts that horrid shade?
O! from its power my shrinking spirit save!
Why thus in dread funereal garb array'd,
The shroud,—the pall,—the vestments of the grave?
O! from its power my shrinking spirit save!
Why thus in dread funereal garb array'd,
The shroud,—the pall,—the vestments of the grave?
O'er the wan brow the shadowy crape is bound,
And withering flowers in mournful wreaths are twined,
That willows, yew, and cypress buds surround,
With dark, warp'd leaves unfragrant and declin'd.
And withering flowers in mournful wreaths are twined,
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With dark, warp'd leaves unfragrant and declin'd.
Her cheek all bloodless, and all dim her eye,
With hollow tone, she cries,—“Behold Despair!
“She bids thee ceaseless heave th' heart-rending sigh,
“And shed eternally the bitter tear.
With hollow tone, she cries,—“Behold Despair!
“She bids thee ceaseless heave th' heart-rending sigh,
“And shed eternally the bitter tear.
“A glowing sun, in Summer splendour gay,
“Soft gales, that scatter fragrance as they rove,
“The beauteous flowers, that drink the humid ray,
“'Mid the wild transports of the vocal grove,
“Soft gales, that scatter fragrance as they rove,
“The beauteous flowers, that drink the humid ray,
“'Mid the wild transports of the vocal grove,
“Have they a charm for thee?—and still remains,
“Deep in thy breast, fond joy's congenial tide?
“Springing at Beauty's glance and Pleasure's strains,
“Do her bright streams thro' Sorrow's mansion glide?
“Deep in thy breast, fond joy's congenial tide?
“Springing at Beauty's glance and Pleasure's strains,
“Do her bright streams thro' Sorrow's mansion glide?
“See'st thou this rose? its gay, its crimson glow
“Faded and gone, and all its fragrance fled!
“This sullied lily, once, with breast of snow,
“Was the chaste glory of its verdant bed.
“Faded and gone, and all its fragrance fled!
“This sullied lily, once, with breast of snow,
“Was the chaste glory of its verdant bed.
“Yet this the lily, this the splendent rose
“Alinda gather'd on her jocund way,
“When her fair cheek could rival bloom disclose,
“When her eyes beam'd with health's enlivening ray.
“Alinda gather'd on her jocund way,
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“When her eyes beam'd with health's enlivening ray.
“Beneath this shade she cropt the glowing flowers,
“Herself a fairer flower,” that Death has cropt,
“From this lov'd bank, where oft, in happy hours,
“She raised each stem whose sickly blossom dropt.
“Herself a fairer flower,” that Death has cropt,
“From this lov'd bank, where oft, in happy hours,
“She raised each stem whose sickly blossom dropt.
“Mark'd every charm of Nature's varying year,
“Of Fancy's lucid orb each hue refined,
“And all that lifts the spirit, warm and clear,
“High o'er th' inert, the common mass of mind.
“Of Fancy's lucid orb each hue refined,
“And all that lifts the spirit, warm and clear,
“High o'er th' inert, the common mass of mind.
“Where is she now?—within the narrow cell,
“Pale, cold, and sunk, she lies in dread repose!
“Then, Julia, bid thy joys a long farewell!
“Young as thou art, in youth's gay hours they close.”
“Pale, cold, and sunk, she lies in dread repose!
“Then, Julia, bid thy joys a long farewell!
“Young as thou art, in youth's gay hours they close.”
I hear no more;—the spectre's hollow tone
Sinks in the wind that howls along the glade,
And darkness o'er its ghastly form has thrown,
Gloom following gloom, impenetrable shade.
Sinks in the wind that howls along the glade,
And darkness o'er its ghastly form has thrown,
Gloom following gloom, impenetrable shade.
Cold as the falling dews, tear chasing tear,
Streams on my folded hands!—yet I remain,
Transfix'd with anguish at the doom severe,
While night and horror gather on the plain;
Streams on my folded hands!—yet I remain,
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While night and horror gather on the plain;
Silent and mournful has the lingering hour
Beheld me plunged in Sorrow's deadly dreams;
But now, while soften'd winds forget to roar,
On a cloud's edge the star of evening beams;
Beheld me plunged in Sorrow's deadly dreams;
But now, while soften'd winds forget to roar,
On a cloud's edge the star of evening beams;
And now, emerging, all the stellar fires
Light the dark cope, as with unnumber'd eyes;
Yet soon, before night's ample orb, retires
Each lesser glory that illumes the skies.
Light the dark cope, as with unnumber'd eyes;
Yet soon, before night's ample orb, retires
Each lesser glory that illumes the skies.
Circled with shadowy hills the grassy vale,
Thro' plenteous dews, shines silver'd by her light,
While the embosom'd lake, beneath the gale,
Reflects her lustre, tremulously bright.
Thro' plenteous dews, shines silver'd by her light,
While the embosom'd lake, beneath the gale,
Reflects her lustre, tremulously bright.
Ah see! a form, than yon full orb benign
Of lustre more benevolent appears!
And, as she glides from an o'ershadowing pine,
My earnest eyes dispense their gathering tears.
Of lustre more benevolent appears!
And, as she glides from an o'ershadowing pine,
My earnest eyes dispense their gathering tears.
“To the meek words of Patience listen calm,
“Lone child of Sorrow,” the kind vision cries;
“Receive on thy pierced heart my healing balm,
“And to my voice attune thy soften'd sighs!
“Lone child of Sorrow,” the kind vision cries;
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“And to my voice attune thy soften'd sighs!
“Wiltthou from Heav'n receive the nectar'd draught
“Of bliss, yet start if in the mingled bowl
“Rise the alloying griefs that fate has brought,
“Commission'd from above, to wean thy soul?
“Of bliss, yet start if in the mingled bowl
“Rise the alloying griefs that fate has brought,
“Commission'd from above, to wean thy soul?
“Medicinal, tho' sharp, the blended woe.—
“Thou, who hast been most happy, bow resign'd!
“For man no more unfading roses blow,
“Winter lays waste his year, and grief his mind.
“Thou, who hast been most happy, bow resign'd!
“For man no more unfading roses blow,
“Winter lays waste his year, and grief his mind.
“But Heav'n, that sends abroad the breath of Spring
“T' expand the foliage, and disclose the flowers,
“Shall to the sorrowing mind sweet comforts bring,
“And warmly renovate its fainting powers.
“T' expand the foliage, and disclose the flowers,
“Shall to the sorrowing mind sweet comforts bring,
“And warmly renovate its fainting powers.
“Two sister-handmaids to the Will Divine,
“For this blest purpose, quit the seraph train;
“Thro' me, thro' Patience, first its mercies shine;
“O gently listen, and no more complain!
“For this blest purpose, quit the seraph train;
“Thro' me, thro' Patience, first its mercies shine;
“O gently listen, and no more complain!
“Yield to my influence, my behests obey,
“So shall the lenient hand of Time to thee
“Lead pious Cheerfulness, fair child of day,
“Whom the Dread Voice has bade succeed to me.
“So shall the lenient hand of Time to thee
“Lead pious Cheerfulness, fair child of day,
“Whom the Dread Voice has bade succeed to me.
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“Again her comforts shall thy breast pervade,
“Tho' clouds of sorrow have eclipsed their ray,
“And she will chace each dark and deadly shade,
“Till life's fresh paths shall brighten on thy way.
“Tho' clouds of sorrow have eclipsed their ray,
“And she will chace each dark and deadly shade,
“Till life's fresh paths shall brighten on thy way.
“Thy soul, humiliated, now feels and mourns
“The tarriance short of giddy joy below;
“But guard thee well, when jocund she returns,
“Against the meteor-fires that round her glow.
“The tarriance short of giddy joy below;
“But guard thee well, when jocund she returns,
“Against the meteor-fires that round her glow.
“To many a dangerous path those fires shall lead,
“While through luxuriant scenes with thee she roves,
“Where snares for Innocence infest the meads,
“Circean-banquets rise, and syren-groves.
“While through luxuriant scenes with thee she roves,
“Where snares for Innocence infest the meads,
“Circean-banquets rise, and syren-groves.
“Stain'd is the spirit, following Luxury's lure,
“Cold is the heart, by earthly pride made hard,
“And 'gainst the cold, the thankless, and impure,
“The everlasting gates of bliss are barr'd.
“Cold is the heart, by earthly pride made hard,
“And 'gainst the cold, the thankless, and impure,
“The everlasting gates of bliss are barr'd.
“While to the kind, warm heart, resign'd sedate,
“The blooming wreaths of happiness are given,
“For peace on earth and joys immortal wait
“Good-will to Man and confidence in Heaven.”
“The blooming wreaths of happiness are given,
“For peace on earth and joys immortal wait
“Good-will to Man and confidence in Heaven.”
Now melts the vision in the moon's pale beam,
And o'er my soul serener thoughts arise,
Grief prompts no more her ineffectual stream,
And swell no longer her convulsive sighs.
And o'er my soul serener thoughts arise,
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And swell no longer her convulsive sighs.
But let me haste the deeper woes to sooth,
That press so hard on life's declining years,
With filial fondness sedulously smooth
My parents' thorny pillow, steep'd in tears.
That press so hard on life's declining years,
With filial fondness sedulously smooth
My parents' thorny pillow, steep'd in tears.
The bridal vestments waited to array,
In emblematic white, their duteous maid;
But ne'er for them arrived that festal day;
Their sweet, crush'd lily low in earth is laid.
In emblematic white, their duteous maid;
But ne'er for them arrived that festal day;
Their sweet, crush'd lily low in earth is laid.
O! she was all parental Hopes desire,
To gild declining life with softest light;
Ill can my frailer mind's impetuous fire
Compensate her mild soul's eternal flight!
To gild declining life with softest light;
Ill can my frailer mind's impetuous fire
Compensate her mild soul's eternal flight!
And yet, on their lone couch, this heart sincere,
With tender love, shall shed some bless'd relief,
Watch for the moment when its voice may cheer,
And joy to mark the ebbing tide of grief.
With tender love, shall shed some bless'd relief,
Watch for the moment when its voice may cheer,
And joy to mark the ebbing tide of grief.
And young Honora,
in each rising charm
Of form and mind, the pious task shall aid;
O! like their loved Alinda, soft and warm,
Glows this transplanted flower that decks their shade.
Of form and mind, the pious task shall aid;
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Glows this transplanted flower that decks their shade.
Scarce o'er her head are thirteen summers flown,
Yet clear intelligence, unswerving truth,
And every soothing sympathy, have thrown
Meridian lustre o'er her morn of youth.
Yet clear intelligence, unswerving truth,
And every soothing sympathy, have thrown
Meridian lustre o'er her morn of youth.
And dost thou stretch, dear maid, those gentle arms,
Smile through thy tears, in pity's hallow'd guile?
Shield me, my love, from woe's o'erwhelming harms,
Thy tears are balm, and peace is in thy smile.
Smile through thy tears, in pity's hallow'd guile?
Shield me, my love, from woe's o'erwhelming harms,
Thy tears are balm, and peace is in thy smile.
Thy tender accents, on my grief-chill'd soul
Fall, like the vernal breath on wintry bowers,
When, from the fleecy clouds, that lightly roll,
Silent and mild descend the sunny showers.
Fall, like the vernal breath on wintry bowers,
When, from the fleecy clouds, that lightly roll,
Silent and mild descend the sunny showers.
And since in Thee, to every worth alive,
The sacred energies of Friendship burn,
Thy love, my dear Honora, shall revive
The joys that faded o'er Alinda's urn.
The sacred energies of Friendship burn,
Thy love, my dear Honora, shall revive
The joys that faded o'er Alinda's urn.
| The Poetical Works of Anna Seward | |