The Poetical Works of Laman Blanchard With a Memoir by Blanchard Jerrold |
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ON FIRST SEEING THE PORTRAIT OF L.E.L.
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 | The Poetical Works of Laman Blanchard |  |
240
ON FIRST SEEING THE PORTRAIT OF L.E.L.
Is this the face that fired a thousand ships,
And burned the topless towers of Illium!
Sweet Helen!—
Marlowe.
And burned the topless towers of Illium!
Sweet Helen!—
Marlowe.
‘Ah no! not Helen, Hel-e-n
Of old—but L.E.L.;
Those letters which the spell-bound pen
Have vainly sought to spell.
Of old—but L.E.L.;
Those letters which the spell-bound pen
Have vainly sought to spell.
‘Not Helen, who so long ago
Set Paris in a blaze;
But one who laid proud London low,
And lit up later days.
Set Paris in a blaze;
But one who laid proud London low,
And lit up later days.
‘Is this your meaning mystic Three!
Hand-writing on Fame's wall!
Ye thrice fair letters, can ye be
A lady, after all?
Hand-writing on Fame's wall!
Ye thrice fair letters, can ye be
A lady, after all?
‘How have I wondered what ye meant,
Ye alphabetic Graces!
And so you really represent
One of dear Nature's faces!
Ye alphabetic Graces!
And so you really represent
One of dear Nature's faces!
241
‘How, how I've guessed! Your meaning rare
No guessing seemed to touch;
Ye riddles! the weird sisters ne'er
Bewitched me half so much.
No guessing seemed to touch;
Ye riddles! the weird sisters ne'er
Bewitched me half so much.
‘One knows the power of D.C.L.;
The grandeur of K.G.;
And F.R.S. will science spell,
And valour G.C.B.
The grandeur of K.G.;
And F.R.S. will science spell,
And valour G.C.B.
‘The sage, the schoolboy, both can tell
The worth of L.S.D.;
But then the worth of L.E.L.!
All letters told in three!
The worth of L.S.D.;
But then the worth of L.E.L.!
All letters told in three!
‘In vain I've sought to illustrate
Each letter with a word;
'Twas only trying to translate
The language of a bird.
Each letter with a word;
'Twas only trying to translate
The language of a bird.
‘I've read ye, L.E.L., quite bare;
Thus—Logic, Ethics, Lays;
Lives, Episodes, and Lyrics fair—.
I've guessed away my days.
Thus—Logic, Ethics, Lays;
Lives, Episodes, and Lyrics fair—.
I've guessed away my days.
‘One wild young fancy was the sire
Of fifty following after;
Like these—Love, Eden, and the Lyre.
Light, Elegance, and Laughter.
Of fifty following after;
Like these—Love, Eden, and the Lyre.
Light, Elegance, and Laughter.
242
‘I've drawn from all the stars that shine
Interpretations silly;
From flowers—the Lily, Eglantine,
And then another Lily.
Interpretations silly;
From flowers—the Lily, Eglantine,
And then another Lily.
‘Now fancy's dead; no thought can strike,
No guess, solution, stricture;
And L.E.L. is—simply like
This dainty little picture.
No guess, solution, stricture;
And L.E.L. is—simply like
This dainty little picture.
‘Life to her lays! However Fame
'Mongst brightest names may set hers,
These three initials—nameless name—
Shall never be dead letters!’
'Mongst brightest names may set hers,
These three initials—nameless name—
Shall never be dead letters!’
1832.
| The Poetical Works of Laman Blanchard | |