The poems of Ossian &c. containing the Poetical Works of James Macpherson, Esq. in prose and rhyme: with notes and illustrations by Malcolm Laing. In two volumes |
 | I. |
 | II. |
|
|
|
| THE HUNTER:
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
|
|
 | The poems of Ossian |  |
463
THE HUNTER:
A POEM.
IN TEN CANTOS.
465
CANTO I.
Once on a time, when Liberty was seen
To sport and revel on the northern plain,
Immortal fair! and was supremely kind
On Scotia's hills to snuff the northern wind;
There lived a youth, and Donald was his name.
To chace the flying stag his highest aim;
A gun, a plaid, a dog, his humble store;
In these thrice happy, as he wants no more.
The flesh of deer his food; the heath his bed;
He slept contented in his tartan plaid.
Sprightly as morn he rose with dawning light,
And strode o'er hills until the approach of night;
Then bounding homeward, joyful burden bears
Of heath-hens, woodcocks, or of fearful deers.
Then Bessy gets upon the homely board
What Donald's gun and oaten field afford.
Blest in the chace, blest in his barren soil,
And more than happy in his temperate toil,
Our Donald lived; but, oh! how soon the light
Of happiness is sunk in blackest night!
To sport and revel on the northern plain,
Immortal fair! and was supremely kind
On Scotia's hills to snuff the northern wind;
There lived a youth, and Donald was his name.
To chace the flying stag his highest aim;
A gun, a plaid, a dog, his humble store;
In these thrice happy, as he wants no more.
466
He slept contented in his tartan plaid.
Sprightly as morn he rose with dawning light,
And strode o'er hills until the approach of night;
Then bounding homeward, joyful burden bears
Of heath-hens, woodcocks, or of fearful deers.
Then Bessy gets upon the homely board
What Donald's gun and oaten field afford.
Blest in the chace, blest in his barren soil,
And more than happy in his temperate toil,
Our Donald lived; but, oh! how soon the light
Of happiness is sunk in blackest night!
It chanced the Fairie's king a daughter had,
A beauteous, blooming, and a sportive maid.
She took delight, upon the flowery lawn
To frisk, transported, round a female fawn.
The hunter aims the tube: the powder flies;
The fawn falls, roars, and shakes her limbs, and dies.
The blooming Flavia saw her play-thing die;
Sighs rend her breast, and tears bedew her eye,
Wrath, sorrow, rage, her tender fabric rock,
And thus, indignant, she the silence broke:
A beauteous, blooming, and a sportive maid.
She took delight, upon the flowery lawn
To frisk, transported, round a female fawn.
The hunter aims the tube: the powder flies;
The fawn falls, roars, and shakes her limbs, and dies.
The blooming Flavia saw her play-thing die;
Sighs rend her breast, and tears bedew her eye,
Wrath, sorrow, rage, her tender fabric rock,
And thus, indignant, she the silence broke:
“Ah me! what frailties fairies' nature owe,
The sport of every blast that likes to blow:
One blast of Boreas, whistling o'er the hill,
Shall drive the stoutest headlong half a mile;
The rain, the rattling hail, deep wounds impress,
Which two warm summers scarcely can redress.
Not only these, but man, our greatest foe,
Vile, rough-spun creature, minister of woe!
Scarce Flavia loves a deer upon the vale,
E'er torn by dogs, or by the winged ball,
Her darling falls. Ah me! my little fawn,
How oft with thee I sported on the lawn,
But shall no more: but what thy Flavia grieves,
Her abject strength no hopes of vengeance gives.
But stop! what nature does not still impart,
May be amended by the wiles of art.”
The sport of every blast that likes to blow:
One blast of Boreas, whistling o'er the hill,
Shall drive the stoutest headlong half a mile;
The rain, the rattling hail, deep wounds impress,
Which two warm summers scarcely can redress.
Not only these, but man, our greatest foe,
Vile, rough-spun creature, minister of woe!
Scarce Flavia loves a deer upon the vale,
E'er torn by dogs, or by the winged ball,
Her darling falls. Ah me! my little fawn,
How oft with thee I sported on the lawn,
But shall no more: but what thy Flavia grieves,
Her abject strength no hopes of vengeance gives.
467
May be amended by the wiles of art.”
She spoke—The eddying whirlwind sweeps the skies:
Borne on a blast, the fleeting Flavia flies.
Clods, dust, and straws, in one confusion fly,
And trembling atoms mingle with the sky.
Borne on a blast, the fleeting Flavia flies.
Clods, dust, and straws, in one confusion fly,
And trembling atoms mingle with the sky.
A hill there is, whose sloping sides of green
Are by the raptured eye at distance seen;
Rocks intersperse the variegated space:
Here columns rise; there smiles the virid grass;
There timid deers, and shaggy goats abound;
There tripping fairies dance the fleeting round;
Within the king of fairies makes abode,
And waves o'er prostrate crowds his regal rod:
A sea-green throne his royal limbs support,
Full in the middle of the spacious court.
His furrowed front majestic he uprears;
His waving locks are silvered o'er with years.
Upon the wall, supply the want of day,
Arranged lamps, that dart a glimmering ray.
Unhallowed viands on the table stand,
The unblest produce of the neighbouring land.
Old Murdock plow'd: an ox died in the yoke;
And here his tumid limbs in cauldrons smoke.
The maid, the youth, the matron, and the sage,
The call of craving hunger all assuage:
While, clad in woe, the lovely Xanthe comes,
And lightens with her charms the shady rooms.
All start—The monarch tumbles from his throne.
Why weeps my daughter? why that tender moan?
Why, why that sigh, my dear? the parent cries,
What sorrow veils thy beauty-sparkling eyes?
Are by the raptured eye at distance seen;
Rocks intersperse the variegated space:
Here columns rise; there smiles the virid grass;
There timid deers, and shaggy goats abound;
There tripping fairies dance the fleeting round;
Within the king of fairies makes abode,
And waves o'er prostrate crowds his regal rod:
A sea-green throne his royal limbs support,
Full in the middle of the spacious court.
His furrowed front majestic he uprears;
His waving locks are silvered o'er with years.
Upon the wall, supply the want of day,
Arranged lamps, that dart a glimmering ray.
Unhallowed viands on the table stand,
The unblest produce of the neighbouring land.
Old Murdock plow'd: an ox died in the yoke;
And here his tumid limbs in cauldrons smoke.
The maid, the youth, the matron, and the sage,
The call of craving hunger all assuage:
While, clad in woe, the lovely Xanthe comes,
And lightens with her charms the shady rooms.
All start—The monarch tumbles from his throne.
Why weeps my daughter? why that tender moan?
Why, why that sigh, my dear? the parent cries,
What sorrow veils thy beauty-sparkling eyes?
468
Parent and king, replies the faultering maid,
The little fawn, my pretty fawn, is dead!
Her Donald slew, and I am left alone;
A wretched princess, now my fawn is gone.
Come, then, my parent, visionary king!
Some vengeance due upon the murderer bring.
Wing with revenge each ill-chastising art,
Or hear the bursting of a daughter's heart.
The little fawn, my pretty fawn, is dead!
Her Donald slew, and I am left alone;
A wretched princess, now my fawn is gone.
Come, then, my parent, visionary king!
Some vengeance due upon the murderer bring.
Wing with revenge each ill-chastising art,
Or hear the bursting of a daughter's heart.
The king commands; the reverend senate meet,
And first Euchenor rises from his seat.
With graceful air, solemnly slow, he rose;
Down to his heel the light green mantle flows.
He paused, then coughed; the vaulted grotto rung,
And from their seats the attentive peerage hung.
Then thus: O thou, unlimited in sway!
Whom all the fairy-phantom crowds obey,
Whether they glide in undistinguish'd night,
Or sport, self-balanced, in the fields of light;
Still cheerful, ready at thy great command,
They skim o'er seas, or trip o'er desert land.
'Tis mine the blooming Xanthe to console,
That share thy banquet, and that quaff thy bowl.
In vain shall myriads, hovering on the wing,
Even though directed by their godlike king,
Assault the hunter; his firm limbs deride
Embattled squadrons, ranged side by side.
It is not ours to try by strength, but art,
To foil the body, but to wound the heart.
And first Euchenor rises from his seat.
With graceful air, solemnly slow, he rose;
Down to his heel the light green mantle flows.
He paused, then coughed; the vaulted grotto rung,
And from their seats the attentive peerage hung.
Then thus: O thou, unlimited in sway!
Whom all the fairy-phantom crowds obey,
Whether they glide in undistinguish'd night,
Or sport, self-balanced, in the fields of light;
Still cheerful, ready at thy great command,
They skim o'er seas, or trip o'er desert land.
'Tis mine the blooming Xanthe to console,
That share thy banquet, and that quaff thy bowl.
In vain shall myriads, hovering on the wing,
Even though directed by their godlike king,
Assault the hunter; his firm limbs deride
Embattled squadrons, ranged side by side.
It is not ours to try by strength, but art,
To foil the body, but to wound the heart.
Once on a time, when youth my bosom warm'd,
By the Cerulean sky and zephyrs charm'd,
I strayed through fields of air; intent I view
Fields, cities, trees, and men, a beavy'd crew.
Content upon the green the peasant lives,
While damn'd in courts of state the courtier grieves;
For power, for grandeur, pours the eternal pray'r,
Wakes sleepless nights, and yawns whole days of care.
Should some foe-fairy glide through fields of light,
And to the regal seat direct his flight,
Take the black humour, boiling round the brain,
Then, soft-transported, seek the northern plain;
Around the hunter the black humour shed,
And fill, with vile ambition, all his head;
Then, damn'd to care, the deer-destroying man
Shall rue the slaughter of the bounding fawn.
The motion pleased; applause from every side
Pours on the senator its sounding tide.
By the Cerulean sky and zephyrs charm'd,
I strayed through fields of air; intent I view
Fields, cities, trees, and men, a beavy'd crew.
Content upon the green the peasant lives,
While damn'd in courts of state the courtier grieves;
For power, for grandeur, pours the eternal pray'r,
Wakes sleepless nights, and yawns whole days of care.
469
And to the regal seat direct his flight,
Take the black humour, boiling round the brain,
Then, soft-transported, seek the northern plain;
Around the hunter the black humour shed,
And fill, with vile ambition, all his head;
Then, damn'd to care, the deer-destroying man
Shall rue the slaughter of the bounding fawn.
The motion pleased; applause from every side
Pours on the senator its sounding tide.
Young Xanthe mov'd; a robe of sprightly green,
In amorous folds, to grasp her waste is seen;
A bongrace does her lovely forehead shade,
Soft wave behind the honours of the head.
A fan her hand, her feet bright sandals grace;
And beauty wanders in her blooming face.
She mounts; around her soft-wing'd zephyrs fly,
Kiss her white limbs, and waft her through the sky.
On downy tracts of air the fairy glides,
And all the north hill shaded, backward slides.
Thus on the main, when favouring zephyr sings
Through the swift frigate's wide extended wings,
Ports, rocks, and cities, seem to glide away,
And the cloud-wounding hills themselves decay.
In amorous folds, to grasp her waste is seen;
A bongrace does her lovely forehead shade,
Soft wave behind the honours of the head.
A fan her hand, her feet bright sandals grace;
And beauty wanders in her blooming face.
She mounts; around her soft-wing'd zephyrs fly,
Kiss her white limbs, and waft her through the sky.
On downy tracts of air the fairy glides,
And all the north hill shaded, backward slides.
Thus on the main, when favouring zephyr sings
Through the swift frigate's wide extended wings,
Ports, rocks, and cities, seem to glide away,
And the cloud-wounding hills themselves decay.
On rocks a city stands, high-tower'd, unwall'd,
And from its scite the hill of Edin call'd,
Once the proud seat of royalty and state,
Of kings, of heroes, and of all that's great;
But these are flown, and Edin's only stores
Are fops, and scriveners, and English'd whores.
Here blooming Xanthe slopingly descends,
And, softly lighting, all her journey ends.
Invisible; for Fergus' Scottish line,
Disdain'd not yet on barren fields to reign.
And from its scite the hill of Edin call'd,
Once the proud seat of royalty and state,
Of kings, of heroes, and of all that's great;
But these are flown, and Edin's only stores
Are fops, and scriveners, and English'd whores.
Here blooming Xanthe slopingly descends,
And, softly lighting, all her journey ends.
Invisible; for Fergus' Scottish line,
Disdain'd not yet on barren fields to reign.
The hours through half his journey drove the day.
While slumbering yet the hiant Meno lay,
Fair Xanthe entered; round his pillow shed
Sleep-deep'ning air, and fum'd his dizzy head.
He snored aloud; the palace thundered round,
And repercussive walls repel the sound.
She took a knife, a deep incision made,
Then healed the wound, and with the humour fled.
Zephyr again resumed his lovely load,
And through the plains of ether with her trode.
Arrived, the vision round the hunter shed,
And filled with wild ambition all his head.
While slumbering yet the hiant Meno lay,
470
Sleep-deep'ning air, and fum'd his dizzy head.
He snored aloud; the palace thundered round,
And repercussive walls repel the sound.
She took a knife, a deep incision made,
Then healed the wound, and with the humour fled.
Zephyr again resumed his lovely load,
And through the plains of ether with her trode.
Arrived, the vision round the hunter shed,
And filled with wild ambition all his head.
471
CANTO II.
In Donald's eye now fade the blissful scenes:
The rough brow'd rocks, the sloping hills and plains,
Delight no more; no chace, no winged fowl,
No goat, no cattle, cheer the troubled soul;
The hut is hateful, and the fields of corn
Contract their bounds, and promise no return.
All is one blank—O envy'd, envy'd state,
The hunter cries, of all the happy great!
While press'd in poverty's hard iron hand,
I force poor sustenance from barren land,
Remote from life, and curs'd by fate unkind,
To struggle on the hill with northern wind,
Secure, in stately halls, the feast they ply,
And swim through life in deluges of joy.
The hut, the heathy wild, the barren fold,
The rattling hail, the north-descended cold,
Is all my portion—all a swain can boast,
Still 'twixt vicissitude's rough billows toss'd.
O partial Heavens! O Providence unkind!
Mine is the well-strung arm, the feeling mind;
Yet scarce can wade through miseries of life,
Combat with care, with care in endless strife.
O why, ye Powers, not bless me with a mind
To all the blasts of poverty resigned,
Or bless me greatly with the affluent store,
Nor doom the hapless hunter to be poor?
But why this moan? Thus always to complain
Suits only women, worthless 'tis in men:
Why thus repine! why thus for ever grieve!
I am but young, 'tis time enough to live;
Youth, sprightly bloom! the prize is still in view:
Rise, hunter, rise, and happiness pursue.
Thus on the hilly surface of the heath
The dog pursues the hare, and gasps for breath;
Unfainting, eager, he devours the way,
Till in his jaws he churns the quivering prey.
The rough brow'd rocks, the sloping hills and plains,
Delight no more; no chace, no winged fowl,
No goat, no cattle, cheer the troubled soul;
The hut is hateful, and the fields of corn
Contract their bounds, and promise no return.
All is one blank—O envy'd, envy'd state,
The hunter cries, of all the happy great!
While press'd in poverty's hard iron hand,
I force poor sustenance from barren land,
Remote from life, and curs'd by fate unkind,
To struggle on the hill with northern wind,
Secure, in stately halls, the feast they ply,
And swim through life in deluges of joy.
The hut, the heathy wild, the barren fold,
The rattling hail, the north-descended cold,
Is all my portion—all a swain can boast,
Still 'twixt vicissitude's rough billows toss'd.
472
Mine is the well-strung arm, the feeling mind;
Yet scarce can wade through miseries of life,
Combat with care, with care in endless strife.
O why, ye Powers, not bless me with a mind
To all the blasts of poverty resigned,
Or bless me greatly with the affluent store,
Nor doom the hapless hunter to be poor?
But why this moan? Thus always to complain
Suits only women, worthless 'tis in men:
Why thus repine! why thus for ever grieve!
I am but young, 'tis time enough to live;
Youth, sprightly bloom! the prize is still in view:
Rise, hunter, rise, and happiness pursue.
Thus on the hilly surface of the heath
The dog pursues the hare, and gasps for breath;
Unfainting, eager, he devours the way,
Till in his jaws he churns the quivering prey.
Thus said, the mountaineer indignant rose;
Around his limbs the spangled plaid he throws;
About his waist the rough broad cincture flies;
The plaid hangs plaited down his brawny thighs;
Straight down his side the temper'd dagger hung;
Athwart his thigh the sabre glides along;
On his left breast he heaveth with his breath
The polished pistol, minister of death!
He snatched the tube, companion of his toil,
Secured from rust by foxes furry spoil:
Then bounding forward, he devours the way;
The oaten fields, and low-roof'd hut decay;
The hills slip backward, as the hunter strides
Along the sharp spik'd rocks and mountain's sides.
In sober majesty the silent night
Advanced from the east, and drove before the light;
While yet the hunter rattled through the heath,
Moved the lithe limbs, and sigh'd with panting breath.
Around his limbs the spangled plaid he throws;
About his waist the rough broad cincture flies;
The plaid hangs plaited down his brawny thighs;
Straight down his side the temper'd dagger hung;
Athwart his thigh the sabre glides along;
On his left breast he heaveth with his breath
The polished pistol, minister of death!
He snatched the tube, companion of his toil,
Secured from rust by foxes furry spoil:
Then bounding forward, he devours the way;
The oaten fields, and low-roof'd hut decay;
The hills slip backward, as the hunter strides
Along the sharp spik'd rocks and mountain's sides.
In sober majesty the silent night
Advanced from the east, and drove before the light;
While yet the hunter rattled through the heath,
Moved the lithe limbs, and sigh'd with panting breath.
473
A hill there is, which forms a sable wall
Through all the north, and men it Grampus call.
Here lean-cheek'd Barrenness terrific strides;
A tattered robe waves round her iron sides;
Two baleful eyes roll in her iron face;
Her meagre hand supports a pile of grass;
Her bare white skull no decent covering shews;
Eternal tempests rattle on her brows;
Lank-sided Want, and pale-eyed Poverty,
And sharp-tooth'd Famine, still around her fly;
Health-gotten Hunger, want-descended Pain,
Vein-numbing Cold—are all her gloomy train.
The hunter view'd; a shiv'ring tremour ran
Through every vein, and vanquished all the man:
Extended wide he lay upon the heath,
And catch'd from zephyr to recruit his breath.
Refreshed he rose, and levels with his eye
The blue-tubed gun. Black deaths in lightning fly;
A roe falls shrieking: her the hunter flead;
The beast on heathy shrubs in order laid;
Then struck the fire; the living sparkles fly,
The flames ascend, and quiver in the sky.
The flesh, surrounded by the wasteful fire,
Buzz in the flames; the flames in smoke expire.
Through all the north, and men it Grampus call.
Here lean-cheek'd Barrenness terrific strides;
A tattered robe waves round her iron sides;
Two baleful eyes roll in her iron face;
Her meagre hand supports a pile of grass;
Her bare white skull no decent covering shews;
Eternal tempests rattle on her brows;
Lank-sided Want, and pale-eyed Poverty,
And sharp-tooth'd Famine, still around her fly;
Health-gotten Hunger, want-descended Pain,
Vein-numbing Cold—are all her gloomy train.
The hunter view'd; a shiv'ring tremour ran
Through every vein, and vanquished all the man:
Extended wide he lay upon the heath,
And catch'd from zephyr to recruit his breath.
Refreshed he rose, and levels with his eye
The blue-tubed gun. Black deaths in lightning fly;
A roe falls shrieking: her the hunter flead;
The beast on heathy shrubs in order laid;
Then struck the fire; the living sparkles fly,
The flames ascend, and quiver in the sky.
The flesh, surrounded by the wasteful fire,
Buzz in the flames; the flames in smoke expire.
And now the pangs of hunger drop their rage,
His thirst the gently-flowing brooks assuage.
Secure upon the bank his limbs he spread,
And peaceful slumbers hover round his head.
The night her sable car through half the plain
Of heaven drove, and spread her silent reign;
Her twinkling eyes the gloomy goddess shrouds
With a dark veil of rain-condensed clouds;
When, lo! before the sleeping hunter's eyes
His father Malcolm's phantom seem'd to rise.
Thin are the snowy honours of his head;
An half-worn shroud waves round the long since dead.
He slow advanced, his furrow'd visage shook,
Then stretched his skinny hand, and thus he spoke:
His thirst the gently-flowing brooks assuage.
Secure upon the bank his limbs he spread,
And peaceful slumbers hover round his head.
The night her sable car through half the plain
Of heaven drove, and spread her silent reign;
Her twinkling eyes the gloomy goddess shrouds
With a dark veil of rain-condensed clouds;
When, lo! before the sleeping hunter's eyes
His father Malcolm's phantom seem'd to rise.
Thin are the snowy honours of his head;
An half-worn shroud waves round the long since dead.
474
Then stretched his skinny hand, and thus he spoke:
Why, why, my son! O, why, my only joy!
Why from his house does youthful Donald fly?
What wicked demon, enemy of rest,
Has ruffled the smooth surface of your breast?
Return, return! in vain you fly from Care,
Sharp stings the gnawing monster every where.
To shun him sailors vainly billows cleave;
He sits incumbent on each sable wave.
In vain through rugged earth incessant roam;
Man is his prey, and everywhere his home.
Him vile Ambition, in a foul embrace,
Got on Corruption; ghastly is his face,
Red are his wakeful eyes; around he stares,
His form is rack'd with never ceasing fears.
Face-wintering wrinkles on his cheeks he draws,
And poison bubbles round his grinning jaws.
He always looks, but never sees aright;
Imagined phantoms swim before his sight.
The shade of Want remote, and Poverty,
Are figured out by the unfaithful eye.
He starves in plenty, troubled is in rest,
And sleep ne'er floats upon his boiling breast.
Unseen, but felt, oft in the halls of state
He sits, and tinges all the pompous treat.
And oft he hovers round the downy bed,
Thundering despair around the statesman's head,
While happy, on the wide extended plain,
The shepherd scarcely owns his rigid reign.
What though no grandeur spreads his homely boards,
Confined to what sweet temperance affords:
No pride, with gaudy mazes, ever swims
Around his ample chest and brawny limbs;
Yet sweet Content anxiety beguiles,
Triumphs o'er Care, and tempers life with smiles.
Thus, in the dark recesses of the grove,
The shrouded birds tune elegies of love;
The walker listens to the tuneful lay,
While unperceived the rough road steals away.
Why from his house does youthful Donald fly?
What wicked demon, enemy of rest,
Has ruffled the smooth surface of your breast?
Return, return! in vain you fly from Care,
Sharp stings the gnawing monster every where.
To shun him sailors vainly billows cleave;
He sits incumbent on each sable wave.
In vain through rugged earth incessant roam;
Man is his prey, and everywhere his home.
Him vile Ambition, in a foul embrace,
Got on Corruption; ghastly is his face,
Red are his wakeful eyes; around he stares,
His form is rack'd with never ceasing fears.
Face-wintering wrinkles on his cheeks he draws,
And poison bubbles round his grinning jaws.
He always looks, but never sees aright;
Imagined phantoms swim before his sight.
The shade of Want remote, and Poverty,
Are figured out by the unfaithful eye.
He starves in plenty, troubled is in rest,
And sleep ne'er floats upon his boiling breast.
Unseen, but felt, oft in the halls of state
He sits, and tinges all the pompous treat.
And oft he hovers round the downy bed,
Thundering despair around the statesman's head,
While happy, on the wide extended plain,
The shepherd scarcely owns his rigid reign.
What though no grandeur spreads his homely boards,
Confined to what sweet temperance affords:
No pride, with gaudy mazes, ever swims
Around his ample chest and brawny limbs;
Yet sweet Content anxiety beguiles,
Triumphs o'er Care, and tempers life with smiles.
475
The shrouded birds tune elegies of love;
The walker listens to the tuneful lay,
While unperceived the rough road steals away.
Thus said, he fades before the hunter's sight,
And the pale form is wrapt in gloomy night;
Amidst the breeze the dying words are lost,
And nought is heard but the shrill whistling blast.
Aghast the hunter rose; soft sleep is fled;
Upright stood all the honours of his head:
He draws his sword, around a circle broke;
Then blest the place, and to himself thus spoke:
And the pale form is wrapt in gloomy night;
Amidst the breeze the dying words are lost,
And nought is heard but the shrill whistling blast.
Aghast the hunter rose; soft sleep is fled;
Upright stood all the honours of his head:
He draws his sword, around a circle broke;
Then blest the place, and to himself thus spoke:
If in the wide expanses of the sky,
On gloomy air departed spirits fly,
Sure this was he, for yet I seem to hear,
As yet his accents hang upon the ear.
The well-known voice, the child-instructing tongue,
Could to no shade but to my sire belong.
The same his visage, and his shape the same;
Thus sunk into the grave the ancient frame.
But how be here? since fleeting spirits dwell,
As parsons say, in heaven or in hell,
Not wandering free, but still confined to space,
To gulphs of sorrow, or to vales of peace,
Unheedful, unconcerned for aught below,
And blood created friendship cease to glow.
For when the unharnessed soul is fled in breath,
And the rough vessel sinks in gloomy death,
Each earthly love, each blood-formed passion gone,
The untainted soul shall love the soul alone.
Cease, Donald cease, to be in endless pain
For the wild fancy of thy dastard brain.
'Tis cowardice that raised the grisly shade,
Described grim Care, and not thy father dead.
Thus oft the trembling, easy frightened hind,
Hears shrill dogs yelping in each blast of wind;
His frighten'd fancy empty terrors sees,
Makes dogs of stones, and men of distant trees.
On gloomy air departed spirits fly,
Sure this was he, for yet I seem to hear,
As yet his accents hang upon the ear.
The well-known voice, the child-instructing tongue,
Could to no shade but to my sire belong.
The same his visage, and his shape the same;
Thus sunk into the grave the ancient frame.
But how be here? since fleeting spirits dwell,
As parsons say, in heaven or in hell,
Not wandering free, but still confined to space,
To gulphs of sorrow, or to vales of peace,
Unheedful, unconcerned for aught below,
And blood created friendship cease to glow.
For when the unharnessed soul is fled in breath,
And the rough vessel sinks in gloomy death,
Each earthly love, each blood-formed passion gone,
The untainted soul shall love the soul alone.
476
For the wild fancy of thy dastard brain.
'Tis cowardice that raised the grisly shade,
Described grim Care, and not thy father dead.
Thus oft the trembling, easy frightened hind,
Hears shrill dogs yelping in each blast of wind;
His frighten'd fancy empty terrors sees,
Makes dogs of stones, and men of distant trees.
The Hunter argued thus, devoid of rest,
Thus rolled the passions in his troubled breast:
While sprightly morn, in spangled beauties clad,
Reared o'er the eastern hill her rosy head;
Cool through the heath the mattin breezes sigh,
And wave the plaid on Donald's brawny thigh.
Cheered with the blest return of sacred light,
Eased of the gloomy terrors of the night,
He stretched his limbs, and ceaseless metes the way,
Till on the banks of clearly-flowing Tay
The Hunter stood, where the rough bubbling flood
Roars 'twixt two hills, through rocks and murmuring woods:
Laid on the banks, the trees above him waved;
His scrip provides what gnawing hunger craved.
Refresh'd he rose, then plunged into the tide;
The waves arose, and, bubbling, wash his sides;
He gains the farther shore; then, with a bound,
The Hunter rises: Showers descend around.
Thus water-fowl their downy bodies lave
In the bright bubbles of the silver wave;
Then seek the shore, and clap the ruffled wing;
Then through the air on well fledged pinions sing.
Thus shook, thus fled the man, till setting day
Darts parallel to earth his western ray.
Thus rolled the passions in his troubled breast:
While sprightly morn, in spangled beauties clad,
Reared o'er the eastern hill her rosy head;
Cool through the heath the mattin breezes sigh,
And wave the plaid on Donald's brawny thigh.
Cheered with the blest return of sacred light,
Eased of the gloomy terrors of the night,
He stretched his limbs, and ceaseless metes the way,
Till on the banks of clearly-flowing Tay
The Hunter stood, where the rough bubbling flood
Roars 'twixt two hills, through rocks and murmuring woods:
Laid on the banks, the trees above him waved;
His scrip provides what gnawing hunger craved.
Refresh'd he rose, then plunged into the tide;
The waves arose, and, bubbling, wash his sides;
He gains the farther shore; then, with a bound,
The Hunter rises: Showers descend around.
Thus water-fowl their downy bodies lave
In the bright bubbles of the silver wave;
Then seek the shore, and clap the ruffled wing;
Then through the air on well fledged pinions sing.
Thus shook, thus fled the man, till setting day
Darts parallel to earth his western ray.
A place there is, where the cerulean main
Glides up through earth, and forms an azure plain;
The Hunter stood astonish'd, to survey
The roaring billows on the watry way,
How liquid mountains dash against the shore,
The rough rocks rumble, while the billows roar.
He stretched his limbs along the murmuring deep,
And the hoarse billows lull his soul to sleep.
Glides up through earth, and forms an azure plain;
477
The roaring billows on the watry way,
How liquid mountains dash against the shore,
The rough rocks rumble, while the billows roar.
He stretched his limbs along the murmuring deep,
And the hoarse billows lull his soul to sleep.
478
CANTO III.
While thus the wanderer pressed his sandy bed,
And downy sleep sheds balm around his head,
Destructive Care on sable pinion flies,
And spreads his phantoms on the monarch's eyes.
Fierce foes the throne of regal Scotia threat;
The English thunder at the palace gate.
The monarch starts, the reverend senate calls;
The nobler peerage throng the royal halls.
The king arose, his graceful visage shook,
Then stretched his sceptre, and commanding spoke.
And downy sleep sheds balm around his head,
Destructive Care on sable pinion flies,
And spreads his phantoms on the monarch's eyes.
Fierce foes the throne of regal Scotia threat;
The English thunder at the palace gate.
The monarch starts, the reverend senate calls;
The nobler peerage throng the royal halls.
The king arose, his graceful visage shook,
Then stretched his sceptre, and commanding spoke.
Ye chiefs, ye heroes, ye professed foes
Of hateful slavery and th' aspiring Rose,
If on the iron field, incased in arms,
Ye taught your foes that liberty had charms;
If, dauntless chiefs! ye bore of generous toil,
And met with death to save a barren soil;
Now, now, O! generous lend the timely aid,
And break the storm that threatens Scotia's head.
This to our mother we, her children, owe;
Our country's enemy is still our foe.
Bleak Desolation, on her lonely wings,
The foe through all the south terrific brings:
And now, nocturnal, on the yellow sand,
In sable walls the embattled English stand
In close array. To-morrow they prepare
To hurl against our walls the stormy war.
Rise, Caledonian chiefs! ye heroes, rise!
Your bleeding country for your succour cries.
Thus in the iron field a father falls,
And grasping his dear son, incessant calls,
Revenge, my son, revenge my death! he cries.
The son obeys—revenges, or he dies.
Of hateful slavery and th' aspiring Rose,
If on the iron field, incased in arms,
Ye taught your foes that liberty had charms;
If, dauntless chiefs! ye bore of generous toil,
And met with death to save a barren soil;
Now, now, O! generous lend the timely aid,
And break the storm that threatens Scotia's head.
479
Our country's enemy is still our foe.
Bleak Desolation, on her lonely wings,
The foe through all the south terrific brings:
And now, nocturnal, on the yellow sand,
In sable walls the embattled English stand
In close array. To-morrow they prepare
To hurl against our walls the stormy war.
Rise, Caledonian chiefs! ye heroes, rise!
Your bleeding country for your succour cries.
Thus in the iron field a father falls,
And grasping his dear son, incessant calls,
Revenge, my son, revenge my death! he cries.
The son obeys—revenges, or he dies.
The monarch said; the loyal chiefs obey,
Their homage done, majestic strode away.
His country's love each generous bosom warms;
The streets resound with fight deciding arms. [OMITTED]
Their homage done, majestic strode away.
His country's love each generous bosom warms;
The streets resound with fight deciding arms. [OMITTED]
Before the camp they rest, till sacred light
Inflame the soul, and teach the hands to fight.
Dark night, involved in gloomy clouds, now fled;
The sun o'er ocean reared his beamy head:
In dazzling light the foaming billows roll'd,
The sloping hills are lined with fusil gold.
On sable pinions, from the Hunter's eyes
Lid-bending sleep, cloud-mantled, silent flies.
On downy gales the restful power is laid,
Oblivious vapours fume his drowsy head.
His half-shut eye all in confusion sees
His matted hair remurmur in the breeze:
His loose-thrown robe hangs careless round his limbs,
Or in the gale in wreathy volumes swims.
With downcast eyes, Oblivion, silent shade!
In her dark bosom hugs his vapour'd head.
[OMITTED]
Inflame the soul, and teach the hands to fight.
Dark night, involved in gloomy clouds, now fled;
The sun o'er ocean reared his beamy head:
In dazzling light the foaming billows roll'd,
The sloping hills are lined with fusil gold.
On sable pinions, from the Hunter's eyes
Lid-bending sleep, cloud-mantled, silent flies.
On downy gales the restful power is laid,
Oblivious vapours fume his drowsy head.
His half-shut eye all in confusion sees
His matted hair remurmur in the breeze:
His loose-thrown robe hangs careless round his limbs,
Or in the gale in wreathy volumes swims.
480
In her dark bosom hugs his vapour'd head.
Refresh'd, the Highlander uprightly stood,
And views afar the silver-gilded flood;
While in the port the loved sea-faring train
Fit the tall bark to the rough murmuring main.
He enters; to the sea the ship advanced,
Plow'd through the waves, and on the billows danced.
Cut by the prow, the foam inlaced tides
Quiver astern, and lash the oaken sides:
The murmuring north-west, with refreshing gales,
Hoarse whistles through the shrouds, and swells the sails.
And views afar the silver-gilded flood;
While in the port the loved sea-faring train
Fit the tall bark to the rough murmuring main.
He enters; to the sea the ship advanced,
Plow'd through the waves, and on the billows danced.
Cut by the prow, the foam inlaced tides
Quiver astern, and lash the oaken sides:
The murmuring north-west, with refreshing gales,
Hoarse whistles through the shrouds, and swells the sails.
Now on the eye the southern mountains grow,
Lithæan towers advance, solemnly slow;
While trumpets, clarions, noble shouts of war,
With mingled sounds, invade the Hunter's ear.
A noble ardour, never known till then,
Swells on the blood, and boils in every vein:
He more majestic moves; enlarged more,
His soul accused the slow-coming shore.
Arrived—he eager leaps upon the ground;
His rattling arms emit an iron sound.
With mighty strides he sweeps along the sand,
And bends his footsteps to the lesser band.
Lithæan towers advance, solemnly slow;
While trumpets, clarions, noble shouts of war,
With mingled sounds, invade the Hunter's ear.
A noble ardour, never known till then,
Swells on the blood, and boils in every vein:
He more majestic moves; enlarged more,
His soul accused the slow-coming shore.
Arrived—he eager leaps upon the ground;
His rattling arms emit an iron sound.
With mighty strides he sweeps along the sand,
And bends his footsteps to the lesser band.
Thus in the lowly hut, the faithful hound,
With tender twigs of yielding osier bound,
When, far without, he hears the blasting horns,
Leaps here and there, and in his bondage burns;
But once let loose, he snuffs the gelid wind,
And leaves the winged blast to puff behind.
With tender twigs of yielding osier bound,
When, far without, he hears the blasting horns,
Leaps here and there, and in his bondage burns;
But once let loose, he snuffs the gelid wind,
And leaves the winged blast to puff behind.
The youth arrived, when o'er the northern main
The lovely form of Liberty is seen.
A heavenly splendour, and unfading grace,
Flashed from her eyes, and wandered in her face;
Her lovely skin the varied beauty shews,
Of the white lilly, and the blushing rose.
Justice around her spreads her awful reign,
And Innocence, in white robes, neatly plain,
Smiles life away; when sweet Fidelity,
With sister Modesty, completes the joy.
There Science stands, in endless pleasure clad,
Eternal laurels flourish on her head.
Each Muse, a lovely choir! around her sings,
And gnawing Care thére drops the pointless stings.
Oppression, ghastly shade! her presence flies;
The trembling tyrant veils his coward eyes,
When clad in wrath, and law-maintaining arms,
The goddess shines in more than mortal charms.
Majestically slow descends the fair;
Her snow-white robe swims on the placid air,
And on the royal head conspicuous stood,
With courage keen, and dauntless fortitude.
She raised her voice; the rocks re-echo round;
The embattled English tremble at the sound.
Thrice call'd the power, and thrice the ocean rang,
And from the starting horse the riders hang:
When Courage, through the Scottish ranks confessed,
With his immortal steel incased each breast.
Each generous soul confess'd with ardent joy,
I'll save my country, or revenged die.
But more than all the youthful Hunter burns,
Joy swells his breast, and vengeance stings by turns.
Pain heaves his beating heart; his form, improved,
Towers o'er the field, and as a god he moved.
Terror, commixed with soul-attractive grace,
Flashed from each feature of his manly face.
The lovely form of Liberty is seen.
A heavenly splendour, and unfading grace,
Flashed from her eyes, and wandered in her face;
481
Of the white lilly, and the blushing rose.
Justice around her spreads her awful reign,
And Innocence, in white robes, neatly plain,
Smiles life away; when sweet Fidelity,
With sister Modesty, completes the joy.
There Science stands, in endless pleasure clad,
Eternal laurels flourish on her head.
Each Muse, a lovely choir! around her sings,
And gnawing Care thére drops the pointless stings.
Oppression, ghastly shade! her presence flies;
The trembling tyrant veils his coward eyes,
When clad in wrath, and law-maintaining arms,
The goddess shines in more than mortal charms.
Majestically slow descends the fair;
Her snow-white robe swims on the placid air,
And on the royal head conspicuous stood,
With courage keen, and dauntless fortitude.
She raised her voice; the rocks re-echo round;
The embattled English tremble at the sound.
Thrice call'd the power, and thrice the ocean rang,
And from the starting horse the riders hang:
When Courage, through the Scottish ranks confessed,
With his immortal steel incased each breast.
Each generous soul confess'd with ardent joy,
I'll save my country, or revenged die.
But more than all the youthful Hunter burns,
Joy swells his breast, and vengeance stings by turns.
Pain heaves his beating heart; his form, improved,
Towers o'er the field, and as a god he moved.
Terror, commixed with soul-attractive grace,
Flashed from each feature of his manly face.
482
CANTO IV.
And now the war-inciting clarions sound,
And neighing coursers paw the trembling ground.
At once they move, majestically slow,
To pour their headlong force upon the foe;
Then stop, and, awful, solemn silence reigns,
Along the sable walls, and frowning plains.
When, wrapt in all the majesty of state,
Adorned with all the honours of the great,
The king, resplendent on his regal car,
Shines awful in the iron front of war:
He stood, then stretched his sceptre; all around
Hang in attention to the grateful sound.
Down to the dust he bends his reverend head,
And to the Almighty, supplicating, pray'd.
And neighing coursers paw the trembling ground.
At once they move, majestically slow,
To pour their headlong force upon the foe;
Then stop, and, awful, solemn silence reigns,
Along the sable walls, and frowning plains.
When, wrapt in all the majesty of state,
Adorned with all the honours of the great,
The king, resplendent on his regal car,
Shines awful in the iron front of war:
He stood, then stretched his sceptre; all around
Hang in attention to the grateful sound.
Down to the dust he bends his reverend head,
And to the Almighty, supplicating, pray'd.
O great unknown—O all-creating mind,
In greatness lost, Almighty, unconfin'd
To space or time, whose mighty hand informs
The rattling tempests, and the sable storms,
Absorb'd in light, O vast infinitude!
Incomprehensible, supremely good,
Attend, O heavenly! from thy glory hear,
And to a dust-formed worm incline thine ear!
String the firm arm, and teach the hand to fight;
Confound the proud, that trust in mortal might.
All own thy sway, and at thy great command
Success attends the weak and feeble hand.
In greatness lost, Almighty, unconfin'd
To space or time, whose mighty hand informs
The rattling tempests, and the sable storms,
483
Incomprehensible, supremely good,
Attend, O heavenly! from thy glory hear,
And to a dust-formed worm incline thine ear!
String the firm arm, and teach the hand to fight;
Confound the proud, that trust in mortal might.
All own thy sway, and at thy great command
Success attends the weak and feeble hand.
Thus said, the devout monarch suppliant bowed,
And muttering prayers ran along the crowd.
In dazzling arms the chiefs terrific shine,
Glide through the ranks, and form the lengthening line.
While from the embattled foe a hero strode;
A coat of mail hangs from his shoulders broad;
On his high towering head terrific waved
A crested helmet that the sabre braved.
On his left hand he bears a spacious shield,
Glittering with iron terrour o'er the field;
And in his right he waves the shining blade.
He greatly stood—and thus provoking said:
Ye Scots, ye nation full of fraud and guile!
Ye mean descendants of a barren soil!
Let one advance (the bravest I demand),
And fall a victim to my conquering hand;
Forget your fears, your wonted fears controul,
Let fate enlarge the ever little soul.
And muttering prayers ran along the crowd.
In dazzling arms the chiefs terrific shine,
Glide through the ranks, and form the lengthening line.
While from the embattled foe a hero strode;
A coat of mail hangs from his shoulders broad;
On his high towering head terrific waved
A crested helmet that the sabre braved.
On his left hand he bears a spacious shield,
Glittering with iron terrour o'er the field;
And in his right he waves the shining blade.
He greatly stood—and thus provoking said:
Ye Scots, ye nation full of fraud and guile!
Ye mean descendants of a barren soil!
Let one advance (the bravest I demand),
And fall a victim to my conquering hand;
Forget your fears, your wonted fears controul,
Let fate enlarge the ever little soul.
He said; and rage, in tickling poison, ran
Through every soul, and stung each generous man.
The Hunter heard; rage sparkled from his eyes,
And from his inmost soul the hero sighs;
Then thus indignant spoke:—Ah! glory gone!
Ah! ancient virtue now for ever flown!
What blessed corner does the godhead rest?
No more you swell the generous Scottish breast,
When thus, O Scotland! Saxons dare deride
Thy steel-clad warriors, ranged side by side—
I can no more—my panting vitals swell;
I'll give thee glory, or thy soul to hell!
Through every soul, and stung each generous man.
The Hunter heard; rage sparkled from his eyes,
And from his inmost soul the hero sighs;
Then thus indignant spoke:—Ah! glory gone!
Ah! ancient virtue now for ever flown!
What blessed corner does the godhead rest?
No more you swell the generous Scottish breast,
When thus, O Scotland! Saxons dare deride
Thy steel-clad warriors, ranged side by side—
484
I'll give thee glory, or thy soul to hell!
Then towards the foe the youth indignant moved:
Fear trembles, en'mies praise, and envy loved.
He strides along the men-environed ground;
His rattling arms emit an iron sound:
The Saxon saw, advanced, nor looked behind,
Fate hurried on, and courage steel'd his mind.
Bright in effulgent arms the youths appeared;
Each o'er the plain a steely column reared:
They rush together; clashing arms afar
Reflect the horrours of the dismal war.
Awful the blades wave gleaming in the sky,
And from the crashing steel the sparkles fly.
They fight, and, wearied, cease, and fight again;
Their feet bake dust with blood upon the plain.
Death undetermined points to each his stings,
And conquest flutters round on dubious wings.
The hill-born youth reminds, with anxious care,
What vaunts the foul-mouth'd Saxon breath'd on air;
His country's love the youthful hero warms,
And vengeance strung his almost wearied arms.
Upraised aloft, the light reflexive blade
Sings through the air, and cleaves the Saxon's head.
The broken skull, and shivered helmet, strew'd
The sandy plain, that reeks with human blood.
He gasping falls, and shakes the thundering ground,
And, dying, toss'd his quivering limbs around.
Fear trembles, en'mies praise, and envy loved.
He strides along the men-environed ground;
His rattling arms emit an iron sound:
The Saxon saw, advanced, nor looked behind,
Fate hurried on, and courage steel'd his mind.
Bright in effulgent arms the youths appeared;
Each o'er the plain a steely column reared:
They rush together; clashing arms afar
Reflect the horrours of the dismal war.
Awful the blades wave gleaming in the sky,
And from the crashing steel the sparkles fly.
They fight, and, wearied, cease, and fight again;
Their feet bake dust with blood upon the plain.
Death undetermined points to each his stings,
And conquest flutters round on dubious wings.
The hill-born youth reminds, with anxious care,
What vaunts the foul-mouth'd Saxon breath'd on air;
His country's love the youthful hero warms,
And vengeance strung his almost wearied arms.
Upraised aloft, the light reflexive blade
Sings through the air, and cleaves the Saxon's head.
The broken skull, and shivered helmet, strew'd
The sandy plain, that reeks with human blood.
He gasping falls, and shakes the thundering ground,
And, dying, toss'd his quivering limbs around.
Thus falls an oak, that long majestic stood
The tallest honours of the waving wood;
Deep hack'd by the shipwright's unerring hand,
Groans, slow inclines, and, falling, shakes the land.
The tallest honours of the waving wood;
Deep hack'd by the shipwright's unerring hand,
Groans, slow inclines, and, falling, shakes the land.
485
When on the field the Saxon lay supine,
The English tremble through each sable line.
Half-bending backward, much they wish to fly,
And terror sparkles from each troubled eye.
Confirmed with joy, the Scots advance the war;
To save their country is their only care:
Fair liberty each youthful bosom warms,
And in the jaws of death they seek her arms.
The English tremble through each sable line.
Half-bending backward, much they wish to fly,
And terror sparkles from each troubled eye.
Confirmed with joy, the Scots advance the war;
To save their country is their only care:
Fair liberty each youthful bosom warms,
And in the jaws of death they seek her arms.
Now from the levelled tubes loud thunders roar,
And lightning flashed along the awful shore.
They fall, and pitchy smoke enwraps them round;
The bubbling blood floats on the fatal ground.
Shouts, dying groans, and noise of arms, invade
The dreaming portals of the startled head.
And lightning flashed along the awful shore.
They fall, and pitchy smoke enwraps them round;
The bubbling blood floats on the fatal ground.
Shouts, dying groans, and noise of arms, invade
The dreaming portals of the startled head.
So, when contending blasts for empires strive,
Through the Cerulean vault the clouds they drive,
Till o'er some brow the gloomy shades engage,
And low'ring heaven trembles at their rage;
Red lightnings flash, and rough voiced thunders shake,
Earth bends her mountains, and her vallies quake.
Through the Cerulean vault the clouds they drive,
Till o'er some brow the gloomy shades engage,
And low'ring heaven trembles at their rage;
Red lightnings flash, and rough voiced thunders shake,
Earth bends her mountains, and her vallies quake.
Now raging 'midst the foe, terrific shines
The hill-born youth, and breaks the hostile lines.
Around him nought is heard but dying groans,
The crashing steel, and noise of fractured bones.
Where'er he towers, the foe betake to flight,
Or death enwraps them in eternal night.
Arms, half-lopt limbs, and gasping men up-piled,
O'erspread confusion on the dismal field.
The hill-born youth, and breaks the hostile lines.
Around him nought is heard but dying groans,
The crashing steel, and noise of fractured bones.
Where'er he towers, the foe betake to flight,
Or death enwraps them in eternal night.
Arms, half-lopt limbs, and gasping men up-piled,
O'erspread confusion on the dismal field.
Diminished now, the vanquished English fly,
Force, valour, conduct, could no aid supply.
Fierce on the rear the hill-born hero hangs,
Lops the slow tail, and every hero bangs.
Henry returns—Henry, whose haughty line
Descends from Edward—Edward, half divine,
Who knew stern Mars in all his frightful forms!
Proud Gallia trembles as the hero storms:
Great in his blood, great in his manly mind,
The godlike Harry stately stood behind.
To cope with Donald is his only care,
And dam the deluge of the rushing war.
The youthful hero stood in arms incased,
And thoughtful argued in his manly breast.
Force, valour, conduct, could no aid supply.
Fierce on the rear the hill-born hero hangs,
Lops the slow tail, and every hero bangs.
Henry returns—Henry, whose haughty line
Descends from Edward—Edward, half divine,
Who knew stern Mars in all his frightful forms!
Proud Gallia trembles as the hero storms:
486
The godlike Harry stately stood behind.
To cope with Donald is his only care,
And dam the deluge of the rushing war.
The youthful hero stood in arms incased,
And thoughtful argued in his manly breast.
If carried on the headlong stream I fly,
I'll fall inglorious, unrevenged die:
Or, even if safety should reward my flight,
How many souls will be enwrapt in night!
The Scots would glory to see how Henry fled,
The blood of Edward, and the Saxon head.
The people perish when the chieftain flies—
No; Henry conquers, or revenged dies!
Thus rashly said, the hero, bold and young,
Swells in his arms, and stately strides along;
With easy steps, majestically slow,
To brave the headlong fury of the foe.
I'll fall inglorious, unrevenged die:
Or, even if safety should reward my flight,
How many souls will be enwrapt in night!
The Scots would glory to see how Henry fled,
The blood of Edward, and the Saxon head.
The people perish when the chieftain flies—
No; Henry conquers, or revenged dies!
Thus rashly said, the hero, bold and young,
Swells in his arms, and stately strides along;
With easy steps, majestically slow,
To brave the headlong fury of the foe.
Thus of his youthful might the courser proud,
Stems the rough current of the headlong flood;
White his broad chest the bubbling liquid laves,
Steadfast he moves amidst the raging waves.
Stems the rough current of the headlong flood;
White his broad chest the bubbling liquid laves,
Steadfast he moves amidst the raging waves.
Towards youthful Henry Donald furious strode;
He longs to revel in his English blood.
They meet, they fight, and rage each youth possessed;
Fierce vengeance fired, and anger gnawed each breast.
Intent to conquer, both to fly forgot;
Each for his life, and both for glory fought.
Death, empty bugbear! could no longer fright,
Or ought restrain the youthful hand from fight.
Now Henry silver skin with wounds inlaced,
And crimson flood-gates in his manly breast:
Adown his limbs the purple torrent flows:
By slow degrees his arm more feeble grows;
He parries faintly, and he strives with pain;
Then falls, o'erwhelmed, and shakes the dusty plain.
Low-ebbing life faint on his eye-ball swims,
And scarce he moves his death-suspended limbs.
O! would to Heaven that thus each Saxon lay;
Then late posterity would bless this day,
The Hunter cries: Nor should it be forgot,
That Steuart's sceptered, and that Donald fought.
But ah! how fading is a mighty name,
And but a moment sounds the trump of fame!
Forgot the conqueror and the vanquished die;
No little deeds claim immortality.
He longs to revel in his English blood.
They meet, they fight, and rage each youth possessed;
Fierce vengeance fired, and anger gnawed each breast.
Intent to conquer, both to fly forgot;
Each for his life, and both for glory fought.
Death, empty bugbear! could no longer fright,
Or ought restrain the youthful hand from fight.
Now Henry silver skin with wounds inlaced,
And crimson flood-gates in his manly breast:
Adown his limbs the purple torrent flows:
By slow degrees his arm more feeble grows;
He parries faintly, and he strives with pain;
Then falls, o'erwhelmed, and shakes the dusty plain.
487
And scarce he moves his death-suspended limbs.
O! would to Heaven that thus each Saxon lay;
Then late posterity would bless this day,
The Hunter cries: Nor should it be forgot,
That Steuart's sceptered, and that Donald fought.
But ah! how fading is a mighty name,
And but a moment sounds the trump of fame!
Forgot the conqueror and the vanquished die;
No little deeds claim immortality.
The Hunter spoke: and Henry thus replies;
(And scarcely lifts his death-congealed eyes)
It ill becomes a man to gasp for fame;
An empty phantom is a mighty name.
Boast now the conquering Caledonians may,
Since victory has crowned the toilsome day;
But Donald most may his own valour raise,
Since weeping matrons shall record his praise.
But comes the day this shall be dearly paid
(Prophetic Merlin thus in rapture said),
Long Saxons shall for Scottish liberty,
Enwrapt in death, far from your country lie.
The hill-descended shall retain the prize,
Until a race, deep-versed in policies,
Shall sprout from Saxon trunk, and schemes unfold,
To change their steely points to fusil gold;
Then shackled on his heath, the hill-born swain
Shall crawl along, and move his hard-bound limbs with pain.
Fair Liberty to them shall lose her charms,
And Scots shall tremble at the sight of arms.
Exalted in his soul, the hero said,
Then shut his lips, and slept among the dead.
(And scarcely lifts his death-congealed eyes)
It ill becomes a man to gasp for fame;
An empty phantom is a mighty name.
Boast now the conquering Caledonians may,
Since victory has crowned the toilsome day;
But Donald most may his own valour raise,
Since weeping matrons shall record his praise.
But comes the day this shall be dearly paid
(Prophetic Merlin thus in rapture said),
Long Saxons shall for Scottish liberty,
Enwrapt in death, far from your country lie.
The hill-descended shall retain the prize,
Until a race, deep-versed in policies,
Shall sprout from Saxon trunk, and schemes unfold,
To change their steely points to fusil gold;
Then shackled on his heath, the hill-born swain
Shall crawl along, and move his hard-bound limbs with pain.
Fair Liberty to them shall lose her charms,
And Scots shall tremble at the sight of arms.
Exalted in his soul, the hero said,
Then shut his lips, and slept among the dead.
488
CANTO V.
Deep musing in his inmost soul retired,
Or damped with grief, or indignation fired,
The hunter stood, and all himself forgot,
Within the fancied field of solemn thought.
Be shackled, tremble at the sight of arms,
Shook all his youthful soul with dire alarms.
His soul-tormenting thoughts no pleasure find;
And all the hero trembled in his mind.
Or stung by grief, or fired with patriot rage,
O more than slaves—O sluggish poltroon age,
The Hunter cries; O should my life restored
Inform these limbs,—then should the avenging sword
Lop off the mean debasers of our blood,
And drive from earth the gold-deluded brood.
In vain the valiant Caledonian dies,
To conquer liberty, a noble prize
For his degenerate race, if yet a toy,
A glittering plaything, can your cares employ.
Vile empty shew, and no substantial good,
Not proof against the north, no fostering food.
Ah! then shall Liberty for ever fly
With downcast head, and tear-o'erflowing eye!
Methinks I see the lovely form decay;
While honour quenches each resplendent ray.
Or damped with grief, or indignation fired,
The hunter stood, and all himself forgot,
Within the fancied field of solemn thought.
Be shackled, tremble at the sight of arms,
Shook all his youthful soul with dire alarms.
His soul-tormenting thoughts no pleasure find;
And all the hero trembled in his mind.
Or stung by grief, or fired with patriot rage,
O more than slaves—O sluggish poltroon age,
The Hunter cries; O should my life restored
Inform these limbs,—then should the avenging sword
Lop off the mean debasers of our blood,
And drive from earth the gold-deluded brood.
In vain the valiant Caledonian dies,
To conquer liberty, a noble prize
For his degenerate race, if yet a toy,
A glittering plaything, can your cares employ.
489
Not proof against the north, no fostering food.
Ah! then shall Liberty for ever fly
With downcast head, and tear-o'erflowing eye!
Methinks I see the lovely form decay;
While honour quenches each resplendent ray.
The hero tortured thus his manly mind,
While shouts triumphal swell upon the wind.
For lifeless now the English press'd the plains,
Or pined reluctant in coercive chains;
Now sprightly Victory, on her golden car,
Leads arms and trophies, and the spoils of war.
Joy sparkles from her eye, and from her tongue
A turbid stream of vaunting roars along;
Shouts, rough bravadoes, a loquacious train!
Her blustering handmaids, croud her noisy reign.
The assembled chiefs around the Hunter stood,
And withered elders to the hero bowed.
Amazed each chieftain views the great unknown;
Him dread of Saxons, and their bulwark own;
His manly port, and round-form'd limbs admire;
And whence the youth, inquisitive inquire.
While shouts triumphal swell upon the wind.
For lifeless now the English press'd the plains,
Or pined reluctant in coercive chains;
Now sprightly Victory, on her golden car,
Leads arms and trophies, and the spoils of war.
Joy sparkles from her eye, and from her tongue
A turbid stream of vaunting roars along;
Shouts, rough bravadoes, a loquacious train!
Her blustering handmaids, croud her noisy reign.
The assembled chiefs around the Hunter stood,
And withered elders to the hero bowed.
Amazed each chieftain views the great unknown;
Him dread of Saxons, and their bulwark own;
His manly port, and round-form'd limbs admire;
And whence the youth, inquisitive inquire.
Thus they; the monarch, with majestic mien,
Triumphant towers along the bloody plain.
And where the youth to whom my crown I owe?
The bold chastiser of the invading foe?
The monarch cries—where is the youth unknown,
The stedfast pillar of my regal throne?
Methinks I see him 'midst the day's alarms,
Hang on the foe, and raving in his arms;
Towering along the field with panting breath,
Hew down the man, and mark his steps with death.
The task be mine his valour to condone,
While grateful Scotia owns her warlike son.
Triumphant towers along the bloody plain.
And where the youth to whom my crown I owe?
The bold chastiser of the invading foe?
The monarch cries—where is the youth unknown,
The stedfast pillar of my regal throne?
Methinks I see him 'midst the day's alarms,
Hang on the foe, and raving in his arms;
Towering along the field with panting breath,
Hew down the man, and mark his steps with death.
The task be mine his valour to condone,
While grateful Scotia owns her warlike son.
Swift at the word the obsequious herald flies,
His message painted in his joyful eyes.
Then thus: O! chief of men, your country's shield;
O! valiant reaper in the iron field;
Come, bold physician of your country's groans,
Thou best and greatest of her warlike sons;
Thee, thee, O chief, Fergusian Stewart calls
To endless honour in his regal halls.
There, there, in honour's arms resign thy breath,
Till age shall snatch thee to the shades of death.
Nor shall the shade involve thy splendid fame,
But distant ages shall resound thy name.
His message painted in his joyful eyes.
490
O! valiant reaper in the iron field;
Come, bold physician of your country's groans,
Thou best and greatest of her warlike sons;
Thee, thee, O chief, Fergusian Stewart calls
To endless honour in his regal halls.
There, there, in honour's arms resign thy breath,
Till age shall snatch thee to the shades of death.
Nor shall the shade involve thy splendid fame,
But distant ages shall resound thy name.
He ceased—Let him command, whose righteous sway
These heroes own, 'tis Donald's to obey,
The youth rejoins—too well my feats he pays;
And greater merit would deserve thy praise.
He said, then towards the king he greatly moved;
Admired by heroes, and by heroes loved.
These heroes own, 'tis Donald's to obey,
The youth rejoins—too well my feats he pays;
And greater merit would deserve thy praise.
He said, then towards the king he greatly moved;
Admired by heroes, and by heroes loved.
While thus majestic strode the youth along,
To either side incline the warrior throng.
With polished horns, and curling front upreared,
Thus moves the bull amidst the lowing herd;
Awed by their chief, the lowing field divide,
And form a sable wall on either side;
While unconcerned he moves amidst the throng,
And drags behind a length of tail along.
To either side incline the warrior throng.
With polished horns, and curling front upreared,
Thus moves the bull amidst the lowing herd;
Awed by their chief, the lowing field divide,
And form a sable wall on either side;
While unconcerned he moves amidst the throng,
And drags behind a length of tail along.
Arrived—O thou whose all-defending sway,
The hero cries, and godlike chiefs obey;
Who deal'st thy blessings on our rocky shore,
Thy enemies tremble when thy thunders roar.
Let every rising day thy glories sing,
And Caledonians bless their godlike king.
Whene'er the foe assails my country's laws,
My soul takes wing to side the generous cause:
No hope of gain incites, no fears control;
My love, my duty, hurry on my soul:
Unpuffed by honour, by thy gold unstored,
Thy foes shall gasp beneath this shining sword.
That empty toy shall ne'er command my will;
Let future ages God the shining ill.
The hero cries, and godlike chiefs obey;
Who deal'st thy blessings on our rocky shore,
Thy enemies tremble when thy thunders roar.
Let every rising day thy glories sing,
And Caledonians bless their godlike king.
Whene'er the foe assails my country's laws,
My soul takes wing to side the generous cause:
No hope of gain incites, no fears control;
My love, my duty, hurry on my soul:
491
Thy foes shall gasp beneath this shining sword.
That empty toy shall ne'er command my will;
Let future ages God the shining ill.
The king admires the man, his deeds, his mind
Averse to ill, and placid, thus rejoined:
O more than valiant, honest, steady, brave,
Eternal honour shall the hero have,
Who saves his country, nor is basely sold
To sordid interest and the love of gold.
He said, then to his manly bosom prest
The hill-born youth, and grew upon his breast.
Such condescension fired the hero's mind;
The man removed, but left his soul behind.
Love, loyalty, esteem, his mind imprest,
Ran through his soul, and kindled in his breast.
Averse to ill, and placid, thus rejoined:
O more than valiant, honest, steady, brave,
Eternal honour shall the hero have,
Who saves his country, nor is basely sold
To sordid interest and the love of gold.
He said, then to his manly bosom prest
The hill-born youth, and grew upon his breast.
Such condescension fired the hero's mind;
The man removed, but left his soul behind.
Love, loyalty, esteem, his mind imprest,
Ran through his soul, and kindled in his breast.
The ranks condensed, slow to the town incede,
Foot rose with foot, and head advanced with head.
The polished arms reflect the setting day,
Wave o'er the men, and clank along the way.
Round hoarse-voiced drums, and crooked trumpets sound;
And echo trembles through the mountains round.
Now with the pomp Edina's turrets rung;
Soft maids, old matrons, from the windows hung.
A general shout salutes them from their toils,
And gloomy age is brightened into smiles.
Amidst the crowd the fond maternal eye
Seeks out her son, her young and only joy:
Sometimes she hopes, and then she trembling fears,
And down the furrowed cheeks descend the tears.
The soft enamoured maid is racked with pain,
She blushed to seek, and trembled for her swain.
Along the ranks slow moves the silvered sage,
A staff supports the senior's tottering age;
And keen inquires, O does my Allan breathe?
Or gasp'd my son beneath the arm of death?
Foot rose with foot, and head advanced with head.
The polished arms reflect the setting day,
Wave o'er the men, and clank along the way.
Round hoarse-voiced drums, and crooked trumpets sound;
And echo trembles through the mountains round.
Now with the pomp Edina's turrets rung;
Soft maids, old matrons, from the windows hung.
A general shout salutes them from their toils,
And gloomy age is brightened into smiles.
Amidst the crowd the fond maternal eye
Seeks out her son, her young and only joy:
Sometimes she hopes, and then she trembling fears,
And down the furrowed cheeks descend the tears.
The soft enamoured maid is racked with pain,
She blushed to seek, and trembled for her swain.
Along the ranks slow moves the silvered sage,
A staff supports the senior's tottering age;
And keen inquires, O does my Allan breathe?
Or gasp'd my son beneath the arm of death?
492
By slow degrees retired the fading day;
Advanced from east the night in sober gray:
Triumphal bonfires on the darkness gain,
And light internal chequered through the pane.
Rocks, sky, and houses rend with noisy joy:
And sparkling fireworks blaze along the sky.
Advanced from east the night in sober gray:
Triumphal bonfires on the darkness gain,
And light internal chequered through the pane.
Rocks, sky, and houses rend with noisy joy:
And sparkling fireworks blaze along the sky.
Thus some hybernal nights, when darkness veils
The weeping sky, the fiery meteor sails
Oblique along the gloom—and silent night
Yields to the glories of the thwarting light.
The weeping sky, the fiery meteor sails
Oblique along the gloom—and silent night
Yields to the glories of the thwarting light.
Assembled now within the palace halls,
While lights resplendent glitter on the walls,
To crown the joyful day, majestic sat
The dauntless pillars of the rocky state.
Joy, liberty, and dangers past, combine
To mingle gladness with the joys of wine.
With temperate draughts they cheer the tossed soul;
And Gallia's nectar sparkles in the bowl.
Each chief the Hunter's valour blazes forth,
And greatness stoops to honour real worth.
Each valiant Caledonian's health goes round;
With every hero's name the vaulted halls resound.
Exalted with such breast-inflaming joys,
Let fair Egidia come, the monarch cries;
For her, her sovereign, her, her father calls,
To please his heroes in his regal halls.
She and her nymphs shall form a sprightly choir
To move harmonious to the charming lyre.
The blooming nymphs shall form the graceful round,
And trip obedient to the various sound.
While lights resplendent glitter on the walls,
To crown the joyful day, majestic sat
The dauntless pillars of the rocky state.
Joy, liberty, and dangers past, combine
To mingle gladness with the joys of wine.
With temperate draughts they cheer the tossed soul;
And Gallia's nectar sparkles in the bowl.
Each chief the Hunter's valour blazes forth,
And greatness stoops to honour real worth.
Each valiant Caledonian's health goes round;
With every hero's name the vaulted halls resound.
Exalted with such breast-inflaming joys,
Let fair Egidia come, the monarch cries;
For her, her sovereign, her, her father calls,
To please his heroes in his regal halls.
She and her nymphs shall form a sprightly choir
To move harmonious to the charming lyre.
The blooming nymphs shall form the graceful round,
And trip obedient to the various sound.
Swift as the word the blooming maids obey,
The king commands, though blushes tempt to stay.
The blooming bevy come with modest grace,
Love-darting eyes, and rose-suffused face.
Attractive charms each lovely damsel wears,
In youth's fair bloom, and pride of vernal years:
Above the rest, with more majestic air
Egidia towers, and more divinely fair
Outshines the maids, as the bright queen of night,
Amidst attendant stars, with silver-streaming light.
Adown her neck the golden ringlets flow;
Her lovely cheeks with roseate colours glow:
In her mild face the modest graces rise,
And beauty sparkles from her heavenly eyes.
The lilies wander in her heaving breast;
Her beauties self-admiring throngs confest.
A robe around her fragrant body swims,
But ill concealed her round-formed snowy limbs.
The fair advanced, the astonished peers admire,
And withered elders felt an inward fire.
Abashed, immoveable, the Hunter stood,
Unusual ardour bubbled through his blood;
From head to foot the lovely maid surveys,
And on her beauties feeds his longing eyes.
From admiration love's unerring dart
Inflamed his soul, and tickled through his heart.
The king commands, though blushes tempt to stay.
The blooming bevy come with modest grace,
Love-darting eyes, and rose-suffused face.
493
In youth's fair bloom, and pride of vernal years:
Above the rest, with more majestic air
Egidia towers, and more divinely fair
Outshines the maids, as the bright queen of night,
Amidst attendant stars, with silver-streaming light.
Adown her neck the golden ringlets flow;
Her lovely cheeks with roseate colours glow:
In her mild face the modest graces rise,
And beauty sparkles from her heavenly eyes.
The lilies wander in her heaving breast;
Her beauties self-admiring throngs confest.
A robe around her fragrant body swims,
But ill concealed her round-formed snowy limbs.
The fair advanced, the astonished peers admire,
And withered elders felt an inward fire.
Abashed, immoveable, the Hunter stood,
Unusual ardour bubbled through his blood;
From head to foot the lovely maid surveys,
And on her beauties feeds his longing eyes.
From admiration love's unerring dart
Inflamed his soul, and tickled through his heart.
494
CANTO VI.
The tuneful minstrel touch'd the sounding string,
And at the sound the virgins form a ring;
And to his voice he first prelusive played,
When music's soul his moving hand obeyed,
How Kenneth, furious for his father slain,
Hews down the foe, and reaps the bloody plain,
When hostile bodies, Scoon, thy fields bestrowed,
And Tay empurpled ran with Pictish blood,
The peers take fire with the war-moving sound,
And vaulted halls rebellow the hoarse sound.
The minstrel changes to a softer strain,
The vows of virgins, and the lover's pain.
How Wallace fired with fair Hersclea's charms,
His country saved, then rushed into her arms:
How first reluctant, then with love opprest,
The fair one melts upon the lover's breast.
And at the sound the virgins form a ring;
And to his voice he first prelusive played,
When music's soul his moving hand obeyed,
How Kenneth, furious for his father slain,
Hews down the foe, and reaps the bloody plain,
When hostile bodies, Scoon, thy fields bestrowed,
And Tay empurpled ran with Pictish blood,
The peers take fire with the war-moving sound,
And vaulted halls rebellow the hoarse sound.
The minstrel changes to a softer strain,
The vows of virgins, and the lover's pain.
How Wallace fired with fair Hersclea's charms,
His country saved, then rushed into her arms:
How first reluctant, then with love opprest,
The fair one melts upon the lover's breast.
Obedient to the sound, the maids advance,
And form the mazes of the sprightly dance.
First slow-majestic swim the harmonious round;
Then soft-inclining catch the changing sound.
Poise the small body, swing arms white and soft,
And with alternate tripping shake the loft.
In mournful melody now melts the strain;
How the fair one, by cruel Heslrig slain,
Transfixed with steel, resigned her balmy breath,
And pallid, gasp'd in the iron jaws of death:
How tossing her white limbs the charmer died,
When blood flows round her in a crimson tide.
The lovely choir restrain the swelling joy,
And pearly drops hang in each tender eye.
The harmonious gestures sorrowful represt,
And sadness heaves the great o'erwhelmed breast.
Then, then, he sung the hero's shameful end,
Who thought no foe lurked in the insidious friend.
What cries, O Scotland! filled thy studded plains!
When thy great son thus struggled in thy chains.
And form the mazes of the sprightly dance.
495
Then soft-inclining catch the changing sound.
Poise the small body, swing arms white and soft,
And with alternate tripping shake the loft.
In mournful melody now melts the strain;
How the fair one, by cruel Heslrig slain,
Transfixed with steel, resigned her balmy breath,
And pallid, gasp'd in the iron jaws of death:
How tossing her white limbs the charmer died,
When blood flows round her in a crimson tide.
The lovely choir restrain the swelling joy,
And pearly drops hang in each tender eye.
The harmonious gestures sorrowful represt,
And sadness heaves the great o'erwhelmed breast.
Then, then, he sung the hero's shameful end,
Who thought no foe lurked in the insidious friend.
What cries, O Scotland! filled thy studded plains!
When thy great son thus struggled in thy chains.
The hill-born youth, fired with the moving strain,
All furious rose, concussed with generous pain.
He half-unsheathed his sword, and even though dead,
Wish'd in the traitor's head to sheath the blade.
He greatly towers along, nor can assuage
His manly fury, and his patriot rage.
The fair admire his shape, his port, his size,
The sprightly splendour of his manly eyes;
The endearing features of his generous face;
He stands majestic, and he walks with grace.
Adown his neck a flowing tide unfurls
Of golden hair, that waves in orient curls.
His party-coloured leg is decked with snow;
And all the graces in the hero glow.
But more than all, his high-respected name,
His well-got honours, and unspotted fame,
Find easy access to a virgin's heart,
And venom add to Cupid's killing dart.
All furious rose, concussed with generous pain.
He half-unsheathed his sword, and even though dead,
Wish'd in the traitor's head to sheath the blade.
He greatly towers along, nor can assuage
His manly fury, and his patriot rage.
The fair admire his shape, his port, his size,
The sprightly splendour of his manly eyes;
The endearing features of his generous face;
He stands majestic, and he walks with grace.
Adown his neck a flowing tide unfurls
Of golden hair, that waves in orient curls.
His party-coloured leg is decked with snow;
And all the graces in the hero glow.
But more than all, his high-respected name,
His well-got honours, and unspotted fame,
Find easy access to a virgin's heart,
And venom add to Cupid's killing dart.
496
The fair Egidia views, and viewing loves;
Through all the man her eye incessant roves.
By slow degrees she felt the flame increase;
Her soul denies it, but her eyes confess.
High inbred thoughts oft turn the eye aside;
But love steps in, and steals a look from pride.
Long, long, against the rushing tide she strove;
Then tumbled headlong down the stream of love.
Through all the man her eye incessant roves.
By slow degrees she felt the flame increase;
Her soul denies it, but her eyes confess.
High inbred thoughts oft turn the eye aside;
But love steps in, and steals a look from pride.
Long, long, against the rushing tide she strove;
Then tumbled headlong down the stream of love.
Thus watermen incessant ply the oar
Up the rough stream, and round the billows roar:
Then wearied throw the water vans aside,
And unobserved descend along the tide.
Up the rough stream, and round the billows roar:
Then wearied throw the water vans aside,
And unobserved descend along the tide.
The pleasant tyrant all the fair oppressed,
And lordly revelled in her snowy breast.
Love heavy sits on every deep-fetched sigh,
Love languid looks from either tender eye:
Love, love expelled each passion of the soul;
No room for these, for love possessed the whole.
Despised the minstrel, and forgot the strain,
Love only pleases; love alone shall pain:
Disturbed the mien of unaffected ease,
And all that native sweetness formed to please.
The fair to all the pangs of love resigned;
And hugged the tyrant in her labouring mind.
What blest solace shall the racked maid require!
In crowds and silence glows the inchanted fire:
Some hope of ease in solitude to find,
The fair removes, but left her soul behind.
And lordly revelled in her snowy breast.
Love heavy sits on every deep-fetched sigh,
Love languid looks from either tender eye:
Love, love expelled each passion of the soul;
No room for these, for love possessed the whole.
Despised the minstrel, and forgot the strain,
Love only pleases; love alone shall pain:
Disturbed the mien of unaffected ease,
And all that native sweetness formed to please.
The fair to all the pangs of love resigned;
And hugged the tyrant in her labouring mind.
What blest solace shall the racked maid require!
In crowds and silence glows the inchanted fire:
Some hope of ease in solitude to find,
The fair removes, but left her soul behind.
Night's silver shield possessed the southern way,
And silent sheds on earth nocturnal day.
Remove the peers—to drown in soft repose
The care, the toils of day, and all its woes.
In vain the hill-born courts, with bending eyes,
The downy power, soft sleep far distant flies.
To heart-corroding thoughts he gives his breast,
And fair Egidia all his soul possessed.
Still to his mind the fair ideas rise,
Still blooming painted to his fancy's eyes.
The blooming virgin swims th' harmonious round,
Her eyes with every glance inflict a wound,
Each little gesture, each attractive grace,
Each smirking feature of her lovely face;
Each harmless look, to innocence resigned,
In fond procession pass before the mind.
O blooming! lovely, more than mortal charms;
But, ah! created for another's arms.
O! heavenly nymph, adorned with every grace,
Whom lavish nature has designed to please:
Could aught like me, O maid! the Hunter cries,
Draw but one look from these love-darting eyes!
O could my longing hours, devoid of rest,
Excite a sigh within that throbbing breast!
But, ah! methinks I hear yon virgin say,
Away, away, indecent clown, away:
It ill befits these labour-hardened arms
To clasp, enraptured, such a world of charms.
How ill his figure, how uncouth he moves:
Away, rough hind, unfit for courtly loves.
Life I will sink the pangs of love beneath,
Or shame shall throw me to the jaws of death.
The Hunter said, and hugged his gloomy care,
And pined beneath thy sable hand, Despair!
These drooping thoughts employed the troubled head;
He tumbles ceaseless on the downy bed:
Till pitying sleep floats on his boiling breast,
Stole on his eyes, and gave a troubled rest.
And silent sheds on earth nocturnal day.
Remove the peers—to drown in soft repose
The care, the toils of day, and all its woes.
In vain the hill-born courts, with bending eyes,
The downy power, soft sleep far distant flies.
To heart-corroding thoughts he gives his breast,
And fair Egidia all his soul possessed.
497
Still blooming painted to his fancy's eyes.
The blooming virgin swims th' harmonious round,
Her eyes with every glance inflict a wound,
Each little gesture, each attractive grace,
Each smirking feature of her lovely face;
Each harmless look, to innocence resigned,
In fond procession pass before the mind.
O blooming! lovely, more than mortal charms;
But, ah! created for another's arms.
O! heavenly nymph, adorned with every grace,
Whom lavish nature has designed to please:
Could aught like me, O maid! the Hunter cries,
Draw but one look from these love-darting eyes!
O could my longing hours, devoid of rest,
Excite a sigh within that throbbing breast!
But, ah! methinks I hear yon virgin say,
Away, away, indecent clown, away:
It ill befits these labour-hardened arms
To clasp, enraptured, such a world of charms.
How ill his figure, how uncouth he moves:
Away, rough hind, unfit for courtly loves.
Life I will sink the pangs of love beneath,
Or shame shall throw me to the jaws of death.
The Hunter said, and hugged his gloomy care,
And pined beneath thy sable hand, Despair!
These drooping thoughts employed the troubled head;
He tumbles ceaseless on the downy bed:
Till pitying sleep floats on his boiling breast,
Stole on his eyes, and gave a troubled rest.
Now mimic Fancy, fleeting fairy! reigns,
And gentle trips through thought-created scenes.
A thousand eye-balls in her forehead stare;
A thousand wings around her beat the air.
Far swifter than the cloud-compelling wind,
The fleetest daughter of the spirit mind,
Or skims the sea, or trips o'er desart land,
And nature listens to her great command.
Create, with equal ease, the goddess can
An atom, world, an insect, or a man.
By Fancy's hand, the sleeping hero led,
Strayed in the windings of a verdant mead;
Her own creation: rocks environed round,
And leafy wood surround the happy ground.
Down the black rocks, descend on every side
The bubbling streams, and silent roll the tide
Through the dyed vale; while breathing zephyrs pass
Along the plain, and whistle through the grass.
The fragrant flowers their dewy bells unfold,
While southern Phœbus paints the buds with gold.
There, half-inclining, blushed the crimson rose;
The snowy lily all its beauty shews;
In golden splendour there the crocus shines;
Surcharged with dew the violet inclines:
And more ten thousand ne'er acquired a name,
Hanging, projected o'er the murmuring stream.
From every bough the feathered warblers sing,
And youthful laughs around the joyful spring.
And gentle trips through thought-created scenes.
A thousand eye-balls in her forehead stare;
A thousand wings around her beat the air.
Far swifter than the cloud-compelling wind,
The fleetest daughter of the spirit mind,
498
And nature listens to her great command.
Create, with equal ease, the goddess can
An atom, world, an insect, or a man.
By Fancy's hand, the sleeping hero led,
Strayed in the windings of a verdant mead;
Her own creation: rocks environed round,
And leafy wood surround the happy ground.
Down the black rocks, descend on every side
The bubbling streams, and silent roll the tide
Through the dyed vale; while breathing zephyrs pass
Along the plain, and whistle through the grass.
The fragrant flowers their dewy bells unfold,
While southern Phœbus paints the buds with gold.
There, half-inclining, blushed the crimson rose;
The snowy lily all its beauty shews;
In golden splendour there the crocus shines;
Surcharged with dew the violet inclines:
And more ten thousand ne'er acquired a name,
Hanging, projected o'er the murmuring stream.
From every bough the feathered warblers sing,
And youthful laughs around the joyful spring.
While thus the sleeping youth delighted roves
Through fancied fields, and breeze-remurmuring groves,
Upon a flowery bank Egidia lay,
In beauty's bloom, and all serenely gay.
The fair observed, and to the grove she flies,
But gently courts him with returning eyes.
The youth inflamed, O! stay, my darling, stay!
No foe you fly, O stay, my love! I pray.
No wood-born savage rudely seeks your arms;
Stay, stay, O nymph! and let us view thy charms.
I crave, I burn, I die of mad despair;
Stay, lovely maid! and sooth my glowing care.
The fair relents, and seems to yield her charms;
The youth prepares to clasp her in his arms:
While, fleet as thought, the blissful vision flies,
And nought appears to his new-wakening eyes.
The youth awakes, again awakes the flame;
Dream on, fond soul, for ever dream the same,
The hero cries; in vain he calls for rest,
Soft sleep far flies from the revolving breast.
Through fancied fields, and breeze-remurmuring groves,
Upon a flowery bank Egidia lay,
In beauty's bloom, and all serenely gay.
The fair observed, and to the grove she flies,
But gently courts him with returning eyes.
The youth inflamed, O! stay, my darling, stay!
No foe you fly, O stay, my love! I pray.
No wood-born savage rudely seeks your arms;
Stay, stay, O nymph! and let us view thy charms.
I crave, I burn, I die of mad despair;
Stay, lovely maid! and sooth my glowing care.
The fair relents, and seems to yield her charms;
The youth prepares to clasp her in his arms:
499
And nought appears to his new-wakening eyes.
The youth awakes, again awakes the flame;
Dream on, fond soul, for ever dream the same,
The hero cries; in vain he calls for rest,
Soft sleep far flies from the revolving breast.
500
CANTO VII.
Monday, 29th November.
Aurora opes the portals of the dawn,And orient Phœbus chequered through the pane.
Up springs the youth, the youth upsprings and sighs—
Farewell, ye regal halls, farewell, he cries;
Farewell, unhappy honours of the war:
I grasp, I grasp, thy sable hand, Despair.
Ye well-known mountains, and ye rural scenes,
Ye rough-browed rocks, and heath-involved plains,
Receive your traveller, nor receive him whole,
The fair Egidia claims your ranger's soul:
Once more I'll trace alone these arduous brows,
And pitying Echo shall repeat my woes.
Ye once-loved scenes, what pleasure can ye find?
What blessed solace to sooth the Hunter's mind?
501
Can free my mind of heart-corroding care.
Still to my mind thy form shall stand confessed,
Till death shall snatch thee from my bleeding breast.
November 30.
But how remove and leave the maid behind,
The pain, the comfort, of my love-sick mind?
Farewell, O north! farewell, ye heathy plains,
The maid detains me in coercive chains.
But how be here, and view these heavenly charms
Infolded willing in another's arms?
Another revel on that snowy breast;
Another in the fair Egidia blessed.
I'll fly, I'll fly these soul-inflaming eyes,
Roar seas betwixt us, and let mountains rise.
Be silent fame, nor ever pain the ear,
I wish to know, it thrills my soul with fear.
The pain, the comfort, of my love-sick mind?
Farewell, O north! farewell, ye heathy plains,
The maid detains me in coercive chains.
But how be here, and view these heavenly charms
Infolded willing in another's arms?
Another revel on that snowy breast;
Another in the fair Egidia blessed.
I'll fly, I'll fly these soul-inflaming eyes,
Roar seas betwixt us, and let mountains rise.
Be silent fame, nor ever pain the ear,
I wish to know, it thrills my soul with fear.
Thus racked the hill-born youth his manly mind;
Nor knew beneath thy hand Egidia pined,
All-conquering love! Increased the golden day,
And darts oblique on earth a sultry ray.
The peers assembled in the audience hall,
And, where the valiant youth? incessant call.
With heavy steps the mountaineer descends;
Each honoured hero to the warrior bends.
The feast renewed—goes round the sparkling bowl,
And temperate draughts revive the drooping soul.
And deigns the stranger tell from whence he came,
To reap this harvest of unequal fame,
The monarch placid spoke—What happy sire
To hear thy deeds shall feel a father's fire?
What happy mother does the hero own,
Who now sits tearful for her godlike son?
What numerous tribe now miss your warrior-head,
While in the youth the people's bulwark fled?
Say, highly-honoured, say, your country's friend,
Speak, valiant youth:—Ye noble peers attend.
The monarch said, and with attentive mien
Expects reply.—The Hunter, touched with pain,
In mute suspense, and deep-revolving stands,
Fain to evade—but 'tis the king commands.
Then thus: Of me no joyful father hears,
No matron's eye for me is drowned in tears;
No numerous tribe sigh for their absent head;
In me, in me no popular bulwark fled:
Obscure, unhonoured, and the mate of swains;
No noble blood encircles in these veins.
Nor knew beneath thy hand Egidia pined,
All-conquering love! Increased the golden day,
And darts oblique on earth a sultry ray.
The peers assembled in the audience hall,
And, where the valiant youth? incessant call.
With heavy steps the mountaineer descends;
Each honoured hero to the warrior bends.
The feast renewed—goes round the sparkling bowl,
And temperate draughts revive the drooping soul.
And deigns the stranger tell from whence he came,
To reap this harvest of unequal fame,
The monarch placid spoke—What happy sire
To hear thy deeds shall feel a father's fire?
What happy mother does the hero own,
Who now sits tearful for her godlike son?
502
While in the youth the people's bulwark fled?
Say, highly-honoured, say, your country's friend,
Speak, valiant youth:—Ye noble peers attend.
The monarch said, and with attentive mien
Expects reply.—The Hunter, touched with pain,
In mute suspense, and deep-revolving stands,
Fain to evade—but 'tis the king commands.
Then thus: Of me no joyful father hears,
No matron's eye for me is drowned in tears;
No numerous tribe sigh for their absent head;
In me, in me no popular bulwark fled:
Obscure, unhonoured, and the mate of swains;
No noble blood encircles in these veins.
2d December, 1756.
Ere reason shone upon my infant mind,
If fame says true, too fickle fortune, kind,
Smiled on the morn of life; her little care
A nurse removes from all-destroying war.
From house to house, from land to land, she flies,
Infolding in her arms her little prize:
My dear, my dear, oft, oft she weeping said,
And me unto her heaving bosom laid;
How fallen! how fallen is that house of state!
Once blest recess of what is truly great.
How wrapt in night is all that grandeur gone!
And you, my darling, hopeless, left alone.
Ah me! when pierced with steel thy father lay,
And bloody streams flow round him every way,
Thy mother came, she starts, she tears her hair,
And with her shrieks she rends the midway air;
What cruel hand, what bloody hand, she cries,
Has done this deed? her words are lost in sighs.
My life! my soul! what more have I beneath?
She stopt—she staggered, and she swooned in death.
What ruffian rage from every hall resounds;
Groans press on groans, and wounds increase on wounds.
Here, pierced with steel, a faithful servant lay;
And windowed there the mangled maids decay.
With thee, with thee, my life, I trembling fly,
And tempt the horrors of the nightly sky;
Through want and penury with thee I fare,
Nor pay too dearly for protecting care.
Thus oft she said, thus oft she wept and sighed,
While I, in pity to her sorrow, cried.
If fame says true, too fickle fortune, kind,
Smiled on the morn of life; her little care
A nurse removes from all-destroying war.
From house to house, from land to land, she flies,
Infolding in her arms her little prize:
My dear, my dear, oft, oft she weeping said,
And me unto her heaving bosom laid;
How fallen! how fallen is that house of state!
Once blest recess of what is truly great.
How wrapt in night is all that grandeur gone!
And you, my darling, hopeless, left alone.
Ah me! when pierced with steel thy father lay,
And bloody streams flow round him every way,
Thy mother came, she starts, she tears her hair,
And with her shrieks she rends the midway air;
503
Has done this deed? her words are lost in sighs.
My life! my soul! what more have I beneath?
She stopt—she staggered, and she swooned in death.
What ruffian rage from every hall resounds;
Groans press on groans, and wounds increase on wounds.
Here, pierced with steel, a faithful servant lay;
And windowed there the mangled maids decay.
With thee, with thee, my life, I trembling fly,
And tempt the horrors of the nightly sky;
Through want and penury with thee I fare,
Nor pay too dearly for protecting care.
Thus oft she said, thus oft she wept and sighed,
While I, in pity to her sorrow, cried.
Now twice three summers scarce my limbs informed
With hapless life, while yet more roughly stormed
Thy blasts, Misfortune! fluctuating tide
Of life, how changeful! my preserver died.
Then sighing, tearing, friendless, sad, forlorn,
Full on thy headlong stream, Misfortune! borne;
With trembling steps, through unknown lands, I stray;
Goodnature feeds, and fortune points the way.
Unheedful, onward thus I mournful tread,
Till Grampian rocks, projected o'er my head,
Threat ruin o'er my head; bewildered there,
With mournful cries, I rend the empty air.
I sigh, I gasp, my hapless fate bemoan,
And echoing rocks returning groan for groan.
Woe's me, I soft repeat in broken sighs;
Woe's me, false echo from the rocks replies.
O come, O come, I then enraptured cry;
O come, O come, the hollow rocks reply.
The voice obeyed. I come, 'tis silence all;
I cry, another rock repeats the call.
From rock to rock, from hill to hill, I move,
And long, Fatigue! against thy toils I strove:
O'ercome with care, o'erwhelmed with endless toil,
I spread my limbs along the heathy soil.
The plaintive sound begins to faint in sighs;
The sad response in just gradation dies.
With hapless life, while yet more roughly stormed
Thy blasts, Misfortune! fluctuating tide
Of life, how changeful! my preserver died.
Then sighing, tearing, friendless, sad, forlorn,
Full on thy headlong stream, Misfortune! borne;
With trembling steps, through unknown lands, I stray;
Goodnature feeds, and fortune points the way.
Unheedful, onward thus I mournful tread,
Till Grampian rocks, projected o'er my head,
Threat ruin o'er my head; bewildered there,
With mournful cries, I rend the empty air.
I sigh, I gasp, my hapless fate bemoan,
And echoing rocks returning groan for groan.
Woe's me, I soft repeat in broken sighs;
Woe's me, false echo from the rocks replies.
O come, O come, I then enraptured cry;
O come, O come, the hollow rocks reply.
The voice obeyed. I come, 'tis silence all;
I cry, another rock repeats the call.
From rock to rock, from hill to hill, I move,
And long, Fatigue! against thy toils I strove:
504
I spread my limbs along the heathy soil.
The plaintive sound begins to faint in sighs;
The sad response in just gradation dies.
I now am dandled by the hand of fate,
And death seems knocking at the trembling gate.
Upon the cheek the roseate colour dies,
And life swims faintly on my closing eyes.
While 'twixt two rocks the setting sun displays
A golden splendour and a stream of rays,
Advanced a shade; I, starting, hope to fly,
The weakened limbs my vain efforts defy.
At first I saw a frizled snow of hair,
Lost in the gleam, or glistering wave in air:
A nearer view disclosed a withered man,
Deep-dinted wrinkles both his cheeks o'er-ran;
Sunk are his bloodshot eyes, each blooming grace
Congealed, and age sat wintered on his face.
Inwrapt in party-coloured plaid he stands;
A batton trembled in his aged hands:
He views, he feels the hapless foundling's woes,
And pity brightens on his aged brows:
A generous sympathy his bosom warms;
He hugs me, trembling, in his folding arms.
Cease, cease to cry, my dear, he soothing said,
Cease, cease to cry, then wrapt me in his plaid.
Whence came the babe? whence came my child? he cries;
I answered not, congealed in dumb surprise.
What cursed design, what cruel heart could part
Such blooming beauty from a brazen heart?
What heavenly features, what attractive grace,
What beauty wanders in his blooming face!
How sweetly pleasant through that vail of woes,
Thus in a shower is seen the blushing rose:
O cease, my son, and dry these briny tears,
You'll find a father in my tottering years.
And death seems knocking at the trembling gate.
Upon the cheek the roseate colour dies,
And life swims faintly on my closing eyes.
While 'twixt two rocks the setting sun displays
A golden splendour and a stream of rays,
Advanced a shade; I, starting, hope to fly,
The weakened limbs my vain efforts defy.
At first I saw a frizled snow of hair,
Lost in the gleam, or glistering wave in air:
A nearer view disclosed a withered man,
Deep-dinted wrinkles both his cheeks o'er-ran;
Sunk are his bloodshot eyes, each blooming grace
Congealed, and age sat wintered on his face.
Inwrapt in party-coloured plaid he stands;
A batton trembled in his aged hands:
He views, he feels the hapless foundling's woes,
And pity brightens on his aged brows:
A generous sympathy his bosom warms;
He hugs me, trembling, in his folding arms.
Cease, cease to cry, my dear, he soothing said,
Cease, cease to cry, then wrapt me in his plaid.
Whence came the babe? whence came my child? he cries;
I answered not, congealed in dumb surprise.
What cursed design, what cruel heart could part
Such blooming beauty from a brazen heart?
What heavenly features, what attractive grace,
What beauty wanders in his blooming face!
How sweetly pleasant through that vail of woes,
Thus in a shower is seen the blushing rose:
O cease, my son, and dry these briny tears,
You'll find a father in my tottering years.
505
He ceased, and me unto his bosom pressed,
Yet unconfirmed, I trembled on his breast;
As one who, hopeless, carried on the tide,
By unexpected fortune gains the side,
Suspended on a twig, in deep surprise,
Quakes on the plain, and scarce believes his eyes.
I trembled thus; he shakes the heathy plains
With tottering feet; his steps a staff sustains.
At length from his low roof black columns rise
Of pitchy smoke, and gain on evening skies.
The turfy hut, with virid moss o'ergrown,
Long rows support of uncemented stone.
Round, sheep, rough goats, and lowing herds appear,
And sounds commixed invade at once the ear.
Rocks intersperse the variegated space;
Here stony columns rise, there smiles the virid grass:
While through the shaded green, rough murmuring, glides
A brook crystalline, with meand'ring tides.
Yet unconfirmed, I trembled on his breast;
As one who, hopeless, carried on the tide,
By unexpected fortune gains the side,
Suspended on a twig, in deep surprise,
Quakes on the plain, and scarce believes his eyes.
I trembled thus; he shakes the heathy plains
With tottering feet; his steps a staff sustains.
At length from his low roof black columns rise
Of pitchy smoke, and gain on evening skies.
The turfy hut, with virid moss o'ergrown,
Long rows support of uncemented stone.
Round, sheep, rough goats, and lowing herds appear,
And sounds commixed invade at once the ear.
Rocks intersperse the variegated space;
Here stony columns rise, there smiles the virid grass:
While through the shaded green, rough murmuring, glides
A brook crystalline, with meand'ring tides.
506
CANTO VIII.
Now past a child, yet an imperfect man,
With youthful limbs through mossy heaths I ran;
Exulting in the vernal pride of years,
Forgot misfortune and my childish tears;
From twanging strings began let fly the dart,
Or with the winged ball arrest the hart;
The flying chace with supple joints pursue,
Or gird the forest with the hunter's crew;
To wholesome sports gave all my youthful mind,
Gain on the youths, and leave the youths behind.
The senior saw his son outstrip the whole,
And gladness brightens the time-laden soul.
Thus when some country sees her son afar
Extend her arms, and urge the prosperous war,
Exulting thoughts each generous soul elate,
And gladness looks around with joy complete.
With youthful limbs through mossy heaths I ran;
Exulting in the vernal pride of years,
Forgot misfortune and my childish tears;
From twanging strings began let fly the dart,
Or with the winged ball arrest the hart;
The flying chace with supple joints pursue,
Or gird the forest with the hunter's crew;
To wholesome sports gave all my youthful mind,
Gain on the youths, and leave the youths behind.
The senior saw his son outstrip the whole,
And gladness brightens the time-laden soul.
Thus when some country sees her son afar
Extend her arms, and urge the prosperous war,
Exulting thoughts each generous soul elate,
And gladness looks around with joy complete.
Soon as Aurora faintly promised day,
And mountains hood their tops in dusky gray,
The narrow vales and steepy rocks resound
With shouts inciting on the faithful hound.
The fleeting tribe devour the heathy way,
Vanish along, and rouse the lurking prey.
The timid prey to every quarter fly,
Skim o'er the heath, and leave the aching eye.
The branching stag, and lightly-bounding roe,
Stretch o'er the field, and pant before the foe:
The gasping hind the cooling flood relieves,
One death she flies, another death receives;
In vain attempts to leave the liquid tide,
The nimble foe awaits on every side:
Long floating, wearied, sinks in watery death,
And spirts the foam with her departing breath.
Increased the day, the branchy nation fall,
Or torn by dogs, or winged by the ball.
Stag falls on stag, hound lacerates with hound,
And bloody torrents smoke along the ground.
And mountains hood their tops in dusky gray,
507
With shouts inciting on the faithful hound.
The fleeting tribe devour the heathy way,
Vanish along, and rouse the lurking prey.
The timid prey to every quarter fly,
Skim o'er the heath, and leave the aching eye.
The branching stag, and lightly-bounding roe,
Stretch o'er the field, and pant before the foe:
The gasping hind the cooling flood relieves,
One death she flies, another death receives;
In vain attempts to leave the liquid tide,
The nimble foe awaits on every side:
Long floating, wearied, sinks in watery death,
And spirts the foam with her departing breath.
Increased the day, the branchy nation fall,
Or torn by dogs, or winged by the ball.
Stag falls on stag, hound lacerates with hound,
And bloody torrents smoke along the ground.
The radiant lord of day his glory shrouds,
And hides his beamy head in sable clouds;
Rough-murmuring blasts along the mountains howl,
And sable darkness quenched the glowing pole:
Thick-gathered mists enwrap the mountains o'er,
And hoarse-voiced thunders roughly rumbling roar.
Red lightnings dart in awful streams of light,
Flash through the gloom, and vanish from the sight.
Engaged the warring elements resound,
Rain batters earth, and smokes along the ground.
Down the steep hill the headlong torrent groans,
Drives trees uprooted, rocks and rattling stones.
Nought can resist: earth from her caverns rung;
The flood spreads on the vale, and turbid rolls along.
And hides his beamy head in sable clouds;
Rough-murmuring blasts along the mountains howl,
And sable darkness quenched the glowing pole:
Thick-gathered mists enwrap the mountains o'er,
And hoarse-voiced thunders roughly rumbling roar.
Red lightnings dart in awful streams of light,
Flash through the gloom, and vanish from the sight.
Engaged the warring elements resound,
Rain batters earth, and smokes along the ground.
Down the steep hill the headlong torrent groans,
Drives trees uprooted, rocks and rattling stones.
Nought can resist: earth from her caverns rung;
The flood spreads on the vale, and turbid rolls along.
Bewildered in the dark diurnal night,
Hood-winked with clouds, and with uncertain light,
I ply the moist uncomfortable way,
And errant, through the shaggy mountains stray.
My friends, my fellows, I incessant cry;
In the rough blast my words half-uttered die.
My friends I call, my words in wind are lost;
And nought is heard but the shrill-whistling blast.
From heath to heath, from hill to hill, I roam
In vain, researching for my humble home.
When on the howling wild, black rained the night,
And from my eyes erased the glimmering light.
Athwart the gloom the sparkling meteor sails
With livid glories and volcanian trails.
The dire portents my youthful soul affright,
And kindle horrors in the womb of night.
Aghast, immoveable, I shivering stood,
Cold horror trembled through my freezing blood.
While a soft voice invades my trembling ear,
My soul is charmed, and listened in my fear.
'Twixt every blast is heard the pleasing sound,
Then in the howling hurricane is drowned.
Hood-winked with clouds, and with uncertain light,
508
And errant, through the shaggy mountains stray.
My friends, my fellows, I incessant cry;
In the rough blast my words half-uttered die.
My friends I call, my words in wind are lost;
And nought is heard but the shrill-whistling blast.
From heath to heath, from hill to hill, I roam
In vain, researching for my humble home.
When on the howling wild, black rained the night,
And from my eyes erased the glimmering light.
Athwart the gloom the sparkling meteor sails
With livid glories and volcanian trails.
The dire portents my youthful soul affright,
And kindle horrors in the womb of night.
Aghast, immoveable, I shivering stood,
Cold horror trembled through my freezing blood.
While a soft voice invades my trembling ear,
My soul is charmed, and listened in my fear.
'Twixt every blast is heard the pleasing sound,
Then in the howling hurricane is drowned.
Led by the voice, I cheerful mete the way;
Swells on the ear the soft-approaching lay.
Charmed, I advanced, astonished I survey
Dart through a rocky chink a livid ray.
Inward I peeped, a lovely maid is seen,
Trip through the cave in robes of sprightly green:
White is her skin, her cheeks are rosy red;
Soft wave behind the honours of her head.
Ennobled features due respect command,
And blazed a taper in her snowy hand:
Swifter than wind the fleeting vision glides
Athwart the cave, and swims on airy tides.
The sport of every blast the vision reels,
Nor touched the earth with lightly-bounding heels.
Swells on the ear the soft-approaching lay.
Charmed, I advanced, astonished I survey
Dart through a rocky chink a livid ray.
Inward I peeped, a lovely maid is seen,
Trip through the cave in robes of sprightly green:
White is her skin, her cheeks are rosy red;
Soft wave behind the honours of her head.
Ennobled features due respect command,
And blazed a taper in her snowy hand:
Swifter than wind the fleeting vision glides
Athwart the cave, and swims on airy tides.
509
Nor touched the earth with lightly-bounding heels.
Thus, in a splendid day, or lunar night,
Assembled boys let fly the towering kite;
The beardless youths extatic leap with joy,
While it ascends and flutters in the sky.
Assembled boys let fly the towering kite;
The beardless youths extatic leap with joy,
While it ascends and flutters in the sky.
With sprightly air the phantom beauty sings
Exploits of fairies and of phantom kings;
The vows of youths, the enamoured virgin's care,
And all the soft deceits of shifting fear.
Charmed with the lay, yet freezed with dumb surprise,
I staring stood, and scarce believed my eyes.
Doubtful advancing to enjoy the light,
Or glide, retreating, to the womb of night,
I reasoned long in my revolving breast,
At length my soul, half muttering, thus expressed:
Exploits of fairies and of phantom kings;
The vows of youths, the enamoured virgin's care,
And all the soft deceits of shifting fear.
Charmed with the lay, yet freezed with dumb surprise,
I staring stood, and scarce believed my eyes.
Doubtful advancing to enjoy the light,
Or glide, retreating, to the womb of night,
I reasoned long in my revolving breast,
At length my soul, half muttering, thus expressed:
Behind, rough rushes night with thundering storms,
And awful light the gloomy sky deforms;
Before, a calm recess attracts the view,
Where fainting nature may her strength renew.
What though there glides within a feeble mind,
An empty phantom, or a puff of wind?
By fancy formed; to life restrain your flight,
Nor fly a shade and perish in the night.
Confirmed, advancing, O! whose noble birth
Descends from more than men the worms of earth;
O be propitious, nymph! I suppliant said,
And to the wanderer lend thy timely aid;
Rest here my limbs until returning day
Instruct the path, and point the ranger's way.
And awful light the gloomy sky deforms;
Before, a calm recess attracts the view,
Where fainting nature may her strength renew.
What though there glides within a feeble mind,
An empty phantom, or a puff of wind?
By fancy formed; to life restrain your flight,
Nor fly a shade and perish in the night.
Confirmed, advancing, O! whose noble birth
Descends from more than men the worms of earth;
O be propitious, nymph! I suppliant said,
And to the wanderer lend thy timely aid;
Rest here my limbs until returning day
Instruct the path, and point the ranger's way.
I suppliant said—the vision thus replies,
And bends aside her beauty-sparkling eyes.
A youth, descended from the blood of great,
Lost to himself, to honour, and to state,
Long Grampus shall ascend your arduous brows,
And with the winged death arrest the roes;
At length, bewildered in the sable night,
Led by a voice and feeble ray of light,
Shall, undesigning, learn approaching fate,
And mount from knowledge to the arms of state.
Hard is the ascent, but, oh! how seeming light,
When honour tempts thee to the world polite!
And bends aside her beauty-sparkling eyes.
A youth, descended from the blood of great,
Lost to himself, to honour, and to state,
Long Grampus shall ascend your arduous brows,
And with the winged death arrest the roes;
510
Led by a voice and feeble ray of light,
Shall, undesigning, learn approaching fate,
And mount from knowledge to the arms of state.
Hard is the ascent, but, oh! how seeming light,
When honour tempts thee to the world polite!
The phantom said, while to my wondering eyes
Green prospects spread, and varied scenes arise.
A spacious field, to limits unconfined,
Spreads every way, and leaves the eye behind.
Ten thousand through its spacious windings stray;
Ten thousand walk, and each a different way:
They ceaseless ply their errors, void of rest;
Each cursed his way, but calls his way the best.
Scoffs, murmurs, accusations, causeless fear,
And desperate voices thunder on the ear.
Green prospects spread, and varied scenes arise.
A spacious field, to limits unconfined,
Spreads every way, and leaves the eye behind.
Ten thousand through its spacious windings stray;
Ten thousand walk, and each a different way:
They ceaseless ply their errors, void of rest;
Each cursed his way, but calls his way the best.
Scoffs, murmurs, accusations, causeless fear,
And desperate voices thunder on the ear.
Full in the centre of the spreading ground,
With sloping sides, arose a virid mound:
Easy the ascents at distance seem to rise;
A nearer view disclosed the slippery ice.
Glad on the top a maid of winning charms,
Courts from below with snowy-spreading arms;
Her rosy cheeks are dimpled o'er with smiles,
And with one wink the hapless she beguiles.
Up the steep hill ten thousand lovers crawl,
And on the point of bless they headlong fall.
Again, again the glittering steep they ply;
Again they fall, again they quivering lie.
But some more happy gain the arduous brow,
And giggle scoffs upon their mates below.
By the gay maid in splendid garments clad,
And laurels planted on the towering head:
Thus for a moment they majestic reign,
The envy of their rivals on the plain.
With sloping sides, arose a virid mound:
Easy the ascents at distance seem to rise;
A nearer view disclosed the slippery ice.
Glad on the top a maid of winning charms,
Courts from below with snowy-spreading arms;
Her rosy cheeks are dimpled o'er with smiles,
And with one wink the hapless she beguiles.
Up the steep hill ten thousand lovers crawl,
And on the point of bless they headlong fall.
Again, again the glittering steep they ply;
Again they fall, again they quivering lie.
But some more happy gain the arduous brow,
And giggle scoffs upon their mates below.
By the gay maid in splendid garments clad,
And laurels planted on the towering head:
Thus for a moment they majestic reign,
The envy of their rivals on the plain.
With swelling cheeks, and vengeance-flaming eyes,
I saw a ghastly form terrific rise:
Thy offspring, hell! her ever-moving tongue
Rolls infamy, thy sluggish stream, along;
Pregnant with ill, she heaves her rolling breast;
For ever stare her eyes devoid of rest:
Her poison-churning jaws divide with rage,
She puffs and hurls them trembling off the stage.
The raging fury bangs the flying throng,
Roars on the rear, and sweeps the wretch'd along.
Nor ceased the pest, till in the flood beneath,
Deep, silent, sable stream, they sunk in death.
The foul-voiced noise begins to melt away,
The ghastly fury feels a swift decay,
And vanish; lo! a new succession rose;
It falls, another on its ruins grows.
I saw a ghastly form terrific rise:
511
Rolls infamy, thy sluggish stream, along;
Pregnant with ill, she heaves her rolling breast;
For ever stare her eyes devoid of rest:
Her poison-churning jaws divide with rage,
She puffs and hurls them trembling off the stage.
The raging fury bangs the flying throng,
Roars on the rear, and sweeps the wretch'd along.
Nor ceased the pest, till in the flood beneath,
Deep, silent, sable stream, they sunk in death.
The foul-voiced noise begins to melt away,
The ghastly fury feels a swift decay,
And vanish; lo! a new succession rose;
It falls, another on its ruins grows.
Thus in the circle of the rolling year,
Fierce winter blasts, and vernal showers uprear
The flowery field; here drops the blushing rose,
There from the withered stem another grows:
Flower grows on flower, and stem succeeds on stem,
For ever different, but appear the same.
Fierce winter blasts, and vernal showers uprear
The flowery field; here drops the blushing rose,
There from the withered stem another grows:
Flower grows on flower, and stem succeeds on stem,
For ever different, but appear the same.
512
CANTO IX.
O, more than mortal! then I raptured cry,
Explain these wonders that attract the eye!
Youth, feeble youth, with ignorance combined,
Weaken the soul, and vail the wondering mind:
I said,—the blooming vision quick replies,
This field's the world, there honour's columns rise;
There stray, inconstant, all thy feeble kind;
Their roads as various as the shifting wind.
Towards that blooming form they turn their eyes,
And honour, honour, is the good they prize.
They rave, they burn, they died for honour's charms!
Through toil, through death, they seek her lovely arms:
But scarce their ardent thirst they can assuage,
Till slander hiss them off the envied stage;
Till infamy shall blast the ill got fame,
And dark oblivion tumble round their name.
Explain these wonders that attract the eye!
Youth, feeble youth, with ignorance combined,
Weaken the soul, and vail the wondering mind:
I said,—the blooming vision quick replies,
This field's the world, there honour's columns rise;
There stray, inconstant, all thy feeble kind;
Their roads as various as the shifting wind.
Towards that blooming form they turn their eyes,
And honour, honour, is the good they prize.
They rave, they burn, they died for honour's charms!
Through toil, through death, they seek her lovely arms:
But scarce their ardent thirst they can assuage,
Till slander hiss them off the envied stage;
Till infamy shall blast the ill got fame,
And dark oblivion tumble round their name.
The phantom spoke, the wonderous scene decayed:
A new creation graced the forming maid;
A rural scene! there heavy ears inclined,
Shine o'er the field, and vibrate in the wind.
The loaden tree with ripened fruitage glows;
And through the grove the balmy zephyr blows.
With gathered squadrons, cays, a sable train,
Swim in the sky, or cheque the yellow plain.
To different toils apply the rustic throng;
Here lazy oxen drag the plough along:
The lusty sheaves the binding reapers swell,
And the slow carman hurls the screaming wheel.
Now, ripe for birth, the full grown autumn smiled,
And more than nature laughs along the field.
A new creation graced the forming maid;
513
Shine o'er the field, and vibrate in the wind.
The loaden tree with ripened fruitage glows;
And through the grove the balmy zephyr blows.
With gathered squadrons, cays, a sable train,
Swim in the sky, or cheque the yellow plain.
To different toils apply the rustic throng;
Here lazy oxen drag the plough along:
The lusty sheaves the binding reapers swell,
And the slow carman hurls the screaming wheel.
Now, ripe for birth, the full grown autumn smiled,
And more than nature laughs along the field.
Sated with joys complete, I turn the eye
To shaggy mountains, and inclement sky;
My fellows of the chace, I trembling view,
In quest of me, a lamentable crew:
The sable rocks they ceaseless rend with cries,
And sorrow trickled from their longing eyes.
Here, here I am, I often, often cried;
The heedless crew passed on, nor aught replied.
While on the plain I view my parent—sage,
Tottering beneath a load of grief and age;
With drooping head, which years had cap'd with snow,
Laid on a staff, and move unwilling slow,
The senior quaked on age-suspended limbs,
And sad around, his fading eye-ball swims:—
My son, my son! O, darling of my age!
What headlong torrent, with impetuous rage,
Roars round thy lifeless limbs; and, drowned, bears
The light, the comfort of my aged years.
O life fallacious! how thy hopes decay,
You grant a bliss, then snatch the prize away!
Ah me! for this did I my age employ,
For death untimely save the rising boy!
What ardent joys did then my soul confess,
While Donald vanquished in the rapid race;
What ardent joys dilate my ardent mind,
While you transfixed the hart, or bounding hind;
Oft have I seen, but ah! shall see no more,
Here, here, where hapless I your loss deplore,
Unerring wing the feathered arrow's flight,
Or wield the gauntlet, or discharge the quoit.
Come, Death, inwrap me, sable, silent shade;
And, mourning grave! receive this hoary head.
He stopt, he sighed, and tore the silver hair,
And gnashed beneath thy grievous weight, Despair!
I feel his grief, the tears begin to flow,
And all my soul is touched with mighty woe.
I start, I stretch my limbs, his soul to ease,
While on the eye the transient scene decays:
Faded the view, extinct diurnal light,
And howled without the cloud-enveloped night.
To shaggy mountains, and inclement sky;
My fellows of the chace, I trembling view,
In quest of me, a lamentable crew:
The sable rocks they ceaseless rend with cries,
And sorrow trickled from their longing eyes.
Here, here I am, I often, often cried;
The heedless crew passed on, nor aught replied.
While on the plain I view my parent—sage,
Tottering beneath a load of grief and age;
With drooping head, which years had cap'd with snow,
Laid on a staff, and move unwilling slow,
The senior quaked on age-suspended limbs,
And sad around, his fading eye-ball swims:—
My son, my son! O, darling of my age!
What headlong torrent, with impetuous rage,
Roars round thy lifeless limbs; and, drowned, bears
The light, the comfort of my aged years.
O life fallacious! how thy hopes decay,
You grant a bliss, then snatch the prize away!
Ah me! for this did I my age employ,
For death untimely save the rising boy!
514
While Donald vanquished in the rapid race;
What ardent joys dilate my ardent mind,
While you transfixed the hart, or bounding hind;
Oft have I seen, but ah! shall see no more,
Here, here, where hapless I your loss deplore,
Unerring wing the feathered arrow's flight,
Or wield the gauntlet, or discharge the quoit.
Come, Death, inwrap me, sable, silent shade;
And, mourning grave! receive this hoary head.
He stopt, he sighed, and tore the silver hair,
And gnashed beneath thy grievous weight, Despair!
I feel his grief, the tears begin to flow,
And all my soul is touched with mighty woe.
I start, I stretch my limbs, his soul to ease,
While on the eye the transient scene decays:
Faded the view, extinct diurnal light,
And howled without the cloud-enveloped night.
Thus in the horizon of the silent night,
The setting moon darts parallel its light,
Silvers the flood, and paints the landscape gay,
And deals around the bright nocturnal day:
But, sunk beneath, the pleasing prospects fail,
And every object wears a melancholy veil.
Sunk in a flood of heart-corroding woes,
O'erwhelmed I stood; another scene arose:—
The setting moon darts parallel its light,
Silvers the flood, and paints the landscape gay,
And deals around the bright nocturnal day:
But, sunk beneath, the pleasing prospects fail,
And every object wears a melancholy veil.
Sunk in a flood of heart-corroding woes,
O'erwhelmed I stood; another scene arose:—
Mingled with heroes in the iron field,
A second self, astonished, I beheld;
My shape, my size, my features, all the same,
As oft looked trembling from undimpled stream;
Athwart the side the well-known scabbard flies,
The well-known plaid hangs plaited down the thighs;
O'er half my leg the spangled buskin glows,
And orient hair from th' azure bonnet flows:
Upon this breast the plaid half hid beneath,
The polished pistol, minister of death!
Beneath my lifted arm the enemies groan,
And I exult in bravery not my own;
And victory, terrific, in her car,
Hurls on the deluge of the noisy war;
Graspt honour in thy arms, and high renowned
My godlike heroes their preserver owned.
Shouts, acclamations, rend the fluid air,
While slow approached a soft majestic fair;
Her blooming charms my reeling soul surprize,
I senseless stood, and fixed on her my eyes:
My soul is melted with the soft desire,
The virgin smiled, and seemed to feel my fire.
At once concedes her more than mortal charms,
I spread my hands to clasp her in my arms;
When all at once the blooming scene disjoin'd,
And Donald hugged a blast of empty wind.
A second self, astonished, I beheld;
My shape, my size, my features, all the same,
As oft looked trembling from undimpled stream;
Athwart the side the well-known scabbard flies,
The well-known plaid hangs plaited down the thighs;
O'er half my leg the spangled buskin glows,
And orient hair from th' azure bonnet flows:
Upon this breast the plaid half hid beneath,
The polished pistol, minister of death!
Beneath my lifted arm the enemies groan,
And I exult in bravery not my own;
515
Hurls on the deluge of the noisy war;
Graspt honour in thy arms, and high renowned
My godlike heroes their preserver owned.
Shouts, acclamations, rend the fluid air,
While slow approached a soft majestic fair;
Her blooming charms my reeling soul surprize,
I senseless stood, and fixed on her my eyes:
My soul is melted with the soft desire,
The virgin smiled, and seemed to feel my fire.
At once concedes her more than mortal charms,
I spread my hands to clasp her in my arms;
When all at once the blooming scene disjoin'd,
And Donald hugged a blast of empty wind.
Oh! cruel, cruel! I desponding said,
While sunk the taper and the phantom maid;
Rough-rumbling thunders through the sable groan,
And blustering winds proclaim the vision gone.
I start, unsheathed my sword, uprightly stood
My hair, surprise ran shivering through my blood.
A sprite in every fiery meteor past,
A sprite seemed howling in each whistling blast;
Until my soul, by resolution swayed,
Despised each fear, and thought upon the maid.
The maid, the maid, all, all my soul possessed,
The maid sat empress in my rolling breast.
Then, then her phantom all my bosom warms,
What must I feel who saw her real charms;
Her thought-created graces I admire,
My reason slept, and fancy fed the fire.
While sunk the taper and the phantom maid;
Rough-rumbling thunders through the sable groan,
And blustering winds proclaim the vision gone.
I start, unsheathed my sword, uprightly stood
My hair, surprise ran shivering through my blood.
A sprite in every fiery meteor past,
A sprite seemed howling in each whistling blast;
Until my soul, by resolution swayed,
Despised each fear, and thought upon the maid.
The maid, the maid, all, all my soul possessed,
The maid sat empress in my rolling breast.
Then, then her phantom all my bosom warms,
What must I feel who saw her real charms;
Her thought-created graces I admire,
My reason slept, and fancy fed the fire.
The wished for morn its early blushes spread,
Reared o'er the eastern hill her rosy head;
Sunk are the winds, the clouds together fly,
And glows serene the azure-arched sky.
Cheered with the blest return of sacred light,
Eased of the gloomy terrors of the night,
I glad ascend, and homeward bend my way;
The hut appears with the meridian day.
What scene appears of heart-corroding woe,
The melancholy crowd, solemnly slow,
Support my dead preserver to the grave;
Death sped the blow, which aged sorrow gave.
For me, for me, the senior drew his breath!
For me, for me, the aged sunk in death!
To find me in the grave; I sobbing paid
My tearful tribute to the reverend shade:
At once, love, gratitude, and duty mourn,
My sire, my counsel, in the silent urn.
Reared o'er the eastern hill her rosy head;
Sunk are the winds, the clouds together fly,
And glows serene the azure-arched sky.
Cheered with the blest return of sacred light,
Eased of the gloomy terrors of the night,
516
The hut appears with the meridian day.
What scene appears of heart-corroding woe,
The melancholy crowd, solemnly slow,
Support my dead preserver to the grave;
Death sped the blow, which aged sorrow gave.
For me, for me, the senior drew his breath!
For me, for me, the aged sunk in death!
To find me in the grave; I sobbing paid
My tearful tribute to the reverend shade:
At once, love, gratitude, and duty mourn,
My sire, my counsel, in the silent urn.
Now on the eye decay the blissful scenes,
The rough-browed rocks, and all the sloping plains
Delight no more; no chace, no winged fowl,
No goat, no cattle, cheer the mournful soul.
The senior gone, the rural sports decayed,
And love attracts the traveller to the maid.
The rough-browed rocks, and all the sloping plains
Delight no more; no chace, no winged fowl,
No goat, no cattle, cheer the mournful soul.
The senior gone, the rural sports decayed,
And love attracts the traveller to the maid.
As when the playful youth delighted views
A thousand flowers, of thousand various hues,
Glow on the murmuring rivulet's farther side;
He dips his foot, and, trembling, backward flies,
Returns again, and lops the blooming toys:
Thus undetermined long I dubious stood,
Then headlong plunged in fortune's sable flood;
Swift bounding forward, I devour the way,
The oaten field and low-roofed hut decay;
The hills step backward, as I onward stride
Along the sharp-spiked rocks and mountains side.
Tay, on thy banks, a courteous host! received,
And balmy rest the nerve of toil relieved.
A thousand flowers, of thousand various hues,
Glow on the murmuring rivulet's farther side;
He dips his foot, and, trembling, backward flies,
Returns again, and lops the blooming toys:
Thus undetermined long I dubious stood,
Then headlong plunged in fortune's sable flood;
Swift bounding forward, I devour the way,
The oaten field and low-roofed hut decay;
The hills step backward, as I onward stride
Along the sharp-spiked rocks and mountains side.
Tay, on thy banks, a courteous host! received,
And balmy rest the nerve of toil relieved.
Soon as the sky with, Sol! thy chariot glows,
Made strong for toil, the wandering traveller goes;
Ceaseless I mete the road, till setting day
Darts parallel to earth a golden ray.
A place there is, where the cerulean main
Glides up 'twixt rocks, and forms an azure plain;
There, there I stood, astonished to survey
The roaring billows on the watery way;
How liquid mountains dash against the shore,
The rough rocks rumble, hoarse the billows roar:
I stretch'd my limbs along the murmuring deep,
And the hoarse billows lull my soul asleep.
Made strong for toil, the wandering traveller goes;
Ceaseless I mete the road, till setting day
Darts parallel to earth a golden ray.
517
Glides up 'twixt rocks, and forms an azure plain;
There, there I stood, astonished to survey
The roaring billows on the watery way;
How liquid mountains dash against the shore,
The rough rocks rumble, hoarse the billows roar:
I stretch'd my limbs along the murmuring deep,
And the hoarse billows lull my soul asleep.
518
CANTO X.
His toils, his woes, the hill-born hero sung,
While from their seats the attentive audience hung.
His woes, his toils, as yet they seem to hear;
As yet his accents hang upon the ear,
Though ceased. Swift from his seat Alcanor rose,
Down to his heel the sable mantle flows;
His aged limbs shook with the weight of years,
His fading eyes distil the briny tears:
O valiant youth! your face, the age rejoined,
Recalls my hopeless son unto my mind;
The same his features, and his shape the same,
Thus death untimely wrapt the youthful frame.
Ah me! my son, you treason's victim lay,
While at your side thy consort's charms decay;
While with thy child a matron servant fled;
And friends enquiring thought your memory dead.
But thou, dear object of my aged care,
Whom Heaven designed the sad Alcanor's heir,
By more than mortal led—thee, thee I own,
My joy, my hope, my reviviscent son!
Be still, fond heart! no more Alcanor grieves,
Since in my godlike youth my Allan lives.
The Senior said; and clasped the hero round:
His reverend sire the valiant grandson owned.
Tears flow on tears, and sigh succeeds on sigh,
And either soul melts with the sudden joy;
Swell on the air congratulations round,
And mighty titles round the Hunter sound.
Now, envy fled, the ancient peerage own,
And greatness flashes from the mean unknown.
While from their seats the attentive audience hung.
His woes, his toils, as yet they seem to hear;
As yet his accents hang upon the ear,
Though ceased. Swift from his seat Alcanor rose,
Down to his heel the sable mantle flows;
His aged limbs shook with the weight of years,
His fading eyes distil the briny tears:
O valiant youth! your face, the age rejoined,
Recalls my hopeless son unto my mind;
The same his features, and his shape the same,
Thus death untimely wrapt the youthful frame.
Ah me! my son, you treason's victim lay,
While at your side thy consort's charms decay;
While with thy child a matron servant fled;
And friends enquiring thought your memory dead.
But thou, dear object of my aged care,
Whom Heaven designed the sad Alcanor's heir,
519
My joy, my hope, my reviviscent son!
Be still, fond heart! no more Alcanor grieves,
Since in my godlike youth my Allan lives.
The Senior said; and clasped the hero round:
His reverend sire the valiant grandson owned.
Tears flow on tears, and sigh succeeds on sigh,
And either soul melts with the sudden joy;
Swell on the air congratulations round,
And mighty titles round the Hunter sound.
Now, envy fled, the ancient peerage own,
And greatness flashes from the mean unknown.
Thus in the quarry, rough in every part,
The moss-grown marble, till reformed by art,
Unvalued lies, till forming hammers groan,
The halls of greatness shine with Parian stone.
Thus shone the chief amidst the bevied great,
Brighter his fame shone on the arms of state;
With joyful shouts the palace thundered round,
And repercussive walls repel the sound.
Thus lost in distance empty thunders roar,
Or foaming billows lash the sounding shore;
Heard by the midnight travellers as they roam,
And swells the murmur on the silent gloom.
The moss-grown marble, till reformed by art,
Unvalued lies, till forming hammers groan,
The halls of greatness shine with Parian stone.
Thus shone the chief amidst the bevied great,
Brighter his fame shone on the arms of state;
With joyful shouts the palace thundered round,
And repercussive walls repel the sound.
Thus lost in distance empty thunders roar,
Or foaming billows lash the sounding shore;
Heard by the midnight travellers as they roam,
And swells the murmur on the silent gloom.
The fair Egidia, as she sat alone,
And silent breathed her sighs in plaintive moan,
Felt noisy shouts invade the trembling ear,
Starts from the dream of thought, and looks with fear.
Surprise is painted in her blooming mien,
And care succeeds the soft enamoured pain:
Ah! hapless me! the trembling virgin cries,
The tear half dropping from her azure eyes,
The warrior youth, all by the great envied,
Falls now perhaps a victim to their pride;
O'erpowered, for such of late assailed the ear,
From fields of death, and iron noise of war.
Ophelia there? Come, maid! What means that noise?
The hill-born youth departs, the peers rejoice:
My queen! the maid replies; the bowl is crowned,
And with the hero's health the vaulted halls resound.
And silent breathed her sighs in plaintive moan,
Felt noisy shouts invade the trembling ear,
Starts from the dream of thought, and looks with fear.
Surprise is painted in her blooming mien,
And care succeeds the soft enamoured pain:
Ah! hapless me! the trembling virgin cries,
The tear half dropping from her azure eyes,
The warrior youth, all by the great envied,
Falls now perhaps a victim to their pride;
O'erpowered, for such of late assailed the ear,
From fields of death, and iron noise of war.
520
The hill-born youth departs, the peers rejoice:
My queen! the maid replies; the bowl is crowned,
And with the hero's health the vaulted halls resound.
A sudden stupor every sense pervades,
Upon her cheek the roseate tincture fades;
In dumb surprise her soul astonished swims;
The downy bed supports her falling limbs:
A sudden qualm of sorrow and surprise
Bound up the tongue, and blocked the gates of voice:
The wakening soul resumes the seat again,
She ceaseless rolls in agonizing pain;
Tossed round her limbs, and furious with despair,
She beat her breast, and tore her golden hair.
Surprise is o'er; the tears begin to flow;
And words expressive of the mighty woe:
Egidia lives! and what she prized is fled!
Come, death! and waft the hapless to the dead.
Come lop this virgin flower, my sable spouse,
And quench the flood-gates of these rushing woes.
Sooth, sooth, O gentle! all my troubled breast;
Within thy arms at last my soul shall rest!
Birth, grandeur, state, farewell, ye empty toys,
Ye curse of life, obstructions of my joys!
O should a shepherdess upon the plain
Bear me, a daughter, to some humble swain;
Not nursed to grandeur, unconfined to state,
The stately youth might love his rural mate!
Clasped in Love's arms, in some low hut reclined,
I'd pour upon his breast my love-sick mind;
With thee, my swain, would bear the wintry cold,
With thee would guard the cattle to the fold;
Through Poverty's cold stream-with thee would gain,
And lean-cheek'd Want might puff his blast in vain;
With thee, with thee would tempt the rugged heath;
With thee would live, with thee would sink in death.
O bear me, bear me, Fortune, to some grove,
Where your transfixer, harts! and mine may rove.
Touched with my care, my tyrant may prove kind,
Nor let that form conceal an iron mind.
Upon her cheek the roseate tincture fades;
In dumb surprise her soul astonished swims;
The downy bed supports her falling limbs:
A sudden qualm of sorrow and surprise
Bound up the tongue, and blocked the gates of voice:
The wakening soul resumes the seat again,
She ceaseless rolls in agonizing pain;
Tossed round her limbs, and furious with despair,
She beat her breast, and tore her golden hair.
Surprise is o'er; the tears begin to flow;
And words expressive of the mighty woe:
Egidia lives! and what she prized is fled!
Come, death! and waft the hapless to the dead.
Come lop this virgin flower, my sable spouse,
And quench the flood-gates of these rushing woes.
Sooth, sooth, O gentle! all my troubled breast;
Within thy arms at last my soul shall rest!
Birth, grandeur, state, farewell, ye empty toys,
Ye curse of life, obstructions of my joys!
O should a shepherdess upon the plain
Bear me, a daughter, to some humble swain;
Not nursed to grandeur, unconfined to state,
The stately youth might love his rural mate!
Clasped in Love's arms, in some low hut reclined,
I'd pour upon his breast my love-sick mind;
With thee, my swain, would bear the wintry cold,
With thee would guard the cattle to the fold;
Through Poverty's cold stream-with thee would gain,
And lean-cheek'd Want might puff his blast in vain;
With thee, with thee would tempt the rugged heath;
With thee would live, with thee would sink in death.
521
Where your transfixer, harts! and mine may rove.
Touched with my care, my tyrant may prove kind,
Nor let that form conceal an iron mind.
I seem, I seem through lonely fields to stray,
Love wings my feet, and Love directs the way;
I see, I see my lovely Hunter come,
In pride of years, and beauty's fairest bloom.
See, see, the suppliant seems to own my charms!
I rush, I rush into his manly arms.
But why, enthusiast! does thy fancy stray?
Grandeur forbids, and birth besets the way.
See! Greatness chides me with a frowning face;
For shame, for shame, desire a clown's embrace!
Let opening earth the blushing maid receive,
Avail from Calumny the spotless grave.
But, Calumny, can you my case remove?
Too weak a combatant for mighty Love—
Love, mighty Love, I am thy victim whole!
Love holds the reins, and actuates my soul.
But ah! perhaps a maid of happier charms
Attracts the traveller to her lovely arms.
In vain, Egidia, melts thy tearful eyes,
Thy rival shall enfold thy envied prize.
Blow, Boreas, blow the rough cerulean main,
And from her arms the lovely youth detain.
Time, time may wear her image from his mind,
And chance may make the hill-born hero kind.
In vain, in vain I sooth my glowing care,
In vain elude thy venomed pangs, Despair!
Even now, perhaps, the seamen ply the oar,
And waft my soul into the farther shore.
Love wings my feet, and Love directs the way;
I see, I see my lovely Hunter come,
In pride of years, and beauty's fairest bloom.
See, see, the suppliant seems to own my charms!
I rush, I rush into his manly arms.
But why, enthusiast! does thy fancy stray?
Grandeur forbids, and birth besets the way.
See! Greatness chides me with a frowning face;
For shame, for shame, desire a clown's embrace!
Let opening earth the blushing maid receive,
Avail from Calumny the spotless grave.
But, Calumny, can you my case remove?
Too weak a combatant for mighty Love—
Love, mighty Love, I am thy victim whole!
Love holds the reins, and actuates my soul.
But ah! perhaps a maid of happier charms
Attracts the traveller to her lovely arms.
In vain, Egidia, melts thy tearful eyes,
Thy rival shall enfold thy envied prize.
Blow, Boreas, blow the rough cerulean main,
And from her arms the lovely youth detain.
Time, time may wear her image from his mind,
And chance may make the hill-born hero kind.
In vain, in vain I sooth my glowing care,
In vain elude thy venomed pangs, Despair!
Even now, perhaps, the seamen ply the oar,
And waft my soul into the farther shore.
The lovely maid upon the bed reclined,
Thus mournful tortured all her virgin mind.
Obsequious maids, around the love-sick fair,
Fetch sigh for sigh, and tear distil with tear.
Some silent stand, and some attempt relief
By balmy words, and sooth the virgin's grief;
But still her snowy throbbing bosom sighs,
And tears descend from her love-darting eyes.
Her snowy neck disordered hair o'erspread,
Her tear-washed cheeks diffuse a rosy red,
Her swelling arms are decored with snow,
And all the graces in the virgin glow.
Thus mournful tortured all her virgin mind.
Obsequious maids, around the love-sick fair,
Fetch sigh for sigh, and tear distil with tear.
522
By balmy words, and sooth the virgin's grief;
But still her snowy throbbing bosom sighs,
And tears descend from her love-darting eyes.
Her snowy neck disordered hair o'erspread,
Her tear-washed cheeks diffuse a rosy red,
Her swelling arms are decored with snow,
And all the graces in the virgin glow.
Thus, spreading her white limbs along the plains,
The blooming Venus mourned Adonis slain:
Adown her rosy neck the tresses flow,
Her eyes look languid through the veil of woe;
'Twixt her loose robe her heaving breast is seen,
And all the graces mourn around their queen.
Thus on the downy bed the virgin burns,
And round the fair the blooming bevy mourns.
The blooming Venus mourned Adonis slain:
Adown her rosy neck the tresses flow,
Her eyes look languid through the veil of woe;
'Twixt her loose robe her heaving breast is seen,
And all the graces mourn around their queen.
Thus on the downy bed the virgin burns,
And round the fair the blooming bevy mourns.
The monarch hears his love-sick daughter's pain:
Why weeps my daughter, why, my joy, complain?
The youth remains, nor is the noble fled,
Nor shall his noble blood disgrace the marriage-bed.
No horrid herdsman, no indecent hind,
Of clownish manners, or rapacious mind,
First, Cupid, aimed thy soft enamouring dart,
And vanquished all my young Egidia's heart.
Obscure, unhonoured, heedless, all alone,
Lost to himself, and to the world unknown,
The youth, long, Grampus! climbed thy brows, till fate
Instructs the mind, and spread the arms of state.
Good is thy choice, and what thy sire designed;
Dry, dry these cheeks, and sooth thy troubled mind.
The monarch placid spoke: The maid arose,
Her raptured soul with joys extatic glows.
The veil of woe removed, she brightly shone;
As beamy Phœbus, or the silver moon
Emerging from a cloud, she graceful moves,
And gently trip around the little loves.
Before the priest the blooming couple stand;
Much she desired, but blushed to join the hand.
'Tis done; the youthful hero spreads his arms,
And clasps, enraptured, more than phantomed charms.
Why weeps my daughter, why, my joy, complain?
The youth remains, nor is the noble fled,
Nor shall his noble blood disgrace the marriage-bed.
No horrid herdsman, no indecent hind,
Of clownish manners, or rapacious mind,
First, Cupid, aimed thy soft enamouring dart,
And vanquished all my young Egidia's heart.
Obscure, unhonoured, heedless, all alone,
Lost to himself, and to the world unknown,
The youth, long, Grampus! climbed thy brows, till fate
Instructs the mind, and spread the arms of state.
Good is thy choice, and what thy sire designed;
Dry, dry these cheeks, and sooth thy troubled mind.
The monarch placid spoke: The maid arose,
Her raptured soul with joys extatic glows.
The veil of woe removed, she brightly shone;
As beamy Phœbus, or the silver moon
523
And gently trip around the little loves.
Before the priest the blooming couple stand;
Much she desired, but blushed to join the hand.
'Tis done; the youthful hero spreads his arms,
And clasps, enraptured, more than phantomed charms.
| The poems of Ossian | |