University of Virginia Library

SCENES IN FAIRY LAND.

EXTRACTS FROM ADELAIDE AND REGINALD,

A Fairy Tale of Bosworth Field.

From Canto I.

The sun had goined the distant hill,
And shed his last red ling'ring rays,
Athwart the ruby tinted rill,
Which threw bright gems on drooping sprays.
Reapers had left the smiling plains,
Where harvest wav'd his golden head,
Bending beneath the weighty grains,
Which sighing gales profusely shed.
Lovers had left the noisy town,
And sought the hills or scented fields,
Where health smiled o'er the woodland brown,
And evening fragrant kisses yields.
Anglers had left the winding Trent,
And sought their homes—the finny realms
Ran darker, as the night-breeze bent
The lofty boughs of shady elms.
'Twas sweet to hear the village bell,
Peal slowly thro' the calm blue sky;
Or catch that sighing word,—“farewell”
Cheer'd with the kiss which echoed by.
Sweet was the sound of wimpling brooks,
Which through old narrow arches stray;
Sweet was the “caw” of wood bound rooks,
Winging thro' heaven their pathless way;
Sweetly the rural maiden's song,
Rang o'er the tranquil evening scene;
The ploughboy rolled his notes among
Those warbled by the village queen;
Sweet was their plighted vows beneath,
Some aged thorn, or spreading oak;
'Twas sweet to see the wild-flower wreath,
Twin'd round fair brows where bright eyes spoke
Sweet was the sound of lowing kine,
As slowly o'er the mead they stray,
To gain some tow'ring clumps of pine,
And wait the voice of rosy day,
Sweet flew the gale o'er corn-fields ripe,
And fann'd the cheek with scented wings,
Sweetly the blackbird's mellow pipe,
Along the drowsy woodland rings.
Sweet was the vesper linnets sung,
From flow'ry banks and shady trees;
Sweetly the drumming pinions rung,
Of hive-bound honey-laden bees.
The buzzing beetle darting by,
Shook the light dew from waving leaves;
Sweetly the merry voices fly,
Of children, toppling down the sheaves.
Sweet shone the radiant evening star,
Thro' shrouded fields of heavenly blue;
Night shook his black locks, wide and far,
The sable ringlets darkling flew,
While trees to seeming giants grew.
The nightingale, with thrilling note,
Sung night's soft hymn:—the trembling sound,
Light o'er the list'ning valleys float;
Trent lingered, with green oziers crown'd;
Sweet was her song:-dim nature smil'd
In silence to her pleasing charm;
So smiles some drowsy, well-pleased child,
Lull'd by a song, on beauty's arm.
Nought harsh annoyed the 'tentive ear,
Save the alternate tramp of steed;
Or rush of some adventurous deer,
That sought the wood with lightning speed.
A lingering group might yet be seen,
Who talk'd of war's approaching fray;
How mail-clad knights had pass'd the green,
Full speed for Bosworth Field that day.

From Canto III.

Heard ye that trumpets piercing sound?
Rang back by Richmond's answ'ring blast;
Felt ye that shock awake the ground?
When Clifton's stern troop hurried past.
What change, was by that trumpet wrought,
Revenge and uproar closely joins;
War slumbering, is a tempest fraught
With thunder—girded round his loins.
A moment since—the sun shone bright,
Reflecting shields returned the gleam;
Another moment—and for fight
The startling trump was heard to scream.
A moment since—the archer strung
His death bow for the approaching fray;
A moment more—the arrow sprung,
Whizzing—and low a warrior lay.
Brave Richard heads the fierce attack,
Dark death his sable banner bears;
Amazed, pale trembling ranks fall back,
Destruction on his blade appears.
He grasp'd his column shattering spear,
And sternly shook his shield of fire;
Blood splash'd upon his brow severe,
And clotting, stain'd his bright attire;
Death smil'd, and toss'd his banner higher.
So leaps the mountain torrent stern,
From crag to crag, from rock to rock,
Sweeping firs, oaks, beech, ash, and fern,
Adown with overwelming shock.
So rolls the thunder, bellowing deep,
Shaking earth's adamantine base;
So fire-wing'd lightnings fiercely sweep
Cloud rending turrets from their place;
So foams the sea when hoarse winds roar,
And waves at heaven their curl'd heads dash;
Loud gathering from the groaning shore,
But to return with fiercer clash.
Steed rush'd on steed—blade clash'd to blade—
Armour to armour echoing rung;
While foes on foes, were thicker laid,
And frowning brows like black clouds hung.
Darker with arrows grew the sky,
Deeper proud war steeds dash'd in blood,
Fierce flamed each warrior's haughty eye,
Where shields like blazing comets stood.
The clash of arms—the neigh of steeds—
The groans—the clamour—the stern rout—
The banner stain'd with bloody deeds—
The roar—the tramp—the charge—the shout.—
The rolling head lopp'd from its trunk,
The locks of youth with black clots gor'd,
The sever'd arm, that low had sunk,
Although in death it grasp'd the sword.
The broken bow that useless lay,
Adown the dying archer's side,
The wounded steed that sought the fray,
The wreck—the din—the crimson tide—
Appear'd as tho' the thund'rer tried
To crush all nature 'ere he died,
Shield confronts shield with mad'ning force,
Deeper was plung'd the blood dyed spear:
Fiercer was horse impell'd on horse,
How thrills the blood those sounds to hear:
“My wife”—he dies:—“my child”—ah! where:
“My soul”—“die traitor”—mingled there
'Mid sounds that came remote or near,
From beings, just merging to the sphere
Where that God dwells, all should revere!
While strength remains, few will relax
The work of death:—each brow grows black;
Plum'd helms gape 'neath the battle axe;
Deep groans return the fierce blows back.
So in a town, where storms assail,
And fierce winds lay whole fabrics low;
'Mid rush, and smoke, and piercing wail,
And blood retarded in its flow;
And dust, and crash of rattling glass,
And shrieks, and gusts, and thunder peal'd
With loudest, harshest, quickest pass,
Such was the din of Bosworth Field.

From Canto V.

From Canto VI.

From Canto VII.

THE INCANTATION.

From Canto VIII.

FRAGMENT.

NEPTUNE'S PALACE.

FROM HERO AND LEANDER.

Far in the depths of ocean's flood,
The rich domains of Neptune stood,
Rising all glorious on the sight,
Like some glad city of delight;
So splendid was that massive pile,
So wildly beautiful its style,
That you might deem before your eyes,
Had rose an ocean paradise.
Here one eternal spring was growing,
And strains of melting music flowing,
And amber rills where flowrets lave,
Their bending heads and kiss the wave
That brightly gleaming, murmurs by,
Reflecting deep its own green sky,
Here birds in flowery beds were singing,
Or thro' the groves of perfume winging,
Their waving plumage beaming bright,
Hovering o'er the gates of light,
Cleaving the air of spicy bowers,
Or wafted by the breath of flowers,
That deck the varigated knoll,
While streams of purple nectar roll,
Where young Nereides repose,
In beds where blush the crimson rose,
Engirded round with golden flowers,
With which the nymphs perfume their bowers,
That fragrant stream along the seas,
Like Eden's sweet ambrosial breeze,
Which floats along the rosy ray,
That ushers in the God of day,
When first his steeds in dew are laving,
Where purple flowers are brightly waving,
Until their crystal bells unfold,
Their mouths of pearl and eyes of gold.
Land of the sea! what climes like thine?
Where one eternal sun doth shine,
Gilding thy dazzling coral banks,
Where flowery diamonds wave in ranks,
Which bloom alone in heaven and thee,
Garden of light! land of the sea!
City of song, and birds, and smiles,
And flowers, and gems, and fragrant isles,
And gold, and light, and perfumed breeze,
And melting eyes, and streams, and trees,
And fruits, and bowers, and nectar rills,
Where singing bright birds dip their bills,
And silver tendrils deck the vine
Land of the sea! what climes like thine?
Fair mermaids sport in thy bright isles,
Lay on thy flowers and sleep in smiles,
Sounder than the blushing bride,
Who slumbers by her bridegroom's side,
And drinks the long, deep, dreamy kiss,
And rolls in seas of fancied bliss.
Deep in a gold embroidered vale,
That slop'd adown a rosy dale,
Where amaranths were in the bud,
The sea-god Neptune's palace stood;
A massive diamond, shining bright,
Replete with warmth, was sun and light,
A cloudless sun, that always shone,
And canopied the sea-god's throne;
The dazzling dome rose bright and high,
And bore the shining sea-green sky,
That here and there was silver lac'd,
A liquid heaven, firmly brac'd,
Where oft a dolphin's golden head,
Peep'd wondering from its green wave bed,
And look'd down with a curious eye,
From out its tower-borne liquid sky,
Saw steep, and spire, and minaret,
Lit by a sun that never set.
The front, like Dian's crescent bow'd,
A glittering arch, and richly glow'd
With all the rainbow's varied dye,
When bending clearest in the sky;
Save, that instead of borrow'd bright,
Each circle was a gem of light,
Of ruby, pearl, or chrysolite:
And for its arching stride was given,
Room ample as the bow of heaven,
When one foot on the mountain's plac'd,
The other in the ocean bas'd.
Three sea snakes form'd of finest gold,
That massive arch did firmly hold,
Where a long portico display'd,
Its dazzling jasper collonade,
That threw on a triumphal arch
Rich splendour, such as conquerors march
Beneath, with steeds and banners gay,
And nodding plumes in battle 'ray,
Prancing, where starry eyes are met,
All leaning from a parapet,
Waving a farewell scarf of light,
To some young gallant mail clad knight.
The winding flight that thitherward
Led on, were diamonds, bright and hard,
With rare mosaic work inlaid,
Hemm'd by a ruby balustrade,
And on the topmost golden landing,
A group in bass-relief were standing;
Of silver was that martial line,
And bore the mark of Troy divine;
Here Hector, and Ulysses there,
With Neptune as Calchas the seer,
Filling the Grecian ranks with fire;
Whose gather'd brows bespoke their ire;
They were by god-like chiefs led on,
Tydides and stern Telamon.
This led to Neptune's presence-room,
Sweet as an island of perfume;
Rich fragrant smells were wafted here,
Which breeze, or flower, or beauty bear;
Beneath that dome which lights the deep,
With its huge rocks and billows steep,
That lash the shore, or veil the skies,
The sea-god's shining throne did rise;
Cariates of topaz bright,
Upheld the canopy of light,
Their yellow garments graceful hung,
Or round their beaming waists were flung.
Above the fair Cariates,
Were festooned birds, and flowers, and bees,
Some with expanded golden plumes,
Hung o'er the censor's waving fumes,
While foliage shot around the room,
And hung luxuriant 'neath the dome,
Roses, and pinks, and lilies twining,
The gem carved grape, with tendrils shining,
As tho' they sprung from dews or showers,
So bright they shone, a sky of flowers:
While some suspended wreaths enfold,
A dolphin lamp of glittering gold,
Twice fifty such were swinging round,
By diamond chains and jaspers bound,
And when in radiance they burn,
Dazzling they gleam on vase and urn,
Of agate, beryl, gold, and amber,
Up which the fragrant sea-flowers clamber.
Along great Neptune's regal hall,
Twice forty columns rising tall,
Of rich engraven Corinth order,
All massy gold, support the border,
Of cornice, droppings, and festoon,
And carved gems, bright as the moon;
Between the space, by pillars grac'd,
Large emerald pedestals were plac'd,
Where amethyst immortals stood,
Here Dian, goddess of the wood,
There Venus, with her car and doves,
And groups of Graces, and young loves;
Here Hebe, with her cup of gold,
There thundering Jove, dread to behold,
And Mercury, with his serpent rod,
With mandates from the Olympian god,
And Pallas, with her gorgon shield,
And Ceres, guardian of the field,
And Juno, with her birds of pride,
Spreading their jewel'd plumage wide,
And all the great immortal race,
Stood by each column's shining base;
And every hand a censor holds,
Where fragrant smoke in varied folds,
Curls to the fluted pillars head,
Where gems in festoon'd foliage spread
Winding, where a fount was pouring
Its nectar bubbles, grandly towering,
Where rows of ruby columns blush,
Bearing carv'd dragons, from which gush
Deep purple streams, rich to behold,
Falling from out their mouths of gold;
The racy torrents brightly roll,
And bubble in a crystal bowl,
Which a silvery Bacchus holds,
Wreath'd around with vintage folds.
Here Neptune holds his sceptred sway,
The god which winds and waves obey.

SONG.