The poems and literary prose of Alexander Wilson ... for the first time fully collected and compared with the original and early editions ... edited ... by the Rev. Alexander B. Grosart ... with portrait, illustrations, &c |
 | I. |
 | II. |
THE CRUELTY OF REVENGE.
|
|
|
| III. |
| IV. |
 | The poems and literary prose of Alexander Wilson |  |
275
THE CRUELTY OF REVENGE.
A TALE.
What rising passions through my bosom range,
When beauteous Susan sings the ‘Moor's Revenge.’
When beauteous Susan sings the ‘Moor's Revenge.’
Thus runs the tale—‘Far from the noisy court,
'Midst lonely woods, was wealthy Don's resort.
A worthy lady blest his gen'rous arms,
And two young boys, with all their winning charms.
Possessed of these, and of each other's hearts,
They scorn'd the world and all its cheating arts.
Domestic cares, her lord, her smiling boys,
Were all her pride, the source of all her joys;
His, thro' wild woods, to hunt the leopard fleet,
Bear home the spoils and lay them at her feet.
'Midst lonely woods, was wealthy Don's resort.
A worthy lady blest his gen'rous arms,
And two young boys, with all their winning charms.
Possessed of these, and of each other's hearts,
They scorn'd the world and all its cheating arts.
Domestic cares, her lord, her smiling boys,
Were all her pride, the source of all her joys;
His, thro' wild woods, to hunt the leopard fleet,
Bear home the spoils and lay them at her feet.
When morning rose, equipt, he cours'd the plain,
And sought the chase, a Moor his only train;
Him from dire chains his master's bounty freed,
Behind his lord to curb the stately steed.
Indulg'd in sloth, the gloomy villain grew
Each day more heedless, and more haughty too.
He now ev'n dares his orders to deride;
His lord rebuk'd him, and chastised his pride.
With madd'ning rage his sparkling eye-balls roll,
And black revenge employs his furious soul.
And sought the chase, a Moor his only train;
Him from dire chains his master's bounty freed,
Behind his lord to curb the stately steed.
Indulg'd in sloth, the gloomy villain grew
Each day more heedless, and more haughty too.
He now ev'n dares his orders to deride;
His lord rebuk'd him, and chastised his pride.
With madd'ning rage his sparkling eye-balls roll,
And black revenge employs his furious soul.
High on a rock, amid the gloomy wood,
Secure from foes their ancient castle stood;
A wide, deep moat, around the fabric soak'd,
And strong high walls the midnight robber mock'd;
One path alone led to its dizzy height,
By day a bridge, a bolted gate by night.
Secure from foes their ancient castle stood;
A wide, deep moat, around the fabric soak'd,
And strong high walls the midnight robber mock'd;
One path alone led to its dizzy height,
By day a bridge, a bolted gate by night.
One morn, as forth they took their early road,
And, thro' dark vales and deep'ning forests trod,
Urg'd by revenge, the Moor back sudden springs,
Secures the gate, and forth the children brings;
His lord alarm'd, spurs swiftly o'er the plain,
Fast finds the gate, and views with shudd'ring pain
His beauteous babes, from their fond mother tore,
Dash'd down the rock, and reeking in their gore;
While his poor spouse, beneath a lifted knife,
In loud lamentings deep implor'd for life.
‘Thou fury, stop!’ the raving husband cries;
‘I scorn thy threats,’ th'infernal Moor replies;
‘A blow thou gave—now for thy rashness feel;’
Then in her breast he plung'd the deadly steel,
And bounding headlong down the impervious rock,
His mangled cor'se in bloody fragments broke.
And, thro' dark vales and deep'ning forests trod,
Urg'd by revenge, the Moor back sudden springs,
Secures the gate, and forth the children brings;
276
Fast finds the gate, and views with shudd'ring pain
His beauteous babes, from their fond mother tore,
Dash'd down the rock, and reeking in their gore;
While his poor spouse, beneath a lifted knife,
In loud lamentings deep implor'd for life.
‘Thou fury, stop!’ the raving husband cries;
‘I scorn thy threats,’ th'infernal Moor replies;
‘A blow thou gave—now for thy rashness feel;’
Then in her breast he plung'd the deadly steel,
And bounding headlong down the impervious rock,
His mangled cor'se in bloody fragments broke.
| The poems and literary prose of Alexander Wilson | |