The poetical works of James Montgomery collected by himself |
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 | The poetical works of James Montgomery |  |
3
I. PART I.
A Wanderer of Switzerland and his Family, consisting of his Wife, his Daughter, and her young Children, emigrating from their Country, in consequence of its Subjugation by the French, in 1798, arrive at the Cottage of a Shepherd, beyond the Frontiers, where they are hospitably entertained.
“Wanderer, whither dost thou roam?
Weary wanderer, old and grey;
Wherefore hast thou left thine home
In the sunset of thy day?”
Wanderer.
“In the sunset of my day,
Stranger, I have lost my home:
Weary, wandering, old and grey,
Therefore, therefore do I roam.
Stranger, I have lost my home:
Weary, wandering, old and grey,
Therefore, therefore do I roam.
Here mine arms a wife enfold,
Fainting in their weak embrace;
There my daughter's charms behold,
Withering in that widow'd face.
Fainting in their weak embrace;
There my daughter's charms behold,
Withering in that widow'd face.
These her infants—O their Sire,
Worthy of the race of TELL,
In the battle's fiercest fire,
—In his country's battle fell!”
Worthy of the race of TELL,
In the battle's fiercest fire,
—In his country's battle fell!”
Shep.
“Switzerland then gave thee birth?”
Wand.
“Ay—'twas Switzerland of yore;
But, degraded spot of earth!
Thou art Switzerland no more:
4
O'er thy mountains, sunk in blood,
Are the waves of ruin hurl'd;
Like the waters of the flood
Rolling round a buried world.”
Are the waves of ruin hurl'd;
Like the waters of the flood
Rolling round a buried world.”
Shep.
“Yet will Time the deluge stop:
Then may Switzerland be blest:
On St. Gothard's hoary top
Shall the Ark of Freedom rest.”
Wand.
“No!—Irreparably lost,
On the day that made us slaves,
Freedom's Ark, by tempest tost,
Founder'd in the swallowing waves.”
Shep.
“Welcome, Wanderer as thou art,
All my blessings to partake;
Yet thrice welcome to my heart,
For thine injured country's sake.
All my blessings to partake;
Yet thrice welcome to my heart,
For thine injured country's sake.
On the western hills afar
Evening lingers with delight,
While she views her favourite star
Brightening on the brow of night.
Evening lingers with delight,
While she views her favourite star
Brightening on the brow of night.
Here, though lowly be my lot,
Enter freely, freely share
All the comforts of my cot,
Humble shelter, homely fare.
Enter freely, freely share
All the comforts of my cot,
Humble shelter, homely fare.
Spouse! I bring a suffering guest,
With his family of grief;
Give the weary pilgrims rest,
Yield the Exiles sweet relief.”
With his family of grief;
Give the weary pilgrims rest,
Yield the Exiles sweet relief.”
Shep.'s Wife.
“I will yield them sweet relief:
Weary pilgrims! welcome here;
Welcome, family of grief!
Welcome to my warmest cheer.”
Wand.
“When in prayer the broken heart
Asks a blessing from above,
Heaven shall take the Wanderer's part.
Heaven reward the stranger's love.”
Shep.
“Haste, recruit the failing fire,
High the winter-faggots raise:
See the crackling flames aspire;
O how cheerfully they blaze!
High the winter-faggots raise:
See the crackling flames aspire;
O how cheerfully they blaze!
Mourners! now forget your cares,
And, till supper-board be crown'd,
Closely draw your fireside chairs;
Form the dear domestic round.”
And, till supper-board be crown'd,
Closely draw your fireside chairs;
Form the dear domestic round.”
Wand.
“Host! thy smiling daughters bring,
Bring those rosy lads of thine:
Let them mingle in the ring
With these poor lost babes of mine.”
Shep.
“Join the ring, my girls and boys;
This enchanting circle, this
Binds the social loves and joys;
'Tis the fairy ring of bliss!”
Wand.
“O ye loves and joys! that sport
In the fairy ring of bliss,
Oft with me ye held your court;
I had once a home like this!
In the fairy ring of bliss,
Oft with me ye held your court;
I had once a home like this!
Bountiful my former lot
As my native country's rills;
The foundations of my cot
Were her everlasting hills.
As my native country's rills;
The foundations of my cot
Were her everlasting hills.
But those streams no longer pour
Rich abundance round my lands;
And my father's cot no more
On my father's mountain stands.
Rich abundance round my lands;
And my father's cot no more
On my father's mountain stands.
By an hundred winters piled,
When the Glaciers, dark with death,
Hang o'er precipices wild,
Hang—suspended by a breath:
When the Glaciers, dark with death,
Hang o'er precipices wild,
Hang—suspended by a breath:
If a pulse but throb alarm,
Headlong down the steeps they fall;
—For a pulse will break the charm,—
Bounding, bursting, burying all.
Headlong down the steeps they fall;
—For a pulse will break the charm,—
Bounding, bursting, burying all.
Struck with horror, stiff and pale,
When the chaos breaks on high,
All that view it from the vale,
All that hear it coming, die:—
When the chaos breaks on high,
All that view it from the vale,
All that hear it coming, die:—
5
In a day and hour accurst,
O'er the wretched land of TELL,
Thus the Gallic ruin burst,
Thus the Gallic glacier fell!”
O'er the wretched land of TELL,
Thus the Gallic ruin burst,
Thus the Gallic glacier fell!”
Shep.
“Hush that melancholy strain;
Wipe those unavailing tears:”
Wand.
“Nay—I must, I will complain;
'Tis the privilege of years:
'Tis the privilege of Woe,
Thus her anguish to impart:
And the tears that freely flow
Ease the agonising heart.”
Thus her anguish to impart:
And the tears that freely flow
Ease the agonising heart.”
Shep.
“Yet suspend thy griefs awhile:
See the plenteous table crown'd;
And my wife's endearing smile
Beams a rosy welcome round.
See the plenteous table crown'd;
And my wife's endearing smile
Beams a rosy welcome round.
Cheese from mountain-dairies prest,
Wholesome herbs, nutritious roots,
Honey from the wild-bee's nest,
Cheering wine and ripen'd fruits:
Wholesome herbs, nutritious roots,
Honey from the wild-bee's nest,
Cheering wine and ripen'd fruits:
These, with soul-sustaining bread,
My paternal fields afford:—
On such fare our fathers fed;
Hoary pilgrim! bless the board.”
My paternal fields afford:—
On such fare our fathers fed;
Hoary pilgrim! bless the board.”
| The poetical works of James Montgomery | |