 | The Poetical Works of Robert Story |  |
Ingleboro' Cave.
1840.
[_]
[This wonderful subterranean vault—or rather succession of irregular vaults—is but poorly described in the following stanzas. It was then a recent discovery. It is the property of James William Farrer, Esq., of Ingleboro' Hall.]
Lover of Nature! whose feet have pervaded
The wildest recesses where verdure has birth,
And whose eyes have beheld, from these mountains unshaded,
The grandeur of ocean, the beauty of earth,
Deem not, though thy pleasures be pure and abiding,
That thou hast exhausted the whole she e'er gave;
Go, enter yon rock, whence the waters are gliding,
And witness the wonders she works in the Cave:
The wildest recesses where verdure has birth,
And whose eyes have beheld, from these mountains unshaded,
The grandeur of ocean, the beauty of earth,
Deem not, though thy pleasures be pure and abiding,
That thou hast exhausted the whole she e'er gave;
Go, enter yon rock, whence the waters are gliding,
And witness the wonders she works in the Cave:
270
Go then, and alone, wouldst thou feel the seene rightly
The Poet, invisibly joining thy side,
Shall talk with thy soul, shall be moral or sprightly,
And summon his spirits to light thee and guide!
Look up! the green day-light yet blends with the lustres
Sprite-furnished, and gleaming along the dark wave;
Smooth rock hung with pendants like icicle-clusters—
What ceiling can vie with the roof of the Cave?
The Poet, invisibly joining thy side,
Shall talk with thy soul, shall be moral or sprightly,
And summon his spirits to light thee and guide!
Look up! the green day-light yet blends with the lustres
Sprite-furnished, and gleaming along the dark wave;
Smooth rock hung with pendants like icicle-clusters—
What ceiling can vie with the roof of the Cave?
But on!—The day fades; and the lights, borne before us,
The brighter appear, and the richer by far;
For see them beneath us, beside us, and o'er us,
Reflected from diamond, water, and spar!
If splendour thou lovest, 'tis here in profusion,
More pure than in courts, for it doth not deprave;
And shouldst thou point out that the whole is illusion,
I ask, is illusion confined to the Cave?
The brighter appear, and the richer by far;
For see them beneath us, beside us, and o'er us,
Reflected from diamond, water, and spar!
If splendour thou lovest, 'tis here in profusion,
More pure than in courts, for it doth not deprave;
And shouldst thou point out that the whole is illusion,
I ask, is illusion confined to the Cave?
On, on!—The lights pause. Is yon black rock the ending?
No, no; thou hast farther, and fairer, to view;
So, follow we must where the elf-lights—descending—
Half show a low vault. Don't they burn a bit blue?
Start not! there's no ghost, I assure you, to fear, sir;
But stoop—lower yet—if thy head thou wouldst save:
Pride sometimes gets checked in his onward career, sir,
And Humility's well in the world, and the Cave.
No, no; thou hast farther, and fairer, to view;
So, follow we must where the elf-lights—descending—
Half show a low vault. Don't they burn a bit blue?
Start not! there's no ghost, I assure you, to fear, sir;
But stoop—lower yet—if thy head thou wouldst save:
Pride sometimes gets checked in his onward career, sir,
And Humility's well in the world, and the Cave.
But hark! there is music! All fairy-like stealing,
It comes on the ear, as from distance it came:
'Tis Nature's own harmony, fitfuily pealing,
And this for her Palace the Goddess may claim.
Look round! 'tis enchantment! surpassing whatever
The tales of the East on young fancies engrave;
So, now for description, my friend, if thou'rt clever—
Reflect me in song this State-room of the Cave.
It comes on the ear, as from distance it came:
'Tis Nature's own harmony, fitfuily pealing,
And this for her Palace the Goddess may claim.
Look round! 'tis enchantment! surpassing whatever
The tales of the East on young fancies engrave;
So, now for description, my friend, if thou'rt clever—
Reflect me in song this State-room of the Cave.
271
What song shall reflect it?—A gem-studded ceiling,
On columns of crystal appearing to lean;
Sides flashing with brilliants; the wide floor revealing
A pure water-mirror that doubles the scene;—
Away! 'tis prosaic, where all should be sparkling,
And rugged, where Music should breathe through the stave.
But see! my torch-bearers have left us, and—darkling—
We follow the light as it winds up the Cave.
On columns of crystal appearing to lean;
Sides flashing with brilliants; the wide floor revealing
A pure water-mirror that doubles the scene;—
Away! 'tis prosaic, where all should be sparkling,
And rugged, where Music should breathe through the stave.
But see! my torch-bearers have left us, and—darkling—
We follow the light as it winds up the Cave.
Then on!—We are now at the roots of the mountain,
Where Nature, as knowing the pressure, has thrown
A bold massive arch o'er the line of the fountain,
An arch à la Gothic—ere Gothic was known!
Here rest we before—into day-light returning—
We return, too, to cares and to topics more grave;
And mixing a bowl, while the elf-lights are burning,
Let us drink to the health of the lord of the Cave!
Where Nature, as knowing the pressure, has thrown
A bold massive arch o'er the line of the fountain,
An arch à la Gothic—ere Gothic was known!
Here rest we before—into day-light returning—
We return, too, to cares and to topics more grave;
And mixing a bowl, while the elf-lights are burning,
Let us drink to the health of the lord of the Cave!
| The Poetical Works of Robert Story | |