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Poems and Essays

By the late William Caldwell Roscoe. (Edited with a Prefatory Memoir, by his Brother-in-law, Richard Holt Hutton)
Roscoe, William Caldwell (1823-1859)

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MINOR POEMS.
  
[Clouds and mists and vapours dim]
  
THE FALSE FONTANLEE.
  
F. M.
  
AD PYRRHAM.
  
TO LAURA R.,
  
ARIADNE.
  
A NIGHTINGALE IN EASTBURY WOODS.
  
AFTER THE HUNGARIAN WAR.
  
OPPORTUNITY.
  
LINES AFTER MY FATHER'S DEATH.
  
TO THE PLANET VENUS,
  
[Rarely to our mortal eyes]
  
TO THE MARCH SUN.
  
A DREAM AND NO DREAM.
  
VENIT.
  
[When I asked her, “Wilt thou kiss me?’]
  
THE GOLDEN DAYS.
  
LOVE'S CREED.
  
[On many an English lady's face]
  
EXCUSE.
  
[A presence! a glory celestial!]
  
SONG.
  
OVER THE WEST.
  
“FREI IST DER BURSCH!”
  
TO LITTLE A. C. IN THE GARDEN AT EASTBURY.
  
FOR EVER.
  
AFTER MY SISTER'S DEATH.
  
AT THE SAME TIME.
  
AT NIGHT, AFTER MY SISTER'S DEATH.
  
[Why fear that the departed grieves]
  
FORD GREY OF WERKE TO HIS MISTRESS.
  
[I have a thought that fain would speak]
  
“IF IT DIE, IT BRINGETH FORTH MUCH FRUIT.”
  
MUSIC.
  
A BLIND GIRL'S QUESTIONINGS.
  
BEFORE DAWN.
  
BY THE SEASHORE.
  
A VISION.
  
[Lord, at thy feet we do not kneel]
  
THE YEAR OF LOVE.
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SONNETS.
  
A WET AUTUMN.
  
AT THE CHESHIRE POINT, LINLEY WOOD.
  
[Like a musician that with flying finger]
  
AT NIGHT.
  
MY FATHER'S DEATH.
  
TO MY MOTHER.
  
GIBSON'S STATUE OF AURORA.
  
TO M. S.
  
M. S.
  
TO THE REV. JOHN HAMILTON THOM.
  
[O Muse the Comforter! that in this vale]
  
TO A LADY PREFERRING CALM TO PASSIONATE POETRY.
  
LAUDATRIX TEMPORIS ACTI.
  
MIDNIGHT ON NEW YEAR'S EVE.
  
THE TWO NIGHTS.
  
A CHRISTMAS SONNET.
  
[Sad is my lot; among the shining spheres]
  
TO A FRIEND IN GRIEF.
  
TO A FRIEND.
  
IN DEJECTION. I.
  
IN DEJECTION II.
  
I
  
II
  
III
  
DAYBREAK IN FEBRUARY.
  
SYMBOLS OF VICTORY.
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ELIDUKE, COUNT OF YVELOC.
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ACT I
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Scene I.
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Scene II.
 III. 
Scene III.
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ACT II.
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Scene I.
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Scene II.
 III. 
Scene III.
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ACT III.
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Scene I.
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Scene II.
 III. 
Scene III.
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ACT IV.
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Scene I.
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Scene II.
 III. 
Scene III.
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ACT V.
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Scene I.
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Scene II.
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Scene III.
 IV. 
Scene IV.
 V. 
Scene V.
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VIOLENZIA.
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ACT I.
 I. 
Scene I.
 II. 
Scene II.
 III. 
Scene III.
 IV. 
Scene IV.
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ACT II.
 I. 
Scene I.
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Scene II.
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Scene III.
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Scene IV.
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Scene V.
 VI. 
Scene VI.
 VII. 
Scene VII.
 VIII. 
Scene VIII.
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ACT III.
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Scene I.
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Scene II.
 III. 
Scene III.
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ACT IV.
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Scene I.
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Scene II.
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Scene III.
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Scene IV.
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Scene V.
 VI. 
Scene VI.
 VII. 
Scene VII.
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ACT V.
 I. 
Scene I.
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Scene II.
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Scene III.
  
[The bubble of the silver-springing waves]

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43

SONG.

Turn hither, turn your widely-wandering eyes,
All Love's true lieges;
Look, to this child your winged monarch flies,
And all old faith reneges.
“We come! we come!
This is no common child, or earth-born infant only,
But stol'n from Fairy-land!”
Oh, no! oh, no!
These are not golden clouds that hang i' th' air,
But mortal tresses,
Which, with a fondling and delicious care,
Love's wing caresses.
“We see! we see!
This is no common child, or earth-born infant only,
But stol'n from Fairy-land!”
Oh, no! oh, no!
These are her eyes whereat ye wondering gaze,
Not stars down charmed
Through the blue night-air. Mounted on their rays,
Look, Love stands armed!
“We fear! we fear!
This is no common child, or earth-born infant only,
But stol'n from Fairy-land!”
Oh, no! oh, no!
44

This, not that winter rosebud for the which
Young Beauty grew sick;
'Tis but her mouth and small lips rosy rich:
These make Love's music.
“We hear! we hear!
This is no common child, or earth-born infant only,
But stol'n from Fairy-land!”
Oh, no! oh, no!
This is her brow, not fairy-carved stone,
By chaste thoughts owned,
Canopied o'er by shining hair alone;
Here Love sits throned.
“We bow! we bow!
This is no common child, or earth-born infant only,
But stol'n from Fairy-land!”
Oh, no! oh, no!
Lo, where she stands in presence most complete,
A child, yet queenly!
Here turn your eyes, and this bright infant greet,
Love loves supremely.
“We bend! we bend!
This is no common child, or earth-born infant only,
But stol'n from Fairy-land!”
Oh, no! oh, no!
December 1846.
 

Composed while skating, of which the metre bears traces.

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