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The Works of Tennyson

The Eversley Edition: Annotated by Alfred, Lord Tennyson: Edited by Hallam, Lord Tennyson
Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)

collapse sectionI. 
POEMS
  
TO THE QUEEN.
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JUVENILIA.
  
CLARIBEL.
  
NOTHING WILL DIE.
  
ALL THINGS WILL DIE.
  
LEONINE ELEGIACS.
  
SUPPOSED CONFESSIONS
  
THE KRAKEN.
  
SONG.
  
LILIAN.
  
ISABEL.
  
MARIANA.
  
MARIANA IN THE SOUTH.
  
TO ------.
  
MADELINE.
  
SONG—THE OWL.
  
SECOND SONG.
  
RECOLLECTIONS OF THE ARABIAN NIGHTS.
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ODE TO MEMORY.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
  
SONG.
  
A CHARACTER.
  
THE POET.
  
THE POET'S MIND.
  
THE SEA-FAIRIES.
  
THE DESERTED HOUSE.
  
THE DYING SWAN.
  
A DIRGE.
  
LOVE AND DEATH.
  
THE BALLAD OF ORIANA.
  
CIRCUMSTANCE.
  
THE MERMAN.
  
THE MERMAID.
  
ADELINE.
  
MARGARET.
  
ROSALIND.
  
ELEÄNORE.
  
[My life is full of weary days]
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EARLY SONNETS.
 I. 
I. TO ------
 II. 
II. TO J. M. K.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV. ALEXANDER.
 V. 
V. BUONAPARTE.
 VI. 
VI. POLAND.
 VII. 
VII.
 VIII. 
VIII.
 IX. 
IX.
 X. 
X.
 XI. 
XI. THE BRIDESMAID.
  
THE LADY OF SHALOTT.
  
THE TWO VOICES.
  
THE MILLER'S DAUGHTER.
  
FATIMA.
  
ŒNONE.
  
THE SISTERS.
  
TO ------
  
THE PALACE OF ART.
  
LADY CLARA VERE DE VERE.
  
THE MAY QUEEN
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THE LOTOS-EATERS.
  
[section]
  
[section]
  
[section]
  
[section]
  
[section]
  
CHORIC SONG.
  
A DREAM OF FAIR WOMEN.
  
THE BLACKBIRD.
  
THE DEATH OF THE OLD YEAR.
  
TO J. S.
  
ON A MOURNER.
  
[You ask me, why, tho' ill at ease]
  
[Of old sat Freedom on the heights]
  
[Love thou thy land, with love far-brought]
  
ENGLAND AND AMERICA IN 1782.
  
THE GOOSE.
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ENGLISH IDYLS.
  
THE EPIC.
  
MORTE D'ARTHUR.
  
THE GARDENER'S DAUGHTER;
  
DORA.
  
AUDLEY COURT.
  
WALKING TO THE MAIL.
  
EDWIN MORRIS;
  
ST. SIMEON STYLITES.
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APPENDIX.
  
TIMBUCTOO.
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THE HESPERIDES
  
[prologue]
  
Song of the Three Sisters.
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Additional lines and fragments of verse extracted from the notes.
  
[To The Queen]
  
MABLETHORPE
  
LOVE
  
II
  
[The Miller's Daughter]
  
[The Miller's Daughter]
  
[The Palace of Art]
  
[The Palace of Art]
  
[The Palace of Art]
  
[The Palace of Art]
  
[A Dream of Fair Women]
  
HOME
collapse sectionII. 
POEMS
  
THE TALKING OAK.
  
LOVE AND DUTY.
  
THE GOLDEN YEAR.
  
ULYSSES.
  
TITHONUS.
  
LOCKSLEY HALL.
  
GODIVA.
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THE DAY-DREAM.
  
PROLOGUE.
  
THE SLEEPING PALACE.
  
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY.
  
THE ARRIVAL.
  
THE REVIVAL.
  
THE DEPARTURE.
  
MORAL.
  
L'ENVOI.
  
EPILOGUE.
  
AMPHION
  
ST. AGNES' EVE.
  
SIR GALAHAD.
  
EDWARD GRAY.
  
WILL WATERPROOF'S LYRICAL MONOLOGUE.
  
LADY CLARE.
  
THE CAPTAIN.
  
THE LORD OF BURLEIGH.
  
THE VOYAGE.
  
SIR LAUNCELOT AND QUEEN GUINEVERE.
  
A FAREWELL.
  
THE BEGGAR MAID.
  
THE EAGLE.
  
[Move eastward, happy earth, and leave]
  
[Come not, when I am dead]
  
THE LETTERS.
  
THE VISION OF SIN.
  
TO ---,
  
TO E. L.,
  
[Break, break, break]
  
THE POET'S SONG.
  
THE BROOK.
  
AYLMER'S FIELD.
  
SEA DREAMS.
  
LUCRETIUS.
  
ODE ON THE DEATH OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON.
  
THE THIRD OF FEBRUARY, 1852.
  
THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE.
  
ODE SUNG AT THE OPENING OF THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.
  
A WELCOME TO ALEXANDRA.
  
A WELCOME TO HER ROYAL HIGHNESS MARIE ALEXANDROVNA, DUCHESS OF EDINBURGH.
  
THE GRANDMOTHER.
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[section]
  
NORTHERN FARMER.
  
NORTHERN FARMER.
  
THE DAISY.
  
TO THE REV. F. D. MAURICE.
  
WILL.
  
IN THE VALLEY OF CAUTERETZ.
  
IN THE GARDEN AT SWAINSTON.
  
THE FLOWER.
  
REQUIESCAT.
  
THE SAILOR BOY.
  
THE ISLET.
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CHILD-SONGS.
 I. 
I. THE CITY CHILD.
 II. 
II. MINNIE AND WINNIE.
  
THE SPITEFUL LETTER.
  
LITERARY SQUABBLES.
  
THE VICTIM.
  
WAGES.
  
THE HIGHER PANTHEISM.
  
THE VOICE AND THE PEAK.
  
[Flower in the crannied wall]
  
A DEDICATION.
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EXPERIMENTS.
  
BOÄDICEA.
  
IN QUANTITY.
  
MILTON.
  
[O you chorus of indolent reviewers]
  
SPECIMEN OF A TRANSLATION OF THE ILIAD IN BLANK VERSE.
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THE WINDOW;
  
ON THE HILL.
  
AT THE WINDOW.
  
GONE.
  
WINTER.
  
SPRING.
  
THE LETTER.
  
NO ANSWER.
  
NO ANSWER.
  
THE ANSWER.
  
AY.
  
WHEN.
  
MARRIAGE MORNING.
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APPENDIX.
  
TO ---
  
HANDS ALL ROUND!
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Additional lines and fragments of verse extracted from the notes
  
[Sir Launcelot and Queen Guinevere]
  
[Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington]
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ENOCH ARDEN AND IN MEMORIAM
  
ENOCH ARDEN.
  
IN MEMORIAM A. H. H.
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APPENDIX.
  
SPEAK TO ME.
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Additional lines and fragments of verse extracted from the notes
  
THE GRAVE
  
TO A. H. H.
  
THE VICTOR HOURS
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THE PRINCESS AND MAUD
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[section]
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THE PRINCESS;
  
PROLOGUE.
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I
  
[subsection]
  
[As thro' the land at eve we went]
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II.
  
[subsection]
  
[Sweet and low, sweet and low]
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III.
  
[subsection]
  
[The splendour falls on castle walls]
collapse sectionIV. 
IV.
  
[subsection]
  
[subsection]
  
[subsection]
  
[‘O Swallow, Swallow, flying, flying South]
  
[subsection]
  
[subsection]
 V. 
V.
collapse sectionVI. 
VI.
  
[Home they brought her warrior dead]
  
[subsection]
  
[‘Our enemies have fall'n, have fall'n: the seed]
  
[subsection]
  
[Ask me no more: the moon may draw the sea]
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VII.
  
[subsection]
  
[‘Now sleeps the crimson petal, now the white]
  
[subsection]
  
[‘Come down, O maid]
  
[subsection]
  
[subsection]
  
[subsection]
  
[subsection]
  
[subsection]
  
[subsection]
  
[subsection]
  
[subsection]
  
[subsection]
  
CONCLUSION.
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[section]
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MAUD; A MONODRAMA.
collapse sectionI. 
PART I.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
 VI. 
VI.
 VII. 
VII.
 VIII. 
VIII.
 IX. 
IX.
 X. 
X.
 XI. 
XI.
 XII. 
XII.
 XIII. 
XIII.
 XIV. 
XIV.
 XV. 
XV.
 XVI. 
XVI.
 XVII. 
XVII.
 XVIII. 
XVIII.
 XIX. 
XIX.
 XX. 
XX.
 XXI. 
XXI.
 XXII. 
XXII.
collapse sectionII. 
PART II.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
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PART III.
 VI. 
VI.
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Additional lines and fragments of verse extracted from the notes.
  
[The Princess; A Medley.]
  
[The Princess; A Medley.]
  
[The Princess; A Medley.]
  
[The Princess; A Medley. Canto V]
  
[The Princess; A Medley. Canto VI]
  
[The Princess; A Medley.]
  
[The Princess; A Medley.]
  
[Maud; A Monodrama.]
 V. 
IDYLLS OF THE KING
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BALLADS AND OTHER POEMS
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THE LOVER'S TALE.
  
ARGUMENT.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV. THE GOLDEN SUPPER.
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BALLADS AND OTHER POEMS
  
TO ALFRED TENNYSON MY GRANDSON.
  
THE FIRST QUARREL.
  
RIZPAH.
  
THE NORTHERN COBBLER.
  
THE REVENGE.
  
THE SISTERS.
  
THE VILLAGE WIFE; OR, THE ENTAIL.
  
IN THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
  
DEDICATORY POEM TO THE PRINCESS ALICE.
  
THE DEFENCE OF LUCKNOW.
  
SIR JOHN OLDCASTLE, LORD COBHAM.
  
COLUMBUS.
  
THE VOYAGE OF MAELDUNE.
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DE PROFUNDIS
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THE TWO GREETINGS.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
  
THE HUMAN CRY.
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[section]
  
PREFATORY SONNET TO THE ‘NINETEENTH CENTURY.’
  
TO THE REV. W. H. BROOKFIELD
  
MONTENEGRO.
  
TO VICTOR HUGO.
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TRANSLATIONS, ETC.
  
BATTLE OF BRUNANBURH.
  
ACHILLES OVER THE TRENCH.
  
TO PRINCESS FREDERICA ON HER MARRIAGE.
  
SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.
  
TO DANTE.
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TIRESIAS AND OTHER POEMS
  
[dedication]
  
TO E. FITZGERALD.
  
TIRESIAS.
  
THE WRECK.
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DESPAIR.
  
[preface]
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
 VI. 
VI.
 VII. 
VII.
 VIII. 
VIII.
 IX. 
IX.
 X. 
X.
 XI. 
XI.
 XII. 
XII.
 XIII. 
XIII.
 XIV. 
XIV.
 XV. 
XV.
 XVI. 
XVI.
 XVII. 
XVII.
 XVIII. 
XVIII.
 XIX. 
XIX.
 XX. 
XX.
 XXI. 
XXI.
  
THE ANCIENT SAGE.
  
THE FLIGHT.
  
TOMORROW.
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THE SPINSTER'S SWEET-ARTS.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
 VI. 
VI.
 VII. 
VII.
 VIII. 
VIII.
 IX. 
IX.
 X. 
X.
 XI. 
XI.
 XII. 
XII.
 XIII. 
XIII.
 XIV. 
XIV.
 XV. 
XV.
 XVI. 
XVI.
 XVII. 
XVII.
 XVIII. 
XVIII.
  
LOCKSLEY HALL SIXTY YEARS AFTER.
  
PROLOGUE TO GENERAL HAMLEY.
  
THE CHARGE OF THE HEAVY BRIGADE AT BALACLAVA.
  
EPILOGUE.
  
TO VIRGIL.
  
THE DEAD PROPHET
  
EARLY SPRING.
  
PREFATORY POEM TO MY BROTHER'S SONNETS.
  
‘FRATER AVE ATQUE VALE.’
  
HELEN'S TOWER.
  
EPITAPH ON LORD STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFE.
  
EPITAPH ON GENERAL GORDON.
  
EPITAPH ON CAXTON.
  
TO THE DUKE OF ARGYLL.
  
HANDS ALL ROUND.
  
FREEDOM.
  
TO H.R.H. PRINCESS BEATRICE.
  
THE FLEET.
  
OPENING OF THE INDIAN AND COLONIAL EXHIBITION BY THE QUEEN.
  
POETS AND THEIR BIBLIOGRAPHIES.
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Additional lines and fragments of verse extracted from notes.
  
THE MYSTIC
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DEMETER AND OTHER POEMS
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DEMETER AND OTHER POEMS
  
TO THE MARQUIS OF DUFFERIN AND AVA.
  
ON THE JUBILEE OF QUEEN VICTORIA
  
TO PROFESSOR JEBB,
  
DEMETER AND PERSEPHONE.
  
OWD ROÄ.
  
VASTNESS.
  
THE RING.
  
FORLORN.
  
HAPPY.
  
TO W. C. MACREADY.
  
TO ULYSSES.
  
TO MARY BOYLE.
  
THE PROGRESS OF SPRING.
  
MERLIN AND THE GLEAM.
  
ROMNEY'S REMORSE.
  
PARNASSUS.
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BY AN EVOLUTIONIST.
  
[section]
  
Old Age.
  
FAR—FAR—AWAY.
  
POLITICS.
  
BEAUTIFUL CITY.
  
THE ROSES ON THE TERRACE.
  
THE PLAY.
  
ON ONE WHO AFFECTED AN EFFEMINATE MANNER.
  
TO ONE WHO RAN DOWN THE ENGLISH.
  
THE SNOWDROP.
  
THE THROSTLE
  
THE OAK.
  
IN MEMORIAM.
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THE DEATH OF ŒNONE, AKBAR'S DREAM, AND OTHER POEMS
  
JUNE BRACKEN AND HEATHER.
  
TO THE MASTER OF BALLIOL.
  
THE DEATH OF ŒNONE.
  
ST. TELEMACHUS.
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AKBAR'S DREAM.
  
[section]
  
Hymn.
  
TO SIR WALTER SCOTT.
  
THE BANDIT'S DEATH.
  
THE CHURCH-WARDEN AND THE CURATE.
  
CHARITY.
  
KAPIOLANI.
  
THE DAWN.
  
THE MAKING OF MAN.
  
THE DREAMER.
  
MECHANOPHILUS.
  
RIFLEMEN FORM!
  
THE TOURNEY.
  
THE WANDERER.
  
POETS AND CRITICS.
  
A VOICE SPAKE OUT OF THE SKIES.
  
DOUBT AND PRAYER.
  
FAITH.
  
THE SILENT VOICES.
  
GOD AND THE UNIVERSE.
  
THE DEATH OF THE DUKE OF CLARENCE AND AVONDALE.
  
CROSSING THE BAR.
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[section]
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THE CUP
collapse sectionI. 
ACT I.
 I. 
Scene I.
 II. 
Scene II.
 III. 
Scene III.
 II. 
ACT II.
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[section]
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THE PROMISE OF MAY
 I. 
ACT I.
 II. 
ACT II.
 III. 
ACT III.
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APPENDIX.
  
RETICENCE.
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Additional lines and fragments of verse extracted from the notes.
  
THE ROSEBUD
  
TO THE VICAR OF SHIPLAKE
  
THE BRIDAL
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QUEEN MARY AND HAROLD
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QUEEN MARY:
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QUEEN MARY.
collapse sectionI. 
ACT I.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
 III. 
SCENE III.
 IV. 
SCENE IV.
 V. 
SCENE V.
collapse sectionII. 
ACT II.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
 III. 
SCENE III.
 IV. 
SCENE IV.
collapse sectionIII. 
ACT III.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
 III. 
SCENE III.
 IV. 
SCENE IV.
 V. 
SCENE V.
 VI. 
SCENE VI.
collapse sectionIV. 
ACT IV.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
 III. 
SCENE III.
collapse sectionV. 
ACT V.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
 III. 
SCENE III.
 IV. 
SCENE IV.
 V. 
SCENE V.
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HAROLD:
  
[dedication]
  
SHOW-DAY AT BATTLE ABBEY, 1876.
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HAROLD: A DRAMA
collapse sectionI. 
HAROLD.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
collapse sectionII. 
ACT II.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
collapse sectionIII. 
ACT III.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
collapse sectionIV. 
ACT IV.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
 III. 
SCENE III.
collapse sectionV. 
ACT V.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
collapse sectionIX. 
BECKET AND OTHER PLAYS
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[section]
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BECKET.
  
PROLOGUE.
collapse sectionI. 
ACT I.
 I. 
Scene I.
 II. 
Scene II.
 III. 
Scene III.
 IV. 
Scene IV.
collapse sectionII. 
ACT II.
 I. 
Scene I.
 II. 
Scene II.
collapse sectionIII. 
ACT III.
 I. 
Scene I.
 II. 
Scene II.
 III. 
Scene III.
collapse sectionIV. 
ACT IV.
 I. 
Scene I.
 II. 
Scene II.
collapse sectionV. 
ACT V
 I. 
Scene I.
 II. 
Scene II.
 III. 
Scene III.
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[section]
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THE FALCON
  
Scene.
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[section]
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THE FORESTERS
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ACT I
 I. 
Scene I.
 II. 
Scene II.
 III. 
Scene III.
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ACT II THE FLIGHT OF MARIAN
 I. 
Scene I.
 II. 
Scene II.
collapse sectionIII. 
ACT III THE CROWNING OF MARIAN
 I. 
Scene I.
collapse sectionIV. 
ACT IV THE CONCLUSION
  
Scene.
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APPENDIX.
  
UNPUBLISHED SONNET.

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187

LADY CLARA VERE DE VERE.

A dramatic poem drawn from no particular character.

Lady Clara Vere de Vere,
Of me you shall not win renown:
You thought to break a country heart
For pastime, ere you went to town.
At me you smiled, but unbeguiled
I saw the snare, and I retired:
The daughter of a hundred Earls,
You are not one to be desired.
Lady Clara Vere de Vere,
I know you proud to bear your name,
Your pride is yet no mate for mine,
Too proud to care from whence I came.
Nor would I break for your sweet sake
A heart that doats on truer charms.
A simple maiden in her flower
Is worth a hundred coats-of-arms.
188

Lady Clara Vere de Vere,
Some meeker pupil you must find,
For were you queen of all that is,
I could not stoop to such a mind.
You sought to prove how I could love,
And my disdain is my reply.
The lion on your old stone gates
Is not more cold to you than I.
Lady Clara Vere de Vere,
You put strange memories in my head.
Not thrice your branching limes have blown
Since I beheld young Laurence dead.
Oh your sweet eyes, your low replies:
A great enchantress you may be;
But there was that across his throat
Which you had hardly cared to see.
Lady Clara Vere de Vere,
When thus he met his mother's view,
She had the passions of her kind,
She spake some certain truths of you.
Indeed I heard one bitter word
That scarce is fit for you to hear;
Her manners had not that repose
Which stamps the caste of Vere de Vere.
189

Lady Clara Vere de Vere,
There stands a spectre in your hall:
The guilt of blood is at your door:
You changed a wholesome heart to gall.
You held your course without remorse,
To make him trust his modest worth,
And, last, you fix'd a vacant stare,
And slew him with your noble birth.
Trust me, Clara Vere de Vere,
From yon blue heavens above us bent
The gardener Adam and his wife

“The grand old gardener” in my original MS. was altered to “the gardener Adam” because of the frequent letters from friends asking me for explanation.


Smile at the claims of long descent.
Howe'er it be, it seems to me,
'Tis only noble to be good.
Kind hearts are more than coronets,
And simple faith than Norman blood.
I know you, Clara Vere de Vere,
You pine among your halls and towers:
The languid light of your proud eyes
Is wearied of the rolling hours.
In glowing health, with boundless wealth,
But sickening of a vague disease,
You know so ill to deal with time,
You needs must play such pranks as these.
190

Clara, Clara Vere de Vere,
If time be heavy on your hands,
Are there no beggars at your gate,
Nor any poor about your lands?
Oh! teach the orphan-boy to read,
Or teach the orphan-girl to sew,
Pray Heaven for a human heart,
And let the foolish yeoman go.
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