s: While hurried Lamia trembled: "Ah," said he,


s: Why does your tender palm dissolve in dew?"--


s: "I'm wearied," said fair Lamia: "tell me who


s: His features:--Lycius! wherefore did you blind


s: Yourself from his quick eyes?" Lycius replied,


s: And good instructor; but to-night he seems


s: The ghost of folly haunting my sweet dreams."


s: While yet he spake they had arrived before


s: A pillar'd porch, with lofty portal door,


s: Where hung a silver lamp, whose phosphor glow


s: So through the crystal polish, liquid fine,


s: Ran the dark veins, that none but feet divine


s: Could e'er have touch'd there. Sounds Æolian


s: Breath'd from the hinges, as the ample span


s: Of the wide doors disclos'd a place unknown


s: And a few Persian mutes, who that same year


s: Were seen about the markets: none knew where


s: Were foil'd, who watch'd to trace them to their house:


s: And but the flitter-winged verse must tell,


s: For truth's sake, what woe afterwards befel,


s: 'Twould humour many a heart to leave them thus,


s: Shut from the busy world of more incredulous.


s: Is--Love, forgive us!--cinders, ashes, dust;


s: More grievous torment than a hermit's fast:--


s: That is a doubtful tale from faery land,


s: Had Lycius liv'd to hand his story down,


s: He might have given the moral a fresh frown,


s: Or clench'd it quite: but too short was their bliss


s: To breed distrust and hate, that make the soft voice hiss.


s: Besides, there, nightly, with terrific glare


s: Love, jealous grown of so complete a pair,


s: Hover'd and buzz'd his wings, with fearful roar,


s: And down the passage cast a glow upon the floor.


s: Whose airy texture, from a golden string,


s: Unveil'd the summer heaven, blue and clear,


s: Betwixt two marble shafts:--there they reposed,


s: Where use had made it sweet, with eyelids closed,


s: Saving a tythe which love still open kept,


s: That they might see each other while they almost slept;


s: When from the slope side of a suburb hill,


s: Deafening the swallow's twitter, came a thrill


s: Of trumpets--Lycius started--the sounds fled,


s: But left a thought, a buzzing in his head.


s: For the first time, since first he harbour'd in


s: His spirit pass'd beyond its golden bourn


s: Because he mused beyond her, knowing well


s: That but a moment's thought is passion's passing bell.


s: "Why do you sigh, fair creature?" whisper'd he:


s: "Why do you think?" return'd she tenderly:


s: Not in your heart while care weighs on your brow:


s: From your breast houseless: ay, it must be so."


s: Where he was mirror'd small in paradise,


s: "My silver planet, both of eve and morn!


s: Why will you plead yourself so sad forlorn,


s: While I am striving how to fill my heart


s: With deeper crimson, and a double smart?


s: Your soul in mine, and labyrinth you there


s: Ay, a sweet kiss--you see your mighty woes.


s: My thoughts! shall I unveil them? Listen then!


s: What mortal hath a prize, that other men


s: But lets it sometimes pace abroad majestical,


s: And triumph, as in thee I should rejoice


s: Amid the hoarse alarm of Corinth's voice.


s: Let my foes choke, and my friends shout afar,


s: While through the thronged streets your bridal car


s: Wheels round its dazzling spokes."--The lady's cheek


s: Trembled; she nothing said, but, pale and meek,


s: Of sorrows at his words; at last with pain


s: Beseeching him, the while his hand she wrung,


s: To change his purpose. He thereat was stung,


s: Perverse, with stronger fancy to reclaim


s: Besides, for all his love, in self despite,


s: Against his better self, he took delight


s: Fierce and sanguineous as 'twas possible


s: In one whose brow had no dark veins to swell.


s: The serpent--Ha, the serpent! certes, she


s: Was none. She burnt, she lov'd the tyranny,


s: When to the bridal he should lead his paramour.


s: Whispering in midnight silence, said the youth,


s: "Sure some sweet name thou hast, though, by my truth,


s: Fit appellation for this dazzling frame?


s: Or friends or kinsfolk on the citied earth,


s: To share our marriage feast and nuptial mirth?"


s: "I have no friends," said Lamia, "no, not one;


s: My presence in wide Corinth hardly known:


s: My parents' bones are in their dusty urns


s: Sepulchred, where no kindled incense burns,


s: Seeing all their luckless race are dead, save me,


s: Even as you list invite your many guests;


s: But if, as now it seems, your vision rests


s: Lycius, perplex'd at words so blind and blank,


s: Made close inquiry; from whose touch she shrank,


s: Feigning a sleep; and he to the dull shade


s: The bride from home at blushing shut of day,


s: By strewn flowers, torches, and a marriage song,


s: With other pageants: but this fair unknown


s: His foolish heart from its mad pompousness,


s: She set herself, high-thoughted, how to dress


s: She did so, but 'tis doubtful how and whence


s: Came, and who were her subtle servitors.


s: About the halls, and to and from the doors,


s: There was a noise of wings, till in short space


s: The glowing banquet-room shone with wide-arched grace.


s: Supportress of the faery-roof, made moan


s: Throughout, as fearful the whole charm might fade.


s: Of palm and plantain, met from either side,


s: High in the midst, in honour of the bride:


s: Two palms and then two plantains, and so on,


s: From either side their stems branch'd one to one


s: All down the aisled place; and beneath all


s: There ran a stream of lamps straight on from wall to wall.


s: Teeming with odours. Lamia, regal drest,


s: Mission'd her viewless servants to enrich


s: The fretted splendour of each nook and niche.


s: Between the tree-stems, marbled plain at first,


s: Came jasper pannels; then, anon, there burst


s: Forth creeping imagery of slighter trees,


s: And with the larger wove in small intricacies.


s: And shut the chamber up, close, hush'd and still,


s: When dreadful guests would come to spoil her solitude.


s: The day appear'd, and all the gossip rout.


s: O senseless Lycius! Madman! wherefore flout


s: The silent-blessing fate, warm cloister'd hours,


s: And show to common eyes these secret bowers?


s: The herd approach'd; each guest, with busy brain,


s: And enter'd marveling: for they knew the street,


s: Remember'd it from childhood all complete


s: Without a gap, yet ne'er before had seen


s: That royal porch, that high-built fair demesne;


s: So in they hurried all, maz'd, curious and keen:


s: Save one, who look'd thereon with eye severe,


s: And with calm-planted steps walk'd in austere;


s: 'Twas Apollonius: something too he laugh'd,


s: As though some knotty problem, that had daft


s: His patient thought, had now begun to thaw,


s: And solve and melt:--'twas just as he foresaw.


s: His young disciple. "'Tis no common rule,


s: With an unbidden presence the bright throng


s: Of younger friends; yet must I do this wrong,


s: And you forgive me." Lycius blush'd, and led


s: The old man through the inner doors broad-spread;


s: With reconciling words and courteous mien


s: Turning into sweet milk the sophist's spleen.


s: Fill'd with pervading brilliance and perfume:


s: A censer fed with myrrh and spiced wood,


s: Whose slender feet wide-swerv'd upon the soft


s: Wool-woofed carpets: fifty wreaths of smoke


s: From fifty censers their light voyage took


s: To the high roof, still mimick'd as they rose


s: Along the mirror'd walls by twin-clouds odorous.


s: Twelve sphered tables, by silk seats insphered,


s: High as the level of a man's breast rear'd


s: On libbard's paws, upheld the heavy gold


s: Of cups and goblets, and the store thrice told


s: Of Ceres' horn, and, in huge vessels, wine


s: Come from the gloomy tun with merry shine.


s: Thus loaded with a feast the tables stood,


s: Each shrining in the midst the image of a God.


s: Had felt the cold full sponge to pleasure press'd,


s: By minist'ring slaves, upon his hands and feet,


s: Pour'd on his hair, they all mov'd to the feast


s: In white robes, and themselves in order placed


s: Whence all this mighty cost and blaze of wealth could spring.


s: Kept up among the guests, discoursing low


s: At first, for scarcely was the wine at flow;


s: But when the happy vintage touch'd their brains,


s: Louder they talk, and louder come the strains


s: Of powerful instruments:--the gorgeous dyes,


s: The space, the splendour of the draperies,


s: The roof of awful richness, nectarous cheer,


s: Beautiful slaves, and Lamia's self, appear,


s: Now, when the wine has done its rosy deed,


s: And every soul from human trammels freed,


s: No more so strange; for merry wine, sweet wine,


s: Will make Elysian shades not too fair, too divine.


s: Soon was God Bacchus at meridian height;


s: Flush'd were their cheeks, and bright eyes double bright:


s: Garlands of every green, and every scent


s: From vales deflower'd, or forest-trees branch-rent,


s: In baskets of bright osier'd gold were brought


s: High as the handles heap'd, to suit the thought


s: Of every guest; that each, as he did please,


s: Might fancy-fit his brows, silk-pillow'd at his ease.


s: The leaves of willow and of adder's tongue;


s: And for the youth, quick, let us strip for him


s: The thyrsus, that his watching eyes may swim


s: Let spear-grass and the spiteful thistle wage


s: War on his temples. Do not all charms fly


s: There was an awful rainbow once in heaven:


s: We know her woof, her texture; she is given


s: Empty the haunted air, and gnomed mine--


s: The tender-person'd Lamia melt into a shade.


s: By her glad Lycius sitting, in chief place,


s: Scarce saw in all the room another face,


s: Till, checking his love trance, a cup he took


s: Full brimm'd, and opposite sent forth a look


s: 'Cross the broad table, to beseech a glance


s: From his old teacher's wrinkled countenance,


s: And pledge him. The bald-head philosopher


s: Had fix'd his eye, without a twinkle or stir


s: Full on the alarmed beauty of the bride,


s: Brow-beating her fair form, and troubling her sweet pride.


s: Lycius then press'd her hand, with devout touch,


s: 'Twas icy, and the cold ran through his veins;


s: Then sudden it grew hot, and all the pains


s: "Lamia, what means this? Wherefore dost thou start?


s: Know'st thou that man?" Poor Lamia answer'd not.


s: More, more he gaz'd: his human senses reel:


s: Some hungry spell that loveliness absorbs;


s: "Lamia!" he cried--and no soft-toned reply.


s: Grew hush; the stately music no more breathes;


s: The myrtle sicken'd in a thousand wreaths.


s: By faint degrees, voice, lute, and pleasure ceased;


s: A deadly silence step by step increased,


s: Until it seem'd a horrid presence there,


s: And not a man but felt the terror in his hair.


s: "Lamia!" he shriek'd; and nothing but the shriek


s: With its sad echo did the silence break.


s: "Begone, foul dream!" he cried, gazing again


s: In the bride's face, where now no azure vein


s: Wander'd on fair-spaced temples; no soft bloom


s: The deep-recessed vision:--all was blight;


s: Lamia, no longer fair, there sat a deadly white.


s: "Shut, shut those juggling eyes, thou ruthless man!


s: Turn them aside, wretch! or the righteous ban


s: May pierce them on the sudden with the thorn


s: Of painful blindness; leaving thee forlorn,


s: In trembling dotage to the feeblest fright


s: Of conscience, for their long offended might,


s: For all thine impious proud-heart sophistries,


s: Corinthians! look upon that gray-beard wretch!


s: Mark how, possess'd, his lashless eyelids stretch


s: Around his demon eyes! Corinthians, see!


s: My sweet bride withers at their potency."


s: "Fool!" said the sophist, in an under-tone


s: Gruff with contempt; which a death-nighing moan


s: From Lycius answer'd, as heart-struck and lost,


s: "Fool! Fool!" repeated he, while his eyes still


s: Relented not, nor mov'd; "from every ill


s: Of life have I preserv'd thee to this day,


s: And shall I see thee made a serpent's prey?"


s: Then Lamia breath'd death breath; the sophist's eye,


s: Like a sharp spear, went through her utterly,


s: Keen, cruel, perceant, stinging: she, as well


s: As her weak hand could any meaning tell,


s: Than with a frightful scream she vanished:


s: As were his limbs of life, from that same night.


s: On the high couch he lay!--his friends came round--


s: Supported him--no pulse, or breath they found,


s: And, in its marriage robe, the heavy body wound.[45:A]


s: Cenchreas and Corinth, met such a phantasm in the habit of a fair


s: They could not in the self-same mansion dwell


s: Without some stir of heart, some malady;


s: They could not sit at meals but feel how well


s: They could not, sure, beneath the same roof sleep


s: But to each other dream, and nightly weep.


s: With every morn their love grew tenderer,


s: With every eve deeper and tenderer still;


s: He might not in house, field, or garden stir,


s: But her full shape would all his seeing fill;


s: To her, than noise of trees or hidden rill;


s: Her lute-string gave an echo of his name,


s: She spoilt her half-done broidery with the same.


s: He knew whose gentle hand was at the latch,


s: Before the door had given her to his eyes;


s: And from her chamber-window he would catch


s: Her beauty farther than the falcon spies;


s: And constant as her vespers would he watch,


s: Because her face was turn'd to the same skies;


s: And with sick longing all the night outwear,


s: To hear her morning-step upon the stair.


s: A whole long month of May in this sad plight


s: Made their cheeks paler by the break of June:


s: Lorenzo, if thy lips breathe not love's tune."--


s: So spake they to their pillows; but, alas,


s: Honeyless days and days did he let pass;


s: Fell sick within the rose's just domain,


s: Fell thin as a young mother's, who doth seek


s: By every lull to cool her infant's pain:


s: "How ill she is," said he, "I may not speak,


s: And yet I will, and tell my love all plain:


s: If looks speak love-laws, I will drink her tears,


s: And at the least 'twill startle off her cares."


s: So said he one fair morning, and all day


s: His heart beat awfully against his side;


s: For power to speak; but still the ruddy tide


s: Stifled his voice, and puls'd resolve away--


s: Fever'd his high conceit of such a bride,


s: Yet brought him to the meekness of a child:


s: Alas! when passion is both meek and wild!


s: And straight all flush'd; so, lisped tenderly,


s: "Lorenzo!"--here she ceas'd her timid quest,


s: But in her tone and look he read the rest.


s: That I may speak my grief into thine ear;


s: Believe how I love thee, believe how near


s: My soul is to its doom: I would not grieve


s: Thy hand by unwelcome pressing, would not fear


s: Another night, and not my passion shrive.


s: "Love! thou art leading me from wintry cold,


s: And I must taste the blossoms that unfold


s: In its ripe warmth this gracious morning time."


s: So said, his erewhile timid lips grew bold,


s: Great bliss was with them, and great happiness


s: Grew, like a lusty flower in June's caress.


s: Parting they seem'd to tread upon the air,


s: Only to meet again more close, and share


s: The inward fragrance of each other's heart.


s: Sang, of delicious love and honey'd dart;


s: He with light steps went up a western hill,


s: And bade the sun farewell, and joy'd his fill.


s: All close they met again, before the dusk


s: Had taken from the stars its pleasant veil,


s: All close they met, all eyes, before the dusk


s: Unknown of any, free from whispering tale.


s: Than idle ears should pleasure in their woe.


s: Too many tears for lovers have been shed,


s: Whose matter in bright gold were best be read;


s: Except in such a page where Theseus' spouse


s: Over the pathless waves towards him bows.


s: The little sweet doth kill much bitterness;


s: Though young Lorenzo in warm Indian clove


s: Was not embalm'd, this truth is not the less--


s: Even bees, the little almsmen of spring-bowers,


s: Know there is richest juice in poison-flowers.


s: With her two brothers this fair lady dwelt,


s: And for them many a weary hand did swelt


s: And many once proud-quiver'd loins did melt


s: In blood from stinging whip;--with hollow eyes


s: To take the rich-ored driftings of the flood.


s: For them the Ceylon diver held his breath,


s: For them his ears gush'd blood; for them in death


s: The seal on the cold ice with piteous bark


s: Lay full of darts; for them alone did seethe


s: A thousand men in troubles wide and dark:


s: Half-ignorant, they turn'd an easy wheel,


s: That set sharp racks at work, to pinch and peel.


s: Why were they proud? Because their marble founts


s: Gush'd with more pride than do a wretch's tears?--


s: Why were they proud? Because fair orange-mounts


s: Were of more soft ascent than lazar stairs?--


s: Why were they proud? Because red-lin'd accounts


s: Were richer than the songs of Grecian years?--


s: Why were they proud? again we ask aloud,


s: Why in the name of Glory were they proud?


s: Yet were these Florentines as self-retired


s: As two close Hebrews in that land inspired,


s: Paled in and vineyarded from beggar-spies;


s: The hawks of ship-mast forests--the untired


s: And pannier'd mules for ducats and old lies--


s: Quick cat's-paws on the generous stray-away,--


s: Great wits in Spanish, Tuscan, and Malay.


s: How was it these same ledger-men could spy


s: How could they find out in Lorenzo's eye


s: How could these money-bags see east and west?--


s: Must see behind, as doth the hunted hare.


s: Of thee we now should ask forgiving boon;


s: Now they can no more hear thy ghittern's tune,


s: The quiet glooms of such a piteous theme.


s: Grant thou a pardon here, and then the tale


s: To make old prose in modern rhyme more sweet:


s: But it is done--succeed the verse or fail--


s: To honour thee, and thy gone spirit greet;


s: To stead thee as a verse in English tongue,


s: These brethren having found by many signs


s: And how she lov'd him too, each unconfines


s: His bitter thoughts to other, well nigh mad


s: That he, the servant of their trade designs,


s: Should in their sister's love be blithe and glad,


s: When 'twas their plan to coax her by degrees


s: And many times they bit their lips alone,


s: To make the youngster for his crime atone;


s: And at the last, these men of cruel clay


s: Cut Mercy with a sharp knife to the bone;


s: Of the garden-terrace, towards him they bent


s: Their footing through the dews; and to him said,


s: "You seem there in the quiet of content,


s: Bestride your steed while cold is in the skies.


s: "To-day we purpose, ay, this hour we mount


s: To spur three leagues towards the Apennine;


s: Come down, we pray thee, ere the hot sun count


s: Bow'd a fair greeting to these serpents' whine;


s: With belt, and spur, and bracing huntsman's dress.


s: And as he to the court-yard pass'd along,


s: Each third step did he pause, and listen'd oft


s: Or the light whisper of her footstep soft;


s: When, looking up, he saw her features bright


s: Smile through an in-door lattice, all delight.


s: Lest I should miss to bid thee a good morrow


s: Ah! what if I should lose thee, when so fain


s: Of a poor three hours' absence? but we'll gain


s: Out of the amorous dark what day doth borrow.


s: Goodbye! I'll soon be back."--"Goodbye!" said she:--


s: So the two brothers and their murder'd man


s: Rode past fair Florence, to where Arno's stream


s: Gurgles through straiten'd banks, and still doth fan


s: Itself with dancing bulrush, and the bream


s: Keeps head against the freshets. Sick and wan


s: The brothers' faces in the ford did seem,


s: Lorenzo's flush with love.--They pass'd the water


s: There in that forest did his great love cease;


s: Ah! when a soul doth thus its freedom win,


s: As the break-covert blood-hounds of such sin:


s: They dipp'd their swords in the water, and did tease


s: Their horses homeward, with convulsed spur,


s: They told their sister how, with sudden speed,


s: Lorenzo had ta'en ship for foreign lands,


s: In their affairs, requiring trusty hands.


s: Poor Girl! put on thy stifling widow's weed,


s: And 'scape at once from Hope's accursed bands;


s: To-day thou wilt not see him, nor to-morrow,


s: And the next day will be a day of sorrow.


s: She weeps alone for pleasures not to be;


s: Sorely she wept until the night came on,


s: His image in the dusk she seem'd to see,


s: Spreading her perfect arms upon the air,


s: And on her couch low murmuring "Where? O where?"


s: But Selfishness, Love's cousin, held not long


s: She fretted for the golden hour, and hung


s: Not long--for soon into her heart a throng


s: And sorrow for her love in travels rude.


s: In the mid days of autumn, on their eves


s: The breath of Winter comes from far away,


s: Of some gold tinge, and plays a roundelay


s: Of death among the bushes and the leaves,


s: To make all bare before he dares to stray


s: She ask'd her brothers, with an eye all pale,


s: Striving to be itself, what dungeon climes


s: Could keep him off so long? They spake a tale


s: Time after time, to quiet her. Their crimes


s: Came on them, like a smoke from Hinnom's vale;


s: And every night in dreams they groan'd aloud,


s: To see their sister in her snowy shroud.


s: But for a thing more deadly dark than all;


s: It came like a fierce potion, drunk by chance,


s: Which saves a sick man from the feather'd pall


s: For some few gasping moments; like a lance,


s: With cruel pierce, and bringing him again


s: Sense of the gnawing fire at heart and brain.


s: The dull of midnight, at her couch's foot


s: Lorenzo stood, and wept: the forest tomb


s: Had marr'd his glossy hair which once could shoot


s: From his lorn voice, and past his loamed ears


s: Strange sound it was, when the pale shadow spake;


s: For there was striving, in its piteous tongue,


s: Languor there was in it, and tremulous shake,


s: And through it moan'd a ghostly under-song,


s: Like hoarse night-gusts sepulchral briars among.


s: Its eyes, though wild, were still all dewy bright


s: With love, and kept all phantom fear aloof


s: From the poor girl by magic of their light,


s: The while it did unthread the horrid woof


s: Of the late darken'd time,--the murderous spite


s: Of pride and avarice,--the dark pine roof


s: In the forest,--and the sodden turfed dell,


s: Where, without any word, from stabs he fell.


s: Red whortle-berries droop above my head,


s: And a large flint-stone weighs upon my feet;


s: Around me beeches and high chestnuts shed


s: Their leaves and prickly nuts; a sheep-fold bleat


s: Go, shed one tear upon my heather-bloom,


s: And it shall comfort me within the tomb.


s: Upon the skirts of human-nature dwelling


s: While little sounds of life are round me knelling,


s: And glossy bees at noon do fieldward pass,


s: And many a chapel bell the hour is telling,


s: Paining me through: those sounds grow strange to me,


s: "I know what was, I feel full well what is,


s: And I should rage, if spirits could go mad;


s: Though I forget the taste of earthly bliss,


s: That paleness warms my grave, as though I had


s: To be my spouse: thy paleness makes me glad;


s: A greater love through all my essence steal."


s: The Spirit mourn'd "Adieu!"--dissolv'd, and left


s: As when of healthful midnight sleep bereft,


s: Thinking on rugged hours and fruitless toil,


s: And see the spangly gloom froth up and boil:


s: "Ha! ha!" said she, "I knew not this hard life,


s: I thought some Fate with pleasure or with strife


s: Portion'd us--happy days, or else to die;


s: But there is crime--a brother's bloody knife!


s: Sweet Spirit, thou hast school'd my infancy:


s: I'll visit thee for this, and kiss thine eyes,


s: And greet thee morn and even in the skies."


s: When the full morning came, she had devised


s: How she might find the clay, so dearly prized,


s: How her short absence might be unsurmised,


s: While she the inmost of the dream would try.


s: Resolv'd, she took with her an aged nurse,


s: And went into that dismal forest-hearse.


s: See, as they creep along the river side,


s: And, after looking round the champaign wide,


s: Shows her a knife.--"What feverous hectic flame


s: Burns in thee, child?--What good can thee betide,


s: That thou should'st smile again?"--The evening came,


s: And they had found Lorenzo's earthy bed;


s: The flint was there, the berries at his head.


s: Who hath not loiter'd in a green church-yard,


s: Work through the clayey soil and gravel hard,


s: To see scull, coffin'd bones, and funeral stole;


s: Pitying each form that hungry Death hath marr'd,


s: And filling it once more with human soul?


s: She gaz'd into the fresh-thrown mould, as though


s: One glance did fully all its secrets tell;


s: Clearly she saw, as other eyes would know


s: Upon the murderous spot she seem'd to grow,


s: Then with her knife, all sudden, she began


s: Soon she turn'd up a soiled glove, whereon


s: Her silk had play'd in purple phantasies,


s: She kiss'd it with a lip more chill than stone,


s: Those dainties made to still an infant's cries:


s: Then 'gan she work again; nor stay'd her care,


s: But to throw back at times her veiling hair.


s: That old nurse stood beside her wondering,


s: And so she kneeled, with her locks all hoar,


s: And put her lean hands to the horrid thing:


s: Three hours they labour'd at this travail sore;


s: At last they felt the kernel of the grave,


s: Ah! wherefore all this wormy circumstance?


s: The simple plaining of a minstrel's song!


s: Fair reader, at the old tale take a glance,


s: For here, in truth, it doth not well belong


s: To speak:--O turn thee to the very tale,


s: And taste the music of that vision pale.


s: With duller steel than the Perséan sword


s: They cut away no formless monster's head,


s: But one, whose gentleness did well accord


s: With death, as life. The ancient harps have said,


s: Love never dies, but lives, immortal Lord:


s: Pale Isabella kiss'd it, and low moan'd.


s: 'Twas love; cold,--dead indeed, but not dethroned.


s: She calm'd its wild hair with a golden comb,


s: And all around each eye's sepulchral cell


s: Pointed each fringed lash; the smeared loam


s: With tears, as chilly as a dripping well,


s: She drench'd away:--and still she comb'd, and kept


s: Sighing all day--and still she kiss'd, and wept.


s: Then in a silken scarf,--sweet with the dews


s: And divine liquids come with odorous ooze


s: Through the cold serpent-pipe refreshfully,--


s: She wrapp'd it up; and for its tomb did choose


s: And cover'd it with mould, and o'er it set


s: Sweet Basil, which her tears kept ever wet.


s: And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun,


s: And she forgot the blue above the trees,


s: And she forgot the dells where waters run,


s: And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze;


s: She had no knowledge when the day was done,


s: And the new morn she saw not: but in peace


s: And moisten'd it with tears unto the core.


s: Whence thick, and green, and beautiful it grew,


s: So that it smelt more balmy than its peers


s: Nurture besides, and life, from human fears,


s: From the fast mouldering head there shut from view:


s: Came forth, and in perfumed leafits spread.


s: Spirits in grief, lift up your heads, and smile;


s: Lift up your heads, sweet Spirits, heavily,


s: And make a pale light in your cypress glooms,


s: Tinting with silver wan your marble tombs.


s: Through bronzed lyre in tragic order go,


s: Sound mournfully upon the winds and low;


s: Among the dead: She withers, like a palm


s: Let not quick Winter chill its dying hour!--


s: Her brethren, noted the continual shower


s: From her dead eyes; and many a curious elf,


s: Among her kindred, wonder'd that such dower


s: Of youth and beauty should be thrown aside


s: By one mark'd out to be a Noble's bride.


s: And, furthermore, her brethren wonder'd much


s: Why she sat drooping by the Basil green,


s: And why it flourish'd, as by magic touch;


s: Greatly they wonder'd what the thing might mean:


s: They could not surely give belief, that such


s: Her from her own fair youth, and pleasures gay,


s: And even remembrance of her love's delay.


s: Therefore they watch'd a time when they might sift


s: This hidden whim; and long they watch'd in vain;


s: And when she left, she hurried back, as swift


s: As bird on wing to breast its eggs again;


s: And, patient, as a hen-bird, sat her there


s: Beside her Basil, weeping through her hair.


s: Yet they contriv'd to steal the Basil-pot,


s: The thing was vile with green and livid spot,


s: And yet they knew it was Lorenzo's face:


s: The guerdon of their murder they had got,


s: And so left Florence in a moment's space,


s: With blood upon their heads, to banishment.


s: Spirits of grief, sing not your "Well-a-way!"


s: Will die a death too lone and incomplete,


s: Now they have ta'en away her Basil sweet.


s: Piteous she look'd on dead and senseless things,


s: And with melodious chuckle in the strings


s: Of her lorn voice, she oftentimes would cry


s: 'Twas hid from her: "For cruel 'tis," said she,


s: And so she pined, and so she died forlorn,


s: No heart was there in Florence but did mourn


s: From mouth to mouth through all the country pass'd:


s: St. Agnes' Eve--Ah, bitter chill it was!


s: The owl, for all his feathers, was a-cold;


s: The hare limp'd trembling through the frozen grass,


s: And silent was the flock in woolly fold:


s: Numb were the Beadsman's fingers, while he told


s: His rosary, and while his frosted breath,


s: Seem'd taking flight for heaven, without a death,


s: Past the sweet Virgin's picture, while his prayer he saith.


s: His prayer he saith, this patient, holy man;


s: Then takes his lamp, and riseth from his knees,


s: And back returneth, meagre, barefoot, wan,


s: The sculptur'd dead, on each side, seem to freeze,


s: He passeth by; and his weak spirit fails


s: To think how they may ache in icy hoods and mails.


s: Northward he turneth through a little door,


s: And scarce three steps, ere Music's golden tongue


s: Flatter'd to tears this aged man and poor;


s: The joys of all his life were said and sung:


s: His was harsh penance on St. Agnes' Eve:


s: Rough ashes sat he for his soul's reprieve,


s: And all night kept awake, for sinners' sake to grieve.


s: That ancient Beadsman heard the prelude soft;


s: And so it chanc'd, for many a door was wide,


s: The silver, snarling trumpets 'gan to chide:


s: The level chambers, ready with their pride,


s: Were glowing to receive a thousand guests:


s: Star'd, where upon their heads the cornice rests,


s: With hair blown back, and wings put cross-wise on their breasts.


s: The brain, new stuff'd, in youth, with triumphs gay


s: And turn, sole-thoughted, to one Lady there,


s: Whose heart had brooded, all that wintry day,


s: On love, and wing'd St. Agnes' saintly care,


s: As she had heard old dames full many times declare.


s: Young virgins might have visions of delight,


s: And soft adorings from their loves receive


s: And couch supine their beauties, lily white;


s: Nor look behind, nor sideways, but require


s: Of Heaven with upward eyes for all that they desire.


s: Full of this whim was thoughtful Madeline:


s: She scarcely heard: her maiden eyes divine,


s: Fix'd on the floor, saw many a sweeping train


s: And back retir'd; not cool'd by high disdain,


s: But she saw not: her heart was otherwhere:


s: She sigh'd for Agnes' dreams, the sweetest of the year.


s: She danc'd along with vague, regardless eyes,


s: Anxious her lips, her breathing quick and short:


s: The hallow'd hour was near at hand: she sighs


s: Amid the timbrels, and the throng'd resort


s: 'Mid looks of love, defiance, hate, and scorn,


s: Save to St. Agnes and her lambs unshorn,


s: And all the bliss to be before to-morrow morn.


s: She linger'd still. Meantime, across the moors,


s: Had come young Porphyro, with heart on fire


s: Buttress'd from moonlight, stands he, and implores


s: All saints to give him sight of Madeline,


s: But for one moment in the tedious hours,


s: That he might gaze and worship all unseen;


s: Perchance speak, kneel, touch, kiss--in sooth such things


s: He ventures in: let no buzz'd whisper tell:


s: All eyes be muffled, or a hundred swords


s: Will storm his heart, Love's fev'rous citadel:


s: For him, those chambers held barbarian hordes,


s: Against his lineage: not one breast affords


s: Save one old beldame, weak in body and in soul.


s: Ah, happy chance! the aged creature came,


s: To where he stood, hid from the torch's flame,


s: The sound of merriment and chorus bland:


s: He startled her; but soon she knew his face,


s: And grasp'd his fingers in her palsied hand,


s: Saying, "Mercy, Porphyro! hie thee from this place;


s: They are all here to-night, the whole blood-thirsty race!"


s: "Get hence! get hence! there's dwarfish Hildebrand;


s: He cursed thee and thine, both house and land:


s: Then there's that old Lord Maurice, not a whit


s: More tame for his gray hairs--Alas me! flit!


s: Flit like a ghost away."--"Ah, Gossip dear,


s: We're safe enough; here in this arm-chair sit,


s: And tell me how"--"Good Saints! not here, not here;


s: Follow me, child, or else these stones will be thy bier."


s: Brushing the cobwebs with his lofty plume,


s: And as she mutter'd "Well-a--well-a-day!"


s: He found him in a little moonlight room,


s: Pale, lattic'd, chill, and silent as a tomb.


s: "Now tell me where is Madeline," said he,


s: Which none but secret sisterhood may see,


s: When they St. Agnes' wool are weaving piously."


s: Thou must hold water in a witch's sieve,


s: And be liege-lord of all the Elves and Fays,


s: God's help! my lady fair the conjuror plays


s: This very night: good angels her deceive!


s: But let me laugh awhile, I've mickle time to grieve."


s: Feebly she laugheth in the languid moon,


s: Who keepeth clos'd a wond'rous riddle-book,


s: But soon his eyes grew brilliant, when she told


s: His lady's purpose; and he scarce could brook


s: Tears, at the thought of those enchantments cold


s: And Madeline asleep in lap of legends old.


s: Sudden a thought came like a full-blown rose,


s: Flushing his brow, and in his pained heart


s: A stratagem, that makes the beldame start:


s: Sweet lady, let her pray, and sleep, and dream


s: From wicked men like thee. Go, go!--I deem


s: Thou canst not surely be the same that thou didst seem."


s: "I will not harm her, by all saints I swear,"


s: Quoth Porphyro: "O may I ne'er find grace


s: When my weak voice shall whisper its last prayer,


s: Or look with ruffian passion in her face:


s: Awake, with horrid shout, my foemen's ears,


s: And beard them, though they be more fang'd than wolves and


s: "Ah! why wilt thou affright a feeble soul?


s: A poor, weak, palsy-stricken, churchyard thing,


s: Whose passing-bell may ere the midnight toll;


s: Whose prayers for thee, each morn and evening,


s: Were never miss'd."--Thus plaining, doth she bring


s: Whatever he shall wish, betide her weal or woe.


s: Which was, to lead him, in close secrecy,


s: Even to Madeline's chamber, and there hide


s: And win perhaps that night a peerless bride,


s: While legion'd fairies pac'd the coverlet,


s: And pale enchantment held her sleepy-eyed.


s: Since Merlin paid his Demon all the monstrous debt.


s: "It shall be as thou wishest," said the Dame:


s: "All cates and dainties shall be stored there


s: Quickly on this feast-night: by the tambour frame


s: Her own lute thou wilt see: no time to spare,


s: For I am slow and feeble, and scarce dare


s: Wait here, my child, with patience; kneel in prayer


s: The while: Ah! thou must needs the lady wed,


s: Or may I never leave my grave among the dead."


s: So saying, she hobbled off with busy fear.


s: The lover's endless minutes slowly pass'd;


s: The dame return'd, and whisper'd in his ear


s: From fright of dim espial. Safe at last,


s: The maiden's chamber, silken, hush'd, and chaste;


s: Where Porphyro took covert, pleas'd amain.


s: His poor guide hurried back with agues in her brain.


s: With silver taper's light, and pious care,


s: She turn'd, and down the aged gossip led


s: She comes, she comes again, like ring-dove fray'd and fled.


s: Its little smoke, in pallid moonshine, died:


s: She clos'd the door, she panted, all akin


s: To spirits of the air, and visions wide:


s: But to her heart, her heart was voluble,


s: As though a tongueless nightingale should swell


s: Her throat in vain, and die, heart-stifled, in her dell.


s: A casement high and triple-arch'd there was,


s: Of fruits, and flowers, and bunches of knot-grass,


s: And diamonded with panes of quaint device,


s: Innumerable of stains and splendid dyes,


s: As are the tiger-moth's deep-damask'd wings;


s: And in the midst, 'mong thousand heraldries,


s: And twilight saints, and dim emblazonings,


s: A shielded scutcheon blush'd with blood of queens and kings.


s: Full on this casement shone the wintry moon,


s: And threw warm gules on Madeline's fair breast,


s: As down she knelt for heaven's grace and boon;


s: Rose-bloom fell on her hands, together prest,


s: She seem'd a splendid angel, newly drest,


s: Save wings, for heaven:--Porphyro grew faint:


s: She knelt, so pure a thing, so free from mortal taint.


s: Anon his heart revives: her vespers done,


s: Of all its wreathed pearls her hair she frees;


s: Loosens her fragrant boddice; by degrees


s: Her rich attire creeps rustling to her knees:


s: Half-hidden, like a mermaid in sea-weed,


s: Pensive awhile she dreams awake, and sees,


s: But dares not look behind, or all the charm is fled.


s: Soon, trembling in her soft and chilly nest,


s: In sort of wakeful swoon, perplex'd she lay,


s: Until the poppied warmth of sleep oppress'd


s: Her soothed limbs, and soul fatigued away;


s: Flown, like a thought, until the morrow-day;


s: Blissfully haven'd both from joy and pain;


s: Clasp'd like a missal where swart Paynims pray;


s: Blinded alike from sunshine and from rain,


s: As though a rose should shut, and be a bud again.


s: Stol'n to this paradise, and so entranced,


s: And listen'd to her breathing, if it chanced


s: Which when he heard, that minute did he bless,


s: And breath'd himself: then from the closet crept,


s: And over the hush'd carpet, silent, stept,


s: And 'tween the curtains peep'd, where, lo!--how fast she


s: Then by the bed-side, where the faded moon


s: Made a dim, silver twilight, soft he set


s: A table, and, half anguish'd, threw thereon


s: A cloth of woven crimson, gold, and jet:--


s: The boisterous, midnight, festive clarion,


s: The kettle-drum, and far-heard clarionet,


s: Affray his ears, though but in dying tone:--


s: The hall door shuts again, and all the noise is gone.


s: And still she slept an azure-lidded sleep,


s: In blanched linen, smooth, and lavender'd,


s: While he from forth the closet brought a heap


s: Of candied apple, quince, and plum, and gourd


s: With jellies soother than the creamy curd,


s: From Fez; and spiced dainties, every one,


s: From silken Samarcand to cedar'd Lebanon.


s: These delicates he heap'd with glowing hand


s: Of wreathed silver: sumptuous they stand


s: Filling the chilly room with perfume light.--


s: "And now, my love, my seraph fair, awake!


s: Thou art my heaven, and I thine eremite:


s: Open thine eyes, for meek St. Agnes' sake,


s: Or I shall drowse beside thee, so my soul doth ache."


s: Sank in her pillow. Shaded was her dream


s: By the dusk curtains:--'twas a midnight charm


s: The lustrous salvers in the moonlight gleam;


s: Broad golden fringe upon the carpet lies:


s: From such a stedfast spell his lady's eyes;


s: So mus'd awhile, entoil'd in woofed phantasies.


s: Awakening up, he took her hollow lute,--


s: Tumultuous,--and, in chords that tenderest be,


s: He play'd an ancient ditty, long since mute,


s: In Provence call'd, "La belle dame sans mercy:"


s: Wherewith disturb'd, she utter'd a soft moan:


s: He ceased--she panted quick--and suddenly


s: Upon his knees he sank, pale as smooth-sculptured stone.


s: Her eyes were open, but she still beheld,


s: Now wide awake, the vision of her sleep:


s: There was a painful change, that nigh expell'd


s: The blisses of her dream so pure and deep


s: And moan forth witless words with many a sigh;


s: While still her gaze on Porphyro would keep;


s: Who knelt, with joined hands and piteous eye,


s: Fearing to move or speak, she look'd so dreamingly.


s: Thy voice was at sweet tremble in mine ear,


s: And those sad eyes were spiritual and clear:


s: How chang'd thou art! how pallid, chill, and drear!


s: Those looks immortal, those complainings dear!


s: For if thou diest, my Love, I know not where to go."


s: Ethereal, flush'd, and like a throbbing star


s: Seen mid the sapphire heaven's deep repose


s: Solution sweet: meantime the frost-wind blows


s: Like Love's alarum pattering the sharp sleet


s: Against the window-panes; St. Agnes' moon hath set.


s: 'Tis dark: quick pattereth the flaw-blown sleet:


s: "This is no dream, my bride, my Madeline!"


s: 'Tis dark: the iced gusts still rave and beat:


s: Porphyro will leave me here to fade and pine.--


s: Cruel! what traitor could thee hither bring?


s: I curse not, for my heart is lost in thine


s: Though thou forsakest a deceived thing;--


s: A dove forlorn and lost with sick unpruned wing."


s: "My Madeline! sweet dreamer! lovely bride!


s: Thy beauty's shield, heart-shap'd and vermeil dyed?


s: Ah, silver shrine, here will I take my rest


s: Though I have found, I will not rob thy nest


s: Saving of thy sweet self; if thou think'st well


s: To trust, fair Madeline, to no rude infidel."


s: "Hark! 'tis an elfin-storm from faery land,


s: The bloated wassaillers will never heed:--


s: There are no ears to hear, or eyes to see,--


s: Drown'd all in Rhenish and the sleepy mead:


s: For o'er the southern moors I have a home for thee."


s: She hurried at his words, beset with fears,


s: For there were sleeping dragons all around,


s: At glaring watch, perhaps, with ready spears--


s: Down the wide stairs a darkling way they found.--


s: In all the house was heard no human sound.


s: A chain-droop'd lamp was flickering by each door;


s: The arras, rich with horseman, hawk, and hound,


s: Flutter'd in the besieging wind's uproar;


s: And the long carpets rose along the gusty floor.


s: They glide, like phantoms, into the wide hall;


s: Like phantoms, to the iron porch, they glide;


s: The wakeful bloodhound rose, and shook his hide,


s: By one, and one, the bolts full easy slide:--


s: The chains lie silent on the footworn stones;--


s: The key turns, and the door upon its hinges groans.


s: That night the Baron dreamt of many a woe,


s: And all his warrior-guests, with shade and form


s: Of witch, and demon, and large coffin-worm,


s: Died palsy-twitch'd, with meagre face deform;


s: For aye unsought for slept among his ashes cold.


s: My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains


s: My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk,


s: Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains


s: One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk:


s: But being too happy in thine happiness,--


s: That thou, light-winged Dryad of the trees,


s: Of beechen green, and shadows numberless,


s: Singest of summer in full-throated ease.


s: O, for a draught of vintage! that hath been


s: Cool'd a long age in the deep-delved earth,


s: Dance, and Provençal song, and sunburnt mirth!


s: Full of the true, the blushful Hippocrene,


s: With beaded bubbles winking at the brim,


s: That I might drink, and leave the world unseen,


s: And with thee fade away into the forest dim:


s: Fade far away, dissolve, and quite forget


s: What thou among the leaves hast never known,


s: Here, where men sit and hear each other groan;


s: Where palsy shakes a few, sad, last gray hairs,


s: Where youth grows pale, and spectre-thin, and dies;


s: Where but to think is to be full of sorrow


s: Where Beauty cannot keep her lustrous eyes,


s: Or new Love pine at them beyond to-morrow.


s: And haply the Queen-Moon is on her throne,


s: Cluster'd around by all her starry Fays;


s: Save what from heaven is with the breezes blown


s: Through verdurous glooms and winding mossy ways.


s: I cannot see what flowers are at my feet,


s: Nor what soft incense hangs upon the boughs,


s: But, in embalmed darkness, guess each sweet


s: The grass, the thicket, and the fruit-tree wild;


s: White hawthorn, and the pastoral eglantine;


s: Fast fading violets cover'd up in leaves;


s: The coming musk-rose, full of dewy wine,


s: The murmurous haunt of flies on summer eves.


s: I have been half in love with easeful Death,


s: Call'd him soft names in many a mused rhyme,


s: Now more than ever seems it rich to die,


s: To cease upon the midnight with no pain,


s: While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad


s: Still wouldst thou sing, and I have ears in vain--


s: Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!


s: The voice I hear this passing night was heard


s: Perhaps the self-same song that found a path


s: Through the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home,


s: Charm'd magic casements, opening on the foam


s: Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn.


s: To toll me back from thee to my sole self!


s: Adieu! adieu! thy plaintive anthem fades


s: Past the near meadows, over the still stream,


s: Up the hill-side; and now 'tis buried deep


s: Fled is that music:--Do I wake or sleep?


s: Thou still unravish'd bride of quietness,


s: Thou foster-child of silence and slow time,


s: Sylvan historian, who canst thus express


s: A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:


s: What leaf-fring'd legend haunts about thy shape


s: What men or gods are these? What maidens loth?


s: What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape?


s: What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy?


s: Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard


s: Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on;


s: Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear'd,


s: Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave


s: Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare;


s: Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss,


s: Though winning near the goal--yet, do not grieve;


s: She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss,


s: For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!


s: Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed


s: Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu;


s: More happy love! more happy, happy love!


s: That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy'd,


s: A burning forehead, and a parching tongue.


s: To what green altar, O mysterious priest,


s: Lead'st thou that heifer lowing at the skies,


s: And all her silken flanks with garlands drest?


s: Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel,


s: Is emptied of this folk, this pious morn?


s: And, little town, thy streets for evermore


s: O Attic shape! Fair attitude! with brede


s: With forest branches and the trodden weed;


s: Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought


s: When old age shall this generation waste,


s: Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe


s: Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st,


s: "Beauty is truth, truth beauty,"--that is all


s: Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.


s: O Goddess! hear these tuneless numbers, wrung


s: By sweet enforcement and remembrance dear,


s: And pardon that thy secrets should be sung


s: And, on the sudden, fainting with surprise,


s: Saw two fair creatures, couched side by side


s: In deepest grass, beneath the whisp'ring roof


s: Of leaves and trembled blossoms, where there ran


s: 'Mid hush'd, cool-rooted flowers, fragrant-eyed,


s: They lay calm-breathing on the bedded grass;


s: Their arms embraced, and their pinions too;


s: Their lips touch'd not, but had not bade adieu,


s: And ready still past kisses to outnumber


s: Fairer than Phoebe's sapphire-region'd star,


s: Or Vesper, amorous glow-worm of the sky;


s: Fairer than these, though temple thou hast none,


s: No voice, no lute, no pipe, no incense sweet


s: O brightest! though too late for antique vows,


s: Too, too late for the fond believing lyre,


s: When holy were the haunted forest boughs,


s: I see, and sing, by my own eyes inspired.


s: Thy voice, thy lute, thy pipe, thy incense sweet


s: Thy shrine, thy grove, thy oracle, thy heat


s: Yes, I will be thy priest, and build a fane


s: Where branched thoughts, new grown with pleasant pain,


s: Instead of pines shall murmur in the wind:


s: Far, far around shall those dark-cluster'd trees


s: Fledge the wild-ridged mountains steep by steep;


s: And there by zephyrs, streams, and birds, and bees,


s: The moss-lain Dryads shall be lull'd to sleep;


s: With the wreath'd trellis of a working brain,


s: With buds, and bells, and stars without a name,


s: With all the gardener Fancy e'er could feign,


s: Who breeding flowers, will never breed the same:


s: And there shall be for thee all soft delight


s: A bright torch, and a casement ope at night,


s: Through the thought still spread beyond her:


s: And thou shalt quaff it:--thou shalt hear


s: Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,


s: Conspiring with him how to load and bless


s: With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;


s: To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,


s: And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;


s: To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells


s: With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,


s: And still more, later flowers for the bees,


s: Until they think warm days will never cease,


s: For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.


s: Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?


s: Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,


s: Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;


s: Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,


s: Drows'd with the fume of poppies, while thy hook


s: Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:


s: And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep


s: Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.


s: Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?


s: Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,--


s: While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,


s: And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;


s: Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn


s: Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;


s: And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;


s: Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft


s: The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;


s: And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.


s: Wolf's-bane, tight-rooted, for its poisonous wine;


s: Nor suffer thy pale forehead to be kiss'd


s: By nightshade, ruby grape of Proserpine;


s: Nor let the beetle, nor the death-moth be


s: For shade to shade will come too drowsily,


s: And drown the wakeful anguish of the soul.


s: Sudden from heaven like a weeping cloud,


s: That fosters the droop-headed flowers all,


s: And hides the green hill in an April shroud;


s: Or on the rainbow of the salt sand-wave,


s: Or if thy mistress some rich anger shows,


s: Emprison her soft hand, and let her rave,


s: And feed deep, deep upon her peerless eyes.


s: She dwells with Beauty--Beauty that must die;


s: Bidding adieu; and aching Pleasure nigh,


s: Turning to poison while the bee-mouth sips:


s: Veil'd Melancholy has her sovran shrine,


s: Though seen of none save him whose strenuous tongue


s: Can burst Joy's grape against his palate fine;


s: His soul shall taste the sadness of her might,


s: Far sunken from the healthy breath of morn,


s: Far from the fiery noon, and eve's one star,


s: Sat gray-hair'd Saturn, quiet as a stone,


s: Still as the silence round about his lair;


s: Like cloud on cloud. No stir of air was there,


s: Robs not one light seed from the feather'd grass,


s: But where the dead leaf fell, there did it rest.


s: A stream went voiceless by, still deadened more


s: Spreading a shade: the Naiad 'mid her reeds


s: Press'd her cold finger closer to her lips.


s: Along the margin-sand large foot-marks went,


s: No further than to where his feet had stray'd,


s: And slept there since. Upon the sodden ground


s: His old right hand lay nerveless, listless, dead,


s: Unsceptred; and his realmless eyes were closed;


s: While his bow'd head seem'd list'ning to the Earth,


s: His ancient mother, for some comfort yet.


s: It seem'd no force could wake him from his place;


s: But there came one, who with a kindred hand


s: Touch'd his wide shoulders, after bending low


s: With reverence, though to one who knew it not.


s: Had stood a pigmy's height: she would have ta'en


s: Her face was large as that of Memphian sphinx,


s: But oh! how unlike marble was that face:


s: Sorrow more beautiful than Beauty's self.


s: There was a listening fear in her regard,


s: Had spent their malice, and the sullen rear


s: Was with its stored thunder labouring up.


s: One hand she press'd upon that aching spot


s: Where beats the human heart, as if just there,


s: Though an immortal, she felt cruel pain:


s: Leaning with parted lips, some words she spake


s: Some mourning words, which in our feeble tongue


s: Would come in these like accents; O how frail


s: To that large utterance of the early Gods!


s: "Saturn, look up!--though wherefore, poor old King?


s: I cannot say, 'O wherefore sleepest thou?'


s: For heaven is parted from thee, and the earth


s: Knows thee not, thus afflicted, for a God;


s: And ocean too, with all its solemn noise,


s: Has from thy sceptre pass'd; and all the air


s: Thy thunder, conscious of the new command,


s: Rumbles reluctant o'er our fallen house;


s: And thy sharp lightning in unpractised hands


s: Scorches and burns our once serene domain.


s: All as ye pass swell out the monstrous truth,


s: That unbelief has not a space to breathe.


s: Saturn, sleep on:--O thoughtless, why did I


s: Saturn, sleep on! while at thy feet I weep."


s: Those green-rob'd senators of mighty woods,


s: Tall oaks, branch-charmed by the earnest stars,


s: Dream, and so dream all night without a stir,


s: Which comes upon the silence, and dies off,


s: So came these words and went; the while in tears


s: She touch'd her fair large forehead to the ground,


s: Just where her falling hair might be outspread


s: A soft and silken mat for Saturn's feet.


s: One moon, with alteration slow, had shed


s: And still these two were postured motionless,


s: Like natural sculpture in cathedral cavern;


s: The frozen God still couchant on the earth,


s: And the sad Goddess weeping at his feet:


s: His faded eyes, and saw his kingdom gone,


s: And all the gloom and sorrow of the place,


s: And that fair kneeling Goddess; and then spake,


s: As with a palsied tongue, and while his beard


s: Look up, and tell me if this feeble shape


s: Is Saturn's; tell me, if thou hear'st the voice


s: Of Saturn; tell me, if this wrinkling brow,


s: Peers like the front of Saturn. Who had power


s: To make me desolate? whence came the strength?


s: How was it nurtur'd to such bursting forth,


s: While Fate seem'd strangled in my nervous grasp?


s: Of peaceful sway above man's harvesting,


s: Doth ease its heart of love in.--I am gone


s: Somewhere between the throne, and where I sit


s: Here on this spot of earth. Search, Thea, search!


s: Open thine eyes eterne, and sphere them round


s: Upon all space: space starr'd, and lorn of light;


s: Space region'd with life-air; and barren void;


s: Spaces of fire, and all the yawn of hell.--


s: Search, Thea, search! and tell me, if thou seest


s: With wings or chariot fierce to repossess


s: A heaven he lost erewhile: it must--it must


s: Be of ripe progress--Saturn must be King.


s: There must be Gods thrown down, and trumpets blown


s: Voices of soft proclaim, and silver stir


s: Of strings in hollow shells; and there shall be


s: Beautiful things made new, for the surprise


s: Of the sky-children; I will give command:


s: And made his hands to struggle in the air,


s: His Druid locks to shake and ooze with sweat,


s: His eyes to fever out, his voice to cease.


s: He stood, and heard not Thea's sobbing deep;


s: A little time, and then again he snatch'd


s: Where is another chaos? Where?"--That word


s: As thus she quick-voic'd spake, yet full of awe.


s: "This cheers our fallen house: come to our friends,


s: O Saturn! come away, and give them heart;


s: I know the covert, for thence came I hither."


s: Thus brief; then with beseeching eyes she went


s: With backward footing through the shade a space:


s: He follow'd, and she turn'd to lead the way


s: Through aged boughs, that yielded like the mist


s: Which eagles cleave upmounting from their nest.


s: Meanwhile in other realms big tears were shed,


s: More sorrow like to this, and such like woe,


s: Too huge for mortal tongue or pen of scribe:


s: The Titans fierce, self-hid, or prison-bound,


s: Groan'd for the old allegiance once more,


s: And listen'd in sharp pain for Saturn's voice.


s: But one of the whole mammoth-brood still kept


s: His sov'reignty, and rule, and majesty;--


s: Still sat, still snuff'd the incense, teeming up


s: From man to the sun's God; yet unsecure:


s: Fright and perplex, so also shuddered he--


s: Not at dog's howl, or gloom-bird's hated screech,


s: Upon the first toll of his passing-bell,


s: But horrors, portion'd to a giant nerve,


s: Oft made Hyperion ache. His palace bright


s: Bastion'd with pyramids of glowing gold,


s: And touch'd with shade of bronzed obelisks,


s: Glar'd a blood-red through all its thousand courts,


s: Flush'd angerly: while sometimes eagle's wings,


s: Darken'd the place; and neighing steeds were heard,


s: Not heard before by Gods or wondering men.


s: Also, when he would taste the spicy wreaths


s: Of incense, breath'd aloft from sacred hills,


s: Instead of sweets, his ample palate took


s: Savour of poisonous brass and metal sick:


s: And so, when harbour'd in the sleepy west,


s: After the full completion of fair day,--


s: He pac'd away the pleasant hours of ease


s: With stride colossal, on from hall to hall;


s: While far within each aisle and deep recess,


s: His winged minions in close clusters stood,


s: Amaz'd and full of fear; like anxious men


s: Who on wide plains gather in panting troops,


s: When earthquakes jar their battlements and towers.


s: Even now, while Saturn, rous'd from icy trance,


s: Went step for step with Thea through the woods,


s: Came slope upon the threshold of the west;


s: Then, as was wont, his palace-door flew ope


s: In smoothest silence, save what solemn tubes,


s: Blown by the serious Zephyrs, gave of sweet


s: And wandering sounds, slow-breathed melodies;


s: And like a rose in vermeil tint and shape,


s: In fragrance soft, and coolness to the eye,


s: Stood full blown, for the God to enter in.


s: He enter'd, but he enter'd full of wrath;


s: His flaming robes stream'd out beyond his heels,


s: That scar'd away the meek ethereal Hours


s: And made their dove-wings tremble. On he flared,


s: From stately nave to nave, from vault to vault,


s: Through bowers of fragrant and enwreathed light,


s: And diamond-paved lustrous long arcades,


s: There standing fierce beneath, he stampt his foot,


s: And from the basements deep to the high towers


s: Jarr'd his own golden region; and before


s: The quavering thunder thereupon had ceas'd,


s: His voice leapt out, despite of godlike curb,


s: To this result: "O dreams of day and night!


s: O lank-eared Phantoms of black-weeded pools!


s: Why do I know ye? why have I seen ye? why


s: This cradle of my glory, this soft clime,


s: These crystalline pavilions, and pure fanes,


s: The blaze, the splendor, and the symmetry,


s: I cannot see--but darkness, death and darkness.


s: Insult, and blind, and stifle up my pomp.--


s: Fall!--No, by Tellus and her briny robes!


s: Shall scare that infant thunderer, rebel Jove,


s: And bid old Saturn take his throne again."--


s: He spake, and ceas'd, the while a heavier threat


s: Held struggle with his throat but came not forth;


s: Hubbub increases more they call out "Hush!"


s: So at Hyperion's words the Phantoms pale


s: Bestirr'd themselves, thrice horrible and cold;


s: And from the mirror'd level where he stood


s: Crept gradual, from the feet unto the crown,


s: Making slow way, with head and neck convuls'd


s: From over-strained might. Releas'd, he fled


s: To the eastern gates, and full six dewy hours


s: Before the dawn in season due should blush,


s: He breath'd fierce breath against the sleepy portals,


s: Clear'd them of heavy vapours, burst them wide


s: Each day from east to west the heavens through,


s: Spun round in sable curtaining of clouds;


s: Not therefore veiled quite, blindfold, and hid,


s: Circles, and arcs, and broad-belting colure,


s: Glow'd through, and wrought upon the muffling dark


s: Sweet-shaped lightnings from the nadir deep


s: Then living on the earth, with labouring thought


s: Now lost, save what we find on remnants huge


s: Of stone, or marble swart; their import gone,


s: Their wisdom long since fled.--Two wings this orb


s: Possess'd for glory, two fair argent wings,


s: And now, from forth the gloom their plumes immense


s: Rose, one by one, till all outspreaded were;


s: While still the dazzling globe maintain'd eclipse,


s: Fain would he have commanded, fain took throne


s: And bid the day begin, if but for change.


s: He might not:--No, though a primeval God:


s: The sacred seasons might not be disturb'd.


s: Stay'd in their birth, even as here 'tis told.


s: Eager to sail their orb; the porches wide


s: And the bright Titan, phrenzied with new woes,


s: He stretch'd himself in grief and radiance faint.


s: There as he lay, the Heaven with its stars


s: Look'd down on him with pity, and the voice


s: Thus whisper'd low and solemn in his ear.


s: "O brightest of my children dear, earth-born


s: Which met at thy creating; at whose joys


s: And palpitations sweet, and pleasures soft,


s: I, Coelus, wonder, how they came and whence;


s: And at the fruits thereof what shapes they be,


s: Diffus'd unseen throughout eternal space:


s: Of these new-form'd art thou, oh brightest child!


s: Of these, thy brethren and the Goddesses!


s: There is sad feud among ye, and rebellion


s: Of son against his sire. I saw him fall,


s: I saw my first-born tumbled from his throne!


s: To me his arms were spread, to me his voice


s: Found way from forth the thunders round his head!


s: Art thou, too, near such doom? vague fear there is:


s: For I have seen my sons most unlike Gods.


s: Unruffled, like high Gods, ye liv'd and ruled:


s: Now I behold in you fear, hope, and wrath;


s: I see them, on the mortal world beneath,


s: In men who die.--This is the grief, O Son!


s: Sad sign of ruin, sudden dismay, and fall!


s: Yet do thou strive; as thou art capable,


s: As thou canst move about, an evident God;


s: My life is but the life of winds and tides,


s: No more than winds and tides can I avail:--


s: But thou canst.--Be thou therefore in the van


s: Of circumstance; yea, seize the arrow's barb


s: Before the tense string murmur.--To the earth!


s: For there thou wilt find Saturn, and his woes.


s: Meantime I will keep watch on thy bright sun,


s: And of thy seasons be a careful nurse."--


s: Ere half this region-whisper had come down,


s: Lifted his curved lids, and kept them wide


s: Until it ceas'd; and still he kept them wide:


s: And still they were the same bright, patient stars.


s: Then with a slow incline of his broad breast,


s: And plung'd all noiseless into the deep night.


s: Just at the self-same beat of Time's wide wings


s: And Saturn gain'd with Thea that sad place


s: Where Cybele and the bruised Titans mourn'd.


s: Could glimmer on their tears; where their own groans


s: They felt, but heard not, for the solid roar


s: Of thunderous waterfalls and torrents hoarse,


s: Pouring a constant bulk, uncertain where.


s: Crag jutting forth to crag, and rocks that seem'd


s: Forehead to forehead held their monstrous horns;


s: Instead of thrones, hard flint they sat upon,


s: Couches of rugged stone, and slaty ridge


s: Stubborn'd with iron. All were not assembled:


s: Some chain'd in torture, and some wandering.


s: With many more, the brawniest in assault,


s: Were pent in regions of laborious breath;


s: Their clenched teeth still clench'd, and all their limbs


s: Lock'd up like veins of metal, crampt and screw'd;


s: Without a motion, save of their big hearts


s: With sanguine feverous boiling gurge of pulse.


s: But for the main, here found they covert drear.


s: Scarce images of life, one here, one there,


s: Lay vast and edgeways; like a dismal cirque


s: When the chill rain begins at shut of eve,


s: In dull November, and their chancel vault,


s: The Heaven itself, is blinded throughout night.


s: Each one kept shroud, nor to his neighbour gave


s: Told of his rage, ere he thus sank and pined.


s: A serpent's plashy neck; its barbed tongue


s: Squeez'd from the gorge, and all its uncurl'd length


s: Dead; and because the creature could not spit


s: Its poison in the eyes of conquering Jove.


s: Next Cottus: prone he lay, chin uppermost,


s: As though in pain; for still upon the flint


s: He ground severe his skull, with open mouth


s: Who cost her mother Tellus keener pangs,


s: More thought than woe was in her dusky face,


s: Palm-shaded temples, and high rival fanes,


s: Shed from the broadest of her elephants.


s: Upon his elbow rais'd, all prostrate else,


s: Now tiger-passion'd, lion-thoughted, wroth,


s: Was hurling mountains in that second war,


s: Not long delay'd, that scar'd the younger Gods


s: To hide themselves in forms of beast and bird.


s: Not far hence Atlas; and beside him prone


s: Phorcus, the sire of Gorgons. Neighbour'd close


s: Of Ops the queen all clouded round from sight;


s: No shape distinguishable, more than when


s: Thick night confounds the pine-tops with the clouds:


s: And many else whose names may not be told.


s: For when the Muse's wings are air-ward spread,


s: Who shall delay her flight? And she must chaunt


s: Of Saturn, and his guide, who now had climb'd


s: With damp and slippery footing from a depth


s: Their heads appear'd, and up their stature grew


s: Till on the level height their steps found ease:


s: Then Thea spread abroad her trembling arms


s: Upon the precincts of this nest of pain,


s: And sidelong fix'd her eye on Saturn's face:


s: There saw she direst strife; the supreme God


s: Remorse, spleen, hope, but most of all despair.


s: Against these plagues he strove in vain; for Fate


s: Affrighted, kept her still, and let him pass


s: First onwards in, among the fallen tribe.


s: When it is nighing to the mournful house


s: Where other hearts are sick of the same bruise;


s: Felt faint, and would have sunk among the rest,


s: Whose mightiness, and awe of him, at once


s: Came like an inspiration; and he shouted,


s: "Titans, behold your God!" at which some groan'd;


s: Some started on their feet; some also shouted;


s: Some wept, some wail'd, all bow'd with reverence;


s: And Ops, uplifting her black folded veil,


s: Show'd her pale cheeks, and all her forehead wan,


s: Her eye-brows thin and jet, and hollow eyes.


s: There is a roaring in the bleak-grown pines


s: When Winter lifts his voice; there is a noise


s: With hushing finger, how he means to load


s: His tongue with the full weight of utterless thought,


s: With thunder, and with music, and with pomp:


s: Such noise is like the roar of bleak-grown pines;


s: Which, when it ceases in this mountain'd world,


s: No other sound succeeds; but ceasing here,


s: Among these fallen, Saturn's voice therefrom


s: Its strain, when other harmonies, stopt short,


s: Leave the dinn'd air vibrating silverly.


s: Thus grew it up--"Not in my own sad breast,


s: Which is its own great judge and searcher out,


s: Can I find reason why ye should be thus:


s: Not in the legends of the first of days,


s: Studied from that old spirit-leaved book


s: Sav'd from the shores of darkness, when the waves


s: Low-ebb'd still hid it up in shallow gloom;--


s: For my firm-based footstool:--Ah, infirm!


s: Not there, nor in sign, symbol, or portent


s: Of element, earth, water, air, and fire,--


s: One against one, or two, or three, or all


s: Each several one against the other three,


s: As fire with air loud warring when rain-floods


s: Drown both, and press them both against earth's face,


s: Where, finding sulphur, a quadruple wrath


s: Unhinges the poor world;--not in that strife,


s: Wherefrom I take strange lore, and read it deep,


s: No, no-where can unriddle, though I search,


s: The first-born of all shap'd and palpable Gods,


s: Should cower beneath what, in comparison,


s: O'erwhelm'd, and spurn'd, and batter'd, ye are here!


s: O Titans, shall I say 'Arise!'--Ye groan:


s: Shall I say 'Crouch!'--Ye groan. What can I then?


s: What can I? Tell me, all ye brethren Gods,


s: How we can war, how engine our great wrath!


s: O speak your counsel now, for Saturn's ear


s: Ponderest high and deep; and in thy face


s: Which comes of thought and musing: give us help!"


s: So ended Saturn; and the God of the Sea,


s: Sophist and sage, from no Athenian grove,


s: In murmurs, which his first-endeavouring tongue


s: Caught infant-like from the far-foamed sands.


s: "O ye, whom wrath consumes! who, passion-stung,


s: Writhe at defeat, and nurse your agonies!


s: Shut up your senses, stifle up your ears,


s: Yet listen, ye who will, whilst I bring proof


s: How ye, perforce, must be content to stoop:


s: And in the proof much comfort will I give,


s: If ye will take that comfort in its truth.


s: We fall by course of Nature's law, not force


s: Of thunder, or of Jove. Great Saturn, thou


s: But for this reason, that thou art the King,


s: Through which I wandered to eternal truth.


s: And first, as thou wast not the first of powers,


s: Light, the first fruits of that intestine broil,


s: That sullen ferment, which for wondrous ends


s: Was ripening in itself. The ripe hour came,


s: And with it light, and light, engendering


s: Upon its own producer, forthwith touch'd


s: The Heavens and the Earth, were manifest:


s: Then thou first-born, and we the giant-race,


s: Found ourselves ruling new and beauteous realms.


s: Now comes the pain of truth, to whom 'tis pain;


s: That is the top of sovereignty. Mark well!


s: As Heaven and Earth are fairer, fairer far


s: Than Chaos and blank Darkness, though once chiefs;


s: And as we show beyond that Heaven and Earth


s: In form and shape compact and beautiful,


s: So on our heels a fresh perfection treads,


s: A power more strong in beauty, born of us


s: Thereby more conquer'd, than by us the rule


s: Of shapeless Chaos. Say, doth the dull soil


s: Quarrel with the proud forests it hath fed,


s: And feedeth still, more comely than itself?


s: Can it deny the chiefdom of green groves?


s: Or shall the tree be envious of the dove


s: To wander wherewithal and find its joys?


s: We are such forest-trees, and our fair boughs


s: Have bred forth, not pale solitary doves,


s: But eagles golden-feather'd, who do tower


s: Above us in their beauty, and must reign


s: In right thereof; for 'tis the eternal law


s: That first in beauty should be first in might:


s: Yea, by that law, another race may drive


s: Have ye beheld the young God of the Seas,


s: Have ye beheld his chariot, foam'd along


s: And hither came, to see how dolorous fate


s: Had wrought upon ye; and how I might best


s: Receive the truth, and let it be your balm."


s: Whether through poz'd conviction, or disdain,


s: Left murmuring, what deepest thought can tell?


s: But so it was, none answer'd for a space,


s: And yet she answer'd not, only complain'd,


s: With hectic lips, and eyes up-looking mild,


s: "O Father, I am here the simplest voice,


s: And all my knowledge is that joy is gone,


s: And this thing woe crept in among our hearts,


s: So weak a creature could turn off the help


s: Which by just right should come of mighty Gods;


s: Of what I heard, and how it made me weep,


s: And know that we had parted from all hope.


s: Where a sweet clime was breathed from a land


s: Of fragrance, quietness, and trees, and flowers.


s: Too full of joy and soft delicious warmth;


s: With songs of misery, music of our woes;


s: And sat me down, and took a mouthed shell


s: And with poor skill let pass into the breeze


s: The dull shell's echo, from a bowery strand


s: There came enchantment with the shifting wind,


s: That did both drown and keep alive my ears.


s: And a wave fill'd it, as my sense was fill'd


s: A living death was in each gush of sounds,


s: That fell, one after one, yet all at once,


s: Like pearl beads dropping sudden from their string:


s: Each like a dove leaving its olive perch,


s: With music wing'd instead of silent plumes,


s: To hover round my head, and make me sick


s: Of joy and grief at once. Grief overcame,


s: When, past all hindrance of my trembling hands,


s: A voice came sweeter, sweeter than all tune,


s: And still it cried, 'Apollo! young Apollo!


s: The morning-bright Apollo! young Apollo!'


s: I fled, it follow'd me, and cried 'Apollo!'


s: Those pains of mine; O Saturn, hadst thou felt,


s: Ye would not call this too indulged tongue


s: Presumptuous, in thus venturing to be heard."


s: So far her voice flow'd on, like timorous brook


s: Doth fear to meet the sea: but sea it met,


s: And shudder'd; for the overwhelming voice


s: Of huge Enceladus swallow'd it in wrath:


s: The ponderous syllables, like sullen waves


s: In the half-glutted hollows of reef-rocks,


s: Came booming thus, while still upon his arm


s: He lean'd; not rising, from supreme contempt.


s: Not thunderbolt on thunderbolt, till all


s: That rebel Jove's whole armoury were spent,


s: Not world on world upon these shoulders piled,


s: Speak! roar! shout! yell! ye sleepy Titans all.


s: Do ye forget the blows, the buffets vile?


s: Dost thou forget, sham Monarch of the Waves,


s: Thy scalding in the seas? What, have I rous'd


s: Your spleens with so few simple words as these?


s: Wide glaring for revenge!"--As this he said,


s: He lifted up his stature vast, and stood,


s: Still without intermission speaking thus:


s: "Now ye are flames, I'll tell you how to burn,


s: How to feed fierce the crooked stings of fire,


s: And singe away the swollen clouds of Jove,


s: Much pain have I for more than loss of realms:


s: The days of peace and slumberous calm are fled;


s: Those days, all innocent of scathing war,


s: Came open-eyed to guess what we would speak:--


s: That was before our brows were taught to frown,


s: Before our lips knew else but solemn sounds;


s: That was before we knew the winged thing,


s: Victory, might be lost, or might be won.


s: Our brightest brother, still is undisgraced--


s: And they beheld, while still Hyperion's name


s: Flew from his lips up to the vaulted rocks,


s: A pallid gleam across his features stern:


s: Wroth as himself. He look'd upon them all,


s: And in each face he saw a gleam of light,


s: But splendider in Saturn's, whose hoar locks


s: Shone like the bubbling foam about a keel


s: When the prow sweeps into a midnight cove.


s: In pale and silver silence they remain'd,


s: Till suddenly a splendour, like the morn,


s: Pervaded all the beetling gloomy steeps,


s: And every height, and every sullen depth,


s: Voiceless, or hoarse with loud tormented streams:


s: And all the headlong torrents far and near,


s: Mantled before in darkness and huge shade,


s: His bright feet touch'd, and there he stay'd to view


s: In midst of his own brightness, like the bulk


s: To one who travels from the dusking East:


s: Sighs, too, as mournful as that Memnon's harp


s: He utter'd, while his hands contemplative


s: He press'd together, and in silence stood.


s: Despondence seiz'd again the fallen Gods


s: And many hid their faces from the light:


s: But fierce Enceladus sent forth his eyes


s: Among the brotherhood; and, at their glare,


s: And Phorcus, sea-born, and together strode


s: There those four shouted forth old Saturn's name;


s: Hyperion from the peak loud answered, "Saturn!"


s: In whose face was no joy, though all the Gods


s: Gave from their hollow throats the name of "Saturn!"


s: O leave them, Muse! O leave them to their woes;


s: For thou art weak to sing such tumults dire:


s: Leave them, O Muse! for thou anon wilt find


s: Wandering in vain about bewildered shores.


s: Meantime touch piously the Delphic harp,


s: And not a wind of heaven but will breathe


s: In aid soft warble from the Dorian flute;


s: For lo! 'tis for the Father of all verse.


s: Flush every thing that hath a vermeil hue,


s: Let the rose glow intense and warm the air,


s: Float in voluptuous fleeces o'er the hills;


s: Let the red wine within the goblet boil,


s: Cold as a bubbling well; let faint-lipp'd shells,


s: On sands, or in great deeps, vermilion turn


s: Through all their labyrinths; and let the maid


s: Blush keenly, as with some warm kiss surpris'd.


s: Rejoice, O Delos, with thine olives green,


s: And poplars, and lawn-shading palms, and beech,


s: In which the Zephyr breathes the loudest song,


s: And hazels thick, dark-stemm'd beneath the shade:


s: Stood bright, amid the sorrow of his peers?


s: And his twin-sister sleeping in their bower,


s: And in the morning twilight wandered forth


s: The nightingale had ceas'd, and a few stars


s: Were lingering in the heavens, while the thrush


s: Began calm-throated. Throughout all the isle


s: Unhaunted by the murmurous noise of waves,


s: Though scarcely heard in many a green recess.


s: He listen'd, and he wept, and his bright tears


s: Went trickling down the golden bow he held.


s: Thus with half-shut suffused eyes he stood,


s: While from beneath some cumbrous boughs hard by


s: And there was purport in her looks for him,


s: Perplex'd, the while melodiously he said:


s: Or hath that antique mien and robed form


s: Mov'd in these vales invisible till now?


s: Sure I have heard those vestments sweeping o'er


s: The fallen leaves, when I have sat alone


s: In cool mid-forest. Surely I have traced


s: These grassy solitudes, and seen the flowers


s: Lift up their heads, as still the whisper pass'd.


s: Goddess! I have beheld those eyes before,


s: And their eternal calm, and all that face,


s: Or I have dream'd."--"Yes," said the supreme shape,


s: "Thou hast dream'd of me; and awaking up


s: Didst find a lyre all golden by thy side,


s: Whose strings touch'd by thy fingers, all the vast


s: Listen'd in pain and pleasure at the birth


s: Of such new tuneful wonder. Is't not strange


s: That thou shouldst weep, so gifted? Tell me, youth,


s: What sorrow thou canst feel; for I am sad


s: When thou dost shed a tear: explain thy griefs


s: To one who in this lonely isle hath been


s: The watcher of thy sleep and hours of life,


s: From the young day when first thy infant hand


s: Pluck'd witless the weak flowers, till thine arm


s: Could bend that bow heroic to all times.


s: Show thy heart's secret to an ancient Power


s: Who hath forsaken old and sacred thrones


s: For prophecies of thee, and for the sake


s: With sudden scrutiny and gloomless eyes,


s: Thus answer'd, while his white melodious throat


s: Throbb'd with the syllables.--"Mnemosyne!


s: Thy name is on my tongue, I know not how;


s: Why should I tell thee what thou so well seest?


s: Why should I strive to show what from thy lips


s: Would come no mystery? For me, dark, dark,


s: And painful vile oblivion seals my eyes:


s: I strive to search wherefore I am so sad,


s: And then upon the grass I sit, and moan,


s: Like one who once had wings.--O why should I


s: Feel curs'd and thwarted, when the liegeless air


s: Yields to my step aspirant? why should I


s: Spurn the green turf as hateful to my feet?


s: Goddess benign, point forth some unknown thing:


s: Are there not other regions than this isle?


s: What are the stars? There is the sun, the sun!


s: And the most patient brilliance of the moon!


s: And stars by thousands! Point me out the way


s: And make its silvery splendour pant with bliss.


s: I have heard the cloudy thunder: Where is power?


s: Whose hand, whose essence, what divinity


s: Tell me why thus I rave, about these groves!


s: Mute thou remainest--Mute! yet I can read


s: Names, deeds, gray legends, dire events, rebellions,


s: While his enkindled eyes, with level glance


s: Beneath his white soft temples, stedfast kept


s: Soon wild commotions shook him, and made flush


s: Most like the struggle at the gate of death;


s: Or liker still to one who should take leave


s: As hot as death's is chill, with fierce convulse


s: Die into life: so young Apollo anguish'd:


s: Her arms as one who prophesied.--At length


s: Apollo shriek'd;--and lo! from all his limbs


s: PAGE 2. See Introduction to _Hyperion_, p. 245.


s: l. 2. _Satyr_, a horned and goat-legged demi-god of the woods.


s: l. 5. _Dryads_, wood-nymphs, who lived in trees. The life of each


s: l. 5. _Fauns._ The Roman name corresponding to the Greek Satyr.


s: l. 19. _unknown to any Muse_, beyond the imagination of any poet.


s: l. 47. _gordian_, knotted, from the famous knot in the harness of


s: l. 81. _not delay'd_: classical construction. See Introduction to


s: l. 91. The line dances along like a leaf before the wind.


s: l. 92. Miltonic construction and phraseology.


s: ll. 191-200. Cf. _Ode on Melancholy_, where Keats tells us that


s: l. 208. _Thetis_, one of the sea deities.


s: The two divinest things the world has got--


s: It was an influence which Keats, with the development of his own


s: character and genius, was rapidly outgrowing.


s: ll. 363-77. Note the feeling of fate in the first appearance of


s: l. 386. _Aeolian._ Aeolus was the god of the winds.


s: PAGE 32. l. 97. _I neglect the holy rite._ It is her duty to burn


s: PAGE 33. l. 107. _blushing._ We see in the glow of the sunset a


s: PAGE 36. l. 155. _demesne_, dwelling. More commonly a domain.


s: _adder's tongue._ For was she not a serpent?


s: PAGE 45. l. 301. _perceant_, piercing--a Spenserian word.


s: And she forgot the blue above the trees,


s: And she forgot the dells where waters run,


s: And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze;


s: She had no knowledge when the day was done,


s: Madeline's window '_blush'd_ with blood of queens and kings'.


s: Compare this with stanza xxvi of _The Eve of St. Agnes_.


s: And there she wept and sigh'd full sore,


s: Pale warriors, death pale were they all;


s: Though the sedge is withered from the Lake


s: ll. 51-2. _wed To every symbol._ Able to read every sign.


s: ll. 83-4. The repetition of the same words helps us to feel the


s: unchanging nature of their devotion and joy in one another.


s: PAGE 55. l. 91. _in fee_, in payment for their trouble.


s: l. 109. _proud-quiver'd_, proudly girt with quivers of arrows.


s: PAGE 57. l. 124. _lazar_, leper, or any wretched beggar; from the


s: _stairs_, steps on which they sat to beg.


s: l. 125. _red-lin'd accounts_, vividly picturing their neat


s: PAGE 58. l. 137. _ledger-men._ As if they only lived in their


s: _freshets_, little streams of fresh water.


s: l. 223. _convulsed spur_, they spurred their horses violently and


s: l. 229. _stifling_: partly literal, since the widow's weed is


s: PAGE 65. ll. 249 seq. Cf. Shelley's _Ode to the West Wind_.


s: l. 252. _roundelay_, a dance in a circle.


s: l. 264. _snowy shroud_, a truly prophetic dream.


s: PAGE 66. ll. 267 seq. These comparisons help us to realize her


s: l. 308. _knelling._ Every sound is like a death-bell to him.


s: l. 317. _bright abyss_, the bright hollow of heaven.


s: experience in the early stages of consumption.


s: PAGE 70. l. 334. _school'd my infancy._ She was as a child in her


s: l. 344. _forest-hearse._ To Isabella the whole forest is but the


s: PAGE 74. l. 393. _Perséan sword._ The sword of sharpness given to


s: l. 406. _chilly_: tears, not passionate, but of cold despair.


s: l. 416. _Sweet Basil_, a fragrant aromatic plant.


s: PAGE 77. l. 442. _Melpomene_, the Muse of tragedy.


s: l. 451. _Baälites of pelf_, worshippers of ill-gotten gains.


s: ll. 469-72. _And when . . . hair._ The pathos of this picture is


s: PAGE 79. l. 475. _vile . . . spot._ The one touch of descriptive


s: PAGE 84. l. 12. _meagre, barefoot, wan._ Such a compression of a


s: l. 168. _While . . . coverlet._ All the wonders of Madeline's


s: Kate of Kate Hall--my super-dainty Kate,


s: We still use the verb 'to cater' as in l. 177.


s: l. 174. _tambour frame_, embroidery-frame.


s: l. 237. _poppied_, because of the sleep-giving property of the


s: l. 257. _Morphean._ Morpheus was the god of sleep.


s: My dream thou brokest not, but continued'st it.


s: PAGE 101. l. 323. _Love's alarum_, warning them to speed away.


s: l. 351. _o'er . . . moors._ A happy suggestion of a warmer clime.


s: In all of them the poet looks upon life as it is, and the eternal


s: The heart that loved her; 'tis her privilege,


s: Through all the years of this our life, to lead


s: With lofty thoughts, that neither evil tongues,


s: Rash judgments, nor the sneers of selfish men,


s: Nor greetings where no kindness is, nor all


s: Shall e'er prevail against us, or disturb


s: Our cheerful faith, that all which we behold


s: PAGE 108. l. 13. _Flora_, the goddess of flowers.


s: l. 15. _the warm South._ As if the wine brought all this with it.


s: l. 16. _Hippocrene_, the spring of the Muses on Mount Helicon.


s: l. 67. _alien corn._ Transference of the adjective from person to


s: l. 7. _Tempe_ was a famous glen in Thessaly.


s: _Arcady._ Arcadia, a very mountainous country, the centre of the


s: Thou lovest--but ne'er knew love's sad satiety.


s: _brede_, embroidery. Cf. _Lamia_, i. 159. Here used of carving.


s: 'Psyche, a king's daughter, by her exceeding beauty caused the


s: people to forget Venus; therefore the goddess would fain have


s: destroyed her: nevertheless she became the bride of Love, yet


s: in an unhappy moment lost him by her own fault, and wandering


s: through the world suffered many evils at the hands of Venus,


s: for whom she must accomplish fearful tasks. But the gods and


s: all nature helped her, and in process of time she was


s: re-united to Love, forgiven by Venus, and made immortal by the


s: l. 14. _Tyrian_, purple, from a certain dye made at Tyre.


s: _hierarchy._ The orders of gods, with Jupiter as head.


s: l. 26. _Phoebe_, or Diana, goddess of the moon.


s: l. 37. _fond believing_, foolishly credulous.


s: l. 12. _Dian's fawns._ Diana was the goddess of hunting.


s: Done at the Mermaid! heard words that have been


s: As if that any one from whence they came


s: Had meant to put his whole wit in a jest,


s: And has resolved to live a fool the rest


s: a little animal, since originally all the signs were animals.


s: l. 21. _seven stars_, Charles's Wain or the Big Bear.


s: l. 22. _polar ray_, the light of the Pole, or North, star.


s: l. 30. _pasture Trent_, the fields about the Trent, the river of


s: Nottingham, which runs by Sherwood forest.


s: PAGE 135. l. 33. _morris._ A dance in costume which, in the Tudor


s: Canterbury Tales_. The story of Orlando's ill-usage, prowess, and


s: characteristic garb of the forester and outlaw.


s: l. 18. _swath_, the width of the sweep of the scythe.


s: ll. 23 seq. Now the sounds of autumn are added to complete the


s: l. 2. _Wolf's-bane_, aconite or hellebore--a poisonous plant.


s: _ruby . . . Proserpine._ Cf. Swinburne's _Garden of Proserpine_.


s: l. 5. _yew-berries._ The yew, a dark funereal-looking tree, is


s: PAGE 142. l. 30. _cloudy_, mysteriously concealed, seen of few.


s: In _Hyperion_ we see, too, the influence of the study of Greek


s: When the chill rain begins at shut of eve,


s: In dull November, and their chancel vault,


s: The heaven itself, is blinded throughout night.


s: l. 10. See how the sense is expressed in the cadence of the line.


s: PAGE 146. l. 11. _voiceless._ As if it felt and knew, and were


s: l. 19. _realmless eyes._ The tragedy of his fall is felt in every


s: PAGE 151. ll. 98 seq. Cf. _King Lear_. Throughout the figure of


s: ll. 107 seq. In Saturn's reign was the Golden Age.


s: l. 129. _metropolitan_, around the chief city.


s: l. 147. _rebel three._ Jove, Neptune, and Pluto.


s: ll. 156-7. All the dignity and majesty of the goddess is in this


s: PAGE 155. l. 171. _gloom-bird_, the owl, whose cry is supposed to


s: l. 172. _familiar visiting_, ghostly apparition.


s: l. 230. _O . . . pools._ A picture of inimitable chilly horror.


s: PAGE 165. l. 349. _region-whisper_, whisper from the wide air.


s: PAGE 167. l. 4. _Cybele_, the wife of Saturn.


s: PAGE 169. l. 35. _Of . . . moor_, suggested by Druid stones near


s: l. 98. _A disanointing poison_, taking away his kingship and his


s: PAGE 176. l. 159. _unseen parent dear._ Coelus, since the air is


s: PAGE 178. ll. 203-5. In their hour of downfall a new dominion is


s: develops the new order of Gods, surpassing them in beauty as they


s: PAGE 180. ll. 228-9. The key of the whole situation.


s: PAGE 187. l. 357. See how the light breaks in with this line.


s: l. 13. _Father of all verse._ Apollo, the god of light and song.


s: l. 24. _Delos_, the island where Apollo was born.


s: l. 40. _murmurous . . . waves._ We hear their soft breaking.


s: l. 92. _liegeless_, independent--acknowledging no allegiance.


s: l. 93. _aspirant_, ascending. The air will not bear him up.


s: e.g.  i.  56 Knows thee not, thus afflicted, for a god


s: i. 206 save what solemn tubes . . . gave


s: e.g.  i.       35 How beautiful . . . self


s: i. 2 breath of morn. Cf. _Paradise Lost_, iv. 641.


s: Translated from the Seventh Edition of Leon Gautier,


s: Licencié en droit, Paris University, French Lecturer at


s: ascertained, was Norman, the dialect used by him being Norman


s: commentators. M. Francisque Michel assimilated it at first to the


s: The most complete and ancient is that of Oxford, in the Bodleian


s: In the National Library, Paris, No. 860, XIIIth. century.


s: In the Lyons Library, 964; XIVth. century.


s: In Cambridge, Trinity Collage, R. 3-32; XVIth. century.


s: One called the Lorrain, a fragment found near Metz.


s: There are twenty-one translations in different languages:


s: Besides, a version from Vitet's French paraphrase, by Mrs. Marsh.


s: Hath tarried now full seven years in Spain,


s: Conqu'ring the highland regions to the sea;


s: No fortress stands before him unsubdued,


s: Nor wall, nor city left, to be destroyed,


s: There rules the King Marsile who loves not God,


s: Where underneath an orchard's leafy shade,


s: He rests. Around him twenty thousand men


s: And more are ranked. His Dukes and Counts he calls:


s: "Oyez, _Seigneurs_, what gath'ring ills are ours:


s: Great Carle, the Emperor who rules Sweet France


s: Comes to this land to 'whelm us with his might.


s: Your counsel give me, Lords, as my wise men,


s: And so defend your King from death and shame;"


s: Save Blancandrin _del Castel Val-Fondé_.


s: Blancandrin, 'midst the wisest Pagans wise,


s: Most prudent counsels gave to help his lord,


s: Said to the King:--"Be not by this dismayed!


s: To Carle the proud, the fierce, send messengers


s: With words of faith and love. Send to him gifts


s: Of bears and lions, packs of dogs; present


s: Of molted falcons, and four hundred mules


s: With heavy weight of gold and silver packed;


s: Then fifty chariots with their burthens heaped:


s: Well can this treasure all his soldiers pay.


s: Within this land he long enough has camped.


s: To France--to Aix let him at last return;


s: There will you join him on Saint-Michael's feast,


s: Accept the Christian law, and swear to be


s: His man in faith and honor. Should he ask


s: His trust; let us send our wives' sons. Mine--although


s: He die, I give. Far better that their heads


s: Should fall than we lose honor and domain,


s: Than we ourselves to beggary be brought."


s: He further said:--"By this right hand of mine,


s: And by the beard the air waves on my breast,


s: Soon shall you see the host of Franks disperse;


s: To France, their land, the Franks will take their way.


s: When each has gained the shelter of his home,


s: King Carle will in his chapel be at Aix,


s: To celebrate Saint Michael's solemn feast.


s: The day will come, the term allowed will pass,


s: And from us shall he hear nor word nor news.


s: The King is fierce, his soul is hard; and thus


s: Each hostage head beneath his sword shall fall.


s: 'Twere better far that these should lose their heads


s: Than we for aye lose glorious Spain the Fair,


s: And suffer so great ills and doleful woes."


s: Then say the Pagans:--"This may be the truth."


s: Hereat the King Marsile the council closed.


s: With Priamon Guarlan the bearded knight,


s: Beyond the sea, and Blancandrin, to hear


s: His words. These ten, the fiercest, he addressed:


s: "Seigneurs Barons, ye shall go toward Carl'magne;


s: He to Cordrès, the city, now lays siege.


s: Bear in each hand a branch of olive-tree


s: I give of gold and silver, lands and fiefs


s: The Pagans answer all:--["Well said our lord!"]


s: Marsile his council closed:--"My Lords, ye shall


s: Set forth;--an olive branch bear in each hand:


s: And ere a month be past, he shall behold


s: Me follow with a thousand faithful knights,


s: And be his man in love and faith; and if


s: He hostages require, them shall he have."


s: Quoth Blancandrin:--"Good treaty will be yours."


s: Marsile then ordered forth the ten white mules


s: Golden their bits--their saddles silver-wrought--


s: Thus holding each a branch of olive-tree,


s: They rode away and came to Carle of France.


s: Nor can he from the treacherous snare escape.


s: Cheerful and blithe the Emp'ror, for Cordrès


s: Has been subdued, its massy walls o'erthrown,


s: Its towers by mighty catapults destroyed;


s: And there his knights have found abundant spoils


s: Of gold and silver, and rich garnitures.


s: And spreading orchard; there around him stand


s: Gerin and Gerier. Where these were, came


s: Of others many more. In all, from France


s: Were gathered fully fifteen thousand knights.


s: Upon white _pallies_ sit these chevaliers;


s: They play at tables to divert themselves;


s: In mimic sword-play strive the joyous youths.


s: Is placed a faldstool of pure gold whereon


s: Sits he, the King--great Ruler of Sweet France.


s: White is his beard, his head all flowering white;


s: Graceful his form and proud his countenance;


s: None need to point him out to those who come


s: The Pagan messengers, dismounting, stood


s: Before him, proffering humble faith and love.


s: Blancandrin was the first to speak, and said


s: Unto the king:--"Hail! in the name of God,


s: I bring this message from Marsile the brave:


s: Well has he studied your Salvation's Law;


s: And would upon you lavish his great wealth.


s: Bears--lions--packs of hounds enchained he gives,


s: Of molted falcons--mules, four hundred, packed


s: With gold and silver--fifty carts to carry


s: These gifts, and _bezants_ of the purest gold


s: He also sends, which will your soldiers pay.


s: Too long within our land you have remained;


s: To France--to Aix he wills you straight return.


s: There will he follow you: so says my lord."


s: Bends low his head and counsel takes in thought.


s: The Emperor sat silent with drooped head.


s: Ne'er rash in words, he never speaks in haste.


s: At last he rose. Proudly he looked and spake


s: Unto the messengers:--"Ye have well said


s: That King Marsile e'er stood my greatest foe!


s: On these fair-seeming words how far can I


s: "Would you have hostages? you shall have ten,


s: Fifteen, yea, twenty. Though his fate be death


s: My son shall go, and others nobler still,


s: I deem. When to your lordly palace, home


s: Returned--when comes Saint Michael del Peril,


s: His feast, my Lord will follow to those springs,


s: He says, brought forth by God for you, and there


s: Baptized, a faithful Christian will become!"


s: Carl'magne makes answer:--"He may yet be saved!"


s: The eve was soft and fair, the sunset bright;


s: The ten mules stabled by the King's command;


s: To house the messengers, his Pagan guests.


s: Twelve sergeants to their service were assigned,


s: And there they rested till the dawn repelled


s: Heard mass and matins first, then having gone


s: His wisest barons, council grave to hold,


s: Beneath a pine the Monarch has repaired;


s: His barons to the council called: the Duke


s: And Olivier, the brave and noble knight.


s: One thousand Franks of France and more were met--


s: Then Ganelon came, who treason wrought; and now


s: "Seigneurs Barons," began the Emp'ror Carle,


s: "The King Marsile his messengers hath sent


s: To offer me large store of his great wealth;


s: Bears--lions--hounds in leash;--of camels he


s: Gives seven hundred--falcons, fifty score--


s: Four hundred mules packed high with Arab gold,


s: And more than fifty chariots loaded full;


s: There will he follow: then arrived at Aix,


s: Will in my palace take Salvation's Faith,


s: Will Christ obey, and hold his lands from me;


s: But what is in his heart, I do not know."


s: The French exclaim:--"Of him we must beware!"


s: The Emp'ror ended thus. But Count Rollánd


s: Approving not the terms, stands forth and speaks


s: "Trust never more Marsile. 'Tis full seven years


s: Since we came into Spain. For you I took


s: Both Noplés and Commiblés; gained Valterne


s: Still plotting treachery, sent from his horde


s: Of Pagans, fifteen men; each bore in hand


s: Like these, a branch of olive-tree, and spake


s: The self-same words. On that you counsel took


s: From your too lightly flattering French; two Counts


s: Of yours you to the Pagan sent, the one,


s: Bazan, Bastile the other, and their heads