Classic Poem

S KIDDAW ! I climb thy high uplifted form,
Dare thy bold steep, and soar above the Storm!
Below my feet perceive the Lightnings start,
And, midst the nether region, harmless dart,
Or, through the clouds that roll their seas away,
Thy prostrate Villages and Lakes survey.
Pure D ERWENT view deep liquid Chrystal spread
O'er pebbles shining from their low sunk bed;
Hang with Delight o'er K ESWICK 's soften'd glades,
Behind whose shadowy oaks the day-beam fades.
Here catch a glance o'er distant misty Fells,
Or gain it there across the woody Dells,
In the vast Painting own the Hand Divine,
And see, in every part, th' Almighty 's Grandeur shine!

Ah! my caught vision's fixed at E NNERSDALE !
With pensive Grief I view its beauteous vale.
In vain the Riv'lets gad on every side,
And o'er the glens the summer Zephyis glide,
In vain those guardian Woods that shade its plains,
Are sweetly vocal with their wild-note strains,
And dulcet Groves burst with rich trilling notes
Sprung forth a thousand sweetly gurgling throats.
I see no more their softly blended shades,
All ceased the grateful music of the glades!
For ah! those plains, those vales, those sheltering woods,
Nourish'd by B ASSANTHWAITE 's contiguous floods,
Were fated once to witness such a deed
As makes the tortured memory recede.
For this, yon time-worn Y EW its branches bends,
And midst the scene a deeper sadness sends!
In L ORTON 's vale its well known stems arise,
Unmatch'd beneath these almost arctic skies,
By Henry planted in a hapless day,
Where lingering on its roots full oft he sorrowing lay!
Yes, to this Story I attune my Lyre,
Nor ask the M USES for poetic fire!
P ARNASSUS and its long fictitious train,
I never called on to adorn my strain!
Invention puerile of the early mind,
Ere Reason grew, ere Knowledge was refined,
Dim lights, which first o'er Grecian darkness gleam'd,
And, midst its polished Ignorance, faintly beam'd,
At length descended to the Roman Bands,
And flash'd, from midst their arms, through distant lands.
I call not You! — your radiant fields I shun,
From all your blithe Deceptions, woe-struck, run.
Let cheering prospects vanish from my view!
Let dank weeds spring, and hemlock fling its dew.
The lorn Owl now should moan his moody song,
The north wind's shriekings should be loud and long;
These! should inspire my hand to touch the chord,
That trembles with the woes of Ennersdale's once Lord.
Sole Heir of A THELING , the Herald said,
Of blood, stern Scotland! midst thy heaths oft shed.
Ah! can the mind to Lyric Scotland turn,
And pensive linger not around the urn
Of him to whom was given the lofty Lyre
That Homer struck? that thrill'd with Milton's fire?
O SSIAN ! when hanging o'er thy grassy Vale,
Thy dark brown Mountain, and thy Moon-beam pale,
Thy broad full Sun, and ever placid Lake,
Our bosom's cheer'd, and every nerve's awake!
With implements, thus few, thou'st formed a pile,
August in taste, most beautiful in stile.
Let no bold finger's emulative pride,
E'er, venturous, touch the Lyre that graced thy side,
For, like the bow of Ithaca's famed land,
It vibrates only to its Master's hand!
Not five and twenty Springs o'er Henry 's head
Had shed their beams when he prepared to wed
The sweet E DWINA , graceful, tall, and fair,
By her fond Father yielded to his prayer.
Full young she was, in beauty's earliest prime,
Untarnish'd yet, untouch'd by withering time,
O'er her red cheek soft dimples sweetly played,
Her lovely form by every Grace arrayed.
He long had woo'd the charming, bashful, maid,
She, still to listen to Love's tales afraid,
By many modest arts, so Love ordains!
Increased his passion, as increased his pains.
At length the nuptial Morn illumed the sky,
Bright pearly rays in each direction fly,
Then, vivid Radiance fiercely stream'd afar,
Absorbing all the beams of every star.
The high Lark blithe bestowed his soaring song,
And flowers revived as Morning burst along,
The Breezes snatch'd their odours as they flew,
And gave them in return pellucid dew,
That clear'd their colours to a higher tone,
Till Earth a vegetative rainbow shone!
Beneath her Husband's roof, the matchless Fair
Graced each delight, and each domestic care;
Whilst, ever pleas'd, he watch'd her polish'd mind,
Her sense reflective, and her taste refined,
Her well weighed words, which spoke the strongest Sense,
Or cloath'd in lightest dress the Thought intense.
With smile so sweet and love expressive eye
Her face a Raphael to catch would try,
To form, with brow serene and aspect mild,
A young M ADONNA bending o'er her child.
Her Needle's skill made tenderest Flowrets blow,
Which now, in sweet festoons, around her glow.
In cooling Grots her Shell. Work seized the eye,
With skill arranged, to show each blending dye.
The Age's taste her Garden well displayed,
Her vivid Fancy each Parterre arrayed,
Here Yews, in shape of solid Walls, she rear'd,
Or there, a dreary Castle they appeared;
In Box, the Eagle hover'd o'er its nest,
Or couchant Lions seem'd resigned to rest.
Her husband's Sports the loved Edwina shared,
For her the Hawking-Party was prepared,
She roused the Wolf, the foaming Boar she chased,
And Danger's self was in her presence graced!
E'en whilst I write, its daring Edict now
Mad France proclaims! dissolved the Marriage Vow!
No longer Holy Rite, or One for Life,
Each sues Divorce, as prompts a casual strife!
— Oh, Marriage! powerful Charm, G IFT all divine,
Sent from the Skies o'er life's drear waste to shine,
What splendors from thy bright Tiara spring,
What Graces round thy chasten'd footsteps cling;
Vengeance will surely crush the ideot land,
That drags the Sceptre from thy hallowed hand,
That dares to trample on thy Holy Rites,
And nuptial perfidy, unawed! invites.
The weeping world to thee its Solace owes,
From thee derives its truest best repose.
— Not the cold Compact subtile Interest twines,
Nor that which pale Submission trembling signs,
Is Marriage! No. — 'Tis when its polish'd chain
Binds those who in each other's bosom reign!
'Tis when two Minds form one extatic Whole,
One sweetly blended wish, one sense, one soul!
This was the Gift the exiled Seraph cursed,
When from Hell's blazing continent he burst.
Eden's full charms he saw without a groan,
Though Nature there had fixed her gorgeous throne
Its rich Ananas, and its Aloes high,
Whose forms pyramidal approach'd the sky,
Its towering Palms with luscious clusters crown'd,
Its Shrubs, whose Perfumes filled the region round,
Its streams pellucid, and its Bowers of Shade,
Its Flowers that knew to bloom, but not to fade,
Its Orb, that gave the new created Day,
Night's Lunar bow that soothed with tender ray,
Its fields of wavy gold, its slopes of green,
By the fell Fiend without a pang were seen —
'Twas then fierce Rancour seized the Demon's breast,
When, in the MARRIED PAIR , he felt mankind were blest!

Thus two years rolled their joyous days along,
Midst calm domestic bliss, or sport, and song.
But, E DGAR left corruptive Gallia's shore!
Hadst thou, immoral youth, returned no more,
Ne'er Libertine had dared make one so pure
The proffer'd Insult of disgrace endure!
Thou did'st return! and thy voluptuous heart,
That from Temptation ne'er had learnt to start,
Dared view Edwina as a hoped for Prize —
All dead to Honour's voice, and Conscience' secret cries!

In Grace a Courtier, and in manners gay,
Edgar to Ennersdale oft bent his way.
He talked to Henry but of Wars he'd seen,
Or Tournaments and Gaudes midst Peace serene.
When for E DWINA 's ear the tale was framed,
Th' Intrigues of Gallia's frail Court were named.
But soon the prudent fair remarked The Stile!
And saw, beneath feign'd Ease, his lurking Guile!
For Virtue in his tales ne'er gain'd a place,
Nor maiden vigilance, nor matron grace,
So wild and loose his artful stories ran,
She saw the Fiend conceal'd, 'neath form of Man,
The Arch-Fiend's task who knew not to detest,
And midst the Earth, a Tempter stood confest!
In Eastern Climes, beside a gadding stream,
As natives wander musing Fancy's dream,
No sooner seen the Panther's crouching eye
Glance look destructive — quick they turn to fly!
So turned Edwina when she saw reveal'd
The Guile th' ensnaring youth had hoped conceal'd;
If still he dared appear, her air grew cold,
And awed to mute Respect the Suitor bold.

To Henry's house his way he ceased to wind,
Whose wife within in virtue sat enshrined.
But, his wild wishes did not cease to rage,
Nor did he strive the fever to assuage!
Once foster'd sinful love, none turn from sin,
Its victims Self-correction ne'er begin,
But, urged by goading hell, pursue the road,
Ne'er heed the coming Woe! ne'er tremble at their God!

The Huntsman blew his horn, ere listless Day
Had cast aside its veil of twilight grey.
Lord Henry's prompt. Edwina's busy maids
Her rich-hued locks enfold in careless braids,
And now equip'd, o'er hills she bounding flew
As curves the graceful arrow from the yew.
Her jet-black steed more lively seem'd to bound
For the light-burthen on his back he found,
The jet-black steed her Husband had bestowed,
When first a H UNTRESS at his side she rode;
With eye of noble fire, and streaming mane
Clear his descent from an Arabian plain.
The mists, exhaling from the evening's dew,
Flew o'er the surface of the hills from view,
The Sun, now risen in its brightest mood
Bestowed new glories on the scene it viewed,
And pour'd its beams around in ample floods,
Full streams of light descended on the woods,
The plains, the vallies, caught the radiant shower
Each plant reviving and each tinted flower.
The Hunt, inspired, the air on all sides rent
With varied sounds, as keen their course they bent;
The dogs, deep-mouthed, in Chorus swell'd the cry,
And sent their forest greetings to the sky;
The horn's full tone fill'd each pervading note,
And harmony and joy throughout the country float!
At length a Boar, at a dark Coppice side,
Amidst the rustling bushes tried to glide;
He cautious moved, like some fell thief of night
Who, fear-struck, slowly creeps in lurking flight;
Close to the earth, all dread, he crouch'd along,
Where Shrubs and Underwood around him throng,
But ah! in vain he creeps, the air so thin
Th' effluvia catches from his reeking skin,
To trailing dogs the titillations fly,
Who instantly the brown recesses try.
He's turned before them into open view!
Quick Transport through each ardent bosom flew;
But, Huntsman's Law the churning savage found,
Which suffer'd due escape, twelve rood of ground,
Ere loose was let the eager, mad'ning, pack,
To follow close the bristly monster's track.
No more retarded by the Huntsman's thong,
At length in fierce pursuit they pour along.
The game o'er hills now leads them many an hour,
With fear-strain'd sinews and exhausted power.
He heard the dogs faint mouthing far behind,
But views them now, where round the Beck they wind,
With Dread and Joy alternately is filled,
Now, brisk with Hope, and now by Terror chill'd!
Hot rage and fury in his eye-balls glow,
Mad, through Despair, he turns to meet the foe,
But Henry darted forth, before the rest,
And bright lance fixed within his heaving breast.
His struggling breast convulsive motions strain,
His spouting veins the foaming courser stain,
As from th' enormous trunk the head is torn,
The Death-Notes issue from the brazen Horn!
The tusk-arm'd Head borne Trophy on his spear,
Lord Henry turn'd, to Her he thought was near!
To lay the bleeding conquest at her feet,
And make his triumph more acutely sweet —
But horror! — no Edwina could be seen,
Nor on the hills long slope, or pasture green,
Nor shelter'd near the Torrent's fall she lay,
Nor 'scaped, on Forest's edge, the Sun's fierce ray,
Nor was she on the plain — the vallies too
Gave no Edwina to the aching view!
Wonder and dread compress'd her husband's heart,
Whilst o'er th' extensive scene his strain'd eyes dart,
He moved — stood still — 'Twas Terror fix'd him there
He seem'd the pale cheek'd Statue of Despair —
Her bounding Steed came fiercely o'er the plain
But his sweet Mistress held no guiding rein!
The reins swung loosely as he cleaved the air,
No mistress sweet with guiding hand was there!
From all, but Henry! burst terrific Cries,
Silent, his dread, and quite suppress'd his sighs!
His manly features sink, his eye-lids close,
Each lineament displays convulsive throes —
Oh Speech! how weak, where Hope allays not pain,
Where Fears excessive through the bosom reign!
— At length, they each a different way diverged,
Some up the Mountain's haughty brow emerged,
Others pursued the plain, the wood, the dell,
Appointing where to meet, their fortune drear to tell!
And now, ill fated Huntress of the day,
With faltering hand, I trace your devious way!
Amidst the heat and fury of the chase,
The horsemen forming circuit she could trace,
A road succinct Edwina thought to take,
And press'd her steed across an ancient brake,
But, midst the thickets wilder'd and dismayed,
And of the devious solitude afraid,
Again she turned her horse — ah! turned in vain,
She missed the opening to the neighbouring plain!
Her horse unruly tried to bound at large,
Through paths destructive to his beauteous charge.
Through fear dismounting, tremblingly she strove
To find a path where thorns no barriers wove,
The horse released, strait vanish'd from her eye,
And o'er th' opposing brambles seemed to fly,
The distant cries his ears erect invade,
He quickly skims o'er every glen and glade.
At length, Edwina found the path. A Rill,
Quite faint, she sought, her ruby mouth to fill;
Her taper'd hand, immersed beneath the stream,
Flash'd through the glassy wave a pearly gleam
And bore the cheering moisture to her lips,
And eagerly the panting beauty sips;
The shining freshness o'er her brow she threw
And bless'd the current as it sparkling flew,
Then on its borders sought a minute's rest,
Sweet banks with Doddergrass and Pansies drest.
Soon Sleep, unbidden, caught her in his snare,
In soothing slumber lulled the weary fair.
Two Aspin trees, in close alliance bound,
A thin and wavering shadow threw around,
The waters gently tinkled as they fell,
A Sheep too slowly shook his silvery bell,
Cool breezes o'er her temples softly strayed,
And, midst her floating ringlets bounding played,
Who would not wish to linger in sweet rest,
Where Waters, Shades, and Sounds, the mind fatigued addressed!
Mysterious Powers! who glide th'elastic air,
And have sweet sainted Innocence in care,
Where roved ye then? where waved your filmy wings?
Where struck ye then your sweet harp's beamy strings?
If on Light's rays you swiftly went to weave
The glowing ribble destined to receive
Day's sinking Sun, would that had set undeck'd,
Whilst you, on guard Edwina to protect,
Had flown around her through the coming hour,
From each approaching ill to shield her by your power!
Her slumbers cheer'd her with blithe heavenly dreams,
Which still refresh'd her midst day's sultry beams —
A sudden grasp now seized her listless hand,
And rudely snapt each soft narcotic band,
She started, all Alarm! — most dreaded sight!
Her hand was seized thus by the villain Knight,
Who tried in specious terms his love to paint,
Inspired by every Fiend, he vow'd by every Saint!
Surprise, at first, held mute Edwina's tongue.
And changes o'er his vicious theme were rung,
Ere fully shown her chaste and proud Disdain,
Or check'd, with due Contempt, his odious strain!
His daring speech enforced an Answer now,
Whilst lofty Hauteur hung upon her brow
In glowing words his guilty suit she spurned,
Then with unfeigned abhorrence, stately turned,
Withdrew, with mien composed, across the moor,
Though sense of Insult all her bosom tore.
But Edgar still she found, to follow bent,
Kept closely in the wilder'd path she went,
Her speed grew quick, uncheck'd by rising fear
Of risk in paths where death was ever near,
For audience to his suit he seized her arm —
Edwina's fired with rage! is wild with dread alarm!
— Now, with deep howl, towards them as they stood
A ravenous' Wolf rush'd forth the bordering Wood,
The brindled hair rose stiff upon his chine,
Of ghastly deathly joy the dreadful sign,
His clinging sides declared his famish'd state,
And his deep howl proclaimed a Victim's fate,
T HE C OWARD FLED ! — My trembling hand forbear,
Nor with the shrieks of Terror rend the air! —
The Wolf's fell teeth — — but oh! I check the song,
Nor can the agonizing chord prolong!

The savage, starting from his bleeding prey,
Towards his haunt full fiercely sprang away,
The sounds approaching spoke swift Danger nigh,
And forced, too late! th' unglutted beast to fly.
The voice was Henry 's! he first reach'd the spot,
The first to reach it was his dreadful lot!
Her form all blood, deep wounds upon her head,
Her eyes were closed — no breath — E DWINA 's dead!
For ever dumb the mouth, whose honied speech
Beyond the Schoolman's eloquence could reach;
Those lovely beauteous arms now nerveless hang
Ah! Henry's tortures crave Death's soothing pang!
His piercing cries that round the country scour,
Through Nature's Sympathy possess such power
The notes of Agony strike terror more
Than the gaunt Wolf's most desolating roar.
In vain th' attempts to sooth! in vain they pray,
In grief convulsive he consumes the day,
Almost in Frenzy raging all around,
Till, spent and sunk exhausted on the ground,
His grief for vent in Utterance seeks range.
As Words and Sighs in struggle interchange.
In moaning sounds he courts thus drear relief —
" Woe to this Bank! for ever source of Grief,
Woe to this Bank! 'tis dyed with purest blood
That e'er from woman's heart discharged its flood! "
" Woe to the Bank! " th' attendants echoed round,
The pitying Shepherds caught the grief-fraught sound;
Thus to this hour, through every changing stage
Of each successive ever varying age,
Where Rocks of B UTTERMERE mark out the ground,
And grief seems B ASSANTHWAITE to murmur round,
The Name is given, as W OTOBANK is seen
From every Mountain bleak and Valley green
That neighbours S KIDDAW 's cloud-top'd monstrous height
O'er which the Eagles view it in their flight.
Not Rocks, and Alps, and pensive Lakes alone
Mark out the spot, and make its sorrows known,
The neighbouring youths ne'er pass, nor gentle maid,
But the soft due of tender Thought is paid;
Each can the story to the Traveller tell,
And on the dread disaster lingering dwell,
Of W OTOBANK , amongst its Swains mourn'd long,
Now, mourn'd by Strangers — through a S TRANGER 's Song!