Page images
PDF
EPUB

-Aurelius! turn that look afide,

I am

That brow of terror, while this wretch can fay,
Abhorrent fay, he is-Forgive me, heaven!
Forgive me, virtue! if I would renounce
Whom nature bids me reverence-by her bond,
Rolando's fon by your more facred ties,

:

As to his crimes, an alien to his blood;

385

For crimes like his

Rolando's fon? Just heaven!

Ha! here and in my power? A war of thoughts, 390 All terrible arifing, fhakes my frame

395

400

With doubtful conflict. By one stroke to reach
The father's heart, though feas are fpread between,
Were great revenge!-Away: revenge? on whom?
Alas! on my own foul; by rage betray'd
Ev'n to the crime my reafon moft condemns
In him who ruin'd me. Deep-mov'd he spoke ;.
And his own poniard o'er the prostrate youth
Sufpended held. But, as the welcome blow,
With arms difplay'd, Amyntor feem'd to court,
Behold, in fudden confluence gathering round
The natives ftood; whom kindness hither drew,
The man unknown, with each relieving aid
Of love and care, as ancient rites ordain,
To fuccour and to ferve. Before then came
Montano, venerable fage, whofe head
The hand of time with twenty winters' fnow
Had shower'd; and to whose intellectual eye
Futurity, behind her cloudy veil,

405

Stands in fair light difclos'd. Him, after pause, 410

[blocks in formation]

Aurelius drew apart, and in his care

Amyntor plac'd; to lodge him and fecure;
To fave him from himfelf, as one, with grief
Tempetuous, and with rage, distemper'd deep.
This done, nor waiting for reply, alone
He fought the vale, and his calm cottage gain'd.

W

CANT O III.

415

HERE Kilda's fouthern hills their fummit lift With triple fork to heaven, the mounted fun Full, from the midmost, shot in dazzling stream His noon-tide ray. And now, in lowing train, Were feen flow-pacing weftward o'er the vale The milky mothers, foot purfuing foot, And nodding as they move; their oozy meal, The bitter healthful herbage of the shore, Around its rocks to graze: * for, strange to tell! The hour of ebb, though ever varying found, As yon pale planet wheels from day to day Her course inconftant, their sure instinct feels, Intelligent of times; by heaven's own hand,

IQ

Τα

*The cows often feed on the alga marina: and they can distinguish exactly the tide of ebb from the tide of flood; though, at the fame time, they are not within view of the shore. When the tide has ebbed about two hours, then they fteer their courfe directly to the nearest fhore, in their ufual order, one after another. I had occafion to make this obfervation thirteen times in one week. Martin's Western Isles of Scotland, p. 156.

To all its creatures equal in its care,

Unerring mov'd. These figus obferv'd, that guide 15
To labour and repose a simple race,

Thefe native figns to due repast at noon,
Frugal and plain, had warn'd the temperate ifle:
All but Aurelius. He, unhappy man,

By nature's voice folicited in vain,

Nor hour obferv'd, nor due repast partook.
The child no more! the mother's fate untold!!
Both in black profpect rifing to his eye-

"Twas anguish there; 'twas here distracting doubt!
Yet, after long and painful conflict borne,
Where nature, reason, oft the doubtful scale

Inclin'd alternate, fummoning each aid

That virtue lends, and o'er each thought infirm

Superior rifing, in the might of Him,

20

25

Who ftrength from weakness, as from darkness light, 30 Omnipotent can draw; again refign'd,

Again he sacrific'd, to heaven's high will,

Each foothing weakness of a parent's breast ;

The figh foft memory prompts; the tender tear,

35

That, ftreaming o'er an object lov'd and loft,
With mournful magic tortures and delights,
Relieves us, while its sweet oppreffion loads,
And, by admitting, blunts the fting of woe.

As reafon thus the mental ftorm feren'd,
And through the darkness shot her fun-bright ray
That ftrengthens while it chears; behold from far
Amyntor flow-approaching! on his front,
O'er each funk feature forrow had diffus'd

40

Attraction,

Attraction, fweetly fad. His noble port,
Majestic in distress, Aurelius mark'd;
And, unrefifting, felt his bofom flow
With focial softness. Strait, before the door
Of his mofs-filver'd cell they fat them down
In counterview: and thus the youth began.

< With patient ear, with calm attention, mark
Amyntor's ftory: then, as juftice fees,
On either hand, her equal balance weigh,
Abfolve him, or condemn-But oh, may F,
A father's name, when truth forbids to praise,
Unblam'd pronounce? that name to every fon
By heaven made facred; and by Nature's hand,
With Honour, Duty, Love, her triple pale,
Fenc'd ftrongly round, to bar the rude approach
Of each irreverent thought.-Thefe eyes, alas!
The curs'd effects of fanguinary zeal

Too near beheld: its madness how extreme;
How blind its fury, by the prompting priest,
Each tyrant's ready inftrument of ill,

Train'd on to holy mifchief. Scene abhorr'd!
Fell Cruelty let loose in Mercy's name :
Intolerance, while o'er the free-born mind
Her heaviest chains were caft, her iron fcourge
Severeft hung, yet daring to appeal

45

50

55

60

65

That Power whofe law is meeknefs; and, for deeds That outrage heaven, belying heaven's command. 70 Flexile of will, misjudging, though fincere, Rolando caught the fpread infection, plung'd

Implicit into guilt, and headlong urg'd

His course unjust to violence and rage.

Unmanly rage! when nor the charm divine
Of Beauty, nor the Matron's facred age,
Secure from wrongs could innocence secure,
Found reverence or diftinction. Yet, fuftain'd
By conscious worth within, the matchless pair
Their threatening fate, imprisonment and scorn
And death denounc'd, unfhrinking, unfubdued
To murmur or complaint, fuperior bore,
With patient hope, with fortitude refign'd,
Not built on pride, not courting vain applause;
But calmly conftant, without effort great,

What reafon dictates, and what heaven approves.
But how proceed, Aurelius? in what sounds
Of gracious cadence, of affuafive power,
My further story clothe? O could I fteal
From Harmony her foftest-warbled strain
Of melting air! or Zephire's vernal voice!
Or Philomela's fong, when love diffolves
To liquid blandishment his evening-lay,

75

80

85

90

All nature fmiling round! then might I speak;
Then might Amyntor, unoffending, tell,
How unperceiv'd and secret through his breast,
As morning rifes o'er the midnight-fhade,
What first was ow'd humanity to both,

Affifting piety and tender thought,
Grew fwift and filent into love for one:
My fole offence-if love can then offend,

95

100

When virtue lights and reverence guards its flame.

O Theo

« PreviousContinue »