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About, about, in reel and rout
The death-fires danced at night;
The water, like a witch's oils,
Burnt green and blue and white:

And some in dreams assured were
Of the spirit that plagued us so;
Nine fathom deep he had followed us
From the land of mist and snow.

130

A spirit had
followed
them; one of
the invisible
inhabitants
of this planet,
neither de-
parted souls

nor angels;
concerning

whom the learned Jew, Josephus, and the Platonic Constantinopolitan, Michael Psellus, may be consulted. They are very numerous, and there is no climate or element without one or more.

And every tongue, through utter drought 135

Was withered at the root;

We could not speak, no more than if

We had been choked with soot.

Ah! well a-day! what evil looks
Had I from old and young!
Instead of the cross, the albatross
About my neck was hung.

The shipmates, in their sore distress, 140 would fain throw the whole guilt on the ancient Mariner: in sign whereof they hang the dead seabird round his neck.

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At its nearer approach, it seemeth him to be a ship; and at a dear ransom he freeth his speech from the bonds of thirst.

A certain shape, I wist.

A speck, a mist, a shape, I wist!

And still it neared and neared:

As if it dodged a water-sprite,
It plunged and tacked and veered.

155

With throats unslaked, with black lips baked,
We could nor laugh nor wail;

Through utter drought all dumb we stood!

I bit my arm, I sucked the blood,

And cried, A sail! a sail!

160

With throats unslaked, with black lips baked,
Agape they heard me call:

Gramercy! they for joy did grin,

And all at once their breath drew in,

As they were drinking all.

See! see! (I cried) she tacks no more!
Hither to work us weal;

Without a breeze, without a tide,
She steadies with upright keel !
The western wave was all a-flame.
The day was well nigh done!
Almost upon the western wave

Rested the broad bright sun;

When that strange shape drove suddenly
Betwixt us and the sun.

165

170

And straight the sun was flecked with bars,
(Heaven's Mother send us grace!)

As if through a dungeon-grate he peered
With broad and burning face.

Alas! (thought I, and my heart beat loud)
How fast she nears and nears!

Are those her sails that glance in the sun,
Like restless gossameres?

Are those her ribs through which the sun
Did peer, as through a grate?

And is that woman all her crew?

Is that a Death? and are there two?

Is Death that woman's mate?

175

180

A flash of joy;

And horror follows. For can it be a ship that

comes onward without wind or tide?

It seemeth him but the skeleton of a

ship.

And its ribs are seen as bars on the 185 face of the

setting sun. The spectrewoman and her deathmate, and no other on board the skeletonship.

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September 28. 1841

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COLERIDGE.

THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER.

IN SEVEN PARTS.

FACILE credo, plures esse Naturas invisibiles quam visibiles in rerum universitate. Sed horum omnium familiam quis nobis enarrabit, et gradus et cognationes et discrimina et singulorum munera? Quid agunt? quæ loca habitant? Harum rerum notitiam semper ambivit ingenium humanum, nunquam attigit. Juvat, interea, non diffiteor, quandoque in animo, tanquam in tabula, majoris et melioris mundi imaginem contemplari: ne mens assuefacta hodiernæ vitæ minutiis se contrahat nimis, et tota subsidat in pusillas cogitationes. Sed veritati interea invigilandum est, modusque servandus, ut certa ab incertis, diem a nocte, distinguamus.-T. BURNET. ARCHEOL. PHIL. p. 68.

PART I.

Ir is an ancient Mariner,

And he stoppeth one of three.

An ancient Mariner meeteth

three gallants bidden

"By thy long gray beard and glittering eye, to a wedding

feast, and detaineth

Now wherefore stopp'st thou me?

The bridegroom's doors are opened wide,

5

And I am next of kin ;

The guests are met, the feast is set:

May'st hear the merry din.”

one.

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