XLIV.

Various and strange was the long-winded tale;

And halls, and knights, and feats of arms, displayed; Or merry swains, who quaff the nut-brown ale,

And sing, enamoured of the nut-brown maid;

The moon-light revel of the fairy glade;

Or hags, that suckle an infernal brood,

And ply in caves the unutterable trade,

'Midst fiends and spectres, quench the moon in blood, Yell in the midnight storm, or ride the infuriate flood.

XLV.

But when to horror his amazement rose,

A gentler strain the Beldam would rehearse,
A tale of rural life, a tale of woes,

The orphan-babes, and guardian uncle fierce.

O cruel! will no pang of pity pierce

That heart by lust of lucre seared to stone!
For sure, if aught of virtue last, or verse,

To latest times shall tender souls bemoan

Those helpless orphan-babes by thy fell arts undone.

XLVI.

Behold, with berries smeared, with brambles torn,
The babes, now famished, lay them down to die;
'Midst the wild howl of darksome woods forlorn,
Folded in one another's arms they lie;

Nor friend, nor stranger, hears their dying cry :
For from the town the man returns no more.'
But thou, who Heaven's just vengeance darest defy,
This deed with fruitless tears shalt soon deplore,

When Death lays waste thy house, and flames consume

thy store.

XLVII.

A stifled smile of stern vindictive joy

Brightened one moment Edwin's starting tear.—
But why should gold man's feeble mind decoy,
'And innocence thus die by doom severe ?'
O Edwin! while thy heart is yet sincere,
The assaults of discontent and doubt repel :
Dark even at noontide is our mortal sphere;
But let us hope; to doubt, is to rebel;

Let us exult in hope, that all shall yet be well.

XLVIII.

Nor be thy generous indignation checked,

Nor checked the tender tear to misery given;

From Guilt's contagious power shall that protect, This soften and refine the soul for heaven.

But dreadful is their doom, whom doubt hath driven
To censure Fate, and pious hope forego;

Like yonder blasted boughs by lightning riven,
Perfection, beauty, life, they never know,

But frown on all that pass, a monument of woe.

XLIX.

Shall he, whose birth, maturity, and age,

Scarce fill the circle of one summer-day,

Shall the poor gnat, with discontent and rage,
Exclaim that Nature hastens to decay,

If but a cloud obstruct the solar ray,

If but a momentary shower descend!

Or shall frail man Heaven's dread decree gainsay, Which bade the series of events extend

Wide through unnumbered worlds, and ages without

end!

L.

One part, one little part, we dimly scan,
Through the dark medium of life's feverish dream;

Yet dare arraign the whole stupendous plan,

If but that little part incongruous seem.

Nor is that part, perhaps, what mortals deem;
Oft from apparent ill our blessings rise.

O then, renounce that impious self-esteem,
That aims to trace the secrets of the skies:

For thou art but of dust; be humble, and be wise..

LI.

Thus, Heaven enlarged his soul in riper years.
For Nature gave him strength, and fire, to soar,
On Fancy's wing above this vale of tears;
Where dark cold-hearted sceptics, creeping, pore
Through microscope of metaphysic lore:
And much they grope for truth, but never hit.
For why? their powers, inadequate before,

This art preposterous renders more unfit;

Yet deem they darkness light, and their vain blunders

wit.

LII.

Nor was this ancient dame a foe to mirth.

Her ballad, jest, and riddle's quaint device,

Oft cheered the shepherds round their social hearth;
Whom levity or spleen could ne'er entice

To purchase chat or laughter at the price
Of decency. Nor let it faith exceed,

That Nature forms a rustic taste so nice.
Ah! had they been of court or city breed,
Such delicacy were right marvellous indeed.

LIII.

Oft when the winter-storm had ceased to rave,
He roamed the snowy waste at even, to view
The cloud stupendous, from the Atlantic wave
High-towering, sail along the horizon blue:
Where, 'midst the changeful scenery ever new,
Fancy a thousand wondrous forms descries,
More wildly great than ever pencil drew;

Rocks, torrents, gulfs, and shapes of giant size,

And glittering cliffs on cliffs, and fiery ramparts rise..