Part 12 (1/2)

It was not when the Sun through the glittering sky, In summer's joyful majesty, Look'd from his cloudless height;-- It was not when the Sun was sinking down, And tinging the ruin's mossy brown With gleams of ruddy light;-- Nor yet when the Moon, like a pilgrim fair, 'Mid star and planet journeyed slow, And, mellowing the stillness of the air, Smiled on the world below;-- That, MELROSE! 'mid thy mouldering pride, All breathless and alone, I grasped the dreams to day denied, High dreams of ages gone!-- Had unshrieved guilt for one moment been there, His heart had turn'd to stone!

For oft, though felt no moving gale, Like restless ghost in glimmering shroud, Through lofty Oriel opening pale Was seen the hurrying cloud; And, at doubtful distance, each broken wall Frown'd black as bier's mysterious pall From mountain-cave beheld by ghastly seer; It seem'd as if sound had ceased to be; Nor dust from arch, nor leaf from tree, Relieved the noiseless ear.

The owl had sailed from her silent tower, Tweed hush'd his weary wave, The time was midnight's moonless hour, My seat a dreaded Douglas' grave!

My being was sublimed by joy, My heart was big, yet I could not weep; I felt that G.o.d would ne'er destroy The mighty in their tranced sleep.

Within the pile no common dead Lay blended with their kindred mould; Theirs were the hearts that pray'd, or bled, In cloister dim, on death-plain red, The pious and the bold.

There slept the saint whose holy strains Brought seraphs round the dying bed; And there the warrior, who to chains Ne'er stoop'd his crested head.

I felt my spirit sink or swell With patriot rage or lowly fear, As battle-trump, or convent-bell, Rung in my tranced ear.

But dreams prevail'd of loftier mood, When stern beneath the chancel high My country's spectre-monarch stood, All sheath'd in glittering panoply; Then I thought with pride what n.o.ble blood Had flow'd for the hills of liberty.

High the resolves that fill the brain With transports trembling upon pain, When the veil of time is rent in twain, That hides the glory past!

The scene may fade that gave them birth, But they perish not with the peris.h.i.+ng earth, For ever shall they last.

And higher, I ween, is that mystic might That comes to the soul from the silent night, When she walks, like a disembodied spirit, Through realms her sister shades inherit, And soft as the breath of those blessed flowers That smile in Heaven's unfading bowers, With love and awe, a voice she hears Murmuring a.s.surance of immortal years.

In hours of loneliness and woe Which even the best and wisest know, How leaps the lighten'd heart to seize On the bliss that comes with dreams like these!

As fair before the mental eye The pomp and beauty of the dream return, Dejected virtue calms her sigh, And leans resign'd on memory's urn.

She feels how weak is mortal pain, When each thought that starts to life again, Tells that she hath not lived in vain.

For Solitude, by Wisdom woo'd, Is ever mistress of delight, And even in gloom or tumult view'd, She sanctifies their living blood Who learn her lore aright.

The dreams her awful face imparts, Unhallowed mirth destroy; Her griefs bestow on n.o.ble hearts A n.o.bler power of joy.

While hope and faith the soul thus fill, We smile at chance distress, And drink the cup of human ill In stately happiness.

Thus even where death his empire keeps Life holds the pageant vain, And where the lofty spirit sleeps, There lofty visions reign.

Yea, often to night-wandering man A pow'r fate's dim decrees to scan, In lonely trance by bliss is given; And midnight's starless silence rolls A giant vigour through our souls, That stamps us sons of Heaven.

Then, MELROSE! Tomb of heroes old!

Blest be the hour I dwelt with thee; The visions that can ne'er be told That only poets in their joy can see, The glory born above the sky The deep-felt weight of sanct.i.ty!

Thy ma.s.sy towers I view no more Through brooding darkness rising h.o.a.r, Like a broad line of light dim seen Some sable mountain-cleft between!

Since that dread hour, hath human thought A thousand gay creations brought Before my earthly eye; I to the world have lent an ear, Delighted all the while to hear The voice of poor mortality.

Yet, not the less doth there abide Deep in my soul a holy pride, That knows by whom it was bestowed, Lofty to man, but low to G.o.d; Such pride as hymning angels cherish, Blest in the blaze where man would perish.

EXTRACT FROM AN UNFINISHED POEM, ENt.i.tLED ”THE HEARTH.”

My soul, behold the beauty of his home!

The very heavens look down with gracious smiles Upon its holy rest. How bright a green Sleeps round the dwelling of two loving hearts!

The air lies hush'd above the peaceful roof, As if it felt the sanct.i.ty within.

On glides the river with a tranquil flow, Delighting in his music, as he bathes The happy bounds where happiness doth stray.

--I see them sitting by each other's side, In the heart's silent secrecy! I hear The breath of meditation from their souls.

They speak: a soft, subduing tenderness, Born of devotion, innocence and bliss, Steals from their bosoms in a silver voice That makes a pious hymning melody.

They look: a gleam of light as sadly sweet As if they listen'd to some mournful tale, Swims in their eyes that almost melt to tears.

They smile: oh! never did such languor steal From l.u.s.tre of two early-risen stars When all the silent heavens appear their own.

And lo! an infant shews his gladsome face!

His beautiful and s.h.i.+ning golden head Lies on his mother's bosom, like a rose Fallen on a lilied bank. A dewy light Meets the soft smiling of his upward eye, As in the playful restlessness of joy He clings around her neck, and fondly strives To reach the kisses mantling from her soul.

--And now, the baby in his cradle sleeps, Hush'd by his mother's prayer! How soft her tread Falls, like a snow-flake, on the noiseless floor!