romantic ballads-第12节

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　three。

A　braver　being　ne'er　had　birth　Since　God　first　kneaded　man　from　earth：　O；　I　have　cause　to　know　him　well；　As　Ferroe's　blacken'd　rocks　can　tell。　Who　was　it　did；　at　Suderoe；　The　deed　no　other　dar'd　to　do？　Who　was　it；　when　the　Boff　｛31｝　had　burst；　And　whelm'd　me　in　its　womb　accurst　…　Who　was　it　dash'd　amid　the　wave；　With　frantic　zeal；　my　life　to　save？　Who　was　it　flung　the　rope　to　me？　O；　who；　but　honest　six…foot　three！

Who　was　it　taught　my　willing　tongue；　The　songs　that　Braga　｛32｝　fram'd　and　sung？　Who　was　it　op'd　to　me　the　store　Of　dark　unearthly　Runic　lore；　And　taught　me　to　beguile　my　time　With　Denmark's　aged　and　witching　rhyme：　To　rest　in　thought　in　Elvir　shades；　And　hear　the　song　of　fairy　maids；　Or　climb　the　top　of　Dovrefeld；　Where　magic　knights　their　muster　held？　Who　was　it　did　all　this　for　me？　O；　who；　but　honest　six…foot　three！

Wherever　fate　shall　bid　me　roam；　Far；　far　from　social　joy　and　home；　'Mid　burning　Afric's　desert　sands；　Or　wild　Kamschatka's　frozen　lands；　Bit　by　the　poison…loaded　breeze；　Or　blasts　which　clog　with　ice　the　seas；　In　lowly　cot　or　lordly　hall；　In　beggar's　rags　or　robes　of　pall；　'Mong　robber…bands　or　honest　men；　In　crowded　town　or　forest　den；　I　never　will　unmindful　be　Of　what　I　owe　to　six…foot　three。

That　form　which　moves　with　giant…grace；　That　wild；　though　not　unhandsome；　face；　That　voice　which　sometimes　in　its　tone　Is　softer　than　the　wood…dove's　moan；　At　others；　louder　than　the　storm　Which　beats　the　side　of　old　Cairn　Gorm；　｛33｝　That　hand；　as　white　as　falling　snow；　Which　yet　can　fell　the　stoutest　foe；　And；　last　of　all；　that　noble　heart；　Which　ne'er　from　honour's　path　would　start；　Shall　never　be　forgot　by　me　…　So　farewell；　honest　six…foot　three！



NATURE'S　TEMPERAMENTS。　FROM　THE　DANISH　OF　OEHLENSLAEGER。



SADNESS。

Lo；　a　pallid　fleecy　vapour　Far　along　the　East　is　spread；　Every　star　has　quench'd　its　taper；　Lately　glimmering　over　head。　On　the　leaves；　that　bend　so　lowly；　Drops　of　crystal　water　gleam；　Yawning　wide；　the　peasant　slowly　Drives　afield　his　sluggish　team。　Dreary　looks　the　forest；　lacking　Song　of　birds　that　slumber　mute；　No　rough　swain　is　yet　attacking；　With　his　bill；　the　beech's　root。　Night's　terrific　ghostly　hour　Backward　through　time's　circle　flies；　No　shrill　clock　from　moss…grown　tower　Bids　the　dead　men　wake　and　rise。　Wearied　out　with　midnight　riot　Mystic　Nature　slumbers　now；　Mouldering　bodies　rest　in　quiet；　'Neath　their　tomb…lids　damp　and　low；　Sad　and　chill　the　wind　is　sighing　Through　the　reeds　that　skirt　the　pool；　All　around　looks　dead　or　dying；　Wrapt　in　sorrow；　clad　in　dool。

GLEE。

Roseate　colours　on　heaven's　high　arch　Are　beginning　to　mix　with　the　blue　and　the　gray；　Sol　now　commences　his　wonderful　march；　And　the　forests'　wing'd　denizens　sing　from　the　spray。　Gaily　the　rose　Is　seen　to　unclose　Each　of　her　leaves　to　the　brightening　ray。　Waves　on　the　lake　Rise；　sparkle；　and　break：　O　Venus；　O　Venus；　thy　shrine　is　prepar'd；　Far　down　in　the　valley　o'erhung　by　the　grove；　Where；　all　the　day；　Philomel　warbles；　unscar'd；　Her　silver…ton'd　ditty　of　pleasure　and　love。

Innocence　smiling　out…carrols　the　lark；　And　the　bosom　of　guilt　becomes　tranquil　again；　Nightmares　and　visions；　the　fiends　of　the　dark；　Have　abandon'd　the　blood　and　have　flown　from　the　brain。　Higher　the　sun　Up　heaven　has　run；　Beaming　so　fierce　that　we　feel　him　with　pain；　Man；　herb；　and　flower；　Droop　under　his　power。　O　Venus；　O　Venus；　thy　shrine　is　prepar'd；　Far　down　in　the　valley　o'erhung　by　the　grove　Where；　all　the　day；　Philomel　warbles；　unscar'd；　Her　silver…ton'd　ditty　of　pleasure　and　love。

MADNESS。

What　darkens；　what　darkens？'t　is　heaven's　high　roof：　What　lightens？'t　is　Heckla's　flame；　shooting　aloof：　The　proud；　the　majestic；　the　rugged　old　Thor；　The　mightiest　giant　the　North　ever　saw；　Transform'd　to　a　mountain；　stands　there　in　the　field；　With　ice　for　his　corslet；　and　rock　for　his　shield；　With　thunder　for　voice；　and　with　fire　for　tongue；　He　stands　there；　so　frightful；　with　vapour　o'erhung。　On　that　other　side　of　the　boisterous　sea　Black　Vulcan；　as　haughty　as　ever　was　he；　Stands；　chang'd　to　a　mountain；　call'd　Etna　by　name；　Which　belches　continually　oceans　of　flame。　Much　blood　have　they　spilt；　and　much　harm　have　they　done；　For　both；　when　the　ancient　religions　were　gone；　Combin'd　their　wild　strength　to　destroy　the　new　race；　Who　were　boldly　beginning　their　shrines　to　deface。　O；　Jesus　of　Nazareth；　draw　forth　the　blade　Of　vengeance；　and　speed　to　thy　worshippers'　aid；　Beat　down　the　old　gods；　cut　asunder　their　mail　…　Amen！brother　Christians；　why　look　ye　so　pale。



THE　VIOLET…GATHERER。　FROM　THE　DANISH　OF　OEHLENSLAEGER。



Pale　the　moon　her　light　was　shedding　O'er　the　landscape　far　and　wide；　Calmly　bright；　all　ills　undreading；　Emma　wander'd　by　my　side。

Night's　sad　birds　their　harsh　notes　utter'd；　Perching　low　among　the　trees；　Emma's　milk…white　kirtle　flutter'd　Graceful　in　the　rising　breeze：

Then；　in　sweetness　more　than　mortal；　Sang　a　voice　a　plaintive　air；　As　we　pass'd　the　church's　portal；　Lo；　a　ghostly　form　stood　there！

〃Emma；　come；　thy　mother's　calling；　Lone　I　lie　in　night　and　gloom；　Whilst　the　sun　and　moon…beams；　falling；　Glance　upon　my　marble　tomb。〃

Emma　star'd　upon　the　figure；　…　Wish'd　to　speak；　but　vainly　tried；　Press'd　my　hand　with　loving　vigour；　Trembledfaulter'dgasp'dand　died！

Home　I　bore　my　luckless　maiden；　Home　I　bore　her　in　despair；　Chilly　blasts；　with　night…dew　laden；　Rustled　through　her　streaming　hair。

Plunging　then　amid　the　forest；　Soon　I　found　the　stately　tree；　Under　which；　when　heat　was　sorest；　She　was　wont　to　sit　with　me。

Down　my　cheek　ran　tears　in　fever；　While　with　axe　its　stem　I　cut；　Soon　it　fell；　and　I　with　lever　Roll'd　it　straight　to　Emma's　hut。

Kiss'd　her　oft；　and　love　empassion'd　Sung　a　song　in　wildest　tones；　While　the　oaken　boards　I　fashion'd；　Doom'd　to　hide　her　lovely　bones。

Thereupon　I　sought　the　bower；　Where　she　kept　her　single　hive；　Morning　shone　on　tree　and　flower；　All　around　me　look'd　alive。

Stung　by　bees　in　thousand　places；　Out　I　took　the　yellow　comb；　Emma；　deck'd　in　all　her　graces；　Past　my　vision　seem'd　to　roam。

Soon　of　wax　I　form'd　a　taper；　O'er　my　love　it　cast　its　ray；　'Till　the　night　came；　clad　in　vapour；　When　in　grave　I　laid　her　clay。

Deep　below　me　sank　the　coffin；　While　my　tears　fell　fast　as　rain；　Deep　it　sank；　and　I；　full　often；　Thought　to　heave　it　up　again。

Soon　as　e'er　the　stars；　so　merry；　Heaven's　arch　next　night　illum'd；　Sad　I　sought　the　cemetery；　Where　my　true　love　lay　entomb'd。

Then；　in　sweetness　more　than　mortal；　Sang　a　voice　a　plaintive　lay；　Underneath　the　church's　portal　Emma　stood　in　death　array。

〃Louis！　come！　thy　love　is　calling；　Lone　I　lie　in　night　and　gloom；　Whilst　the　sun　and　moon　beams；　falling；　Glance　upon　my　lowly　tomb。〃

〃Emma！　dear！〃　I　cried　in　gladness；　〃Take　me　too　beneath　the　sod；　Leave　me　not　to　pine　in　sadness；　Here　on　earth's　detested　clod。〃

〃Death　should　only　strike　the　hoary；　Yet；　my　Louis；　thou　shalt　die；　When　the　stars　again　in　glory；　Shine　upon　the　midnight　sky。〃

Tears　bedeck'd　her　long　eyelashes；　While　she　kiss'd　my　features　wan；　Then；　like　flame　that　dies　o'er　ashes；　All　at　once　the　maid　was　gone。

Therefore；　pluck　I　painted　violets；　Which　shall　strew　my　lifeless　clay；　When；　to　night；　the　stars　have　call'd　me　Unto　joys　that　last　for　aye。



ODE　TO　A　MOUNTAIN…TORRENT。　FROM　THE　GERMAN　OF　STOLBERG。



How　lovely　art　thou　in　thy　tresses　of　foam；　And　yet　the　warm　blood　in　my　bosom　grows　chill；　When　yelling　thou　rollest　thee　down　from　thy　home；　'Mid　the　boom　of　the　echoing　forest　and　hill。

The　pine…trees　are　shakenthey　yield　to　thy　shocks；　And　spread　their　vast　ruin　wide　over　the　ground；　The　rocks　fly　before　theethou　seizest　the　rocks；　And　whirl'st　them　like　pebbles　contemptuously　round。

The　sun…beams　have　cloth'd　thee　in　glorious　dyes；　They　streak　with　the　tints　of　the　heavenly　bow　Those　hovering　columns　of　vapour　that　rise　Forth　from　the　bubbling　cauldron　below。

But　why　art　thou　seeking　the　ocean's　dark　brine？　If　grandeur　makes　happiness；　sure　it　is　found；　When　forth　from　the　depths　of　the　rock…girdled　mine　Thou　boundest；　and　all　gives　response　to　thy　sound。

Beware　thee；　O　torrent；　of　yonder　dark　sea；　For　there　thou　must　crouch　beneath　tyranny's　rod；　Here　thou　art　lonely；　and　lovely；　and　free；　…　Loud　as　a　thunder…peal；　strong　as　a　god。

True；　it　is　pleasant；　at　eve　or　at　noon；　To　gaze　on　the　sea　and　its　far…winding　bays；　When　ting'd　with　the　light　of　the　wandering　moon；　Or　red　with　the　gold　of　the　midsummer　rays。

But；　torrent；　what　is　it？　what　is　it？behold　That　lustre　as　nought　but　a　bait　and　a　snare；　What　is　the　summer　sun's　purple　and　gold　To　him　who　breathes　not　in　pure　freedom　the　air。

Abandon；　abandon；　thy　headlong　career　…　But　downward　thou　rushestmy　words　are　in　vain；　Bethink　thee　that　oft…changing　winds　domineer　On　the　billowy　breast　of　the　time…serving　main。

Then　haste　not；　O　torrent；　to　yonder　dark　sea；　For　there　thou　must　crouch　beneath　tyranny's　rod；　Here　thou　art　lonely；　and　lovely；　and　free；　…　Loud　as　a　thunder…peal；　strong　as　a　god。



RUNIC　VERSES。



O　the　force　of　Runic　verses；　O　the　mighty　strength　of　song　Cannot　baffle　all　the　curses　Which　to　mortal　state　belong。

Slaughter'd　chiefs；　that　buried　under　Heaps　of　marble；　long　have　lain