Of summer-moons, the distant woods among, Or by some flood all silver'd with the gleam, The soft-embodied fays1 through airy portal stream. THE INTERIOR OF THE CASTLE. The doors that knew no shrill alarming bell, And everywhere huge cover'd tables stood, On the green bosom of this earth are found, You need but wish, and, instantly obey'd, Fair ranged the dishes rose, and thick the glasses play'd. Here freedom reign'd, without the least alloy; 1 fairies. To wit, that each should work his own desire, The rooms with costly tapestry were hung Pour'd forth at large the sweetly tortured heart; And taught charm'd echo to resound their smart ; While flocks, woods, streams around, repose and peace impart. Those pleased the most, where, by a cunning hand, What time Dan1 Abraham left the Chaldee land, And o'er vast plains their herds and flocks to feed: Bless'd sons of nature they! true golden age indeed! Sometimes the pencil, in cool airy halls, Bade the gay bloom of vernal landscapes rise, 1 Dan. A title of honor, often used by the old poets, as Dan Cupid, Dan Chaucer, etc. From Spanish don. And now rude mountains frown amid the skies; Whate'er Lorraine 1 light-touch'd with softening hue, Or savage Rosa 2 dash'd, or learned Poussin 3 drew. Each sound too here to languishment inclined At distance rising oft, by small degrees, It hung, and breath'd such soul-dissolving airs, A certain music, never known before, Here lull'd the pensive, melancholy mind; Full easily obtained. Behooves no more, But sidelong, to the gently waving wind, To lay the well-tuned instrument reclined; From which, with airy flying fingers light, Beyond each mortal touch the most refined, The god of winds drew sound of deep delight: Whence, with just cause, the harp of Æolus1 it hight. Ah me! what hand can touch the string so fine 1 Claude Lorraine, landscape painter, 1600-1682. 2 Salvator Rosa, painter, poet, musician, 1615–1673. 3 Nicolas Poussin, one of the most remarkable artists of his age, 15931665. The Eolian harp. So called from Eolus, the god of the winds. Being placed where a current of air strikes the strings, it produces irregular musical sounds. 5 A chord which includes all tones. pas, all. From Greek dia, through, and Such sweet, such sad, such solemn airs divine, Now rising love they fann'd; now pleasing dole 1 As when seraphic hands a hymn impart : SIR INDUSTRY. Amid the greenwood shade this boy was bred, Or the brown fruit with which the woodlands teem; The same to him glad summer, or the winter breme.1 So pass'd his youthly morning, void of care, He of the forest seem'd to be the son, With all the gods that love the rural wonne,5 1 grief, affliction. 2 much. 3 enterprise. 4 fierce, furious. 5 or woning-dwelling. 6 The nine Muses. Of fertile genius him they nurtured well, By which mankind the thoughtless brutes excel, That brace the nerves, or makes the limbs alert, And mix elastic force with firmness hard: Was never knight on ground mote be with him compared. Sometimes, with early morn, he mounted gay Or wheel'd the chariot in its mid career, Or strenuous wrestled hard with many a tough compeer. At other times he pried through nature's store, Or else he scann'd the globe, those small domains. Its seas, its floods, its mountains, and its plains; Nor would he scorn to stoop from high pursuits Of heavenly truth, and practice what she taught: 2 kingdoms. 1 either. |