Complete Poetical Works of Robert Southey

by Robert Southey

  Lament not him whom death may save from guilt;

  For in the conqueror thou art doom’d to find

  A foe, whom his own fears make perilous!

  I felt as though he wronged my father’s sons,

  And rais’d an angry eye, and answer’d him,...

  My brethren love me.

  Then the old man cried,

  Oh what is princes love? what are the ties

  Of blood, the affections growing as we grow,

  If but ambition come? Thou deemest sure

  Thy brethren love thee;.. ye have play’d together

  In childhood, shared your riper hopes and fears,

  Fought side by side in battle:... they may be

  Brave, generous, all that once their father was,

  Whom ye, I ween, call virtuous.

  At the name,

  With pious warmth I cried, Yes, he was good,

  And great and glorious! Gwyneth’s ancient annals

  Boast not a name more noble: in the war

  Fearless he was,.. the Saxon prov’d him so;

  Wise was his counsel; and no supplicant

  For justice ever from his palace-gate

  Unrighted turned away. King Owen’s name

  Shall live to after-times without a blot!

  There were two brethren once of kingly line,

  The old man replied: they lov’d each other well,

  And, when the one was at his dying hour,

  It then was comfort to him that he left

  So dear a brother, who would duly pay

  A father’s duties to his orphan boy.

  And sure he loved the orphan, and the boy

  With all a child’s sincerity lov’d him,

  And learnt to call him father: so the years

  Went on, till, when the orphan gain’d the age

  Of manhood, to the throne his uncle came.

  The young man claimed a fair inheritance,

  His father’s lands; and... mark what follows, prince!

  At midnight he was seiz’d, and to his eyes

  The brazen plate was held.... He look’d around

  His prison room for help; he only saw

  The ruffian forms, who to the red-hot brass

  Forced his poor eyes, and held the open lids,

  Till the long agony consum’d the sense;

  And, when their hold relax’d, it had been worth

  The wealth of worlds if he could then have seen

  Their ruffian faces!.. I am blind, young prince,

  And I can tell how sweet a thing it is

  To see the blessed light!

  Must more be told?

  What further agonies he yet endur’d?

  Or hast thou known the consummated crime,

  And heard Cynetha’s fate?

  A painful glow

  Inflam’d my cheek, and for my father’s crime,

  I felt the shame of guilt. The dark-brow’d man

  Beheld the burning flush, the uneasy eye,

  That knew not where to rest. Come! we will search

  The slain! arising from his seat, he said.

  I follow’d; to the field of fight we went,

  And over steeds, and arms, and men, we held

  Our way in silence. Here it was, quoth he,

  The fiercest war was waged; lo! in what heaps

  Man upon man fell slaughter’d! Then my heart

  Smote me, and my knees shook; for I beheld

  Where, on his conquer’d foemen, Hoel lay.

  He paus’d; his heart was full, and on his tongue

  The imperfect utterance died; a general gloom

  Sadden’d the hall, and David’s cheek grew pale.

  Commanding first his nature, Madoc broke

  The oppressive silence.

  Then Cadwallon took

  My hand, and, pointing to his dwelling, cried,

  Prince, go and rest thee there, for thou hast need

  Of rest:.. the care of sepulture be mine.

  Nor did I then comply, refusing rest,

  Till I had seen in holy ground inearth’d

  My poor, lost brother. Wherefore, he exclaim’d,

  (And I was aw’d by his severer eye,)

  Wouldst thou be pampering thy distempered mind?

  Affliction is not sent in vain, young man,

  From that good God, who chastens whom he loves!

  Oh! there is healing in the bitter cup!

  Go yonder, and before the unerring will

  Bow, and have comfort! To the hut I went,

  And there, beside the lonely mountain stream,

  I veiled my head, and brooded on the past.

  He tarried long; I felt the hours pass by,

  As in a dream of morning, when the mind,

  Half to reality awaken’d, blends

  With airy visions and vague phantasies

  Her dim perception; till at length his step

  Aroused me, and he came. I question’d him,

  Where is the body? hast thou bade the priests

  Perform due masses for his soul’s repose?

  He answer’d me, The rain and dew of heaven

  Will fall upon the turf that covers him,

  And greener grass shall flourish on his grave.

  But rouse thee, prince! there will be hours enough

  For mournful memory;.. It befits thee now

  Take counsel for thyself:.. the son of Owen

  Lives not in safety here.

  I bowed my head,

  Oppressed by heavy thoughts: all wretchedness

  The present; darkness on the future lay;

  Fearful and gloomy both. I answer’d not.

  Hath power seduced thy wishes? he pursu’d,

  And wouldst thou seize upon thy father’s throne?

  Now God forbid! quoth I. Now God forbid!

  Quoth he;... but thou art dangerous, prince! and what

  Shall shield thee from the jealous arm of power?

  Think of Cynetha!.. the unsleeping eye

  Of justice hath not clos’d upon his wrongs;...

  At length the avenging arm is gone abroad,...

  One woe is past,.. woe after woe comes on,..

  There is no safety here,.. here thou must be

  The victim or the murderer! Does thy heart

  Shrink from the alternative?.. Look round!.. behold

  What shelter,.. whither wouldst thou fly for peace?

  What if the asylum of the church were safe,..

  Were there no better purposes ordain’d

  For that young arm, that heart of noble hopes?

  Son of our kings,.. of old Cassibelan,

  Great Caratach, immortal Arthur’s line...

  Oh! shall the blood of that heroic race

  Stagnate in cloister-sloth?.. Or wouldst thou leave

  Thy native isle, and beg, in awkward phrase,

  Some foreign sovereign’s charitable grace,..

  The Saxon or the Frank,.. and earn his gold,..

  The hireling in a war whose cause thou know’st not,

  Whose end concerns not thee?

  I sate and gaz’d,

  Following his eye with wonder, as he paced

  Before me to and fro, and listening still,

  Though now he paced in silence. But anon,

  The old man’s voice and step awaken’d us,

  Each from his thought; I will come out, said he,

  That I may sit beside the brook, and feel

  The comfortable sun. As he came forth,

  I could not choose but look upon his face:

  Gently on him had gentle nature laid

  The weight of years! all passions that disturb

  Were passed away; the stronger lines of grief

  Soften’d and settled, till they told of grief

  By patient hope and piety subdued.

  His eyes, which had their hue and brightness left,

  Fix’d lifelessly, or objectless they roll’d,r />
  Nor moved by sense, nor animate with thought.

  On a smooth stone, beside the stream, he took

  His wonted seat in the sunshine. Thou hast lost

  A brother, prince, he cried,.. or the dull ear

  Of age deceiv’d me. Peace be with his soul!

  And may the curse that lies upon the house

  Of Owen turn away! wilt thou come hither,

  And let me feel thy face?.. I wonder’d at him;

  Yet, while his hand perus’d my lineaments,

  Deep awe and reverence fill’d me. O my God.

  Bless this young man! he cried: a perilous state

  Is his;.. but let not thou his father’s sins

  Be visited on him!

  I rais’d my eyes,

  Inquiring, to Cadwallon: Nay, young prince,

  Despise not thou the blind man’s prayer! he cried;

  It might have given thy father’s dying hour

  A hope, that sure he needed!.. for, know thou,

  It is the victim of thy father’s crime,

  Who asks a blessing on thee!

  At his feet

  I fell, and clasped his knees: he rais’d me up;..

  Blind as I was, a mutilated wretch,

  A thing, that nature owns not, I surviv’d,

  Loathing existence, and, with impious voice,

  Accused the will of Heaven, and groan’d for death.

  Years passed away: this universal blank

  Became familiar, and my soul repos’d

  On God, and I had comfort in my prayers.

  But there were blessings for me yet in store:

  Thy father knew not, when his bloody fear

  All hope of an avenger had cut off,

  How there existed then an unborn babe,

  Child of my lawless love. Year after year

  I liv’d a lonely and forgotten wretch,

  Before Cadwallon knew his father’s fate,

  Long years and years before I knew my son;

  For never, till his mother’s dying hour,

  Learnt he his dangerous birth. He sought me then;

  He woke my soul once more to human ties:...

  I hope he hath not wean’d my heart from heaven,

  Life is so precious now!...

  Dear, good old man!

  And lives he still? Goervyl asked, in tears.

  Madoc replied, I scarce can hope to find

  A father’s welcome at my distant home.

  I left him full of days, and ripe for death;

  And the last prayer Cynetha breath’d upon me

  Went like a death-bed blessing to my heart!

  When evening came, toward the echoing shore

  I and Cadwallon walked together forth:

  Bright with dilated glory shone the west;

  But brighter lay the ocean-flood below,

  The burnish’d silver sea, that heav’d and flash’d

  Its restless rays, intolerably bright.

  Prince, quoth Cadwallon, thou hast rode the wave

  In triumph, when the invaders felt thine arm.

  Oh, what a nobler conquest might be won

  There,.. upon that wide field!.. What meanest thou?

  I cried.... That yonder waters are not spread

  A boundless waste, a bourn impassable!..

  That man should rule the Elements!.. that there

  Might manly courage, manly wisdom find

  Some happy isle, some undiscover’d shore,

  Some resting-place for peace... Oh that my soul

  Could seize the wings of Morning! soon would I

  Behold that other world, where yonder sun:

  Speeds now, to dawn in glory!

  As he spake,

  Conviction came upon my startled mind,

  Like lightning on the midnight traveller.

  I caught his hand;.. Kinsman, and guide, and friend,

  Yea, let us go together! Down we sate,

  Full of the vision, on the echoing shore,

  One only object filled ear, eye, and thought:

  We gazed upon the awful world of waves,

  And talked and dreamt of years that were to come.

  IV.

  Not with a heart unmov’d I left thy shores,

  Dear native isle! oh, not without a pang,

  As thy fair uplands lessened on the view,

  Cast back the long, involuntary look!

  The morning cheer’d our outset; gentle airs

  Curl’d the blue deep, and bright the summer sun

  Played o’er the summer ocean, when our barks

  Began their way.

  And they were gallant barks,

  As ever through the raging billows rode!

  And many a tempest’s buffeting they bore.

  Their sails all swelling with the eastern breeze,

  Their tighten’d cordage clattering to the mast,

  Steady they rode the main; the gale aloft

  Sung in the shrouds, the sparkling waters hiss’d

  Before, and froth’d, and whiten’d far behind.

  Day after day, with one auspicious wind,

  Right to the setting sun we held our way.

  My hope had kindled every heart; they blest

  The unvarying breeze, whose unabating strength

  Still sped us onward; and they said that heaven

  Favour’d the bold emprize.

  How many a time,

  Mounting the mast-tower-top, with eager ken

  They gazed, and fancied in the distant sky,

  Their promis’d shore, beneath the evening cloud,

  Or seen, low lying, through the haze of morn.

  I, too, with eyes as anxious watch’d the waves,

  Though patient, and prepar’d for long delay;

  For not on wild adventure had I rush’d,

  With giddy speed, in some delirious fit

  Of fancy; but in many a tranquil hour

  Weighed well the attempt, till hope matur’d to faith.

  Day after day, day after day the same,..

  A weary waste of waters! Still the breeze

  Hung heavy in our sails, and we held on

  One even course; a second week was gone,

  And now another past, and still the same,

  Waves beyond waves, the interminable sea!

  What marvel, if at length the mariners

  Grew sick with long expectance? I beheld

  Dark looks of growing restlessness, I heard

  Distrust’s low murmurings; nor avail’d it long

  To see, and not perceive. Shame had awhile

  Repressed their fear, till, like a smother’d fire,

  It burst, and spread with quick contagion round,

  And strengthened as it spread. They spake in tones

  Which might not be mistaken.. they had done

  What men dar’d do, ventur’d where never keel

  Had cut the deep before; still all was sea,

  The same unbounded ocean!.. to proceed

  Were tempting heaven.

  I heard with feigned surprise,

  And, pointing then to where our fellow-bark,

  Gay with her fluttering streamers and full sails,

  Rode, as in triumph, o’er the element,

  I ask’d them what their comrades there would deem

  Of those so bold ashore, who, when a day,

  Perchance an hour, might crown their glorious toil,

  Shrunk then, and coward-like return’d to meet

  Mockery and shame? true, they had ventured on

  In seas unknown, beyond wherever man

  Had plough’d the billows yet: more reason so

  Why they should now, like him whose happy speed

  Well nigh hath run the race, with higher hope

  Press onward to the prize. But late they said,

  Marking the favour of the steady gale,

  That heaven was with us; heaven vouchsafed us still

  Fair seas
and favouring skies; nor need we pray

  For other aid; the rest was in ourselves;

  Nature had given it, when she gave to man

  Courage and constancy.

  They answered not,

  Awhile obedient; but I saw with dread

  The silent sullenness of cold assent.

  Then with what fearful eagerness I gazed,

  At earliest daybreak, o’er the distant deep!

  How sick at heart with hope, when evening closed,

  Gaz’d through the gathering shadows!... but I saw

  The sun still sink below the endless waves,

  And still at morn, beneath the farthest sky,

  Unbounded ocean heav’d. Day after day,

  Before the steady gale we drove along,...

  Day after day! The fourth week now had passed;

  Still all around was sea,.. the eternal sea!

  So long that we had voyaged on so fast,

  And still at morning where we were at night,

  And where we were at morn, at nightfall still,

  The centre of that drear circumference,

  Progressive, yet no change!.. almost it seem’d

  That we had passed the mortal bounds of space,

  And speed was toiling in infinity.

  My days were days of fear; my hours of rest

  Were like a tyrant’s slumber. Sullen looks,

  Eyes turned on me, and whispers meant to meet

  My ear, and loud despondency, and talk

  Of home, now never to be seen again,..

  I suffered these, dissembling as I could,

  Till that availed no longer. Resolute

  The men came round me:.. They had shown enough

  Of courage now, enough of constancy;

  Still to pursue the desperate enterprize

  Were impious madness! they had deem’d, indeed,

  That heaven in favour gave the unchanging gale;..

  More reason now to think offended God,

  When man’s presumptuous folly strove to pass

  The fated limits of the world, had sent

  His winds to waft us to the death we sought.

  Their lives were dear, they bade me know, and they

  Many, and I, the obstinate, but one.

  With that, attending no reply; they hail’d

  Our fellow-bark, and told their fix’d resolve.

  A shout of joy approved. Thus, desperate now,