Shall snatch its rays FROM IMMORTALITY!
THE CAVERN OF WOE.
As REASON, fairest daughter of the skies,
Explor’d the vale, where mortal mis’ry lies;
Led on by FORTITUDE, with eye serene,
She mark’d each object of the varying scene;
In ev’ry maze of busy LIFE she found
Some hidden SNARE, some agonizing WOUND;
For each her hand display’d a precious balm,
Whose pow’r divine the tortur’d soul could calm;
Till midway, on a rock of dreadful height,
The CAVE of CURELESS WOE assail’d her wond’ring sight!
On the bleak threshold, with’ring and forlorn,
Heart-wounded MELANCHOLY sat reclin’d!
The rude blast scatter’d her dishevel’d hair;
Round her cold brow the deadly NIGHTSHADE twin’d!
Near, on a craggy point, stood wild DESPAIR,
Whose pangs supreme all lesser miseries scorn!
And as the gaunt tormentor, smiling, view’d
The pensive child of Sorrow, soul-subdu’d;
With taunting mien, she beckon’d from below
The fierce, relentless BANDS, of DESOLATING WOE!
First, swift as lightning up the flinty steep
IMPATIENCE flew, barefooted, out of breath;
Scorning the perils of the dreadful sweep;
Heedless of wounding THORNS, and threat’ning DEATH.
Eager to rush the foremost of the train,
She FEAR’D not danger, and she FELT not pain:
With longing eye she view’d the tow’ring height;
From PEAK to PEAK, quick climbing with delight,
She PASS’D the FATAL CAVE; then turning short,
Fell headlong from the rock, OF EV’RY FIEND THE SPORT!
Then HORROR darted forth, in wild amaze!
Her hair erect, with pois’nous HEMLOCK bound;
Her straining eye-balls flashing fires around,
While NATURE trembled at her potent gaze!
Swift to the dizzy precipice she flew,
As, aiming with impetuous force to throw
Her giant form amidst the gulph below!
When, from an ivy’d nook obscure, PALE FEAR
Peep’d forth, slow whisp’ring to her startled ear,
“Think not the pow’r of DEATH THY mis’ries will subdue!”
Then HORROR bent her blood-shot eyes below,
Where, by a group of DEMONS compass’d round,
Lay SUICIDE ACCURS’D! from many a wound
On his bare bosom did life’s fountain flow!
Now SHAME, with cheeks by burning blushes fir’d,
And skulking COWARDICE, in haste retir’d!
While CONSCIENCE plac’d beneath his fev’rish head
A pillow dire, with THORNS and NETTLES spread;
And guilt, with all the SCORPIONS of her train,
Oped to his fainting eyes ETERNITY of PAIN!
Then LUXURY approach’d on couch of down!
Drawn by her offspring, FOLLY and DISEASE,
Flush’d PLEASURE decking her with ROSEATE crown,
And bow’d OBEDIENCE, ever prone to please,
Waiting her nod! languid she seemed, and pale,
Restless, and sated with voluptuous fare;
Beside her pillow, hung with trappings rare,
Stood trembling PALSY, ready to assail;
And writhing AGONY, and slow DECAY,
And hood-winked VICE abhorr’d, that shunn’d the EYE OF DAY.
Next, with a solemn, slow, and feeble pace,
Came silent POVERTY, in tatter’d vest!
The frequent tears, that glisten’d on her breast,
Had fretted channels down her meagre face!
A rabble crew of IDIOTS dinn’d her ear:
While mean REPROACH came smiling in the rear.
With firm, yet modest look, she pass’d along;
Nor sought relief, nor mark’d the taunting throng;
While her wrung heart, still scorning to complain,
SUPPRESS’D the rending groan, and throbb’d WITH PROUD DISDAIN.
Close at her heels, insidious ENVY CREPT;
The IMP, deform’d, and horrible in shape,
Mock’d, when the slow-consuming victim wept,
Pointing, and grinning, like a wither’d APE:
About her throat, the ASP DETRACTION clung,
Scatt’ring destructive poisons from her tongue!
She wav’d a BLASTED LAUREL o’er her head,
Stol’n from the SACRED ASHES of the DEAD;
Inly she pin’d; while in her panting breast,
Shrunk IGNORANCE struck its fangs, to BANISH GENTLE REST.
In a lone corner, almost hid in shade,
With downcast eye, sat UNREQUITED LOVE!
As from their hollow cell the slow tears stray’d,
A willow garland for his brow he wove!
Low at his feet, bare MADNESS laid his head,
Rattling his chains, upon his flinty bed!
Rous’d from his stupor, by the clanking sound,
The pensive youth gaz’d fearfully around;
And wond’ring to behold such mis’ry near,
FORGOT his mournful WREATH, and dropp’d a PITYING TEAR.
Now, lab’ring up the flinty winding road,
Laden with treasure, bending to the ground,
Appear’d lean AVARICE! the pond’rous load
Seem’d his weak shoulders every step to wound:
One thread-bare garb hung on his aged form;
Scant covering from the bleak and wintry storm!
Before him FAMINE went, a THING DECAY’D;
And dark SUSPICION, grasping at a shade!
While FRAUD, low crawling, mock’d the reptile’s art,
PILFER’D the scatter’d GOLD, AND WRUNG THE MISER’S HEART!
Next came DECEIT, with smooth and fawning tongue,
Glozing with praises every thing debas’d;
To shield her breast, a flattering mirror hung;
A TINSEL zone shone dazzling round her waist!
Her HAND, conceal’d beneath her flimsy vest,
Clasp’d a keen dagger, ready to destroy;
Content she SEEM’D, though, in her cunning breast,
Her coward soul shrunk from the touch of joy;
Her humble voice the list’ning ear beguil’d,
While, with infernal ART, SHE MURDER’D AS SHE SMIL’D.
Now, through the CAVERN rush’d, with iron hand,
OPPRESSION INSOLENT! his arm he rais’d,
Waving his spear, with absolute command,
While ev’ry subject FIEND retir’d, amaz’d!
At awful distance, trembling, prostrate round,
The sons of pining SLAV’RY kiss’d the ground;
Till darting forward, o’er the abject crowd,
With voice exulting, menacing, and loud,
INSATIATE VENGEANCE snatch’d the up-rais’d lance,
While bold OPPRESSION’S ARM FELL NERVELESS AT HIS GLANCE.
Next, PRIDE came forward, gorgeously array’d;
His brow a starry wreath of GEMS compress’d;
In his right hand a SCEPTRE he display’d;
A robe of costly ERMINE wrapp’d his breast!
Enthron’d, sublime, above the wond’ring race,
Immortal beauties seem’d to deck his face!
His eye assum’d pre-eminence of sway;
He reign’d the GILDED IDOL of the day;
Till DEATH, HIS dread supremacy to show,
Struck at the vaunting wretch, AND LAID HIS SCEPTRE LOW.
Now, rattling o’er the teeming plains afar,
Came glitt’ring WEALTH, in his resplendent car!
His rapid course swift-footed TOIL pursu’d
With sinewy limbs, and brown sun-freckled breast:
The lord of luxury his vassal view�
��d,
And, smiling, lifted high his haughty crest!
But, when neglected TOIL at length retir’d,
The short-liv’d glories of his brow expir’d;
Around, his eager eyes he roll’d in vain;
INGRATITUDE appear’d, AND CLAIM’D HER TURN TO REIGN!
At her approach, the FATAL CAVERN rung:
Loud shouts of horror rent the vaulted stone!
ALL LESSER FIENDS their heads in sorrow hung;
OMIPOTENT IN ILL, she grasp’d the INFERNAL THRONE!
THEN REASON mark’d her blest ASSOCIATE fly;
And shudd’ring at the SCENE, RESOUGHT HER NATIVE SKY!
SOLITUDE.
HAIL, SOLITUDE serene! thou nurse of thought!
To whom the weary mind retires, to taste
The blissful hour of exquisite repose!
Thou, who delight’st to dwell in silent woods,
Whose variegated foliage hangs its shade
O’er the rude margin of the mountain’s brow;
Or, interwoven, down its sloping side,
Spreads the dim horrors of a mid-day night!
Hail, pensive SOLITUDE! whose footsteps stray
Along the pebbly borders of the main,
When from the eastern clouds the SUN darts forth.
Lifting his glorious canopy of fire
Above the pale horizon, spreading round
A living world of undulating Light!
Or seek’st the cool, and unfrequented bow’r,
The bushy dell, or the dew-spangl’d grot,
When the fierce LORD OF NOON, with flaming eye,
Rolls furious o’er the sapphire floor of heav’n;
Or downward shoots his shaft of glitt’ring fire,
Upon the sultry heath, and thirsty mead,
To drink the ling’ring tears of MORN, that shine
On the young flowret’s aromatic breast:
Or, when, with humid hand, her purple robe
Meek TWILIGHT draw’s, across the mountain’s brow,
Veiling its golden crest, in dusky shade
Of cold, oblivious gloom, thou lov’st to sit,
And watch the lamp of night, ethereal borne,
Glide o’er the cavern’d cliff, whose torrents roar
Down its stupendous sides, and foam to reach
The desolated VALLEY, lost below!
THEN wilt thou trace, with FANCY’S tearful eye,
The once delicious scene; the rural cot;
The village house of pray’r; the sun-burnt HIND
The lowly children of the rushy roof;
The flocks; the herds; and all the golden pride
Of glowing AUTUMN, whelm’d beneath the flood.
O SACRED SOLITUDE! amidst thy scenes
Of rapture infinite, thy ills are these:
The ruthless cataract; the midnight blast;
The death-wing’d tempest; and the with’ring bolt
Of Heaven-avenging wrath! Nor art THOU only,
Destin’d to endure, in solitary shades,
The sad diversity of direful woe!
The sweeping hurricane, the stormy hour,
The fateful lightnings, and the whelming floods
Are but the emblems of disastrous life!
Then, let me court THEE in thy gentlest form;
In lonely grottos; and in verdant glens,
Where the slow brook runs babbling from its source,.
And perfum’d zephyrs fan the fervid ray!
Where MEDITATION, like an HERMIT pure,
Whose bosom, fraught with mild philanthropy,.
In silence, mourns the miseries of MAN!
Creation’s LORD! who, plac’d amidst the gems,.
The luxuries of Nature’s vast domain,
STILL pants for MORE; and, still impatient, grasps
The glitt’ring SHADOW of delusive joys!
For THIS, he wields the desolating SWORD;
Quits the dear mansion of domestic peace;
The lov’d companions of his native home;
The social comforts, and the calm delights,
That thronging round the blazing hearth, beguile
The tardy winter’s night: for THIS he dares
The pois’nous vapours of infected climes,
The torrid ray, or the pernicious blasts
Of petrifying LAPLAND’S chearless skies!
For THIS he wanders far, o’er unknown seas,
To tame the tribes barbarian, or explore
The sad variety of human woes.
Oh! blind, misguided, and mistaken MAN!
To leave the GARDEN of luxurious sweets,
And wander ‘midst a DESART, fraught with thorns.
Ah! let me, in some shelter’d VALLEY, own
A COTTAGE, lowly, but secure from harm;
From the rude rioter, or caitiff wretch,
Who, prowling by the twinkling starry light,
Assails the houseless traveller, and bares
Against his beating breast, the murd’rous knife.
From such as THESE, secure, let sweet repose
Strew on my pillow rude, the buds of SPRING,
The opening treasures of the infant year!
There, let oblivious slumbers lull my mind,
And harmonize the quickly throbbing pulse,
That, through the creeping hour of day, endur’d
The various thrills of extacy and woe.
And you, ye airy phantoms of the brain,.
Ye forms fantastical, or fraught with fear,
Oh! fly the blest abode of gentle peace;
Nor with your agonizing spells assail
The weary senses, wrapp’d in balmy sleep!
And when the LARK, the harbinger of DAY,
Sweeps the blue ether, with exulting wing,
And welcomes her approach with shrilly song,.
With THEE, I’ll quaff the ever-winding rill,
And feast upon the luxuries that rise
From the warm bosom of the teeming earth!
While HEALTH, the blooming handmaid of REPOSE,
Shall smile upon my board, and give a zest
To the rich banquet of content and joy.
There the faint WANDERER shall be my guest,.
With modest mien, and converse undefil’d;
Unvarnish’d emblems of the spotless soul!
And there, the legendary TALE shall claim
The midnight hour serene; while the pale lamp
Shall feebly gleam upon the frugal board:
Yet, not to these confin’d; the loftier theme.
The wing’d idea, and the soothing strain
Of Heaven-descended song, shall charm the soul,
And give to ev’ry nerve a keener sense!
There, shall the hoary sage, PHILOSOPHY,
Unfold his sacred lore; while WISDOM’S son
Shall, smiling, chafe the rigid brow austere,
And mingle in the scene of humbler bliss!
OH! SWEET RETIREMENT! if thy magic pow’rs
Be such as THESE! thrice welcome to my soul,
Enchanting guest! sublimest source of joy;
For THEE. I’ll quit the mercenary crew,
Their cunning, and their crimes; and all the train
Of dire calamities, that dash the SOUL
On the wild ocean of tempestuous life.
The sport of warring passions, and the slave
Of fell AMBITION, AVARICE, and CARE!
Yet such are the mysterious ways of HEAV’N,
That VIRTUE oft endures the poison’d shaft;
And, by a painful THORNY road, the JUST
Pursue their course TO IMMORTALITY!
In the deep gloom of a sequester’d wood,
Far from the splendid sorrows of a Court,
The venerable ELMOUR pass’d his days.
A valiant knight he was; and could the boast
Of noble ancestry add fame to worth,
Al
l must have own’d his claims pre-eminent.
Disgusted with the treach’ry of mankind,
Grown old, and feeble, in the field of war,
He clos’d his race of honour, as the SUN
Amidst resplendent glory sinks to rest!
One hopeful BOY, the solace of his soul, *
The ONLY scion of the noblest tree
That decorated Nature’s wide domain,
Bless’d his declining hours, enlivening age
With manhood’s dawning grace! so the clear MOON,
Snatching its lustre from its PARENT ORB,
With temper’d radiance gleams on ALPINE SNOWS!
Oft, when the wint’ry hour pass’d slowly on,
Of martial feats the hardy VET’RAN spoke;
Of bold achievements; dang’rous enterprize;
Illustrious deeds; and MEN, whose eagle eyes
Met the wing’d lance of death in fierce exploit!
The gallant YOUTH would listen to his SIRE;
And oft the tear, that pity bade to flow,
Was quench’d by emulation’s glowing fire,
That rush’d in crimson lustre o’er his cheek!
The tale was oft repeated; still he found
The repetition grateful to his soul!
And when he spoke of FEUDS that shook the land;
Of WARRIORS, bleeding for their COUNTRY’S weal
Of sturdy HINDS whose bosoms soar’d sublime,
On heav’n-born LIBERTY’S immortal wing;
The growing rapture glisten’d in his eye,
Till every fibre throbb’d with proud applause!
The youthful EDMUND oft, at early dawn,
Ere TWILIGHT, with her dewy hand, unlock’d
The golden portal of the rosy East,
Would climb the mountain’s fire-encircled crest;
And gazing o’er the bright extent of space,
Behold, half pleas’d, his cot, his native vale,
His dewy meads, and dark embow’ring woods,
Where Solitude, in awful splendour, reign’d!
“Was MAN ordain’d,” the pensive youth would say,
“To upon the wand’ring rill, or watch
“The dull succession of days, months, and years,
“In base inglorious ease? Why does he feel
“The burning ardour riot in his veins,
“But that superior bliss awaits the brave,
“And the rapt mind, by inspiration wak’d,
“Points the bland path of glory to his view?”
Enamour’d of the thought, awhile he paus’d;
While REASON, dawning on his glowing heart,
Brought to his view the many wounding woes,
That cross the trav’ler in his toilsome road;
Then Mem’ry pictur’d all his FATHER’S worth;
Collected Poetical Works of Mary Robinson Page 23