Book 2 — TO A YOUNG LADY[64:1]
Reading edition
TO A YOUNG LADY[64:1]
WITH A POEM ON THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
Much on my early youth I love to dwell, Ere yet I bade that friendly dome farewell, Where first, beneath the echoing cloisters pale, I heard of guilt and wonder'd at the tale! Yet though the hours flew by on careless wing, 5 Full heavily of Sorrow would I sing. Aye as the Star of Evening flung its beam In broken radiance on the wavy stream, My soul amid the pensive twilight gloom Mourn'd with the breeze, O Lee Boo![64:2] o'er thy tomb. 10 [65]Where'er I wander'd, Pity still was near, Breath'd from the heart and glisten'd in the tear: No knell that toll'd but fill'd my anxious eye, And suffering Nature wept that one should die![65:1] Thus to sad sympathies I sooth'd my breast, 15 Calm, as the rainbow in the weeping West: When slumbering Freedom roused by high Disdain With giant Fury burst her triple chain! Fierce on her front the blasting Dog-star glow'd; Her banners, like a midnight meteor, flow'd; 20 Amid the yelling of the storm-rent skies! She came, and scatter'd battles from her eyes! Then Exultation waked the patriot fire And swept with wild hand the Tyrtaean lyre: Red from the Tyrant's wound I shook the lance, 25 And strode in joy the reeking plains of France! Fallen is the Oppressor, friendless, ghastly, low, And my heart aches, though Mercy struck the blow. With wearied thought once more I seek the shade, Where peaceful Virtue weaves the Myrtle braid. 30 And O! if Eyes whose holy glances roll, Swift messengers, and eloquent of soul; [66]If Smiles more winning, and a gentler Mien Than the love-wilder'd Maniac's brain hath seen Shaping celestial forms in vacant air, 35 If these demand the empassion'd Poet's care— If Mirth and soften'd Sense and Wit refined, The blameless features of a lovely mind; Then haply shall my trembling hand assign No fading wreath to Beauty's saintly shrine. 40 Nor, Sara! thou these early flowers refuse— Ne'er lurk'd the snake beneath their simple hues; No purple bloom the Child of Nature brings From Flattery's night-shade: as he feels he sings.
September 1794.
FOOTNOTES:
LINENOTES:
Title] Verses addressed to a Lady with a poem relative to a recent event in the French Revolution MS. E.
[
2
]
friendly] guardian MS. Letter, 1794, MS. E.
[
3
]
cloisters] cloister MS. E.
[
5
]
careless] rosy MS. E.
[
9
]
My pensive soul amid the twilight gloom MS. Letter, 1794.
[
10
]
Boo] Bo MS. E.
[
12
]
glisten'd] glitter'd MS. Letter, 1794.
[
13
]
anxious] anguish'd MS. Letter, 1794.
[
16
]
Calm] Bright MS. E.
[
17
]
by] with 1829.
[
23
]
waked] woke MS. Letter, 1794, MS. E.
[
24
]
with wilder hand th' empassion'd lyre MS. Letter, 1794: with wilder hand th' Alcaean lyre MS. 4o, MS. E, Watchman, 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828, 1829.
[
25
]
wound] wounds MS. Letter, 1794.
[
27
]
In ghastly horror lie th' Oppressors low MS. Letter, 1794, MS. E, MS. 4o, 1796, Watchman.
[
29
]
With sad and wearied thought I seek the shade MS. E: With wearied thought I seek the amaranth shade MS. Letter, 1794.
[
30
]
the] her MS. Letter, 1794, MS. E.
[
32
]
The eloquent messengers of the pure soul MS. Letter, 1794, MS. E, MS. 4o, Watchman, 1796.
[
33
]
winning] cunning MS. Letter, 1794.
[
36
]
empassion'd] wond'ring MS. Letter, 1794.
[
40
]
wreath] flowers MS. Letter, 1794, MS. E.
[
41-4
]
Nor, Brunton! thou the blushing-wreath refuse, Though harsh her notes, yet guileless is my Muse. Unwont at Flattery's Voice to plume her wings, A Child of Nature, as she feels she sings.
MS. Letter, 1794.
Nor——! thou the blushing wreath refuse Tho' harsh her song, yet guileless is the Muse. Unwont &c.
MS. E.
[
42-4
]
No Serpent lurks beneath their simple hues. No purple blooms from Flattery's nightshade brings, The Child of Nature—as he feels he sings.
MS. 4o erased.
[
43-4
]
Nature's pure Child from Flatt'ry's night-shade brings No blooms rich-purpling: as he feels he sings.
MS. 4o.
Below l. 44 September, 1794 1797, 1803: September 1792 1828, 1829, 1834.