Book 2 — VIII[85:2]
Reading edition
VIII[85:2]
MRS. SIDDONS
As when a child on some long Winter's night Affrighted clinging to its Grandam's knees With eager wond'ring and perturb'd delight Listens strange tales of fearful dark decrees [86]Muttered to wretch by necromantic spell; 5 Or of those hags, who at the witching time Of murky Midnight ride the air sublime, And mingle foul embrace with fiends of Hell: Cold Horror drinks its blood! Anon the tear More gentle starts, to hear the Beldame tell 10 Of pretty Babes, that lov'd each other dear. Murder'd by cruel Uncle's mandate fell: Even such the shiv'ring joys thy tones impart, Even so thou, Siddons! meltest my sad heart!
December 29, 1794.
FOOTNOTES:
LINENOTES:
Title] Effusion vii. 1796: Sonnet viii. 1797, p. 224: Sonnet xii. 1803.
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dark tales of fearful strange decrees M. C.
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Of Warlock Hags that M. C.