Note AJ — 1815

Where be the Temples which in Albion's Isle, As stories tell, the Trojan Brutus reared? The form and substance of each stately pile Were gone, the very dust had disappeared; Ere Julius reached the white-cliffed shore, They sank, delivered o'er To utter dissolution, whence I ween A general doubt prevails, if such have ever been. Sunk are the Temples which, as stories tell, In Britain's Isle the Trojan Brutus reared, For his transplanted Gods therein to dwell? Ere Julius landed on the white-cliffed shore, The sacred structures were delivered o'er To utter desolation, whence I ween A general doubt prevails if such have ever been. Where be the Temples which in Britain's Isle, As legends tell, the Trojan Founder reared? Gone like a dream of morning, or a pile { Of glittering clouds that in the East appeared. } { Of gorgeous clouds that in the west appeared. } Ere Julius landed on her white-cliffed shore, They sank, delivered o'er To fatal dissolution, and I ween No vestige there was left that such had ever been.

Yet in unvanquished Cambria lay concealed 'Mid Snowdon's forests, or by Vaga's springs, A Book whose leaves to later times revealed The {mighty|wondrous} course of these forgotten things, How Brutus sailed, by oracles impelled, And hideous giants quelled, A Brood whom no civility could melt, Who never tasted grace, and goodness ne'er had felt. Yet in the wilds of Cambria lay concealed By Snowdon's forests or by Vaga's springs, A Book whose leaves to later time revealed The wondrous course of {those|long} forgotten things; How Brutus came, etc. A British record that had lain concealed In old Armorica (whose sacred springs No Gothic conqueror ever drank) revealed The wondrous course of those forgotten things; How Brutus came, etc.

By brave Corineus aided, he subdued And rooted out the intolerable kind, And this too long-polluted soil imbued With {gentle|goodly} arts, and usages refined; Whence golden harvests, cities, warlike towers, { And for soft pleasures, bowers,} { And pleasure's {fragrant|leafy} bowers, } Whence all the fixed delights of house and home, Friendship that will not break, and love that cannot roam.

O happy Britain! region all too fair For fondly-favouring Nature to endure * * * * * * * * * * * * Lurked many a poisonous weed;

Who has not wept the wrongs of aged Lear By his ungrateful daughter turned adrift? Hear him, ye elements!—they cannot hear, Nor can the winds restore his simple gift, But One there is, a child of nature meek, Who comes her sire to seek; And he, recovering sense, upon her breast Leans smilingly, and sinks into a { happy/passing} rest.

{Honoured, for ever honoured be the page, } {Prized be the Book, and honoured the Page,} When England's Darling found a basis laid To those dread scenes which on the tragic stage To trembling multitudes his art displayed; And to {that chronicle/the same for this} be praise decreed That there men first did read Of Merlin's insight into future years, And all the mighty feats of Arthur and his peers.

What wonder, then, if 'mid the vast domain Of that rich Volume, one particular Flower Hath breathed its fragrance seemingly in vain And bloomed unnoticed even to this late hour, Ye gentle Muses, your assistance grant, While I this flower transplant Into a garden pure of poesy, Small garden which I tend in all humility.

The winds and waves have aided him to reach That coast, the object of his heart's desire, But, while the crownless sovereign trod the beach, His eyeballs kindle with resentful ire, As if incensed with all that he beholds, Dark fields, and naked wolds, And these few Followers, a helpless band That to his fortunes cleave, and wait on his command.

{"Bear with me, Friends," said Artegal ashamed,} {"Forgive this passion," Artegal exclaimed, } And, as he spake, they dive into a wood, And from its shady boughs protection claimed, For light he fears, and open neighbourhood. How changed from him who born to highest place

Oft by imaginary terrors scared, And sometimes into real dangers brought, To Calaterium's forest he repaired, And in its depth secure a refuge sought, Thence to a few whom he esteems his friends A messenger he sends,

With his attendants here at break of morn, Wandering by stealth abroad he chanced to hear A startling outcry made by hound and horn, From which the tusky Boar hath fled in fear, And, etc.

Feebly returned by {wandering/trembling} Artegal,

{Heir of Gorbonian! Brother gladly met, } {Gorbonian's heir, my brother gladly met,}

And what if o'er this bright unbosoming A cloud of time, and envious fortune past! Have we not seen the glories of the spring By noontide darkness veiled and overcast? The lakes that glittered like a sunbright shield, The sky, the gay green field, All vanish in a moment, as if night Were sister to the sun, and darkness born of light.

But should the sun victorious glimmer forth, Far brighter seems the wide world than before: Such power is latent in thy native worth, To spread delight and joy from shore to shore: For past misdeeds how grateful to atone, Re-seated on thy throne, Give proof that long adversity, and pain, And sorrow have confirmed thy inborn right to reign.

The story tells that Artegal away Was by his brother privily conveyed To a far distant city (at that day Alclwyd named), whose fortress undismayed By the hostility of mortals stood In sight of field and flood, Obnoxious only on the lofty Rock To the careering storm, and perilous lightning stroke. When this impregnable retreat was gained, In prudent furtherance of his just intent, King Elidure a mortal illness feigned, And to his mightiest Lords a summons sent Softly, and one by one into the gloom, (As suits a sick man's room), The attendants introduced each potent peer, There, singly and alone, his sovereign will to hear. Said Elidure, Behold our rightful King, The banished Artegal, before thee stands: Kneel, and renew to him the offering Of thy allegiance; justice this demands, Immortal justice, speaking through my voice, Accept him, and rejoice. . . . . he will prove Worthier than I have been of reverence and love. If firm command and mild persuasion failed To change the temper of an adverse mind, With such by other engines he prevailed, Threatening to fling their bodies to the wind From the dread summit of the lonely block, That castle-crested Rock, Alclwyd then, but now Dunbarton named, A memorable crag through spacious Albion famed. Departing thence, to York their way they bent, While the glad people flowers before them strewed, And then King Elidure with full consent Of all his peers, before the multitude Upon his brother's head he placed the crown, Relinquished by his own; Triumph of justice, and affection pure, Whence he the title gained of "pious Elidure." The people answered with a loud acclaim, Through admiration of the heroic deed. The reinstated Artegal became Earth's noblest penitent; from bondage freed Of vice, henceforth unable to control The motions of his soul. {And when he died, the worthy and the brave } {Shed tears of fond regret upon his honoured grave. } {Long did he reign: and, when he died, the tear } {Of fond regret was shed upon his honoured bier. } Thus was a Brother by a Brother saved. With whom a crown (temptation that hath set Discord in hearts of men till they have braved Their nearest kin in deadly battle met), With duty weighed, and faithful love did seem A thing of no esteem; And from this triumph of affection pure, He won the lasting name of "pious Elidure."