IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) W // &?/■ y 1.0 If'B^ IM I.I 1.25 I: i^ 2.0 JA 111 1.6 ^ ^ y A / .<^ .P^ % \y — -4 T-»l I rnoiogiBpmc Sciences Corporation ^v <^ ^\> \\^ .V I. » ^ % 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY 14S80 (716) 872-4503 <^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques I. Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best onginjl copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked belovw. L'Institut a microfilme le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a ate possible de se procurer Les details de cet exemplaircr qui sont peut etre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier una image reproduite. o'j qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la m^thoda normale de filmage sont indiques ci-dessous. a Coloured covers/ Couvarture de couleur □ Coloured pages/ Pages da couleur j I Covers damaged/ Couvarture endommagee n Pages damaged/ Pages endommagees I ■ Covers restored and/or laminated/ I I Couverture restaur^e et/ou pellicul^e □ Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaurees et/ou peiliculees □ Cover title missing/ Le titi'e de couverture. Tianque I I Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ [^ ; Pagss dacolorees, tachetees ou piquees I I Coloured maps/ Cartes g^ographiques en couleur □ Pages detached/ Pages detachees □ Colo-jred ink lie. other than blue or b Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue black)/ ou noire) r~T] Showthrough/ Transparence n Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur □ Quality of print varies/ Qualite m^gale de I'impression D D Bound with other material/ Reli4 avec d'autres documents Tight binding mry causa shadows or distortion along interior margin/ Lareiiure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distorsion le long de la marge interieure Blank leaves added during restoration may aopear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutAes lors dune restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela Atait possible, ces pages n'ont pas m film^es. □ Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du materiel supplementaire □ Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponibi* n isponible Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc.. have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata. une pelure. etc.. crtt iie f!!m6es i nouveau de facon a obtenir la meilleure image possible D Additional comments:/ Commentaires supplementaires This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filme au raux de reduction indiqua ct-dessous. 1CX 14X 18X 22X I J L J L 12X 16X 20X 26X 30X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Harold Campbell Vaughan Mamorial Library Acadia University L'exemplaira filmA fut reproduit grflce h la gAnArositA de: Harold Campbell Vaughan Memorial Library Acadia University The images appearing here are the bast quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. AM other original copies arc filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustreted impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol ^^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Les images suivantes ont iti reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettetA de I'exemplaire filmA, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couvertura en papier est imprimte sont filmis en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la derniAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous ies autres exemplaires originaux sont filmAs en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaTtra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: la symbole — ^ signif ie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed baginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent Atre film6s ii des taux de rMuction diffirents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA, il est filmA a partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche i droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ;THE PRII4CNBSS z 1 1 A MEDLEY, BY LORD TENNTSON. HAUFAX, N. S.: 1^ k 126 GBAJMmxKS Sit, Books of Vietetenoe. Chamber's Encyclopaedia 10 vols., cloth ?30 00 .i «» " I Mor 45 GO " Cyclopaedia of English Literature 2vols. .... 6 00 Webster's International Dictionary, full leather, patent Index n 00 ' iaj^ehot's Literary Studies. 3 vols 3' 00 >liphant's History of English Literatui-e. 3 vols 2 70 : Juckland's Story of English Literature 1 00 V 'hoice of Books — by Frederic Harrison 90 i otters on Literature — Andrew Lang 1 00 ' literature of the Second Century 1 50 Shakespeare — "His Mind and Art" — by Dowden i 75 vddison's Selections from the Spectator 1 3.'> •^aintsbury's History of Elizabethan Literature I 25 i'aine's History of English Literature ^. 1 00 ■iaintsbury's History of ] 9th Century Literature 1 50 rhe Times Atlas, containing 118 pages of Maps and an Alphal)etical Index, &c 130,000 names. ^ Morocco 8 50 jlrewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable 3 00 f^'irst Sketch of English Literature — by Henry Morley . . 2 25 i Jartlett's Familiar Quotations 1 00 Orabb's English Synonyms 1 00 i'^allow's Synonyms and Antonyms I 00 Our Catalogue of Standai-d Books mailed free to any address. W. (3- MUU&n ^ GO.. HftLIFftX, N. S. 4r *fj^ , Books prcscnlieil for i($e in tbe Piiblic Sebools. FOR WHICH WE AKB 5PEaAL KQEHTS, 1 Williams' Introduction to Chemical Science $ 80 Williams' Lal>oratory Manaal of Chemistry . 25 Collar «>: Daniels Latin Book . . . , , 1 00 Gage's Introduction to Physical Science 1 00 (lage's Physical laboratory Manual and Note Book S6 Goodwin's Greek Grammar 1" 50 Gages' Principles of Physics \ ^^ Young's Elements of Astronomy . . '. 1 40 Faunct^'s Mechanical Drawing I ^ Jackson's Vertical Writing Copy Books. 5 Books that every Canadian should h&ve. . PocmR and Essays of the Hon. Joseph Howe 1 IK) Life and Times of tho Hon. Joseph IIo\7e . I 50 History of Canada— by Obas. G. D. Roberts, with Maps.. S 25 Bourinot's Story of Canada, with Mapa 1 50 Bourinot's How Canada is Governed . . . c 1 00 The Great Dominion— by G. R. Parkin tO Plurkman's Histories. 12 vols, ea 1 50 Green's History of the English People. 4 vols. .... 5 00 We are agents for Publications of Gi»N & Co, Bobtos. Our Catalogues of Standard and Miscellaneous Books, Pari- odicals, Paper Covered Literature, and of Books suitable l#r School Libraries ^ ill be mailed free to any address. T. C. flLLEH & CO., Halifax, R. S. • , ' ^t. ^w^ A THE PHIHGESS. A MEDLEY. BY LORD TENNYSON. Halifax, N. S. : T. C. ALLEN & COMPANY ^t^H's ( THE PRINCESS. ^1 /U 0»-V/OL A MKDI l.\ I'KOLOnUE • Sli{ \\'ult('i" Viviah all a su miner's day (iave his broad lawnv until the set of suii^i>*vvc..-,v«-*- Tp to the ))' <>\ i' . tiiithcr llock d at noon * His tcj^ants, wife and child, and thither- half The nei^iiuourin<; Itoroji^h with tlieir Institute < )f wiiich he was tin' patron. I was tliere . From eolle;;!', visitintr the son, — the son A Walter too, — with others of o^ir set, Five othei's : we weic se\en at Vivian-place. And me that niornini^ W'^te)- show'd the house, ( Iryek. set with busts : from vases in the hall Flowers of all heavens, q^\ lovelier thai' their name s, drew side by side ; and on the pavement lay Carved stones of tbe-^bf^y-^-nin ill the } aik, . llu!;e Ammonities, and the first bones of Time : . . ■ And on the tables every clime and age Jumitled toj^'ether ; eejtp and cahimets, -. Claymore and snowslioe, toys in lava, fans Of sandal, amber, anciert rosa^rles, . - i. -, • - Lai»ojious oii('nt ivory s[)hei'(' in sphere, 'i'he cu 'sed iNIalay aii ■ '_e^_j ■■.ii n i'.iti,!('( liibs From tile islesof piiTFii : and higher on the walls, Ijetwixt the n)onstrous horns of elk and deer, His own forefathers' anus and armour hung. : w -■-^^ THK I'KIV' Kn.'^v I ' • 'i. ^ . iaO»A>xX • And ' this ' lir said ' was Ilijir|,'.s jit A<,Miicourt ; And that was old Si:- Ralph's at .l5i;aio!i ; A jrood kiii.i^'ht he : W(. k.vp a chroi iiro- >;^ .k.C-"'"'' With all uhout him -which lie hrou^/lit, and I Div.'d ill a hoard of tales that dealt witii knights, 'JiV'Jl'-;''iid, lialf-historicj counts and kiiiirs '' ' U'ho I_aid il.out them at their wills and dTed ; And mixt with these, a lady , one that ann'd' fler own fair head, and sallyin«r thro' the gate. Had heat her foes with slaughter from lieAval'ls. •i».-" • ^ \ . i: r~v- w ' < ) miracle of women,' said the hook, ' O nohle heart who, heing strai.t-besieged "^ By this wild king to force her to liis wish, Xor bent, nor broke, nor shunn'd a soldiers death; Hut now when all was lost or seem'd as lost— Her stature more than mortal in the burst Of .Sunrise, her arm lifted, eyes on tire Mrak(? with a blast of trumpets from the gate. And, falling on them like a thunderbolt, ^ .She trampled some beneath her horses' heels, And some were whelm'd with niissjiles of the' wall, And some were push'd with lan'ces from the rock,' And part were drown'd within tJie whirling l)roo'k . <> miiacle of noble womanhood ? ' >o sang the gallant glorious ehroni le ; And, I all rapt in this ' Come out,' he said, • To the Abbey : there is Aunt Elizabeth And sister Lilia with the rest.' We went (1 kept the book and had my linger in it) Down thro' the park : strange was the sight to me ; For all the sloping pasture murinur'd^ sown \V ith happy faces and with holiday, There moved the multitude, a thousand heads : The patient leaders of their Institute Taught them with facts. One rear'd a font of sto/i- And drew, from butts of water on the slope, The fountain of the moment, plavin<', now twisted snake, and now a rain of pearls, C,;t v\ln'rt',»n the l.m1(1k1 hail I)iiH(.i'(l lik«' :i wisji • and soiin'w luit !t)wer (iown A man witli knot)s jind wires and vials fired ' A rannon ; Echo answe»-'d in her sleep From holifjw fields : and here were telesef)p«'s For a/uiu views : and there a ;;roup of mrls In einle waited, whom tlie eleetrie shock |)islinkrl witli shrieks and lauf^liter : roimd t'n '^k* A little clock-work steamer {)a(ldlin^^ plitd And shook the lilies: perchd aKoiit th«' knolls A dozen ani,'ry models jetted steam : .\ I ''ity lailway ran : a tire-halloon • Hvi.se ^em-like up before the dusky proves And dropt a fairy parachute and past : And there thro' twenty posts of telei,'raph They flash «1 a saiicv messa-'e to and fro Hetween the mimic stations ; so tliai sport \N ent hand in liand with Science ; otfiei-where Pure sport : a lieid of hoys with i-lamour howlVl And stump'd the wicket ; ttahies i-oll'd about lAkr tumlded fruit in grass : and men and maids Arranij'ed a country fiance, and flew tliro light. And shadow, while the twangling violin Struck up with Soldier-huhlie, and overhead The broad ambrosia! aisles of lofty lime Ma(h' noise with bees and br»Mv.e from end to end a^A .<*«^ ct£. J-" Strange was the sight and sniackino^ of the time ; i^*^ And long we gazed, but satiated at length i-c^tx»-^yLi.. »v. Came to the ruins. High archVl and ivy-claspt, Of finest (!othic lighter than a fire, Tliro one wide chiism of time and frost they gave The park, the crowd, tiie house ; but all within. Th<^ sward was tiim as any garden lawn : And here we lit on Aunt Elizabeth, And Lilia with the rest, and lady friends From neighbour seats : and there was Ralpii himself, A broken statue propt against the wall, As guy as any. Lilia, wild witli sport, Half child half woman as she was, had wound ^ I i .1/^ 6 THE I'RIXCESS. 'i 1. } VAXJJ^'-'*^^ -.* .",: A scarf of orange round the stony helm, K^\\Ji^^->u^^] And rolled the shoukh^rs in a rosy silk. That made the old warrior from his ivied nook (ilow like a sunlieam : near his toml) a feast Hlionr, silver-set ; ahout it lay the iijuests, And tli(>re we joind them • Then the maiden Aunt Took this fair flav for text, and from it preach'd ' ■ . s *.j.vwa.'» An universiU culture tor the crowd, ='. • ■ '-■ \ 'And all tiling,'?, i^reat ; hut wc, unworthier, told < 'f college : he had cliinh'd across the spikes, Aail he had scjuetvcd himself l^'twlxt the liars, And he had lircathed the Proctors dogs : and one Discuss d his tutor, rough to common !nen, But iMMieving at the whisper of a lord : And onf the Master, as a rogue in grain \ etieerd with sanctimonious theorv. I>ut whiit' they talk'd, ahove their heads I saw The f.'*^~- That dro\ e herToes with slaughter from her walls, And much I |)raised her nohleness, and ' Where,' Ask'd Walter, jiatMng Lilia's head (she lav Ueside him) ' Inei:, there such a woman now ? ' -w (My-W*-*.^-' v^V-l%-=-. Quii'k answcrd Lilia ' There are thousands now - Such women, hut convention heats them down : It is ijut hringing uji ; no L.ore than that : You men have done it : liow T hate you all ! All, were I something great ! I wish J were Some mighty poetess, \ would siiame you then, That lo\c to keep us children ' O ! wish That 1 were some gieat piiricess, I would build Far otl" from men a college like a man's, And 1 would teach them all that men are taught ; vVf uie i,\vic<* as (piick ; And here siie shook aside The liand that phiy'd the patron with her curls. THE I'UINCESS.^ And out' said siniliui,' ' Pretty were the siylit If our old halls could change their sex, and Haunt With prudj 'S for proctors, dowagers Tor deans,^ And sxveet'gi' ^laduates in their golden hair. 1 tlunk they should not wear our rusty gowns, Uut move as rich as Eniperoi-nioths, or ilalph Who shines so in the coi-ner ; yet I fear If there v.-eiv many Lilias in tlie luood, However deep you might emhowei- the nest, Sonic iidV would sjiy it/ At this upon the sward She tapt liertiny silken-sandal'd foot : 'That's your liglit way : hut I would make it death I'nr any male thing Imt to peep at us.' ^ - l^i'lJliLt she spoke, and at he elf slie laugh 'd ; -w \ I'osehud set with litth" wilfuj thorns, • " ■ ~^^ut mi.ssd the mignonette of Vivian-[»lace, The little hearth-Hower Lilia. Thus he spoke, Part Itanter, [rdit atlection. ' True,' she said, ' We douht not that. O yes, you miss'd us much, ill stake my ruhy ring upon it you did.' - She held it out : and as a parrot turns Up thro' gilt wires a crafty loving eye, An.d takes a lady's linger with all care, ^Viii-I iJicv'o iL iWi' \.i Li" lit'tXI V :i*.*"- i"-*; ii-T:' •••) So h(^ witli Lilia's. Daintiy she shriek'd And wrung it. ' Douht my word again ' ' he said. [ ,.iwv>/vvCi\iu,'Vvw»A^\| CA-''*- -vZ-^x ^ THE I'RIXCESS, 'Conic, listen '. here is proof that you were miss'd • U e seven stay'd at Christmas up to read ; And there we took one tutor as to read • The hard-grain'd Muses of the cube and square vV ere out of season : never man, I think, ' _ So nioulder'd in a sinecure as he : ^ .^ 4<,^5*^''*'' For while our cloisters eclio'd frosty feet, .- ^ '. .' . , And our long_walks were stript as hare as hrooms, \V c did hut talk you over, pledge you all In wassail ; often, like as many girls- Sick for the hollies and the yevvs^of home— ' i^«-» • As many little trifling Lilias— play'd Charades and riddles as at Christmas liere, And ir/>af\'^ mil thomjht and vhen and o-hore and hy 1I-. tliat none of ail our blood should' know The shadow from the suh.'-taiice, and that one Sliould eoMie to ti^ht with shadows and to fall. For so. my mother said, the story ran. And. truly, wakiiifv dreauis were, more or less, An r.l(I ;ind stranij^e atieetion of tlie house. -Myself too iiad weird seizures, Heaven knows what : On a sudden in the midst of men and day. And while I walk'd and talked as lieretofore. I seem d to move amon;' a world of jj;hosts, Anrl feel myself the shadow of a dream. Our -reat eourt-fialen poised liis i^nlt head eane, And pawd his heard, and mutter'd 'catalepsy.'' -My mother pityinij made a thousand prayers ; 31y mother was as mild as any saint, Half-eanonized hy all tliat look'd on her, So i^raeioi. . was her tact and tenderness': l!ut my Lfood father thought a king a king ; He cared not for the atfection of the housl?'; He held a sceptre like a r ^ndant's wand To lash offence and witli long arms and 1 ands lieach'd out, and pickVl ortenders from the mass For judgment. '^(^'■^' it chanced that 1 had been, \\ hde life was yet in l,ud and blade, betroth'd 'lo on.-, a neigiibouring Princess :^she to nn; Was proxy-wed(h'd with a bootless calf At eight years old ; and stdl from time to time Came murmurs of her beauty from the South ; And of her brethren, youths of puissance : And stil! I wore her picture by my heart, And one dark tre.ss ; and all around them both Sweet thoughts would swarm as bees about their queen. r>ut when the days drew nigh th.at T slioiild vye! My father sent ambassadors with furs And jewels, gifts, to fetch her : these brought back tup: I'UiNcEss. 11 A }iic>i'iit, a iji't-at lalinur of the loom ; Ami tlu'j'cwitlial an answer vague as wind : J5esi(lt>. tliev saw tlie king : lie took the gifts ; He said there was a eonipaet ; that was true : lint then she had a will ; was he to Maine ' And maiden fancies : loved to live alone. Aniuii- her v.nuien : i-ertain, w.i'ild not wed. hat mornuu;- ni tlie xire^eiire ronii nj stood With (\ril and with Florian, my t nvo friends : The tirst a yentleujan ot liroken niei'.ns (His father"s fault) hut '/wvu to starts and hursts Of revel : and the last, my Dther heart, And almost my half self, foi- still we m.ued '|',)Lrerher, twinn'd as horse's eai and eye. Now. while tliey spake, I saw my fathei-'s face (;i(»w long and trouhled like a rising; moon, Inllamed with wrath: he >tarteast Ihro the wdd woods that hung ahout tlie town ■ l-ouml a stdl place, and pluckd her likeness out"- Anc laid It nu Howes, and watchVl it Ivii... l,athed In the green gleam of dewv-tassell'd trees •'' ^.n!!irTf':r^""?- ^^'^'^•■^^^>'- '"-^^k l-r troth i »ojd ookd the hps : hut while I meditated A wind arose and rush'd upon the South And shook the songs, the whispers, and the shrieks Ot tJie wild woods together ; and a Voice \\ ent with it, ' Follow, follow, thou shalt win." '"'"' ^ ■" '^, '^''"'"' '-''•^' ^''^ «ilv^^r sickle of that month became her golden shield, I stole from court NV ith Cyril and with Florian, unj.erceived Cat-tooted thro' the town and half in dread 1 o hear my fathers clamour at our })acks \V ith Ho : from some hay window shake the night • But all was (,uiet : from the I,, jtioiid walls Lik,- threaded spiders, one i,y ,ne, we dropt, And Hying, reachd th.. frontier : then we crost • I o a livelier land : and so hv tilth and granov And vines, and hlowing hosks of wilderness '^ ' We gain d the mother-city thick with tower's And m the imperial palace found the kino His name was Gama: crack'd and small his v^ice, But hiand the smile that Hkf :i uHnklii:- w- - On glassy water drove his cheek in lines" """ A little dry old man, without a star. I .^A THE I'RIXrKSS. 13 Not like u king : thrt'e days he feastfld us, And on tlie fourth 1 spake of why we came, And my hetroth'd. ' Y"u do us, Trince,' he said, Airin-^ a snowy hand and sii^net gem, ' All honour. We rememher love ourselves In our sweet youth : there did a compact pass Long sujnmers hack, a kind of ceremony — 1 think the year in which our olives fail'd. I would you had her, Prince, with all my heart. With my full lieart : but there were widows here, Two widows. Lady Psyclie, Lady Blanche ; Thev fed her theories, in and out of j)lace Maintaining that with equal husbandry Tfie woman were an equal to the nian ^ rhey harp'd on this ; with this our ban(i[uets rang < )ur dances broke and buzzd in knots of talk ; Nothing but this ; my very ears were hot To hear 'hem : knowledge, so my daughter held, Was all in all : they had but been, she thought, As children ; they must lose the child, assume The woman : then, Sir. awful odes she wrote, Too awful, sure, for what they treated of, But all she is and does is awful ; odes Al'out this losing of the child ; and rhynn-,-. And dismal lyrics, prophesying change P)eyond all reason : these the women sang ; And they that know such things — 1 sought but peace : No critic I — would call them masterpieces : They masterM nii\ At last she begg'd a boon, A certain summer-palace which I have Hard by your father's frontier : I said no. Yet being an easy man, gave it : and there. All wild to found an L^niversity For maidens, on the spur she tied ; and more We know not, — only this : they see no men, Not evn her brother Arac, nor the twins H(»r bretliren, tho' they love lier, look upon her As on a kind of paraxon ; and \ (Pardon me saying it) were much loth to breed Disp'ite betwixt myself and mine : but since fjio-i*. •j ,>.^ fi.>_^,.^Cl 14 'illK I 'H IXC ESS. ?A (And I confess with ri;j:lit) you tliink uw hound Jn some .sort, 1 Oiin 1,'ivr you letters to her ; And yet, to .speak tlie truth, I rate your chance Almost at luiked noiiing.' Thus the kinj.,' : And J, tho' neltled that lie seemed to .slur With garrulou.s . ase and oily courtesies Our formal compact, yet, not less (all frets r>ut chafing me on fire to find my bride) Kiv-U^ Went forth again with hoth my friends. We rode Many a long league hack to tiie North. At last From hills, that lookd across a land of hope, We dropt with evening on a rustic town Set in a gleanung river's oresent curve, Close at tile louiiflary of the liberties ; There, enter'd an old hostel, call'd mine host To council, plied him with his richest wines, And showd the late writ letters of the kiie'. He with a long low sihilatio)i, stared As l>lank a;^ deatii in marhle ; then exclaim d Averring it was clear against all rules For any man to go : hut as his hrain Began to mellow, ' If the king,' lie said, 'Had given us letters, w:.s he hound to speak ( The king would hear him out' ; and at th.' last— The summer of tlie vine in all his vt'ins 'No douht tiiat we might make it worth his whil,.-. She once liad past that way ; he heaid her .speak ; Sjie .scared him ; life '. lie never saw the like : She look'd as grand as doom.sday and as grave : And he, he rexerenced iiis liege-lady there ; lie always made a point to post with mares ; His daughter and his housemaid were tlie l»oys : The land, he understood, for mile^' uhout W as tilld hy women : all the swine were sows, And all the doirs' — Piut wjiilp lie jested tls!)'; A thought flash'd th.o' un^ which I clothed in act, Kemhering how we three presented Maid THE 'iUXCESS, Or Nymph, or (Joddess, ut liii,'h tide of feast, In iimst|ue or pageant at my father's court. \Ve sent mine liost to purcliase female <;eur ; He brought it, and himself, a sight to shake The midritJ'of despair with laugliter, holp To lace us up, till, each, in maiden })lumes We rustled : him we gave a costly hrilie To guerdon .silence, mounted our good steeds, And holdlv v( iitured on the libeities. \Vt> foUow'd up the river as we rode, Aiul rode till midnight when the college lights l!egan to glitter tirellylike in copst- And linden alley : then we passed an arch, Wlieieon a woman statue rose with wings From four wiiig'd horses dark against the stars ; And souie inscription ran along the fj'ont, F)Ut deep in shadow ; fuither on we gain'd A little street half garden and half house ; I5ut scarce could hear each othei- speak for noise Of clocks and chimes, like siKer hammers falling ()\\ silver anvils, and the splash and stir (jf fountains spouted up and showering down In meshes of the jasmine and the rose : And all about us pealil the nightingale, Rapt in her song, and careless of the snare. There stood a bust of Pallas for a sign. By two sphere lamps blazon'd like Heaven and Earth With I'onstell. 'ion and with continent, Abo\c an entry : riding in. we i-all d ; A plumji-arm'd Ostleress and a stable wench Came rnning it the call, and lieli>"d us d(»wn, Then stepped a buxom hostess forth, and sail d, Full-blown, before us into rooms which gave I'pon a pillai'd porch, the bases lost In laurel : lier we ask'd of that and this, And u ho were tutors, ' Lady i»lanche she said, 'And Lady Psyche.' 'Which was prettiest, r.est J!;itured ?' ' Lady Psyche. ' Hers are \n( ,' !« THK l'Kl\( KnS. <•!,». vo-KV. we criofl : nu(\ \ sat rlown iinrl wrote, 111 such ii hiuifl as when a field of corn Hows all its ears l.efore the roariiiome dark shore just seen that it was rich. II As thro' tlie land at eve wj went, Anil pluckdtiit; ripend cars, VVe fell out, my wife and I, O we fell out 1 know not why, And kissM ai,'iun with tears. Anil ble.ssings on the falling out That all the more endears, When we fall out with those we love ^ And kiss again with tears I For when we came where lies the child Wc lost in other years, 'J'here al)ove the little grave, O there above tlie little grave, \\ e kissM again with tears. At break of day the College Portress came : She 1.. ought us Academic silks, in hue The lilac, witli a silken hood to each, And zoned with gold ; and now wlien these were on, .\ntl we as rich as motlis from dusk cocoons, She, curtseying her obeisance, let us know The Princess Ida waited ; out we paced, I iirst, and toilowing thro' the porch that san^ All round with laurel, issued in a court »g IHK l'UINt' rliissu' t'ritv.f, with aiiiplc iiwiiiiiys y;iiy iJt'twixt tht' i>illius, iuid witli :,'it'ut iinis of tlowors. 'I'lir Musi'S and tlif (itacrs, t;roii})f(l in thtt.'t's, KiiriiiLcd a liiliowini; fountiuii in the midst ; And hficautl thfif on lattice t-dycs hiy • )!• Kook Of hiti' ; I'lit hastily we past And up a tli::iit ot" -.tairs into thf hall. Thcif at a hoai'fl liy tome and pajn'i- sat, With two tamt' Ifojunds eoiu-hd hcsidr lu'i' throiu' All liiMutv ('(tnipassd in a frmale form, Tht' Princess ; likcr to tin iulialtitant < >f some clear platu-'t close upon the Sun, Tiian our irian s earth : such eye, wrrv in hej' liead, And so much ^face and power, lucathin^- ilown Krom over her aichd Krows with cxciy tuin Lived thro he) to the tips of hei' Ion;; hands. And to hei' f"ct. She lose h«'i- heiiiht, and said : ' We ^i\e vou welcome : not without redouml < 'f use and L;liirv to yourselves ye come. The first fruits of the strani^'er : aftertime, And that full voice which ciicles round the urave, Will raid< you noMy, mingled up with me. What ! ai'c the ladies f)f your Kind so tall ?' ' We of the court said Cyril. ' From the »'ourt ' Sh" answtM'd, ' then ye know the Pr'nce ' aU'i lie : • The climax of his a^c ! as tlio there.' were ( »ni i(i-hecv Dilating on the future ; ' cvtM'vwliere Two heads in council, tuo beside the licirtli, Two in the tangled l)usines« of the world. Two in the lilieial otlices of life, Two plummets dropt for one t') sound the abyss < >f science, and the secrets of tlw mind : Musici.in. painter, scidptor, critic, mort; : And exervwluTt' tiie bi'oad and l)Ountcous I'laith ! IHK I'lirXCKSS. Should Ix'ur :i ilouMf ijrowth of those rare souls, ports, whose tlioughts enricli the hlood of the world." She ended here, and lieekou'd us : the rest Partcfl : and, iflowiii<: full-faced welcome, she Heo;an to adilress us, and was moving on In Lifatulation, till as wlien a hoat 'I'aeks, and the slaekeji'd sail Haps, all her voice Faltering- and Huttering in her tliroat, she cried ■ Mv liT'other '. ' ' Well, my sister.' ' O," she said, ' What do you here .' and in this dress.' and these? Why w ho aie tliese .' a wolf within the fold ! A jiack of wolves ! the Lord he gracious to me I A plot, a plot, a plot to ruin all I ' ' No plot, no pilot, he aiiswerd. Wretched hoy, How saw vou not the inseription on the gate, LkT No man KNTKI; in on pain of DKATil.'' ' And if I had,' he answer'd, 'who could think The .>oftei' Adams of youi- Acad'tne, O sistei'. Sirens tho' thev he, ^vere such As chanted on the l)lanching hones of men 1 ' ' But you will Hnd it otherwise" she said. ' You jest : ill jesting with edge tools ! my vow Binds me to speak, and () that iron will. That axelike edge unturna le, our Hiad, The Princess." Well then, Psyche, take my life, And nail me like a weasel on a grange Koi' warning : hury ine heside the gate, And eut this epitaph aliove my hones ; //'/''' /('■> " hni(/ii'r, III/ It sisft'r slaiii, Al^ for till' CDllDIIDII f/cod (>/ ll'OllUUI klllif. * Let me die too," said Cyril, 'ha\ing seen And heard the Lady Psyche." 1 stiuck in ; ' Allii'it so maskd, ,>Ladam, I love the truth ; Kecei\e it ; anil in me l)ehold the Prince Your count lynuin, attiancied years ago 'P.i fh.i^ I Mi!v li!;! ■ hi*?'e To!' !!t !*e she sv;!,s. And thus (wiiat other way was left) I came.' ' • > Sii-, O Prince, I have no countrx , none ; 21 90 THE I'iUNCESS. If any, this : liut none. Wliat'er I was Disrooted, what I am is i];rafted here. Attiancied, Sir ? love whispers may not breathe Within this vestal limit, and how should I, Who am not mine, say, live : the thunderbolt Hangs silent ; but prepare • I speak : it falls.' 'Yet pause,' I said : for that inscription there, I think no more of deadly lurks therein, Than in a elap} r clapping in a garth, To scare the fowl from fruit : if more there be If uiore and acted on, what follows? war : Your own work marr'd : for this your Academe, Which ever side Ije Victor, in the halloo W^ill topple to the trumpet down, and pass Witb all fair theories only made to gild A stormless summer. ' Let the Princess judge Of that' she said ; ' farewell, Sir — and to you.^ I shudder at the sequel, but I r yLiLiiti ■••. ;.-■« You perish) a^ you came, to slip away To-dav, to-morrow, soon : it shall be said. 24 TllK l'HIN( i:s>. These women wei'c too li;irl»arous. would not Ic;irn ; They ricd, wlio iuii,dit Iiaxc sliamed us : jicouiisc, all.' What coii.u we i-l.se, we pcouiiscd each : and slie, Likr sonif wild ctvatuii' uewly-i-uiicd roinuioiiccd A to and fro, so pacing; till she paused By Florian : holding out her lily aims Took l)oth his hands, and sniilinii taintlv said : ' [ knew you at the first ; tho" you haxc <,n()\\ n You scarce ha\ e alterVI : I am sad and ti'lad To see you, Florian. /<;i\e thee to death My Urother ! it was duty spoke, not I My needful sei^miuii- hafshness, pardon it. < h\r mother, is slie well '. ' Wit! that >he kiss'd ilis forehead, then, ;i moment after, eluni;- Ahout him, and hetwi.vt tiuMu hlossom'd up From out a eounno.i \tMn of nien:ory Sweet househoid talk, and phrases of the heai'th. And foi' allusion, till the liiaeious dews Began to gliscen and to fall : and while They stood, so rapt, we gazing, came a \oiee, ' r l.rouyht a, message here from Lady Blanche.' Back started she, and tui-nini; round we saw 'i'he Liifly Blanche's daughter where she stood, Melissa, with her hand u[)on the lock, A rosy blonde, and in a college gown. That rlad her like an Afiril dart'odillv (Her motliej's colour) with her !ip> apart. And all h(M' thoughts as far within hei- eyes. As liottom agates seen to wa\<' and float In crystal currents of clear movniny seas. So stood that same fair creature ;it the dooi'. Then Lady Psyche, ' Ah Melissa — you '. You heard us ' " an.l Melissa, 'O pardon me I heard, I could not help it, did not wish : But, deare t Lady, pray you fear' me not. Nor think I l>ear that Ix-art within my lueast, To give three gallant gentleman to der.th.' ^ THE I'lUNCESS, 25 • I iiiist you,' said tin- other, for we two Were al\\uvs trieiuls, iioiu' .-losn-, t-liii and \ iiio : Hut Vft vour mother's n'alous temperauicnt Ivt not vour prudence, dearest, drowse, or provi- Tilt- i >aiiaid of a l'-- ' *' vase, foi" fear Tliis whole fouudi' I'uiii, and I lose Mv honor, theje li.-'ii' ovcs.' • Ah. fear' me not Pifpiicd .Melissa; "no — 1 would not Irll, No. nor tot all Astasia s clfvcrne^. No. not to answer, ■^lachun. all thox- hard tliin>hel>;i eame to a>k of SoloiliOl).' ' I5e it -o ■ the othei. 'that we still may lead 'J'lie new lii;]it U|i. and eulminatt' in jieaee, For Solon, on m.i\' eome to Slieha yet. Said ('\iil. Madam, he the wisest man Fea>ted the w Oman wisest then, in halls, < >f jjehanoidan cedar : nor should you rriio . Madam //o// should answer, /''' would ask) I;e>,s welc(jme find anion:;- us. if you eame Amony u>. dehtors for our li\es to you, Mvseif fo" somethinu- more.' He said tiot wliat, r.ut • 'l^liaid^s.' she answer'd ' (io ; we have l.een too loni,' Together : keej. your hoods ahout the face ; They (h) >o that aflect ahstraction here. Sj)t-ak little ; ndx i\ot w ith tlie rest ; and hold N'our [iroiidse : all. I trust, may yet he well. We turn'd to ^o. Imt Cyril took tlie cliild, .And lield her round the knees against lii.s waist, And Mew the sw(iirn cheek of a trumpeter. While P.-yche watch'd tliem, smiling, and tlie child Push'd he'' tlat hand against his face and laugh 'd ; And thus oui' conference closed. And then we stroll'd For half the d'.iy tliro' stately tlieatres Bencii'd cre^cent-w ise. In each we sat, we lieard The gra\ e Professor. ( >n the li'cture slate The I ircle rounded undi-r female hands With flawless demonstration ; toilow'd then A cla<^ic lecture. i'"'eh in sentiment, ' I 26 THK I'RIX* ESS. With scraps of tluindrous Epic lilted out Bv violet hooded Doctors, eleiries And (juoted odes, and jewels five woj'ds 1oiil( That on thr stretch'd foretinyer of all time Sparkle for ever ; hen we dipt in all Tliat treats of \vhatso(!\er is, the state, The total chronicles of man, thn n)ind, The morals, something of the frame, the rock, The star, the hird, the tish, the shell, the Hower, Electric, chemic laws, and all the rest, And wiiatsotner can Ir.' taught and known : Till like thive liorscs that ha\t' broken fence. And glutted all night long hreast-deep in corn, We issued gorged with knowledge, and I spo^e : ' Why, Siis, they do all this as well as we.' * They hunt old trails ' said Cyril ' very well ; But wlu-n did w omen t'\ er yet invent ^ ' ' I'ngraci'^us I answerd Florian ; have you leai'iit 'So more from Psvches lecture, vou that talk'd The trash that ma-le me sick, and almost sad .'' ' ' O tiash" he said, ' hut with a kernel in it. Should I not call her wise, who made nie wise ? And learnt ? I leaint more from her in a Hash, Then if my hrainpan wcie an empty hull, And every Muse tumbled a science in. A thousand hearts lie fallow in these halls. And round these halls a thousand i»ahy lo\es Fly twangnig headless ariows at the hearts, Whence follows many a vacant pang : hut () With me. Sir, enter (I in the bigger boy, The Head of all the golden-shafted tirm, 'J'he long limbd lad that had a Psyche too : He cleft me thro" the stomacher ; and now What think you of it, Florian .' do 1 chase The sub.stance or the shadow ? w ill it hold .' I hfv\«' no sorcerer's malison on me, Xo ghostly hauntings like his Highness. T Flatter mvself that always e\ervwlu>rp I know the substance when I see it. Well, Ar,' castless shadows 1 Thiet? of them ! Is she tmt; i'RIXckss. 27 The sweet proprietress a shadow? If not, Shall those three castles patch my tatterVl coat ? For dear are tliose three castles to my wants, And dear i; sister Psyche to my heart, And two dear thin<,'s are one of double worth, And much 1 mif^ht ha\e said, Itut that my zone ! nmann d me : then the r)octors I ( ) to hear The Doctors ! O to watch the thirsty plants JmliihiiiLC ' once or twice I thought to roai'. To break my chain, to shake my name : hut thou. Modulate me, Soul ot" minciiii^ mimici-y ! jVIake ii(juid treble of th:it bassoon, my throat ; Abase those eyes that ever loved to meet Star-sisters answerini^ under crescent brows ; Aliate the stride, which speaks of man, and loose A Hyin.i^ dmrm of blushes o'er this cheek, Where they like swallows comin<( out of time Will wonder why they came : but hark the bell For dijinei-, let us <^o !' And in w,v str-eamVl Among the columns, pacing staid and still l^y twos a)id threes, till all from end to end With beauties e\ery siiade of brown and fair Jn colors gayer than the morning mist. The long hall glitter'd like a bed of flowers. Ifow might a man not wander from liis wits Pierced tliro with eyes, but that 1 kept mine own Intent on her, who rapt in glorious dre->.ms, The second sight of some Astr;ean age, Sat compassd with professors : they, the while, DiscussVI a doubt and t*ist it to and fro : A clamor tiiicken'd, mixt with inmost terms Of art and science : Lady Blanche alone Of fadefl form and haughtiest lineaments, With all lier autumn tresses falsely brown. Shot sidelong daggers at us, a tiger cat In act to spring. At. hist !i solemn LTare Coii'luoed, and we sought the ganh'ns : there One walk"d I'eciting by lierself. and one 28 TIIK I'UINfF.ss. in tlii^ liund lu'ld a voluiiii' as to ivad. And sniodtlicd a jx-ttcd peacock down with that : Sonic to a low sony oac'd a slialloj) l)y, Oi- under arches of the niail)h' liridi;e Unni:. shadow'd tVoin the heat : some hid and sought J 11 the (DMiuc tliii'ket.s : others tost a l»all Alio\.' the Tniintain jets, and l)ack aijiiin \\'ith huiylitec : others hiy aiiout the Uiwns, Of the ()l(Kr sort, and niuniiurd that their May Was jiassiim : wiiat was h-ai-nin;,' unto them .' 'I'hcv wish il to marry : they eouhl i-ide a house : Men hated ieariH'd women : l)ut we three Sat mutlled like the Fates : and often came Melissa hitting- all we saw witli shafts Of gentle s.'tire, kin to chaiuty That harm'd not : then u, y droo{)t : the chaiiel Ixdls Call'd us : we left the walks ; we mixt with tiiose Six hundied mai(h'ns clad in purest wliite, iJefcM'c two streams of lii;ht from wall to wall. While the ureat oriran almost liurst liis pipes, (iroanini;" for powei'. and rolling thro' the court A lonu melodious thunder to the sound Of solemn psalms, and silvei litanies, The woi-k of Ida, to call down from Hei\veu A lilessinu' <^>''. lifT laliours for the world. Ill Sweet and low, .sweet ami low. Wind of the western sea. Low, low , hrciitlie and Itlow, Wind of the westeiii sea I Over the lollinif wateis go. Come tVoiii tlie 'lying nmon. tiid lilow. Blow him again to me : While my little one, while my pretty one. sleeps. Sleep and rest, sleep and r.'st. Father will come to thee soon ; Rest, rest, on mother's breast. Father w ill come to thee soon : Father will come to his hahe in the nest. Silver sails all out of th:" west Under the silver moon : Sleep, my little one, sleep, uv pretty one, sleep. TIIK I'KIN<1;SS. 2J) Mom in tli« svliitt' Wiikr of tlit- inoiiiiiiL; star Cam.' fill TO Willi.' all tli.' orit-nt iiiti) 'j,\v, I'lit tht' Muses" heads wrre toiu h'd Al'<)\c tli<' darkness from thfii nati\e Eas». There while we stood l»eside the fount, and watrhd ( »r srcni'd t!> wutch the daneiii^ l»ul.l,'»'. aifpioai'ird Melissa, tinned with wan from lark of sleep, < »r urief, and ^lowin;;' lound her dewy -yes Tile t'iifled Iris of a nii.dit of tears : • A!id tly,' slie tried, ' < ) tly, wiiile yet you may ! Mv iiiotlier knows' : and wlien I ask'd lier •how,' • Mv fault' site wept "my fault ' and yet no^ mine : Vet mine in part. <> hear me, pardon me. Mv UK.tiiei-, tis iier wont from ni^lit to ni^iit To rail at Lady Psyche and her side. >he savs the Princess should i'a\e l.ren tlie Head, Herself and Lady Psyche tiie two arms : And so it was a^'reed wlieii lirst t!iey came; i'.iit Lavly Psyciie was tlie ri-lit iiand now, Ami she the left, or not t : And oil. Sirs, could I help it, luit my cheek I'.egan to i)urn and Imrn, and her lynx ey(> To fix and make me iiotter, till slie laui^li d : •• < ) niai\ ellouslv modest maiden, yon Men, ^irls, like men '. why. it the\" had lieeti iceii \n\i \tt'rt\ not set your thoughts iii rip'iic tliu-^ For wholeside coimni'iit." Paidon. I am -lianed 'I'hat i must needs repeat for my excuse Wli.-it locks so little -raceful : " men " (fur still M V motlii-r went revoKin^- on the word) " And sn iliey are, .-very like men indeed — :]i) THK I'RINCKSS. A:i( Til.- "W " ( ) AlK The A IK Tl..- lUit P.ut I with tliiit woman I'loseted for hours !" II cuiiH' tlu'se dn-adful words out one Ity one, hy— these — /rr^ — men ' : Ishudch-r'd : 'and you know it.' ask me nothing;," 1 said : " And she knows too, 1 she eoneeals it." So my mother clutch (! tiuth at once, hut with no word from me ; 1 now thus early risen she ;foes to inform Fiintess : Lady Psyche will he crushVl ; you may yet he .saved, and therefore tlv : heal me with vour pardon ere vou <'o.' * What I'lrdon, sweet Melissa, for a hlush C Said (,'yril : ' Pale one, Mush ai,'ain : than wear riio^e lilies, better hlush our lives away. \ ft let us l)reathe for one hour more in Hea\'en ' He added, ' lest some classic Angel speak In svriw of us, "They mounted, Ganyn.edes, To tund)le, " N'ulcaus, on the second morn." iJut J will meii this marl»le into wax To yield us farther furlougli" : and he went. ^[elissa shook her douhtful curls, and thc.jght He scarce would prospei. 'Tell us,' Florian ask'd, ' How grew this feud hetwixt the right and left." ' < ) long ago,' she said, ' l)etwixt these two Division smoulders hidden ; 'tis my mother, Too jealous, often fretful as the wind Pent in a ei-evice : much I hear with lier : 1 never knew my father, hut she says ((iod help lier) she was wedded to a fool ; And still she rail'd against the state of things. Siie had the car'^ of Lady Ida's youth. And from the Queen's decease slie brougiit her up. iJut when \our sister came she won the heart of Ida : they were still together, ijrew (For so they said themselves) inosculated ; ConsG.iant chords that sliiver to one note ; One mind in all things : yet my mother still Aiilrms your Psyche tineved her theories. And aiigled with them for her pupil's love : TliK I'ltlNcKss. 81 Slit^ calls lur |ilii;,'iarist ; I know not wlmt : Hut I must ;;o : I out the foliai^e uiidt rneath. And sated with the innuim'rahle rose, Beat halm ujion our eyelids. Hither came Cyril, and yawning ' hard task,' he cried ; ' S'o ti:,ditin^ shadows here ! I forced a way Tiiro" solid o|i}iosition crahltd and gnarl'd. Better to clear pr-ime forests, heave and thump A leairue of sti'eet in summer solstice d>)wn, i JKiii iiuiiimer a', Liiift reveremi yeutieWOiiidii. J knock d and, bidden, ent(M"'d : found her there :i-2 IHK l'l!l\' l.>S. At jiiiiit to iiiovt', and sfttlfil in hrr rvcs The l;:<« II iiiulii^Miaiit lii^lit of coniiiii; stoi in. ►Sir. I was comtfoiis, cv.-ry plirase \v>'llf»il d, As iiiaii's could III' ; yet iiiaidt-ti iiifck I j>rav d ('oiKcaliiifiit : -hi' di'iiiaiidfd who uf were, And why wr caint' ' I t'.il.lcd nothiiiii fair, Hilt, yoin- fxanijiit' pilot, told ht-c all. I'p went the hiish'd aina/c of hand ii'd f\t'. Hut uht'ii I dwt'lt upon your old ath.iiici', Shf aiiswer'd sharply tha' I talk'd astiav. J uri,'t'd the rirrcc inscription on the -ate, And our thr:'c lives. True -we had limed ouiseUes W ith open eyes, and we must rake tiie chalice. Hut such extremes, | told her, weli mii,dit harm The woman's cause. " Not more than now. ' she said "So pud('led as it is with ;a\()uritisni.'' I tried the mother's heart. Sha.ne miL,dit I.efall .Melissa, knowing-, saying' not .-;he knew; Iferanswei' was'-].ea\e me to deal with that." I >|ioke of war to conn' and many deaths, And she replied her duty was to speak, And duty, duty, clear of consiMpiences. I .^rew discoui-ant'd. Sir : Init since I knew No -oek so hard lint that a little wa\ e .\.ay lp<'at admission in a thousand vears. I rccdmmenced ; " |)ecidt' not ere \-(,n pau.-M-. 1 find you heie liut in the second place. Some say the tliird — the aiitln'ntic foundress von. I otler lioldly: We will seat vou hiidiest : W ink at our adxent : help mv }iiince to nr.in His riylitful l>ride, and lieie I promise vou Some palace in our land, wheiv you shall ivi-n 'I'he head and heart of all our fa = >' she-world. Ami your ureat name How on :t'i lu'oaiiening time Forever.' W'.'ll. ^1... h, danced i^is a little. Ami told nie she would answer us toda\, -Meaiitii.'ie he mute : tluis mucli, nor more I ifain'd " I ' •. ,. , . . . ••■■"■■^, i.ii.u ,1 iiiiS.Scli;e li oiii iiii' Meail. That afte)'noon t!i<' Princess rode to take TIIK I'KIVrKSS, 33 Tilt' (lip of rertaiii stnitii to the North. Would WT ^'o with her .' we should find the land Woith sfoiiig ; ;iml the river ruude a fall Out yoiu. r : then she pointed on to when^ A douhli' hill ran up his furrowy fcnks f'fyoiul the thick-leavi-d platans of the vale. Ai^reed ;ii, this, the day (led on thro' al! its Biii<4f of (luti's to the iijipointed hour. Then suninion'd tt> the porch we went. She .•5*:ood Anion^ her niaidtns, hiirher \>v the head, Her hack uu'iiinsi a pillar, her foot on one (n those tauie leopards. Kittetdike he roll'd And paw'd alxnit hei sandal. 1 drew near : J sjjazed. ( )n a sudden my straiiLje seizure camo Upon nil', tlie weii'd vision of our house : Tlie i^rincess Ida seeni'd a hollow show. Her 'jay-furi' cl cats a painted fantasy. Her colleyc and hci- maidens, empty masks, And I myself the shadow of a dream, For all things wer*-' and were not. Yet I lelt My luart heat thick with passion and with awe; Then fi-om my hn-ast the involuntary sigh lirake, as she smote le with the light of eyes That lent my knee desire to kneel, and shook My pulses, till to horse we got and so Went forth in long retinue following up The ii\er as it narrow "d to the iiills. I rode Ijeside Inn- and to me she said : ' () friend, we trust that you esteeni'd us not Too harsh to your companion yestermorn ; rnwillini,dy we spakf\' 'No — not to her,' I answer d, but to one of whom we spake "*. our Highness might have seem'd the thing yoti say,' ' Again / .she cried, ' are you ambassadresses From him to nu^ ? we give you, being strange, A license : speak, and let the topic die.' 34 THE riUXCKSS. I stamnit^rd that I knew him- could have wislicl ' Our kinj,' expects -was there no precontract ? There is no truer hearted — ah, you seem All he prefigured, and he could not see The bird cf passage Hying south 'lut longVl '^-> f'^'low : surely, if your Highi.ess keep i< •■ jjurport, you will shock him evn to death, ' ' ' basHV courses, children of de.-^pair. • Poor bvjy,' she said, ' can he not read — no books .' Quoit, tenuis, ball- — no games ? nor deals in that Which men delight in, martial exercise] To nurse a blind ideal like a gij'l, Methinks he seems no better than a girl ; As ^J'irls were once, as we ourself have bf-t'U : We had our divanis ; perhaps he mixt with them : We touch on our dead self, nor shun to do it, Bein<'- other- -shice we learnt our meaning here, To lift the womari's fall'n divinity I'pon i^n e\en pedestal with man.' She paused, and added with a haugiitier smih; ' And as to precontracts, we move, my friend, At no man's beck, but know ourself and thee, Vashti, noble Vc-'shti ! Sunnnnn'd out She kejil her state, and left the drunken king To brawl at Shushaii undt^rneath the palms.' 'Alas your Highness b.'eathes full Mast.' 1 said. ' ( )n that which leans to you. 1 know the I'rince, 1 prize his truth ; and then how \ ast a work To assail this gray prei'iuinence of man ! Vou uiimt me license : might I use it .' think ; Kre lialf be done perchance your life may fail ; Then comes the feeblei' heiress of your plan. And takes and ruins all ; and thus your pains May only make that footprint upon sand Which old-recurring waves of prejudice Kesmooth lo nothing ; migiiL 1 dreaii llial von, With only Fame for spouse and your great deeds iiiK linxcKss. 35 For issue, yet inay live in \;uii, ;iii(i miss, ^IfiinwliiK', what evei'y wniiiaii 'ounts lit>r diii', L()\«', ••liiidrfii, liiippiiicss ? ' And sill' cxclaitii'd, 'Peace, you yijuui;' sa\ane of tlic Noitlicin wild .' What '. t\u) your Prinee's lo\e were like a (lods JIave we not made our&elf the sacritie«; .' "\'ou are lioki indeed ; we are not talk'd to thus : Yet will wi' say for children, would they i^rew Like tield-tlowers everyw lieic I we like them well : But children die : and let re tidl you, girl, Howe'er you l»alil»le, great deeds cannot die ; They u ith the sun and niooi renew their liglit Fot ever, I'lessin^ those that look on theiii. ChildreMi — that men may pluek them from our hearts, Kill us with pity, lireak us with our.sehcs — U --childien- there is nothing upon earth ]\lore miserable than >he that has a son And sees him err : nor would we work for fame ; Tho she perhaps might reap the ap{tlause of (Ireat, Who learns the one t'ou sto whence after-hands Ar.iy ino\c the wo«'ld, tho s!;e herself eti'eet ]5ut little : win refore up and ;irt, nor shrink For fear our solid ,iim he di-^sipaterj P)y fi-ail successors. Would, indeed, we had hem. In lieu of many mortal tiies, a race Of giants lixing, each, a thousand years, That wr iinght see our own work out, and watch 'J'lie sandy footprint hanlen into stone.' I answer (I nothing;, doul>tfiil in m\selt' If that strange Poet princess with her grand Jmaginations might at all he won. And she 'n'oke out interpreting my thoughts : • No douht we seem a kind of monster to you We are used to that : for women, up till this. Crampd under worse than South-sea isle tahoo, Dwarfs of the gyna^ceuin, fail so far In hi'fh desire, thfv know not, cannot -'uess 36 THE I'RIN'CESS. How much their welfare is a passion to us. If we could give them surer, (juicker proof — Oh if our end were less achievable By slow approaciies, than hy sin<;le aet Of immolation, a'' phase of death, We were as prompt to spring against the pikes, Or down the fiery gulf as talk of it, To compass our dear sisters' liberties.' She bow'd as if to veil a noble tear : And up we came to where the river sloped To plunge in cataract, shattering on black l)locks A breadth of thunder. < >"er it shook the woods, And danced the colour, and, l»elow, stuck out The bones of some vast bulk tha' lived and roar'd Before man was. She gazed awhile and said, ' As tiiese rude bones to us, are we to her That will be.' ' Dare we dream of that,' T ask'd, ' Which wrought us, as the workman and his work, That practice betters?' ' How,' she cried, 'you love The metaphysics ! read and earn our p,rize, A golden l)rooc}i : beneath an emerald [)lane Sits Diotima, teaching him that died Of hemlock ; our device ; wrought to the life ; She rapt upon her subject, he on her F'or there are schools for all. And vet ' I said ' Mcthinks 1 have not found among them all One anatomic' ' Nay we thouirht of that,' She answer'd, ' l>ut it pleased us not : in tnith We shudder but to dream our maids should ape Those monstrous males that carve tlie living hound, And cram him with the fragments of the grave, Or in the dark dissolving human heart, And holy secrets of this microscosm, Dabbling a shameless hand v. ith shameful jest, Kncarnalize their s[>irits ; yet we know Knowledge is knowledge, and this matter hangs : IT . 1 •. . \S € . '. . .- .-I?.- !f TT iiwrVin . WuIS' it, I'/iSii iiig CabUtliLV, Nor willing men should come amoni: us, learnt, For many wear* ■ ons before we came, ■\1\V. I'KIXCKSS. 37 This <.r;itt of liraliii^. Wtrr you sick, our.solf Would tond upon you. To your (lucstioii now, Which touches nn tlic workinau aiid his work. Lct tlicrc lie liulit and there was li^dit : tis so : For was, and is. and will be, are hut is : And all creation is onr> act at once, The hirth of liglit : Itut we that are not all. As parts, can. see l)ut parts, now this, now that, And livf, pei't'oroe, from :houi,dit to thou;;'ht, and make ( )ne act a phantom of succt-ssion : thus < 'ui' weakness somehow shajus the shadow ; Time : iJut in the shadow will we work, and nioulti Tla woman to the iwlU'v day.' She spake With kindled eyes : we rode a league heyond, And. o'er a hridire of pinewood i-rossiii^f, came « >n tlowrv levels underneath the crag, Full of all heauty. ' ()h how sweet" I sdd For I was half-obii\ ious of my mask) ' To linger here with one.' that loved us. * Yea,' Si'" answerd, 'or with fair [ihilosophies That lift the fancy ; for indeed the.se fields Are lovelv, loveli.-r not the Elsyian laws, \\ here paced tin Demigods of old, and saw The soft white \apor streak the crowned towers Uuilt to the Sue." : then turning to hei' maids, ' Pitch our Pa\ ilion li-se u{»on the sward ; Lay out the viands. At tlie woid, they raised A tent of satin, elaborately wiouirht With f"'r Corinna's trivimj)h ; here she stood, Hngirt with many a tlorid maiden-cheek, The wonian-confiuerd ther" The bearded Victor of ten thousand hyinns, And all the men mourn d at his side : but we Set forth to c'l' nb ; then, climbing, Cyril kept Witli V y« he. with Melissa Florian, I With mine alHanced. .Many a little hand <;lan«ed like a touch of sunsiuae on the rocks, Many a light foot shone like a jewel set 111 tl'e dark iiag : and then we turn d, we wound :{.s 'I'lIK I'I!I\('F:ss. A'lout till' (■litis, lilt' copses, out iU)(l lu, HiiiniiK'rinii; ano i. linkiiin', rhattcriiiy stony names ()i shale .md liorMililfiulr, v-v^ and trap and tiiti', Aniy^c' doid and ti'acliyto, tdl tlie Sun (Jiew lij'oadei' toward his (h-ath and tell, anl all 'I he I'osv heiiihts eanic out al'ovc the lawns. IV Till' Niilciiilouc fall- oil rastk' wiill- Ami siiov\\- smiiniit> old in stoi-y : l lif Ioul; liulit sli.ike?- acioss tin- lakt'>. Aiul till' wild fatarai't Iraps in ^iory. i)I')\\, liii^lc. lilnw. SL't the will! o'Imcs tlyiii^. r>|ii\\. ImgU- ; auswtT. cclincs. ilyiiiL;, ilvii'i:. ilyin'4. () liaik. (> li "ar ! liow thin and rh'ar. And tliinnii'. ilt-iitT. fartlui goiiii; 1 <> >\V('t't and tar tiMin iliU a'ld m:ii' I'hc horns ot Kltlaiid taiiitl\ Mowing I lUow. li't us hrir till' |>iii-|)l(' ilciis rt'|>lyins4 : iUiiw. hiiuK' ; aiisucr. (•chocs, living', dyiic,'. d\ iiiL,'. () lo\c, they dii- in yoii ricli skv . 'I'hcy taint on hill or ti"ld or river : ()iir echoes roll from soul to soul. And grow for ever and for ( xcr. lUow . Iiugle. Idou. set the u ild echoes tlying, And answer, echoes, answer, dying, dying, dying. ' There sinks the nehulous star we call the Sun, It' that hypothesis of theirs he sound ' Said Ida ; ' let us down and rest' ; and we Down t'roni the lean and wrinkled precipices, liy (?very co{)pice-featliei''d chasm and c ct't, Dropt tliro" the amhrosial gloom to where helow No higger than a glow worm sin me the tent Lampdit from the inner, < Mu'e she lean'd on me, Descending ; onct^ or twice she lent her hand, And hiissful palpitations in the hlood. Stiiring a sudtlen transport rose and fell. I>,,f ..I „,.. .^1.,..f...l L., -.1 *■'... .f ..iwl dli.f - ■-• - -::-..- j-:r-.:. : ■■ ■ ■ . • • ; ■ Beneath the satin dome and entei'"d in. There leaning deep in hroider'd down we s,.:ik THK l'KIN< KSS, 39 Our .•lll()^vs ; on a triiio.l in tin- iindst A frajjiniiit tlanu' rose, and l)t'foiv us ■^\ow d Fniitr''l'>ssoni. viand, andicr \vinc. and ;,'old. Tlun >lir. > Let souir one sin- to us . li-)itli«'r move Tli«- uiinut.s tled.i^ed with music ; and a maul, ( »t tlu'sc lie>ide lior. suiotc lu-r luirp. and san-. Tears, i.lle tears. I knew ii<.t wluit tliey nifaii. Tears fioni the depth of >oiii.' .livme .lespan Rise ill tlie heart, and >.'athei to tlie eyfs. Ill lookiiii: < n the happy AuniiuutieMs. And thinkiii- <.t' the days lliat are no more. • Kivsli as tlie tiist lieam -litteiiiiL; C)ii a sail. That l.riii-> our friends up troin the uuderworl.l, Sad as the last which leudeps nvei one ■|hat sinks with all we love helow the verge ; So sa.l. so fresli. the .lays that are no more, • Ah. sad an. I stiaiige a;, m .lark summer lawn- rii. earliest pip.' of half awaken.l hinls r.) .Ivim' ears, wl,-ii unto dyiny .yes rhe ease.i..nt shivly urows a ._dinimeruig s.piare : So. sa.l. so slrani.'e. the .lay- that are no nu.re. • Dear as reineiidieiM kisses aft'-r death, Anil sw.el as tiiose l.y hopeless fan.^y feign .1 ( »n lips that aie for ..tliers : deep as love. Deep as Hist love, ami wil.l with all regret ; (I jhath in Litt, the days that are no more. She cn.l.'d witli surh passion tliat the +ear. She sai^- r.f. shook and tVll, an i-rnuii ]H'arl Lost in iior l.osoni : but with some disikim Answ.T .1 tin- Prim-ess, ' If indeed there liaunt About th.- mnulder'd lodges of the Past So sweet a voice and vague, ratal to men, Well needs it we should cram our ears with wool And s.) pa.e by : but thine are fancies hatch d In silken folded idleness mir i^ it Wiser to weej) a true occasion lost, P.ut trim our sails, and let old bygones be. ^ ^^ While down tile streams tiiat lluut us i-ach a:;;; a-.; •J',, th.' issue goes, like glittering bergs of ice. 40 THE I'RIX* ESS. Throne after throne, and molten on the waste Becomes a cloud : for ail things serve their time Toward that great year of equal mights and rights, Nor would I tight with iron laws, in the end Found golden : let the past he past ; let l)e Their cancelFd Babels : tho" the rough kex break The starr'd .osaic, and the beard-blown goat, Hang on the shaft, and the wild t^gtree split Th( :»• monstrous idols, care not while we hear A trumpet in the distance pealing news Of better, and Hope, a poising eagle, burns Above the unrisen morrow' : then to nie ; ' Know you no song of your own land," she said, ' Not sucli as moans al)Out the retrospect. But deals with the other distance and the hughes Of promise ; not a death s-head at the wine.' Then J remember'd one myself had made, What time I watchd the swallow winging south From mine own land, part made long since, and part Now while \ sang, and maiden-like as far As 1 could ap'- their tieble, did I sing. ' O Swi'Uow, SwiiUow, Hying, tlyiug Soulli, Fly to her, and fall upon lier gihled eaves, And tell her, tell her. what I tell to thee. 'O tell hei', Swallow, thou fl-at knowest eaeli. That bright and tierce and tickle is the South, And dark and true and tender is the North. ' O Swallow, Swallow, if I CDuld follow, and light Upon her lattice, I would pii)e and trill, And cheep and twitter twenty million loves. ' O were I thou that she might take me in, And lay me on her Ixisom, and her heart Would rock the snowy cradle till I lif »1. ' Why liiigereth slu- to clothe lur heart with love. Delaying as the tender ash delays To clothe herself, when all the woods are green ? ■ () teii iier, Swaiiow, liiaL Liiv orniui is iii»wii ; Say to her. I do hut wanton in the South. Kut in the North long since my nest is made. THK I'KIN Not for thee, she said, • (') Bulhul, anv rose of ihilistan Shall hurst her veil : marsh-divers, lather maid, Shall croak thee sister, or the ne-adow eriike (irate lier harsli kindred in the grass : and this \ mere love-j.oem ' < > for sucli, my friend, \Ve hold them slight • they mind us of the time When we' made hrieks in E-vpt. Knave, are men, That lute and tint.' fantastic tenderness, And dress the vietim to the oti"ering up. Ami paint the gates of Hell with Paradise, And play the slave to gain the tyranny. Poor soul : I had a maid of honour once : She wept her true t-yes hlmd for such a one, \ iO"ue of canzonets and serenades. I loved lier. Peace he with her She is dead. So th*-y hlaspheme the muse ! But great is song Tsed to great ends : ourself have often tried Valkyrian iiymns, or into rhythm have dasiiil The passion "of the prophetess : for song Is duer unto freedom ; force and growth Of s]>irit than to iunketi' g and love, Love is it .' Wouhl tiiis same mock-love, and tins Mock Hymen were laid up like winter hats, Till all men grew to rate us at our worth, Not vassals to he Vieat, nor pretty hahes To he dandled, no, hut living wills, and sphered Whole in oUtheUe.-. aii>. i'..>v: .v ::••:•.• .,•• But now to leaven play with profit, you, 12 iiiK i'i:i\< K>s. Kii'iu you no -oii:^. ilif true i;iouth ot vciiic soil. 'rii.it '^ivc^ til"' iii.iiii. <■(•-- ot vo'U" coillitl'vuoinc;! ?' .^Iic .-[lok-- ,ui(l ninid In-f sum ptiious lit-ad witli cvt's ' )f -fiiiiiiiL,' '■xpfrtat ion tixt oi, miiH'. I lifii uliilc I ilraiiL^d iiiv l>raiiis for surli a son:,'. Cyril, with w lioni tlir Wril luoutli'd ^dass had w i'()u;,dit, ' •(■ niaNt(M i^liinmciiiinlv ni'oupii III rhr hollow hank. < )iir rcachiiiL;- t'orward drew M \ l)iiiili'ii rVuiii iiiiiif arms : t ht\' tiifd ' slir livi's': 'i'hfv Mill'- her liark into tin- tcur : Wiir 1, So iniii-h :' kiiiil of shaiiic within nir \vfoui;ht , Not \>'t ii;diir- thf woods, and less from Indian ciaft Than ln'riii-c instinct hiv<'\var'(h found at h-iiyth Thf uafth.-n jiortaU. 'INvo '^M'cat starucs, Art \iid SciciK T, Caryatids, lifted up A Weight of cmlili'in. and lu'tw ixt wci'f \al^'t'.s < 'f ojifii work in which tin- hunter rut'er'd o'er at top with pain, iMopT on the swanl. and uji tlie linden walks. And. tost on thou-hts that chani,'ed from hue to line, Now poling on tlie l>1ow wdrm, now the star, I pac'd the terrace till the Jiear h;id weel'd Thro ;i ^real arc his seven slow suns. A step • "f li-hte-t echo, then a loftier form Than l.inale, moviim thro" the uncertain i^looni, histnrlMl nie with the douht ' if this were -he,' Hut !t was Klorian. ' Hist O Hist,' he said, ' Thev sei'k us ; out so late is out of rules. Moieo\er •' seize the stianyei's ' is tlie cry. llou .ame von here '" I told liiui : ' I ' said he, • i.a>t of the train, a moral leper, 1, To whom none snake, iialf sick at heart. I'cturn d. Aijivmu' all confused among tlie rest With hooded brows 1 crept into the hall, jjp n 44 TlIK l'i{lNrKS>. >\ ;is silt'iit ; ! losfi' prt-st. (It-nicd it not : Aiul then, (It'inaiult'd if hci- iiiotlu'i- knew, < >i' Psych''. sh»' jithniifd not, or dt'iiii'd ; Ki'oin whfiire the Iioyul mind, t'aniiliui- \s ith luT, Easily yathfi-'d t'ither uuilt. She sent Foi' Psyche. Itiit she was not tlicic ; -lie call'd For P-yv'hc's cliihl to i-ast it from tin' doors ; Nhf sent for Hlanchc to accuse her face to face : And I slipt out : Imt withei- will you now ,' Anil wheic ai'e Psychf, Cyi'd .' l>oth are tied : What, if toi,'etliei' .' th;it were not so well. ^\'ould I'ather we had nt'\er come! I dread ^'' •■ ''dness, ;uid tlie dianci's of tin- dark. Hi wil • And yet, 1 said. ' vou wioni.' him moi'e than 1 That struck liim : this is pi'opcr t' the clown, Tho smock ;1, oi' furr il and jiurjded, still the clown. To harm the thinj,' that trusts liim, and to shame That whiidi he says he lo\»'s : for Cyril, howe er He ileal in frolic, as to-nii,dit — the sow^ .Miu'ht liave lieen worse and sinn <1 in ijrosser lips Beyond all pardon — as it is, I hold These tlashes on tlie surface are not he. He has a soMd liase of temperanient : But as tlie waterlily starts and slides Upon the level in little puH's of wind, Tho anchoi' (1 to the liottom, such is he.' Scarce had. 1 ceased v. lien from a tamarisk neai' Two Proctors leapt ujion us, cryin<,', ' Names ' ; He. standing stiU, was I'lutch'd : hut I he^an To thrid the musky circled mazes, wind • viiii CiOUiiie Hi a!i(i out Xi'n' OOit-S, liiiu Vai. ti I'.v all the fountains : fleet I was of foot : THi; I'KINCKSS. 45 l;.'t()i«' iii«- ^lio\st'iil tlif fosc ill tliik»'s : l^'liirul 1 li.Mul tin- piitl'M pursiifi- ; 'it iiiii.t' r-Av I5ui»til»'ad, Pi'Oiihtt ot Sturm : a handmaid on each sidi' iiowd toward hrr, i-omhiiiii out ln-r loiiu' hlai'k hair jtaiii}' tfoiii thf ri\fr ; and olosf l.»diiiid her stood f-^iijli' dauu^iitt-rs of the plow, .troiii,'tT than men, 'luiif wonu'ii l.low/.ed with healtli, and wind, and rain, And lal.our. Karh was like a I)ruid rock ; Or lik." a >piie ot land that stands apart Cl'fr tiom th.' main, ami wail'd ahout wi\. niew.s. riuMi. as Wf itinif, the ei-owd dividiiiir elove An aiheiit to the tlwoiie : and there heside. I fait iiakfd as ii eaui^dit at once from hed And tumhlefl on the purph- footcloth, lay Tlie lily-shiniiii.' child : and on the left, Bowxl on lier {palms and folded up from wron-<. Her round white slionlder sluikt'n with her cob;,, Mrlissa kuc'lt ; but Lady IJlanche erect Stood up and spake, an atHuent orator. • It vvas not thus, O Princess, in old day - : You prized my counsel, lived upon mv lips : 1 led you then to all the Castalies ; 1 fed 'you with the milk of every muse : 1 loved you like this kneeler, and you m»- Your second niotiier : tho.se were aw it and i;rie\ ed — to slacken and to cool ; Till taken with her seeming openne.ss ••ft 46 I hi; i'Hixckss, \' ill jiait tVoni uiuiciit lovr, And partly that I liojit-d to win you liack, And piirtly consiious ot' my own deserts, And jiai'tly tliat you were my cix il head, And chietlv vou were liorn for something; i,'i'eat, In which I mi^ht your fellow-woiker he, W hen time sliould ser\e ; and thus a noMe scheme (irew up from seed we too loni^ since had sown ; In us true i,M'owili, in jier a .lonah's i^joui'd, I'p in on' nii^lil and due to sudden sun : We took this palace : hut e\\ n from the fust You stood in your own li^ht and divrkend mine. What student came hut that you planed her path To J^ady Psyche, yuun^er, not so wise, A foi'ei'niei', and I your counti-ywoman, 1 your old friend and tried, she knew in all ? I-)Ut still hei- lists were swell'd and mine were lean : Yet I liore up in liop»> slie would lie known : Then came these wolves iltfji knew her : th> ji endured Lonii-closeted with liej- the vestt ■morn. To t(-ll her what they were, and sUe to hear : And me none told : not less to an eye like mine A lidless ..atcher of the pulilic weal, Last night their mask was patent, and my foot Was to you • hut 1 thought again : 1 fear d To meet a cold '* We thaidc you, we sliall hear of it From Ladv Psvche ' : vou had gone to her, .^he told, perforce ; and winning easy grace, Xo douht, for sliglit delay, remain'd among us ! •" our you ni; mirsery still unknown, the stem Less iirain than touchwood, wliile mv lioiiest heat Wei'e all miscounted as malignant haste 'J'o push my rival out ot place and power. lUit puhlic use re([uired slie siiould he known ; And since my oath was ta en for j>uhlic use, 1 hrokt' the letter of it to keep tlie sense. J spoke not then at first, but watcli d tlien' \\ -W, Saw thai they kept apart, no mischief do.ie ; THK rKlN< KSS. And y«-t this id slie >. These monsters l.Ja/on'd wliat they were, According to the coarseness ot' tlieir kind, For thus I liear ; ae.;l known at hist (my work) And full of cowardice and .ii;uilty s'.iame, I grant in h"r sonu- sense of shame, she tlirs ; And I reni.an on whom to wreak your rage, I, that liave lent my life to l.ui'd u}) youis, I'tiuit liave wasted here health, wealth, and ti ip, And talent, I — you know it —I will not 1.0i...sc . Dismiss me. and" I j.rophesy your i)lan, Divorced from my experience, will he chatl For every gust of ciiance, and men nill say \\V did not k low tlie real light, hut i-ha.-,ed Tlie wisp that tlickers where no foot can tiead.' Hhe ceased : the Prhici-ss answer d cohlly, ' « iood : You oath is luokeii ; we disndss you : go. For this lost lamb (slie pointed to the child)^ ' Mil mind is changed : we take it to c rselt. Tliereat the Lady stret. 'ird a vulture throat, And shot from crooked lips a haggars, \s waits a rivci' le\cl with tli- ilam Rcadv ro bu.-st and tlood the woild with foam : And so shr would have spoken, but the.'e ruse A hul>bui» in the coui-t of half the .uaids (WitherM toueth.f: from tli.- illuiinn.-(l hall l.onu lan.'s of splciulonr slant. -d or.' a press . )t' snowy shoiddeis. thi^'k as hci'dcd cwts, Autl i-ai.'diow .'obcs. and -cms and ticudike cys, And u
ome ivd. some pah'. All opcn-iiiourird. all -a/iny to tlu- liuht. Some cryin^■ thcv was an ai my m tin' laud, Aud some that m.'ii \vciv in the vciy wall-., And souir thry <:n,'i[ uot : till a clamour -ivw As of a new-world I'.aliel. woman budt, Aud wors.'-.'oiifonudc.l : hiyh above theui stood ■J'hc placid uuirl«le Muses, looking peace. Not peace she look'd, tli-' Head : luit lising up Kobt'd i.i tiie long niuht of her deep haii'. >o 'P., fl,(> nnen wiuilo" nio\e(k lemaiuing theie Fi\t like a l.eacoii-tow.'r abo\-e the wa\es Of tempest, when ilie ciinisou I'ollini; ey.^ THE l'HIN< KSS. Olan's ruin, and tlu' wild birds on tlie light Diish tlunnst'lves (lead. She stretchd her aims and Atross th«; tumult and the tumult tVll. cal ' What fear yt\ brawlers ? am not I your head ()u mv, me, me, the storm first breaks : I dare All these male tliunderliolts : wjuit is it ve fear ? peace ! there are those to a\ en«jre d tl It' not, — I df mvselt wen> lik us and they come e enou<:ji, O I'lrls, To unfurl the maiden Ijanner of our rii,dits, And clad in iron burst the ranks of war, ( »i fall leg, prot( .martyr of our cause l>ie : yet I blame you not so much for fear ; Six thousand years of fear have made you that Fiom which 1 would redeem you ; but for those That stir this hubl)ul) you and you — 1 know "S'liur faces tliere in the crowd— to-morrow mo>'n We bold a great convention : then shall they That love their \oices more than duty, learn With whom they deal, dismissd in sluime to live No wiser tiian their mothers, household stutl", l,i\e cliattels, mincers of each other's fame. Full of weak poison, turnspits for tlie clown. Till' drunkards football, laughing-stocks of Time, Wiio.se lii'aiiis are in their hands and m their heel> But tit to tlannt, to dress, to daiae. to thrum. To tramp, to scream, to iiurnish, and to scour, [•'iif cNcr sla\es at home and fools abi'oad.' he, ending, wa\td liei' hands : thereat rhf crowd Mutt crin; dissolved : then 1 with a smile, that A -fidke of cruel sunshine on the clitl". When all the g'eiis are drow n"d in a/ure i;loom •If t liuudei ■shiiwcr, she tldiited to us and said : ^'ou ha\e done well and ld oices niurmuring. While I listen'd, came < »u a sudden the weird sei/.ui'c and the iloubt : 1 seem d to muv(^ ainonu; a workl of glmsts ; The Princess with her monstrous womanguaid. The jt'st and earnest working side by side, The cataract and the tumult and the kings Were shadows ; and i\w. long fantastic night With ill its doings iuid !ind had not been, .Vtid all things were and wei'c not. This went by As strangely as it came, and on my spirits Settled a ;ienHe cloud of inelancholv ; THK I'HINCESS. 53 Not loiif,' ; I shook it ott' ; for spite of doubts And sudden ghostly shadowinjis I was one To wlioiii the toucli of all niisehanee but came -\s night to him that sitting on a liill Sees the midsummer, midnight, Xorway sun Set into sunrise : then we moved a w ay. Tliy voice is hfurd tluo" rolling ili-uins. That l)t.'at to liattle wlieif he stands ; i'hy tacf a{M'oss liis fancy comes, And gives tlie 1 ulc to liis hands : A iiioinent, \\ hik ;lic triiniiiets lilow, He sees his In'ood alioiit thv knee : The next, like tiic he meets the foe, And stiikts him dead for liiine and thee. So Lilia sang : we thought her' half possess'd, Slif struck such \va»i)ling fury thro' tiie woi-ds ; And, after, feigning \n<\uf at wliat she callVl 'l"he raillery, or giotcscjue, or false suldime — liikf one that wishes at a dance to change Th< music — clapt her hands and cried for wai-, (Jr soTiK' grand fight to kill and make an end : And he tliat next inlierited the tale Half turning to tiie bioken statute, said, ' Sir Ralph has got youi- colours : if 1 prove Your knight, and tight your battle, what for me V It chanced, her empty glove upon th tomb Lay by her like a model of her hand. She took it and she Hung it. ' Fight' slie said, ' And make us all we would be, great and good.' He knightlike in liis cap instead of cas(|ue, A cap of Tyrol borrow'd from the hall. Arranged the favour, and assumed the Prince. Now st-ai-ee thi'ee paces measui'ed from the niouiid, We stuml)led on a stationery vf»iee, And 'Stand, wlio goes ? ' 'Two from the palace' 1. ' i iie s"con(i two : they wait, lie sanj, • pass on ; His Highness wakes ' : and oiif, that clash'd in arms, ff 54 THK I'KIN' K>.s. liv ^liiiiiuffiiii; l.mt's iiiid walls of fau\a> Ifl Tiin-adin-' the soldier-city, till we lit-ard Tlif drowsy folds of our ureal eii^ii;)! shade Im'oiii hla/.otrd lions; (t'er the iiii[iei'ial tnit liisper- ot N\ ar, KiiteriiiL;, the sudden li^lit l)a/.ed uir iialf-l>lnid I stood and sccni'd to heai- As in a jioplar ijioxe wln-n a lii;lit wind wakes A lisping of till- innunierous leaf and dies, Each hissing in his nriifjihoui-'s car : antl thiMi A strangled titter, out of which there lirakc On all >ides. clamourini;- ctiinn'ttc to (h'ath. I 'nnica>.ured mu'th : while now tlie two old kinn's IJenan to w.il;- their 'lahhiess up and down. The froh vouni;- ca|itains tlash d their i^litterini; teeth, The hiii;c liushdicai'dcd ISarons hca\ed and lilew. And slain with laughti-r r(»ird the ijilded Scjuire. At length my Sire, iiis rouL;ii check wet witli tears, Panted fi'oni weary sides ' Kini;', you ai'c free 1 We did hut keep vou suretv for our son. If thih lie h(', -or a di'a^nled niawkin, thou, That ten(U her hristled i;runtei's in the sludi;*' : For I was drench d with oo/.e, and torn with hriers, •More crumpled than a I'Oppy from the sheath. And all one raif, dispj-inced fiom head to heel. Then someone sent heneatii his vaulted pain A wl H iispcrd jest to someone near him Look. e has ocen amou'f his s had ows. .Nat an tak. The old women and their shadows ! (thus tlie Kin^ Roar (I make vourselt" a man to tiiiht with i.pii. (i Cvril told us a I As I lovs that slinl From ferule and the t respass chitliiii; eye, Away we stole, aiul ti'ansient in a trice From what was left of faded woman slouch To sheathini;' splendours and the t^olden scale Of iiarness, issued in the sun, tliat now- Leapt from tlie dewy shoulders of tlie Kai'th, Anil hit tile Northern hills. Here Cvril met u- TIIK I'KIXCKSS. 00 A little sliy at first, but hy and Ity \\\' twain, with mutual paidon ask'd and tri\t'! For sti'okr and so.i;^% re.soUk'r'd [leaee, wliereou Follow (1 his talf. Amazed he tied away Thio" the dark land, and later in tlie niglit Had come on Psyehe weepinrj : ' then we fell Into your fathers liand, and there she lies, l'>ut will not speak, nor stir.' He show" a tent A .stonc-sliot ort" : we enter'd in, and there Amonu piled arms and I'ough aeeoutrements, Pitiful sii;lit, wiapp'd in a soldiers '-loak, Like som*' sweet sculpture draj)ed from head to foot. And push (1 liy rune hands fi-om its pedestal, All her fair leiii^th upon the ground she lay : And at her head a follower of the i-imp. A iharr <1 and wi'inkled piece of womanhood, S;it watehini;- like a wateiiei' liy the dead. Then Florian knelt, and ' Come ' he whisper'd to her, ' Lift up vour head sweet sister : lie not thus. What havi- you done hut I'ight ? you could not slay Me, noi' vour juinee : look up : l)e comforted : Swfct is it to liave done the tiling- one ought. Wlu'ii fallu in dai'ker ways." And likewise 1 : ' lie comforted : have 1 not lost her too. Ill whose least act abides the nameless charm That none has else for me .' She heard, she moxcd, She moan'd. a folded voice : and up slie sat. And raised the cloak from l>rows as pale and smooth As those that mourn half-shrouded over death In deathless marhle. ' Her," she said, ' my friend — Parted from her — Itetray Vt her cause and mine — Where shall 1 lireathe ? why kept ye not your faith? () hase and had ! what comfort .' none for me !' To whom remoiseful Tvril, ' \>t I pray Taki- comfort : live, (h'ar lady, for your child !' A' wliicli she lifted up er voice and cried. 56 IIIK l'KIN( KSS. ' Ah me, my ItaiK', my lilossoii), :ili, my child, My out; swfet (.liild, whom T shall s(m' no moro ! For now will cruel Ida keep hei- l»ack ; And either she will die ivoiw want of care, < )r sicken with ill-usa,i,'e, when they say The child is hers t'oi' every little fault, Tlu- child is hers : and they will lieat my girl Reniemliering her mf)ther : <) my Mower I <»!• they will take her, they will make jier hard, And she will pass me l>y in after-life With some cold n verence worse than were she dead. Ill mother that I was to lea\e her tjieie, To lai; hehind, scared l«y the cry tliev made, The horror of the shame anionic them all : Hut I will i^o and sit beside the doors, -Vnd make a wild petition ni:Ljiit and day, Intil they hate to hear me like a wind Wailiiii; for ever, till tbey open to me, And lav mv little l)lossom at mv feet. My bahe, my sweet A,i,dani, my ont.> child : And 1 will take hei' u{> and <^o mv wav, And satisfy mv soul with kissin<' her : Ah ! what niiijht that man not deserve of me Who f^ave me hack my child .'' ' Be comforted,' ."Said Cyril, 'you shall have it' : hut again She veil'd her brows, and prone slie sank, and so Like tender things that being caught feiyn death, ►Spoke not, no»' stirrd. By this a murmur ran Thro' all the camp JMid inward raced the scouts With rumour of Prince Arac hard at hand. We left h(M by the woman, and without Found the gray kings at parle ; and ' Look you ' cried My father * that our compact be fultill'd : Y.»M have spoilt this child : she laughs at you and man Slie wrongs herself, her sex, and me, and him : l!ut red-faced war has lods of steel and tire ; She yields, or war.' i iieii i lama turn (I to me : ' We fear, indeed, you spent a stormy time i THK PRINCESS. 0( \> ith our stranirc ^irl : and yet tlu'y say tliat still You love Ijer. (iive us then your niin('| at hirj^e : How say you, war or not f ' Not war, if possiMe, king,' I said, ' j.-st from the al.use of wur. The desecrated shrine, the train{)ied year. The snioulderin-,' liomestead, i«nd the houseliold How.-r Torn from the lintel — all tlie ccmmoi' -onj/ A smoke go up thro' whieli I loom to .-r Three times a monster : now she lior|jtens scorn At him that u)ars lier plan, hut then would hate (And every voice she talk'd witli ratify it, And every face she lookVi on justify it) The general foe. More soluMc is this knot, lly gentleness than nai'. I want lier lo\ e. Wliat were I nigher this altho" we dashd Your cities into shreds with catapults, SJhe would not love : — or l)rought her chain'd, a slave, Tiie lifting of whose eyelash is my lord. Not ever would she love ; hut brooding tutn The hook of scorn, till all my flitting clumce Were caught within the record of liei- wrongs, And crush'd to death : and rather, Sire, than this 1 would ti;e old (iod of war himself were dead, Forgotten, rusting on nis iron hills, Plotting on some wild sliore with ril»s of wreck, Ur like an old-world mammoth bulk'd in ice. Not t<» he molten out.' -r'lnd roughly spake My father, 'Tut, you know them not, the girls. I>oy, when I hear you prate I almost think That idiot legend credible. Look you, Sir ! Man is the hunter : woman is his game : The sleek and shining creatures of tiie chase, We hunt them for the beauty of their skins ; Tiiey love us for it, and we ride them down. Wheedling and siding with tliem : Ont ' for shame ! Boy, ther(!"s rio rose that's half so dear to them As he that does the thing they dare not do, Breathing and sounding beautious battle, comes [•«*" 58 III-; ■i;i.\« kn-^. W itli tlif ;iir nt tlii' ti'mnpft iduiK ! 1 iiiii th tlifiii l>v the aiKl •Olf filpS III ^A'l'.inii;' tlir woiiifii, >ii;iic.N tiu'iii i>\ tiic >,c Kl.'itt'M (I ,111(1 tlustci'd, \viii>. tlio' (lashd with dcitli l|f ii'ddi'tis wliiit lif kisses rliiis I \\ iic'd wise iu:l. The sf)ldi»'r .' No: What ilatf> not Ida do that .si ■ .should )iri/c The soldier .' I lifht'ld Imt, \\ hrn she roso The ypstefiiii;ht . and storniinLr in <'.\ti'<'nifs, Stood t'oi' hii cause, and riuni;' defiance down (Jaui-likc to man, and had not shnnn'd tlie death. No. not the soidiefN : yet I holil her. kini;. True woman : liiif \on cla^il tiiem ;dl in one. Tiiat ha' f as many ditl'ei'cnces as we. The \ loh't \aiies from the lily a.'> tai' A.'> oak tVom elm : one lo\>'s the soldiei'. one The silken pi'iest of jieace. one this, one that, And some unwortliily ; theic sinless faith, A maiden moon that sparkles on a sty, ( ilorifyini;' clown and satyr : whence thev need More lireadth of culture: is not Ida iii;ht .' They worth it ■ truv'r to tlie law within .' Se\t'rer in the logic of a life .' Twiee as mai^netie to sweet inliuences < 'f earth and heaven .' and she of whom vou sjieak, My mother', looks as whole as some s«'reiie Creation minted in the i,oldeii moods ( >f so\ ereign artists ; not a thouglit, a touch, r»ut pui'e as lines of green that streak the wjiite f>f the first snowdrop's inner leaves : I say, Not lifs. the piehald miscellany, man, Bursts of great heart and slips in sensual mire, lull w jiole and one : and take them all in ail. Were we ourselves hut half as good, as kind. TIIK I'lMNCFlss. As ti'iirht'iil, Hindi that Id; Had I <'Iaiiiis as rinht ii«'»'i- Sm'ci! iiiootril. I.ut as t'raiiklv tl As (liics of Xatiitv. '1 Ijcsl I lost- al ifirs '• 'Mir |M(iiit : not war X aid ( iai iia. W IV. iia\-, von spake liu ^tJUiic • ' r'riii.'iiil)fr' l()\c oiifst'lf In our -wrrt youth ; we did not laf.- him th.n Thi- rr,l li(,r I ion to lie sliapod wnh I ^'on talk almost lik.- Ida : s/, And t ht'ic i l>iit \()ii tal ilow s. I'' can talk •^ something' in it as vpeak with Arac : Ar \s our- with Ida : somethimj: may he rlone I know not what -and ours shall see us friend.- . oil, likewise, our late i,''uests, if so Foil VOll Wl 11. F ow us : wlio knows .' wo four may i.uild some plan oui's(juare to opposition. White hands of farewcdl t A 11 answer which, half muffled in I Here he reach d o my sire who ^rowl'd lis heard liC't so much out as gave u.s lea\ e to iro. 'I'heii rode we with the old kiiii: across tl Beneath huye trees, a tl le lawii.s lOU 1 11 every holt sand ritiLrs ot SpriiiLf a soiii: on every spray Of hirds that fiiped their Valentines, and wok» 1) esire 111 me to iiituso my tale of love «0 Tin: ITINrKSS. In t) \i- uiii kiiil;s tar-, who juoiiiiM'd iiflji, aii(i oo/cci All o'ei- with hdiitv il aiiswci ii>> wr rndf Ami Iilossoiii t'rairiaiit slifit tlii' lirax v (\v\\< ii out- mail (1 licaiU : luit (itln'i- f hoiiLdifs than Pt'iice Iliiriit in MS, when uc saw tln' •Miii>attlt'(l sijiiarcs, Ami sipiadfons of the I'lmi-.' tranijijini; thf tlf)\vt'rs With claniour: tor aiiioni.' tlnMii losc a rrv it to ■'Vfl ■t t"-' ki tht'V Miadt' a halt ''" ' horses vt'll (I . tiicy clash d thf-ir arnis ; th»' drum lirat . mfrr'ily-l)louim,' shr-ill'd the martial tit'r : And in tin- lilast and l>ray of thf lon^' horn And sci|ifnt tlii(»atfd liuirlr, iiiidiilatcd 'I'l *^ iiannt (■ anon t( > mt'ft US liylitiv |)r inciMi Thifi' captains out : nor cser had I seen Such thcws of nn-n : the mi Imost and the luLjlicst \\'a> Arac : all ahout his motion chm;;' 'J'hc shadow nt his >i^t<'i-, as the heam Of the Kast, that play d npoii them, made them i;iar Like thfise three stars of the airv (iiant's /,t»ne, That flitter iMirnish'd l.v the frosty dark ; And as the tiery Sirius alters hue, And iiickers into red and emeiiild. sjume Th'ir' m(»rions, wasii'd with moiidiii;-, as they came. cc And I th'it prated peace, when first 1 heard ir nius "t ti.e hiind wildheast of forct hose i. aue in the sinews of a man. W W Stir in me as lo strik then took the kini; His three broad sons ; with now u wonderin^f hand And now a pointed tinut'r, told them all : A common lii;h! of smiles at our distjuise iJroke from theii- lips, and ere the wiiidv jt'st Had lahoui'"(l dow) within jiis ample luni,'s, The ojenial 1,'iant, Arac. I'oII'd himself Thrice ill the saddle, th<'n tn.irst out in words. Uur land in\aded, .sdeath ! and he himself :!i Vl W III- i 11 M »» til And, sdeath ! mvself, what care [. vvar .)r no? TIfK I'lUNTEss. iJiit then tl And tlinrc I'S (|Uf'.stion of vour trotl s a (I I rfniiiuis tl ownri,:,'lit honest ni.'jmin.' in | Mr as pn '<;s toohi-h, she fi..s too hi-h ■ ,uhI v.t •s[)afo ,in<| f,..,j)|,iy fof h.T sc'l u-i- k'd I and ICUM' I'H'st It on nic -1 nivs.'lf. What know I of th.s,. thini^.s ' lu.t; lif.'an.l soul thou-ht h.-r lialf-n-! t talkin- of 1 say sh,- (iirs too lii^.j,, •.sih-atir: wj I take her foe tl UT u ron<,'s ; lat of that? And so 1 oft. Ml told I !<• (iMW.-r of womankind. "'I', I'iirht or- \vr on; ^Vncl, Prin.-,., sh.- .-.in !..- sw.vt to those'^slu- I And. n-ht or wron- I ..an- not : this is all I Stan.! upon h.-r side: sin- mad o'es. <- nif sw.-ai- it d»'ath— an.! with so', -Mm rit.-s i,v cuk Sw.-Mr l.vSt. s:om..thinu--| fo.-i-t h.-r i mdl. -Inriit — il •r that talkd d )\vn the tiftv wist'st n- was a princess too ; and so 1 lanie- n : <'onu', this is all ; she will not . If not, the fon^^rhtcii tj.dd, what l>^'.•ld.•.^ it, 'sd.-ath swore wai\ e your elaini f'Ist-. at oiu-<- against my fathers will.' I 1 M i'And in answer loth to rend t-r up .V precontraet, and loth \>v 1 o eleave tin- rift of ditlereii.e d y tjramless wai' eeper yet li'.l one of those two hrothers, half asid And rin-ering at the iiair al.out his lip io prick us on to eomhat ' Like to Lik, Tl !•' woman s garm.-nt hid the woi xuut that eleneh'd his purpose like a 1.1 A t For fiery sliort was C And sharp I answer'.! touch d nan s heart ow yril s counter-st-ort' upon the point here idle hoys are cowards to their si l->ecide it here : w| lanu- IV not we are tl: ree to tl ire»' X M Then spake the third ' iJut three to tl 61 I ree o more, and m our nol.le sister\s cause : ore, more, for honour : ev.-ry captain waits Fuore llun-ry for honour, angry tor his king ore, more, some tittv on a side, tl lal .'a. ly i.i-eathe hims.-lf, and .piick ! I < >f the.se or tl 'V overthrow lose, the (juestion settled die ()2 THE I'RiycKSS. 'Yf'ii,' aiiswcrVl 1, 'tor this wild w n-atii of air, Tliis Hake of rainbow Hyiny on the hi^jhest Foam of mens d»^e(ls — this honour if ye ulll, Tt needs must he for honour if at all :' >u\ce. what decision ' if we fail, we fail, And if we win, we fail : she would not keep Uer compaet.' Sdeath '. l)ut we will send to her,' Said Arac, ' worthy reasons why slu should Hide Ijy this issue : let our missive thro", And you shall havr hci answer hv the word." llovs '" shriek'd the old kinir, hut To 1 ler falsf daughters hi th ut vainlifr thai, a 1 icn pool : toi' none ay: Ke^'arded : neitlier seem"d tlu're more to s Back rode we to my father"s camp, and found He thrice had sent a herakl to the ;;'ates To leai'n if fda yet would anle ouj' claim, < »r I'y denial Hushed h,-r l.al)hliiiM wells With hei' own {teoplcs life : three times I The first, h H. le went itli'w and I Hew, uit none ai)peai'"d l»aner"d at the doors : but nont^ can.e ; the next An awful voice within liatl warn"d him thence : lit daughters of the plough lunl unci tl lose eu lie Cai And sallyiny thro" tlu- ,j;'ates, and cauijlit hi> hai bel aijour fi iiim on ril) a ui che( ■k They iiiade him wild : net less one fiance he caught Thro open doors of J da station"(l tl ■re iiiiii I iisliak<'ii. '•lingin;'- to her piuj T!io compass'd liy two armies and liie noist < »f arms : and standin- like a stately Pi.i,. <'t in a cataract on an inland i-ray-, hen stoi'm is on the heiohts, and ri-ht a: Siick'd fiom the dark heart of the loni hill The tori'ents, dash'd to the \ a! S w a:i(i ii ft s rol led Will in me tl 1! But when I told (h( 'J'o tii^ht in tourne\- f( H : and » oM'i'conie it or fa! 'f iii-r wil :iii-- tliat I •r mv bride. 1 w , ile( -•'(I le cash (I IS iron j)aims together with a crv : ilin,^. i{ utMiid lilt it out aiaoni;- the lads lint o\erboiiie bv all his In-arded lords THE I'KIXCESS. (;8 A\ 1th ivasons drawn fro.n acre aiul state, perforce He yie.aed. wroth aiul re.i, with tierce demur- And many a hold nii,dit started up ni heat And sware to combat for my claim till death. All on this side the palace ran the Held Flat to the garden-wall : and likewise here, Ahovo the garden's glowing hlossom-he.cs, ' A column d entry shone and marhle stairs. And great hronze valves, en)boss'd with Tomvris And what she did to Cyrus af^ tight, But now fast barr'd : so here i i tlip' Kat All that long morn the lists were hamnuMVl up And all that morn the heralds to and frf;, With message and detianc.,', went and came ; T-ast, Ida's answer, in the roval iiand, But shaken here and there, and rolling words Oration-like. 1 kiss'd it and 1 read. '() brother, you have known the pang.s we tV't, \\ hat heats of indignation when we heard <'f those tl.at iron-cramp'd theii- women's feet : ()f lands in which at the altar the poor brid.' (Jives hej' ha>'sh groom for Iji'idal-gift a scour-e • < 'f hvnig hearts that crick within the tire " ' Where sn-oulih-r their ,I,,ul despots ; and of those,- -Mothers,— tl.at, all pi.,plietic pity, tling Th.-ii' pretty maids in the running- Hood, and swoop '111.- vulture, beak and talon, .it tlie hrait M;ule for all nol)le motion : and I saw l..at eipial I^aseness lixcd in sleeker times Witli .smoother m.-n : the old lea\en leav.'i;'.] e'l • Mdlions of throats would IkiwI for civil ri-lits, No woman named : then-fore j set mv fa"e A-ainst all men, and lived but U,r minr own. Far oti'fron'. men I beilt a fold .'or th.-m : J stoi-ed it full of rich memorial • I f I'lii'i '< I :♦!. And biting 1 i I -^ I it u M " iws to scale the beasts of pi'ey And piosprr'd : till a j-ouf of saucy oys 64 THE PRINCESS. Brake on us at our l)Ooks, and marr'd our peace, Maskd like our maids, l.lusterinu I know not what ( )f insolence and love, some pretext held Of Bai.v troth, invalid, since my will ^ SealM n\)t the bond— the striplings '.—for their sport :— 1 tamed my leopards : shall I not tame these .' Or vou '. or I ? for since you think me touch'd In honoi' -what, I would not aught of false— is not our cause pure .' and whereas I know Your prowess, Arac, and what mother's blood Y,)u draw from, tii^ht ; you failin.i,', I abide What >'n(\ soever: fail you will not. Stdl Take not his life : he risk'd it for my own ; His mother lives : yet whatsoe'er you do, Fiyht and Hj^dit wefl : strike and strike home. ( > dear BtT)thers, the wom:ni s Angel guards you, you Th.e sole men to be mingled with our cause, The sole men we shall prize in the after time, Your very armour hallowd, and your statues Rear'd, sung to, when, tliis gad tly brush'd aside. We plant a solid foot into the Time, And mould a generation strong to move With claim on' claun from right to right, till she Whose nan)e is yoked with children's, know herself ; And Knowledge in our own land make her free. And, ever following those two crowned twins. Commerce a'.id compiest, shower the tiery grain Of freedom broadcast over all that orbs J',etween the Northern and the Southern morn." Theti came a postscript dash'd across the rest 'Sec that tiiere be no tiMitors in y^-'r camp : We seem a nest of traitors — none to trust Sine.' 'iir arms fail'ci -this Egypt-plague of men ! Almo'^.t our maids were better at tlit-ir homes. Than thus man-girdled here : indeed I think Our chiefest t-omfort is the little child < li.' . »1 tlw... • \\ lii.'li cliii lutt ■ Sh -nai 'li/.e nut ha\e It l)a< the child shall grow :he authentic mother of her mind. THE PRINCESS. 65 [ took it for an hour in mine own bed This morning : tliere the tender orphan hands Felt at my heart and seem'd to charm from thence The wrath I nursed against the world : farewell.' I ceased : lie said, ' Stubborn, but she may sit Upon a king's right hand in thunderstorms. And Vtreed up warriors I See now, tho' yourself Be dazzled by the wildtire Love to sloughs That swallow common sense, the spindling king, This (lama swamp'd in la^-y tolerance. When the man wants weight, the woman takes it up, And topples down the scales : but this is tixt As are the roots of earth and base of all ; ]Man for the field and woman for the hearth : Man for the sword and for the needle she : ]\Ian with the head ;ind woman with the heart : ]\la)i to command and woman to obey ; All else confusion. Look you 1 the gray mare Is ill to live with, when her whinny shrills From tile to scullery, and her small goodman Shrinks in his arm-chair while the tires of Hell Mix with his hearth : but you — she's yet a ..olt— Take, break her : strongly groom'd and straightly curb'd She hMght not rank with those detestable That i<'t the bantling scald at home, and brawl Their rights or wrongs like potherbs in the street. They say she's comely : there's the fairer chance : r like her none the \e^r- for rating at her ! lit'sides, the woman wed is not as we, l>ut surt'ers change of frame. A lusty brace ' ;i twins may weed her of her folly. Boy, The Iteaiing and th<> uaining of a child Is woman's wisdom." Thus the hard old king : I took my leave, for it was iirai'ly noon : I pored upon lier letter which 1 lield, And on the little clause ' take not his life ' ; 1 mused on that wild mormng in tiie woods. And on the ' Follow, follow, thou shalt win' : 6t; TllK l'RIX< ESS. I tliought on all tin- wruthful king had sairl, And how tlie strange betrothnient was to end : Then 1 reineniber'd tliat hunit sorcerer's cur e That one should tight with shadows and should fall ; And like a flash the weird atiection came : King, camp and college turned to hollow shows ; I seeni'd to move in old memorial tilts, And doing battle with forg. tten O hosts. To dream niyself the shadow of a dream : And ere I woke it was the point of noon, Tl " lists were ready. Empanoplied and plumed We enter'd iii, and waited, fifty there Opposed to fifty, till the trumpet blared At the barrier like a wild horn in a land Of echoes, and a moment, and once more The trumjiet, and again : at which the storm ( )f galloping 'oofs bare on the ridge o+' spears And riders front to fi'ont, until they closed In conflict with the crash of shivering points, And thunder. Yet it seemM a dream, T dream'd Of fighting. On his haunches rose the steed, Andinto fiery splinters leapt the lance. And < .it of stricken helmets sprang the fire. Part -sat like rocks ; part reeld but kept their seats ; Part roird on the earth and rose again and drew : Part stuml)led mixt with floundci'ing horses. Down From those two bulks at Aracs side, and down From Aracs arm, as from a giants flail, The large lilows rain'd. as here and everywhere He rode the mellay, lord of th(> riiiging lists And all the plain. — brand, mace, and shaft, and shield Shock'd, like an iron-clanging anvil bang'd With hammers : till 1 thought, can this be lie Fi'om (Jama's dwarfish loins ? if this be so. The mothei' makes us most and in my dream 1 glanc'd aside, and saw the jialace-front Alive with fluttering scarfs and ladies' eyes, And li.iL'hi'st.. amonjf the statues, statue like, liitwet-n a cyml)ard Miriam and a Jael, Witii P.syche's babe, was Ida watching us, THK I'HIXCESS. 6; A single band of gold about luT hair, Jjike a Saint's glory up in heaven : but she No saint— inexorable — no tendej-ness — Too hard, too cruel : yet she sees nie tight, Yea, let her see me fall ! with that I drave Among the thickest and bore down a Prince, And Cyril, one. Yea, let me make my dream All that I would. But that large moulded Uian, His visage all agi'in as at a wake, Made f ' me thro' the press, and, st.aggering back With stroke on stroke the horse and horseman, came As comes a pillar of electric cloud. Belaying the roofs and sucking up the drains, And shadowing down the champaign till it strikes On a wood, and takes, and breaks, and cracks, and splits, And twists the grain with such a roar that Eartii Reels, and the herdsmen cry ; for everything (lave way before him : only Florian, he That loved me closer than his own right eye. Thrust in between ; but Arac rode Him down : And Cyril seeing it, push'd against the Prince, With Psyche's colour round his lielmet, tough, Strong, supple, sinew-corded, apt at arms ; I:>ut tougher, heavier, stiongei', he that smote And threw him : last I spurr'd ; I felt my veins Stietch with tierce heat ; a moment hand to liand. And sword to sword, and horse to horse we hung. Till 1 struck out and >houted ; the blade glanced, 1 did but shear a feathej', and dnnim and truth Flow d from me; darkness closed me; and J fell. VI lldiiif tliiv lii'ouglil liir Wiuiior Atud Slu' no:' swoon <1, nor uttcrd crv : All lii'i' nmidcns. wutt'liin^ i^aiii, ' Slic must wt'ip ni slic will ilit'.' Tlit'ii tlu'V praist'il liiiii, soft aiid low, V mi ;; a;:;: v, ;;:;;;-. :;> nc i<;\ i:ti, Tnu'st t'ritnd iuul nohlcst foe ; \'it sshe nt'itluT spoke noi nioviil. 88 THE I'KIN'CESS. Stole a inaiilen from her place, Lii,'hlly to the warrior .stept, Took the faoe cloth from the faee ; Vet she neitlier moved nor wept. Rose a nurse of ninety year.-!, Set liis ehihl iii)on her knee Like summer tempest came her tears — ' Sweet my ehihl I live for thee.' My dream had never died r-r lived ay;aiii. As in some mystic middle state I lay : Seeing I saw not, hearing not I heard : Tho', if I saw not, yet tiiey told me all So often that I speak as having seen. For so it seemd, or so they said to tne, That all things grew more tragic and more strange ; That when our side was vaii(|uish'd and my cause For ever lost, tiiej-e went up a great cry, The Prince is slain. INIy father heard and ran In on the lists, and there unlaced my casque And grovell'd on my body, and after him Came Psyche, sorrowing for Aglaia. But high upon the palace Ida stood With Psyche's babe in arm : there on tiie roofs Like that great dame of Lapidoth she sang. 'Our enemies have fall'n, have falTii : tiie seed, The little seed they laugheil at in ilie daik. Has risen antl cleft tin; soil, an ^irtli, that lays wet with womu n's tears : they heard A noise of sonys liiey uouhl not understand : 'I'iicy iiiarkM it uitli 'lie vvd cross to the fall. AndWouM hive sUi vvn it, .tiid arc fall'n theinsclv "s. Oiii- L'ui iiiio iMve iiiii 11. ii,i\v T.iii 11 . they canio, The woodmen with their iixes : lo the tree I But we will make il faguots fur the hearth, THE PRINCESS. And shap*' it plank and bt-ani for roof and floor, And hoatb and hiidges for the use of men, 'Our enemies have fallii, have falTn : tliey struck ; VVitli tlieii- own l>h»ws they hud tlieinselves, nor knew There dwelt an iron nature in tiie grain : The glittering axe was hroken in their arms, 'J'iieir arms were shatter". 1 to the .shoulder l)lade, ' Our enemies have falFn, luit tiiis sliall grow A night of Summer from tiie heat, a breadTh Of autumn, dropping fruits of power- and roIlM With music in tiie growing breeze of Time, The tops shall strike from stai- t(» star, the fangs Sliiill move the stony bases of the world. ' And now, {) iijjiicls, beliohl our sanctuary Is violate, oui- laws lnoken : ivav we not To break tlieni more in their behoof, whose arms Champion'd our cause and won it with a day r>hinch'( in our annals, and pei jietual feast, When dames and heroines of the golde)i year Shall strip a hundred hollows bare of feprin", To rain an April of ovation loutid Tlieir statues, borne aloft, the three: but come, We will l)e liberal, since our rijitality.' She spoke, aiid with the babt' yet in her arms, Descending, burst the great bronze valves, and led A hundred maids in train across the Park. Som»! cowl'd, and some bare-headed on tljey came. Their feet in Mowers, lier loveliest : by them went T\w enamour'd air sighing, and on tlieir curls From the high tree the l)lossom wavering fell. And over thetn tlie tremulous isles of light Glided, tliey moving under sliade : but Blanche At distance follow'd : so they came: anon Thro' open field into the lists they wound 69 70 THK I'111N<'KSS. Timorously ; and as the leach-r of tlic 1\(Mi1 That holds a stately fretwork to the Sun, And follow'd uj> hy a hundred airy does, Steps with a tender foot, lii,dit as on air, Tlu' lovely, lordly eivuture Hoated on To where" her wounded brethren lay : there stay'd ; Knelt on one knee,— the child on one,— and prest Their hiinds, and oalld them dear deliverers, And happy warriors, and immortal names. And ^aid "'^'ou shall not lie in the tents hut here, And nursed liy those foi' whom you fou'.dit, and served With fi'male hands ;(.nd hospitality.' Then, whethei' moved by this, or was it eluuue, She pa^t my way. Up started from my sidi^ The old lion, ularini; with his whel{>less eye, Silent ; liut when she saw me lyini^ stark. Dishelmd and mut', and motionlessly pale, Cold evil to hei', she si-,drd : and when she saw The haif;,'ard fathers faee and reverend heard Of iiii>l\ twine, all dalihled with the blood Of his .)wn son, sliudder'd, a twiteh of pain Tortured her mouth, and oer her forehead past A shadow, and her hue chanijed, and she said : ' He saved my life : my i)rother slew him lor it.' No more : at" which the kinii in Mtter scorn Drew from my neck the painting and the tress, And iield them up : she saw them, and a day Rost' from the distance on her meme-y, Wiien thetiood Queen, her mother, sliore the tress With kisses, ere the days of Lady IJlanche : And then once more she lookd at my pale face : Till understanding all tiie foolish work Of Fancy, and the hitter elose of all. Her iron will was broken in her mind ; Her noi)le heart was molten in her l>reast : She bow'd, she set the child on the earth ; she laid 4 :* 1* .• ,- ..._l .>/! r^MpL^'^11 1 f I XT j\ li'i'li'i'ii^ iiii^Cr ^Jii *ii> : .; v;v- r., ;:t:ii-l p t T_ — -•--; ' O Sire," sIk^ said, ' he lives : he is not dead : O let me have him with mv brethren here THK I'KIN'cKss. 71 In our own palace : we will tend on him Like one of these : if so l>y any means. To lighten this i,fieut elog of thanks, that make Our pi-ogress falter to the woman's goal. She said : hut at the happy word ' he li\es My father stoop 'd, re-father'd o'er my wounds. So those two foes ahove my fallen life, With hrow to Itrow like ni<^ht and evening;' mixt Their dark and ,i;ray, wliile Psyche e\ er stole A little nearer, till the babe tiiat l>y us, llalf-lapt in glowing gauze and golden brede. Lay like a new-fall'n meteor on tiie grass, Uncared for, s[)ied its mother and began A blind and babbling laughter and to dance Its body, and reach its fatling innocent arms And lazy lingering fingers. She the appeal Biookd not, but clamouring out ' Mine— mine— not yours, It is not vours, but mine : give me the child ' Ceased all on ti-emble : piteous was the cry : So stood the unhappy mother open n)outh'd. And turn'd each face her way : wan was her cheek With liollow watch, her blooming mantle torn, Red grief and mother's hunger in her eye, And down dead-heavy sank her curls, and half The sacred mother's bosom, panting, burst The laces toward her babe ; but she nor cared Nor knew it, clamourir.g on, till Ida iieard, Lookd up, and rising slowly from me, stood Erect and silent, striking with her glance The mother, me, the child ; but he that lay Beside us, Cyril, batter'd as he was, Trail'd himself up on one knee : then he drew Her robe to meet his lips, and down she look'd At the arm d man sideways, pitying as it seem'd. Or self-involved ; but when she learnt his face, Remembering his ill-omen'd song, arose ( )nce more thro' all her height, and o'er him grew Tali as a figure iengliend on the sand When the tide ebbs in sunshine, and he said : 72 THE PRINCESS. ' O fair and strong and terriblr '. Lioness That with your Ion-; locks lI^v the Lion's mane ! But Love and Natu-v. «»i u/- wo more terrible And stronger. See, OvU to • iS on our necks, We vanquisird, y< • lie Victor of your will. What would you more? give her tlie child : remain Orhd in your isolation : he is dead, Oi' all as dead : henceforth we let you he : Win you the hearts of women , a..*i beware Lest, where you seek the common love of these. The common hate with the revolving wheel Should drag you down, and some great \emesis Break from a darkend future, crown d with rire, And tread you out for ever : l>ut howso er Fixd in yourself, never in your own arms To hold your own, deny not hers to her, Give her the child '. ( ) if, I say, you keep One pulse that beats true woman, if you loved The breast that fed or arm that dandled you, Or own one port of sense not Hint to prayer, (live her the child ! or if you scorn to lay it, Yourself, in hands so lately claspt with yours, Or speak to her, your dearest, her one fault The tenderness, not yours, that could not kill, (live me it : / will give it her.' He said At first her eye with slow dilation roUd Dry Hame, she listening ; after sank and sank And, into mournful twilight mellowing, dwelt B\xll on the child ; she took it : ' Pretty bud '. Lily of the vale 1 half open'd bell of the woods \ Sole comfort of my dark hour, when a world Of traitorous friend and l)roken system made No purple in the distance, mystery. Pledge of a love not to be mine, farewell ; These men are hard upon us as of old. We two must part : and yet how faui was I T, ireiiiii •■^ii' r.OIIL^O N. Til.' La.lv r.luirli.' : iiuicli piotit ' Not one word ; N(. : tho yoiii' t'litlifi- .Mit's : sre how you .staiu!. StitV:i> l.ot .» witc, :iii(l all the tjood kiuiflits iiiaim'd, I trust that tln'f»' is no oiu' hurt to thvith, Koi v<)i;r wild wliiin : and was it then tor tins, Was it tor tliis we i,mv<' our palace uj>, WIk'Ic wc withdrew t'l-oiii suiuinci' heats and state, And had our wine and ehess heneath the planes, And niaiiv a pleasant hour with lier that's ;,fOiie, l^re Vim were I'orn to \(x us .' Is it kind '. Speak to li<-f I say : is this not she ot' whom, When tir.-t she eame. all tlush'd you said to me Now had vou ijot a t'riei 1 of your own aice. Now ('(uild vou share your thouL^ht : now should men .= ' Two v\:«iiitMi taster welded in one love Than ]iairs oi ..edlock ; she you walk'd with, she You talk (1 with, whole nit,dits loni,', up in the tower, Of sin«' and arc, s{)lu'roi,i and azimutli. And rii;ht ascension, Hea\en knows what ; and now A word. !)Ut one, one little kindly woi-d, Not one to spai-e lier : out uj)on Vou, Hint 1 You love nor h"r, nor me. nor any : nay, \<>y\ sliame your mothers judijfinent too. Not one? You will not? well- -no lieart have you, or such As fancies like the vermin in a nut Have fretted '^11 to dust and bitterness." So said the small kni<' moved beyond his wont. But I(hi stood nor spoke, draind of her force IJv many a \aryinij; inHuence and so long. l)own thro" her limbs a drooping languor wept : Her liead a little Itent ; and on her mouth A doubtful smih^ dwelt like a clouded moon In a still water : then brake out tny sire. Lifting his grim liead from my wounds. ' you, Woman, wliom we thouglit woman even now, And were half fool'd to let you tend our son, Because lie might have wish'd it- -but we see The accomplice of your madness unforgiven, And think tliat yoi might mix his draught with death. THK I'RINCKSS. 75 W'lu'ii your skifs clianir'' iiLfai'i : th«' roui^lHT IjjiikI Is safer : on to the tents : t ' the Prince.' He rose, and wliilf eaci. A lenipest. *luo' the el )ii A ut'iiial wii-nitli and li;ilit o.. 'J'liro uiittcrinij; drops on li"»- viis jirickd to attend linim'd her hroke more, and shoi.e 1 friend. ' Come hither. <) Psychr, she eiied out, ' fml)ra,i'e me, roni.*, (^)uii-k wliilc I mt'lt ; makf reconcilement sun- With one that cai.not keep her mind an liour : Come to the hollow 1 cart tl\ey slande.' so ! Kiss and lie friends, like childi'cn lieini; child ! / seem no more : / want for-.Mvcn.'ss too : I should have l;ad to do with none l)nt maids, Thar, liave no links with men. Ah false Imt th-ar, [)eai' traitor, too nnicli loved, wliy .' — why .'—Yet see, r>efi>re tl; -ie kin^s we enihraee you yet once more W'itli all forgiveness, all o))livioii, And U'ust, not love, you less And now, O sire, (Jiaiit me your son, to nurse, to wait upon him, Like .nine own hrotiier. Foi- my del)t to liini, This ni;,ditmare weight of j^jratitude, 1 know it : Taunt me no more : yourself and yours shall liave F ee adit ; we will scatter all our maids Tdl happier times each to her proper hearth : What use to l.,;ep th"m here —now ; grant my prayer. He'- '■'ather, l.rother, ludp ; speak to tlie king ; Tliaw tnis male nature to some touch of that Which kills me with mys(:lf, and drags me down From my H.\t height to tnob me up witli all riie soft and milky i-ahMe of womankind, Poor weakling evn as tliey are. Passionate tears Follow (I : the king replied not : Cyril said : 'Your brother, Lady, -Floriau, — ask for him Of your great liead—for he is wounded too — That you may tend upon him with Vu- prince. ' Av so," said Ida with a i)itter ^Miile. 76 THL PRIN'CESS. ' < )ur laws are broken : let him enter too. Then Violet, she that sanjj: thii mournful song, And hafl a cousin tumbled on the plain, Petitiond too for hint. ' Ay so,' she said, ' f stagger in the stream : I cannot keep Mv heart an eddy from the brawliiig hour : We break our laws with ease, but let it l)e. " ' Av so? said Blanche : ' Amazed am [ to hear Your Highness : but you!' Highness bieaks with ease The law your Highness did n(»t make: "twas J. 1 had been wedded wife, I knew mankind. And biock'd them out: but these men came to woo Vou!' Hi'dmess — verilv I think to win.' ISo s'ne. and turn'd askance a wintiy eye : lUit Ida with a voice, that like a bed Toll (1 bv an eartlujuake in a trembling tower, ^>ang ruin, answer'd full oi griff and scorn. ' Fiing our doors wide ! all, all, i.ot on*-, bm ;,!!, Not only he, Imt by my motliers soul. Whatever man lies wounded, friend oi' foe, Shall rntrr. if hr will. Let oui' uirls flit, 1'ill the storm die '. but had you stood by us, Tlu' roar that Iireaks the Pharos from his l)a " H;ui left us I'ock. Slie fain would sting us too, But s'nall not Pass, and mingle with your likes. We iiidok no furtlit'r insult luit are none. She turnd ; the \ery nap- v/f her whitf nick Was losed witli indignation : but the Prince Her' brother came ; the king her fathei charm (I H»'r wounded soul with woi'ds : p.)r did niinr own Jiefuse her pjotl'ei', lastly ga\ e his hand. Then us tluy lifted u}i. (had weights, and bai'c Straight to the doors : to them the doois ga\ t- way (iroanini;, and in i)ie Vestal entry shriek'd The virgin mariiie under iron heels : And on they moved and gain'd the hall, and ther'e THE PRINCESS. Kt'stwl : })ut great the crush was, and each base, To left and right, of tiiose tall columns drown'd In silken Huctuation and the swarm ( )f female whisperers : at the further end Was j.ia hy tlie throne, the two great cats Close liy her. like supporteis on a shield, How-hack'd with fear : hut in the centre stood The (onnnon men with rolling eyes ; amazed They irlared upon the women, and aghast The women stared at these, all silent, save When armour elash'd or jingied, while the day, l>escending. struck, athwart the hall, and shot A Hying splendour out of brass and steel, That o'er the statues leapt from head to head, Now tired an angry Pallas on the helm. Now set a wrathful 1 Man's moon on Hame, And now and then an echo started up. And shuddering Hed from room to room, and died ( )f fright in far apartments. Tlien the voice of Ida sounded, issuing ordinance : And nil' they bore u[) the broatl stairs, and thro' The long-laid galleries past a hundred doors To one deep cliamlier shut fron; sound, anu due To languid limbs and sicknt^ss ; left nie in it ; And others otlu-rwhere tlu'y laid ; and s^'l That afternoon a sound arose of hoof ,'vu(l ihai'iot, many a maiden passing home Ti! happier times ; but some were left of those Heltl sayt'st, and the great lords out and in, F»om those two hosts that lay Itesidt the walls, Walk'd ;ii tl.eir will, .-md e\ciything was ehanged. VIT A-\ cape : l>iit() loo toiid. w lien liavr 1 aiiswcrcil tliee ? Ask iiu' ni) niDie. 7» THK I'RINCESS. Ask iiu- 11(1 iiiDic : uliiit answer >li()nl<] 1 Lrivc ? I lovf not iiolldW rlieek or taiU-d cyi' : N vt. my friend. 1 will not have thee arkening' hei- female field : void was her use. And she as one that cliuilis a peak to 'j,u/a' ' » r hmd and main, and see a i;reat l.ihick chiud h'ag,' inward from tlii! deeps, a wall of niylit, Biot out the slope of sea from verm to siiore, And -vuck tlie hlinii'iin' splendour fi'om the Naiul, And i|Uenchini;" lake hy lake and taiii hy tarn llxpuiiye tlie world ; sO fared she na/.iiii; there ; So lilackenil all her v. oild in secret, hlank And waste it seem d and \ain ; till (hiwii sjie cami And found ^'tir peac^- once more amoiiL( tin- sick. THK i'RI\( Kss. 79 And t\vili<,'ht dawn'd : and morn by morn the hiik Shot up and slirill'd in Hickerini; uyres, Init I Lay silent in the muffled ca^'e of life : And twilight gloomd : and l)roader-gro\vn the bowers Drew the great night into themselves, and Heaven, Star after star, arose and fell ; but 1, Deeper than those weird doul)ts could reaeh me, lay <<^>uite sundei'd from the mo\ ing Tni verse, Xor knew what eye was on me, noi- the hand That nursed me, more than infants in theii' sleep. liut Psyche tendered Florian : with her oft, Mflissa came : for Blanche had gone, iiut left Her I'hild among us, willing she should keep Coujt-fa^our : here and there the small Itright head. A light of healin-, glanced aljout the couch, < >!■ thro" the parted silks the tender face Pt t'p'd, shiiiing in u[)on the wounded man With blush and -mile, a medicin*' in themsehes To ^vile the ItMigth from languious houi's, and draw The sting from pain ; nor seenTd it stram,'e that soon He rose up whole, and those faij- charities .loin'd at her side : nor stiani,a'r seem'd that hearts So gentle, so employ "d, should close in lo\t% Than when two dewdrops on the petal shake 'J'o the same sweet air, and trcmbl.' dt-fper down. And slip at onct' all-fra;;rant into one. lii'ss pi'ospej'ously the second suit nbtaind At tirst witji Psyche. \ot i\o lllanche lijul sw^ni That after that dai'k ni; ' 'nong the fields She needs must weast on ; I'lit each. Assumed from thence a half consi-nt invoked In stillness, plighted troth, antl wejc at peace. 80 THK I'RINCKSS. Nor only these : Love in the sacred halls Held carnival at will, and Hying struck With showers of random sweet on maid and man. Nor did her father cease to press my clain), Nor did my own, now reconciled : nor yet Did those twin brothers, risen aij;ain and wjiole : Nor Arac. satiate with his victory. lUit 1 lay still, and with me oft she sat : Then came a chanice : for sometimes I would cjitch Her hand in wild delirium, gripe it hard, And riing it like a viper off, and shriek ' You are not Ida' ; clasp it once again, And call her Ida, tho' I knew her not, And call her sweet, as if in irony, And call her hard and cold whii'h seem'd a truth : And still she fearM that I should loose my mind. And often she believed that 1 should die : Till of long frustration of lier care, And pensive tendance in all-weary noons, And watches in th(^ dead, the dai'k, when clocks Throhl)'d thunder thi-o' the palace tlooi's, or cab'd On Hying Time from all their silver tongues— And out of memories of her kindlier days, And sidelong glances at my father's grief, And at the ha{)py lovers heart in lieart — And out of iiauntings of my spoken love, And lonely listenings to my mutter'dream, And often feeling of the helpless hands, And wordless Id'oodings on the wastc'd cheek — From all a closer interest tlourish'd up, Tendrriirss touch by touch, and la>t, to these. Love, like an Alpine harebell hung with tears 15y some cold morning glacier, frail at first And feeble, all uneoncious of itself. But such as gather il color day by day. Last I woke sane, but well-nigh rlose to death For weakness : it was eviMiing : silent light Slept on tile pair.ted walls, wherein were wrought THE PRINCESS. 81 or oil oiu' suit' arose Two grand designs : f The wonien up in wild rexolt, and stonnVl At tli< Oppian law. Tit-Jiiic shap.-s, tli.-y crainnrd The forum, and lialf-cruslTd aiiiong the rest A dwarf like Cato .;o\vci'(I On the other side Horteiisiu spoke against the tax ; l>eliiiul, A train of dames : by axe and eagle sat, With all their forejieads drawn in Koman scowls, And half the uolfs-milk '-urdled in their veins, The tieree tiiuiii\ irs : and hefore tliem paus.d Hortensia [ileadini;- : angry was her fare. I saw the form.--: I knew not where I was : Tliey did l.ut look like hollow shows : nor more 8weet Ida: j^alm to palm she >at ; the dew ])welt in her eyes, jnd softer ill her shape And i-ouikI.t SHOW! d : 1 mo\ed : | sigh'd : a tomh Came rouiid in;. uri-(„ and tears upon mv hand : Then all tor lanuiioi- and sr|f-pitv ran Mined(»wii my face, and witli what life I had, And like a (lower tluit cannot all unfold. h^o dleiich'd it is u ith tempest, to the Mm, Vet, as it may. turns toward him, i on her Fixt Miy faint eyes anil utter"d whisperingly : It you lie, what I think you, some sw.'ct dream I would hut ask you to fultii vourself : I'.uT if .ou he that Ida whoiii'l knew, 1 a^k you nothing : only, if a dream, yweet (hvam, he perfect. I shall die tonight. Stoop down and seem to kiss me ere i die' I could no more, hut lay like one in traiu'e That hears his luirial talk'd of Kv his fi-ie,ids. And cannot speak, nor miAc, nor make one si^n. But lies and dieads his doom. She turn'd ; she paus(^d She stoop d : and out of languor leant a crv ■ J> aj.i liiiy i',is>n.n Iioin (in- iiiinks ot (ieatii ■ And I helit'\('d that in the li\ ini( world . J*' '" ^-i- 82 THE PRINCESS. My spirit closed witli Ida's at the lips ; Till I'iick I fell, and from mine arms she rose (rlowinjj; all over nolUe sliame ; and all Her falser self slipt from her like a rolje, And left her woman. lovclitM' in ht^r mood Than in \u't mould that other, when she eame From harreu dee{>s to oon([iu'r all with love : And down the strcamini;- erystal dropt ; and she Fiir-llcett'd oy the [uirple island-sides, Naked, a (hmhle lii,dit in aii' and wave, To meet her (Iraces. whei-e they deck'd her out For worship without end ; nor end of mine, Stateliest, for thee ! Itut mute she glided forth, Nor glanced helnnd her, and I sank and sh^pt, FillM thro' and thro' wirh Love a happy sh^ep. Dec^p m the nii;ht I woke : she. near me, heUl A volume of the Poets of lier land : There to herself, all in lou rone>. slie icad. • N'liw slffjis the laiiiisDii petal, imw the white, Noi- waves tlie oypivss in the [»alaie walk ; \(ir winks the j^'oM tin in the poipliyry tout : The tirc-Hy wakens : waken thou with mr. Now di'Dops tlie niilkwiiit'- i^eacixk like a ghest, Ami like a uliost sIil- -linujuas on to me. Now lies the Kartli all Danat- to tjii' stars. And all thy heart lies ojaai unto me. \ow slidi's the silent meteor on. and leaves A shining Iumow, as thy thoiiglits in nie. Now folds the lilly all lier .sweetness up, And sli]>s into the Ixjsom of the lake : So fold thyself, my dearest, thou, and slip Into my bosom and be lo.st in me. [ heard liei' turn the page : she found a small 8weet Idyl, and onee more, as low, she read : •('ome down. ( ). maid, from yf)ndei' mountain height \\ liat pleasure lives in height (tlie sia'plur i,'li(k' a siiiiljoiun by the 1)lasteove is of the valley, come thou ilown And rind him ; hy tlie happy thresliold, he. Or hanil in liand witii Plenty in the maze, Or red witii spirited purple of the vats. Or fox like in the vine ; nor cares to walk ^\'ith Death and Mornini; on the silver horns, Xor wilt tliou snari' him in the wiiite ravine, Noi' tind him dropt upon the tii'ths of ice. That hudilliiii.' slaiu in furiow cloven falls To r(dl tiie torrent out of dusky in inuiiemorial elms, And murmuririg of innumerable l)ees." 8o she low-toned , wlil](> with sliut eyes I lay Listeniiii,' ; then look'd. Pale was tlie perfect face ; The bosom with long- sighs labotir'd ; and meek 8eem (i the full lips, and mild the luminous eyes And the \ oice ti'embh'd and the hand. She said Brokenly, that she knew it, she had fail Vi In swet^t humility : had fail'd in ;dl : That all ]wv labour was but as a block Left in the (piany : but she still were lotii, She still were loth to yield herself to one That wholly scorn d to lu'lp their equal rights Against the sons of men, and barbarous laws. She pra^d me Udt to iudg<» tlcir cat^se fi'om lier That wriingd it, sought f,ii' less foi- truth than power In knowledLfe : sonictliiiig v ild within lior bi-oast, A gj'eater than all k-now ledge, iicat liei' down. And she had nuised me there from week to week : 1 84 THE I'KIXCESS. Much liiul she h\anit in little tinte. hi part It was ill council had misled the i,'irl To vex true liearts : yet was she I ait a i,nrl — * Ah tool, and made myself a Queen of farce I When comes another such ? ne\er, T think, Till the Sun di'op, dead, from the si^ns.' Rei- voice Ciioked, and her forehead sank upon her luinds, And her ijreat heart iliro' all the faultful Past Went sorrowing: in a pause I da»-i'd ri>t lir'":ik ; Till notice of a cliani^e in the dark world Was lispt aV)Out the acacias, and ;t hird, Tliat early woke to feed her little onc^, Sent from a dewy liieast a cry for li:,dit : Sh-' mo\ed, and at h"i ft^i-t the \()!i:me fell. ' niame not thyself too much," I said, ' nor I'lame Too much tlif sons of uien and harharous laws ; These wi^re the roui,di ways of the woild till now. Hencefortli thou liast a heljier, ine, tliat know The woman 3 cause is man's : they rise or sink To^eth'^', dwarf'd or godlike, bon(i or t)'ee : For she that out of Letlie scales wirh m;.n The shinini,' steps of \atuie, shares with m m His ni;,dits, his days, moves with him to one goal, 8tays all the fair youiii;- planet in her hands — If she l)e small, sli^dit-natured, miserahle, How shall men grow ? Init work nc* more alone ! Our place is much : as far as in us lies W e two will serve tliem hoth in aiding her — Will clear away the parasitic forms That seem to keep her up I'ut drag l^er down — ^^ Hi leave her space to hurgeon out of all Within her — let her make herself her own To give or keep, to live and learn and be All that not harms di^iinctivc womanhood. For woman is not uii(levelo{)t man, But diverse : could we make her as the man, »Sweet Love were slain : hi.s dearest bond is this, Not like to like, but like in ditierence. THE I'RIXCESS. 85 Yi't ill the loiiy; yf'ars likcr iimst tlicv i^MO'.v ; riit' iiiaii l)t' iiioi-f of woman, sho of man ; He ^'ain in sweetness and in moral liei^ht, Nor lose the wrestling' thews that throw the world ; She mental l)readth, nor fail in child ward care, \or lose the chihllike in the lari,^er mind ; Till at the last she set lierself to man, Like perfect music unto iiolile words : And so these twain, npoii the skirts of Time, Sit side hy side, full suiiiin'd in all their powers, I)is[)ensing iiarvest, sowini,' the Tu t.e, Se'f-rcverent each and revenjiiciiiu,- each. L)istinct in individalities, But like each other ev'n as tho>c who love. Then com"s the stateli. r Kden hack to men : Then rei^ni the world's ijreat l.ridals, chaste and calm Then spriii-s the crownin^' race (jf humankind. -Ma>- th(\sc thiiu-s l)e ! ' Sighing she .spoke ' I fear Thry u ill not," ' hear, hut let us type them now In oiu' own lives, and this proud watchword rest ^ >f equal ; sfM-ing either se.\ alone Is h.alf itself, ;inil in true marriage lies Nor eipial, nor un^cpial : each fulfils Defect in each, and always tliought in thought, Purpose in purpr)sc, will in will, tiny grow, The single pure and perfect animal, The the two ceird heart lieatim;-, with one full stroke Lifo.' And again sigliin- she sfioke : ' A dream Ihat once was mine 1 what woman tau"ht vou this?' ' Alone.' 1 said, 'from earlier than T know, Jinincrscd in rich foreshadowings of tIh' world, J loM'd the wdiiian : heth.itdnih not, li\c.-' A (IroNMiing life, licsnttcd in sweet self, Or pines in s.ad cxij.'iit'n.ri' \\or wiiig'd atlectiuns dipt witli crime : \et was there one thro' whom 1 loved her, one 86 THE I'RINTESS. Not learned, sa\e in ^lacious liouselioUi way Not perfect, nay, luit full of tender wants, No An<^el, liUt a dearer beini,', all dipt In Aiii^el instincts, breathing Paradise, Jntei'pi'etef lietweeii the (Jods and men, Who hjukd all native to her place, and vet ( )n tiptoe seem (1 to touch upon a spheri • ''ross to treail ai.il all male minds Tof tSwav'd to hei from then- oiliits a^ tliev moxed. perfoi'ce And i- irdled her with musK H l|ipy lie W ith such a iiifUhef ' faith in womankind Beats with his Itlood, and trust in all thiiiLjs jii^h Conies easy to him, and the/ lie trip and fall He shall not Itlind his soul with I'lav." ' But I,' Said Ida t reuiulously, 'so all unlike — It seems you lo\e to cheat yourself with words : This niothei- is youi' model. 1 ha\c h'ard Of your stJ-an^e doul)ts : tin y well mii,dit l)e : I seem A mockei-y to my own self. Never, Prince ; You cannot love me.' ' Nay hut th<'e' I said ' From yearloiii;- porini;- on thy pictured eyes. Ere seen I loved, and loved thee seen, and saw Thee woman thro' the crust of iron moods That mask'd thee from men's reverence up, and forced Sweet love on pranks of s.-iucy hoyhood : now, Giv'n hack to life, to life indeed, tliro' thee, Indeed I love : the new day comes, the light Dearer for night, as dearer thou for faults Lived o\er : lift thine eyes : my douhts are dead, My haunting sense of hollow shows : the change. This truthful change in thee has kill h.»uld ^^iv^ throu^diout J lie sort ot mork-lieroic -i-antes(|u.', Witii which we hanter-d'littl.' Liiia first • 1 he women-and perhaps they f.-lt their pow.T l^or somethino; in the l.allads which they san-.- ' < >!■ in tlieir silent influence as they sat, " "' Hud ever seeni'd to wrestle with i.urles.,ue, And (rove us, last, to .,uite a solemn close— J hey hated hanter, wish'd for somethintf real, A -allant fit,d)t, a nohlc princess— why Not make her true-heroic— true-suhiime / <)r all, they said, as earnest as the close ? \\ hich yet with such a framework scarce could l,c i lien rose a htth; f.-ud hetwixt tlie two, Betwixt the mockers and the realists • ' And I, betwixt them hoth, to please them both And yet to gnc the story as it rose, I niovfd as in a strani^e diagonal. And maybe neitlier pJeasedm vself nor tliem. IMAGE (EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) w. // .// :A ma 1.0 I.I IM 2.2 I- 1 2.0 .8 \M Illl-IA II 1.6 '^- ^1 >/■ % Phntnoranhip Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY 14&80 ( 716) 872-4S03 «8 THK I'RIXCKSS. \ But I^iliu plt'i s('(l UK", for she took no part In our dispute : the sequel of tlie tale Had touch'd lier ; and she sat, sh<' piuck'd the grass, She Hung it fi-oni liei-, thinking : last, she tixt A showery glance ujioii lier aunt, and said, ' You -teil us what we are' wlio niiyht ha\ e told, For she was eraiiiin'd with theories out of hooks, But tiiat tliere rose a shout : tiie gates wert; closed At sunset, and the crowd were swarming now. To t;ike their leave, a'oouL tiie garden rails. So I and some went out to these : wc cliinlul Tiie slop( to Vi\ian-pl;ic-", and turning saw The happy valleys, half in liglit, and half Far-shadowing from the west, a land of peace ; (Iray halls alone anioni; their massi\e groves ; Trim handets ; here and there a rustie towei- Half lost in helts of hoj) and l)ieadths of wheat : The sliimmeriny glimpses of a hti'eam ; the seas ; A red sail, or a whitt- : and far l»eyond, Imaiiined nioi-*' than seen, the skirts of France. 'Look there, a garden !" said my college friend, Tlu! Tory niend)er"s eUler son, ' and tliei'e ! ( Jod hltss the narrow sea which keeps iiei' otl', And keeps oui' Britain, wiiole within herself, A nation vet, the rulers and the ruled — Some sense of duty, something of a faith. Some reverence for the laws ourselves have made. Some patient force to change them when we will. Some civic manhood tirm against the crowd — But yonder, whifl' I there comes a sudden heat. The gravest citizen seems to lose his head, Tiie king is scared, the soldier will not tight, The little hoys hegin to si not and stab, A kingdom topples over with a shriek Like an old woman, and down rolls the world In mock heroics stnuigcr than our own ; Revolts, lepuhlics, revolutions, most I I THE riUN'CESS. No ij;ra\t'r than a sdioolhoys' barrino; out; Too eoiiiic fof the soliiiim tliinf,'S tliey ate, Too solemn tor the comic touches in tliem, Like our wild Princess witli as wise a dream As some of theirs — God l)less the narrow seas ! 1 wish they were a whole Atlantic broad,' ' Have |) tience,' I replitnl, ourselves are full Of social wrong ; and maybe wildest dreams Are but the needful preludes of the truth ; For me, the genial day, the happy crowd, The s{)Oit half-science, till me with a faith. This tine old world of ours is but a child Yet in the go-cart. Patience ! Give it time To learn its limbs : there is a hand that guides.' In such discourse we gain'd the garden rails, And there we saw Sir Walter where he stood, Before a tower of crimson holly-hoaks. Among six boys, head under head, and look'd No I'ttle lily handed Baronet he, A great broad-shoulder'd genial Englisiiman, A lord of fat piize oxen and of sheep, A raiser of huge melons and of pine, A patron of some thirty charities, A pamphleteer on guano and on grain, A quarter-sessions chairman, abler none ; Fair-hair'd and redder than a windy morn ; Now shaking hands with him, now iiim of those That stood tiie nearest — now address'd to speech — Who spoke few words and pithy, such as closed Welcome, farewell, and welcome for the year To follow : a shout rose again, and made The long line of the approaihing rookery swerve From the elms, and sliook tiie Viranches of the deer From slope to slope thro' distant ferns, and rang P>eyond the bourn of sunset ; 0, a shout More joyful than tlie city-roar that hails Premier or king I Why should not these gT-eat Sirs Gi\e u}>their parks some dozen times a year 89 DO Till-: IMIIXCKSS. i To lot tho p('0|ilt» liroatlu' ? So tliriro tlicv I'ricd, I lik<'\vise, and in ^jvoups tliey strcaiii'd away. LU;t we wfut l)acK to the Aliocy, and sat on, So inucli the gatlu-fini,' darkness diainrd : uc sat l>ut spoke not, ra{)t in nameless revei-ie, Peccliance upoii the t'utuie man : the \v;i!ls IJlaeken' ahout us, liats wheel'd, and owls whoo[)'d, And gradually the; powers of tlie ni;4ht, That range auove the region of the wind, l)eep(>ning the courts of twilight hroke them \]p Thio' all tlu' silent s[)aees of the world.-^, Jieyoud all thought into the lleaNcn of Ileaxcns. Last little Lilia, rising (piietl}', I)isi-oi)ed the glinnneiing statue of Sir lialph From those rich silks, and home well-pleased wv. went. Il mm m JIbunbed on Rollers opd Vorpi8l;»ed. The Dominkm of Oftnada, including Newfoundland, and I^brador, 84 x 50 inches, just published and made from rooet recent surveys (beautifully colLIiHGHATB, (BroMe). . . . ^. . . . . . ■ 66 Speotel value IWr Ooilag* work. SOHOOL, (Bron»e) 25 A BMdtomtoB Pea of mperior maist tad flnbh for itadento tMe. "J.-(BUok) 30 A bnwl pnlBt Plan lor frae, enw wfftii«, eepeoUMy ictooded lor ttxighor onflniibed paper DUtcouPt tc the Tmdt. In addition to the above we keep ad the standard English and Ameiican made Pens. . u> nhiiiili A bU. haufaz.n.s. w \^ fe w Progrresswe Schoof o eneSi Common School Arithmetic, Kennedy A O Heam, Part I .> • Part 11 Fart III All three parts bound in one volume Academic Arithmetic being Par- IV of the Progre^ give School Series of Arithmetics. I y Kennedy and O'Hearn Health Reader, Part I. . • « «« «• II J,. . . . Sir Roger DeOoverley Papers with Intrrfdactlon and Notes ' • • • • •'* ' " ' \ Milton's L' Allegro, H. Penseroso. Comus and Lycidas, with Introduction and Notes, by A. Cameron i^ • • ' Macaulay's Essay on Milton, with Introduction * and Notes, by David Soioan, B. A Evangeline, with Introduction and Notes Conversation Method in German, by ilans Lctb^r Bober, M. A., Prof. Mod. Lang., Kings College anc A. McKay, Supervisor of Sclioc Is, Halifax, N. S . . . Bailey's Physical Drill, for Pubiic Schools Allen's Rule Scale for Mathematical Drawing, Book-keeping Blank, Elementary " «* Advanced «« «< Eaton