\ibrc 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD 
 ENDOWMENT FUND

 
 
 '4 
 
 f^
 
 THE, 
 
 H A U NTS 
 
 O F 
 
 SHAKESPEARE. 
 
 [PRICE ONE SHILLING AND SIX-PENCE.]
 
 THE 
 
 HAUNTS 
 
 O F 
 
 SHAKESPEARE: 
 
 A 
 
 OEM. 
 
 BY WILLIAM PEARCE. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOR D. BROWNE, AT GARRICk's HEAD, NO. 6, 
 CATHERINE-STREET, STRAND. 
 MDCCLXXVIII.
 
 \
 
 T O 
 
 DAVID GAR RICK, E% 
 
 SIR, 
 
 TO you I have ventured to dedicate the enfuing lines : 
 and, though they may prove deficient in every ef- 
 fential which conftitutes the excellency of Poetry ; yet, 
 from the bare confideration of being a compliment to the 
 memory of Shakespeare, they cannot intirely be unac- 
 ceptable. 
 
 It may perhaps be urged : — Why I chofe a meafure 
 feldom ufed bvit in familiar epilUes or fongs : To this I 
 reply, that the images of poetry, like objects in painting, 
 
 B are 
 
 870501
 
 ( vl ) 
 
 are animated conceptions of felf-exiftcnt principles or cau- 
 fes. — As the one is capable of being lliewn with equal ef- 
 feft in varied fliades of colouring ; fo the other may be 
 conveyed with undiminifh'd fpirit, in every diverfity of 
 numbers which the capacity language admits of: — With 
 this conlideration — that harmony is not deftroy'd by an 
 extravagant length of verfe ; nor the attention interrupted 
 by too quick a fucceflion of the rhime. — And though the 
 meafure in queftion is ill calculated to efFeft the energies of 
 paffion, this imperfedlion feems chiefly to arife from the dif- 
 agreement between the tones it produces, and thofe of cuf^ 
 tomary difcourfe.— On the other hand, the deliver}- of the 
 Iambic numbers, ftrongly correfponds with the natural in- 
 flexions of the voice, when exerted on any occasion where- 
 in the mind is interefted ; as in a complaint of grief, or con- 
 folation of pity. This prefumption may be afligned as a 
 mimetic caufe, why tragedy, eleg^-, and pathetic poetry 
 in general, are of the latter diftinftion ; as that, which 
 would be acquainted with the heart, fliould be familiar 
 to the ear '^. I am 
 
 • Since this remark w« prepared for the prefs, the writer has had the fatisfa(f\iop to find an 
 cpinioo io Arijlotle^ to the fame effeift.
 
 { vii ) 
 
 I AM well aware, that no profaic compofitlon, however 
 beautifully conftruflied, or afFe£tingly marked, will bear 
 to be tried by the definitive rules of poetrj'-, from the irre- 
 gularity of the quantities which attend its numbers : Yet, 
 in fuch a traft, I will venture to affirm, the Iambic will 
 occur more frequent than any other foot :—- and on that 
 pofition, this reafoning is to be maintained. 
 
 An advantage, however, in favour of the Anapceft, Is 
 its wonderful properties for that fpecies of writing, in 
 which the Fancy, rather than the Feeling, is concerned ; 
 and the Imagination more than the Judgment, engaged. 
 
 I SHALL not make a further apology for a Poem, which, 
 perhaps, may be found undeferving of any. 
 
 I am, Sir, 
 
 Your moft obedient 
 
 and humble fervant, 
 
 William Pearce.
 
 THE 
 
 HAUNT 
 
 O F 
 
 SHAKESPEARE. 
 
 XV EMOTE from the track of rude boors, in a IKade 
 
 Thick-grown and romantic, for foUtude made, 
 
 Lie fcenes Nature wraps in her wildeft array. 
 
 Where fairies fequefter to hide from the day ; 
 
 There fancy-bleft Shakespeare firil tun'd his wild tongue. 
 
 And the echo of hills to the melody rung. 
 
 C From
 
 fo THE HAUNTS OF 
 
 From fummer's warm beams to the fpot he'd repair. 
 
 And breathe in the umbrage of beech the cool air ; 
 
 How oft have thofe boughs fcreen'd his temples from heat^ 
 
 That green-turfy hillock how oft been his feat ! 
 
 Round his couch vi'lets grew, where he trod rofes fprung, 
 
 And the birds of the foreft were mute when he fung. 
 
 His haunts will I pierce where the oak-grove appears, 
 Tho' rude, yet enchanting the covert it rears : 
 I'll rove, gentle fancy, by thee wildly led. 
 The mazes that oft-times recorded his tread : 
 Unwearied thro' many a thicket heM range. 
 Thro' many a winding, and labyrinth ftrange. 
 
 The fun's rofy ftreaks, that the Orient adorn, 
 
 Wou'd fummon him forth thro' the dew-fteps of morn ; 
 
 Invite to yon upland impurpled with heath, 
 
 Whence odours difVil to the vallies beneath ; 
 
 And, led by the clamours that chorus the chace. 
 
 Deep woods, and unfearchable waftes wou'd he trace. 
 
 And
 
 SHAKESPEARE. ii 
 
 And frequent afcended yon mountain in view, 
 Hard-breafting the gale from its fummit that blew ; 
 His eye backward caft, faw retiring the lawn, 
 The landfcape diminifh'd, the hamlet withdrawn : 
 Whilft onward a fcene more romantic arofe, 
 Of deferts, and moorlands, and hills in the clofe. 
 
 To the field he repair'd, where by Montnouth\ fam'd birth,. 
 The high-blooded Percy was beat to the earth ! 
 And trode to the plain where * fweet Montague fell. 
 And Warwick the ftern breath'd his dying * farewell.' 
 — What herald thy brow, O defert, fhall array 
 With honours fo fair, as a minftrel can pay.. 
 
 Ye walks of defpondence f ye groves ! awful vales ! 
 Where Druids prophetic erll mutter'd their tales : 
 Ye can witnefs how oft in the cool eventide. 
 In your ivy-crown'd arbours he penfive wou'd hide; 
 And wandering wide from the waterfall's llun. 
 With fweet carol'd madrigal ling down the Sun. 
 
 Your
 
 1 2 
 
 THE HAUNTS OF 
 
 Your wild'ring retreats to my fearches reveal, 
 
 In deepeft retirement O let me conceal! 
 
 — Poetic the ardours that beat o'er my breaft, 
 
 For furely the lliades he frequented are bleft ! 
 
 The woodlark's (hrill mufic was caught by his tongue, 
 
 Where he figh'd Nature wept, Nature fpoke when he fung. 
 
 Near the ftreamlet that wells down thofe rocks let me lie, 
 
 Let breezes with fragrancies laden wind by ! 
 
 Heav'ns ! thro' that arch'd opening what brightnefs of dyes ! 
 What tints ! what effulgencies blaze on my eyes ! 
 And fweet from the thicket the grey-linnets Ung, 
 Attempting the lay to the filver-tun'd fpring. 
 
 Whilft Nature to Fancy a banquet fliall fpread, 
 Enlink'd in her arm, may fweet Poetry tread : 
 The life how endearing, remote from mankind ! 
 Remote fro m the fplendours that harrafs the mind ! 
 At day-fpring awoke by the lark's floating fvvelL, 
 
 At curfew-time luU'd by the lone village bell. 
 
 On
 
 SHAKESPEARE. 13 
 
 On the feafon of deep when the cottage is flil!, 
 And no murmur heard, fave the fall of the mill, 
 Or drowfy watch-malHff that bays the iliarp wind. 
 And ftartles the flumbers that wrap the poor hind, 
 How pleafant to eye the white mountains afar. 
 Or feek by fome river to number each ftar I 
 
 Hark ! — echoes of voices celeftial, I hear — 
 
 Sure Fancy's wild magic entrances my ear ! 
 
 — With tones fweetly varied, — aerial and flirill, 
 
 The harp's choral fymphony breaks o'er yon hill ! 
 
 — * That drain's dying fall the rapt fenfe kindly greets, 
 
 And like the bled South, deals and fcatters its fweets !' 
 
 In yonder red track where the Sun darts his fires, 
 
 As down to his Ocean-recefs he retires, 
 
 Lo, Ariel appears ! radiant beam his foft eyes, 
 
 His dry-girt mantle the azure of Ikies. 
 
 * The clouds feem to open and riches turn forth,' 
 
 ^ And the fpeed of a dar' bears the fpirit to earth ! 
 
 D ' The
 
 T4 
 
 THE HAUNTS OF 
 
 ' The elves of the brook, fwelllng mount, foimtahi bnm/" 
 Repair at his call, o'er the dews deftly-trim. 
 In the Iliad es where they revel' d of yore, ft ill they meet 
 And wanton in ringlet, or chivalr\^ feat. 
 
 * Unbent is the grafs where their printlels fteps pace.' 
 
 * Now light they depart the wild foreft to trace ! 
 
 Ah ! turn from the air)'-bred vifion thine head I 
 Yet pleafmg the cheat that fo fweetly mifled — 
 Say can the illudons that play on the mind, 
 The muflc excel, of the flirill-pafTrng wind ? 
 Or profpecl exhibit, more awful and hoar. 
 Than rocks at whofe bafes the fea-billows roar ? 
 
 Afcend thee, yon mountains romantic and high,, 
 Where Nature's rude fcenery hangs to the eye ; 
 The wood elevated that waves to the gale. 
 The fecret, untrodden recefs in the dale, 
 The torrent that wanders adown from its head. 
 O'er whofe brink drooping willows their boughs madly fpread^ 
 
 Yet
 
 SHAKESPEARE. 15 
 
 Yet Fancy, thy hand the rude draught iliall o'er-lketch, 
 
 And out-pi6ture Nature, when wildeft her ftretch ! 
 
 Sweet mirror ! the rainbow thou giv'il brighten'd dyes, 
 
 And gatlier'ft its colours difpers'd to the fkies ; 
 
 Thy regions o'er-travel the eye's aching view, 
 
 And Shakespeare alone the wild boundaries knew t 
 
 Tho' now far away thy delufions are fled. 
 
 And undifguis'd Nature appears in the Itead ; 
 
 Again fliall be open'd Invention's rich urn, 
 
 Again the deceit in illapfes return ; 
 
 Thou Fancy, fhalt pace, like a village maid wreath'd, 
 
 And mufic be heard from an airy fliell breath'd. 
 
 — Bright Ihines the fteep upland, and lovely the vale, 
 Beneath the mild luilre of night's regent pale ; 
 Lucid orbs, and I/gbt-iheams in the sether appears. 
 And the bofom of nature tranquility wears. 
 On a night fuch as this, when the village was ftill, 
 Wou'd he rove the deep foreil, or filver-tip'd hill. 
 
 *Or
 
 i6 THE HAUNTS OF 
 
 ' Or o'er the beach'd inargent that edges the fea,' 
 And well with the mind did each objeft agree ; 
 The waves gentle luUings, the mariner's fong, 
 The rocks, that refponfive, the ditty prolong ; 
 The wandering lights o'er the ocean that fly, 
 And vefTel remote, fhealing faint on the eye. 
 
 Sweet fcene to contemplate ! adieu thou calm deep ! 
 He wou'd leave thy foft murmur to climb yonder deep ; 
 His harp by his fide to the mountain gale fung. 
 Or wak'd at his ' golden touch' wood-mufic rung. — 
 The thought fpreads a llrain on the air's heaving breafl ! 
 — Entranc'd in fuch rapture ftill let me be blell! 
 
 When darknefs a mantle more fliadowy fpread, 
 With fpirits he'd roam, and converfe with the dead. 
 The inmoil: recelTes of Nature explore, 
 And the furtheft beholding wou'd fancy IHII more : 
 To the nightingale's forrow he'd lill the night long, 
 And the murmur of Avon would copy in fong. 
 
 From
 
 SHAKESPEARE. 17 
 
 From the mount clad with mofs, to the brook ozier-crown'd, 
 The mhidrelfy melting did echoes refound ; 
 Deep-charm'd with his fwells, and enrapt with his trills, 
 Fays quitted their grots, and deferted their hills ; 
 To fedgy-fring'd Avon they tript it along, 
 And danc'd to the airy-lbft notes of his fong. 
 
 For O thou wild ftream ! in remembrance rever'd. 
 
 His warblings have oft on thy borders been heard ! 
 
 The labor-worn peafant, unmindful of toil, 
 
 To his fancy-form'd cadence wou'd liften and fmile ; 
 
 Aloof wou'd the traveller, far-dillant bound, 
 
 On tip-toe outftretch'd catch delights from the found. 
 
 Far off to the Wefl, view that caftle's remains 
 By moonlight how drear)- ! what fadnefs there reigns ! 
 Hark ! the owl boding hoots from her ivy-roof 'd neft ! 
 Feels the foul not a tremor ! and ilioots not the breaft ! 
 Yet there wou'd he wander, and mufing alone, • 
 i Body forth airy fhadows, and beings unknown !' 
 
 E Hail
 
 i8 THE HAUNTS OF 
 
 Hall ye cells ! where the foul wing'd on pinions fublune, 
 
 Ii her pafTage to ages unborn outllrips Time. 
 
 Hail ye caverns ! for deep where your thickell: fliadcs low'r 
 
 He loitcr'd all peniive full many an hour ; 
 
 Whilft fpeftres, apparel'd in gloom.s like the night, 
 
 In frantic diforder wou'd ftart on the fight. 
 
 Each fragment, where once fpoke the nice touch of art, 
 
 A moral impreffion convey 'd to the heart ; 
 
 With regret wou'd he eye ruin mope o'er the pile. 
 
 Where conqueft once triumph'd, and jov wore a fmile; 
 
 And the depth of refledion he ever purfu'd, 
 
 He deem'd a reproach from the objcd he view'd. 
 
 Yet pleafant of fpirit, how oft with delight, 
 Has he fpent in yon manfion the winter's long night : 
 There mingling with ruftics, joke o'er the brown ale, 
 And loud was the laugh that fucceeded each tale. 
 How bright was his humour ! his jei\ O how fmart ! 
 Wit rode on his tongue, and mirth reign'd in his heart ! 
 
 Round
 
 SHAKESPEARE. 19 
 
 Round pafles a ftory of wizards and charms, 
 Fair virgins bewilder'd, llrange monfters, and arms, 
 A giant fubdu'd by a knight's hardy hand. 
 Brave Arthurs atchievements, and unbeaten band. 
 This, fpeaks of his perils half-breathlefs in fear ; 
 And that, flarts a witch he purfued for a hare. 
 
 Of magic more awful the fweet IVilly tells, 
 
 Of fpirits that burnt in the lightning, — of fpells 
 
 And enchantments, whofe force cou'd ' controul the pale moon,' 
 
 * Rift foves mighty oak, and the fun dim at noon,' 
 
 Dread liezes the many ! and each in affright 
 
 Sees the blaze from the hearth put a goblin to flight. 
 
 Are thefe the diftrelTes alone of the mind ? 
 
 And leaves the wild fable a veftige behind ? 
 
 O perifli your terrors ! the bofom ere long 
 
 Shall labour with feelings, with paflions more flrong : 
 
 The tribute that's due from the heart tears fhall pay, 
 
 And the figh pity heaves ehace the vapour away. 
 
 Tales
 
 20 THE HAUNTS OF 
 
 Tales piteous and fad from his plaintive lips flow 
 
 Of heavy calamities, ' long betid woe f 
 
 A mother lamenting — ah ! well may flie weep ! 
 
 In beds cold and watr}^, her murder'd babes fleep. 
 
 Sweet blofToms fcarce blown ! murmur pity ye waves ! 
 
 Hoary Thames^ bathe their limbs in thy low pearly caves ! 
 
 Ye nymphs, in whofe bofoms Love kindles his heat, 
 Who to your lone pillows your forrows repeat ; 
 Ah 1 what are your terrors, ye daughters of care, 
 When yulieis complainings awaken the ear ! 
 When Rofneo, impaflion'd, fteals wild on the fight, 
 And Love's gentle mournings falute the dull night ! 
 
 Of War too he fung. — Fierce encountring alarms, 
 Red havock, and all the fell horror of arms : 
 Steeds wounded, and wrung with the anguifli of pain, 
 Now trampling the dying, now fpurning the flain : 
 In leaders and peafants bold daring and might, 
 And princes engaged in the ikirmilh of fight. 
 
 Thou
 
 SHAKESPEARE. 21 
 
 Thou Eagle of battle ! fair chivalry's ihu ! 
 Whom fame, bearing up in her ray-darting car, 
 Enthron'd where reward and defert ever meet, 
 With eye of bright triumph, O bend from thy feat ! 
 View Agincourt's field pidur'd out by his hand, 
 And the banners of conqueft o'erwaving the land. 
 
 ' A fun dlm'd by clouds,' weeping Richard appears, 
 ' No joyful tongue blefles,' no eye welcome bears ! 
 Yet patient in fuif 'rings ! — infulted and led, 
 
 * He fliakes with meek forrow the dull from his head.' 
 — A drop at the clofe the fweet moralill llieds, 
 
 * And fends his touch'd hearers in tears to their beds.' 
 
 Peace to you, ye mourners ! repofe he forfakes, 
 And o'er the bleak defert a lengthen'd way takes ; 
 There guides the lone trav'Uer, as doubtful he roves 
 'Midft forefts uncheary, and rough-tangled groves ; 
 Tho' peril and horror beftrides the night-blaft, 
 And no filver ray fi-om a planet is call. 
 
 F He
 
 5^ THE HAUNTS OF 
 
 He wou'd climb yonder cllft that o'erbrows the broad fliore, 
 Round whofe bafe the winds whiftle and waves wildly roar ; 
 And, whilft tempells the bread of the deep did deform, 
 Shoot his eye o'er the hurly, and pi£ture the ftorm ; 
 Give wrath to the thunder, the lightnings bid fly, 
 * Along the vex'd fea, and the blue vaulted fky/ 
 
 But paft is the tumult — the whirlwind expires. 
 And back to his channel the Ocean retires : 
 No longer the turbulent furge beats the llrand. 
 No longer thro' air darts the firy-wing'd brand ; 
 A calm is around the valt horizon fpread, 
 And Serenity fmiles on the prominent's head. 
 
 — The day-break he pencil'd, when rofy-hued beams 
 
 From the eail trembling forth, cheer'd the vallies and llreams, 
 
 Unclouded the heavens, and temper'd the breeze. 
 
 That ruffled the Avon, and fung o'er the trees. 
 
 — His lights like the Sun the bleft feafon adorn, 
 
 And brighten the dew-drops that hang on the thorn. 
 
 * Hark,
 
 SHAKESPEARE. 23 
 
 ^' Hark, the peal the bold forefter rings in the vale ! 
 
 Glad fliouts and loud triumphs are borne on the gale, 
 
 The hunt is awaken'd, the morning ferene. 
 
 The woods bright and fragrant, the fields frefti and green : 
 
 The mountains re-echo ! the thickets around 
 
 Reply to the horn, and the tunable hound. 
 
 Ye bloffoms that ftrew the firft fteps of the year. 
 
 And lovely and bright to the fenfes appear, 
 
 Tho' fcents the moft fragrant ye breathe o'er the vale, 
 
 Your beauties may perifli the next anger'd gale: 
 
 But O in his fonnets ye wear fadelefs hues, 
 
 There, ftill are ye fpangled with ever-frelli dews. 
 
 The mantle of fummer with flowrets he fpray'd, 
 Each hillock and level with bloflbms array'd : 
 And ev'ry cool zephyr fiied grateful perfume, 
 And ev'r)^ fweet bud wore an innocent bloom. 
 The breath of the North, at his voice rattling flew. 
 And winter'd the profpeft that blufh'd on the view. 
 
 The 
 
 » lu this dtfcrlptlon, borrowed from Shahffcnr, he is charaaerized as a Hunter.
 
 24 THE HAUNTS OF 
 
 The ranger of woodlands, and gay village-fwain, 
 CroAvn'd him prhice of the forell, and lord of the plain ; 
 To their eyes was he dear, in their hearts was he lov'd, 
 And with welcomes was greeted wherever he rov'd. 
 From cottage low-roof 'd, wou d the nymphs eager throng, 
 And in reverence bow to tlie monarch of fono; ! 
 
 A wreath of mufk-rofes they wove for his head, 
 That odours, the fweetnefs of morn, o'er him fhcd : 
 With freflmefs ftill blooming, drew life from his breath, 
 But hunor down their crefts forrow-ftruck at his death : 
 
 CD 
 
 O'er his grave were they ftrewn, and again thev appear, 
 At return of each fpring, the firfl blown of the year. 
 
 The redbreaft, — in homage and court to his fliade. 
 With herbelets fweet deck the earth where he's laid. 
 O bleft be the fpot ! be the bard ever bleft ! 
 Joys circle him ! — Seraphim crown him with reft ! 
 No pillager's foot nigh his aflies e'er tread, 
 To trample the turf, where lies plllow'd his head ! 
 
 The
 
 SHAKESPEARE. 25 
 
 The grot where he dwelt lliall be facred to kings, 
 
 And Poetry near the recefs plume her wings ! 
 
 At his name, Fancy's pulfe, wild in motion fhall beat, 
 
 Strange extacies rife, and the heart glow with heat. 
 
 The fame of his fliades bevond Pindus^s foar. 
 
 And the Avon fliall flow, when Cajialias no more. 
 
 THE END.
 
 SONNET, 
 
 O N 
 
 Mr. GARRICK's RETIREMENT. 
 
 Colkaed from SHAKESPEARE. 
 
 SCENE, The Bmh of the River AVON. 
 
 TIME, The Approach of the Morning Twilight . 
 
 WHERE fhould this mufic be, in air or earth r 
 -—Upon the waters crept it, by mine ear.— 
 'Tis the foft miaflrelfy of fairies mirth, 
 That nightly trip in wanton ringlet here ! 
 
 It founds no more I- — As lightning brief, they glance 
 
 Thro' briar, over flood, hill, park and dale ! 
 -—The fringed curtains of thine eyes advance-— 
 
 Lo ! the fvveet fliade of Shakespeare, afhy pale I 
 
 Forth from his eyes his fpirirs wildly peep, 
 
 And looks that breathe, his abfent Gar rick weep. 
 
 A rover he, who wanders far away ; 
 
 lie gave to Nature force, — to Fancy play. 
 
 But foft ! I fcent the morn. — light-freaks appear, 
 
 The Spirit melts to air,— into thin air !
 
 A E V E R T I S E M E N T. 
 
 Six Stanzas of the foregoing Poem were printed ahou; 
 
 Seven Years ao-o.
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 
 I'OS Angeles 
 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below.
 
 R r'earce - . 
 
 l65 ihe haunts of 
 31h '^hatespeare 
 
 BIKOLRY iii.M 14J195R. 
 
 PR 
 
 5165 
 
 P3lh 
 
 ,-,■- ft — r'f 
 
 lillliill 
 
 L 006 878 876 9 
 
 UCSOUTHER'iRi'V"')''! I'POi-'v'.v-ILirv 
 
 D 000 703113