English

PART II

Forsake those People. What are they
That laugh, that live, that love by rule?
Forsake the Saxon. Who are these
That shun the shadows of the trees;
The perfumed forests? ... Go thy way,
We are not one. I will not please
You: — fare you well, O wiser fool!

But ye who love me: — Ye who love
The shaggy forests, fierce delights
Of sounding waterfalls, of heights
That hang like broken moons above,

PART I

Primeval forests! virgin sod!
That Saxon has not ravish'd yet,
Lo! peak on peak in stairways set —
In stepping stairs that reach to God!

Here we are free as sea or wind,
For here are set Time's snowy tents
In everlasting battlements
Against the march of Saxon mind.

Far up in the hush of the Amazon River,
And mantled and hung in the tropical trees,

INTRODUCTION.

T O MY Readers , —
M Y Life has been a wild, strange life,
Now lulled in love — now wrapt in strife;
I've had my dreams as most have had,
Like others have been good and bad,
Like others have but lived to save
A wreck — a thought — a hope — a grave;
Have lived to see things fleet around me,

V.

Then the lot the most barren, the lot the most great,
Lindsay chose from the garner of treacherous fate:
To be hated by many, by few to be bless'd,
Do good unto all, and receive it from none,
To wake and to watch while all others may rest,
And die ere one half of his task has been done
To die as he lived: all strange, great, and alone,
Mourned not in tears, but recorded in stone.

Soon the rumour crept and came,
Still and low as stifled flame,
That in some distant spot of earth

IV.

Then o'er their world began to roll
The gradual twilight of the soul
No wind can wave that gloom away,
And backward waft the fading day;
'Tis not a summer-glory flies,
But 'tis the very sun that dies.
For Love, estranged by wavering fate,
Changes but once, and that — to Hate.
And Lindsay! — Did he love no more?
Oh! still more madly than before
But Doubt, as with enchanter's art,
Placed its cold hand upon his heart;
Froze the warm glances in his eye,

III.

Oh! there were sounds and sights of pride,
When Lindsay welcomed home his bride:
As though a charm were in the place,
Fresh fortunes flashed on Lindsay's race;
High harpers sung — and revel rung,
And laughter from hot hearts was flung,
Stirred by passion's fiery breath
Like light foam dashed from depths beneath.
But oh! that Lady was too fair
To walk the earth without a care:
While sin's old sway must still abide,
Man brooks no angels by his side.

II.

A fair maid came to Lindsay Hall:
Oh! grand was her array,
With liege and lord, and free and thrall,
And pomp of silken sway;

And acres broad and castles high,
And famous old descent;
And heart with true nobility,
And mind with pure intent

The mother smiled: " She brings thee gold! "
Lord Lindsay turned away:

I.

L INDSAY castle's jutted forth
On the wild, old sounding sea,
And a gallant race of the hardy North,
As their mountains strong — as the billows free,
That monument of ancient worth
Through long, long centuries have held,
Bequeathed unto the modern earth
By the great dim hands of Eld.

It is a mighty trust to bear
The memory of those that were;
To have a name of time to save,

CHAPTER XXV.

F AVOUR against the good,
Not justice they desire,
The Jews to shed a martyr's blood,
The priest, again conspire,
By pride and envy wrought
To slay their guiltless foe;
Such evils (horrible to thought)
From false religion flow!

The ' imperial dignity alone
Festus determined to maintain,

CHAPTER XXIV.

A JUDGE so late, he quits his place,
(Oh how contemptible and base,
When malice stoops so low!)
See the high priest informer turns,
So fierce his righteous fury burns
Against the church's foe.

In ours, in every age are seen
Elders and venerable men
Who sacred things abuse,
Men with infernal malice fraught,
Men in the school of Satan taught
The brethren to accuse.