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The Seat of Mrs. ——
Written at Fifteen Years Old.
Hail, lofty domes, hail, venerable place,
The noble dwelling of a nobler race.
High on an hill, thy stately fabric rears
Its ancient summit, mark’d by rolling years;
By woods surrounded, and by fertile fields,
Thy cultur’d soil abundant plenty yields.
Here, giant groves in sweeping grandeur rise,
There, lengthen’d prospects meet th’ admiring eyes.
But thou, who gazest on yon graceful dome,
That seems to rival e’en the works of Rome,10
Where blooms life’s fading emblem, yonder rose,
’Tis there, the ashes of the dead repose!
Oh pause thou there, this awful lesson learn,
“That dust thou art, to dust shalt thou return.”
Now from the heav’ns, the queen of twilight grey,
Mellows each object with her silvery ray.
’Tis silence all!—’tis that lone pensive hour,
When Fancy reigns in all her magic pow’r,
When o’er the poet’s lull’d, enraptur’d soul,
She holds her sweet, her undefin’d control!20
K...., how chang’d from those old feudal hours,
When minstrel’s music echoed through thy tow’rs;
When steel-clad knights rode forth in glorious pride,
And led their troops to combat by their side.
Or at their castles tournaments proclaim,
And enter lists, to gain the wreath of fame.
From beauty’s hand receive the valued meed,
While plauding shouts approve the martial deed.
And when the gath’ring shades of eve would call
Our great forefathers to the festive hall,30
There, in vast bowls, the grape’s rich liquor pour’d,
And wholesome viands smok’d along the board;
Such as were wont an hero’s hall to grace,
Ere yet, refinement reach’d our hardy race;—
Ere yet, we learn’d, from nations we subdued,
To spurn at Freedom’s hospitable food.
To every lip the joyous toast went round,
And frolic laughter gambol’d o’er the ground;
While from the lofty gallery swell’d the lays,
Of some past deed of old heroic days;40
Perhaps of Britain’s sable chief, who bore
His conq’ring standard to the Gallic shore.
Perhaps of R.....9, gallant knight! who led
His country’s warriors to his country’s aid!
Perhaps they sung the softest, brightest fire,
That ever yet has burst from minstrel’s lyre.
Almighty love, whose sigh-inflated sail
Wafts, more than bliss, on ev’ry halcyon gale.
How warlike Henry10 joy’d to lay aside
The glare of rank, the pageantry of pride:50
At beauty’s feet, he cast his regal pow’r,
And sought for smiles at Rosamond’s lov’d bow’r:
Ah! hapless Rosamond, condemn’d to prove
The penalty, that waits on lawless love!
But now, “the bashful virgin’s sidelong” glance
Delights her partner in the mazy dance.
And he, who foremost in the lists that day,
Bore the rich prize of martial fame away;—
Whose crest shone proudest of the youthful band,
With joy, receives the fairest lady’s hand.60
The old look on, and seem again to share
In each light movement of the graceful pair;
Or talk of deeds long done, of years gone by;
Of many an ancient feat of chivalry.
While each proud banner, won in glory’s cause,
The spoils of conquest, seem’d to wave applause.
See, in yon nook, retir’d, the love-sick youth
Pays his fond vows of ever-lasting truth;
While the soft maiden’s blushing looks reveal
A tale so dear, that love alone can feel!70
K...., ere yet the hand of taste around,
Display’d the charms with which thy scenes are crown’d,
The drooping dryads of thy proud domain,
Of cold neglect, proclaim’d the ruin’d reign.
Thy falling fabric seem’d in vain to moan,
Its glories tarnish’d, and its beauties gone:
The weed’s rank verdure overspread the hearth,
So late the scene of hospitable mirth;—
The moss’s velvet, and the violet’s blue,
In wild luxuriance o’er the pavements grew;—80
Here bloom’d each flowret which the fields impart,
The charms of Nature o’er the wrecks of art.
Then, then, arose the last of all her race,
To join each pow’r, her native house to grace;—
Again to raise the beauties of thy pile,
With added lustre, make her K.... smile;—
Again thy halls, the graceful dance shall bear,
And heav’nly music charm the thrilling ear;—
Again thy doors shall open to receive
The lordly noble, and the poor relieve;—90
Again shall taste and elegance impart
Each varied scene, to charm the captive heart.
Mayst thou, the lov’d possessor, find repaid,
By Friendship’s smile, the works thy hand has made;
And mayst thou long live happy, to retrace
The faded honours of thy ancient race;
May virtue still her fairest flow’rs entwine,
To form a wreath to grace the..... line.