METRICAL ROMANCES. THE WITCH OF THE NORTH. And thus I won my Genevieve, COLERIDGE. INTRODUCTORY SONNET. FROM the lone silence of my dreamless cell Come, my own Muse-thou Feeling, who dost rest THE WITCH OF THE NORTH. I. THERE is a witch, whose freaks in English story, II. Within a Northern cavern, dim and vast, This lady-witch was born: a twilight gleam Of everlasting icicles was cast, From the arch'd roof, on the maternal dream Wherein she was conceived; faint music past From the earth's bosom, while each breeze and stream Murmur'd and sigh'd delight, and every flower III. A fairy form was her's, and well she wore When first she pass'd, a path the vapours gave To her, as to a sunbeam; the wild roar Of torrents paused, as o'er Loch Lomond's wave She glided like a zephyr; each fir-grove Grew bright in the effulgence of her love. IV. Amidst the Northern forests, lakes, and hills, Of the corrupted South: 'tis said, she drew From the free air, and from the mountain dew* Of her wild clime, and that her wizard ken Pierced far beyond the dreams of elves or men. V. And to her beck, while yet she was a child, A thousand strange and savage natures came; Yea, whatsoe'er of wonderful and wild The grim North teems with, her sweet looks could tame; The kelpie crouched before her, when she smiled, With claws curled in, and eyes of softened flame, Brownie, and elf, and warlock, came to enrich · The festal pageants of this wondrous witch. VI. Her's was a reign of love; her mild dominion Was o'er the heart and will of living things; Her gentle voice could bind the eagle's pinion, Her gentle looks rob dragons of their stings: Yet more than this-'tis the received opinion, That the sly witch held secret communings With dread mysterious powers, and made her eye Familiar with the realms of phantasy; * Honi soit qui mal y pense. VII. So that the Muses, from their viewless bowers, With music and with light they fill'd the dells Wherein the witch abode; and she, for hours, Would listen to their harpings, till the cells Of her most secret thought began to teem With shapes unknown to woman's brightest dream. VIII. Some say that Germany sent forth her sages The witch received them in her calm retreat, pages, Drain'd secret draughts of knowledge pure and sweet, Which the fool scoffs at:-but the witch well knew That this same knowledge was both wise and true. IX. Thus childhood pass'd, but ere her young cheek shone With the first blush of womanhood-ere yet, Encircled in the Queen of Beauty's zone, The perfect graces of her form had met,Ere her young heart had love's first rapture known, Or love's first sorrow made her eyelids wet, From her enchanted cell the witch went forth, And left the fruitful vineyards of the North. X. What drew her from her solitude, and why, And whether on the tempest's wings of flame, Or on a broomstick, she thought fit to fly, No record now informs us; but the dame, Beyond all doubt, in after years, was found, Playing her wicked pranks on English ground. XI. Beneath the shadow of a castled steep, Hard by a forest, where, in moon-lit rings, The fairies still those gamesome revels keep Hallow'd by Shakespeare's sweet imaginings, The witch her dwelling fixed, and with strange power Raised, and adorned, a bright enchanted bower; XII. Wherein, with potent cabalistic scrolls, And spells contrived by necromantic lore, Love's quenchless flame to kindle or restoreFraming strong lures to tempt and to betray, The wizard-maiden dwelt for many a day. XIII. The deep recesses of her inmost cell |