"My eyes are dim with childish tears, My heart is idly stirred, For the same sound is in my ears Which in those days I heard. Thus fares it still in our decay : And yet the wiser mind Mourns less for what age takes away Than what it leaves behind. "The blackbird amid leafy trees, The lark above the hill, 330 35 Let loose their carols when they please, 40 "My days, my Friend, are almost gone, My life has been approved, And many love me; but by none Am I enough beloved." 55 "Now both himself and me he wrongs, I live and sing my idle songs "And, Matthew, for thy children dead At this he grasped my hand, and said, We rose up from the fountain-side; 60 65 And down the smooth descent Of the green sheep-track did we glide; And, ere we came to Leonard's rock, About the crazy old church-clock, And the bewildered chimes. 1799. HART-LEAP WELL. Hart-Leap Well is a small spring of water, about five miles from Richmond in Yorkshire, and near the side of the road that leads from Richmond to Askrigg. Its name is derived from a remarkable Chase, the memory of which is preserved by the monuments spoken of in the second Part of the following Poem, which monuments do now exist as I have there described them. THE Knight had ridden down from Wensley Moor 70 "Another horse ! That shout the vassal heard Joy sparkled in the prancing courser's eyes; A rout this morning left Sir Walter's Hall, Sir Walter, restless as a veering wind, The Knight hallooed, he cheered and chid them on 5 ΙΟ 15 20 The dogs are stretched among the mountain fern. Where is the throng, the tumult of the race? 25 The bugles that so joyfully were blown? This chase it looks not like an earthly chase; Sir Walter and the Hart are left alone. The poor Hart toils along the mountain-side; I will not stop to tell how far he fled, 30 But now the Knight beholds him lying dead. Dismounting, then, he leaned against a thorn; Close to the thorn on which Sir Walter leaned, Upon his side the Hart was lying stretched : And now, too happy for repose or rest, Sir Walter walked all round, north, south, and west, 35 40 45 And climbing up the hill (it was at least 50 Three several hoof-marks which the hunted Beast Had left imprinted on the grassy ground. Sir Walter wiped his face, and cried, "Till now 55 "I'll build a pleasure-house upon this spot, And a small arbour, made for rural joy; 'T will be the traveller's shed, the pilgrim's cot, A place of love for damsels that are coy. 60 "A cunning artist will I have to frame A basin for that fountain in the dell ! And they who do make mention of the same, From this day forth, shall call it HART-LEAP Well. ee And, gallant Stag! to make thy praises known, 65 And, in the summer-time when days are long, I will come hither with my Paramour; 70 And with the dancers and the minstrel's song "Till the foundations of the mountains fail My mansion with its arbour shall endure;The joy of them who till the fields of Swale, 75 And them who dwell among the woods of Ure!" Then home he went, and left the Hart, stone-dead, With breathless nostrils stretched above the spring. Soon did the Knight perform what he had said; And far and wide the fame thereof did ring. Ere thrice the Moon into her port had steered, 80 And near the fountain, flowers of stature tall 85 With trailing plants and trees were intertwined, Which soon composed a little sylvan hall, A leafy shelter from the sun and wind. |