How long will ye rest careless and at ease, That are unweary; O negligent young men ! When will ye...

THE CLOUDS

by

CHARLES M . DOUGHTY,M .A .

Hon . Fe llow of Gonville and Ca ius College , Cam br idgeHon . D.Litt.

, Oxfor d

London

86 CK)

3 HENRIETTA STREET,W .C.

1 9 1 2

How long will ye rest careless and at ease,That are unweary ; O negl igent young men !When wi l l ye any valour show of heart

,

In s ight of neighbour Nat ions ! Be ye notAshamed yet to be naught ! Or haply ye hope ,Yourselves to dwel l in solace and secure ;When wars have overthrown e verywhere the round

Earth !Ka llz

'

nos‘.

Fight wi l l we wi l l ingly, for our Mother S tate,And for our ch i ldren : unto peri l of death,Offer our bod ies.Warriors

,let no faint

Des ire of l ife,your generous soul s oppress !

Tyr ta z’

os‘.

1 VI I Cent. B .C.

261 44 3

CONTENTS

PAGEPr oem e

The Muse s’ Gar d en

Ea stham pton Bur ned

Ely

In the way to S tam for d

Towa r d s the Va l le y of the Dove

S iste r Ge r trud e

A Book of the Sacr e d Band

N ighing Hom e

Ca r pente r s Com e Hom e

Wa yfa r ing towa r d s Wa le s

Ca rpen te r s La s t Journe y

Peum ot , in Wa le s

Suppe r Ta lk

He lp fr om Ove r sea s

PROEME

A LAND OF S LUMBERING ! Wherefore sleepest Thou thus !THE NEGLIGENT I SLE i s longtime lul led to sleep :A palsy in He r sen i le members creeps.

In what puttest THOU Thy trust, that slum b e r e st thus !And d r e am e st on careless, midst Thy strong armed enemies !Whilst they which hate Thee

,sharpen thei r bright glaives ,

On the hard whetstones ; and their sound is heard ,In the whole World ! and sti l l Thou sleepest on thus.I s Thy day n ight, that al l within Thee sleep !

Men daz e, al l drowse. That Sun hath not yet risen ;When shal l , from Britains field

,waft morn ing breath

,

Of patriot spiri t : whose sons grow up untaughtFirst duty of cit iz en manhood ; which is, thatEach with his fel lows should defend the S tate ;This Foster Soi l, which brought their fathers forth.

ANTI PHONY. They which stand idle,do He r a d isserv ice .

Count not them Britains C it iz ens, that wi l l notBear publ ic burdens, arms and weariness ;Yield service of themselves

,for Countrys sake !

The World to be a cherry- fair,wont such deem

And few are found,to take them by the hand

,

Or speak word , which in season precious is .

Who use,in froward ignorance

,the new sons

Of Redeless Ethelred, with fool -happy looks ;To despise strangers ; shal l be made to serve them ,

D. C.

2

i

‘

THE CLOUDS

I n their own England . Who would not,t ime was

,

Defend their own : conscribed therein,by lot ;

S hal l their proud Conquerors lead hence, (war-worn

War-wasted Land of funerals then,) to fight

,

In foreign wars of theirs abroad ; (as hathBeen seen here yor e l ! on the Main ContinentWhere in some quarrel , which is none of theirs ;Those Engl ishmen born , being now compel led to fight ;S hal l perish miserably, by reproachfu l deaths .Unready and unarmed . multitude, shal l be cast

Away,i n dark hour of their Lands d istress .

A man as soon might hope to win a race ;Whose body is uninured

,through daily course.

And shal l be the severity of the stroke,

S uch , that l ike herb in frost, shal l faint mens heartsThey stare shal l one on other, and lose breath !None shal l be able, in mother-tong ue that day ;To speak for sorrow ; or look up to heaven .

A LAND!

OF TREMBLI NG ! yet a l i ttle,and shal l

The Life of this great Nation be suspended .

Can,seeing He r insecurity, our true hearts

Take no more rest : nay , and even these stuttering l ipsMust

,midst the Assembly of my People

,speak .

We are become a Spectacle, to the menOf other Nations. Britain, for H e r seventhI nvas ion is now ripe, yea, and overripeAnd is that l ike to come out of the East ;(From whence flows wind

,which bloweth to no man good !)

ANTI PHONY. With Whom shalt Thou find Refuge ! whenonce more ;

(And wast Thou given a respite for long S eason !)A People of harsh speech

,our Adversaries,

Shal l mount up gl ittering, from Thy blood - stained shore

1 Maxim us, pr e tende r to the im pe r ia l purp le ; A. D. 38 7 .

PROEME

And thence,l ike to vast fo ld ing Wave, begin

To whelm on Thy fair Plain , O unready Brita in !For this the foreheads furrowed o

’

e r with care,Now of the prudent and wise se e ing are :And searchings are of heart, in straitened breasts .ANTI PHONY. I s our sou ls’ grief

, joy to our enemies !S orrow and heaviness, l ike an Autumn mist,S ink on mens spirits : men commune

,with bowed heads

,

Under their breaths,and every heart doth faint .

A LAND UNDONE ! I t i s that s ickly hour,Before outrageous flame of hom icide war,Attain us ; which must ravin in our midstNor any pause be of manslaying arms,From that day forth : t i l l fal len be the Lands youth.

A LAND OF S IGH ING ! shal l be vast lamentYet less were al l than able to express,In He r souls anguish , Brita ins last d istress.What marvel

,i f I sle Britains soi l

,once more

I nvaded were ! wherein so manifest scars,Of wounds received , i n many former wars ,Remain ! Where is not of the I nvaders foot ;Reaving, manslaying , burn ing, as he went ;Some token in Britains earth ! What Engl i sh marchI s there ; whereas some hil l -top is not crowned ,With old fossed rampires of invader arm ies !Mounds of war- slain bear witness everywhere.What plain

,what val ley or steep or hi l l , i s there ;

Which sometime hath not,i n past ages, sounded ,

With d inn ing tumult of confl ict ing armies !(Where, for the mastery ,

men with men contended ,Of I s land Britain

,) to the stars of heaven !

I NVAS ION ON I NVAS ION ! Where is any

Furlong of Englands soi l,which sometime hath

4 THE CLOUDS

Not supped corruption of mens battle-woundsWhere strove invad ing swarms ! What homely riverHath not, choked , sta ined , from slaughter-fie ld , multitudeDown rol led of mens war-murdered carcases !Nay, and we which , Engl ishmen now,

be homeborn here ;Are sons of war-wrongs

,which before-t ime were !

Your eyel ids slumber ! doth War s leep therefore !What is your Confidence, a vain dream of s leep

,

A painted vision ; semblance, without substance .

As when burnt-hi l l,whose fi res

,long ages spent

,

! uite out of mind , had seemed us rest in death ;Burst

,with new fury immane

,forth on Earths face ;

Of new,rains ru in ! from his hel l ish pit

So,though War sleep an hundred-years or twain ;

Revived,rewakened in H is bloody tomb ;

War wil l,mongst Worlds new Nations

,rage again .

WAR , hel l of mans devis ing ; whence babes areMade orphans

,wives left widows. War shal l slay

Five t imes ten thousand men,the flower of Britain ;

In H is fi rst days . Then shortly shal l be changed ;(Whereof a memory only shal l remainYour Liberty to ENDUR ING S ERVITUDE !

AN I SLE OF CONQUEST ! Five t imes, foreign war,Nay and S ix t imes

,Britains I sle hath overwon .

What fol ly is that strange fantasy then of yours ;That fight for England Gods eternal stars !In what

,be Engl ishmen more than other men,

Of foreign soi l ! or than their fathers were !But when ; (answer, gainsayers, if ye can !)Have they repulsed invader al ien armies !Were they not six t imes utterly undone !

Vanqu ished and d ispossessed,thral led

,servants made,

In this Home S oi l , to strange invad ing enemies !And

,in those fathers’ lo ins

,ye yourselves Were.

How boasted thou thysel f,son of a J ute,

PROEME

Angle or S axon Shipman ! Was not thenThy mother a bondswoman of this I sle ;S aved , when her vanquished kinsmen had been slain !Th ine uncles Northway pirates ! Thy step-s iresS trong pi rates, from next overlying Main !Whose tongue, i s much-what that , which mouth

speakest !

Ye ; which have not yet known Worlds Nations’ stri fe ;Nor breathed Wars breath : which have not learned

S tory,Of your own S oi l ; nor wot, in every place,Where ye dwel l softly ; how thér e the old grave-pits,Of bloody invading wars, l ie d igged beneath ;At least

,refrain your l ips

,from cavi l l ing speech

And if ye deem,may England be defended

,

By do ing naught ; ye be yourselves descended ,I nto the Land of N ight

,before your deaths !

Open your eyes that s lum ber ! dayspring shinesA new l ight is wide-shin ing on the World !Awaken

,make you ready

,i n whose true hearts

,

A love of Country creeps ; before the l ikeCalamit ies

,which befel l our si res

,befal l us .

For,as hath Tide of Conquest here o

’

e r flowed,

More t imes than there be fingers on mans handSo unwares, i n these days , War may ru in on us .God shield ! that were that Proverb spoken of us ;

(Land of I l l us ions, Civi l D iscord , S tri feTke r e ca m e a n lzoz ma

’

,wfiz

'

les they we r e so wr otk

And ba r e away eke bone , fr om them bow.

THE MUS ES’

GARDEN

There is an Holy Mountain l i fted up,Above the World

,which by degrees of steeps

,

Coasts,cl i ffy brinks of flinty ribbed rocks,

Ascends from centered Earths uneven face ;To utmost Spire, empty of l iving breathWhereon Heavens sempiternal S tars d o rest .

On her pure pinnacles of s i l ent snow ;Mens prayers al ight

,that poise up to high place ;

Whence borne,of infin ite wings of angels bright ;

They, i n trembl ing, enter in Heavens starry gates.Each Sun on those cloud-cleavingTowers,which mounts ,

Looks,ere the day springs

,on a lower World

And last,when Earth -world glooming

,evening is .

And an unfold ing V is ion thence appears,Of things far-off, ere risen on Earth-fie ld s ground .

The gods had, i n that sacred H i l l s m idhe ight ;A Garden planted

,of ambrosial breath ;

With ~ wa te r channels clear, with murmur soft.Thereto the b lessed Muses wont resort ;

To hear the heavens eternal harmonies ; hymns,Of wa r b e l ing winds, and w aters

’ tumbl ing sound .

The S isters there, which Daughters of the Sun,

Be named,i ncede

,d ivine ; their foreheads crowned

With leaves of bays,with gracious pace of doves ;

Playing on go lden wires,which in their hands

S inging, S ou l-ravishing, in sweet accord

THE MUSES ’ GARDEN 7

Their virg in l ips, arcane immortal words ;Which wel l up in their hearts, of heavens l ightWherein is the forgetfulness of grief.The cl i ffs make to them answer, from on height,

Whereby they pass ; whence seem their heavenly notes,To fal l again ; l ike voices from the gods .With them

,l inked thei r white- sh in ing arms in fere ;

(Fair each one as a Dawn , when having crownedHe r dewy l ightn ing locks , with fret of go ld,And roses red

,on Earths brow,

she treads forthThei r virgin S ister Graces wont to trace ;In raiment white, as each had been a bride ;Al l wearing peerless l i l ies in their hands.Upon the Muses and the Graces wait

A m aiden troop, to d o their ladies hests ;

With fi l lets bound of gold,thei r j acinth locks ;

That sunbeams seem,down - rai l ing from their napes ;

Wherewith winds wavering breath doth gently play.

Their joyous caro l s,those before them tress ;

Much l ike the eternal sea-flood s runn ing foot,

With si lver gl istering waves,melodious ;

Dancing in measure,on some S ummer strand .

They, where the sacred S isters l ist to rest,I n hour of noontide heat, wont solace make ;(Whiles d ivine laughter blossoms on their l ipsWith e ithe r and shri l l p ipe

,for their del ight .

Other , their gracious mea sures of swift feet,

Withhold ing, gather amaranthine flowers,

Which do there grow,into thei r dainty laps ;

And chaplets wreathe, for those immortal brows .

Few souls, in border of that Paradise,

Of death -purged blameless sons-of—men be seen ;Whose eyes once washed the Muses in their wel l ;Whence those their nour se ling s named, on l iving ground ;Whom sith have they preferred with them to dwel l .

THE CLOUDS

There rest they happy Spirits,d isbodied of

Their mortal c lay, bove Twil ight of the WorldAnd from the stars descends

,to give them Light

,

After the Sun,by night, a golden cloud .

S ouls l ifted up, through love and high insight ;They dwel l , by Tongues a nd Nations, in the Mount.In fair ascending craig of that H i l l s breast

,

S haped l ike some Temple-stairs, white, rad ious ,Of spotless marble-stone, upon the Earth ;With myrtle sweet and laurel -rose, adorned ;S it O len, Orpheus and antique priest-bards.Midst whom

,on incorruptible Throne of gold ;

Which vowed Worlds ages have to him alone,Above the rest ; s its semblant of a man ,In whom Breath was of the immortal godsAnd him each Grace, and every S ister Muse,With high immortal hands, have deathless crowned .

H is words, that are an heaven in our ears !Yet odours breathe of never- fading flowers ;K indl ing mens hearts

,after thrice thousand years

,

To glorious h igh emprise : and shal l , whi lst shinesFrom heaven this Sun,

on earthly men , perdure.

Tyr ta ios, S imon ides , Pind a r os, stand around,In their degree s : stands S appho , laurel-crowned,With maiden m ild Erinna

,hand in hand .

Men of great reach,saw I there musing pace,

S equestered in steep paths ; whose soaring spirits ,Born in derne fle shly s l ime of s in and death,(A wel l of darkness sought

,how might they purge

Their being d istempered, drowned , and gather l ightIn ridd le of Earth-world

,the ETERNAL M IND

,

To read : (Empedocles , sad Heracl itus,And Thales saw I walk , with other moreWhence those were raised to heaven, after thei r deaths ;And in the Muses’ Garden

,they converse.

And crowned stand elders of that tragic Band ;


The honour of the World , which was and is ;Whom sacred City of Pal las once brought forth .

And antique heroes hearken , in p r owd arms ;(Whose blood from gods

’ immortal seed derives ;Whence Majesty

,i n their great looks !) unto that BLIND

Whose mind is as a Deep,of Heavens Light ;

But whose dark eyebal ls, under rugged brows ,Not wel l regard ; who chants new heaven -born lays.With grave tempestuous sound

,of d ivine throat ;

Those tak ing up , the burden of each verse ;Do

,with his deathless numbers, make resound ,

From hour to hour,the everlast ing rocks.

No r more Astr a ia , clear star-bright heavenly Maid ,Daughter of Peace ; that in a World of Gold

,

Like smile of S ummer gladness, once conversed,And mortals blessed ; whence d id al l good redound

(But Evi l entering, she, as grieved, ag‘ain

Fled back to Heaven, where henceforth she doth restD isdains down - l ighting, from her crystal chariot ;To walk with souls once mortal

,i n that Place.

S ouls, of divine insight, S eers on the Earth ,

These things perceive,as Shadows in a glass ;

And other passing strange, which fl i t beforeThei r musing thought ; fu l l hard , as dream of s leep ,That fades, to be pourtrayed in waking speech.

Past perfumed Coast of cedar-trees beyond,

Whose buds be l iving go ld ; midst ris ing grounds,Are flowery Lawns ; wide-watered by the wel ls,Of heaven . Behold , on an h i l l -brow apart ;(Is S unfi eld that bent named , where footsteps winged ,Be heard of unseen Gods dwel l Brita in bards,Passed from Worlds l ife. On daisy sod , some rest ;Some lean on primrose banks : some si t, where seatsR ise

,l ike degrees

,in compass of green turves.

And there be bowers of breathing eglantine,

THE CLOUDS

Entrai led with bl issfu l honeysuckle twine ;Which leaps from bough to bough

,with flowering arms ;

Whence garlands in the sunl ight,sweet

,depend .

There Cm dm on,bowed-down on h is herdmans staff ;

Where dewy shadows nourish the fresh grassYet V is ion sees of God . H im seems , he hearsSongs of those ho ly angels

,in the field ;

Which he,i n S axon speech

,bequeathed to us.

And walks there,lodestar of our Engl i sh tongue,

Dan Ga lfr e d ; i n whose worthy hand, a book ,With go lden leaves

,h is Muses song ; Whereon

He looketh , oft pensive smil ing ; whiles he goeth .

To himward,cometh one musing

,from nigh grove ;

A gentle Spirit,breathing from above ;

(A gentler spiri t was there never noneDear nour se l ing of a virgin Muses breast ;The Prince of Britain poets ; who meditates,Communing with himself

,his laurel verse.

- S eemed then new springing wind , Eo l ian hymns,In cedars breathe ; that, cast thei r boughs together,Gave a sweet smel l, as of d ivine abodes,(Past fle shly seeing,) which in those hea venly placesOn Spenser fel l then impulse from the gods :And rapt

,midst woodb ined path

,he fromward passed .

(Dear Master Edmund ,S ince from thy pined flesh

,

Thou wast unbound ; i s fal len thy matchless Muse ;Alas the whi le ! on many evi l daysWherein

,as waxed untuneable can mens ears

,

Now,no more savour thy celest ial lays !)

Oft as reached thither air-borne echoing vo‘ice,

Chant of chaste Muses, answering one another,From thei r n igh Pleasance ; leapt upon his feet,Some Britain bard, translated from Worlds l ife ;Labouring with sacred fu ry

,h is chest oppressed ;

And oracles he,of pant ing heart , poured forth .

THE MUSES ’ GARDEN 1 1

Moreover to the Muses’ heaven ly S eats ,Few pious sou ls

,which not yet Gate have passed

,

Of Death, to Life, be suffered to approach ;And to behold that Gardens sovereign sight.at are are are ale

One such , of many least, a Vates sate ;(Col in, the Prentice of th ine heaven ly sk i l l ;)Whose sou l had Love of Country l i fted up.

By a plough- l and path , i n sol itude, the man sate,Leaned to an antique oak ; on that cl i ff-brinkOf Britain , which toward Eastland , turns h is faceThere daylong S ighing sate

,t i l l the Sun set,

And fel l d im n ight around . The trembl ing chordsS eemed of his dreaming instrument

,th e n to wake

As kneel ing on h is knees,with voice demiss ;

H e mourned unto himsel f, with strife of heart ;(The fraud of men

,and inj ury of heaven

,)Destruct ion of his Country ; which forewarnedH im had fatid ic Muse

,to be at hand .

To him , s ith slumbering, beneath col d stars,Of fi r m am ent ; for fasting weariness ;A Messenger

,handmaid of the Muse , descended ;

Tkou Weepe r ! c r ied , (with soul -compel l ing voiceR i se up ! And as She l ifted by the hand ;An inward l ight inlum ine d his da rk spi rit.With strength, whereto may no mans power res ist

,

More than might chi ld contrast hi s mothers force ;She i n V i s ion led him ,

towards that mountains foot ;Which round is girt with wide deceitful fen ;Wherein l ie drenched mal ignant mult i tude

,

Of st inging worms. Were they Worlds envious voices ;Which , being unwinged , m ight not themselves ‘reach

th ither ;Nor would those suffer fledge d souls to fl i t over.Ful l al l of chirk ing, was that sorry Coast,With pauses ; l ike to waves, that rise and fal l .

1 2 THE CLOUDS

But to that mount, may only sou ls attain ,Whom it hath pleased a deathless Muse to chooseS uch one, He r messengers hand leads

,by strait bridge ;

Which spend ed , midst the elemental S teep,Like floating gossamer hangs

,so fine it is

,

From plain to height ; else seemeth it bridg e of glass .

That messenger of the Muses had d ifl'

use d,

(Bearing sheen laurel bough , her other hand,)A golden mist around ; whiles, by that bridgeOf dread , we passed . Thence

,by great steeps

,we went ;

Ascending in them , without weariness ;Which passed, we entered in d im sacred grove ;Whence rose grave d inn ing noise of wa te r b rooks.

Then stayed her feet,she straight that mist d iscussed ;

And, 10,a Temple

, (whence I ncense fuming, dothEmbalm the World

,) on high for hang ing cl iff !Made of one sh in ing stone. And issued forth,On the degrees, an ever-blesse

’d One .

And bade the Muse,for such indeed she was ;

(In an aston ishment, I was fal len down,On lowest stair, to k iss her sacred feetThat were m ine eyes washed in the fleeting brook .

But come up,from that wel l ; meseemed , twixt Earth

And heaven,I viewed new World, in gaz ing forth !

Not erewhi le seen , as an ab id ing V is ion .

Again the sacred Muse vouchsafed to speak ;What So i l i s that thou lookest on ,

of Worlds face !VATES. Ha

,Lady

,I sle Britain ; whence I drew my breath.

MUSE.

’

T i s wel l ; seeing that am I the Muse of BritainWherefore I mourn , with deep hearts sorrowing,Behold ing nigh

,which may not be eschewed

,

HER DESTINY ! except the ETERNAL it release ;Moved by the I ntercession of pure l ips.

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14 THE CLOUDS

VATES . I see march khak i- clad ranks,them to meet.

MUSE. Men valorous, but not sold iers.VATES . Britains youth !MUSE. S uch cannot He r defend !VATES . Ah ! sayest thou this !MUSE . England l ies s ick

,and long hath lain . Had been

Embattled al l the manhood of the I sle,

Bulwark of Britain , exerc ised in arms ;The effort of the Nation had preservedTheir common heritage. Hath !

not I sland BritainBeen s ix times subjected unto the reproach

,

Of foreign conquest ! Voices heard from heaven,

A S eventh presage ; ensu ing, from the North.

What seest thou now !VATES . A burning citys smoke !

Great drift,from East to West

,of fugit ives.

They,ah ! shrink from the East Coast . I derel ict v i l lages

S e e yonder ; walls unroofed and desolate hearths !MUSE . Shal l c it ies be brought low

,burned

,ransomed

,

wasted .

He r bread shal l fa i l , H e r arms be overthrown .

He r fields l ie strown with war- S lain carcases ;As a wood - Soi l

,strawed after Winter tempest °

With the green withering wrack of forest oaks .VATES . Like as some mountain head it were, of s now,

For whiteness : I beheld Immortal Brow,

Now a moment,look down

,from the clouds of Heaven !

Turn then away, as sad , his looks from Britain .

M U SE . Thine eyes beheld an heaven ly Providence ;One of the S even Spirits, inhabit ingEtern ity. He which long upheld I s le Britain ;The same hath , weary and sorrowful , for a season ,Withdrawn H imsel f : Rebuke of Heaven ! Approach ,Lo

,I nfernal Spirits, with dark presumptuous looks !

Dread not : that thing thou seest is not yet.


Tire EV I L GEN IUS or BRITAIN , is seen wa lking ,Iza bz

'

tea'in

a long tr a ining r obe, a m idst big ot-d r opp ing m ist.

EVI L GEN I US . S ince Albion went up , to the stars of heaven ,(Weary of the Evi l I bear rule in Britain ;Where men me worship

,both in Church and S tate.

FALSEHED and EV I L COUNSEL and ILLUS ION ;And APATHY, in th is unready and winking NationAl l these I am : though I ful l worshipful seem ;

Walking as man,amongst the sons of men

A priest,a counci l lor

,a pol it ician ;

With reverend stately pace,and solemn countenance.

But as a Fate, I bow mens spiri ts and bindSo that, whatso one doeth

,or word he saye th,

Shal l turn and rend him ; and he, of two paths,

That one shal l choose,which leads to his confusion .

I n the sel f wise,wont I begui le this Nation ;

And set them by the ears : I put my spiri t,

On factious swel l ing souls ; whose blatant tonguesHang l imber in their j aws . I forge

,face

,feign

And mostly I,with so strong sel f- love delude them ;

That they deceived -deceivers persuade men ;Which dote on their fond l ips ; as those re veal ,Of heavens l ight

,should some long hidde n ray !

(Though such but phantoms hunt, to their own dea ths .)I S Britain mongst them

,l ike to wounded

!

hart,

Of a great horn ; whom bloody wo lves abba'

y

They He r rend,they d isembowel

,d ispiteous .

Thus I subdue mens tr ava i lle d impious spiri ts .These things

,though words he sour, to .

‘me seem sweetThey make me mirth

,which doth mine heart aggrate.

What do I in vast compass of this air,

That hugs the Earth ; d ivine strong wing-beat hear !And cometh lo a mighty company of S atans Spirits !

16 THE CLOUDS

[Giga ntic d em on-snap ! a’

r aw nzg/i . Fold ing swa r t- twinned

va st wing s, tney a l ignt t/ien, on a r ee l ing olond -elzfi i]

EVI L GEN I US . Hai l ! Whither fly ye, O H igh Exalted

Spirits !ARCHDEMON . Ha , thou art there ! Again we for e flyWAR ;

Who purposeth H im,from Hel l

,ascend to Britain ;

I sle that was,yore

, of our fam il iar wontWhere since the SON -OF-R IGHTEOUSNESS was made

flesh,

We have ridden,these three times, and d isported us .

What Season then Angel Albion it forsook ,As wil led soul -slaying Majesty

,of Father S atan ;

To thee , to keep the I s le committed was.EVI L GEN IUS . Have I not

,AZ AZ EL, hundred Winters,

waitedWARS great new Advent ; and al l things prepared,To his high hands ! Welcome i l lustrious spiri ts !A Prince of Hel l , wi l l I now to m ine own ,Return ; that Ward , whence ye today ascended .

ARCHDEMON . How sped’

st thou , in thy charge !EVI L GEN I US . I sowed have bl ight,

Of Civi l D iscord , in mens troubled spiri tsSo that, as sick of Pesti lence, I leaveThem l iving corses .

ARCHDEMON . Sayest thou this for sooth !Father of N ightmares.

EV I L GEN IUS . Yea, by the Abyss !ARCHDEMON . Remains then aught therein , which can

resist us !EVI L GEN I US. The prayers yet of a few prevai l with HEAVEN .

ARCHDEMON . Mens prayers I fear ; s ince Who their soulsredeems ,

The VOICE which from beginn ing was with Heaven ;On Earth, In form of womb-born man , was seen :

DEMONS. The Prince of Life !


EVI L GEN IUS . S ou l -darkness, on the rest,

I breathed , that men d iscern no more thei r good .

Though an angel should reproach them,out of heaven ;

Thundering ! they wou ld not hear h im,nor regard

My Presence he nceforth i s unto them as God .

DEMONS . Enough, thou Bane of Britain ! Turn asideYield

,Father of I l lus ions, place to us .

EVI L GEN IUS . So wil l I gladly : savours too-too muchWAR

,even far off, of festering carcases ! (Depa r ts

[A bd iel , a n Ang el , of the Sp i r i t of P r aye r ; com ing fr omthe ci r cui ts of hea venly L ight a nd Knowle dg e passeth

r ad ians ]

ABDI EL. By Heaven ! I adj u re you, Spiri ts of dark Abysm ,

Vex not I s le Britain .

ARCHDEMON . When we parted forth,The H IGHEST consenting sm i led .

ABD IEL. Thou speakest leasing ;The LORD rebuke thee !

ARCHDEMON . Wing-bright Chi ld of Light ;What fel lowship hast thou at al l wi th us !

ABDIEL. I s this thine hou r : have mind of mercy,ha !

ARCHDEMON . Mercy, fond Angel ! Satan knows not He r .

We bow no knee, to thine H igh One i n heaven .

DEMON VO ICES . We wil l bring evi l upon Britains House !ABD I EL

, (loohing to heaven,) LORD , (how I abhor that d ireabysmal vo ice !)

Turn back the sword drawn out gainst Britains Life !

(To the Dem ons) Who roused WAR up, that long in Hel lhad S lept !

ARCHDEMON . One of the sons of men,confederate

With S atan ; a crowned clay on Earth-worlds face.

ABDIEL . Fa ther of Heaven Beseech Thee, bring to naughtThe works of darkness ! (Depa r ts

DEMONS . Get thee gone from us !

1 8 THE CLOUDS

ARCHDEMON . TERROR , DESTRUCTION ,FAM INE

,PESTI

LENCE ;TUMULT, S ED ITION ,

RANCOUR,PARRICIDE-STR IFE '

OUTRAGE and S POTTED GU ILE,with double face

OPPRESS ION ,RAPI NE ; and ye three, the FLAME,

The TREASON and the manifold SWORD of WAR ;

And who the rusty Ret inue Of aching CAREAnd ye, that MURRA INS breath and S UMMER -BLIGHTDOM IN IONS , POWERS ; al l Spirits that fly with US ,Before the face of WAR

,a fiery frost

Girded with gl ittering waves,beho ld white-cl iffed

Britain , that sea is le ; subject to our feet !GO,

fi l l He r field with groans ; He r ai r with sighs ;Ti l l WAR hath wrought ; and they which dwel l in He r ,

A mingled People, be wel l-n igh consumed °

And Chained the Remnant in long servitude.

To our I ntent !DEMONS . He r i l l s shal l be our Feast.DESTRUCTION . He r Plain shal l be a Corpse-fie ld .

ARCHDEMON . Shal l He r NameOf Albion ; from among the Nations, perish !

(He loohs baohwa r d .) Manque lling WAR cometh ! l i ke aburn ing m ist ;

(Is mist Of infinite arrows : fle shling s’ death !)

Ensu ing after us . HO ! to our I ntent.HOUSEHOLD OF DARKNESS ; l ight precipitous !

(They stoop on I sle B r ita in

VATES . Ha,Lady ; i n me, uneath remaineth breath !

MUSE . S hal l, from the cedars, waft an heal ing breath,On thee ; and that sha l l be instead of meat ,To thy refresh ing . Hearken ! permitted is,To, thee, one day, a womans son , to dwel l ;Yet being in l ife

,upon the Muses’ hi l l

For that towards Britain thou, thy kindly soil ,The Muses’ I sle, wast erewhi le pious found.


Lo , I lengthen and I shorten ! far-Off thingMake I seem n igh : and Times new births

, (which beNot yet of Heavens unborn Etern ity,)To plain ly appear. In that thou lookest hence

,forth ;

Each moment,shal l as daylong, to thee seem .

Now gaz e,from this for hang ing Temple Cl iff !

And in wide V i s ion,see befal l I sle Britain

,

I NVADING WAR . And he, on whom thou lookest,

Erst haply, i n town or field : were such the leastMan

,in a vi l lage

,or a market place ;

Fol low from day to day,with eye and ear

And being in part transfused then,through my power

,

Thy spirit i n his ; (and I wil l be a Vo ice,Within thy breast such mans vici ssitudes

,

As were they th ine,i n vision

,Shal l suffice ;

For matter Of thy sorrowful complaint.VATES . Ha

, Lady, I fear ; and were from this h igh stai r,To S l ide i n trance

,and fal l to nothingness !

M USE . Doubt nothing, whiles I ho ld thee by the hand ,As I have holden ere ; and to thine end

,

Wil l hold . And when this day shal l be expi red ;One Of the holy Hours

,again descending

,

From hence ; shal l bear thy soul , by way thou camest ;And shalt thou wake on ground

,i n thine own house.

There tarry not,to take meat : and s ith , this Vi s ion ;

Ere it from thy remembrance fade,Se t forth

Ere day, when shal l i t come indeed to pass .Like to the sol i tary mew, which c ries

,

Over vast wi lderness of wind -woven waves ;Thine Office is

,to Chant patriot hymns

,henceforth .

But hearken What though thou,i n th is Mountain

,wast ;

And though I,Muse of Britain

,breathe thy verse ;

S hal l few give ear,unto thy lowly vo ice.

Nathless Tyr ta ios, on whom Po lymnia breathed,

My S ister Muse, of Old ; composed their stri fes,2—2

20 THE CLOUDS

With devout chant,his countrymen heartened forth ;

So that they V ictory, i n patriot arms, achieved !VATES . I

, O Daughter of Memory, saw not WAR .

MUSE . WAR ridesWith DEATH ; such hideous Tempest from Hel l

mouth,

Of homicide demon shapes, with carrion breath ;That mortal eye might not sustain their S ight !

22 THE CLOUDS

ANNE. We’re that glad, that be we, to see you safe S i rJOHN . Safe, whole and sound !CARP. No hurt

,save this rent coat .

JOHN . That terrible wor the press, i n many a place !ANNE . And many is saved has burns , o r else is bru ised .

WATKI N . Some barned wor, i n the Hospital,i n ’her

beds !Men might not fetch ’hem forth

,for whi r land flames .

ANNE . There moun be many children lost and dead .

WATKI N . S ti l l ashes fal l in’ !ANNE . S ti l l this bitter reek ;WATKI N . We draw in with our breaths !JOHN . Them sk ies aglow !WATKI N . They shows the town is barn in’

,even now !

JOHN .

’

T is pe r ish in’- l ike for al l . Where shal l us go

,

Come morn ; what can al l this here townfolk do !WATKI N . Our masters aren barned out !

JOHN . There’s more nor that !What of them forre’n enemies

,that us barned !

CAR P. They ’

r e come to take our Country away from us .JOHN . Battles there must be !WATK IN . That is sure enow.

CARP. Battle and bloody warfare are before us .JOHN. S orrow for al l enow !WATKIN . And most and worst,

As alway is,and must be, for poor folk.

ANNE. God help us !(An I nspector , w i th la nte r n a nd note hooh

I NSPECTOR . I am sent to take al l namesDown

,and inscribe them in this Register here ;

For the rel ief of bread . There wi l l be loavesDistributed equal ly and soon

,to al l ; s ince al l

Be now l ike poor, and have thei r l iving lost .That bread, to the next towns, was telegraphed for .

JOHN . Cast sticks on , Anne ; the I nspector wants more l ight,To write by.

EASTHAMPTON BURNED 23

I NS P.

’

T i s but chi l l and wet, th is n ight .How many be ye !

ANNE. We are seven mouths S i r .

INSP. S e e , I enter so I have your names .ANNE. What rumble ’

S that !JOHN . That boom again

,far off !

CARP. S ome heavy fi ring seems to me,from sea .

INSP. Each stroke, a souls doom ; or i s many deaths !CARP . Licensed assassins !ANNE. Who .

CARP. (The homicides !)ANNE . set them On !

I NSP. Smite them ,Lord God of Peace !

That come,i n days of peace

,to murder us.

I must away. (Depa r ts

ANNE. God , of al l m ight ; O help us !CARP. May al l their dark designs not come to pass !

[R am our of appr oa ching wagg on-w/zeels

,w i th g ing l ing

bel ls a nd tr ampling hor ses’

hoofs.]

CARP . An ambulance ! I know it by the lamps .VO ICE (fr om pa ssing wagg on .) Here’s bread , for them

wants !WATK IN . Hold !ANNE . Give us bread !

[An a m hnlance se rg eant, w i th lante r n,hea r ing in

a ha shet of loa ves ]

S ERGEANT. Two loaves,per head

,the d istribution is ;

For al l that need tonight : how many be ye !ANNE. S even , i f there

’s plenty, S i r .

SERGEANT. There ’s plenty,bless ye !

You should ’

a seen,how heard our gingl ing bel l s ;

There folk ran forth to meet us,t ime we passed

From ham le ts,v i llag e streets, cottage—doors, manor-houses ,And farmsteads : Lord ! of a l l , we gathered fast .

24 THE CLOUDS

What so those gave, with ful l hands, where we stayedM ight hardly we bestow, i n our fi rst carts.Their shelves and larders many have left bare.I s al l for you , Eastham ptons burned out fo lk ;That have lost al l

,and l ie out Cold and wet.

The rest you ’l l have, by when the Sun i s up.

Besides we bought up al l, (was order telegraphed !)

At Government cost, was in the bakers’ Shops .Yet some scorned payment ; though themselves they

wereIn doubt Of what the morrow might bring forth.

More carts is on this road .

CAR P. Your news are what !S ERG . I heard some say, there is an army- corps landed

,

With transport and the i r heavy field arti l lery,

On your shore h inder. The enemies l ie in camp,After thei r voyage : they labour sti l l upon it :And that ’

S already entrenched and fortified,

With bank of sods and earth,on this land s ide.

So much our army a i r flye r s have ascertained !And regiments of the Co l chester Command

,

With al l the East Angl ian levies,are in march .

Sup friends and s leep, and so to al l, GOodnight !

[Anothe r pa r t of Eastha mpton fields. The M ayor , and som e

of the Town Counci l , which escaped w i th him a r e seen

sitting out in d r iz z l ing r a in,over the em be r s of a camp

-fi r e ,kind led in the bor de r of a wood ]

TOWN S URVEYOR . But, wil l you not S ir yet some sheltertake !

There ’s yonder Cottage.MAYOR . Nay, we to the hurt

And S ick assigned it. Now for your Report.S URVEYOR . I from the hi l l -brow numbered

,as you bade

Me,n igh! this place, the Peoples fires.

MAYOR . How many !


S URV. I make them ,fifteen hundred fl ickering hearths,

On this,and ful ly as many on that part

The remnant, viewed confusedly, as further Off ;Eye might not rightly count : but many are quenched ,The hour is late.

[D ista nt br ay of a m otor -hor n . Then a r r ives a n

I nte ll igence Ofi ce r,in unifor m ]

OFF ICER . My motor-car might not pass !MAYOR . Here no way l ies.OFFICER . Be not you S i r , the Mayor !

Of burned Easthampton .

MAYOR . At your Service S i r .

OFF ICER . Mine is a Government errand , to enquire ;Wherefore the Enemy have, contrary to the LawOf Nations, and to mil itary honour,Bombarded and burned down your Open town !And wi l l you further tel l me, what has passed ;

So that I may report, by telegraph.

MAYOR . Wel l as I can : but must,i n such d isorder

,

With heart on fi re,and this r a ckt brow unfit ;

I crave indulgence,i f imperfectly I tel l i t.

vast Calamity is more than heart may thinkWont to think on ly , on a s ingle sorrow !We among the last escaped

,nor al l escaped

,

I fear,that fo l lowed us through burn ing streets ;

When toppled factory Chimneys from their base,

And Shot-down spires blocked thoroughfares . Gas andwater

Mains,broken were by their fal l . Mischance then was

,

That flames took fi rst hold on our Baltic yard ;And forth wind -driven

,i n vast roaring flood

,

As the wind rose, on some n igh soap-works sei z ed .

Out of thick smoke, on housetops and on streets,

Fel l fiery flakes. Caught fire the town -hal l roof.The beams and joists as we sate on in Counci l

,

THE CLOUDS

Were burn ing o’

e r ou r heads. Inrushing fi remen,

Us drew down the great marble-stai rs,perforce.

I saw, come without doors, from the steps’ head ;Much fugitive mult itude madd ing in the street ;Like to seas tumbl ing waves. With al l my force,I shouted , S a ve yon , Citiz ens, to the fie lds !Those, turn ing thei r pale faces, gan d isperse.

Where throngs,at the cross-streets

,met contrary

throngs ;Who fel l , were trodden underfoot ! There m ight help

,

Nor prayer, so thick the press, nor human force.Firemen and constables them indeed enforced,To save the People : but they, (where strong went downAnd weak were bru ised to death

,and who sustained

Their feeble fo l k themselves were overborne.

Men fought beside themselves shrieked franti c women ,Bearing frai l babes some ones

,on thei r faint necks ;

Where shoots of stones , where burn ing t imbers fal l ing '

O’

e rwhe lm ing flame-wal l seen,surging to heaven,

Approach ! Then was, when none hOpe left, cast upThe prison gates ; the crim inals were let forth .

Those coursed,l ike daunted wolves

, to save themselves,Amidst the human eddies in the street .Some Seen were

, (as Sheep- curs o’

e r le ap a flock,)Run on mens shoulders, where strove thickest press !Our great g a sém e te r s ; which, without the town ,

Were newly erected,soon with awful shock !

(In gulf of flame and hundred deaths, blew up .

A detonation,which seemed to l ift heaven ;

And seemed to sink the World , under our feet !The suburb ways were fu l l of flying feet .

The enemies’ shell s our Rai lway S tation wreckedFugit ives , which there sought Shelter, found their deaths .Walls fel l on many . Who saved were ; s leet, which

ceased not,


Of bul lets in their m idst ; t ithed in the street !Oftt ime, who fel l down wounded , having noneTo succour them ; be i ng then fearful ly overtaken

,

Perished in torment of onrushing flames .OFFICER . Wounded and dead , ye estimate them ,

at what !MAYOR . We as yet have no returns . What I look at

,

Is our Towns harbourless thousands , that l ie outTon ight ; i n this unkindly wind and wet ;Hungry, and for the morrow al l unprovided !

OFF ICER . And what Of the Enemys land ing on your shore !MAYOR . I can but speak

,as ascertained so far

,

In this days troubles ; nor are those at end .

At sunset,the enemies’ advanced vedettes ;

Could hence be Seen by us,towards the Coast .

S e a without haven , twixt S a ltfle e t and SouthnessSafe in West winds, a roadstead in fair weather ;I s that we cal l

, (over the heath, an hour '

Where Winter waves beat up,against themselves ,

S teep banks Of pebble-stones,) E a stha mp ton S tr a nd

Is there an hamlet of poor fisher folk,

Tarred Cottage wal ls, with d igged potato plots,Whereby thei r boats

,from the foreshore

,drawn -up ;

And where they spread their nets,to dry

,i n the sun .

When last n ight fel l , with weather thick , and tideAt flood ; our longshore fi shermen went not out.

But what,of the Eastland e r s land ing, we have learn e d ;

We had it,of a young man

,worthy Of cred it ;

Whose father keeps, (Old navy pens ioner,) there,

In partnersh ip with him ,a ship Chand le rs store.

Accord ing to whose saying, was haz y moonl ight ,Nor vis ible in the offing any ships ;When the enemies’ first pontoon boats touched to landWas past then midn ight

,by an hour o r more.

S old iers, with gl ittering bayonets, were formed up,On the seas sl id ing brinks , as they outstepped .

Thence those gone up ; (whi lst cut their pioneers

THE CLOUDS

The telephone wires,which jo in our coastguard walks

,

From C l iff to cl i ff ;) the cottage-wal ls surroundedAnd strange-tongued , strange-guised men , loud threat

ened death ;To al l and several, that should them resist.Foot and horse sold iers

,al l n ight from their Ships,

Ti l l dayspring, s ith descended to our strandAnd misty sea-flood seemed

,neath stars

,to S leep

So i t was calm, which helped them and hurt us.When passed an hour

, two regiments were detachedAnd dragging with them

,m uffle -wheeled field guns ;

They, (the enemies

’ vanguard,) upland s i lent marched .

Nor c ry of any bird , nor bark Of hound ;Nor pi lots voice from sea

,had Essex warned .

This year were mongst the dunes, pitched the townbutts ;

Where,one month, our recru its lodged under canvas .

Heard heavy marching, thick advancing tread ;Thei r sentinel chal lenged . None answered neither whenHe a second time Chal lenged and turned out the Guard .

Those shouted . They would shoot ! They shot inthe air.

For answer, thousand Mausers’ fiery mouths,

Discharged thei r lead,at strange voice of command !

Fel l some ones,where they stood : many, i n that moment ,

Waked, (slumbering in the tents,) last pang ,

of death !Alarmed the camp

,our young men hasti ly marched ,

Led by their sergeants,i n platoons ; and fetched

A compass,certain tamarisk banks beset ;

That lay, before those stranger enemies’ march

Where they with vol leys fought , and s ingle shots ;Level l ing our young sharpshooters, in the murk ;At the enemies’ rifles’ flash. B ri t soon fel l the most ,In their young years ; fel l there on their fresh faces ,For England S lain . Who last remained al ive ;Being taken

,in the dawns first springing l ight ;

EASTHAMPTON EU -NE I!

By the enemies,were brought on i sa

Came those,gainst day

,before c r

When on ly rising was the early S I'

Of factory chimneys . Halted , whThe E astland e r s, Chart in hand , d )And when he somewhi le had ob se

H e , to command it, sent h is fieldTo Windm il l -hil l : whence they tl . r

And with that detonation the towThen send ing in a peremptory tun

H e requ isi t ioned horses, carriage, I t

And contribut ion,th irty thousand

With the surrender of al l privateWithin two hours : the place else 1

I summoned the Town Counci l . m o:

Unkempt ; as risen hast i ly from t:We sent the common Crier out i rEnjoyning on al l c it i z ens quie tne sI n the k ings name ; whi lst that c anWhich to the publ i c safety d id pe e lTO the enemy

,made we shortly a !

We would respond,by noon ; whi t

Thronged early workfolk to theTradesmen and gentlemen met

,in

And doubt, there to consul t . WeFor the I nland telephone wires we :

r

Tard i ly from Whitehal l , came to s 1

To do what best u s seemed,to

No regiments rri i'

ght be sent in

Marched in some companies of t'

30 THE CLOUDS

The foot pavement to look on . R isen in his st irrups ;He gave the word, R ide down the E ng la nd e r s

S udden , over mens heads, rang out a Shot !From chamber window of an ant ique house ;(S uch poor clay tenement, of low bulging wal ls

,

AS seen in many a Towns-end Of East England .)I ts ramrod , from old blunderbuss, had bee n shot !Tumbled head long that arrogant

,from his horse

And on the cobble stones lay,blood -well ing corse !

A fearful wound had Opened al l h is Chest.A volley

,on the cottage windows , fi red strange sold iers ;

Dismounted . The unarmed people fled d ispersed .

Troopers , beat in the door, rushed through the house,A sorrowful old wife, of the meaner sort ;Whom sole therein they found , haled frantic forth ;Raving, resist ing, by the long hair- locks .Lone widow

,had she wept herself distracted ;

Moan ing her dead sons only son . He oneWas

,serving in the Camp, of this years sold iers ;

Who fel l at dawn , with many a comrade, s lain .

Shrieked striving writhing, the O ld white-headed wife ;S o m ig ht ye , eve ry m othe r s son ,

fa ll sla in

At trumpet cal l , few ofli ce r s,hasti ly assembled :

Held field Court-martial,standing on the stones

And,the only pun ishment, they of thei r war—code

,

Adjudged her,I n the sel f place, to be Shot

Whereafter should be burned O ’er her the house.

To a lamp-post bounden , when there s ix to ld off,

Made ready ; rose an angry Engl ish shout !Men flung

, to save her ; who beside her m ind ,Yet mocked her murderers but the Eastlander bayonetsThem bare back wounded. She , thri l led by their shot,Then sunk in death . Nor fu l ly dead , was castHe r body in at her door : and , from their bivouac,Fetched brands ; k indled the Old C lay-daubed cottage

house.

EASTHAMPTON BURNED 3 1

S ome murmured , even of the foreign sold iers !Caught fi re the next and next old t imber houses .

S ounded retreat ! The flames increased ; they leapt ,From roof to roof : a gunsmiths shop blew up.

Who,on a Shutter, bare thei r colonel dead ,

Cast down then and forsook the brutal corse ;Fearing to be cut off. Those hemmed - in soldiers

,

Men S lew ; that S lew them , i n the burn ing street .Rushed Ea stland e r s, at the double, i n retreat ;

Firing. Come those without ; thei r cannon tempestRained

,of l ive shel ls

,back on our burn ing town .

Their purpose,so doing

,they said , was to make of He r ,

First terrible example , to al l England !Then ran forth cit iz ens , from thei r burn ing doors,

Bearing,what things had hasti ly saved , their hands !

Easthampton ; which this day, when rose the Sun,

A town was of twelve thousand fami l ies ;Prostrate, a m i le-wide waste, now heap-wise l ies

,

Fuming : we,in gusts, He r burn ing, smel l from hence !

OFFICER . The Eastland e r s lost their th irty thousand pounds .

MAYOR . But might recover i t, from the Bankers’ vaults !

With what,in hundred t r ad e sm e ns safes

,wa s lockt.

S o have you heard S i r , al l that I can tel l ;And heavy is the tale. More happy he ,Than we, who slain yet l ive ; the dead of late !

OFF ICER . NO military man loves more to think ;What is l ike to happen , in this s ickly S tate !

ELY

Wot no Wig ht wha t Wa r i s, the r ea s P ea ce r e igneth .

P ie r s P loughm an.

[Ca rpente r , wea ry a nd tr a ve l-sta ined a r r ives, a t the

Ca thed r a l Gr ea t West P or ch ]

CARP. Else th is were the third n ight, I have lain out,In m y ra in-coat ; the last i n Offas dyke ;S ince I left burned Easthampton ; where d ispersed ,A town lodged homeless

,i n the open fields .

In hol low hedge-rows housed,they groaned , for want

And of the infirm and hurt and aged fol k ;There many had a l ready passed from l ife.

Rain m iserably again fal l ing,towards the day ;

Helped quench vast dying flames ; whose bitter breathYet covered the cold stars ; and borne was forth ,On the immense bosom of the waken ing wind .

Parents sti l l wandered,seek ing chi ldren lost !

Was battle looked for,Shortly to be joined .

This journey to my mother,in the North,

With rai l roads cut ; i s l ikely, upon my feet,To be a fortn ight’s go ing

,or more than that ;

Might be three weeks. She , (and I must haste ) in herWidows so l l i c itude, none beside me hath .

As on by the great northern road, I passed ;(In by-ways

,foot ing oft

,and through fie ld - paths ;

Where the k ings h igh-way seemed no longer safe

ELY 33

Continual ly on mine ears, smote bloody sounds,Of War : affray and battle, afar off :Cannon reverberating from sea

,hi l ls

,sk ies !

Weariness and hunger my companions were.Where each Sun set , my pil low was the brier,My bed the dew-dropped grass ; heavens stars mine

house.

Such i l l s, beginning now invad ing war,S hal l shortly, i n the remembrance , seem but l ight ;When weighed wi th m ischiefs, which must dai ly increase .

A Gate meseems of Heaven , this stately Porch !Fortress Of consecrated stones ; with havenOf prayer-reared wal ls beyond , midst the Worlds s iegeThat Evi l

,which pursues us

,and the worm

Of cold remembrance, which sti l l frets our hearts.Bui l t with mens hands, of t imber and hewed sand

,

Though this great sacred Fane, of buttressed wal ls,And panel led roofs

,be frai l and transitory

Here entering reverent in,a S anctuary,

A Place of holy Trust i t is ; where dwel lethA Divine Breath ; whereas my soul hath feast.And ye

,long-during pi l lars ; which , in ranks,

Uphold th is prayer-pa r fum e d ,with music thri l led

,

H igh M inster Church ! where my bowed knees approach ;I, i n world-forgett ing confuse thought, embrace.Fold

,ye twain hands of mine ungodly flesh :

That l ike is,for brief season

,wind -driven leaf

,

Neath everlasting heavens,on long-aged Earth ;

Ready to fade,and soon to fal l in death ;

Whilst yond choired chi ldren,Life-eternal ! chant ;

In the ALL ETERNAL I NF IN ITE FATHERHOOD .

And mount up,midst thei r harmonies, my souls vo ice !

S uns purple streams , on this paved Temple Court,Through glowing glass

,seem flowers shed down from

thence ;

34 THE CLOUDS

Where dwel ls the KING of GLORY,i n endless Light.

I s War on Earth ; war in our Countrys m idst !Forget

,my soul

,that Hel l of dread ! a moment.

On these cold flags, that long memorial hold ,Of mouldering graves , t read forth my l iving steps .Eyes behold tombs, of those before us passed '

Ended their l ives with honou r,in the Earth

Gaz e on them and take courage ! Immense isThe Power of Evi l , which our souls molests,Without cease ; and that must our feeble forceResist and surmount, in Worlds dai ly paths.ETERNAL ! I f error l ie i n our Bel ief,Impute it to ou r bl i ndness. Alway acceptOur true endeavour, for Thy mercies

’ sake.But THOU us gu ide ; how should frai l mortal wit ,Alone, suffice to rule our wayward feet !I know must be dissolved, i n t ime to come ;

(S ince nothing can , which neath the Moon hath be ing,Long-t ime endure : when shal l the hour which i s

,

Be of dead ages past this Holy House ;And shal l He r goodly ornaments l ie defaced .

In that day, her’ shel tering wal ls shal l stand unroofed

,

Part fal len in breaches : twixt these fai r paved stones,The bramble and the thistle shal l come up,And thorn - tree flourish ; i n whose tender greenThe nesting hedg e ling bird Shal l feed her young.

VERGER . I t is not S ir permitted here to space,Time of Church-service. But you ’

ll presently hearThe Benedict ion !

WORDS, (sound ing fr om the Choi r .) AND THE PEACE OF GOD,

BE WITH YOU Now AND EVERMORE : AMEN .

CAR P. Thundering dism iss ion ! how loud organs shakeThis mighty Frame, to the gold -gl ittering roofs ;Triumphing ! and He r sacred s i lence break .

So bear me, j aded knees , unto mine Inn ;To sup and s leep ; and have I need of both .

36 THE CLOUDS

The day crept forth : chimes told the tardy hours,

Ti l l afternoon . Days l ight decays,at length.

Come even ing gloom ; said each one in h imsel f ;Ah, day we looked not for, of Englands death !The Minsters paved floor was then parcel led out ;

Both aisles and nave, mongst al l there fugitives.Women were to the Lady Chapel led .

(That hal l of beauty, in th is House of God .)Was fe tched in bedstraw ; whereof al l m ight take,To strew them pal lets, on the raw flag stones.(We lodge, by twent ies, in the pil lar-bays.)

S old iers, now nightfal l, s inging as they march ;Pass

,dusty compan ies

,i n through Ely streets !

Fen -fo lk,which gathered under the town - lamps ;

Abashed were,in remembering their unworth .

Hands, wont to master the huge stubborn force,Of a gain-striving ox , to arms untaughtHelp meanly to maintain a Nations STATE !Our seven -day soldiers, led by inexpert

Commanders : stripl ings, lack ing comradeship ;Gainst seasoned sold iers

,fight unequal fight.

Compan ies march on,to bivouac in the park

And further should,when rose the Moon

,tonight.

They looked to meet the Eastlander, at sunr ist.Fen -men

,held Meeting in the street, have spokesmen ,

Now sent to the fie ld -office r commanding ;Proffering themselves, to serve with him , as sold iers.But he responded ; In the fight ing ranks ,

Are men untrained to war, of sl ight account,As War now i s. Yet he thei r forwardness praised ,Worthy of their fathers ; which of old beat Danes,From these fen marches ; and withstood proud Normans .

When k indled now were the Cathedral lamps ;And mothers had la id down their babes to sleep ;Gave the Precentor out

,from the Choi r steps,

ELY 37

Kens evening hymn ; which sang, of their ful l hearts,Devoutly

,thousand throats of fugit ives forth .

When this great Voice ascended had to God ;A venerable C lerk

,from pulpit spake ;

Saying, Welcome brethren , in H is Holy Name,To the Lords House : which is an Inn of CHR I ST,

Our Elder Brother, on our way to heaven .

S e e that your conversation be herein ,Then , as becometh S aints.Let no man set

Unrighteous snare before his b r e thr ens feetAs who would say

,This Consecrated Place

,

Threshold of Heaven, too holy is to eatAnd drink in . DO not we

,i n Charity , eat ,

With thanksgiving bread,and bod i ly drink the cup

Of our Salvat ion , Christs Remembrance, here !SO ought we, in the self-wise, i n every place,

To eat our dai ly meat,with holy thought

And sancti fy the Lord a lway,i n al l our hearts .

Or who would say, To s leep in : What ! have not,Under the flag stone s, i n this M inster Church ,Been laid to rest mens corrupt carcases !Know

,nothing is m ore precious

,i n Gods seeing

,

Than be the l iving temples of His Breath,

Which are your bodies. Beloved, endeavour then ,To keep them spotless ; that ye might be cal ledGods Chi ldren

,brethren of the Christ

,in heaven ;

And fel low heirs of the eternal l i fe.

Last, l ift ing holy hands , he humbly prayedFather Almighty

, of Christ our R ighteousness ;And in H im of us men

,begotten again

Into H is holy Name ! Lord,for H is sake ;

And for Christs S aints , which in Thy Bosom sleep,Departed in the Faith : beseech Thee

,hear us.

Al lseeing, Thou knowest ; how that we be this day,In dire affl ict ion and calamity ;

38 THE CLOUDS

By reason of War, an Enemy hath brought in on us .Beseech THEE, and it be possibl e ; and are possibleA l l things with THEE ; that m ight this Cup pass from us !And so he blessed us ; saying, Christ give you Light !Soon after this, when the most M inster lamps

Were spent, n ight season ; and the fugit ives lean ing :

Last, on thei r pal lets, la id them down to sleepAlone the Watch, which have they chosen, by lot,Among themselves ; and Changed , from hour to hour ,Ti l l day ; with them that, servants of the Church

,

Waking al l n ight, kept the Cathe dral doors ;S tood si lent, i n thei r places, in the midst.On al l descended deep forgetfulness,Of i l l s ; what though those instant were wi thout .

At daybreak , hoised was, on the master- tower ;Where watchmen

,from the dawn

,stand gaz ing forth ;

The R ed Cross banner. I s,i n Ely streets

,

Now rumour of the Invaders’ n igh approach.

The I sle-Of-Elys magistrates, i n the n ight ;Had caused be baked , for publ ic need , much breadThat one days d istribution might be made.When al l had loaves , from the bread carts, received ;I t seemed the last t ime we might break our fasts,In an unconquered England .

When had beenS ung in the M inster Church, Kens morn ing hymn ;Of al l who lodged therein , with l i fted hearts ;I from Saint Audreys precincts, wandered for th .

Whilst stood mens hearts in doubt ; how they provideM ight daily sustenance, for thei r fugitive famil ies ;I s le Elys magistrates have sent message to us

BELLMAN . Thi r d pa r t of a ll S tr ang e r s m ust r em ove .

For pastur e la chs ; a nd fea r ed is, sha l l fa i l v ictua l

Tom or r ow,ag a in thi r d pa r t. God sa

’

ve the King I

IN THE WAY TOWARDS STAMFORD

A l l pla ces full of for r a ine power s.

S PENSER .

I parted in a company , as fortune was ,Of some had been my neighbours in the Church.

And oft upon that Fen lands noble M inster,Fast min ishing on the border of our sky ;We gaz ed back

,as with many thoughts in heart,

We fa red . But now a troubled Country it was,We passed ; soon to be harried , and He r dustBe laid

,with battle-blood . We went by a church ;

And marked , was flying,o’er her antique porch ;

Which open stood, for the receipt of fugit ives ,Upon the road

,a flag of the R e d Cross.

We saw a vi l lage folk then clustered th ick ,AS bees

,before thei r shops ; that purchased victual .

By many cottage doors lay great roped packs,Of househo ld stu ff, made ready to remove:Al l labour seemed suspended in thei r fieldsP lough-beasts stood id le ; gaz i ng forth, at gates.Men loitered

,in green lanes

,with troubled looks .

Fel l in our company two which there outpaced us,R id ing on cycles ; young men , khaki-Clad .

Parted at dawn,from col lege hal l s ; those sped ,

To j oin tod ay' the i r territorial regiments.

One of them answere d ; Able-bodied young men ,Untaught

,unexerc ised to patriot arms ;

Were,i n thei r problem -wal ls, more than two thousand

40 THE CLOUDS

Nor of that shame ashamed !H is fel low said ;

In Chinese stud ies and brain-wasting sports ;Sardon ic laughter, which would some have pass,For young ripe wisdom ; mumming, gloz ing, nul l it ies !We lose our days : leaving no t ime to beOurselves ; or think , what most were profi table for us.With gibing laughter ! (i rksome in our ears ;S ince part was sooth the young men parted forth.

Eigh ! How may England thrive ! a lawyer quoth.

(A mighty Walker he, return ing home,From his vacation, when he fel l in with us.)What for He r fact ions, and He r brabbl ing Parl iaments.He r People, as dumb confounded , can but l i ftThei r eyes to heaven ; behold ing this S torm -beatGreat SHI P OF STATE, steered fondly on towards sharp

rocks !And if She strike not thus ; wi l l He r wind-Shaken

Timbers, purbl ind pi lots loosen ; and openHe r seams al l to sal t waves ; so that needs mustShe s ink : whereas, as every witl ing knows ;The strength is of a faggot, in the Bond !

S ound now of peal ing church -bel l s smote our earsFrom vi l lage unto vi l lage, warning wide !The County Counci l had , this Lawyer said ,Yesterday assembled ; drafted a new Ord inanceThat in al l parish Churches m ight be laidUp househo ld goods, for safety : and was provided,Gainst day Of instant peri l ; that were borneWomen with chi ld

,the s ick

,the infirm , the ag éd ;

Al l such as m ight not, i n a fl ight,remove ;

To fore-appointed place, in every circuit,To be determined by the magistrates ;Where

,were it schoolroom , parish-hal l or else barn ;

Must be provided beds , and hospital service.

IN THE WAY TOWARDS STAMFORD 4 1

Every such Refuge, to be inviolate,In War ; must fly the flag of the R e d Cross.And l ieutenants over hundreds have been set ;

With delegated powers,to purchase victual ;

And puni sh,without process , felon ies.

At a next cross-ways’ fing e r -post, we stayed ;To read new Government Notice. STATE OF S IEGEPROCLAIMED ! IN D ISTRICTS , UNDER MARTIAL LAW,

RA ILWAYS AND TELEGRAPHS HAVE BEEN TAKEN O’

ER,

To S ERVICE OF THE STATE . MUST ALL DRAUGHTBEASTS

AND VEH ICLES BE NOW REG I STERED, AND R ESERVED ,

FOR M I LITARY TRANSPORT. CAN THE POSTS ,FROM DAY TO DAY

,No MORE BE GUARANTEED.

IN PROCLAIMED D ISTRICTS , PENALTIES ARE IMPOSED,

FOR NOT DECLARING STORES OF MEAL AND CORN .

BR IDGES MAY BE DESTROYED ,AT ANY MOMENT.

A M I SDEMEANOUR I S,To PUBLI SH TIDINGS ;

WH ICH M IGHT AVAI L THE ENEM IES OF ENGLAND.

PUN I SHMENT,FOR FURTHER ING ENGLANDS FOREIGN

ENEM I ES ,BY WORD OR DEED ; I s DEATH ,

W ITHOUT R ECOURSE .

Passed by those cross- roads a distracted rout ;Fugitives

,i nd ifferently wayfaring to both parts

Men able-bodied,wives

,ch i ldren , maids , young men ;

Nor few be old broken fd lk . Wains,droves and flocks

Wend,mingled with them . And se e m t he i r heaped carts

Rol l forth,with al l that m ight be laid on wheels.

We a town approached . Come to the Corn Exchange ;One stood to speak , to gathering Country-folk ;From an horse-block . Neighbours

, (we heard him say ;)Behoves us al l together

,to stand stedfast,

Like men ; in dark hour of our Lands d istressAnd al l what new War-ord inances be la id on US

'

Observe. And more, l ike-worthy words, he spake .

Uneasy in th is fen - town was to buy bread .

THE CLOUDS

Inns no more furn ished victual . Dreading whatM ight happen ; sol l ic itous housewives taken up

,

Had store al ready,of al l that m ight be eaten .

Seemed faring,i n these highways

,al l East England !

Wherefore amongst us,i t concluded was ;

Forsak ing the main roads, to find

,by maps,

Which we in Chatteris bought,our further

.path .

I ssued at afternoon : of one we met ;We enqui red the way

,where seemed our turn ing was.

Beware, quoth he, Of the New Cut : the footing,

Where pathway seems,i s drowned and devious.

Might bridges be blown up ,dykes may be c ut ;

We know not when . Ware,where there ’s water out !

Ye could not then the fleets, save swimming, pass.The M a r shland B a i l ifi

' wont on s trangers seiz e '

That ’s the ague, which lu rks mongst those fenny reeds .May l ightly

,to the middle, a man be bogged ;

Who treads on t ick le quavem i r e s, overgrassed .

So many, ere now,good marshman has been lost.

And we,i n S ummer droughts, have found of such ,

The blanched bones, sunk-up, i n some rotten moss.To Fenton might ye fetch or Moretons Learn ,

To Westry or Whittlesea ; but ye so must passThe Twenty-foot Ryne , or o

’er the R iver Nen .

Your best hope were to find, by some tow path ,A barge ; wherein ben ighted , ye might S leep.

We entered soon,midst that green fens swart earth

Where,when we had , t i l l m id of afternoon ;

From sti le to st i le,searched out, how we should pass ;

Damp reeking mist was drifted over usSo that we might not longer see our trode.Bank of a polder had we viewed before us

Whereon a pumping windmil l,and hard by,

A rick Of hay. Sounding before our steps,

THE CLOUDS

Uneasy slumber of warped joints,strange crakes

Of waterfowl , mongst hiss ing windy reeds ;To dread remembrance, which doth pierce our hearts ;And every hour makes cold

,whi lst we are wake ;

Of Wa r , invad ing war ! i n Englands midst.When l ighten ing was bleak dayspring in the East

,

We hasti ly parted forth. But when an hour,The Sun was risen , with throbbing cheerfu l l ight ;Over the wil lows, the Cathedral towersOf Peterborough, in the Mercian meads ;Sun-gilded

,glorious

,rose before our sight .

A man,with an eel-pritch

,we met then

,showed us ;

Where lay,past the next dykes , a beaten trode,

And causeway ; that to fenny Aske r idg e leads.Glad were we

,when

,ere noon , we were come forth ;

With what might in their market place be bought ;For here too scarcity was , to break our fast.Eager for news

,might l ittle there be learned .

I S noised now,that have three I nvader Armies,

Made good their land ings ; and, their fi rst advanceMaintained , continue, by converging roads,On London ! Here our fel lowship d ispersedAt afternoon

,each going on towards his own .

I next day reached with other fugit ive passengers,To S tamford ; Where by favour, i n an Inn,I found to rest and lodge : for l ittle room ,

S ince yestern ight, was in that ancient town ;Where now Reservists mustering

,and come in

Two territorial regiments. In the street,Were float ing rum ours

,th ick as gossamers .

The magistrates’ Bench and County Counci l lors sate,

Assembled in joint sess ion,to devise

A remedy of publ ic i l l s ; i n the Court House.They appointed guard ians

,which should take up corn

,

And beeves ; and by bi l ls on the County Rates,

IN THE WAY TOWARDS STAMFORD 4 5

The Owners recompense : and Should be one measure,

Of al l such stock,for rich and poor al ike

SO much each mouth, of publ ic sustenance.

And passengers, come from more than twenty m iles,Might be rel ieved

,with one days needful victual .

They now conferred,with surgeons of the town

,

For service of the S ick.

Mine host,much l ike

H is R ed Lion S ign, (that figur e -head had been

,

Of some Old captured sloop,i n the French war

Thick -shouldered,bearded

,stood in h is Inn door.

R ight from his heart,unto every man , he spake

And who, to honest Cartwright, did not pass

The t ime of day,was deemed but mean ly of,

In S tamford . S old ier i n h is youth ; he wasFather of sold iers. Hearty, hard and strenuousThe mans right hand was ; and not l ess robust,H is love of Country

,and homely Engl ish faith.

Cartwright towards even ing,led from his Inn door,

Out of the town,the overflow of his guests ;

To a fé r m ste ad which he h i red , past Wel land bridge.

AS many beds,as were there in that house ;

He among us Shared ; drawing out from his cap,

Our lots . On strewed-down halm and sweet trussed hay ;Should lodge tonight the good mans other guestsWas there no better room

,in that poor place.

There also had our supper been prepared .

NO supe r fluity had we of plate and clothBut a new pann ikin being set to each ;Was served a good meals meat

, (of beef and broth ;Hot stew

,with garden-stu ff) to ever y guest .

V ictuals ben hard to come by, (quoth m ine host ;Who waited

,fatherly man

,on us h imself.)

Of such meat as I have,a Gods Name , eat !

And freely too . There ’s no cal l in this house,To pay no reckon ing : but who wil l , may put,

THE CLOUDS

What l iketh himsel f,i nto the k itchen box

SO may we al l l ive ; and God be thanked therefore.Save England , God Omnipotent, i n this war !Upstood then one among us, whiles we supped ;

And spake for al l . I NVAD ING WAR upon us,

Doth make al l brothers,which be British born

And hearti ly we,which here be fel low guests ,

In wars d istress, do Cartwright thank tonight.Whereunto assenting, every man , laid downH is kn ife ; clapped hands, with shout, l ike harvest-folk .

When somewhat of Easthampton I had told,

To who enqu ired,which next me sate around ;

And had of those,heard last exchange of news

With one,with whom

,at morrow

,accorded was

,

I should set forth ; I t o the parlour passed .

S ome played therein at cards, some rattled d ice,To drive the hour ; for there no drink ing was,Of d issol ute cups, as in un l icensed house.

Voices raised in Contention, drew us then ,To the n igh k itchen . Cause was of debate,Blaspheming of al l that, which honest menHold worthy of reverence : as, RELIG ION i sBondage, a vain presumption . All Laws must,FOunde d on S uperstition , be revoked .

Shal l al l mens goods in common be henceforth ;The marriage bond moreover Should be loosed.

To fight for Country,a fools contention were ;

S eeing, to a wise man , al l the World is such.

Like wel l,might I

, (answered some chu rl ish voice,)Work at m y bench ; though conquered England wor °

So wages was increased and made more sure.

Five shillin’ more a week

,should pay my rent

What should I care for Country,I ; an I had that !

Ha ! (quoth our host who brawls there,who tonight !

Uncerta in of our l ives and morrows l ight !N o God , quoth he, no laws, no m a r r iag e bond !

IN THE WAY TOWARDS STAMFORD 47

By such false gabs, ye take away al l worth .

To what end ! but to faint young sold iers’ hearts.I

’

ve served in I nd ia , and scorp ions we cal led such .

NO longer may ye harbour in mine house !Up ! get you to your friends , our enemies ;And fal l tomorrow

,by an Engl ish shot !

Thus saying, laid Cartwright on his shoulder ho ld ,Whereto was no gainsaying ; and put him forth .

An Old man spake, with peaceable vo ice , among us ;(Smal l week-day tradesman and shri l l Chapel Preacher,Was he

,on S undays, of some neighbour vi l lage

Would such ones leave us Friends,a bl ighted World ;

Wherein no kindly blossom more should blow.

Would such ones take Rel igion away from us ;Last consolation of mans wretched state.The foo l said in his heart, that he could measureWorld , heavens height, S e a -deep and Earth beneath ,And waters under the Earth

,on his thumb-breadth !

When I with such an one meet,I Choose me out ,

An apposite text ; and there-against I preachYea

,unti l I sweat again

,and hardened hearts

S e e sometimes weep !In that loud bugle-note sounded ,From S tamford ! We al l rose, and hastened forth.

Then tramp was heard,i ntent our l i stful ears

,

From Wel land bridge,on towards our road ; (here l ike

A vi l lage street,) Of sold iers

’ marching ranks .They com e ! was shouted from before each house.Bright shines the moonl ight : hundred voices greet,From up and down the street

,them that approach !

Mothers press to ful l bosoms thei r young babes.Women

,the fountain of their tears , cannot

Refrain : nor maidens,casting sobs, repress

The passion of their breasts ; i n that those pass ;Tal l young men , that to battle march and towards

death !

THE CLOUDS

Brothers and fathers ; these that foot besideThe soldiers’ ranks, to bring them goodly forth ;Cannot al l curb the strivings of their hearts :But oft the Moon on that

,on manly cheeks

,

Shines ; men would proudly hide.

New shri l l of pipes !(Honour to him ,

who the hing s tunic wea r s

And breaks new rattl ing drum -beat l ively forth .

Mongst th ick farewel ls,and strain ing their bright arms ;

Erect,alert, the young men hard i ly pass.

WAYFAR ING,TO THE VALLEY OF

THE DOVE

We journeyed forth , at morrow ; from the DawnsFirst beckon ing

,from brow of ben ighted Earth ;

He r al l l ives creatures, unto dai ly feast,Of sweet S unl ight : wherein , revived , awakedFrom n ights dead -seeming

,doting

,dream of sleep ;

Men rise up,to renew their tangled tasks.

In the fi rst morn ing breath , w i th carefu l hearts,Our purpose, over moor and hi l l , to pass,By unfrequented paths ; we breasted forth .

Few passengers were, thus early , upon the roadTownsfolk

,fleeing towards the Country, out, fr ém their

streets ;(Not knowing where, g éne forth from their homes,

to turnThei r steps for safety ; or wherein to trust !)Fleeing Country- folk

,towards the town , for sustenance !

As diverse be the Counsels of mens hearts.Where man met man , one commonly hath stayed ; and

asksH is counterpart ; What war- t id ings, in your parts !Waygoe r s, some which we hasting overtook ;

(Fugitives the most, with burdens on thei r backs ;)S eemed l ike to men that dream . With sighs , communeWe heard one with himsel f : another l ifted ,Towards heaven

,his hands. We passing, with Good

m or r ow !

THE CLOUDS

Bleak , cast-down faces saw ; heard panting breaths.Come

,in our journey, to a rai lway bridge ;

We a train of trucks saw stand ing there beneath .

Permiss ion asked and given,in to the last

We cl imbed ; and conveyed thus , towards where wewould

Were saved a long foot-journey, o’er moorland roughAnd waste.At two hours’ end we stayed : was telegraphed

,

Had some mined bridges been blown up in front.Enemies last n ight d isbarked

,in Humber mouth ;

Were march ing towards the Shire Oaks, from theirships .

We al ighted,and pursued our way on foot ;

Hold ing the great North road , towards Vale of Trent.

S oon then we passed , before a manor house ;And tents saw pitched and cannon in the park .

Was there,we lean ing on a st i le to rest ;

As chanced , fel l with an officer, i n d iscourseHe hearing one of us recite a verse,Of Englands go lden Poet ; as b e i t m ightRemember suddenly, i n h is hearts unrest ;As thus : Dea r Country, 0 how doubly d ea r ,

Oug ht Thy r em em br a nce and pe rpetua l ba nd

B e,to thy foste r -chi ld which fr om thine hand ,

D id hind ly br ea th a nd nour r i tur e r ece ive .

How br utish is i t, not to unde r sta nd ;

How m uch to H e r we owe , tha t a l l us g a ve

Of me, he would of burned Easthampton hear.O f him we learned sure t id ings of the War.The I nvader, Thames hath now and Medway b lockt.Portsmouth those both from sea and Shore, i nvest ;And pulver i se her defences , from the weaklyFort ified Wight, they occupied few days past !The Admiralty and our War-office , main ly informed

THE CLOUDS

One lately found, i n the Un ited S tates ;So the air to charge, wi th wireless venim ous waves ;That m ight be a Country withered, in a moment ;And al l the breath Of Life therein destroyed .

Th is Officer now was look ing, to receiveH is marching orders. Of the S a cr ed B a nd ,We asked . Thei r Wedges dai ly are wont, he said ,To take on them the most arduous enterprises.I nvincible they themselves, as acute steel ,Cleave the Enemies battles and retard his march .

So many ar e fal len , that from the L eag ue of P a tr iots,

They supplement losses, in their gaping ranks.Were, as he spake, brought in to him despatches °

By his orderly ; which of pressing import seemedFor hasti ly risen

,kn it hands he went out from us.

But we, being wel l refreshed , departed thence ;Towards a great vi l lage, not now far in front ;Whereas we hoped to lodge. As we approached

,

We met more marching sold iers ; that, with throngs ,Came forth. Mothers and maids thei r tun ics k issed.

An hundred hands them proffered homely gifts ;Tobacco and fru its , to solace thei r n ights march.

After their ranks,came wains of the R ed Cross .

Then heavy transport rol led,i n cloud of dust.

Come morrows day,when my companion fared

Homeward another way, I parted forth .

My course lay thence towards Val ley Of the Dove.

The bl issfu l lark ascended o’er my path ;Pouring forth transports, as he upward went ;Carol ing in heavens sunbeams

,o’er Englands earth

Unwitting of the heaviness Of mens hearts .I three days journeyed on,

in wearinessThere sleeping, where the Sun upon me setThere eating, where it fortuned me to find bread .

Fainting, I spoke to no man , as I passed .

WAYFAR ING , TO THE VALLEY OF THE DOVE 5 3

Last, in an high and deso late coast, I was,Beyond al l d ri ft-ways ; where, i n leg-deep brakes ,Sweet whin , heath , broom and l ing, appeared no token ,

Of human trode ; nor po inted fing e r -posts.Were m y companions only whirring bi rds,And start ing b a r e s ; al l fearfu l of mans shape.

How pleasant is it, wandered from al l ways,And strength decaying ; at length,!

to look down,

On Doves fai r-stream ing Dale : to View from hence,

Beneath,l ie her green pleasant meadows ; where

These wayworn jo i nts , the long day forth, may rest ;And be refreshed from aching weariness !There may I drink my fi l l

,and l ie in the Sun ;

And l isten to Doves waters' trickl ing sound,Twixt his two banks

,mongst h is grey pebble- stones.

This brow i s steep, and the descend ing pathPainfu l and grievous

, to the sore of foot ;Ful l al l of rol l ing stones. Whilst I my breathWithhold

,and feel ing sense ; the worst is past

I a m come, from c l iffy brink , to tufted grass .S tands one a -fishing yonder, i n Doves stream ,

(That shines thus shire and trembles in the SunHe whips for trout

,else I am overseen .

Nigher to look on,worthy man this seems.

I’

ll ask my way of him : Goodm or r ow, S i r !

PI SCATOR . The l ike to you again . (Methinks i t isAn Engl ish vo ice : no counterfeit spy he is ;Who walks in garment of S la in Engl ishman !)I marvel

,how you reached hither, from yond hi l ls ;

Descending thus,by unfrequented paths !

CARP. I durst not always go in the highways.In these dark days

,were fo l ly to be found ,

Alone,i n some main roads of our own Land .

P ISC. True and the enemies have passed n igh these parts .We have seen their aeroplanes ; some have seen thei r horse.

54 THE CLOUDS

CARP . Bear with me a moment ; so am I athi rst,S ince yesterday ! (H e g oes down,

to d r ink

And your fishing take none hurt,

Thereof ; I wil l these wayb e a t fevered feet,Now cool too ; sitt ing on this banks green grass ;In Doves fresh, longed-for , b le sséd flowing R iver.

PISC. Much wayfaring is a fever ; and cold waterDoth ease ; but not too much , used suddenly,Outward or inwardly. I

’

ve known young men wither ;Old men imprudent, even to die, therefore !And, wil l you rest, under th is l ime-trees shade ;

(Here I wont s it out noontide of the SunWhose boughs , which hanging almost to the R iver ;Be ful l , th is S ummer day, of sweet murmuring bees ;You are welcome to an anglers company.

(I stand my rod and tackle up to this bough !)Done is my fishing

,for an hour or two.

And would you then continue anywhither ;I , having noti ce of al l Dove Dales pathsWil l bring you some way forward on your journey ;Who

,I perceive are

,i n these parts, a stranger.

CARR . I do S i r al l accept, with thankfu l m ind ;Glad here to dwel l an hour and find a friend.

And after that ; I would but enquire where,A man may, for his penny,

find to lodge.

I,a S ummers n ight, might on this sappy grass,

S leep out ; so have I many an one : i s oft,Days journey done

,my stead ing a green bush.

But there ’

5 no sustenance in the winds wi ld breath !PISC. You look l ike one hath need of food and rest

What news were in the parts,whence you arrive !

CARP. I am weary in body,and weary in spiri t most ;

Dreading shal l soon this Country of ours be lost !PISC. Possesseth my soul l ikewise that grievous thought.

S leeping and waking ; we l ive days of d read !Our eyes see darkness, Britains former S tate ;

WAYFARING,TO THE VALLEY OF THE DOVE 5 5

As S ummer Light, i s passed away from us !But and you l ist ; ton ight, I

’

ll bring you where,

You may partake of such things as we have ;(Who are, you are to know,

wa r - fugit ives.)That l ie encamped

,i n certain covert place.

For to be free, SO far as with a stranger,

Discretion wi l l al low ; I l ike your looksYour words have set me think ing

,whil st we Speak ;

Of my dear Maste r I z aak Waltons friends.S e e , his Complea t Ang le r ! bound in purple velvet ;

Lies, (so I esteem it precious,) on my C loak.

I’

d sooner lose some ruby,i f I had it,

Than this smal l vol ume,which I con by heart ;

And bear it a lways about with me. In i tParfume of heaven is

,and sou ls holy thought.

I j oy,whilst sometimes I , for Sun and weather,

Must si t and wait, therein to pore and look ;S t i l l studying to conform my spiri t to his ;Which was conformed to Christ and H is fi rst sa ints.With him

,I joy to hear chant of al l birds ;

And this smal l teem ing wavering infin ite hum,

In the sheen ai r, and thymy web of grass ;Of S i lver -winged fl ies

,and derne creeping things

A l l chi ldren of Lifes Breath, on my Doves brinks .And rustl ing gurgl ing never-ending song,

Of these sh ire sl id ing waters ; wherein, l ikeOur fleet ing l ives

,frai l bubbles dance along.

And one day hope : i f Heaven some ray Of l ightWil l stream into my barren breast, to set,To music. Oft methinks, i n these fai r meads ;My master Walton turned h is thoughts to verse.Now by this Sun ; which is m ine only C l ock,

When I go fish ing,and our shadows cast

Upon the path ; since Noonday, an hour is past.And with ‘good luck , I

’

ve fi l led my creel al ready,With trouts enough . I

’ll prove but one more cast

,

56 THE CLOUDS

Of fishe r m ans art : for know, that ’

t is an art ;(And meet for only very honest men ,As Father Walton With this gnat-fly,

You ’ve seen me make, the dubbing Of bears dun,The whiles we talked ; although it fi ts not boast :(A very k i l l ing fly

,as Cotton saith).

Under this root, good grayl ings use to l ieAnd shal l you see me

,I hope

,take presently

A brace or leash ; which you and I togetherWil l eat

,on th is fresh brink

,in fel lowship .

This, standing down the stream ,whilst I looked on ;

He,with few handsome casts

,achieved indeed.

P ISC. S e e you not their fine shapes, which Doves streambreeds !

For brightness as they l iving si lver were.Gather we some drift st icks, the freshet riverHath cast up ; and with stover l ight our fi re.We cal l this Hunte r s’- r oast : when those are done

,

You ’l l find them a good d ish for hungry men .

So turn ing twice or thrice his savoury fish ;He l i fted c leanly from the coals. Had each,For platter

,ready a broad sorrel leaf.

We ate this meat together,with some bread

He with him had : and wel l were we refreshed .

And sith he spake ; Christ risen and the TwelveWith H im (I l ove to th ink , that they were fishermen !)By the Tibe r iad Lake, ate thus thei r fish .

Though a piece us lacketh of an honey-comb ;There fa r e th, 10 ! many a golden bee here by us.

As we sate on,he said ; h is manner wa s ;

Ere the last days made England desolate ;With rod and angle and gentle I z aaks book ;Here happy hours to spend

,free from Worlds noise.

PISC. In these fresh meadows,yet his qu iet sp irit

Abides : where he,with Cotton

,used to fish .

WAYFAR ING ,TO THE VALLEY OF THE DOVE 57

Meseems,from yonder honey-suck le hedge

,

And from each primrose bank, I hear their voices

Yet cheerful ly sound . Methinks,with them communing

,

I s it,and see the throstle feed her young :

And mark,how al l things fitly be d isposed ,

And ordered , by the Giver of al l good .

I view the high procession Of the Months ;Beginn ing with sweet S pringtimes budded boughs ;When clothes the Earth Hersel f

,with tender green ;

And starring,in refreshed late Winter sod ;

Pied daisies and glad celandine be seen .

When hangs the white flower blowing then in thorn ;Leap glad -eyed chi ldren hither

,gathering pos ies ;

Sweet violet, C icely, dainty lad ies’-smocks ;

With jacinth,medleyed in the thicket grass.

Key-flowe r s, brave king-cups then , forget-me-notsWhose l iving j ewels

,meynt with golden flags

,

Loose- stri fe, trim meadow-sweet and water-mints ;Whilst season is

,deck my Doves river borders.

S i th S ummer pools, dight al l with water l i l ies ;Which twin ing woodbine

,eglantine a nd wild rose

O’

e r hang , with g ui r land s of sweet smel l ing flowers.I trooping flocks see go in yonder bent ;

And hear the swunke n plough-swain cheer h is team .

And so, without Offense, to God or man ;

I find the hol iday hours,to entertain

,

When I come hither fi shing,of the t ime

,

That l ies before me : (short now stair i t is ;Not many steps more,) to a welcome grave.

Somet imes a brother Of the angle, asI s twixt al l anglers trusty fel lowship ;Doth

,in these early waters

,

-with me fishOne pleasantly, Civi llv both and wisely merry.

And many ’

s the good dish of trouts we take ;Some for ourselves, nor fewer for poor fo lkSome too . for neighbour friends. Our fishing ended ;

5 8 THE CLOUDS

Last t ime th is way my brother Raymond came ;He trol led me out an old catch , as we turned home ;Which comes now to my mind . Was that a verse,He said , which lOng ago had K i t Marlowe made.

And l ikely our father Walton had forgot,

To put it into pretty Maud l ins mouth.

And to the changefu l yodel ing of his voice ;To sound

,Doves val ley-borders seemed again . (S ong

HERDGROOM . Thine eyes ben two cor nflowe r s,they ben so

blue ;Thy teeth d ipped in milk , thy weed of the g rey :

Thy k irtle is shortM ILKMAID. For l ight is my shoe.

Follow me,leaping over the lea .

Fol low me over the h il ls so green.

Howt ! l i ttle herdboy, that leads in the hol low.

Rud is my cheek and brown i s my chin ;For Phoebus hath kissed me

,both even and morrow.

Fol low,fol low , fol low !

Then he sungAnother roundel l ight

,in the l ike vein ;

S i r Walter R aleigh , Donne or Wotton made.SHE. My Love, my Love, my Love, he wil l come,

With his basket of sales.On al l the wide hi l l s, l ike to Cuddy is not one ;By four coasts

, d r awend e down to the dales.My Love, my Love, my Love ; he is come,

With his hackney from Ware.S pring Mother, and see our tal l Cuddy ride homeCud , what hast thou gotten , my dear !

HE . I ke ha’ got a scrip of pennies, for my cheese andmy kine ;

Fairings for mother and sister, amongBut

,my dear heart, 10, yourn , al l the new and the fine.

60 THE CLOUDS

Whither repaired men from their enemies .There thrice withdrew Caratacus his ca te r fs.

There Roman Britons, from the S axon sword ;S axons from Danes

,l urked ; Angles from proud

Normans.

But yet I lack your t id ings ; which, s ince whenWe have been friends, I impat iently wait to hear.

CARP. We have eaten bread together,which makes friends.

Weary, from burned Easthampton , I arrive.P ISC. You look right sorrowful , for so young a man !CARP. And so I am . I lost there friends

,and saw

Enough to make a young man old,and old

Man groan, i n the remembrance, in his dreams,And both dream wak ing.

P I SC. Homely your speech sounds .CARP. I am Derbyshire born : i n Essex have I learned

(Is that wide plain - land , clay-fie lds, without rocks !)East Angl ian t i l lage and land stewardship.

Was bitter smel l of fi re yet in the fields ;When having but this rent coat on my back

,

And l ittle spend ing-s i lver in my purse :I took my homeward journey in haste ; which was,To see m y

°

la te ly widowed mother safeAnd al l the way have measured on my feet.

P ISC. Heard you late government Order ! To r epor t them

B e a ll young m en, fi r r m i l i ta ry se r v ice.

CAR P. I heard i t not : i n me shal l be no lack .

P I SC. Had d iscipl ined been , our young men that we have ;Should an invinc ible army have been made.Men are downhearted

,that begin too late ;

When enemies hem us in , on every part.CARP. What London news !P I SC. NO certain tid ings reach us .

We are longt ime without posts, and without telegraphs

WAYFAR ING,TO THE VALLEY OF THE DOVE 6 1

The rai lway is broken up, the wi res are cut

In many parts, the roads be held aga i nst us .Is everywhere scarcity, ru in , penury, want.As for the M id lands ; in the Industrial towns,

Closed the great Banking-houses have their doors .So i t m t

’

i st be, when al l draw out go ld at onceBeing bu i l t on intricate cred it, the affairsOf trade, and intercourse of merchandise.Each day there ’

s rumour of new battle lost ;Discom fitur e , overthrow : some new advance

,

In Brita ins soi l , of the I nvaders foot :Another ci ty i s ransomed

,burned or sackt !

First cause were the mal ignant po l i t i cians ;(Cal led , i n derision , S tatesmen, are such blanksWhom England

,i n He r dotage, hath brought forth.

Ha d they foreseen the morrow of t ime unborn ;(But that was far beyond thei r purbl ind ken !)Th is last extremity of Britain had not been .

Each Party outb idd e th other in the STATE ;That s inks o r swims

,but through the greedy vote

,

Of bl ind , vind ict ive, Mafek ing popu lace.

Is not the manhood of th is I sles grown sons,

Four mil l ions ; able to bear patriot a rms !An hundred plus an hundred , plus an hundred ,P lus hundred , p lus an hundred , Briti sh LegionsS ay an hundred army infin ite woodWhich we

,with l i tt le sacrifice

,might have had

,

Of bayonets, i n young val iant mens right handsA sure defense gainst Britains foreign enemies.But see ; whiles we s i t long, the Sun forsakes us .

The chi l l i s come : t ime is we take our way .

S ISTER GERTRUDE

THE FUGITIVES CAMP. And is tha t, now in evening g loom ,

a fl am e -l i t bay ; full , a m idst m ounta in r ocks, of fl icke r ingsha dows a s whe r e in m a ny suppe r -fi r es, of hom e less v i llag e

folk,a r e bur n ing upon the wi ld g r ound .

The desti tute people , or de r ed , in v i llag e com m unities ; a r e lodg ing

in ca bins, booths a nd bowe r s, she lte r s of tha tched hur d les

a nd ti lted wa ins. B a ckwa r d,the m outh of a va st cave r n

m ay be d im ly d isce r ned .

Shr i ll voices of chi ld r en r esound : tha t l inked w ith da isy cha ins ,

a r e playing som e a t hor ses,leap ing fr om fi r e tofi r e and

othe r g o da ncing heydeg uyes, r ound a r ound the i r Da isy

! ueen.

CARP . That joy was in the World ! I had forgot .P I SC. Yet the Earth brings forth He r flowers ; the sweet

herb springsUnwitt ing of our i l ls ; and cheerfu l songsBe heard , of birds : (Ware here, these stepping-stones !We pass a brook .) Before you l ies our Camp.

WATCHMAN . Who goes there !P I SC. Friend .

WATCHMAN . Thy nam e, friend !P I SC. Counci l lor Truman .

WATCHMAN . Pass Counci l lor Truman.

TRUMAN . With me is a friend.

A Passenger.WATCHMAN . He must to the Registrar.

(B efor e the R eg istr a r s Ca bin

S ISTER GERTRUDE 63

REG I STRAR . Name !CARP. Carpenter.R EG ISTRAR . Son

CAR P. Edward Carpenter,

Late vicar of Great Farley .

REG ISTRAR. Occupat ion !CARP. Land Agent .REG ISTRAR. Destination !CARP. That ’s my Regiment.R EG ISTRAR . The reason why

,young man

, I ask al l th is ;Is an Order come down from our County Counci l ;Made for arrest of spies : for some of them

,

Disguised , speak Engl ish perfect ly. You may pass,

With Counci l lor Truman .

TRUMAN . I wil l bring him on,

TO our Counci l there ! they a -warming S it !

Vi llag e Counci llor s, s itting som e on sa cks, som e on

bund les of hea th, a bout a camp fi r e .

TRUMAN , (w ith Ca rpente r .) We wish you a good even,

gentlemen !A COUNCILLOR . Whence come you

,neighbour Truman !

TRUM . From the R iver.And found th is friend there wayfaring

,come from far :

Faint, and footsore, forwandered on the moor ;Repairing to his home in Derbyshire.A brother of the angle I would he were.

A COUNCILLOR . From whence !TRUM . From burned Easthampton .

COUNCILLORS . He is welcome here.A COUNCILLOR. I

’

ll cast more furz e on,and this bough of

j uniper,

For a sweet smel l : At least enough of such,Poor comfort, have we, for a new-come guest.

CARP. (si tting down.) A pleasant blaz e !TRUM . I

,by your leaves, a moment,

64 THE CLOUDS

Wi l l to our cave- larder,with these speckled tr oir ts.

A COUNG. Last n ight I dreamed, of famine ; and heard saidThere soon should not be in al l England !A strike of corn

,that love might buy or gold

But men , l ike forest beasts Should fight,for bread ;

And desperately trample under foot heavens laws.ANOTHER C. Were that indeed to d ie before our deaths.

(A d ish is br oug ht

BEARER,of the d ish. Ton ight ’t i s bru ised wheat pottage

,

sod in brothTomorrow, S unday, better shal l we have.

’

T i s no more sport we use,but poachers art !

And dai ly are we learn ing gypsy-craft ;To make our S lender victual seem enough .

What may in m ine, or other gentlemens fields,

S nares, springes , dragnets take, i s for the pot.We ’ve many mouths to feed . Besides this n ight

,

I heard say, i s fetched the quarter of an Ox. (Depa r ts

A COUNC. That ’s for our young men sold iers,we expect.

TRUMAN , r etur ned . (to Ca rp . ) Al l at our cooking ranges,serve by course

We fare here al l al ike in our repast .CAR P. Who was he lately here !TRUM . That ’s our good squire !

Chairman of sessions, County magistrate.And every day save this

, (when his turn is,To serve our Counci l mess,) he sits down with us.Tonight amongst the cooks his daughters are.H is hal l

,h is woods ; (would were to say no more

The E a stland e r s burned ; and they, as we, be poor.A COUNC.

’

T i s neighbour Trumans turn to bless the d ishTRUM . In the Name of H im Who made us, Lord of Life

And Death ; and dear remembrance of H is Christ !(They sup

CARP . Where be your beasts !

S ISTER GERTRUDE 65

TRUM . Driven to the forest s ideBut pasture i s there l ittle more than moss.

CARP. Your sheep !A COUNC. H id too : the sheep have been reserved

And most horned beasts, for them that fight for us .

[The S qui r e r etur ns, w ith a ca n of hot tea

a nd a nest of cups. They d r ink r ound ]

SQU IRE, (to Tr um a n .) I bid your friend,the S tranger, to my

fi re ;Where sit with me the other guests ton ight.

TRUMAN . I’

l l cal l then for him ; when is hour to rest .

(The S qui r es hea r th

SQU I RE. I bring a new-come guest . You su rely have heard ,Of burned Easthampton . He is j ourneying homeThence on his feet ; and only this n ight reached us .

A GENTLEMAN . He i s welcome.A MERCHANT. So say I .

SQU IRE . Please to cont inue.

You were in some d iscourse.

MERCHANT. To end my tale :Buying and sel l ing and the interchangeOf wares and every kind Of m erchandise ;And beasts, both sheep and neat, hath wel l n igh ceased .

What yeoman jogs to market,i n these days !

Few can pay thei r Old debts. The fu l l -fed enemies,All corn sequester

,both in barn and stack

And meal they find,in Chandlers’ Shops laid up ;

They seiz e to use of their invading armies.SQU I RE . The effect of such inhuman pol icy is

Naught left i s to the people of the Land ;Of al l that was their own

,that they might eat !

GENTLEMAN . The scarcity is such,that where I lately

passedI hunger- starved famil ies

,scattered to sal t- shore

,

D. C .

66 THE CLOUDS

S aw feed on cockle-shel l s,wentle-traps

,cast-up wrack ;

Whereof they a jel ly cooked : but hardly mightThat keep l ife in their bodies, as they said :And even of such , they found not hal f enough.

MERCHANT. We soon shal l be a famished multitude.

GENTLEMAN . But harken ; how d éth there from another fire,Soul- ravishing arise

,shri l l

,round and C lear

,

A S throstles throat,empassioned womans vo ice !

VO ICE . Love, hea venly

-bor n, is br ea the’

d in our br ea sts ;

B r ea th of a D iv ine Sp i r it, which a l l pe r vad es

Tha t soul is of the Wor ld ; a nd bur ns in us,

L ike to a sa cr ed fl am e,with incense fed .

GENTLEMAN . Who sings these heaven ly notes,with human

throat !SQU IRE . One of our women riders in the war

,

R enowned for prowess and her lofty verse ;Which echoing through the ages

,st i l l shal l sound ;

And as she s ings,a trance fal ls on mens hearts !

She is crime in, with her ambulance, to passHe r S unday in the fugit ives’ cave-camp.

But i t a season of mourning is with her.For her betrothed loved youth , these days she weeps ;Who first to fal l fo r England in the warWhence sound the raptures now of her free spirit

,

That utter from her l ips, as wai l ful lays .S uch dai ly outpourings, S ibyl - l i ke , she hath ;Wa r b e ling on height, l ike as can other none ;S ave only the love- longing, love- lorn n ight ingale ;That thri l ls the empty air, with l iving song.

’

T is but meseems her prelude : suddenly ceasedShe hath : yet we may presently hear the rest .When S ister Gertrude s ings , the camp l ies hushedThen al l take up the burden of her verse.

Now i s i t for the fal len,a shri l l lament ;

Now a patriot pla int,foreshowing her Nations death .

THE CLOUDS

He , at his Wedge-head ;Mongst vowed men

,brothers al l ; that elect manhood

Of Britains sons, each one most valorous ;Fighting for England

,on the Foster S trand ;

Pierced , by bl ind whirl ing shot, was fi rst to fal l !Each had , unknown to other, in what hour

Waked drowsing England,dread alarm of war ;

I ssued from ancient houses,to partake

With the for efighte r s. He marched ; in whom mindWas to great enterprises

,with his Wedge ;

And fel l at the Eastland e r s land ing in the Wash .

She deems , now i n fused his forepassed sa cred spirit ,In her ! When burden of her soul

, She chantsSo her néte s ben sad attuned , that quake the Chords,With bitter-sweet pang that hear, of human hearts ;And tremb le on eyel ids secret burn ing drops ;As pearl ing dew

,upon al l spires of grass ;

And wither young mens brows to Winter looks.

S I STER GERTRUDE , (s ing ing ) Guests of a day,upon

this long-aged Earth,

Gropers in forest darkness, are we here,Mongst formless shadows. Like to fl i tt ing spark

,

Of heavens°

swift Light and everlast ing Force ;Our l i fe throbs in a World , which itsel f d ieth.

A God -breathed l i fe ; but that is l ike to vo ice ;Which though it l inger

,fadeth soon to naught.

How dost Thou O Heaven,that waked us unto Life

Deny thine offspring guidance in Lifes paths :

(As this derne World were widowed of Thy love !)Yet once ; Speak ! for Thine hol iness, from on heightWhat is the destiny of our orphan being !Why sufferest THOU Earths dust, ou r Dwel l ing-place,

To be a World of pain ! What have we wrought,What have our fathers wrought ! that come is on us

,

Destroying calamitous war ; our Nations Death !

S ISTER GERTRUDE 69

I f art THOU , O I NF IN ITE , stars’ cold soundles s S tee p ;

That elemental Wrath ,which knoweth no Ruth

\Vha t hope remaineth ! whereon to stay our hearts .

Mens generations travai l,sigh and pass :

And gives t THOU no more S ign, to them that l i ftTo THEE

,their prayer-wo r n hands

,from al l the Earth !

Where is the S hadow of H is Wings , for themThat fear H im ; the Prese rver, Lord of men !And thou

,one of ten thousand , wast , young man ;

(That seemed a banner Of th e S acred BandThe fi rst upon thy Foster-S trand , to fal l :And ove rflowe d sal t b i l lows , on that sand ,Purple with thy l ifes blood , thy godl ike looks ;Which seemed , say they which saw,

to smile i n death :

(For Love of Count ry stronger is than death !)Those godl ike looks, which I shal l see no more.

I may not mourn , though be thy death my death ;(For Britain , was thy dea th !) thy l i fe so

[M ong st hubbub cr ies of welcom e , is he a r d a tr amp of m a ny

m a r ching feet. The Ca mps fir es,on tha t pa r t, bla z e up .]

SQU IRE . That is our new raised company, of armed young

men ;Come in

, to pass here S unday ; and bid farewel l .But hark ! I t is her vo i ce outrings again .

S ISTER GERTRUDE . Swel l ing with indignation every heart ;Gainst the insolent Enemys strong invad ing force !Each one

,as Britains Champion

,he a r his part.

MANY VOICES . E ach one,as B r i ta ins cha mp ion ,

bea r his pa r t

S ISTER GERTRUDE . Albe those in our midst, faint not yourhearts .

MANY VOICES . A lbe those in our m idst,fa int not our he a r ts .

S ISTER GERTRUDE . For those shut- in, i f we retrieve againThe S overeignty Of S eas , i n I s land Bri tain ;Where every mans hand armed against them is ;S hould

,l i ttle and l itt le

,waste away among us .

70 THE CLOUDS

MANY VOICES. S ha ll , l i ttle a nd l ittle , waste away am ong us.

S ISTER GERTRUDE. Fight for al l that is worth ; dread not,

young hearts,

The haz ard of your youth, to be cut Off.

Doubt not to d ie the death of Patriots !MANY VOICES . F ight for a ll tha t is dea r ! D r ea d not our

hea r ts

Tha t ha z a r d of our youth, to be cut ofNor doubt to d ie the d ea th of pa tr iots .

S ISTER GERTRUDE. Shal l your lost youth,l iving in al l our

heartsBe counted

, to the Fatherhood of this Nation .

WOMEN,unto whom

,at Other t imes

,becometh

A comely reticence most. Britain expectsMuch of you now. Armed women , wil l we fol lowOur brothers in the van ; to succour them ; andAffront

,with them

,one glorious battle-death .

How else should we that Gift of Life repay ;Which to our Mother Country we al l owe !

S udden , she cried, with loud resound ing vo ice ;That flute- l ike, fateful , echoed round from Cl i ff,On al l the fugit ives’ camp : What ai l s Thee, Britain !

M INGLED VOICES. Wha t a ils Thee, B r ita in ! Unp r epa r edness !

S I STER GERTRUDE. England , what a i ls thee !VO ICES . D iscor d

, Civi l S tr if e !

OTHER VO ICES . Decay of N a tiona l Spi r i t

S I STER GERTRUDE . The Spirit i s Life,Of every Nation ; whereby a People aloneMay

,am Ong st Worlds emu lous Nations, be preserved .

What Country i t lacketh,sick is unto death.

By on ly virtue can be saved a Nation .

MANY VOICES. By v i r tue only,ca n be saved a N a tion

S I STER GERTRUDE. Mongst Nations,only a People may

endure,

That,i n both arts exce lls, of Peace and War.

S I STER GERTRUDE 7 1

MANY VOICES . M ong st N a tions, only a P eople can endur e ;

Tha t,in both a r ts exce lls

,of P ea ce a nd Wa r

(She ceased , midst hum of voices,from al l hearths.)

S i th Counci l lor Truman,friend ly came again

,

To Show me the appointed S leeping place ;Past poor C lay ranges of their cooking hearths .He showed me

,i n the crags eaves

,their larder shel f ;

Where victual was laid up , near the caves mouth .

Under the stony roof beyond,he said

,

Which shimmering wa tchlig hts showed , the Infi rmarywas ;

Where the sick lodged,safe from night dews and tempest .

There next,the shelter-place was of dai ly guests ,

S trewed down with heath . H e left me there to rest .

R isen from my bed-straw,when fi rst S ummer Sun

Gilded,with his broad streams

,the winding cl i ff ;

I found,where flowed a wa te r b r ook from beneath.

Soon busy murmur rose, midst the cave- camp,Of many stirring to thei r early tasks ;And breakfast i n the ranges was prepared .

And whilst yet early Sunday morrow was ;Trooped chi ldren by to school ; (a sheltered place,Mongst crooked crags .) When , after that, had passedAn hour ; I saw the fugit ive vi l lage-fol kWend forth

,assembl ing

,towards their Pulpit-rock ;

To d ivine S ervice, with uncovered heads ;Where they should hear their Preachers fructuous vo i ce.

There came a Company with them , khak i-C lad ;Young sold ier-sons Of the Camps fugit ive famil ies .

V i car of one of their burned vi l lages wasThat venerable parson , with white locks ;Of ruddy, cheerful pious countenance ;Pleasant to weary and heavy- laden heartsChrists under-shepherd

,father of his flock .

7 2 THE CLOUDS

On h im was his Lords S pirit ; each head of sheepCal l ing, by name.Unto him might al l resort

,

Both young and Old : and comfort each one find,

And godly counsel, i n his several case.

And in the hour of death,his faithful voice,

They heard,commending them unto God

,i n Christ .

And were it s in-s ick soul,hel l-footed

,stained

With fervent tears ; beseeching, that might notThis one sheep perish ; sheep, for whom Jésus d ied !Al l were he strayed . Nay, in any wise, that m ight not ;For H is abound ing infinite Mercys sake

,i t be lost !

S t i l l fast ing on h is knees ; and having power,Through faith ; he strove, with God , t i l l the last breath .

After prayers read ; stood , with the BOOK of LI FE,Open in his right hand , that man of God ,Upon the pulpit-stone. And al l, devoutDid look ; that he the purposes shou ld of God,Reveal, (which , from foundation of the World ,)To us-ward and make known the mind of Christ.When then

,with reverent voice

,wherein seemed

breatheAn holy music

,he had humbly prayed

He spake the text,which in his aged l ips

Sounded, as he, in God ,our father was

B e k ind ly afi ectioned ,one unto a nothe r .

WE WH ICH TODAY lodge homeless,and withdrawn

To this great Hold and Cave of stony rocks,

Our temporal Refuge ; l ive, Beloved in Christ,To Godward and our Home in heaven

,more near ;

Than when , there many things, hOuse s, worldly goods,(Which now we lack

,) were added unto us .Herein , we better know our nothingness ;

That n ightlong look,having none other roof

,

On the infin ite starry MAJESTY of GODS HOUSE .

S ISTER GERTRUDE 7 3

Beloved in Christ,what think ye ! In these last days ,

When God hath humbled us , casting to the groundThis Nat ions glory

,hath He forsaken us !

My brothers, ah ! thén indeed our heavy hearts ;(But that be far from H im !) Should die within us .Or who wi l l say

, The Lor d is wea ry of us !

The Angel of Peace is gone up from the Earth !

Fear not : A spa r r ow f a lleth not to the g r ound ,

Wi thout your Fa the r ! Though the Lord cast down :

He also can restore a Nations S tate.

And ye, beloved young men , sons Of my brethren ;Children , whom God hath given me, in the S piritYe which have taken up arms

,for Countrys sake !

Purge ye your hearts,and cleave to l iving Christ !

In WHOM Shal l ye not fear the bodys death ;I f so

'

be ye were cal led, (when ye shal l look ,

Upon Deaths face,and through the fi re must pass

,

That purifies to give up your young breaths .For Countrys cause this is ; labour therein ;As ye would serve on Earth, your heaven ly K ing .

In H is Almighty Hand , which formed you, isBoth l i fe and death . Now to H IM which sleepeth not ;Whose ears be open to our suppl icat ions ;WHO careth for us : this Congregat ion here,Your parents ; and al l faithful people with us,Of Christ ; commit you , on whOm was named the

ChristLift ing up hands to heaven

,without cease.

We, which shal l be left deso late, in this place ;We pray

,that the arrows of H IS Wrath might cease

Soon to affl ict us : that would HE acceptA Nations Prayer ; and that HE would vouchsafe us ;Giving our dai ly sustenance unto us ;An happy I ssue out of al l our griefsBeside which brethren

,al l the former weight

THE CLOUDS

Of sorrows, shou ld seem l ight.S eeing then beloved

That ve be One in Christ, our R ighteousness ;Bear ye each others’ burdens ; and partakeWith others’ needs

,i n patience of the saints .

So may the Peace of God upon you rest.

THE CLOUDS

A friends cold dying hand , now under clod ;Mongst his last words , as I him knelt beside ;(Borne was he in , dying, from battle ) upon the grass .He l ived not fu l ly an hour, after his wound ;

But hearts content had he,to d ie for England .

Were spots,he wiped away himsel f

,of his

Life’s blood,he for He r gave, those sacred stains !

TRUM . Was that a brother of the S acred Band !(Al l owe them homage !)

CARP. (Love, undying honour !)CAPTA IN WORTH . Such was he. I saw them

,youth and

age together,

(H is Wedge Of steel,) come on, with hymn of war ;

And strong, ingenuous , enter into fight ;To accompl ish that they purposed , to the death .

When , with the impulse of one man , they rushed,(A d iscipl ined e fi

'

or t,not tumultuous

No vi le desi re encumbered thei r true breasts ,Of their vowed l ife ; that fought for Britain

’s l ife,

With thei r own deaths : they exu lt in thei r own deaths ;FOR BRITAI N !

And being n igh them,with my Regiment,

(Then entering into battle,) I saw their onsetVanguard of brothers ; how the Enemys ranks ,They, i rruption made, with shout magnan imous ,Pierced . I confound saw, hurl back, foreign swarms !Where they plant foot

,there they abide ti l l death .

They slay,t i l l they are slain

,to the last man ;

And yield no foot of land,defend ing Britain .

Cou ld the Ea stland e r s thei r resistance not bear down ;Which many of their best captains have lost thus.I saw

,s ith ; where those ere defending stood ;

And whence had they advanced . The Wedge of steel ,Brother by brother, lay there thick together ;As fingers of your hand

,empty of breath ;

In H I S s ight Who made them Purple was,as an heath

,

A BOOK OF THE SACRED BAND 7 7

The Foster Shore ; blotted , where those contended ;Deformed

,t rode down

,with rusty patriot gore

But not deformed thei r looks, that smiled in death .

Few,are those many worth : they execute al l

,

That virtue can , and arms Of l iving men .

I s th is one of thei r books.TRUM . Might we but hear i t !

CAPT. WORTH (r ea ds). MEN SLEEP WITH SORROW,AND

WAKEN WITH HEARTS GR I EF ;BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE IR COUNTRY I S NOT SAFE .

They ask of HEAVEN ,with l ean upl ifted hearts ;

Might not those last calam ities come to pass !Which they foresee ; ENGLAND TROD DOWN BY ALIENS .

The noblest End a man can level at,

I S his dear Countrys S ervice. H e who hath not

The patriot sense is naught. ’Tis a sons part ;To manful ly maintain his Fathers House.Children of dead men, we which orphans stand ,

As at a sea-brim , upon sl id ing sand ;The dark Decrees of Destiny

,cannot sound .

Unknown to us,the H igh Purposes be of God .

New graves be opened dai ly ; and who go downIn them

,as leaves cast of a former year ;

Be shortly unremembered . The last hourI S written , i n Heavens Great Book of Destiny

,

Of sou ls not yet engendered . Measured areThe graves of generations for to come.Shut up , in thick soul -darkness of this flesh ;

With us Rel igion is , to offer upOur souls and bod ies, i n our Countrys S ervice.For this

,we l ive ; we endeavour every hou r.

The stars of heaven portend , that fatal hourI S nigh, nay even at our very door ;When sudden storm must whelm on THEE of War

THE CLOUDS

On Thee, amidst the seas, cl iff-wal led I sle Bri tain .

Vast shadow d ims Thee, I sle Albion, of dread C loud ;Wherein dark wrath of long-forbearing Heaven

,

Against Thee, i ncreased to blackness, l ies enrol ledThat ru in must in d i re tempest, and rain blood .

And they , which England might have saved : be laid(Ah , sorrow and heaviness !) long time under clod .

And WAR : When kindled Wars destroying breath ;Shal l War not pause, t i l l fal len be the Lands youth .

Al iens from overseas,i n the fi rst days ;

Five t imes ten thousand men,the flower of Britain

,

Shal l slay. For such, wise foreheads clouded are,With balefu l care, and straitened be mens breasts ;That commune, i n each market-place, with bowed heads .Ceaseth al l j oy and gladness from our hearths .How bitter be the thoughts of patriot breasts !

Enemies without forth ; enemies within our midst !Which last bewray the Rock of our defense.A valorous People stand confused , d istraught ;Brought to this pass of dread unread iness.When given to Thee was , Three-square I s le of Britain ,

A time to set in order al l Thine House ;Thou wouldst not be d isqu ieted , in Thy sloth .

Wherefore,unless the Fates be found en l iars ;

S hal l this Land be in servitude, to a Nation ,Which better is than Thou ; O oft-conquered Britain !And is there

,ere those sorrows come to pass

,

A pause,Alcyon days ! Sons of good men ,

S tand forth, for Love of Count ry, i n you r fresh youth :And order you this day, i n stedfast ranks.Enure yourselves

,through martial exercises ;

To bear the weight of arms, to i ncrease ofYour strength and fortitude, in Bri tains serviceBy vi rtue and your high purpose, to procureTh is Nations safeguard , wel fare and He r honour ;And emulate the p r owd deeds of heroes past.

A BOOK OF THE SACRED BAND 79

S hould your help-brethren , of the Further Brita ins,

(Mother and Daughters, glorious Fel lowship ;A FIVEFOLD EM PI RE now, of S i ster S tatesWell -seen in al l the d isc ipl ine of sold iers ;Find you unready, i n what days they arrive,From overseas, with corn in aid and armsAnd of their fathers’ nephew be ashamed !A deaf man must be shouted to : a Nation

S lumbering ; must be roused—Op , by tr umpet-note !

Wake virtue,manhood

,forti tude of I s le Britain !

S o heavy be Thine eyes,with strong I l lusion !

Murmur, l ike to vast angry swarm of bees,

On al l thei r sea-strands, over against ours ;New Nation , that hath longtime hated us ;Without a cause, what though of k indred bloodNow ready, in much war-Shipping, to embark :

Britain,they, and He r Chi ldren

,would supplant ;

And those confide, to pierce our battle-fle e t ;And invade the White I sle

,with immane armies .

Opening our eyes,out of that formless void ;

Womb of eternal darkness ! whence we spring,

And whither we return . That which we erstDiscern , our mother is

, our parentage,

Our brethren ; then the People of our Land ;This Foster S oi l ! which is a Common Bond

,

Wh i l st l ife endures, to al l men born therein .

That Love of Country, which constraineth us,Doth every virtue comprehend . Teach usThe very fowls

,which under heaven fl i t

,

And field and forest beasts,after their k inds .

Those tender each,that l i ttle round of Earth

,

Where were they fostered . And should Engl ishmen notTheir I sland Britain love

,above the World !

GOD AND MY COUNTRY,uprising from night sleep

,

Be our fi rst waking thought : our hourly thought ;Labouring al l day

,with glad intent of heart

THE CLOUDS

Our last , at n ight , after days hours wel l spent .(Count every day that l ightens, as the last.)How l ittle, of Eé r ths round- rol l ing infin ite years ;

(Hersel f to die, mongst the eternal stars !)The portion is of our transitory being .

So Should we order and endeavour us ;That memory of good desert might fol low us ;And

,for a patrimony, be unto our sons.

Founded and stab l ished,by the Wil l Of heaven

,

I s Britains Empire seated , on five seas ;Of that great Ocean S tream ,

which girds the World ;And the FIVE BRITA I NS , Homelands of He r sons

,

Enfolds ; One Offspring of He r I sland blood .

Like to fai r waterl i lys leaves,that rise

,

Large-spreading on some waters crystal face ;Where they

,in flowering beauty, proudly ride ;

All nourished of one sap, from one stalked root ;SO,on the Main -S e a -deep, seem those to fleet

And flowe th in al l , One Mothers vital blood .

Nor those are, though departed on the Flood ,Divided ; but, l ike fingers Of one hand

,

Be al l of strong right arm , which Heaven hath made .

Keep wel l those H ighways of the Deep, 0 I sles

,

Which join your l iving members ; wa te r pa thsOf the Community of al l Engl ish kin ;One freeborn Commonwealth , Of the I sland tongue.

All that which is your own,maintain ; and hand

Down und imin ished their I nheritance,

To you r late Chi ldren t il l nefarious war,

Twixt wrangl ing Nations, ranged, with ensigns spread ;That ant ique homicide battai lous rage ; with oneAccord

,last being of al l men, disal lowed :

New Amphictyonic League, shal l overal l !Proclaim : PEACE, FROM HENCEFORTH ,

OF THE WHOLEWORLD !


What brother,under his own roof-tree slumbers ;

Be he aye ready ; as he who n ightlong wakesIn field

,to keep his flock ; or who

,to ward

An house,t i l l day, stands under heavens stars .

Contend each brother, to be of those i ronS trong pi l lars, which this mighty Empire- frameS ustain ; that is h is Mother Britains House.

Each brother,in his chamber corner

,ha th

H is fie ld -equ ipment ready to his hand ;With furbished arms. Prepared is he for shout ;He daily attends

,and n ightlong he awaits

,

When he l ies down to rest ; TO ARMS ! o r S ign,

By fi re,in heavens high wide watch-hi l l

,Shot forth .

[Rockets be seen,m ounting up in the d ista nt nig ht skies ]

Mine heart leaps ! Rockets see m ine eyes upmount ;And blood-red droop ! Heavens holy stars ! I dream notThis S igna l to the dance of warfare cal l s us.UP SOUL AND BEING ! NO backwardness be in us .

DO on khak i ; haste thee , Shou lder Englands arms !’T i s hour we looked for . Wife and l itt le ones

,

Now swiftly embrace ; and o’er thy thresho ld

,pass .

Mother,wife

,ch i ldren , s isters, in your grief ;

Lifting your eyes,to these high ho ly stars ;

Weep for your Country ! shed not tears for us.FAM ILY VOICES . Husband

,where goest thou ! O father

,

where ! son,whither !

HE . Our signal , to the night-stars, was Shot forth !All we

,my dear ones

, to our Rendez vous,haste

To join Wedge of our brothers. Know whi lst warEndures

,those are our Fami ly in Englands field.

FATHER . Go thou with God !ALL. God be with thee !W IFE . Return ,

With honour ; and that soon !D. C .

8 2 THE CLOUDS

HE (depa r ting ). To al l, Farewel l !

NOW each brother, in N ights s i lent shrouded field,

The next way holds, to h is appointed place.

[The Wedg es R endez vous ; a nd tha t is a ce r ta in ba r n,

on a n hi ll -side M oonl ight ]VO ICES . Whereunto Captain-brother, hast thou cal led us !CAPTAIN . Lighted air-riders

,brothers

,which by l ight

Of stars , th is n ight o’

e r flew from the Main land :Bringing to England word ; the Easterl ingsGreat h igh-sea fleet

,from al l their havens loosed .

Conveying armies : they steer Westward forth !Our Metropol itan Counc il of seven , have to us ;(With the elder brethren, which being now unapt

,

Through tardy age, to warfare in the field ;Yet w ith thei r saving counsel gu ide ou r stepsTelegraphed , A ll E ssex wedg es to the Coa st.

Form wedge my brothers !

(A sound of shufil ing feet a nd g r ounded a r m s

ALL VO ICES . Ready !CAPTA IN . Carry ; pass forth !

To bui ld the l iving breastwork of our l ives.ALL VO ICES . To bui ld the l iv ing br ea stwor k of our l ives.

LIEUTENANT. S ound your pipes, i n the vanward , as wemarch !

Make mus ic , to the l i fting of our feet. (P ipes sound

ALL S I NG ING. Lea d on wi th m us ic in our hea r ts, we m a r ch,

R eady to ba ttle . Ce r ta in only is ;

Tha t eve ry m an m ust d ie , in ag e or youth .

For the l ife of this N a tion be our dea ths !

CAPTAI N . No sacrifice can for England be too much !Val ian t young men

,whose C i t iz en virtue ere

,

Was had in honour ; win , through new endeavour,Fresh glory to your Nation

,by p r owd deeds ;

In the forefront,gainst Britains enemies.

ALL. For the L ifiz of this Na tion, be our dea ths.

84 THE CLOUDS

A BROTHER . What companies yonder, clad and armed l ikeus !

CAPTAIN . We looked for other Wedges to arrive.LI EUT. (using a telescope .) S outh S eas’ and West S eas’

Britons’ Lodges,read

I on thei r ensigns,broidered round our Badge ;

The Wedg e of stee l.

CAPTAI N . By l ikel ihood those be come,

By special t rain down from London . Hearken ! theyChang

SONS OF THE I SLE l

(Cha nt hea r d of Compa nies appr oa ching

B R I TANN IA ,Thy d ea r I m ag e g r a ven is

,

On a l l our hea r ts whether our l ives we lead,

I n the I sle or S iste r B r i ta ins over sea s

N ew Na tions of Thy blood a nd Emp i r e wide .

Bone of Thy bone , fl esh of Thy fl esh ; and br ea th,

O our M othe r B r i ta in,of Thy v i ta l Sp i r i t ;

One speech sounds in our m onths,in a ll the E a r th.

B ehold us, one g r ea t P a r entag e of Thy sons

Which sta nd a r ound a bout Thee in br ig ht a r m s.

SHOUT, (fr om the appr oaching Companies.) Hail,Brothers !

Britons al l .HOMELAND COMPANY. Hai l ! Brothers al l.HOMELAND CAPTAI N . Brothers , we haste, to knit with

yours,right hands.

AN OVERSEAS’ CAPTAI N . Already kn it our hearts.OTHER OVERSEAS’ CAPTAI N . We with you here,

As one man,for this Homeland , are in arms.

[They br eak r a nks,a nd g o to j oin ha nds. They r efor m then,

a nd m a r chfor th, w i th sound ing p ipes. The thr ee Capta ins

pa ss on tog ethe r ]

1 The Cl zfi , p . 263 .


FIRST OVERSEAS’ CAPTAIN . What barbarous,what inhuman

hands cou ld wasteThis innocent Country- s ide, whereas we pass !Fair homesteads violate, and these C lay-cast cotes ;Whence few poor and pale souls

,risen at the Voice

,

Of our armed -marching chant , gaz e forth at doors !HOME CAPTAI N . S ou ls, that have hardly meat enough

and cloth ;To keep breath in thei r bod ies

,and upbring ;

Heirs of lean weary l ives,thei r famil ies !

Whose port ion is , to suffer dai ly want ;And al l their deadly days

,he st i l l undone.

SECOND OVERSEAS ’ CAPTAIN . What evi l-doers cou ld givenew cause to such ;

TO moan gainst them to heaven,from their cold hearths !

i t are are

CAPTAI N WORTH . I find aught added,on this overleaf ;

In hasty script,not easy to be read °

Beginning thus ; BR ITA IN , I DED ICATEMy soul to Thee

,which is a passing breath ;

And this my mortal body,of earthborn flesh .

And every gift of Fortune ; that I cast,In Britains Treasury. We

,for Britains l i fe

,

Do offer up the t ime-cOm ing of our l ives ;Darkness embrace

,cold death and nothingness .

TRUMAN . A fervent patriotism ! Who hé th wri t this !CAPTAIN WORTH . There be, which S ister Gertrudes hand

see in i t.There ’s somewhat yet here pasted in the cover :

I had not seen before ! HYMNP apy r us , la tely found in the Fayum

A Land of wonders truly. Antiqu ity evenI s ever young there. Much is found in He r

That can I test i fy, who was quartered thereOnce, with my Regiment. But I

’

ve almost spentMy spirits. Wou ld one of you then read i t forth ;

86 THE CLOUDS

My friendly new acquaintance ! (To Tr um a n) Wouldnot you S i r !

TRUMAN . I, under your correction that me hear ;

Wil l wi l l ingly : (a wang-tooth lacketh me here and thereI

’

m an Old man .)BYSTANDERS . We al l would gladly hear.TRUMAN (r ea d ing ). 0 importable Ignominy

, O C i t i z ens !O d isgrace

Of Athens, C ITY OF PALLAS ! Young men , sonsOf Theseus wake ! Be not ye men , which thusDwel l softly and careless of your citys harms !Look down from Cecrops wal l s

,yond sacred Rock !

Gaz e,from our Citys common Market Place ;

Whence dai ly al l men behold,o’er Thetis Sound ,

The LOVELY I SLE ; and view wave-gl ittering paths,Which th ither lead . This day

,the vehement words

More weighty,of one a madman ! Shal l be found

,

Than the old froz en prudence of the Wise.The Rulers of this C ity are negl igent ;

That were cal led Wise.

!

S l umber this day al l hearts :They wal low in their sleep. Young men awake !Rouse you, remember manhood , and look up.

I s pride of Athens entered in your breasts !Forsake the treacherous wine-cups ; the hired lapsForsake of harlots. Helms do on

, i ron plateGird on the n imble thigh short furbished glaive.

Each take down,from his chamber wal l , upon

H is hardy shoulder, wavering long ash- lance.

As ye,which heavy armed, then pass the Gate

Pi r ze an ,way hold ing down to the beaked Ships ;

I ntone the lofty paean. Come there, the threeBanked keels thrust forth ; (that seem , with hundredfeet

,

To walk hoar waves,) with fury, unto the Deep.

And qu ickly armed men inshipped,and ho ised sai l

! P ;


Of new, loud hymn , wel l-pleasing to the gods ,All chant, with one great voice

,to touch the stars !

So shal l your winged prows bridge the Nereids’ Sound .

What man Of you would su ffer that were fieldWithheld

,by force

,of his i nheritance !

And wil l ye endure the LOVELY I SLANDS loss !What boots it, men of Athens

,to have strong

Wa rwor thy l imbs, fai r form and front Of brassAnd bear with in a craven shrink ing heart !This day, shal l be infamed , that young mans name ;Who, (and he being able-bod ied lurks from sight

,

Dismayed,i n privy corner of his house ;

When Athens’ valorous youth march forth,to fight !

And when we stand before our enemies’ face,

Wel l ordered ranks ; kindled each swel l ing heart,With warl ike ire : for every battle-stroke

,

Of thei rs , y i eld thou a stouter counter-stroke :And they be more in number, render twain .

Pal las,helm-C lad fo r e fighte r , Shakes d ivine,

H e r spear,wherewith the giants she put to fl ight !

Was heard her shield to thunder in the n ight,From yonder sacred cl iff : i n S ign , She , goddess,Protectress Of this C ity

,with us fa r e th forth.

CAPTAI N WORTH . Thanks, and wel l read .

TRUMAN .

’T i s worthy to be read .

CAPTAI N WORTH . Though of no certain parentage be theverse ;

And l ived wise Solon very long ago.

Mor e o’

e r the term tr i r em e, I mistrust in it .Besides

,not less our enemies, i t than us,

Might hearten . Else Solons words, (as wel l beseemsA nephew of Cod r us old ,) breathe patriot spiri t.Howbeit th is l ittle volumes written leaves ;Would I not part with , for its bulk and poise,Of gold refined .

There stood beside me one ;

THE CLOUDS

Who,of the Eastland e r s’ land ings on our shores,

EnquiredCAPTAI N WORTH. Are many und e fe ncéd coasts,

Bl ind creeks and sul len shores, unwatched , in England .

In four,they came to land . Covered they were,

By fi re of their,ranged backward , battle-Ships’ guns.

But in the fifth attempt , were the k ings enemies,From the Eastway

,fo i l ed ; which had , by feints , ou r

navyDrawn Off. Lying at anchor, they were found ,By Brit ish cruisers . Cause was sudden tempest ,Of raving winds, rol l ing great water-banks ;On Vast sea-flood forth, towards the land ; that flungH igh

,hol low break ing waves, on the foreshore :

Whereby were those,when they arrived

,storm -bound !

Midst buffeting gusts , then fearfu l confl ict raged .

Three of the Enemys tal l convoying warsh ips,

Foundered . The rest were chased and taken . Weretaken

Most Eastlander transport ships,conveying sold iers .

Some tempting, midst the fight,their cables S l ipped

,

To make an offing ; holed by Engl ish shot,S unk within sight of land . Other, which dragged,Wind-driven

,their anchors, fel l on a lee shore.

There long-shore fishe r - folk run down bold ly,amidst

The flying spume ; from surges’ seeth ing foam

,

S natched, staggering, at l ives’ risk

,from death

,their

enemies

CARPENTER N IGH ING HOM E

From Truman and the Camp of fugit ives ;Well ~ ordered

,ful l of worth in wars d istress ;

Now even ing drawing on,and wel l refreshed ;

I parted,with two other that went forth .

Wa s twi l ight, when we reached to an highroad ;Where

,as upon our feet, we further fared ;

A patro l—wain,though now i t starl ight was

,

Passed by us,with rel ief Of publ ic bread ;

Which, by a County Counci l s order made,Was ; s ince in th i s way, some, i n the last days,Of Englands many famished fugitive fami l ies

,

Had been found dead . We, having loaves Obtained ;And the ai r being warm

,nor better shel ter by us ;

Concluded,for our best , this n ight, to lodge,

Forth from the dusty way ; where flows a brook,

Out of wood-s ide : and k ind led in that p lace,

A gypsy wa tchfir e , there to toast our crusts .Wayfe llows, who sate with me about our hearth ;

A S choolmaster were,and a Trade Travel ler ;

Whose ci rcu it mongst corn -Chandlers in these partsOne who untrained to arms had vo l unteered ,For Commissariat S ervice, i n the war.The Travel l er said ; would no Commercial House

Take more Bank -notes,i n settlement of accompts

Even Bank of England paper,to the half,

Was fal len al ready : and must there soon him -thought,

S ome general m or a tor ium be procla imed .

90 THE CLOUDS

No money passes more,from hand to hand .

In penury al l al ike must wade : mongst poorMen ; some late counted rich, today were named .

SCHOOLM . What thenTRAVELLER . Tel l thrice the fingers of one hand !

Common opin ion,mongst corn -factors is °

So many more be Britains dying daysAnd

SCHOOLM . Eigh, then ! What then !

TRAV. I say and then,

Can only God us sh ield from famishment !SCHOOLM . Cannot our merchant- shipping bring in corn !TRAV . Engl ish shipmasters

,what day war broke on us ;

Transferred their fleets, to other Nations’ flags :

A Policy they had long ago prepared,

In their rich counting houses. Can no moreThat carrying Trade, which has forsaken England ,Recal led be to He r Shores.

CARP. What of the PowersWhich had some po l i t ic understanding with us !

TRAV . We hear of armies, on thei r frontiers massedFleets hem thei r fleets . They are impotent

,contained

thus ;To furn ish any aid, that m ight avai l us.

(A Wayfa r ing S tr a ng er

STRANGER . Good even,fel low-countrymen ; I am l ike

A moth here wandered to your cheerful hearth .

Long is the road,for a wayfaring man !

I saw its gleam,l ighting wood-s ide

,and then

These dancing flames ; and hoped for company.

SCHOOLM . The more the merrier ; s i t down here with us.We ’

ve bread : and you have done, I ’

l l part mine withyou . (He sits down wi th them

What news are in the North ! Whence come you !STRANGER . I passed

THE CLOUDS

Of stars, i n endless ranks, that passeth thought ;Eternity in mans S ight ! seemed stretched above us.And smel led the breath of Night

,of moss and woods .

Come dawn,and bathed us in that fleet ing brook ;

We fared on eating bread,to break our fast

Musing,i n our sad thoughts

,what should befal l us.

A busk in’

d Shepherd,wont al l days to walk ,

On moors,before his many-footed flock ;

With crook in hand and budget on his back,

H is sheep-cur fo l lowing ; where, at a cross-ways,We paused to read the fing e r -post, came to us.Had yester-eve that poor herdsman lost h is flock .

The enemies making road ; on an hi l l-s ide,H im found, and at a run

,d rove off his stock

And him,lamenting

,had they left there bound .

One of them gave h im ; out of hi s own purse,A piece of go ld , in p i ty of his ha r m s

Was foreign gold . The poor man asked of us,

In his uplandish wise ; what worth it was !S ighing, he said, He knew none other trade

,

Of this Worlds work : at a fields st i le,he left us.

Driving his cart,a plain man went then by us .

Who seeing one faring faintly, along the highway ;Enqui red humanely

,and friendly took me up ;

To ride what miles,with him , he Should farther forth .

A Graz ier,he had Wa le swa r d sent his stock ;

Obedient to new Government Ord inance,In proclaimed d istricts : namely

,A ll g r ea t hor ned

-bea sts

To be r ese r ved , for m i l i ta ry victua l

And Treasury notes had he received for his.By milestones two or three

,we drove ; and passed ,

Where S itt ing some sick man was in the Sun,

At the wayside ; who feebly moaned to us !Drew rein the graz ier ; wel l he knew his face ;And l ighted . Neighbour, the infi rm man said ,

CARPENTER N IGH ING HOME 9 3

War-dread hath slain me. Let them know at home ;That ’

s not far-Off,where is that I l ie dead .

Methinks,I

’

ve but few moments more to l ive.

(This heart, . .Oh !) Take my market-book ,fr om my pocket ;

And help make my Wil l : you write in that .We ’ve bought and so ld togethe r ; and you I trust

,

R ight as I would the Parson of our church .

GRAZ IER. Shal l al l be done, as you devise : now say.

THE DY ING . This body unto the ground,my soul to God .

The land give I , and dwel l ing-house, to my wifeAnd that be parted

,after Bridgets day

,

Twixt our two sons . I Almighty God do pray ;Have mercy on th is here Land , where we was bred :And that He r soi l continual ly mayYield the increase I

,John Appleton

,yeoman .

GRAZ IER . I’

ve writ al l after you here John , set your cross .I

’

ll gu ide your hand so we wi l l witness it. (He does so

W ITNESS ; George Dyson . W ITNESS ; Wil l iam Car

pente r .

THE DYING. You signed it !DYSON. We have both.

THE DYI NG. And so with God !

Dyson,upl i fted reverently

,i n h is cart ;

The dead : no strength had I at al l , to aid .

We walked beside,t i l l come to Appletons house.

Nor,when he it lowered

,i n o ld Appletons sons’

S trong arms, was cold the corse. The testamentS aw I del ivered in h is widows hands .She , in her womans sorrow, had yet mind ;

That we two wayfarers should not fasting wend .

The board,ere She went forth to weep, she spread,

With her two trembl ing hands . When somewhat hadWe eaten then

,we passed forth ; t i l l parted us ,

An upland road,which led to Dysons place.

Under an hedgerows Shelter,whilst I sate ;

THE CLOUDS

Fared by me a company of a r tiz ans ; some bearingBaskets

,some frai ls, some tool -bags on their necks .

Journeying were those,from town to town, to find

I f haply would men recompense them ,with victual .

I rose,and fol lowed with them , a slow pace

So fel l with one , a smith , i n some discourse.S oon after, at new turn ing of the road ;

We found one set,to mend his motor-ca r .

S uch magistrates only now have leave to keep,

And surgeons ; al l the rest be taken up,In the K ing’s name, for mil itary service.

The craftsman , looked it over, spied the fault ;And

,raught a stone for hammer in h is fist ;

H e deftly it gan to handle and to! smite.The Parish S urgeon , whose the car was, askedMe of burned Easthampton , where he had a friend.

I spoke Of poor John Apple ton . Many,he said

,

Were sick of such new malady and strange d isease.Cause was mens breathless dread , midst wars d istress !

(To be d isherited, put out from their own !

Despoi led , expropriated , d ispossessed ;To wander they, find their l ittle ones, forth unfedSymptoms were common ly, interm itt ing pulse ;

! u ickened great heart- leaps , with constraint of chest .Whence some have

, (ka r d ior hexis), fal len down dead .

The smith, a man was of not common parts ;But of a many-eyed instincte d wit ;Conceiving

,finding new not t rodden paths

S ti l l ruminating many eyas thoughts ;From hour to hour : (witness, his l isten ing looks !)That, l ike his handicrafts fugitive fiery Sparks

,

S eemed l ight from heaven , in his d e v ise ful mind.

He would have hammered out this World of new ;I f such had been his chance . Today hath EnglandI nvader enemies ! He too had his bold schemes

,

For their destruction and last overthrow.

96 THE CLOUDS

SHOEM. S ome general migration of He r folk !OTHER VOICES . We wot not, how might that be brought

aboutCARP . Britain contains,VOICES. Five and forty mil l ions !CARP. I s that not more

,by twenty mi l l ion mouths

,

Than Britains Soi l were able to sustain .

VO ICES. And then !OTHER VOICES. What then !CARP. The rest were hard to think !

CARPE NTERS COME HOME

Had those beyond me passed : once more I restedA rural constable

,that went by me

,asked ;

I f I ai led aught. Train ing these lustless l imbs,

I held on with h im,by another mile-stone.

We passed men loitering,in a vi l lage street

Some, on their fa thers tomb-stones, saw I,S it ;

With p e r plext lumpish looks , in the churchyard .

(After two days, was stri fe, i n that churchyard ,S tern battle-stri fe, l have S in ce heard . Those tombS tones were for shields, to sharpshooters then , of ours.On the old ,

fel l new dead ; slain , defend ing Britain !)

Much sickness was,the Constable to ld , for want .

Many,in this Country-side, had lost their m inds.

A family lack ing bread,for dread Of worse ;

Had drowned themselves, last n ight, in the cold brook .

And had he al l day gone,to cal l a ! uest.

So ld ier of the Reserve , he dai ly looked ,To be recal led to mi l itary service.Towards even ing was, when at a bridge, I stayed ,

Which bestrode a fresh stream . As there I rested,

With jaded sense and r a ckt with weariness ;Watching the swimming trouts ; a Parson passedBy

,of yonder Spi re-deckt vi l lage. Smooth and wi ly,

He asked, how fared I ! and I were hungry and weary ;Come ! and he wou ld me the soup-k itchen Show.

I rose and trudged on with him . By and by,

A jewel led d igi t pointed it to me !

D. C .

THE CLOUDS

And the Church porch ; wherein had I his leave,Besides

,to lodge : Fa r ewe ll , g oodnig ht, Godspeed !

When the fi rst martins fl itte d from church eaves ;Tra in ing these pithless knees, I parted forth.

Few furlongs’ way beyond,I faring by

,

The Po l ice S tat ion Cottage saw ,at the wayside.

Was there the Constable stand ing in his door ;Now khak i-clad ! Had summoned him to the war,A messenger, in the n ight-t ime ; and he was ready.

He cal led me in , and set before me bread ;And bade m‘e rest. He showed me also

,where

The Val ley rai lway ran , under next field.

H is t roop- train would be due, within this hour.A seat would he then ask , for me , of the officer.A train it was of Open trucks : with grounded

R ifles and fixt bayonets, sold iers sate ,On benches rough, of joiners hasty work .

Continual ly searched wide skies, C lear-S ighted scouts ,Around ; and Open field, to every part.Officers watched , standing on our armoured engine ;I ntent

,with telescopes

,the rai l -pai r in front.

Al l bridges were examined , ere we passed .

Twice, saw we humming air-flye r s, moth- l ike pass,On height ; but were those foes or friends we saw not ;They showed no colours . We, at two hours

’ end,

Had reached our destination , a large plain .

Reservists l ighted, were formed up to march ;A body indeed of soldiers, of the best,That any Country hath ; but they are few !

I parted on the morrow, with the lark .

Thick dust lay underfoot, on the long road .

Towards afternoon , wide sk ies were overcastI t l ightened then and loud thundered ! S ummerBeat fast

,on the wayside and hedge-row leaves.

Hasted who n igh , to covert of d im grove,

THE CLOUDS

From hedgerows green and wayb r e ad ths dusty grass !)The I nvaders’ heavy arti l lery wheel s ; (that marred ,Had hooves and multitude of war-feet

,before

Have rammed , to stony. barrenness,the fie ld -clod .

Patrol s be everywhere seen, of foreign so ld iers

,

Even in by-paths. B e -bel lows, who them leads ;(Some corporal , with his Continental I nso lenceH im , whom they meet ; Ha lt

, Eng land e r ! S how thy

pa ss !’

T i s to thy stomach contrary ; but with such ,To strive, to stand in terms, were to waste breathTo anger them , to invite a man

’s own death .

Wood at a word , those l icensed are to Shoot !

Ceased had the storm ; shone forth again the Sun ,

On fields refreshed : and that celestial thing,

Like bridal chapelet of the Earth and Heaven ;Wherein the hew Of every flower ; i s set ;Whereon

,whi lst

,passing sheen ! suspended yet ,

We love to look ; appeare d out of the East.Then , on our several ways, we parted forth .

Nigh now my home, my heart was in mine house.S hould such I find it, as was Trumans houseAnd hamlet , wasted , burned ! O dismal thought !Might I but see my widowed mother safe ;(As feeble hind fle e th,

from her hunters forthI would, that She escaped to some sure place.

Al l yonder coast,which I from hence surview

,

I know from chi ldhood : from that cl i ffs brow there ;Might

’

I descry the vane of our church spire,

Sun-gl ittering

In my weariness, I long hour ;Fulfi l led with joy of heart, have rested here ;S ince when , i n yonder field, his sweaty team ,

The ploughman loosed , l ifted the Shin ing share,

CARPENTERS COME HOME 10 1

From long cleft clod ; and on his wheelers chine,

Rode sidewise whistl ing to his horses stal ls .From late gold -purpled border of the World

,

Was even ing fading now, when I descended ;Where led a bridle path and driftway green

,

To Farley meadows and our brooks footbridge.

Ha d twi l ight shadows those dank leas o’

e r sp r e ad ;

And the ousel h is last witless roosting notes,

Had shri l led from thicket leaves , when to the bridgeHead I arrived . Yet l ittle further forth ;Methought, ascend ing in the meadows path ;With throbbing heart , which echoed in m ine ears ;I saw,

i n the h il l-s ide, where stands our house ;Ah

,a lamp outshin ing in night murk !

A S might that be, to l ight her one chi ld home !Leapt under me my knees

,at this new thought ;

As in them were infused new vital force ;And wiped away al l former weariness .But l i ttle rests now

,to my mothers gate !

0, j oy of meet ing ; only few more steps !The vo ice ; then k isses Of her l ips, the breath ;The dear embrace, Of her which brought me forth !S eems each tree, each rock , a friend . In this starl ight

,

I tread now road,that leads next past our house.

Dark is my path,twixt hol ly hedges. Here

Shou ld be our elder tree. I t is ! (I i t know,

By the heavy smel l .) This then smooth laurel bough,

I feel : the m ill ing haz el - leaves, that hang overOur gate ; hear now. Thank God my journey is ended .

Entering our avenue : me laid !Hands ! heavy hands ! Not robbers , by highwaysFor these

,with thick voice of East lander throat,

Chal lenge d raw perforce on, through the

gloom !On towards our porch, (with honey-suckle d ight,

102 THE CLOUDS

And jasmine sweet, and myrtle-wreathed the posts .)What unknown dread, what bitter fear this is ,Which mine heart slays What

,and if I presently miss

My mother here hath befal len her !S trange medleyed sounds of revel ry from our house ;I gusts hear

,of loud laughter

,glasses’ cl ink !

Eastlander caval ry Company,i n advance

Today ridden of their Regiments ; having madeRe cOnna issance , as far as Farley vi l lage ;Had S i nce remained

,to overn ight in the place .

Unkempt, war-stained , carousing now they sateAnd having in our cottage supped their fi l l s ;To drink ou r cel lar d ry

,was thei r intent.

I led before thei r major,tal l stern sold ier

,

R ed -haired,red-faced ; one who some Engl i sh couth :

He questioned,with loud mil itary voice ;

Cam e I una r m ed Whethe r , l ike spy ,I we r e

Cr ept in a t door ! Or how e lse we r e I found .9

This cottage is,I said

,my mothers house ;

Whither now I arrive, after long voyage.Was that

,he hiccupped

,l ikely to be sooth.

Consider th is young man,led in before us !

In h im,I mark no mil itary strut ;

No sly eye. Ha ! (let me remember whatI mean I mean

,my S i rs, mien sooner hath

This, a London cockney ! I would say .

He’

5 lean,mark wel l ! he hath a mother too,

And so have I : for her sake, I’

ll be k ind .

He gave commandment then,mine eyes to bind

And see,i f d id I know indeed this house.

And one ,his l ieutenant

,which some Engl ish spoke,

From room to room,should fo l low with me forth ;

From floor to rafter !

This ordeal wel l ended ;We, to thei r board , returned. Heard the report ;

104 THE CLOUDS

I journey,in d istricts occupied by their arms.

When then there Shortly arrived their clattering troop(They had bi l leted been in Farley each officer took

,

And mounted at the porch, his jaded horse.SO,leaving fou l d isorder

,i n our house ;

They rode, return ing back, to their main force.

Driven,through o ld

,disused green packway lanes

,

By a faithfu l s ér vant, in her pony carriage ;My mother yesterday had escaped bet imes .

S earch ing throughout, I i n my chamber found ;She had written with a pe nci l on the wal l

,

A t my beds head : S on,nothing have I heard

,

These three weeks from thee.

'The Lord Shield thee,I

Am gone to my Welsh kindred , from these miseries.With carefu l heart and faltering knees , I went,

To meet with friends and neighbours in the streetAnd women saw

,return ing from the fields ;

S uch as , for fear, had passed the n ight in woods.Where forked our road , before the parish Church ;

I mused to see, thus early, a funeral pass ;With sad - faced fo l lowing train of vi l lage folkAnd heard say

,that the Blacksm ith was borne forth !

When came those E astland e r s yesterday trotting in ,With sabres’ C lank and pennons brave advancedBaring in h is forge door, his great forearms ;He looking scorn , had dared them al l to fight.Come on

,cried he

,ye foreign curs ! With any

Three foreigners, which made ever God Almighty ;He

,an only unarmed Engl ishman , would fight.

Reined in the Outlander tr OOp : loud cried was,Ha lt !

An officer spoke. The peasant had insu ltedThis k ingly- imperial un iform ; which the honourHad they to wear ! As Symonds grim ly stood ;Command given : the strange troopers’ foremost rank ;With carbines

,from thei r saddles

,shot him dead !

CARPENTERS COME HOME 105

For those but meanly of enemies’ l ives account,

In war ! What though they dread extremely, as forThemselves

,swart death ; and not

,unto their own ,

Return from Land , which they in arms invade.

I fol lowed , after blacksmith Symonds corse,Amongst that mourning folk . Labouring a l l n ight ;Had much a do ,

o ld Kemp the Carpenter ;The coffin to make ready of the dead,By day. All held , he must be buried straight .Ere noonday, might I nvader army pass ;When al l the V i l lage would forsake the place !Farleys new vicar, absent in the field ;

Cal led to be Chaplain,of a new raised Regiment ;

The Parish C lerk read over him the Church S ervice .

All sang an hymn , with sighs out Of thei r hearts .In grave-mould then

,mongst those before us passed ;

We fathom -deep sla i n Symonds laid to rest.The vi l lage was brought low

,al l stores were spent ;

In many a cottage-door,had entered want

Young men I saw not. They,with their new regiments

,

Were being hast i ly dri l led,in d istant Wales

And I,when had I seen my mother safe ,

Would jo in them there.

S i nce al l too weary I was,To longer j ourney on foot ; with Wi l l iam Pace,(I S he our tenant-farmer ;) I agreed ,Fo r saddle and an hobby , the old man had ;And spend ing s i lver lent me from his purse ;(Out of his quarters rent, due to be paid .)Key of our cottage

,i n h is hand I left .

WAYFAR ING TOWARDS WALES

Purveyed with victual and a change of C loth ;I took from home my way that afternoon .

I n the first hour I rode,some hOpe I had ,

My mother to o’

e r take ; but Old and weakWas Fa vel under me; my horse : nor sinceNew law forbade

,to feed corn unto beasts,

Had tasted grain . I fare must at footpace.

Now even ing gloom ; and Pavels footfal l was,In Farley Dales highway, the on ly sound ;S ave murmuring Of the headlong brook beneath.

Dim fl ickering shadows scudded o’

e r my path,Of boughs above, st irred by the night-winds breathWherein meseemed the newly dead to wa lk .

From gloom I looked,Of every great trunks root ;

And that from dark foot of each bordering rock ;And midst of every bush

,Should those gaz e forth !

When last rose backward sad wayfaring Moon ;I issued to hedgerows and Open fie lds ;Wan meadows

,wherein sleepless great-horned beasts

,

With snorting breaths,browsed forth dank misty grass.

Wide shone the hoary heavens’ abyss of stars ;That hang by harmony above our heads ;Unwitt ing of mans breath

,his ways, his wor ks,

H is wars and S tates , on dark Clot of round Earth.

From mile to m ile,I through Nights l ingering gloom ,

S uch nodding heaviness had ; I oft was l ike ;To fal l , by moments , from my Pavels neck.

108 THE CLOUDS

Of the ascend ing road , was there, amidstGreat S toneyfie ld Chace : t i l l hemmed fair plain ,

S ightHoar cragged mountain-heads, of distant WalesRuins

,in solemn S leep, neath th is S unl ight ;

Of old dead worlds , o r ever Adamu was .

Entering the town , I saw were closed their schools ;Shut even the ribald I nns : for, by new ActOf Parl iament, no more barley might be brewed .

Al l grain must be declared,and none be hid .

Whilst War endures ; being al l to be reserved ,Unto the Peoples need , to be made bread .

And save the pharmacies,al l their shops were shut.

Chi ldren looked on aghast, and seldom played .

One whom I asked ; beckoning in dumb-Show, ShowedMe

,with his on ly chin ; where publ ic victual

Was sold and d ispensed freely.

Even thus early,

Much coming was and going, at the door ;For loaves and broth , of housewives of the town ;With baskets and their t ickets of rel ief ;Seen and al lowed by the town magistrates.Some sate with in on benches, which d id eat ;

One might have for his penny , beans and broth .

Thei r talk , as I amongst them took my place,Was of the dearth and bringing in of corn ;And help they looked for, from beyond the seas.In that, was cried , loud up and down the street ;

IRELAND IN TUMULT ! WI RELESS LONDON GRAMS !In vain , was sent out to the Market Place,A child with pence : al ready had al l been sold .

Bread and the news,being fi rst now in mens thoughts ;

All wait for t id ings . From what hour they wake ;Ti l l when once more sleep steeps their careful spirits .(The air is fi l led with rumour

,in mens ears !)

WAYFAR ING TOWARDS WALES 109

Here had been formed,a citiz ens pol i ce-service

Of tradesmen chiefly and fi remen of the town :

Whereby the borough and their County constables,

Released from duty, and drafted in the army ;Might serve in arms ; (and many are time-past sold iers.)And that new voluntary force enro l led ;Today have charge of order in their town .

I saw some in the streets , wearing a badge.Another told me of the LEAGUE of PATR IOTS

Now mostly in the West Pé r ts ; where they, for tents ,Have bowers of the green boughs : and are they menOf al l sorts and cond itions ; i n whose breastsA patriot z eal burns and new NATIONAL S P IRIT ;Gainst homely and foreign enemies ; to upho ldThe STATE . They

,with magnan imous hard ihood

,

Take on them ,being men of every age

,

Wars t r a va i llous dai ly adventurous enterprises.And on their caps, have bro idered womens hands,PATRIA . S ome of them

,which were worthy esteemed

,

Have been adopted in the S acred BandWith whom they

,entering vehement into fight ;

Have many t imes approved thei r warl ike worth !War-bread

,I marked

,was with them

,very smal l ;

Mingled with malt,potato and bean -flour

,

Bran,barley and oaten grist

,to eke thei r meal .

Two old stained News -S heets lay there on the board

(Might only censored News-Sheets now be soldWherein

, (with strangl ing in the throat !) I read ;The frai l res istance Of our ti roes armsThe dai ly massacre, without pity or ruth.

On the over- léa f stood , LANCASH I RE HARD PRESSED,Great C itadel of our merchant industries.E lsewhe r e ,A STRANGE EMOTION CHANCED IN IRELAND !

There men and women,as them seemed

,beholding

Heavens wrath arrive ; great Last Day of the World

[ 10 THE CLOUDS

And fearfu l flames,of burn ing fiery gulf

,

Approach ; i n an agony, sm it ing on their breasts ;Fel l down

,behowl ing in the Publ ic Place

,

Their manifo ld s ins, in t ime past, unto death .

Ran holy-water clerks,among them

,groan ing ;

Ah, m ise r e r e m e i ; heu,

heu, Dom ine !

They sprinkled,confessed , houseled , as they went ;

A people, that grovel l ing, moaning, lay entranced ,Convu lsed . Cried the archpriest

,stand ing in their midst

A bsolvo om nes vos, from wicked works .(S uch chanced had in a town, cal led Ba llyca th !)The cause unfo ld ing, of that brainsick sti r ;

The News -Sheet showed , how borne an aeroplane corps ,Cal led the Ai rwolves, was in the Enemys fleet.S urging from decks, those, i n late twi l ight hour ;Had , swifter than fowls fl ight, borne Westward forth ;To fly upland

,from Erinns misty coast.

When nighing they were seen, in heavens d im steep ;(And some, with fearfu l detonations, seemedRain fi r e ,) men deemed them Gods destroying angel s !The loyal I rish, K ING AND COUNTRY BOYS ;

That n ight had set their cycle-scouts wide out ;

To watch around the camp . The Brit ish marksmen,

They warned by flash ; who, (whirl ing their searchl ights

,

Lighting heavens arc !) with ready aerial guns,Open ing on the A irwolve s ; ere attain those m ightThe new-pitched camp ; grenades mongst them ex

p lod ing ;

Winged the a e r Op léne s. Toppled the most machines,

As fowl struck down by shot ; (horr ific death !Of enemies, that them rode,) to Mother Earth.

I , in this lass itude, hat ing al l that i sTo come and past : a World , wherein defraud us,Both men and gods

,myself abhorring most ; .

WAYFARING TOWARDS Vi

Cast those sm irched News-Sheets mm

To seek some provender, for my 1L .

Were it by the green lanes. To L !

I sought,but m ight not find , a b t

Midst the H igh S tr ée t, nai led on

Where the town id iot stood to He

Drivel l ing,with his ren t hose upo

(Ye m a z e ; he cried , with wildereThe P eoples m ulti tud e becom e fug iOf benum bed w r etches

,hung e r ed a d

London is bur n ing . Look yonde r!

ARE HEREBY WARNED intend in

Out of the town,of d a ng e r s of the

Whe r e in ha ve been com m i tted da r i .

A r e counse lled , who would j our ney .

A t the S hi r e-ha ll tha t compa n ies

For m ed, of wayfa r e r s, to g o for th

BY ORDER OF THE BOROUGH MFavel browsed forth : I

,s itt ing

For languor and weariness, slum b '

Was m id,when I looked up

,of a

I saw approaching such a fel lows !Were seven good men

,which hel

I n ; for

I I I

oney ,

door porchI CK

I US

n road .

‘

stur ed

K bloom,

nage house

1 1 2 THE CLOUDS

One manly erect ; and seemed he, furbished bright,As K ings sword , h is prerogat ive was to wear.He joined him now, with Cheerful countenance, to us .Upbounden in a sl ing , was his left arm .

As we fared forth, my Favel soon fel l lameWhich seeing

,the worthy farmer, (when I l ighted

Tied the poor jade,to tai l Of his own cart.

An hurdle, (cries one mock ing ) seems th ine horse !

That l ieutenant, his Destroyer lately lostNot without honour. S teaming twenty knots ;All sudden ly

,as they opened S tourwe ll l ights,

They struck some submerged mine ; laid out’

t isthought

,

Ere war declared,by disgu ised enemy war-ships.

No time to lower boat ; so wide the rent,

In her th in Shel l,before the Wi llock sank .

Went down al l hands in her,not of the watch

,

On deck : who, n ight-t ime, slumbered below,perished .

Lieutenant Commander ; had he, as she foundered ,Been hurled , (her steam exploding,) from his bridge.

He swimming strongly,upheld somewhi le a seaman ;

Whom fi rst he drenching found,i n the d im waves ;

Like to a fly,with a fly in his mouth . Few of them

Have learned, i n these cold waters Of the North,

To swim . He r s ister craft , the Gr ebe , her l ifeboatLowered

,i n haste ; her searchl ight found him straight.

That seaman , with a boathook, was drawn inBut he refused al l succour

,as he swam ;

Ti l l taken up had been every drowning man .

O’

e r runn ing him the boats stem ,his shoulder brake,

By misadventure,as she came again .

1 14 THE CLOUDS

Down by the head , two’

Dr e adnoughts fel l each otherAboard ; that, without steering-way, turned to shore.

From al l the fleet, being hast i ly lowered boats ;Were ordered down in them , men who could not swim :

But hasti ly rowed,mongst cross-wise gl ittering search

l ights ;Some fouled oars ; overloaded , some o

’

e r se t.

The rest of the ships’ Companies stood,l ined up ;

The water ga in ing fast on their great pumps,On deck

,to wait the end . Life-belts were served out

,

Guns,from the ships’ l ight armaments, the while firing ;

Were trained to seaward, on the dusk n ight waves ;Hope had

,to concuss the enemies submarines .

Aboard the H e r m es, (where my Shipmate was

,

Whence had I this ceasing the huge machinesTheir mighty throbs, the electric lamps went outMen cal led were from below up

,i n al l haste.

When the iron immense hu l l lu rched,about to sink

Al l hands,with last loud shout, saluted ENGLAND !

Being passed then word,To sa ve them

,they who could ;

Men leapt,without d isorder

,overboard ;

Down in the co ld n ight waves ! with l ittle hopeOf succour ‘

; or to swimming fetch the land .

Chief officers, left st i l l standing on the bridge ;(Heirs Of their fathers

’ worth,) sunk with their ships.Hundreds, at d aybreak, were of corses seen ;

S eamen and officers,floating in to strand !

Eastlander submarine squadron, (craft large-bui l t,

To t ravel twenty hours,I’

Ind e r sea-waves’ face,

And swiftly above sped from their havens,at twi l ight ;

Fetched Englands coasts ; the same night, had done this !By loss of those seven Capital British ships ;

The Trident, that was centuries in our fist ;Wherewith we ru led the stormy seas

,passed from us !

CARPENTERS LAST JOURNEY 1 1 5

At the same t ime, S ix other sea-castle ships,

We re, (fact ious fol ly of Britains government ;That fol low insensate pol icy Of sentiment ;And wil l not read the iron REALITI ES !)For long deferred repairs, laid up in docks .

’T is known , must every year, for certain weeks :A ship be docked ; eight or say even ten we e kS °

But that with due regard to times and service ;Not al l at once. Labouring

,now day and night

,

Might hardly,in thirty days

,be those m ade ready !

Meanwhi le their ports, being l ikely to be blocked,

A fleet is fitted out of Obso lete warships ;Wherein none wi l l ingly would embark their l ives .By cable and wireless, being recal led our fleet,Dispersed : the Enemy

,though the Powers protested ;

Have,to forestal l the j unction of our ships ;

Wide sown,with drifting mines

,the Channel Mouth.

Airships by n ight,descend ing on Rosyth

,

Great Northern arsenal, our new naval base ;

(Over against a now unfriendly Coast,)Have

,i rreparable d isaster

,i t

,with cast

Down bombs,part ru ined, raz ed ; and sh ips of war

Destroyed therein ; which were laid up in dock .

A TRADESMAN . And cannot we repay them ,i n l ike

ANOTHER . What tidings of our scattered fleet !L I EUT. Word is ;

That rounded the Orkneys , from the Atlantic bord ;The rest of our Home fleet, brought the Enemys fleetTo action

,more in number, tonnage, force

And newness Of their ships ; and thei r s ides fenced ,With harder tempered plates : the enemies’ gunsLikewise , of equal cal ibres , harder shoot .Off a new Bloody Foreland , raged the fight

,

With heavy batt le-armament of long rangeBut was that brief

,a d istant cannonade.

Already,exchanged few shots

,great sea-castle ships

8 - 2

1 16 THE CLOUDS

Reeled : fi r e -control and huge i ron fighting masts,

On one and other part,went by the bord .

Ships citadels SO were hammered ; that Wi th in them ,

’

T i s said, men fel l and d ied, without a wound !When shot-rent smoke-stacks sagged

,on a Ships board

Offense, resistance, were al ike confounded .

Crews cou ld not see to shoot ; might men not fetch,Poisoned with sulphurous fume

,their vital breaths .

The battle paused : i n that each fleet drew off.’T i s said

,some great Sh ips

,that were leak ing fast,

With ravaged entrai ls and crackt ribs,s ith foundered ;

With centuries of drowned men, within their boards.To the seas ground , those sunk ; l ike i ron tombs !S l imy with gore, the rest ; vast i ron decksA runn ing pash of mangled human flesh :Were soon hul l -down under the horiz ont.Each steered for their own coast : in ready docks

,

Those to refit : but we, our Po l it icians’

Abysmal fo l ly,have no repairing docks ;

S ufficient to receive our wounded dreadnoughts.CARPENTER . Who is there, that not stal ls a costlyLI EUT. At sea , we must make good our fleets defects

,

Attempt the imposs ible ; and in doing that ;’

T i s l ikely’

our scattered sh ips,by hosti le squadrons

,

S hal l , met with , one by one,be taken or sunk !

A TRADESMAN . The CONTROVERSY OF THE SEAS ! Thosefought, as fought

The United Provinces, i n old days,with us.

CARPENTER . For brief VVO r ld Empire,Nations fel ly fight

Persia with Hel las ; City of RomulusWith Carthage. Last those Dutch Estates with us

.

TRADESMAN . Britain anew must fight ; and that, fo r l i fe !LI EUT. Those, Britain , on the high seas, would supplant

And have sent out swift cruisers,to waylay

Home-coming shipping, and our com cut OffAnd with the Overseas’ Pan -Britann ic fleet

,

1 1 8 THE CLOUDS

Conveying army transports,past the Nore ;

Fallen on our la id-out contact m ines,there foundered .

After some musketry fi re,their transport ships ;

With mil itary stores and three new regiments,

On board ; to our torpedo boats,surrendered.

S uch, cruis ing at great speed , on the high seas .For merchant Ships, have many pri z es made ;Of home-bound E astland e r s.

TRADESMAN . And our otherLI EUT. Would they were ours ! This week was Portsmouth

lost .Bombarded day and n ight

,from sea and shore ;

Battered , with heavy guns, to powder, wereHe r weak defenses, and great Arsenal fi red ,By high-explosive shel l s. All that vast yard

,

(Founded , i n the beginn ing, by the Romans ,)Of basin s , workshops, docks ; which strength and pride,Was

,for a thousand years ! of naval England .

They burned al l sh ips there bui ld ing and in dock :

Vessels,afloat in harbour

,they cut out.

The glorious k ings ship Victory,being thus taken

,

BRITAI NS PALLAD IUM,by the envious enemies ;

Once more her capstan manned was, to shri l l pipeHeaved anchor. And unb e r the d , the old three-deckerRode, twixt two East lander cru isers, for her guard .

She ; our enemies,with loud foreign shout, triumphing ;Salvas of cannon and tempestuous music ;When ho i sed thei r foreign standard , at the main :

Was towed out,for a trophy of Englands war,

And our d isgrace. He r frigates masts seen thenWere garlanded

,with Engl ish oaken green !

But when,Off Holy I sland , they arrived ;

And drew nigh port : forewarned , by wireless grams,Awaited them there British submarines.That blew up their own Victory, which there sunk ,

CARPENTERS LAST JOURNEY 1 19

With honour ; and by her rent timbers, founderedOne of the enemy cru isers . They the other

,

With her propel lers injured and for e pla te sS tove in

,ceased from pursu ing, then only ; when her

R i fe wi reless s ignal -ca l l s brought flock ing warshipsOut from , (n igh-hand there,) Ea stlande r s

’ war-haven .

Brita in begins,in airmanship

, to excel lThe I sland -flye r s be more adventurous .Are fearfu l dai ly confl icts

,in the Element.

Can those the fle e te st winds outstrip in fl ight ;O r fowl - l ike stem them

,in the aery paths

O r,for their ai r-flying enemies , in await,

Lurk in C loud th ickets of the baseless height.No more they fear waves’ wal lowing wilderness .

Speeding o’er seas, by day or n ight , they turnAgain to coast . They hove r over fleets ;TO fl ing destruction on them down ; terrificNew explos ive ; which being hurled from height,Can shiver huge warsh ips’ i ron sides

,as glass.

TRADESMAN . I s that, with thei r own deaths !LI EUT. With their own deaths.Who is there

,would not for his Nations Life,

Ha z ard himself, yield wi l l ingly his own l i fe,For England ! Never have intrepid spi ri tsBeen here found wanting : Britains soi l breeds such .

For every hardy, adventurous, desperate enterprise ;A thousand volunteers.

TRADESMAN . I do bel ieve i t.LIEUT. Through thém ,

may yet the pang recoi l of war ;Which those brought in

,upon our enemies’ necks ;

Hurl ing back war, in thei r own midst, for warA fearfu l retribution

,from the ai r.

Even then,that magnan imity should be shown ;

Which rightly ho lds fi rst place, i n Brit ish hearts .S ign ificant purpose of the Eastlander i s ;

1 20 THE CLOUDS

By raid or by bombardment,in this war ;

To seiz e,suppress

,raz e, ru in and lay waste,

All great steel foundry works ; wherein is ordnanceForged and yards

,where be warships bu i l t and docked .

I s found a powerful new project i le ; such,That had our engineers, to cast them , space ;Can burst through al l hé r d -faced E astland e r s

’ thickestarmour-plates.

But these be musings only, cogitations .Yet look abroad ! There mutterings be of stirs ,Which go before great Continental wars .

TRADESMAN . You have, S i r , matter given us, of muchthought

YEOMAN . I l iken England,as today She i s ;

To some stal l- fed g reat queasy beast ; whose soresMay hardly more be healed

,when they break forth.

TRADESMAN . The who le Machine is rusty,of Britains

STATE,And long hath been . Were busy H e r own sons,To rend He r bowels !

LI EUT. And loosen al l the joints,Of that compacted BODY POLITICWhich virtue and industry of our grandsires bu i l t up .

i s s i s

Me had that husbandman seated in his cart ;S ince I began , taken with a sudden fai l ing,Of sense and l imb ; to totter in the path.

I might no more : I could them not resist ;Lifting me, that had wavered , to the dust.Last now

,the way to this next town , is passed .

We here : begin , to enter in a street.They each other, said Fa r ewe l l ! have now dispersed

And I l ight down , i n ‘ utter weariness .

1 22 THE CLOUDS

Enemies air-flye r s, had oftentimes essayed,

To wreck th is Wireless S tation ; with n ight-hurledBombs

,when l ights out ; but had those fal len wide.

By day,our so ld ier-marksmen at them shot.

Men used,for Shelter

,an old min ing adit

(Whence lead was delved and si lver in Old t imeS teel sconces and domed cupo la Of th ick iron plate.I a tablet marked , set in a craig, of bron z e ;

Whereon was graven ; HERE STOOD CARATACUS .

[An a r ti l le ry ofiice r , com ing of duty,m eets w i th a

Welshm a n : one,w i th long out-blowing ha i r s who

pa cing to and f r o, ba lances a d ivin ing- r od betwixt

his ha nds ]OFFICER . I think you be a gentleman of these parts !BARD . Though men me cal l a ha r d

,the royal blood

Of Howel Dha ; and , (i f S ir , I should boast,)Llewelyn

,Prince of Wales

,throbs in these veins.

OFFICER . Much derived honour ! as Greek poet hath itA sp l end id g r a ce in m or ta ls

,to be bor n

I s,of g r ea t blood a nd noble a ntique house .

Dear to the Atti c muse, another quoth ;Let no m a n sta in his f a r -de r ived descent,

And g ene r ous stock, by a n ignoble l ife .

BARD. A noble poet !OFF ICER . But can you tel l me, what

Th is means,engraved

,with Welsh words gilt above i t

HERE STOOD THE GWELEDIC

BARD. That table, of long-enduring bron z e,i s metal

,

Which hundred S i lverl ings bought Of mine own purse.

Time was, when I received a Bards rewardI i t Offered and affixed i t here mysel f :That S cripture d id I meditate and composeOne of your Lloe g r ia th Nation Engl ished it ;(Lloeg r iadd , know,

is S axon , i n bards’ speech

Under one crown and feathers,now made friends .

Here, have I seen him soothly, in dream ,i n thought ;

PENMOR IN WALES 1 23

(Or cal l it what you wi l l , i n Saxon speech ;I t i s a B rython vein

,a Cymric sense.)

I have seen h im here mysel f, great B r en in Ca r a dog ’

S ubl ime in chariot,comely as a god ,

The GLORY OF BRITAI N,leading his ca te r fs

They pass by,i n companies ; 10 , the Flower of

P ryda in,

(Which I sland -Beaut iful sounds , i n Brython tongueWith lofty looks and i ron battle-noise ;S trenuous

,great l imbed men

,ready of thei r hands .

And , as tal l ash , mongst lesser forest-tree s :

So amongst them heroes al l,is each fol k - captain

,

Pre-eminent . And wi ld c ry fo l lows them ,

Of wolves ; which sent from far the S laughter blood !This hi l l -brow looketh fa r forth

,o’

e r glen and llyn ,

To waste sal t flood . I s here the soul again,

Beyond Worlds Vo ice,becom e as l ittl e chi ld ,

Nigh to the Bosom of her Father,Heaven !

OFF ICER . What thing is that you ponder twixt your palms !

BARD . We l l cut and truly,from witch-haz el scrog, was

This vi rtuous branch : thi rd moons fi fth n ight ; hourwhen

,

(So I’

m cred ibly informed,) wise Aristotle wrote !

He r beams , holde and unholde, be most of force.

Best spray is that,which by some churchyard grows ;

Or where have criminal s hanged in bygone times,In windy chains. Repute our great learned men ;I t springs from bush

,whence was that r od of his

,

Which Horeb smote,and flowed forth wa te r b r ooks.

Therewith I pace,and l isten to these rocks ;

(And cast out every l iving human thoughtI f so were

,I might hear them creep : i s that

Where metal -delving elves travai l beneath .

Sometime they knock !OFF ICER . And there is water here !BARD . There is

,and might a man it find

, to stanch

1 24 THE CLOUDS

An armys thirst : and hidden wealth of ore,

Lies couched ; enough to make al l Gwene th l rich ,Not only of lead

,but malm of the red gold .

And proof is this : where el se have mountain elvesDigged thei r rich hoards ! You may bel ieve it notBut some

,which saw them in our grandames days,

Be on ly lately dead . Would you hear, what’

S recorded in Old written books of poesies ;In antique Cymric speech

,hard to be read !

OFF ICER . I am now off duty ; and wi l l l isten glad ly.

BARD . S hal l not we sit then ! Here is tufted heath .

(They s i t down

You are to mark,there is a certain n ight ;

Wherein stout-hearted,bold enough

,might a W ight ;

Who passed not for strange neighbours,be enriched .

I t is not whol ly fable,that I speak

Though seem it such,to tel l of Elf- land white

And Spirits o f bleak Moonl ight,i n days

,alas !

Of wars invading rage,i n Ynys P ryda in

2

S hut up, l i ke besieged C ity ; and enemies’ ships

R id ing in every haven . Howbeit,H e r last

Defense, recorded in old soothfast prophecies ;Shal l be from Cambria

,a Mother of al l Britons .

OFF ICER . And ’ how Should such one bear his part !BARD. So must,

He lurk, mongst those hi l l -sprites, that they him see not.OFF ICER . Seems thing imposs ible !BARD. Please you , hear the rest .

From dewfal l,t i l l new day-Spring in these hi l ls ;

That N ight, (none knows that Night, which now do l ive

When hold their revels al l the gobl in k in ,Which l ive exempt from human crimes, amongThese mountain steeps ; fi rst heard

,l ike crickets

chirping ;(But other some say, l ike to smal l fowls

’ steven ;1 Nor th Wa le s . 2 I sland B r i ta in.

1 26 THE CLOUDS

For fairy brides ! But they, whose clown ish handsMay bring no gracious gifts ; ben hurled from steeps ,By the joint valour of p r owd el fen kn ights

(Which ben a royal guard , of l ignage great ;That stand

, to fence K ing Oberon , day and n ight ,With pikes and bows ; sword -girt

,i n shin ing harness . )

Fay-fathers old,with sal lets on their heads ;

(Wise-sayers are thése , that s it on cl iff apartWind ing the whi le

,of grave and ghost ly note ;

Their wreathed loud battle-horns of whe lken shel ls.Bel lowing from craig to craig, i t mu ltipl iesThe Daughter of the Air , with mocking voice.

Thei r wont,fi rst is ; bemoan and cal l by name ,

All goodfel lows ; (whose thin shadows seem then passBy, on the mountain m ist , pale ghostly train !)That S i then last years great Elf-mote

,alas ;

Lie grave-oafs,ended under l iving grass .

When elf-wooers al l have chosen Valentines ;Bridegrooms and brides anon

,before K ing Oberon ,

(With the ice-grey al lwise, inseeing eyes,)Themselves present ; who kn its thei r happy hands .Being sounded then high-tide

,solemn ELF-MOTE !

Run-to a ll °

gob lin kind , with the bride-fo l kAnd at new crow of conchs

,they marshalled sit ;

In cross-shanked bevies,on the thymy turf ;

In Heavens S tar Hal l,after their k ins and place ;

By the l ight of the Moon ; and honey-cakes eat,

And curds with wastel-bread,apples and nuts ;

And what else,elves to brides’-n ight feast

,have brought .

Bi lberries,wood -sleepwort

,cherry-ston e s have men found ;

And shales of howlets’ eggs,where fays have supped .

In reverence of the Moon,done off their hoods ;

With becks and quirks,each making other mirth ;

They eat their cates,and drink the clear dew drops.

But when al l have enough,whilst anc ients s it,

PENMOR IN WALES 1 27

S ipp ing the Old years mead , i n precious cupsOf ant ique beaten go ld ; (that m ingled is ,Men say

,of honey and sloes

,wi th elderberries

Run young el f- sprites ; in whom is any fl it- foot,And skitt ish jo ints . Some fl ing in breathless haste

,

O’

e r be rg and b ill : sk ipping from craig k id - l ike,

To craig, some h ide and seek mongst ste epl ing cl iffsAnd Penm or s brinks chace round

,i n their d isport.

Other, at echoes play, i n m isty deeps ;Luring from scar to scar

,from pen to bryn

Some hie, to gather wortles , where they find them .

Not few descend ed , in their j ol l ity, whereA stern night-spirit boweth down the tal l woods

,

(where is the man in the oak,that seems a flame

,

And dance the loping hares, i n the l ight of the Moon ,Beyond the glen S e e which ca n over the l lyn,

Trip i t ; and not so wet thei r dainty shoon .

Or o’

e r awned ears, wing-footed runn ing on,

Of the green corn , in grim woodwase s plain ;Where

,i n field st itches

, S cr a ts stand , making mows

(Sprites of low cobold k ind ,) with glowing eyne ;Not he a r them down ! and l ike to grasshoppers then ,Elves on al l , by the white l ight of the Moon ;Tumbl ing together

,i n the new cocked hay

Some fl ing wheels,some cast

,in each others faces

,

The mowers swathe. Fro l ic,he a l ng ,

anon ;They swift

, to Pe nm or s cl i ffs,repair again .

There new-wed pairs, (of al l al ive on mould

,

Most glad eyed those !) go gleeful pacing forth ;And elves wont

,where they come

,cast on them flowers .

But where plain is and even ground beyond,

(Twixt these twin bergs ;) whence gladsome hubbubsounds

Fay mothers resort and elves Of graver thought ;And wont , with l istful ears , stand there around ;

1 28 THE CLOUDS

The rest sit ' down, on shadow of the Moon ;And wag their pows : whilst goodfel low Paigle plays.

i He and she, young unwed elves, stepped on their feetLinked hand in hand, al l in the Moons white l ight '

GO on the ring-dance, to that music sweet.

After H e r, the r e tr ips a sta r ;

Twinking g la d lyfr om afa r

S he bea r s Cynthia s staj”a nd wa llet ;

And sha l l sp r ea d he r sm ooth sedg e pa llet ;

When S he l ist to close He r eyes,

I n som e w i ld wood of the skies.

With l ift ing knee-bows fast those feat ly tread ;And weaving to and fro of t ink l ing ShanksSkipping with swift fetched sole-casts Of l ight feetAnd many a he ck

,elves carol and tread round

Liken ing the compassed heavens wide starry choirs .O r else ; where Pip its flute blows merry note

With pulse Of n imble feet ;S corched sod those beat, they beat ;Toss ing from smooth round napes, long bright el f- locksWhiles thereby standing fayfolk r ound song chant

(The melody and measure wonde rs quaint to us !)With gobl in laughter

,mingl ing oft their voice.

Last, who,fay-maid, i s deemed to have danced best ;

And maz e of wreathing arms, doth featly thread ;Fays d ight with ouch of moonstone

,glowing bright .

What e lfling proud can , better than the best,S ith foot it, on the qu ick sl ick sod apart ;Being guerdoned

,with wreathed bracelet of fine bron z e

Against her,as gu ise is then

, d ance th forth .

Whereafter fays,as Sun and Moon them crown ;

With breathing flowers,which Open in the n ight.

In! cadence

,al l clap hands. He r maid -feres then ,

1 30 THE CLOUDS

OFFICER . Unk’

ind ! Like honest m irth,may fay-tales serve ;

Amidst our tangled steps, i n Worlds woodBARD. To ease a pensive mind !OFFICER .

’

T i s hour we supAnd I may bring a guest ; I bid you in .

’

T i s S imple fare you ’l l find . Two hours remain,

Of S ummer even ing l ight : you wil l have t ime.BARD. I honour shal l esteem it, to eat bread ,

With the K ings officers : and I wil l ingly obey.

S U PPER TALK

Now supper ready,i n their shelter ad it ;

The Muses Power me present made,i n spiri t.

Discoursed was,W

'

hethe r ye t the wa r we r e lost !

S ome held thus : other there-against, vehement spakeMongst whom that Bard

,there sitting as a guest ;

S ome notable prophecy, in h is British poesies ,Protesting ; of soothsayer

,antique Me r thin ‘

,

Beginning ; I see Wa r s footsteps in the fie lds !

(Wherein a mortal spake immortal words ,Upon his seven -stringed d reaming instrument ;Unfold ing

,of a Nation yet unborn ,

The fates .)Fr om m ounta ins of the eag les, (that

Is Cambria,) should be P ryd a ins la st defense .

Cambria,he cries

,whose mountains and fast rocks

,

Im por tuous, He r a natural fortress make !Though shut in last

,l east Corner

,of the I sle,

Be our res istance : Wedg es sha l l,of steel ,

F r om H e r hi ll -str eng ths d escend ing , (Me r th in saith,)

I sle B r i ta in seve r fr om H e r enem ies !

Briefly to touch the substance of their talkThe Common Voice saith ; S hould the Parl iamentAssemble now in Wales : and rumour is ,These days

,of a D I CTATOR to be named .

Al l hearts cry out,for one

, (great S cipionWarden Of Britain

,captain in the wars ;

In whom a dece ived Nation dares to trust .1 Or Me r l in.

1 32 THE CLOUDS

In Lancashire, in the M idlands and South Shires ,Defeated were our Caucus generals

,

With deserved ignom iny ; whose fond boast was, leadS tripl ings to Vi ctory, against war-wont sold iers .Where dearth was ere

,today bread-riots are ri fe.

Savage inhuman, i s that civi l strife ;Of who have unlearned to be citi z ensNaught reck they

,Of d zing e r thereby to the STATE

Nor would they endeavour aught,for Countrys sake.

Lament of bitter hearts is i n each Place !Famine and war now added to thei r lot.Men bark

,fo r misery

,with hOllow looks ;

That tel l of homes destroyed and substance lost.They and thei r wives and chi ldren go unfed .

The Enemys cruisers, corn and flour cut Off.Now publ ic maintenance fai leth : fear is

,that cannot

The rabble rage much longer be repressed ;That must bewray us to our enemies !With hunger wasted , men lose hope and strength .

Now watchword,Of the Invader enemy is ;

We r e soonest E ug land tam ed, by fam ishm ent .

Where the rich pinch , the poor must perish : i t i sAn o ld said saw. Men lack ing sustenance daz e.Who gathered pulse and horsemeat, i n wide fields ;Or lately fed of bitter publ ic loaves,(Which were not bread !) that now have ceased ; who

wheatAnd barley ears

,of pluckt-down stacks, d id roast,

In feeble flames of corn -stalks ; with d rawn brows,Whereon seems death to s it ; must newly fl i t,With trembl ing knees

,to range fields’ empty furrows ;

S eek ing wild meat, in unti l led balks ; hedge-worts,Unsound , to put under their chi ldrens teeth ;To seethe them in their pots : and roots, to bake,In ashes of their hearths .Each day awakes ,

I 34 THE CLOUDS

I n lodges of bent boughs, who have more strength ,(Shelter from dew and the unkindly wind ,)Recover them ; and in cabans of d igged turves .A new I nstruction is of Parl iament ;

Tha t ci tiz ens fl ee no m or e,fr om the i r wa ste hom es

:

S ince it m ig ht be impossible , hencefor th,To feed them fug i tive . And a r e fi ng e r -posts

N ow on a l l ways and r oads, to be d estr oyed .

Men,hating the empty daylong dying want ,

Del i rious,n ightlong

,hunger-dream of bread ;

Accusing heaven,that they regard no more ;

Which not regardeth them,in thei r desperate m iseries !

Renouncing, to fl ing more the winged waste prayer ;

Towards Coast of stars’ cold mock ing multitudeEnvying of them that S leep , the happier case :Fren z ied

,demoniac

,daily slay themselves .

In ht’

Ing e r-need

,friends

,acquaintance

,strive for food !

Brother wi l l take his brother,by the throat.

Women,with wail ing suck l ings

,at dry dugs ;

To snatch ! were seen, last morsels, from the mouths ;Of tender orphans

,of their s isters dead .

And when th is wicked War shal l sometime cease ;Impious inhuman warfare ! Where may breadBe found ! that each a l ittle

,and not enough,

Put in h is mouth . Wretches shal l not be able,With blackened tongues then

,to swal low thei r bread , alas

And after so great Dearth,cometh a great Death .

The Eastland e r s now,compel led by the Worlds vo ice,

Outraged humanity,have establ ished doles

But, to crave alms , of armed usurping enemies ;Al iens in Englands soi l

,is wretchedness.

I S dai ly, in our , not occupied yet, West S hires ,The price raised

,over that which yesterday was,

Of bread which is mingled Of al l mea l s ;(Flour even of acorns

,gathered in wi ld woods

SUPPER TALK 1 3 5

Which,by a famished multitude, can be eaten .

London invested,flashed was few days past.

Valorous Kent-dwel lers,somewhi le had resisted

The Eastland e r s march , advancing from Thames Mouth,And S andwich Haven . From Essex , marched in force,The Burners of Easthampton . Portsmouth lost

,

A third ful l army-corps is arrived from thence.London beleaguered

,surging in her streets

,

Proclaim a frant ic parricide populace,

The supe r sess ion of a ll p r iva te r ightsS ha ll eve ry bond a nd covena nt be r elea sed .

Unto a ll a n equa l lot, a com m on pur se .

Vast thronging rabblement,Bedlam multitude '

Would, (such the insane fury of their hearts !)

Marching with d i re outcry,fi r e London streets.

Dread Carn ival of Unreason ! Homicide swarms,

Led by one Mansworn,on that other part ;

(Cap ta in-of -the -opp r essed -P eople , he him cal l s,)Have

,raging routs

,the Parl iament House beset .

Thence haled were, grovel l ing, from their usurpedseats

,

Mendacious demagogues ; that had longtime mocked ,And moved to C iv i l strife

,the common sort.

Could not those brook , that larger l iving thought,(Grief of good hearts !) THE S URETY OF THE NATION .

Lifted , midst h ideous tumult, was no voice,To save them ,

Frampold,Darnel

,Balderdash ;

Sowers of mischief,st irrers-up of stri fe ;

And Dogface,more presumptuous than the rest :

When those were buffeted,through great Parl iament

S treet.By such men

,Englands arms were overthrown ,

Ere battl e was ! and frustrated were He r fleets.The Nation , that was fu l l of slumbering hates ;Deceivers ! those

,for only private ends !

r 36 THE CLOUDS

S ubverted ; l ike to swine which wroot up grassAnd marred

,through homely stri fe, their Lands defense.

Al l Un ity of Resistance thus was lost .God let them never thrive ! al l Seeing heaven ,

Soon take, to common profit ! their base breaths.Was foreign

,to their treasonable thoughts ;

The un ity and concord of al l Brit ish hearts .Ships, from the S ister Britains, overseas ,

Begin now to arrive : their wireless grams,

Have we this day received ; and they have ours .

Among them,was this hardly spoken ; when came,

From the steel cupola,al l hasti ly

,an officer in

,

With intense looks : air-grams were in his hand .

LONDON,quoth b e

,with stem and constant face

,

AS THESE WORDS TESTIFY ! now received by us,

I s partly avenged . Our aeroplane destroyers,Are ha desi te hurl ing on the leaguering arm ies !With d in terrific

,above cannons throat.

By wireless telephone, ye m ig ht even hea r i t !

I s every bomb dropt,thousand Eastland e r s’ deaths.

Bodies of armed m e n enemies,which stand

,midst

The mortal surge of each death-deal ing blast,

Be blown to motes ! who more without,caught up

,

In the air ; beat, after moments , back to Earth ;Grave themselves

,gory corses

,there. The fi rst

Fal l last then ; rained from skies , with gl ittering dust ;Wide dew of blood ! For under heaven , can néught

Resist, that a frame hath and l iving breath ;(Cal led rightly by its name,) that he l l ish b last !Our air-flye r s d ie, for England ! with their deaths .Even , whiles we here speak thus , such goeth there forth !Foes

,fel low-countrymen perish in one death .

ANOTHER OFFICER. To d ie for Country, is rightly a sold iersdeath

ANOTHER . H is crown of honour !

H ELP FROM OVERSEAS

Power of the muse,Penm or I saw no more ;

But under the S unsett ing, a large shore ;And fleet of anchored transpo r ts rid ing near :

And warships with them,flying at the fore

,

The R e d -Cross banner of the FIVE FREE BR ITAINS .

(Eluded our grain-convoy in the n ight,

Had the Enemys squadron,and here entered safe.)

Fair bay it was : stand wide pitched on the Plain ,Which bordered n igh salt waters shore ; I sawA quadrate camp, with thousand tents of so ld iers.From Britains overseas

,have those arrived

S hips d ischarge corn ; and coal is hoised aboard .

S old iers al l day, i n many boats, disbarked .

Whilst yet I gaz ed,and marvel led In

’

my thought !Late S ummer Sun went down , on broad se awave s.

Meseemed then presently,that with in an house,

I was ; amidst some even ing Company of guests ;I n town,

which p leasant stands, Of Western Britain ,By that sea-side : where, as we gathered round ;A young man

,frank

,ingenuous vo iced

, (whereinGrave organ -tones

,) a winged-chant read aloud ;Chant, which had this day S i ster Gertrude madeWhereunto al l wé

,which in those sound ing wal ls ;

He r undersong rehearsed .

She , with her Ambulance,Reached hither yesterday ; where pitched r ifle - rangesWere, of the levies of the Leag ue of P a tr iots.

HELP FROM OVERSEAS 1 39

At S unrise, when that Overseas’ fleet Came in

,

Was stand ing S ister Gertrude at sea-brim ;

(Warned, i t i s said , by a prophet ic d reamAnd noble widowed maiden

,poetess ; seemed ,

(War-Maiden , of Britain ,) She , behold ing them ;

In passion of her soul,as one i nspired .

Lay,which she sudden ly her heart within

(H e r heart l ike to some seething sacred vessel !)Conceived ; d id med itate and then frame : i n seeingThose Brother Britons

,men Of he r own kin ;

S old iers from beyond seas , War-help for Britain ,

Disbark ; ind ited from her teeming l ipsImprinted si th ; was so ld in the even ing street ,As a News-Sheet ; to buy poor orphans bread .

(S iste r Ge r tr udes S ongBLESSED SHALL NAMED

,i n Brita ins years to Come

,

Be this days Sun : when we,which l ive therein ;

S e e with our eyes,that which World hath not se e n

,

In ages past. On you eternal rocks ,I cal l ! which wal l and crown this I sland coast ;(Great re nowned Nursing-Mother of al l Britons !)Make to me answer

,echoing sti l l their shout ;

As loud they hai led,from shore

,thei r Mother Britain .

Now flows together al l the House Of Britain ;One Mothers blood

,which those d ivide with us !

[A Capta in of Ove r sea s’

S old i e r s which fir st d isba r k ,

unde r a n hea d land ]

CAPTAI N . HONOUR,heart-worship, to this sceptered Rock ;

From whence we spring,enshrined in al l our hearts .

Thy sons, we those Thy S acred Knees embrace ;Brita in

,which brought us and our fathers forth .

ALL. B r i ta in,which br oug ht us a nd our fa the r s for th .

CAPTAI N . Mother, with inward l iving warmth of Love ;Like as spring leaves

,out of the golden bud ,

Aga inst the Sun,towards Thee, our hearts unfold .

140 THE CLOUDS

ALL. Mothe r , wi th love towa r ds The e,our hea r ts unfold .

CAPTAIN . Out of our transports,we this day d isbark ;

Te n thousand and ten thousand,from sea voyage.

ALL. Ten thousand and ten thousa nd , fr om sea voyag e .

CAPTAIN . Sailed to maintain Thy R ight ; when we go up,Thy sons

’ sons,from this Foster Cl i ff

,i n arms ;

We, MOTHER , wil l establ ish i t, with our l ives .ALL. We

, 0 MOTHER, wi ll esta bl ish i t, wi th our lives !

CAPTAI N . Who wou ld look on , and see a foreign scornPut on his MOTHER ! He r which s itteth

ALL . Who would look on,a nd see a for e ig n scor n

P ut on his M othe r ! H e r tha t s i tteth

CAPTAI N . Within this Metropol itan I s le ! adorned,With noble offspring. Sons

,with He r home-sons,

Partners in Empire,members of one Bond

,

One Family, Five fre e Nations of He r blood ;He r overseas’. sons

,we

,in fel lowship of p r owd arms ,

In faithfu l brotherhood,wi l l endeavour us !

ALL . We, in fa ithful br othe r hood , wi l l endea vour us.

CAPTAI N . Britain in peri l , FOSTER , which hath nursedOur i nfancy, of the -fu lness of He r Breast ;Which d id , on our far shores , defend our youth ;We stand this day before He r

,i n bright a rms ;

To uphold the honour of OUR FATHERS ’ HOUSEThat were not trodden down the fathers’ graves ;By the insolent heel of strong invad ing al iens .

ALL. To uphold the honour of our Fa the r s’

House

Tha t wer e not tr odden down the fa the r s’ g r a ves ,By the insolent hee l of str ong I nvad ing A l iens.

CAPTAIN . Of H e r i t i s,that we

,He r DAUGHTER LANDS

(Grown daughters , dwel l ing each in He r own HOUSE ,)Amidst the Main -S e a Deeps

,today possess

Our Heritage of New Homes and Livel ihood .

ALL. Of He r i t is, tha t we th is d ay possess

The H e r i tag e of our Hom es a nd Live l ihood

CAPTA IN . In strength of al l Thy sons , Thou MOTHER STATE,

1 42 THE CLOUDS

Ready to leap up, i n enduring flame.A LOCKER-ON . Each s inew of thei r manhood , this day kn it

Is, as a bowstring.

A PATRIOTS VO ICE . I s it,ha ! too much ;

Debtors to England , fo r our l ives and fortunes !That we should cast

,that which is dear to us

,

Before the footstoo l of He r gracious feet !OTHER PATRIOTS’ VO ICES . We make Rel igion of our

Countrys S ervice.

We fight gainst them,that seek the Nations Life !

S ISTER G. In those young Britons burns a generous flameBeat true their hearts

,and pant with patriot breath.

On ly through virtue , can be saved a Nation !YOUNG PATR IOTS . For love of Country, which constraineth

us,

He r sons wi l l fight. We wil l ingly , i n He r defence,Wil l cease

,i f need were

,from this l iving l ight.

I f unrequ ited,what is that to us !

Who is,would stay to reckon recompense

,when

H is Mother is in peri l !S I STER G . Th is pious thought

,

Shal l pith give to your arms , peace to you r hearts .A YOUNG PATR IOT. H is labour

,which hath S pringt ide in

h is hea rt ;In peace or war

,is l ight : there letteth us naught.

For HER , whose Smile is Peace, with in our hearts,Thou bloody bel lowing War ! we welcome Death .

ANOTHER . And is it sweet to sleep,SO shal l be death .

LOOKERS -ON . To unknown peri l of i nvad ing War ;Those speed them to depart.

OTHER VO ICES . Give back ! They pass.S ISTER G. Marching with honour and the Peoples shout

Eager to jeopardy thei r young l ives to death.

Heavens favour shine on their true manly worth !LOOKERS -ON . Our hearts go with them, and our prayers to

Heaven !

HELP FROM OVERSEAS 143

Men choos ing sooner, to lose l ife , than faith ;They ma rch with l i fted hearts

,in patriot breasts .

ONLY THROUGH V IRTUE , CAN BE SAVED A NATION !

In that , a new pang gripped me by the throat ;And thri l led my labouring Chest

,shaft of deaths smart :

We re not,tha t deigned , with H e r high hand

,uphold

The Muse hersel f,my l ife : and in the same ;

She seemed enlarge my sense ; so that I mightBehold

,widewhere, Britains waste M idland parts :

Vast h ive ti l l lately,and workshop of the Wo r ld ;

Whereby He r merchant traders were enriched,

And the whole Nation , by exchange of wares .South from East Angl ia , (Shoulder Of I sle Britain ,

Which the Enemy ho lds in force :) the SA ! ON SHORE ,

To S pithead,with her three great Naval Ports ;

(S tations are those today of enemies’ warships !)I saw

,i n the Ea stland e r s Power. Within - land , was

One common Ru in , both of town and field !Amidst ; immense, I saw, (by Flame of War

,)Deformed i ron waste ; sered , harried with the sword :

(There where wont Sun be darkened , o’

e r mens heads,

From morn t i l l eve ; and se ldwh i le s heaven seen ;For multi farious human enterprise !)Hum was of thousand workshops, mil ls , pits , factories

(Where the armoury was erewhi le, and wealth Of

England,)

S i len t !I saw the travai l - sta ined hammer-men stand ;

Sons of the dai ly labours of their hands ;Idle

,at co r ners now Of shot-craz ed streets

Toi lers,for whom ,

those daylong murky hours,

The vital a i r was a pern icious breath ;An headstrong

,hand st r ong ,

hungered,impotent

,

Pale multitude,with thick curses on their l ips .

Cumbered dejected wretches the town paths

THE CLOUDS

Some were, that only shades of manhood seemed .

(Those startle, at the coming of a S tranger !)Their joyless m il ls

,and Chimneyed factories ,

Blackened by fi re ; be broken down and waste.

Shut were the iron gates,behind their backs !

Drudges of steel ; that giant, ere few days were,Reciprocating stride Of wheel ing engines ;Which wrought

,with pant ing breaths

,for human l ivel i

hood ;Hath ceased ! Weeks-end pay-wickets are no more.That wealth which min istered wages

,i s consumed .

I n that I mused , I heard some of thei r words :

ARE NOT WE , ten t imes, strong arms and strong hands,As thirty- thousand men . Mates

,had we been

Trained, and in regiments formed , the same as soldiersNO foreign Nation could have gotten of usThe overhand : but Lancashire had prevai led ;And England had been saved .

Lighted my gaz eThen on a certain town

,far in the North .

He r hil ls I knew,spires

,gables and high towers .

Are the E a stland e r s i n her gates ! The day beforeThose entered

,and took ransom of the Place.

In the cross—st r ée ts,stand foreign sent inels .

Ta r a -ta nta r a Changing of thei r watch.

S trange trumpetings sound : tramp heard ! of war-fie ldstained

Men Eastland e r s ; that, in uncouth un iforms , pass !Clatter their caval ry

,on the streets paving stones.

I n open squares,stand quick -fi r e r Ang lic id e guns.

Bi l l eted in every house,lodge foreign soldiers :

None are exempt. The publ ic wal ls d istainedBe

,and citiz ens’ doors, with strange Wa r -notices

,

And R eg ula tions ; that, in both the tongues ,Are set forth

,in a foreign Sovereigns Name !

1 46 THE CLOUDS

(Souls vowed , and consecrate, to R ighteous LifeS ucceed into the rooms of those unj ustTo guide the I sland People, and defend !

ANCI ENTS OF THE S . BAND. We, Britain , fal len on manyevi l days ;

S ince when the Sacred Vanguard is passed forth ;S tand on He r hi l ls, as watchmen in the NightTime

,for th is Peoples safeguard .

PEOPLE. Hearken ! First, must,We say ; THE BREAD OF ENGLAND BE MADE SURE .

FATHERS . Breathe Heaven a Spirit of Concord , in al l hearts !PEOPLE . That may r e -establ ish Britains commonwealth .

i t i t i t

Fainted my heart,and reeled this mortal S ense

And yet methought I heard the Muses breath,

S aying Word . She erewhile spake by Co l ins mouth ;THE REST UNTOLD, NO LIVI NG TONGUE CAN SPEAK !

WORKS BY CHARLES M . DOUGHTY

W a nd e r ing s in A r a b ia

Two Volum es. D emy 8vo. I os. net

One of the g r ea te st tr ave l -books in l i te r a tur e . N0 book of Ar abian tr ave l iscom par able w i th Doughty

’s in r om antic inte r e st. Not since the Eliz ab e than

voyag e r s has the r e be en any pa r a l le l to i t . I t is a g r ea t stor y, told in a g r e a tm anne r

, a m aste r piece of style and a r e cor d of he r oic doing s The sta te l ie stpr ose of our g ene r a t ion.

”-Specta tor .

Good cr it ics and fa r tr ave l le r s de c la r e M r Doughty’

s‘ Ar abia the nob le s t

t r ave l-book of the East wr itten in m ode r n t im e s . —Mancheste r Gua r d ia n .

One of the c lassics of t r ave l, our ch ie f author i ty on A r abia, and one of the

r a r e and cur ious m aste r pie ce s of Eng l ish pr ose .

”—Obser ve r

H e r e is an endur ing book . A book of which i t i s d ifficult to speak in

m ode r a te wor ds. A candour , a vivid sim pl ic ity, a powe r ful d ir ectne ss , a s r a r e as

enchant ing . Fulne ss of l ife is in th i s book . The r e cor d ha s a S ingula r fa scina t ion .

The r e is m uch we should l ike to m ent ion, m uch we Should l ike to quote , but wem ust ur ge the r e ade r to g e t the book .

”—Aca a’

emy.

Doug hty’s wor k is a lr e ady a c lassic . The book r em a ins a m onum ent of

ob se r va tion, insigh t , pa t ie nce , and sym pa thy, of an unusua l kind .—N a tion .

Has the wi ld , fr e sh vision of an Eliz abe than se am an couple d, as i t neve r wa sbe for e , wi th the r eflect ive judgm en t and poe t’s he a r t of a m an of e xquisite cultur e ,br eeding , and cha r acte r . The wr i ting is close ly-kn i t, fine wor k tha t cannot b equoted e xcep t at leng th . I ts r eputa t ion is se cur e . The hum anity of the booka lone woul d pla ce i t above any othe r b ook of the k ind in Eng l ish - Mor n ing

Post.

One of the few g r e a t books of tr ave l tha t have be en wr itten in Eng l ish . An

e ve r -va r ied , eve r -m oving nar r a t ive . Th is is sur e ly a book wh ich be long s to the

class ics of tr ave l l i te r a tur e .

”-Da i ly News.

The m ost r em a r kab le r e cor ds of adventur e and r e sea r ch . Has about i t tha tfascina tion wh ich be long s only to the be st tr ave l books . Mor e fa scina ting thanr om ance , M r Doughty

’s wor k is assur ed of i ts position in the ve r y fr ont r ank .

”

Da i ly Te leg r aph.

A m a ste r p ie ce of t r ave l . Eve r y pag e conta ins vivid pictur e s . To l ite r a tur e ,in the tr ue sense , M r Doughty

’

s book be long s .” - Athenaeum .

The m ost int im a te ly true and pene tr a t ing a ccount e ve r wr itten. I t is som e thingm or e than a de scr iption. I t is, in i ts vividne ss, and tr uth , and powe r , an in te rp r e ta tion of influence s e ve r pr e sent and e ve r act ive .

”—S a tur a’ay R evi ew.


Th e Daw n in B r ita in . An E p ic P oe m

S ix Volum es. Cr own 8vo. 4s. 6d . net each

This str ong , str ang e poem fulfi ls a spi r a t ions He r oic due ls, close lym ode l led on Hom e r ic fights bits of Pagan m ythology, l ike Woden’s visit to theab ode of H e l B r ennus

’

s pa ssag e of the A lps the song of S igor , wh ich we shouldhave l iked to quote in ful l a s a p r oof of M r Doughty

’

s handling of idyll icthem e s Th is is no or dina r y poem , such as m inor ba r ds wi th a cul t iva ted tasteand se lect vocabular y could wr i te . I t is wor k of an a l tog e the r h ighe r or de r . I t

m ay b e its subjec t and m anne r w i l l na r r ow the c ir c le of i ts adm ir e r s in an ag e tha tis quick to pr ote st tha t it has no le isur e for epics ; but the fit and few w i l l g ivethanks for a poe t. Tim es L i te r a ry Supplem ent.

! We cong r a tula te Mr Doughty on the publ ica t ion of the conc luding volum e sof his gr ea t epic . I t i s conce ived and e xecuted on the he r oic sca le , and the r e ade rwi l l b e r ewa r ded by the true epic v ision and m any pa ssag e s of noble poe tr y .

”

Spectator .

I t is m a r ked by h istor ica l and poe tica l im ag ina t ion of a ve r y high or de r . N0r eade r could escape fr om a sense of k insh ip wi th the anc ient B r i tons while thebook is in his hands . The ve r ba l style of the poem , i ts subj e ct, i ts de ve lopm ent ,i ts r ug g ed and te l l ing im ag e r y, a r e a ll not on ly of equa l or ig ina l i ty, but se em so

pe r fe c tly adapted one to anothe r . The cum ula tive e ffe c t is haunt ing .

”—Academy.

We adm ir e its str eng th and scope . Mr Doughty use s h is s tr ength l ike a g iant .Always, in the ve r y w i lde st pa ssag e , the g r ea t pe r sona l i ty is beh ind the song .

H is str eng th of eye , h is vigor ous inte l lect , his fie r ce since r i ty a r e g r ea t poe t ica lqua l i t ie s . And he has pa ssag e s of tende r ne ss to m a tch his pa ssag e s of bloodshed .

”

Da i ly N ews.

The r e i s a g r andeur in ‘The Dawn in B r i ta in ’wh ich endows i t with the

t rue a tm osphe r e of epic . The actua l ity of the scene s, the bar bar ic for ce of the

ba ttle -

pic tur e s, the str ang e a tm osphe r e of the pr im i t ive landscape of for e st, fen and

m a r sh, is inte r pr e ted by a Muse r ich ly r om antic in fe e l ing , e xtr em e ly r e a l in a im

and m e thod . M r Doughty, we be l ieve , wi l l take h is p lace ul tim a te ly am ongEng l ish c la ssics . I n

°

wildne ss of r om ant ic beauty and str ang e or ig ina l i ty i t wouldb e im possible to m a tch the stor y of Cloten and Esla ‘The Dawn in Br i ta in ’

i s a g r ea t poe t ic stor ehouse of the h istor y , fact, leg end , r om ance and lor e of the

Ke l tic people s .” - S a tur day Rev i

An am a zm g epic . He has g ifts of im ag ina tion and de scr iptive powe r in no

or d ina r y deg r e e .—B ookm a n .

The poem is ful l of vivid im ag ina tion . The vita l e xce l lence of this epic isthe tota l absence of poe tic lum be r . The author is st r ong ly se iz ed by the g r andeurof his them e , i ts con tinua l ly r ecur r ing beaut ie s, and he has a r em a r kable powe r ofbr ing ing the g enuine fr e shne ss of the m or ning into his p ictur e s of B r i ta in’s dawn .

”

Outlook .

He sta nds whe r e Chauce r and Spense r stood. The ve r y languag e se em s thefitte st m e dium for the thought . We lay down the book wi th ta ste unc loyed, wi thm em or ie s enr iche d by m any a r e cor d of g a l lant if unava il ing fight, wi th pa ssag e sOf S ingula r beauty, of noble though t couche d in im pr e ssive phr a se . We g ladlypay tr ibute to the im ag ina tive powe r and the inspir a tion and to the h igh ide a lwh ich has led the poe t De scr ibed wi th an ene r gy wh ich neve r se em s toSlacken a noble pa thos and sim pl ici ty wh ich a r e beyond pr a i se .

”

Gla sgow H e r a ld .


A d am Ca st For th

Cr own 8vo. 4s. 6d . net

M r Doughty is the posse ssor of she e r g enius . ‘Adam Ca st For th ’

e xh ib i tshim as an indubitable poe t . I t wil l leave an ine ffaceable im pr e ssion . A g r ea tach i eve m ent .”—B i r m ing ham Post .

! A notable dr am a . The m igh t and im por tance of Mr Doughty’s

‘AdamCa st For th ’

ar e not to b e sum m e d up!

in a ca tch-wor d .

”—L iverpool Cour i e r .

0

Mr Doughty ke eps bur ning the sac r e d lam p of pur e poe tr y ; and his fineIm ag e r y and m e taphor g ive r ichne ss to his l ine s .” Globe .

! I t is a hold ta sk M r Dough ty has a ttem pte d . The r e is r eve r ence and pie tyin e ve r y pag e . The th ing s of Ea r th and of H eaven m ing le tog e the r just as the ydo in the Bib le and in Hom e r . I t is a fine wor k , com ing fr om a g r ea t stor e of fineand str ong fe e l ing .

—~ Da i ly News.

! A splendid a ch ievem ent . I t is a p ie ce of absolute cr e a t ion . The figur e s l ivea s do the figur e s in a folk -stor y , or in the book of Job . Nor is the r e any fa lsesim pl ic ity , anym or e than the r e is m e r e a r cha ism in M r Doughty

’s style , for the

S im pl ic ity, the pr im i tivene ss, a r e in answe r to a ne ed of our day ; they a r e of our

t im e , pe r haps for a ll t im e , for the intensity of the poe t’s since r i ty is incom pa r able .

”

Bookm a n .

I t is a joy for a r eviewe r to discove r a book wh ich he fe e ls is, ul tim a te ly, pastde scr iption as i t i s pa st m e r e pr a ise . We know not how to de scr ib e the g r aveb eauty, the str ang ene ss, the fulne ss of this echoing poem . No one but M r Doughtycould have wr itten i t. His vocabula r y is r ich and r e condite , his r hythm s buoyantand swe e t. H is wonde r ful ‘Wande r ings in A r ab ia affor ds a m em or able e xam pleof a fine ha r m ony of pr ose . Ye t m or e lofty , and individua l , i s the ve r se in thi svolum e than the pr ose of those t r ave l s . How fi t and che r ishable i t is . Th is ve r sehas the sound of the g r e a t Bib l ica l tongue—i ts m using g r avity , i ts solem n clea r ne ss,i ts de ep since r ity . We do not want to depr e c ia te the ta lents of othe r poe ts, butif we m ayb e pe r m i tte d to say it

—we a r e thankful the them e has e scaped them and

be com e the se cur e inspi r a tion of M r Doughty . For he has tr ea ted it wi th the

auste r ity, the sim pl ic i ty , the we ighty g r andeur of since r i ty, wh ich a lone justify anym an in his choice of i t

,Fr om the se e xtr acts w i l l b e se en the singula r str eng th

and swe e tne ss wh ich M r Doughty se em s to have at com m and . H e r e is m us ic of

a m a ste r .

”—Academy.

! Dia logue s of inde scr ibable tende r ne ss and nobil i ty . As in the ‘Dawn inB r i ta in Mr Doughty c r ea te s na tur a l luxur iance and b e auty on the one hand,sub l im i ty and te r r or on the othe r

,wi th e qua l m a ste r y. The whole book br ing s

be for e the m ind, by m eans of pr e cis ion of de ta i l and a suffus ion of r om ance , en t ir e lynew scene s of hum an joy and pa thos , and beauty and sub l im i ty in ea r th and sky.The na tur a lne ss is love ly in i tse lf ; ye t i s so use d tha t i t sub side s to i ts tr ue place inthe r ich and im ag ina tive whole , a fte r a m anne r for which few pr ecedents wil l b efound outside Spense r . The or de r of b eauty is so r a r e and so intense . The r e a r e

pa ssag e s to wh ich we sha l l tur n aga in and aga in as e xam ple s of the ‘ be st wor ds inthe be st or de r ’ which m ake fine poe tr y ; and to m any othe r s for She e r beauty of

style , such as we go for to Spense r and She l ley. The thr i l l ing de l ica cy and awe

of the sce ne s and a ct ions de scr ibed a r e m a tche d by the languag e and structur e of am a ste r , and they m ake a splendid whole .

”- S atur day R evi ew .

! A poem whose qua l ity is undeniable , and ye t ha r d to de fine . Spaciousim ag in ing s, passa g e s of sim p le hum an b e auty . We had e xpecte d m agn ificencefr om Mr Doughty but we do not know tha t his m om ents of tende r ne ss a r e not

m or e im p r e ssive than his he r oics . He has wr itten a noble poem .

”—Specta tor .

A S E L E C T I ON F R O M

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How long will ye rest careless and at ease, That are unweary; O negligent young men ! When will ye...

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