The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-11-01


IT'S done, tits done that fatal blow
Has Rretch'd him on the bloody plain;
He ffrives to r1e-Brave Mufyrave, no!
Thence never fhalt thou rife again
He chokes in blood-fome friendly hand
Undo the vfer's barred band,
Uufx the gorget's iron clafp,
And give him room for life to gafp
In vain, in vain-hafe, holy friar,
Hat, ere the finner fhall expire
Ofal his guilt let him be fhriven,
And fn,ooth his path from earth TO heaven.
In hate the holy friar fped,
His naked foot was dyed with red,
As through the lia, he ran:
Unmindful of the fhout. on high,
That hailed the conqueror's vi4ory,
He rallied the dying man !;
Looie waved his iilver beard and hair,
Aso'er him he kneeled down in PRAYER
And fill the cruci6x on high,
He holds before his darkefiing eve,
And fill he bends an anxious ear,
His faltering penitence to hear;
Still props him from the bloody fod
Still, even when foul aud body part,
Pours ghotfly comfort on his heart,
And bids him truft in God
Unheard he prays tits DER It's DER,
Richard of Mufgrave breathes no more
p. 1871.
We have already made 70 many extract, from this
poem, that we can only afford to prefer, cur
readers with one fPecineu of the fongs which MIR.
Scott has introduced in the mouths of the minarels
in the concluding canto. 1t is his Object, in theCe
pieces to exemplfy the different ftyles of ballad
narrative which prevailed in this 1aud at different
periods, or in different conditions of foci.ty The
hrft IS contributed upon the rude and finiple model
OF the old Border ditscs, and produce. it. effect by
the direct and concfe narrative of .ragical occur
renee. The fecond, flung by Fitztraver the bard of
the accomplished Surry has of the richnefs and
Poiih OF the Italian poetry, very beautifully writ
ten IN itanza rcfsmblng that of Spencer The third
is intended rePrefen that wild ffyle of competition
which prevailed aneug the bards of the northern con-
tinent, fomewhat foftened and adorned by the min
ifrels reidence in the outh. prefer it, upon the
whole to either of the two former, and Gia give it
entire to our readers, who will probably be truck
with the poetieal effect of the dramatic form into
whiehit is thrown, and of the indirea defcription
by which every thing is moa expre1ively told, with
out one word of difina narrative.
o liaen, iien, ladies gayl
No naughty feat of arms tell
Soft is the note, and fad the Law,
That mourns the lovely Rofabelle.
-a Moor, moor the barge, we gallant crew;
And, gentle ladye, degn to fsy
Rel thee in Cattle Raveniheuch,
Nor tempt the normy firth to-day.
The blaskening wave is edged with white;
To ine and rock the fea-mew, fy;
ne hihers have heard the Water-Sprite,
Whole iereams forebode that wreck is nigh.
Laif night the gifted feer did view
A wet ihroud rolled round lsdye gay;
Then Ray thee, fair, in Ravenlheuch
Why oros the gloomy firth to-day ~
-" IT'S not becaufe Lord Lindefay's heir
Tonight at Ro1n leads the ball,
But that my ladye-mother there
Sitslonely in her eaffle-hall.
lis not beeaufe the ring they ride,
Ar,d I s,J.c IL. IL
But that my fire the wine will chide,
If tits not filed by Roiabele"
O'sr Roln all that dreary night
A wondrops blaze was feen TO CLEAN;
Twas br-, Ter than the wateh-fre light,
And br ghter than the bright moon-beam.
1t glared on Rollins caned rock,
1t REDEEMED all the copfe-wood glen
Twas feen from Dryden's groves of oak,
And feen from governed Hawthornden.
Seemed all on fire that chapel proud
Where Rollins chiefs uncoffined lie;
Each Baron, for a fable fhroud,
Sheathed in his iron panoply.
Seemed all FIRE within, around,
Both vaulted-crypt and affairs pale
shone every pillar foliage bound,
And glimmered all the dead-mens' mail
Blszed bsulsment and pinnet high,
Blazed every rofe- carved buttrefs fair
So ftiil they blaze when fate is nigh
The lordly hne Of high St. Clair.
There twenty Of Rollins barons bold
Lie buried within that proud ohapelle
Each one the holy vault doth hold
Bus the fea holds lovely Roiabele
Aad each St. Clair was buried there,
With candle, with book and with Lnell
But the Kelpy rung, and TIE Mermaid flung
The dirgc Of lovely ROfabeile' p. lsI-1s4.
From the various extracts we have now given. opr
readers will be enabled to form a tolersbly eorreA
judgment OF this poem; ard If they are plesfed with
thoie portions Of It which have now been exhibited
we may venture TO allure them that they viii not be
disappointed by the perufai Of the whole Tie whole
night-journey Of Dslorajus-the opening of the wi