The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-06-15
A Dream CT Petrarcha.
BY WALTER SAVAGE LANDoR.


wandering in solitary places, and ncve
was afraid of slumbcring in woods anC
grottoes Among the chief pleasures o
my life, and among the commoncst of my
occupations, was the bringing before m,
, such heroes and hcroincs of antiquity
such poets and sages, such of the pros
porous and the unfortunate, as most in
tercsted me by their courage, their wis
dom, their cloqucncc, or their adventures
Engaging them in the conversation best
suited to their character, i knew perfectly
their manners, their steps their voices
and often did moisten with my tears
the models had been forming Of the
less happy. Great is the privilege Of
entering into the studies of intellectual
great is that of couvers'ng With the
guides of nations, the movers of the mass
the regulators of the unruly will, stiff in
its impurity and rash against the Al
mighty Power that formed it but give
me rather the creature to sympathiso
with npportion me the suAcrings to as
suage. Allegory had few attractions to
me, believing it to be the delight, in gen.
eral, Of idle, frivolous inexcursivc minds,
in whose mansions there is neither hall
nor portal to receive the lofty tier OF
their Passions. A stranger to the af-
fections, she holds low station among
the hand-maidens of poetry, being fit for
little but an apparition in mask. l had
reflected for some time on the sub
ject, when wcaried with the length Of
my walk over the mountains, and finding
a soft old molc.hill covered with grey
grass by the wayside, 1 laid my head
upon it and slept | cannot tell how
long it was before species of dream or
vision came over me.
Two beautiful youths appeared be-
side me; each was winged; but the
wings were hanging down, and seemed as
if adapted to flight. One of them whose
voice was the softest I ever heard, look
ing at me frequently, said to the other ::
''He is under my guardianship for the
present do not awake him with that
feather" Methought Oh hearing the
whisper, saw something like the feet
of IN arrow, and the arrow itself, the
whole of it even to the point. although
he carried it in such a manner that it was
difficult at first to discover more than a
palms length of it, and the rest Of the
shaft was behind his ancles.
"This feather never awakens any one"
replied he, rather petulantly "but it
brings more of confident security and of
cherishing dreams, than you, without me,
are capable of impartingn
BE it so !" answered the gentlcr;
"none is less inclined to quarrel or dis
pute than am. Many whom you have
wounded grievously, call upon me for
succor, but so little am l disposed to
thwart you, it is seldom that l ven
ture to do more for them than whisper
a few words of comfort in passing How
many reproaches, on these occasions,
have been cast upon me for indifference
and infdclity Nearly in the same terms
as upon you"
"Odd enough, that we, o Sleep
be thought SO alike !" said Love, con
temptuously. "Yonder is he who bears
a nearer resemblance to you; the dul-
lest have observed it."
/ fancicd l turned my eyes to where
he was pointing, and saw at distance
the figure he designated. Meanwhile
the contention went on uninterruptcdly
Sleep was slow in asserting his power OF
his benefits. Love was recaptulatine
them; but only that he might assert his
own above them. Suddenly he called
upon me to decide, and choose my pat
ron. Under the influence, first of tn,
one, then of the other, l sprang from re
pose, and knew which was the sweetest
Love was very angry with me. and dc
clarcd he would cross me throughout th
whole Of my existence. Whatever
might, on other occasions, have though
of his veracity, now felt too surely th
conviction that he would keep his word
At last, before the close of the alterca
ton, the third Genius had advanced AM
stood near us. / cannot tell how / kne'
him, but | knew him to be the Genius @
Death
Brcathless as 1 was at bcholding hin
| soon became familiar with his features
:, First they seemed only calm present.
5 they grew contemplative; and lastl,
beautiful; those of the Graces then
c selves are less regular, less harmoniou
+ less composed Love glanced at him III
steadily, with countenance of anxiet,
: somewhat of disdain and cried, $50
o way go away Nothing that tho
+ TOUGHEST lives"
:. "Say, rather" replied the advancin
u form; and advancing, he grew lofti'
and statelier ''say, rather, that notl
g ing beautiful, or of glorious lives its ow
Il true life. until my wing hath passed ov'
y it,"
L Love pouted, and rumpled, and bel
u down with his fore6ngcr the stiff sho
d. feathers on his arrowhead but ropli'
&c not. Although he frowned worse thi
y ever, and at me, | dreaded him less, al
D, scarcely looked towards him. II
'e milder and calmer Genius, the third,
Is proportion as | took courage to contel
n n plate him, regarded me with more a
u moro complacency. lie held Meth
Sc flower nor arrow, as the others did br
IL throwing back the clusters of dark cul
e' that overshadowed his countenance,
ID pres ,nted to me his hand opeuly and
rs nignly. l shrank on looking on him
rs near and yet l sighed to love him.
~ smiled, not without an expression of pi
~ at perceiving my difidencc-my ii
ln' idity for remember how soft was
81, hand of Sleep, how warm and entranci
en- was Lo7e's. BY degrees, l grew asha
~ ed of my ingratitude aud, turning
~ face away, ! held out my arms, and
IN my mock within his. Composure all
.Ds IL IL L = & L