The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-04

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The Vale of Towy. Characteristics
South Wales. embraces in its winding
course OK fifteen miles some of the love
lest scenery in the world. II It be less
cultivated than the Vale of Usk, It's
woodland views are more romantic ana
frequent. The neighborhood Is historic
and poetic ground. From Grongar Hill
the eye discovers. trades of a Roman
camp; Golden Grove. the home of
Jeremy Taylor. IA on the opposite side
of the river: Merlin's chair recalls
Spencer: and farm house near the
foot of Llangunnor Hill brings back
the memory of Its once genial occupant,
Richard Steele Spencer places the
cave of Merlin among the dark woods
of Dynevor.
lThe author Of this beautiful pastoral
poem was the Rev. John Dyer. He was
born al Aberglasney (near Llandilo'.
Carmarlhenshire. South Wales. IN the
year 1900. and educated at Westminster
school. He was intended for the law,
but. however, abandoned that study
for painting. In 1927 he published
Grongar Hill. which Is remarkable for
simplicity, warmth of feeling, and eX-
quisite descriptions of nature. HE
then made the tour of Italy, and then
returned home In bad health. took or
ders. and obtained some respectable
ecclesiastical preferment. In ms
didatic poem. entitled THE Fleece"
n75D. the difficult subject is treated
with great success: but the unpretend-
ing tone of the poem made no impress
sion upon his contemporaries. Another
poem. THE Ruins of Rome" nIlW.
abounds in isolated beautiesl
Silent nymph. with curious eye!
Who. the purple evening lie
On the mountains lonely van,
Beyond the noise OF busy man.
Painting fair the form of things,
While the yellow linnet sings.
Or the tuncful nightingale
Charms the forest with her tale
Come, with all thy varied hues,
Come, and aid thy sister Muse.
flow, while Phoebus. riding high,
Gives lustre TO the land and sky.
Gyonear HUI invites my song
Draw the landscape bright and strong;
Grongar. In whose mossy cells
Sweetly musing Quiet dwells;
Grongar. in whose silent shade,
For the modest MUSES. made,
So oft i have, the evening still,
AT the fountain of a rill
Sat upon a fowery bed.
With my hand beneath my head,
While strayed my eyes DER Towy's Hood
Over mead and over wood.
From house to house, from hill to hill,
Till Contemplation had her fill.
About his checkered sides | wind,
And leave his brooks and meads behind,
And graves and grottos where ! lay,
And vistas shooting beams of day.
Wide and wider Spreads the vale
As circles on u smooth canal.
rhe mountains round. unhappy fate!
Sooner or later. of all height.
Withdraw their SUBMITS from the skies.
And lessen as the others rise.
Still the prospect wider spreads,
Adds Il thousand woods and meads.
Still IL widens. widens still.
And sinks the newly risen hill.
Now gain the mountains brow;
What u landscape lies below.
No clouds, no vapors intervene;
But the gay, the open scene
Does the face OF nature show.
In all the hues of heavens bow:
And, swelling to embrace the light.
Spreads around beneath the sight,
Old castles on the cliffs arise.
Proudly towering in the skies;
Rushing from the woods. the spires
Seem from hence ascending fires;
Half his beams Apollo sheds
n)n the yellow mountain heads.
iilds the 1ieeces Of the flocks.
kpd slittered on the broken rocks
'elOw me trees unnumbered rise.
Beautiful In various dyes:
che glowing pine. the Poplar blue.
rhe yellow beach, the sable yew.
rhe Slender fir that taper grows,
The sturdy oak with broad-spread boughs,
And beyond. the purple grove
Haunt of Phyllis. queen of love,
,audy as the opening dawn,
lies "A long and level lawn.
IN which dark hull, steep and high,
Holds and charms the wondering eye:
rhe sturdy oak with broad-spread boughs,
And beyond the purple grove
Deep are his feet in Towy's food
lis sides are clothed with waving wood;
md ancient towers crown his brow,
That cast an awful look below;
Whose ragged walls the ivy crecps,
And with her arms from falling keeps;
SO both. a safety from the wind
Pm mutual dependence find
Tis now the ravens bleak abode;
'ris now the apartment of the toad:
And there the fox securely feeds;
And there the poisonous adder breeds,
Concealed In ruins. moss and weeds
While. ever and anon. there fall
Huge heaps of hoary. moudered wall;
Yet time has seen-that lifts the low
And level lays the lofty brow
Has seen this broken pile complete,
Big with the vanity of state.
/ But transient Is the smile of Fate!
A little rule, a little sway.
A sunbeam In a winters day
is all the proud and mighty have
Between the cradle and the grave.
And see the rivers, how they run
Through woods and meads, in shade and
| sun
Wave succeeding wave. they so
A various journey to the deep.
Like human life to endless sleep.
Thus Is Natures vesture wrought
To instruct our wandering thought;
Thus she dresses green and gay
To disperse our cares away.
Ever charming. ever new,
When will the landscape tire the view!
The fountains fall, the rivers flow;
The woody valley, warm and low:
The windy summit. wild and high,
Roughly rushing on the sky:
The pleasant seat, the ruined tower
The naked rock. the shady bower;
The town and village. dome and farm
each gives each a double charm
As pearls upon all Ethiop's arm.
See on the mountains southern side,
Where the prospect opens wide.
Where the evening gilds the tide. .
How close and small the hedges lie:
What streaks Of meadow cross the eve:
"A step, methinks, may pass the stream
So little distant dangers seen;
So we mistake the Futures face,
Eyed through Hopes deluding glass;
As your submits. soft and fair,
Glad In colors Of the air.
= Which to those who Journey near,
Barren, brown. and rough appear:
Still we tread the same coarse way
The presents still n cloudy day.
, @. may with myself agree.
And never covet what I see:
Content me with a humble shade.
My passions tanned. my wishes laid;
For while our wishes wildly roll,
We Danish quiet from the soul
IT'S thus the busy beat the air
And misers gather wealth and care.
3 Now. even now. my joys run high,
AS on the mountains turf lie;