LEONORA.

TRANSLATED FROM

THE GERMAN

OF

GOTTFRIED AUGUSTUS BÜRGHER,

BY

W. R. SPENCER, Esq.

WITH
DESIGNS
BY
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
LADY DIANA BEAUCLERC.

LONDON:
PRINTED BY T. BENSLEY;
FOR J. EDWARDS, AND E. AND S. HARDING, PALL MALL.

1796.

PREFACE.

THE Works of Mr. Burgher, the Author of this
and many other Poems of the ballad kind, are
universally esteemed, wherever the German lan-
guage prevails as a national idiom, or is culti-
vated as a branch of education. Simplicity is the
characteristic of his compositions; and of all lite-
rary beauties, simplicity must be the moft gene-
rally attractive. It is no common merit to excel
in a ſtile which all understand, many admire, and
but few can attain. To this merit Mr. Burgher
has an undoubted claim; a claim our countrymen

PREFACE.

would be the firſt to allow, could they enjoy his
exprerſions in their original purity, or his ideas in
a faithful tranſlation. No writer perhaps has ever
obtained a more decided popularity. To this his
ſubjects and his language equally contribute; for
the former he has moſtly choſen local traditions,
or legendary anecdotes; and in the latter he is
generally elegant, often ſublime, and never unin-
telligible. Such qualifications enſure him the ſu-
frage of every clafs of readers. The ſcholar and
the moraliſt cannot reſufe praeſe where they have
found entertainment, without diſguſt to their taſte,
or danger to their principles; and the mechanic
perſues with delight, ſentiments ſuited to his feel-
ings, imagery familiar to his mind, and precepts
adapted to his practice.

One of the moſt powerful cauſes of Mr. Burgh-
er's literary popularity, is the deep tinge of ſuper-
ſtition that ſhades almoſt all his compoſitions.

E FACE.

allow, could they enjoy his
original purity, or his ideas in
No writer perhaps has ever
decided popularity. To this his
language equally contribute; for
mostly chosen local traditions.
notes; and in the latter he is
often sublime, and never un-
ailifications ensure him the dif-
ferences of readers. The scholar and
refuse praise where they have
not, without difficulty, their ta-
principles; and the mechanic
right, sentiments suited to his fel-
niliar to his mind, and precepts
practice.

soft, powerful cautions of Mr. Borgh-
 clarity, is the deep tinge of for-
 almost all his compositions

P R E F A C E .

Supernatural incidents are the darling subjeets of
his countrymen. Their minds vigorously conceive,
and their language nobly expresſes, the terrible
and majeſtic: and it muſt be allowed, that in this
ſpecies of writing they would force from our na-
tion the palm of excellence, were it not ſecured
by the impregnable towers of Otranto. Of all
their productions of this kind, Leonora is perhaps
the moſt perfect. The ſtory in a narrow compaſs
unites tragic event, poetical ſurprife, and epic re-
gularity. The admonitions of the Mother are juſt,
although ill-timed. The defpair of the Daughter
at once natural, and criminal; her puniſhment
dreadful, but equitable. Few objections can be
made to a ſubject, new, ſimple, and ſtriking; and
none to a moral, which cannot be too frequently
or too awfully enforced.

The Tranflator muſt apologife to thofe who are
“ docti fermones utriuſque lingua,” for ſome de-

PREFACE.

viations from the original text. Mr. Burgher has
repeatedly ufed words merely for found, as 'trap,
trap, trap,' for the trotting of an horfe; and 'cling,
cling, cling,' for the ringing of a door bell. Thefe
echos to the fenfe, which are ftrictly "vox et pre-
terea nihil," cuftom may reconcile to a German
tafte; but, literally adopted in an Englifh verfion,
they would appear more ridiculous than defcrip-
tive. In general it is hoped, that, although many
beauties may have been obfcured, no effential
meaning has been omitted or adulterated.

Between the completion of this Poem and its
publication, which has been unavoidably delayed,
as much time was required by the artifts to do
juſtice to thofe exquifite defigns, which are its
brighteſt ornament; an elegant verſion of the
fame ballad has been publiſhed by Mr. Pye. Had
the Author of this tranſlation foreſeen the inten-
tions of the Laureat, he would not probably have

LEONORA.

7

From rank to rank, from name to name,
The fond inquirer trembling flew;
But none by person or by fame,
Aught of her gallant Wilhelm knew.
When all the joyous bands were gone,
Aghaft she tore her raven hair;
On the cold earth she caft her down,
Convuls'd with frenzy and despair.

In hafte th' affrighted mother flew,
And round her clasped her aged arms:
"Oh, God! her griefs with mercy view,
"Oh, calm her conftant heart's alarms!"
"Oh, mother! paft is paft; 'tis o'er;
"Nor joy, nor world, nor hope I fee;
"Thy God my anguifh hears no more,
"Alas, alas! Oh, woe is me!"

LEONORA.

Thus did the demons of despair
Her wildered fenfe to madneſs ſtrain,
Thus did her impious clamours dare
Eternal Wifdom to arraign.
She beat her breaſt, her hands ſhe wrung,
Till weſtward funk the car of light,
And countleſs ſtars in air were hung
To gem the matron weeds of night.

Hark! with high tread, and prancings proud,
A war horſe ſhakes the rattling gate:
Clattering his clanking armour loud,
Alights a horſeman at the grate:
And, hark! the door bell gently rings,
What ſounds are thofe we faintly hear?
The night breeze in low murmur brings
Theſe words to Leonora's ear.

LEONORA.

"Say where the bed, and bridal hall?
"What guefts our blifsful union greet?"
"Low lies the bed, ftill, cold, and fmall;
"Six dark boards, and one milk white fheet."
"Haft room for me?" "Room, room enow:
"Come mount; ftrange hands our feaft prepare;
"To grace the folemn rite, e'en now
"No common bridefmen wait us there."

Loofe was her zone, her breaft unveil'd,
All wild her fhadowy treffes hung;
O'er fear confiding love prevail'd,
As lightly on the barb fhe fprung.
Like wind the bounding courfer flies,
Earth fhakes his thundering hoofs beneath;
Duft, ftones, and fparks, in whirlwind rife,
And horfe and horfeman pant for breath.

LEONORA.

" This duft to duft reftore, what time
" The midnight dews o'er graves are ſhed;
" Meanwhile of brides the flower and prime
" I carry to our nuptial bed.
" Sexton, thy fable minſtrels bring!
" Come, prieſt, the eternal bonds to bleſs!
" All in deep groans our ſpoufals ſing,
" Ere we the genial pillow preſs."

The bier, the coffin, diſappear'd,
The dirge in diſtant echoes died,
Quick founds of viewleſs ſteps are heard
Hurrying the coal-black barb befide.
Like wind the bounding courſer flies,
Earth ſhakes his thundering hoofs beneath;
Duſt, ſtones, and ſparks in whirlwind rife,
And horſe and horſeman pant for breath.

LEONORA.

27

Mountains and trees, on left and right,
Swam backward from their aching view;
With fpeed that mock'd the labouring fight
Towns, villages, and caftles flew.

"Fear'ft thou, my love? the moon fhines clear;

"Hurrah! how fwiftly fpeed the dead!

"The dead does Leonora fear?"

"Oh leave, oh leave in peace the dead!"

See, where fresh blood-gouts mat the green,
Yon wheel its reeking points advance;
There, by the moon's wan light half feen,
Grim ghofts of tomblefs murderers dance.

"Come, fpectres of the guilty dead,

"With us your goblin morris ply,

"Come all in feftive dance to tread,

"Ere on the bridal couch we lie."