Classic Poem

Canto the Fifth

Whilst serene joy sat smiling in her court,
As shadows to illustrate virtue by,
Fantastic Love becomes the princess' sport,
Whose harsher dictates she ere long must try.

For now suspicion, Virtue's secret foe,
Fired with Argalia's just deserved fame,
Makes her great father think each minute slow,
Till separation had allayed the flame.

Least that her court, which seems composed of all
That's great or good, the o'erweening world should cal
Perfection's height — a word which, whilst on earth,
Vain as delight, only from name takes birth —
In this the largest and most glorious sphere
E'er greatness moved in, some few stars appear
To virtue retrograde. The informing spirit —
Love, by whose motion on the pole of merit
This bright orb turned, e'en 'mongst these heroes find
A pair of followers, whose imperfect minds
Transgressed his dictates; and, though no offence
So full of guilt as foul incontinence
Durst here approach, by ways less known unto
What love intends, those various figures drew,
Whose aspects ne'er more near conjunction move,
Than eyes — the slight astronomy of love.
That new Platonic malady, the way
By which imperfect eunuchs do betray
Nature's diseases to contempt, whilst by
Such slight repast they strive to satisfy
Love's full desires, which pines or else must crave
More than thin souls in separation have,
Being lately by some sick fantastics brought —
But ne'er the Court — within it long had sought
For residence, till entertained by two
Whose meeting souls no more distinction knew
Than sex, a difference which, whilst here it grows
Toward Heaven, it to corporeal organs owes.
But since that these so uncouth actors here
But as intruders on the scene appear,
Ere in their story we engulph too far,
Let's first behold them in their character.
If e'er thy sober reason did submit
To suppling Mirth, that wanton child of Wit,
Beholding a Fantastic, drest in all
His vain delights, what's analogical
To our Acretius then conceive thou 'st seen;
Though if compared, those short to him had been
As transcripts are to copies: to complete
A humorist, here Folly had chose a seat
'Mongst more than vulgar knowledge, and might pass
The same account an academic ass
Makes of his father's four year charge, when he
Frights villagers with shreds of sophistry.
'Mongst foreign parts, of which, like Coriate,
He'd run through some, he had acquired to prate
By privilege; and, as if every nation
Contributed, is in each several fashion;
Which, like their tongues, all so imperfect find,
That both disguised his body and his mind.
Though self-conceit, vain youth's fantastic crime,
Made him steal singly from the front of time,
I' the medium, which but seldom proves the seat
For lust's wild fire or zeal's reflected heat,
He amorous grows; and doubting to prevail,
For all his wings caught Pegasus b' the tail,
And being before with Cupid's engines fired,
From his posteriors doubly was inspired.
She that at first this sympathetic flame
Inspired him with, the court knew by the name
Of Philanta; to whom, all would impair
Their skill, that gave the epithet of fair,
Except Acretius, — since her beauty fit
For praises was, where paralleled by wit.
Yet now, although time's sad discovery tells —
Her Autumn's furrows were no parallels
In Beauty's sphere, those youthful forms being grown
So obsolete, scarce the vestigia's shewn:
A native pride and strange fantastic dress,
More admiration than e'er comeliness
Could do, acquires. She formerly had been
A great admirer of romances, in
Whose garb she now goes drest; a medly piece
Made up of India, Turkey, Persia, Greece,
With other nations, all enforced to be
Comprised within five foot's stenography.
Her wit, that had been critical, and ranged
'Mongst ladies more than the ushers' legs, was changed
To gratify; and every word she said —
An apothegm unto the chamber maid —
From whom, her long experienced knowledge in
Some of the female mysteries of sin,
Had gained the applause of being skilled in all
That could prevent decaying beauty's fall.
Acretius and she, being such a pair
As Nature when tired with more serious care
For recreation made, instructed by
Their meeting natures' secret sympathy,
Soon learn to love; but, as if now too wise
For youth's first dictates, Love's loose rules comprise
In such strict bounds, that each the object saw
Of their desires, like sacred things, some law,
Fear made obeyed, forbids the world to use,
Least the adored enjoyment should abuse
Into contempt; nor are their meetings in
Those plainer paths — which their nice art calls sin —
At all performed; — that, the dull road unto
The bridal bed; this; the fantastic clew
To a delight, which doth in labyrinths sit,
None e'er beheld while they preserved their wit.
Like wanton Jove committing secret rapes
On mortal beauties, they transmute their shapes.
At every interview; now, in a dress
Resembling an Arcadian shepherdess,
She in the woods encounters him, whilst he,
Armed like a furious knight, resolved to be
Her ravisher, approaches, but, being by
Her prayers charmed into pity, there doth lie
Fettered in soft embraces; now he must
Turn hermit, and be tempted unto lust
By her, a lady errant; like distressed
Lovers, whose hopes by rigid friends oppressed
Pine to despair, they now are wandering in
Unhaunted groves, whose pensive shades had been
So oft their shady veil, that every tree,
In wreaths where love lay wrapped in mystery,
Held their included names — a subtle way
To the observant courtiers to betray
Their serious folly, which, from being their own
Delight, was now the sport o' the pages grown;
The pleasant offsprings of whose wanton wit
Disturb their peace, that, though secured they sit
In shady deserts, with as much of fear,
As wandering ladies, when the giant's near,
They'r still possessed; less terrible were all
The dreadful objects, Amadis de Gaul
Or wittier Quixotte from their enemies
E'er met, than was the fear of a surprise
By those which did such strict observance take.
They thus their folly the court's laughter make. —
Near to the island's utmost verge did lie
Retired e'en from Heaven's universal eye,
A deep dark vale; whose night-concealing shade
By a fresh river's silver stream was made
So sweetly cool, it often did invite
Pharonnida to meet the smooth delight
Of calm retirement there. Where, to impart
With Nature's bounty all that liberal Art
Thought fit for so remote a pleasure, stood
A grotto, where the macrocosm's cold blood
Ran more dispersed in various labyrinths then
It circulates within the veins of men.
Hither the inventive lovers, who long sought
Some way which Fancy ne'er her followers taught
To express their serious folly in, repair,
Oft as the sun made the insalubrious air
Unfit for public walks. To entertain
Them here with what exceeded all their vain
Delights before, — newly erected by
Successful art, each various deity
Old Fancy placed the sea's commanders, here
They with delight behold; but when drawn near
They saw, i'the midst o'the blue eyed Tritons, placed
Neptune's and Thetis' chariot — yet not graced
With their unfinished figures, this they took
For so much favor, as they had forsook
Their thrones to give them place. But what adds yet
More to the future mirth, they swiftly fit
Themselves with habits, such as art had drew
Its fancies in — both of their robes being blue
Enchased with silver streams; their heads, with fair
Dishevelled perriwigs of sea-green hair,
Were both adorned; circling whose crowns they wore
Wreathed coronets of flags; his right hand bore
A golden trident; her's, yet hardly red,
As if new plucked from the sea's frothy bed,
A branch of coral. — But whilst here they sit
Proudly adorned, both void of fear as wit,
The gates o' the grotto swiftly shutting in,
A torrent, such as if they 'd seated been
At Nile's loud cataracts, by ways (before
Unseen) breaks forth; by which the engine bore
From its firm station, floats aloft, and, by
A swift withdrawing of those bays which tie
Floods from commerce, is wafted forth into
A spacious pool; where the bold artist drew
The unfathomed sea's epitomy within
A circling wall, but such as might have been
A pattern to Rome's big bulked pride, when they
Shewed sea's loud battles for the land's soft play.
Our amorous humorists, that must now appear,
This narrow sea's commanders, shook with fear,
Sit trembling — whilst the shrill voiced Tritons sound
Their crooked shells, whose watery notes were drowned
B' the lofty laughter of that troop, they saw
Their pleased spectators; for Pharonnida,
Being now with all her beauteous train come to
Behold this pageant, taught them how to view
A shame as dreadful as their fear, which yet
Was full of horror; for though safe they sit
I' the floating chariot, yet the mounting waves
So boisterous grew, that e'en great Neptune craves
Himself relief, till frighted from all sense
By second dangers: — From that port from whence
They sallied forth, two well-rigged ships are now
Seen under sail, whose actions taught them how
Sea-fights are managed, in a method that
They being too near engaged to tremble at,
By fear's slow conduct to confusion led,
Fall from their thrones; and through the waves had fled
From shame to death, had they not rescued been
By swift relief — a courtesy that, in
Its first approach, though welcomed — when they come
To stand the shock o'the court's loud mirth, as dumb
As were the fishes they so late forsook,
Makes Mercy court them in a dreadful look.
But, leaving these to pay with future hate
Each courtier's present mirth, a sadder fate
Commands my pen no longer to attend
On smooth delights, before it gives an end
To that ephemera of pleasure; which,
Whilst a free conversation did enrich
Their thoughts, too fast did ripen in the breasts
Of both our royal lovers, whose fate rests
Not long in downy slumbers, ere it starts
In vain phantasmas — Hope herself departs
In a distracted trembling. Their bright sphere
Of milder stars had now continued clear
So long, till what their smiling influence drew
From the unthankful earth contracted to
A veil of clouds; whose coolness, whilst some praised,
Obscured those beams by which they first were raised.
Hell's subtle embryoes — the ingratitudes
Of cursed Amphibia, whose disguise includes
Mischief's epitome, had often strook
In secret at their envied joys, which took
Ne'er its effect till now. So heavenly free
The virtuous princess was from what could be
Of human vice, she knew not to mistrust
It in another, but thinks all as just
As her own even thoughts; wherefore, without
Oppressing of her soul with the least doubt
Raised from suspicion, she dares let her see
She loved Argalia, though it could not be
Yet counted more than what his merits might
Claim as desert. But this small beam of light,
Through the perspective of suspicion to
Envy's malignant eye conveyed, to do
An act, informs the cursed Amphibia, that
Makes love lament for what she triumphed at.
Since virtue, Heaven's unspotted character,
On the beloved Argalia did transfer
Merits of too sublime a height to be
Shadowed with vice — from that flower's fragrancy
She sucks her venom; and, from what had built
His glory, now intends to raise his guilt.
For though the prince no engines need to move
His passion's frame, but just desert — his love —
Her close endeavours are to heighten 't by
Praises that make affection jealousy;
Whose venom, having once possessed his soul,
It swiftly doth, like fatal charms, control
Reason's fair dictates; and although no fear
From such well ordered actions could appear
To strengthen it, Argalia's merits caused
Some sad and sullen doubts, such as, when paused
A while upon, resolve their cure must be —
Their cause removed — though in that action he
From his breast's royal mansion doth exclude
The noblest virtue — generous gratitude.
To cure this new felt wound, and yet not give
Strong arguments — great virtues cannot live
Safe in corrupted courts — the poison 's sent
In gilded pills. — A specious compliment,
To call him from his calm and quiet charge,
Pretends by new additions to enlarge
His full blown fame, to an extent as far
As valour climbs in slippery heights of war:
Which now, though calmed in 's own dominions, by
A friendly league invites him to supply
The stout Epirot with an army that,
Though rich in valour, more was trembled at
For being commanded by Argalia, than
Composed of Sparta's most selected men.
As if no grief could be commensurate
Unto their joys, but what did blast their fate
In its most blooming spring; our lovers were,
When first assaulted by the messenger
Of this sad news, set, in the quiet shade
A meeting grove of amorous myrtles, made
To veil the brow of a fair mount, whose sides
A beauteous robe of full-blown roses hides;
In such discourse, the flying minutes spending,
As passion dictates, when firm vows are ending
Those parles by which love toward perfection went
In the obliging bliss of full consent.
The fatal scroll received, and read until
She finds their parting doom; the spring-tides fill
Her eyes, those crystal seas of grief — she stops —
Fans with a sigh her heart, then sheds some drops
Upon the guilty paper. Trembling fear
Plucks roses from her cheeks, which soon appear
Full blown again with anger — red and white
Did in this conflict of her passions fight
For the preeminence. Which agony
Argalia noting, doubtful what might be
The cause of so much ill, he in his arms
Circles his saint; with all the powerful charms
Of love's soft rhetoric, her lost pleasure strives
To call again; — but no such choice flower thrives,
Though springs of tears thither invite this rest,
In the cold region of her grief-swollen breast.
Long had she strove with grief's oppressive load
Ere sighs make way for this: — " Is thy abode
Become the parent of suspicion? Look
On this, Argalia, there hath poison took
Its lodging underneath these flowers, whose force
Will blast our hopes — there, there, a sad divorce
'Twixt our poor loves is set, ere we more near
Than in desires have met. " As much of fear,
As could possess his mighty soul, did shake
His strenuous hand, whilst 'twas stretched forth to take
The letter from Pharonnida. Which he
Having looked o'er, and finding it to be
An honorable policy to part
Them without noise, he curtains o'er his heart,
Pale as was her's with fear, in a disguise
Which, though rage drew his soul into his eyes,
So polished o'er his passion — to her grief,
His own concealed, he thus applies relief: —
" Dear virtuous princess, give your reason leave
But to look through this cloud, which doth receive
Its birth from nought but fear. — This honor, which
Your royal father pleases to enrich
My worthless fortunes with, will but prepare
Our future happiness. — The time we spare
From feeding on ambrosia, will increase
Our wealthy store, when the white wings of peace
Shall bear us back with victory; there may,
Through the dark chaos of my fate, display
Some beam of honor; though compared with thine
(That element of living flame) it shine
Dim as the pale-faced moon, when she lets fall
Through a dark grove her beams: — thy virtues shall
Give an alarum to my sluggish soul,
Whene'er it droops; thy memory control
The weakness of my passions. When we strive
I' the heat of glorious battle, I'll revive
My drooping spirits with that harmony
Thy name includes — thy name, whose memory
(Dear as those relics a protecting saint
Sends humble votaries) mentioned, will acquaint
My thoughts with all that's good. Then calm again
This conflict of thy fears, I shall remain
Safe in the vale of death, if guarded by
Thy pious prayers — Fate's messengers that fly
On wings invisible, will lose the way,
Aimed at my breast, if thou vouchsafe to pray
To Heaven for my protection. — But if we
Ne'er meet again — yet, oh! yet let me be
Sometimes with pity thought on. " — At which word
His o'ercharged eyes no longer could afford
A room to entertain their tears; both wept,
As if they strove to quench that fire which kept
Light in the lamps of life, whose fortunes are
I' the house of Death, whilst Mars — the regal star.
Some time in silent sorrow spent, at length
The fair Pharonnida recovers strength,
Though sighs each accent interrupted, to
Return this anwer: — " Wilt, O! wilt thou do
Our infant love such injury — to leave
It ere full grown? When shall my soul receive
A comfortable smile to cherish it,
When thou art gone? They're but dull joys that sit
Enthroned in fruitless wishes; yet I could
Part, with a less expense of sorrow, would
Our rigid fortune only be content
With absence; but a greater punishment
Conspires against us — Danger must attend
Each step thou tread'st from hence; and shall I spend
Those hours in mirth, each of whose minutes lay
Wait for thy life? When Fame proclaims the day
Wherein your battles join, how will my fear
With doubtful pulses beat, until I hear
Whom victory adorns! Or shall I rest
Here without trembling, when, lodged in thy breast,
My heart's exposed to every danger that
Assails thy valour, and is wounded at
Each stroke that lights on thee — which absent I,
Prompted by fear, to myriads multiply.
— But these are Fancy's wild-fires, we in vain
Do spend unheard orisons, and complain
To unrelenting rocks — this night-specked scroll,
This bill of our divorcement, doth enrol
Our names in sable characters nought will
Expunge, till death obliterate our ill. " —
" Oh! do not, dear commandress of my heart,
(Argalia answers), let our moist eyes part
In such a cloud as will for ever hide
Hope's brightest beams; — those deities that guide
The secret motions of our fate will be
More merciful, than to twist destiny
In such black threads. Should Death unravel all
The feeble cordage of our lives, we shall,
Spite of that Prince of Terrors, in the high
And glorious palace of Eternity,
Being met again, renew that love, which we
On earth were forced, before maturity
Had ripened it, to leave. I' the numerous throng
Of long departed souls, that stray among
The myrtles in Elysium, I will find
Thy virgin ghost; and whilst the rout, inclined
To sensual pleasures here, refining are
In purging flames, laugh at each envious star
Whose aspect, if ill sited at our birth,
With poisonous influence blasts the joys of earth. "
" Oh! waste not (cries the princess) dear time in
These shadows of conceit — the hours begin
To be 'mongst those inserted that have tried
The actions of the world, which must divide
Us from our joy. The sea through which we sail
Works high with woe, nor can our prayers prevail
To calm its angry brow — the glorious freight
Of my unwelcome honors, hangs a weight
Too ponderous on me for to steer the way
Thy humbler fortunes do; else, ere I'd stay
To mourn without thee, I would rob my eyes
Of peaceful slumbers, and in coarse disguise,
Whilst love my sex's weakness did control,
Command my body to attend my soul —
My soul, my dear, which hovering near thee, not
Midnight alarums, that appear begot
By truth, should startle: 'twixt the clamorous camp,
Lightened with cannons, and the peaceful lamp
That undisturbed here wastes its oil, I know
No difference, but what doth from passion flow,
Whose close assaults do more afflict us far,
Than all the loud impetuous storms of war. "
" We must, we must, (replies Argalia) stand
This thunderbolt, unmoved, — since his command —
Whose will confirms our law. Happy had we,
Great princess, been, if in that low degree,
From whence my infancy was raised, I yet
Had lived a toiling rural; then, when fit
For Hymen's pleasures, uncontrolled I'd took
Some homely village girl, whose friends could look
After no jointure for to equalize
Her portion — but my love; no jealous eyes
Had waited on our meetings, we had made
All our addresses free; the friendly shade
Cast from a spreading oak, as soon as she
Had milked her cows, had proved our canopy;
Where our unpolished courtship had a love
As chaste concluded, as, from the amorous dove
Perched near us, we had learned it. When arrived
Unto love's zenith, we had, undeprived
By disagreeing parents, soon been led
To church b'the sprucest swains; our marriage-bed,
Though poor and thin, would have been neatly drest
By rural paranymphs, clad in the best
Wool their own flocks afforded. In a low
And humble shed, on which we did bestow
Nought but our labor to erect, we might
Have spent our lusty youth with more delight
Than glorious courts are guilty of; and, when
Age had decayed our strength, grown up to men,
Beheld our large coarse issue. Our days ended,
Unto the church been solemnly attended
By those of our own rank, and buried been
Near to the font that we were christened in.
Whilst I in russet weeds of poverty
Had spun these coarse threads, shining majesty
Would have exhausted all her stock to frame
A match for thy desert — some prince, whose name
The neighbouring regions trembled at, from whom
The generous issue of thy fruitful womb
Might have derived a stock of fame to build
A future greatness on, such as should yield
Subjects of wonder to the world. " About
To interrupt him, ere he had drawn out
This sad theme, she began to speak, but by
Night's swift approach was hindered. Now drew nigh
The time of his departure. Whilst he bleeds
At thought o'the first, a second summons speeds
His preparations to the city, where
That big bulked body, unto which his care
Must add a soul, was now drawn up, and staid
Only to have his wished commands obeyed.
His powerful passion, love's strict rules respecting
More than bright honor's dictates, yet, neglecting
All summons, staid him till he 'd sacrificed
His vows to her, whose every smile he prized
Above those trivial glories. Ere from hence
He dares depart, each, with a new expense
Of tears, pays interest to exacting Fate
For every minute she had lent of late
Unto poor Love, whose stock since not his own,
Although no spendthrift, is a bankrupt grown.
Look how a bright and glorious morning, which
The youthful brow of April doth enrich,
Smiles, till the rude winds blow the troubled clouds
Into her eyes, then in a black veil shrouds
Herself, and weeps for sorrow — so wept both
Our royal lovers — each would, and yet was loath
To bid farewell, till stubborn time enforced
Them to that task. First his warm lips divorced
From the soft balmy touch of her's; next parts
Their hands, those frequent witnesses o'the heart's
Indissoluble contracts; last and worst,
Their eyes — their weeping eyes — (Oh fate accurst,
That lays so hard a task upon my pen —
To write the parting of poor lovers) when
They had e'en lost their light in tears, were in
That shade — that dismal shade, forced to begin
The progress of their sorrow. — He is gone —
Sweet sad Pharonnida is left alone
To entertain grief in soft sighs; whilst he
'Mongst noise and tumult, oft finds time to be
Alone with sorrow, though encompassed by
A numerous army, whose brave souls swelled high
With hopes of honor; — least Fame's trump want breath,
Haste to supply't by victory or death.
But, ere calmed thoughts, to prosecute our story,
Salute thy ears with the deserved glory
Our martial lover purchased here, I must
Let my pen rest awhile, and see the rust
Scoured from my own sword; for a fatal day
Draws on those gloomy hours, whose short steps may
In Britain's blushing chronicle write more
Of sanguine guilt than a whole age before —
To tell our too neglected troops that we
In a just cause are slow. We ready see
Our rallied foes, nor will't our slothful crime
Expunge, to say — Guilt wakened them betime.
From every quarter the affrighted scout
Brings swift alarums in; hovering about
The clouded tops of the adjacent hills,
Like ominous vapors, lie their troops; noise fills
Our yet unrallied army; and we now
Grown legible, in the contracted brow
Discern whose heart looks pale with fear. If in
This rising storm of blood, which doth begin
To drop already, I'm not washed into
The grave, my next safe quarter shall renew
Acquaintance with Pharonnida. — Till then,
I leave the Muses — to converse with men.