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And ah! he may envy the heart-stricken quarry,
Who bids to the friend of affection farewell,
He may envy the bosom so bleeding and gory,
He may envy the sound of the drear passing knell,

Not so deep is his grief on his death couch reposing,
When on the last vision his dim eyes are closing!
As the outcast whose love-raptured senses are losing,
The last tones of thy voice on the wild breeze that swell!

Those tones were so soft, and so sad, that ah! never,
Can the sound cease to vibrate on Memory’s ear,
In the stern wreck of Nature for ever and ever,
The remembrance must live of a friend so sincere.

AUGUST, 1810.

14. Saint Edmond’s Eve

Oh! did you observe the Black Canon pass,
And did you observe his frown?
He goeth to say the midnight mass,
In holy St. Edmond’s town.

He goeth to sing the burial chaunt,
And to lay the wandering sprite,
Whose shadowy, restless form doth haunt,
The Abbey’s drear aisle this night.

It saith it will not its wailing cease,
‘Till that holy man come near,
‘Till he pour o’er its grave the prayer of peace,
And sprinkle the hallowed tear.

The Canon’s horse is stout and strong
The road is plain and fair,
But the Canon slowly wends along,
And his brow is gloomed with care.

Who is it thus late at the Abbey-gate?
Sullen echoes the portal bell,
It sounds like the whispering voice of fate,
It sounds like a funeral knell.

The Canon his faltering knee thrice bowed,
And his frame was convulsed with fear,
When a voice was heard distinct and loud,
‘Prepare! for thy hour is near.’

He crosses his breast, he mutters a prayer,
To Heaven he lifts his eye,
He heeds not the Abbot’s gazing stare,
Nor the dark Monks who murmured by.

Bare-headed he worships the sculptured saints
That frown on the sacred walls,
His face it grows pale,–he trembles, he faints,
At the Abbot’s feet he falls.

And straight the father’s robe he kissed,
Who cried, ‘Grace dwells with thee,
The spirit will fade like the morning mist,
At your benedicite.

‘Now haste within! the board is spread,
Keen blows the air, and cold,
The spectre sleeps in its earthy bed,
‘Till St. Edmond’s bell hath tolled,–

‘Yet rest your wearied limbs to-night,
You’ve journeyed many a mile,
To-morrow lay the wailing sprite,
That shrieks in the moonlight aisle.

‘Oh! faint are my limbs and my bosom is cold,
Yet to-night must the sprite be laid,
Yet to-night when the hour of horror’s told,
Must I meet the wandering shade.

‘Nor food, nor rest may now delay,–
For hark! the echoing pile,
A bell loud shakes!–Oh haste away,
O lead to the haunted aisle.’

The torches slowly move before,
The cross is raised on high,
A smile of peace the Canon wore,
But horror dimmed his eye–

And now they climb the footworn stair,
The chapel gates unclose,
Now each breathed low a fervent prayer,
And fear each bosom froze–

Now paused awhile the doubtful band
And viewed the solemn scene,–
Full dark the clustered columns stand,
The moon gleams pale between–

‘Say father, say, what cloisters’ gloom
Conceals the unquiet shade,
Within what dark unhallowed tomb,
The corse unblessed was laid.’

‘Through yonder drear aisle alone it walks,
And murmurs a mournful plaint,
Of thee! Black Canon, it wildly talks,
And call on thy patron saint–

The pilgrim this night with wondering eyes,
As he prayed at St. Edmond’s shrine,
From a black marble tomb hath seen it rise,
And under yon arch recline.’–