Whose impious folds enwrapped even thee; and

truth

2255

And innocence, embodied in his looks,
His words and tones and gestures, did but serve
With me to aggravate his crimes, and heaped
Ruin upon the cause for which they pleaded.
Then pity crossed the path of my resolve: 2260
Confounded, I looked up to Heaven, and cast,
Idonea! thy blind Father on the Ordeal
Of the bleak Waste-left him and so he died!

[IDONEA sinks senseless; Beggar, ELEANOR, &c., crowd round, and bear her off. Why may we speak these things, and do no

more;

Why should a thrust of the arm have such a

power, 2265 And words that tell these things be heard in vain?

She is not dead. Why!--if I loved this Woman,
I would take care she never woke again;
But she WILL wake, and she will weep for me,
And say no blame was mine-and so, poor fool,
Will waste her curses on another name.

2271

[He walks about distractedly.

Enter OSWALD.

OSWALD (to himself). Strong to o'erturn, strong also to build up. [TO MARMADUKE.

The starts and sallies of our last encounter
Were natural enough; but that, I trust,
Is all gone by. You have cast off the chains
That fettered your nobility of mind-
Delivered heart and head!

2276

Let us to Palestine;

This is a paltry field for enterprise.

Mar. Ay, what shall we encounter next? This issue

'Twas nothing more than darkness deepening

darkness,

2280

And weakness crowned with the impotence of

death!

Your pupil is, you see, an apt proficient.

(ironically).

Start not! Here is another face hard by;
Come, let us take a peep at both together,
And, with a voice at which the dead will quake,
Resound the praise of your morality-
Of this too much.

2286

[Drawing OSWALD towards the Cottagestops short at the door.

Men are there, millions, Oswald, Who with bare hands would have plucked out

thy heart

2290

And flung it to the dogs: but I am raised
Above, or sunk below, all further sense
Of provocation. Leave me, with the weight
Of that old Man's forgiveness on thy heart,
Pressing as heavily as it doth on mine.
Coward I have been; know, there lies not now,
Within the compass of a mortal thought, 2295
A deed that I would shrink from;---but to

endure,

That is my destiny. May it be thine:
Thy office, thy ambition, be henceforth
To feed remorse, to welcome every sting
Of penitential anguish, yea with tears.
When seas and continents shall lie between

us

2300

2304

The wider space the better-we may find In such a course fit links of sympathy, An incommunicable rivalship Maintained, for peaceful ends beyond our view. [Confused voices-several of the band enterrush upon OSWALD and seize him.

One of them. I would have dogged him to the

jaws of hell

Osw. Ha! is it so! - That vagrant Hag!this comes

Of having left a thing like her alive!
Several voices. Despatch him!

[Aside.

Osw. If I pass beneath a rock And shout, and, with the echo of my voice, 2310 Bring down a heap of rubbish, and it crush me, I die without dishonour. Famished, starved, A Fool and Coward blended to my wish!

[Smiles scornfully and exultingly at

MARMADUKE.

Wal. 'Tis done! (stabs him).

Another of the band. The ruthless traitor!
Mar.

A rash deed!

With that reproof I do resign a station
Of which I have been proud.

2315

Wil. (approaching MARMADUKE). Omy poor

Master!

Mar. Discerning Monitor, my faithful Wilfred,

Why art thou here? [Turning to WALLACE.
Wallace, upon these Borders,
Many there be whose eyes will not want cause
To weep that I am gone. Brothers in arms!
Raise on that dreary Waste a monument
That may record my story: nor let words-
Few must they be, and delicate in their touch
As light itself-be there withheld from Her
Who, through most wicked arts, was made an

orphan

2321

2325

By One who would have died a thousand times To shield her from a moment's harm. To you, Wallace and Wilfred, I commend the Lady, By lowly nature reared, as if to make her

In all things worthier of that noble birth, 2330 Whose long-suspended rights are now on the eve Of restoration: with your tenderest care Watch over her, I pray-sustain herSeveral of the band (eagerly).

Captain!

Mar. No more of that; in silence hear my

doom:

A hermitage has furnished fit relief

To some offenders; other penitents,

2335

Less patient in their wretchedness, have fallen,
Like the old Roman, on their own sword's point.
They had their choice: a wanderer must I go, 2339
The Spectre of that innocent Man, my guide.
No human ear shall ever hear me speak;
No human dwelling ever give me food,
Or sleep, or rest: but over waste and wild,
In search of nothing that this earth can give
But expiation, will I wander on-
A Man by pain and thought compelled to live,
Yet loathing life-till anger is appeased

2345

In Heaven, and Mercy gives me leave to die.

1795-6.

POEMS REFERRING TO THE PERIOD

OF CHILDHOOD.

I.

My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:

So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;

So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!

The Child is father of the Man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.

5

II.

March 26, 1802.

TO A BUTTERFLY.

STAY near me-do not take thy flight!

A little longer stay in sight!

Much converse do I find in thee,

Historian of my infancy!

Float near me; do not yet depart!

Dead times revive in thee:

Thou bring'st, gay creature as thou art!

A solemn image to my heart,

My father's family!

5