About a stone-cast from the wall A sluice with blacken'd waters slept, All silver-green with gnarled bark : And ever when the moon was low, And the shrill winds were up and away,8 In the white curtain, to and fro, She saw the gusty shadow sway. But when the moon was very low, And wild winds bound within their cell, Upon her bed, across her brow. She only said, "The night is dreary, All day within the dreamy house, 4 The doors upon their hinges creak'd; Or from the crevice peer'd about. Old faces glimmer'd thro' the doors, 3 1830. An1 away. All editions before 1851. I' the pane. With this line cf. Maud, I., vt., 8, "and the shrieking rush of the wainscot mouse The sparrow's chirrup on the roof, The poplar made, did all confound TO First printed in 1830. The friend to whom these verses were addressed was Joseph William Blakesley, third Classic and Senior Chancellor's Medallist in 1831, and afterwards Dean of Lincoln. Tennyson said of him: "He ought to be Lord Chancellor, for he is a subtle and powerful reasoner, and an honest man ".—Life, i., 65. He was a contributor to the Edinburgh and Quarterly Reviews, and died in April, 1885. See memoir of him in the Dictionary of National Biography. 1 Clear-headed friend, whose joyful scorn, 3 Ray-fringed eyelids of the morn Roof not a glance so keen as thine : 2 Low-cowering shall the Sophist sit; Falsehood shall bear her plaited brow: 1 1830. Downsloped was westering in his bower. 2 1830. The knotted lies of human creeds. Nor martyr-flames, nor trenchant swords A gentler death shall Falsehood die, 8 Weak Truth a-leaning on her crutch, And weary with a finger's touch Those writhed limbs of lightning speed; Past Yabbok brook the livelong night, MADELINE First published in 1830. 1 Thou art not steep'd in golden languors, 3 Thro' light and shadow thou dost range, Delicious spites and darling angers, And airy forms of flitting change. 2 Smiling, frowning, evermore, 1 1830. Through and through. 31830. Through. 2 The reference is to Genesis xxxii. 24-32. 4 * 1830. Aery. Whether smile or frown be fleeter? Frowns perfect-sweet along the brow Like little clouds sun-fringed, are thine, Thy smile and frown are not aloof Each to each is dearest brother; 3 A subtle, sudden flame, By veering passion fann'd, About thee breaks and dances O'erflows thy calmer glances, But when I turn away, Thou, willing me to stay, Wooest not, nor vainly wranglest; 11830. Three-times-three; though noted as an erratum for amorously. SONG. THE OWL First printed in 1830. 1 When cats run home and light is come, ; And the whirring sail goes round, 2 When merry milkmaids click the latch, Twice or thrice his roundelay; Alone and warming his five wits, SECOND SONG TO THE SAME. First printed in 1830. 1 Thy tuwhits are lull'd I wot, 2 I would mock thy chaunt anew; Thee to woo to thy tuwhit, With a lengthen'd loud halloo, Tuwhoo, tuwhit, tuwhit, tuwhoo-o-o. |