Palma fuit Senior pictor celeberrimus olim ; Palma negata macrum, donataque reddit opimum. Affectant lauros pictores atque poetæ, Sin laurum invideant (sed quis tibi ?) laurigerentes, TRANSLATION. WHAT rider's that? and who those myriads bringing In days of old, old Palma won renown: But Palma's self must yield the painter's crown, If Flaccus' sentence with the truth agree, That "palms awarded make men plump to be," Friend Horace, Haydon soon in bulk shall match with thee. Painters with poets for the laurel vie : But should the laureat band thy claims deny, Wear thou thy own green palm, Haydon, triumphantly. DRAMATIC POEMS. THE WITCH. A DRAMATIC SKETCH OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. CHARACTERS. Old Servant in the Family of SIR FRANCIS FAIRFORD. STRANGER Servant. One summer night Sir Francis, as it chanced, Was pacing to and fro in the avenue That westward fronts our house, Among those agèd oaks, said to have been planted Three hundred years ago By a neighbouring Prior of the Fairford name. Being o'ertasked in thought, he heeded not The importunate suit of one who stood by the gate, Some say he shoved her rudely from the gate For she was one who practised the black arts, And served the devil, being since burnt for witchcraft. She looked on him as one that meant to blast him, And with a frightful noise ('Twas partly like a woman's voice, And partly like the hissing of a snake), She nothing said but this (Sir Francis told the words) : G A mischief, mischief, mischief, By day and by night, to the caitiff wight, And still she cried A mischief, And a nine-fold-withering curse: For that shall come to thee that will undo thee, So saying she departed, Leaving Sir Francis like a man beneath So he described it. Str. A terrible curse! What followed? Serv. Nothing immediate, but some two months after Young Philip Fairford suddenly fell sick, And none could tell what ailed him; for he lay, And pined, and pined, till all his hair fell off, And he, that was full-fleshed, became as thin As a two-months' babe that had been starved in the nursing. And sure I think He bore his death-wound like a little child; With such rare sweetness of dumb melancholy He strove to clothe his agony in smiles, Which he would force up in his poor pale cheeks, Like ill-timed guests that had no proper dwelling there; And when they asked him his complaint, he laid His hand upon his heart to show the place, Where Susan came to him a-nights, he said, And pricked him with a pin. And thereupon Sir Francis called to mind Str. But did the witch confess? Serv. All this and more at her death. Str. I do not love to credit tales of magic. Heaven's music, which is order, seems unstrung, And this brave world (The mystery of God) unbeautified, Disordered, marred, where such strange things are acted. THE WIFE'S TRIAL; OR THE INTRUDING WIDOW. A DRAMATIC POEM. Founded on Mr. Crabbe's Tale of "The Confidant." CHARACTERS. MR. SELBY, a Wiltshire Gentleman. KATHERINE, Wife to Selby. LUCY, Sister to Selby. SERVANTS. SCENE.-At Mr. Selby's House, or in the grounds adjacent. Selby. Do not too far mistake me, gentlest wife; And those too with allowance. I have not As fairly yours as mine: 'twas this I thought Kath. In friendship's barter The riches we exchange should hold some level Selby. But to divert the subject: Kate too fond, Might raise a doubt in some men, that their wives At random shot; but if it hit, believe me, I am most sorry to have wounded you Through a friend's side. I know not how we have swerved Against this fault of a too grateful nature: To the proud will of an imperious woman. Kath. The favours are not slight to her I owe. Even now I hear her call you In such a tone as lordliest mistresses Expect a slave's attendance. Prithee, Kate, Say you are busy. Use her by degrees But it troubles me. A visit of three days, as was pretended, Re-enter KATHERINE, So soon returned! What was our Widow's will? A trifle, sir. Kath. Selby. Some toilet service-to adjust her head, Selby. Or new vamp up The tarnished cloak she came in. I have seen her |