By choice or doom a gipsy wanders here, 175 A nursling babe her only comforter; Lo, where she sits beneath yon s.h.a.ggy rock, A cowering shape half hid in curling smoke! [48]

When lightning among clouds and mountain-snows Predominates, and darkness comes and goes, 180 And the fierce torrent, at the flashes broad Starts, like a horse, beside the glaring road-- She seeks a covert from the battering shower In the roofed bridge [N]; the bridge, in that dread hour, Itself all trembling at the torrent's power. [49] 185

Nor is she more at ease on some _still_ night, When not a star supplies the comfort of its light; Only the waning moon hangs dull and red Above a melancholy mountain's head, Then sets. In total gloom the Vagrant sighs, 190 Stoops her sick head, and shuts her weary eyes; Or on her fingers counts the distant clock, Or, to the drowsy crow of midnight c.o.c.k, Listens, or quakes while from the forest's gulf Howls near and nearer yet the famished wolf. [50] 195

From the green vale of Urseren smooth and wide Descend we now, the maddened Reuss our guide; [51]

By rocks that, shutting out the blessed day, Cling tremblingly to rocks as loose as they; By cells [P] upon whose image, while he prays, 200 The kneeling peasant scarcely dares to gaze; By many a votive death-cross [Q] planted near, And watered duly with the pious tear, That faded silent from the upward eye Unmoved with each rude form of peril nigh; [52] 205 Fixed on the anchor left by Him who saves Alike in whelming snows, and roaring waves.

But soon a peopled region on the sight Opens--a little world of calm delight; [53]

Where mists, suspended on the expiring gale, 210 Spread roof like o'er the deep secluded vale, [54]

And beams of evening slipping in between, Gently illuminate a sober scene:--[55]

Here, on the brown wood-cottages [R] they sleep, [56]

There, over rock or sloping pasture creep. [57] 215 On as we journey, in clear view displayed, The still vale lengthens underneath its shade Of low-hung vapour: on the freshened mead The green light sparkles;--the dim bowers recede. [58]

While pastoral pipes and streams the landscape lull, 220 And bells of pa.s.sing mules that tinkle dull, In solemn shapes before the admiring eye Dilated hang the misty pines on high, Huge convent domes with pinnacles and towers, And antique castles seen through gleamy [59] showers. 225

From such romantic dreams, my soul, awake!

To sterner pleasure, where, by Uri's lake In Nature's pristine majesty outspread, Winds neither road nor path for foot to tread: [60]

The rocks rise naked as a wall, or stretch, 230 Far o'er the water, hung with groves of beech; [61]

Aerial pines from loftier steeps ascend, Nor stop but where creation seems to end. [62]

Yet here and there, if 'mid the savage scene Appears a scanty plot of smiling green, 235 Up from the lake a zigzag path will creep To reach a small wood-hut hung boldly on the steep. [63]

--Before those thresholds (never can they know [64]

The face of traveller pa.s.sing to and fro,) No peasant leans upon his pole, to tell 240 For whom at morning tolled the funeral bell; Their watch-dog ne'er his angry bark foregoes, Touched by the beggar's moan of human woes; The shady porch ne'er offered a cool seat To pilgrims overcome by summer's heat. [65] 245 Yet thither the world's business finds its way At times, and tales unsought beguile the day, And _there_ are those fond thoughts which Solitude, [66]

However stern, is powerless to exclude. [67]

There doth the maiden watch her lover's sail 250 Approaching, and upbraid the tardy gale; At midnight listens till his parting oar, And its last echo, can be heard no more. [68]

And what if ospreys, cormorants, herons cry, Amid tempestuous vapours driving by, [69] 255 Or hovering over wastes too bleak to rear That common growth of earth, the foodful ear; [70]

Where the green apple shrivels on the spray, And pines the unripened pear in summer's kindliest ray; [71]

Contentment shares the desolate domain [72] 260 With Independence, child of high Disdain.

Exulting 'mid the winter of the skies, Shy as the jealous chamois, Freedom flies, And grasps by fits her sword, and often eyes; And sometimes, as from rock to rock she bounds 265 The Patriot nymph starts at imagined sounds, And, wildly pausing, oft she hangs aghast, Whether some old Swiss air hath checked her haste Or thrill of Spartan fife is caught between the blast. [73]

Swoln with incessant rains from hour to hour, [74] 270 All day the floods a deepening murmur pour: The sky is veiled, and every cheerful sight: Dark is the region as with coming night; But what a sudden burst of overpowering light!

Triumphant on the bosom of the storm, 275 Glances the wheeling eagle's glorious form![75]

Eastward, in long perspective glittering, shine The wood-crowned cliffs that o'er the lake recline; Those lofty cliffs a hundred streams unfold, [76]

At once to pillars turned that flame with gold: 280 Behind his sail the peasant shrinks, to shun The _west_, [77] that burns like one dilated sun, A crucible of mighty compa.s.s, felt By mountains, glowing till they seem to melt. [78]

But, lo! the boatman, overawed, before 285 The pictured fane of Tell suspends his oar; Confused the Marathonian tale appears, While his eyes sparkle with heroic tears. [79]

And who, that walks where men of ancient days Have wrought with G.o.dlike arm the deeds of praise, 290 Feels not the spirit of the place control, Or rouse [80] and agitate his labouring soul?

Say, who, by thinking on Canadian hills, Or wild Aosta lulled by Alpine rills, On Zutphen's plain; or on that highland dell, 295 Through which rough Garry cleaves his way, can tell What high resolves exalt the tenderest thought Of him whom pa.s.sion rivets to the spot, [81]

Where breathed the gale that caught Wolfe's happiest sigh, And the last sunbeam fell on Bayard's eye; 300 Where bleeding Sidney from the cup retired, And glad Dundee in "faint huzzas" [S] expired?

But now with other mind I stand alone Upon the summit of this naked cone, And watch the fearless chamois-hunter chase 305 His prey, through tracts abrupt of desolate s.p.a.ce, [82]

[T] Through vacant worlds where Nature never gave A brook to murmur or a bough to wave, Which unsubstantial Phantoms sacred keep; Thro' worlds where Life, and Voice, and Motion sleep; 310 Where silent Hours their death-like sway extend, Save when the avalanche breaks loose, to rend Its way with uproar, till the ruin, drowned In some dense wood or gulf of snow profound, Mocks the dull ear of Time with deaf abortive sound. [83] 315 --'Tis his, while wandering on from height to height, To see a planet's pomp and steady light In the least star of scarce-appearing night; While the pale moon moves near him, on the bound Of ether, shining with diminished round, [84] 320 And far and wide the icy summits blaze, Rejoicing in the glory of her rays: To him the day-star glitters small and bright, Shorn of its beams, insufferably white, And he can look beyond the sun, and view 325 Those fast-receding depths of sable blue Flying till vision can no more pursue! [85]

--At once bewildering mists around him close, And cold and hunger are his least of woes; The Demon of the snow, with angry roar 330 Descending, shuts for aye his prison door.

Soon with despair's whole weight his spirits sink; Bread has he none, the snow must be his drink; And, ere his eyes can close upon the day, [86]

The eagle of the Alps o'ershades her prey. 335

Now couch thyself where, heard with fear afar, [87]

Thunders through echoing pines the headlong Aar; Or rather stay to taste the mild delights Of pensive Underwalden's [U] pastoral heights.

--Is there who 'mid these awful wilds has seen 340 The native Genii walk the mountain green?

Or heard, while other worlds their charms reveal, Soft music o'er [88] the aerial summit steal?

While o'er the desert, answering every close, Rich steam of sweetest perfume comes and goes. 345 --And sure there is a secret Power that reigns Here, where no trace of man the spot profanes, Nought but the _chalets_, [V] flat and bare, on high Suspended 'mid the quiet of the sky; Or distant herds that pasturing upward creep, 350 And, not untended, climb the dangerous steep. [89]

How still! no irreligious sound or sight Rouses the soul from her severe delight.

An idle voice the sabbath region fills Of Deep that calls to Deep across the hills, 355 And with that voice accords the soothing sound [90]

Of drowsy bells, for ever tinkling round; Faint wail of eagle melting into blue Beneath the cliffs, and pine-woods' steady _sugh_; [W]

The solitary heifer's deepened low; 360 Or rumbling, heard remote, of falling snow.

All motions, sounds, and voices, far and nigh, Blend in a music of tranquillity; [91]

Save when, a stranger seen below [92] the boy Shouts from the echoing hills with savage joy. 365

When, from the sunny breast of open seas, And bays with myrtle fringed, the southern breeze Comes on to gladden April with the sight Of green isles widening on each snow-clad height; [93]

When shouts and lowing herds the valley fill, 370 And louder torrents stun the noon-tide hill, [94] The pastoral Swiss begin the cliffs to scale, Leaving to silence the deserted vale; [95]

And like the Patriarchs in their simple age Move, as the verdure leads, from stage to stage; [96] 375 High and more high in summer's heat they go, [97]

And hear the rattling thunder far below; Or steal beneath the mountains, half-deterred, Where huge rocks tremble to the bellowing herd. [98]

One I behold who, 'cross the foaming flood, 380 Leaps with a bound of graceful hardihood; Another high on that green ledge;--he gained The tempting spot with every sinew strained; [99]

And downward thence a knot of gra.s.s he throws, Food for his beasts in time of winter snows. [100] 385 --Far different life from what Tradition h.o.a.r Transmits of happier lot in times of yore! [101]

Then Summer lingered long; and honey flowed From out the rocks, the wild bees' safe abode: [102]

Continual waters [103] welling cheered the waste, 390 And plants were wholesome, now of deadly taste: Nor Winter yet his frozen stores had piled, Usurping where the fairest herbage smiled: Nor Hunger driven the herds from pastures bare, To climb the treacherous cliffs for scanty fare. [104] 395 Then the milk-thistle flourished through the land, And forced the full-swoln udder to demand, Thrice every day, the pail and welcome hand. [105]

Thus does the father to his children tell Of banished bliss, by fancy loved too well. [106] 400 Alas! that human guilt provoked the rod [107]

Of angry Nature to avenge her G.o.d.

Still, Nature, ever just, to him imparts Joys only given to uncorrupted hearts.

'Tis morn: with gold the verdant mountain glows; 405 More high, the snowy peaks with hues of rose.

Far-stretched beneath the many-tinted hills, A mighty waste of mist the valley fills, A solemn sea! whose billows wide around [108]

Stand motionless, to awful silence bound: 410 Pines, on the coast, through mist their tops uprear, That like to leaning masts of stranded ships appear.

A single chasm, a gulf of gloomy blue, Gapes in the centre of the sea--and through That dark mysterious gulf ascending, sound 415 Innumerable streams with roar profound. [109]

Mount through the nearer vapours notes of birds, And merry flageolet; the low of herds, The bark of dogs, the heifer's tinkling bell, Talk, laughter, and perchance a church-tower knell: [110] 420 Think not, the peasant from aloft has gazed And heard with heart unmoved, with soul unraised: [111]

Nor is his spirit less enrapt, nor less Alive to independent happiness, [112]

Then, when he lies, out-stretched, at even-tide 425 Upon the fragrant mountain's purple side: [113]

For as the pleasures of his simple day Beyond his native valley seldom stray, Nought round its darling precincts can he find But brings some past enjoyment to his mind; 430 While Hope, reclining upon Pleasure's urn, [114]

Binds her wild wreaths, and whispers his return.

Once, Man entirely free, alone and wild, Was blest as free--for he was Nature's child.

He, all superior but his G.o.d disdained, 435 Walked none restraining, and by none restrained: Confessed no law but what his reason taught, Did all he wished, and wished but what he ought.

As man in his primeval dower arrayed The image of his glorious Sire displayed, 440 Even so, by faithful [115] Nature guarded, here The traces of primeval Man appear; The simple [116] dignity no forms debase; The eye sublime, and surly lion-grace: The slave of none, of beasts alone the lord, 445 His book he prizes, nor neglects his sword; [117]

--Well taught by that to feel his rights, prepared With this "the blessings he enjoys to guard." [X]

And, as his native hills encircle ground For many a marvellous [118] victory renowned, 450 The work of Freedom daring to oppose, With few in arms, [Y] innumerable foes, When to those famous [119] fields his steps are led, An unknown power connects him with the dead: For images of other worlds are there; 455 Awful the light, and holy is the air.

Fitfully, and in flashes, through his soul, Like sun-lit tempests, troubled transports roll; His bosom heaves, his Spirit towers amain, [120]

Beyond the senses and their little reign. 460

And oft, when that dread vision hath past by, [121]

He holds with G.o.d himself communion high, There where the peal [122] of swelling torrents fills The sky-roofed temple of the eternal hills; Or, when upon the mountain's silent brow 465 Reclined, he sees, above him and below, Bright stars of ice and azure fields of snow; While needle peaks of granite shooting bare Tremble in ever-varying tints of air.

And when a gathering weight of shadows brown 470 Falls on the valleys as the sun goes down; And Pikes, of darkness named and fear and storms, [Z]

Uplift in quiet their illumined forms, [123]

In sea-like reach of prospect round him spread, Tinged like an angel's smile all rosy red-- 475 Awe in his breast with holiest love unites, And the near heavens impart their own delights. [124]

When downward to his winter hut he goes, Dear and more dear the lessening circle grows; That hut which on the hills so oft employs 480 His thoughts, the central point of all his joys. [125]

And as a swallow, at the hour of rest, Peeps often ere she darts into her nest, So to the homestead, where the grandsire tends A little prattling child, he oft descends, 485 To glance a look upon the well-matched pair; [126]

Till storm and driving ice blockade him there.