NOTES TO PART VII. 1 The Hermit of the Wood, 2 Approacheth the ship with wonder. 3 The ship suddenly sinketh. 4 The Ancient Mariner is saved in the Pilot's boat. 5 The Ancient Mariner earnestly entreateth the Hermit to shrieve him, and the penance of life falls on him: 6 And ever and anon throughout his future life an agony constraineth him to travel from land to land. 7 And to teach, by his own example, love and reverence to all things that God made and loveth. D ABSENCE, A FAREWELL ODE. WHERE graced with many a classic spoil That sternly chides my love-lorn song: Illum'd by Passion's orient rays, When Peace, and Cheerfulness, and Health Enrich'd me with the best of wealth. Ah fair Delights! that o'er my soul The Sun, who ne'er remits his fires What tho' she leave the sky unblest SONNET. As when far off the warbled strains are heard voice Life's better sun from that long wintry night, Thus in thy country's triumphs shalt rejoice, And mock with raptures high the dungeon's might: For lo! the morning struggles into day, And slavery's spectres shriek, and vanish from the ray ! SONGS OF THE PIXIES. THE PIXIES, in the superstition, of Devonshire, are a race of beings invisibly small, and harmless or friendly to man. At a small distance from a village in that county, half-way up a wood-cover'd hill, is an excavation, called the Pixies' Parlour. The roots of old trees form its ceiling; and on its sides are innumerable cyphers, among which the Author discovered his own cypher and those of his brothers, cut by the hand of their childhood. At the foot of the hill flows the river Otter. To this place the Author conducted a party of young Ladies, during the summer months of the year 1793; one of whom, of stature elegantly small, and of complexion colourless yet clear, was proclaimed the Fairy Queen: on which occasion, and at which time, the following irregular Ode was written. WHOм the untaught Shepherds call Builds its nest and warbles well; Here the blackbird strains his throat : When fades the moon all shadowy pale Richer than the deepen'd bloom That glows on Summer's scented plume: Sooth'd by the distant-tinkling team, But not our filmy pinion Aye from the sultry heat We to the cave retreat O'ercanopied by huge roots intertwin'd With wildest texture, blacken'd o'er with age; Round them their mantle green the ivies bind, Beneath whose foliage pale Fann'd by the unfrequent gale We shield us from the Tyrant's mid-day rage. Thither while the murm'ring throng, |