FOOTNOTES:
[4] The reader is referred to Dr Buckland's most interesting illustrations of these remains of a former world. The Bishop of Bath and Wells has built a picturesque and appropriate cottage near the cave, on the hill commanding this fine view.
[5] The stupendous Cheddar Cliffs, in the neighbourhood.
[6] Wookey, Antrum Ogonis.
[7] Uphill church.
[8] Flat and Steep Holms.
[9] Mr Beard, of Banwell, called familiarly "the Professor," but in reality the guide.
[10] Egyptian god of silence.
[11] Halt of the French army at the sight of the ruins.
[12] The Roman way passes immediately under Banwell.
[13] The abbey was built by the descendants of Becket's murderers. Almost at the brink of the channel, being secured from it only by a narrow shelf of rocks called Swallow-clift, William de Courteneye, about 1210, founded a friary of Augustine monks at Worsprynge, or Woodspring, to the honour of the Holy Trinity, the Virgin Mary, and St Thomas à Becket. William de Courteneye was a descendant of William de Traci, and was nearly related to the three other murderers of à Becket, to whom this monastery was dedicated.
[14] See the late Sir Charles Elton's pathetic description of the deaths of his two sons at Weston, whilst bathing in his sight; one lost in his endeavour to save his brother.
[15] Called "The Wolves," from their peculiar sound.
[16] Uphill.
[17] Southey.
[18] Three sisters.
[19] Dr Henry Bowles, physician on the staff, buried at sea.
[20] Charles Bowles, Esq. of Shaftesbury.
[21] The author.
[22] Young's "Night Thoughts."
[23] Clock in the Cathedral.
[24] Traditional name of the clock-image, seated in a chair, and striking the hours.
[25] Vide the old ballad.
[26] A book, called the "Villager's Verse Book," to excite the first feelings of religion, from common rural imagery, was written on purpose for these children.
[27] See "[Pilgrim's Progress]."
[28] See Rowland Hill's caricatures, entitled "Village Dialogues."
[29] The text, which no Christian can misunderstand, "God is not willing," is turned, by elaborate Jesuitical sophistry, to "God is willing," by one "master in Israel." So that, in fact, the Almighty, saying No when he should have said Yes, did not know what he meant, till such a sophistical blasphemer set him right! To such length does an adherence to preconceived Calvinism lead the mind.
[30] "And now abideth faith, hope, and charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity."—St Paul.
[31] Literally the expression of Hawker, the apostle of thousands and thousands. I speak of the obvious inference drawn from such expressions, and this daring denial of the very words of his Master: "Happy are ye, if ye do them!"—Christ. "But in vain," etc.
[32] I fear many churches have more to answer for than tabernacles.
[33] The long controversial note appended to this poem has been purposely suppressed.
[34] I forget in what book of travels I read an account of a poor Hottentot, who being brought here, clothed, and taught our language, after a year or two was seen, every day till he died, on some bridge, muttering to himself, "Home go, Saldanna."
[35] See Bishop Heber's Journal. Yet the Shaster, or the holy book of the Hindoos, says, "No one shall be burned, unless willingly!"
[36] Cowper.
[37] The English landlord has been held up to obloquy, as endeavouring to keep up the price of corn, for his own sordid interest; but rent never leads, it only follows, and the utmost a landlord can get for his capital is three per cent., whereas the lord of whirling wheels gains thirty per cent.
[38] These lines were written at Stourhead.
[39] The Bishop of Bath and Wells. Ken was one of the seven bishops sent to the Tower by James. He had character, patronage, wealth, station, eminence: he resigned all, at the accession of King William, for the sake of that conscience which, in a former reign, sent him a prisoner to the Tower. He had no home in the world; but he found an asylum with the generous nobleman who had been his old schoolfellow at Winchester. Here, it is said, he brought with him his shroud, in which he was buried at Frome; and here he chiefly composed his four volumes of poems.
[40] The Rev. Mr Skurray.
[41] The seat of the Earl of Cork and Orrery.
[42] Mrs Heneage, Compton House.
[43] Mrs Methuen, of Corsham House.
[44] For the "Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge," on which occasion a sermon was preached by the author.
[45] A book, just published, with this title, "The Duke of Marlborough is rector of Overton, near Marlborough."
[46] Rev. Charles Hoyle, Vicar of Overton, near Marlborough.
[47] "Killarney," a poem.
[48] Sonnets.
[49] "Exodus," a poem.
[50] Large coloured prints, in most cottages.
[51] The letter said to be written by our Saviour to King Agbarus is seen in many cottages.
[52] Tib, the cat.
[53] The notes of the cuckoo are the only notes, among birds, exactly according to musical scale. The notes are the fifth, and major third, of the diatonic scale.
[54] The "whip-poor-will" is a bird so called in America, from his uttering those distinct sounds, at intervals, among the various wild harmonies of the forest. See Bertram's Travels in America.
[55] In Cornwall, and in other countries remote from the metropolis, it is a popular belief, that they who are to die in the course of the year appear, on the eve of Midsummer, before the church porch. See an exquisite dramatic sketch on this subject, called "The Eve of St Mark," in Blackwood.
[56] Madern-stone, a Druidical monument in the village of Madern, to which the country people often resort, to learn their future destinies.
[57] Such is the custom in Cornwall.
[58] Polwhele. These are the first four lines of the real song of the season, which is called "The Furry-song of Helstone." Furry is, probably, from Feriæ.
[59] Campanula cymbalaria, foliis hederaciis.
[60] Erica multiflora, common in this part of Cornwall.
[61] The rhythm of this song is taken from a ballad "most musical, most melancholy," in the Maid's Tragedy, "Lay a garland on my grave."
[62] The bay of St Ives.
[63] Feniculum vulgare, or wild fennel, common on the northern coast of Cornwall.
[64] Revel is a country fair.
[65] It is a common idea in Cornwall, that when any person is drowned, the voice of his spirit may be heard by those who first pass by.
[66] The passage folded down was the 109th Psalm, commonly called "the imprecating psalm." I extract the most affecting passages:—
"May his days be few."
"Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow."
"Let there be none to extend mercy."
"Let their name be blotted out, because he slayed even the broken in heart."
[67] The people of the country consult the spirit of the well for their future destiny, by dropping a pebble into it, striking the ground, and other methods of divination, derived, no doubt, from the Druids.—Polwhele.
[68] Bay of St Michael's Mount.
[69] The blue jay of the Mississippi. See Chateaubriand's Indian song in "Atala."
[70] Called the Flying Dutchman, the phantom ship of the Cape.
[71] Sudden storms are very common in this bay.
[72] A wild flower of the most beautiful blue, adorning profusely, in spring, the green banks of lanes and hedgerows.
[73] Called Chickell, in Cornwall, the wheat-ear. This should have been mentioned before, where the small well is spoken of in the garden-plot:—
"From time to time, a small bird dipped its bill."
[74] Alluding to the well-known story.
[75] Having gained the University prize the first year.
[76] J. P. Miles, Esq., whose fine collection of paintings, at his magnificent seat, Leigh Court, is well known.
[77] Married, whilst these pages were in the press, to a son of my early friend.
[78] A wild, desolate, and craggy vale, so called most appropriately, and forming a contrast to the open downs of Fayland, and the picturesque beauties of Brockley.
[79] Langford Court, the seat of the late Right Hon. Hely Addington.
[80] The Rev. Thomas Wickham, Rector of Yatton.
[81] Langhorne, the poet, Rector of Blagdon.
[82] Mrs Hannah More, of Barley-Wood, near Wrington, since dead.
[83] The Rector of Wrington, Mr Leaves, was the composer of the popular melody; but there is an old Scotch tune, to which the words were originally adapted. By melody, I mean the music to the words.
[84] Miss Stephens, now the Countess Dowager of Essex.
[85] "She looked in my face, till my heart was like to break."—Auld Robin Gray. Nothing can exceed the pathos with which Miss Stephens sings these words.
[86] This song, set to music by the author, was originally written for an oratorio.
[87] Banwell church is eminently beautiful, as are all the churches in Somersetshire. Dr Randolph has lately added improvements to the altar-piece.
THE
GRAVE OF THE LAST SAXON;
OR,
THE LEGEND OF THE CURFEW.
INTRODUCTION.
The circumstance of the late critical controversy with Lord Byron having recalled my attention to a poem, sketched some years ago, on a subject of national history, I have been induced to revise and correct, and now venture to offer it to the public.
The subject, though taken from an early period of our history, is, so far as relates to the grave of Harold, purely imaginary, as are all the characters, except those of the Conqueror, and of Edgar Atheling. History, I think, justifies me in representing William as acting constantly under strong religious impressions. A few circumstances in his life will clearly show this. When Harold was with him in Normandy, he took an oath of him on two altars, within which were concealed miraculous relics.[88] His banner was sent from Rome, consecrated by the Pope, for the especial purpose of the invasion of England. Without adverting to the night spent in prayer before the battle of Hastings, was not this impression more decidedly shown when he pitched his tent among the dead on that night, and vowed to build an abbey on the spot? The event of the battle was so much against all human probability, that his undertaking it, at the place and time, can only be reconciled by supposing that he acted under some extraordinary impression.
When the battle was gained, he knew not on what course to determine: instead of marching to London, he retired towards Dover. When he was met by the Kentish men, with green boughs, the quaint historian says, "He was daunted." These and many other incidental circumstances may occur to the reader.
In representing him, therefore, as under the control of superstitious impressions, I trust I have not transgressed, at least, poetical verisimilitude. An earthquake actually happened about the period at which the poem commences, followed by storms and inundations. Of these facts I have availed myself.
I fear the poem will be thought less interesting, from having nothing of love in it, except, in accordance with the received ideas of the gentleness of Atheling's character, I have made him not insensible to one of my imaginary females; and have, therefore, to mark his character, made him advert to the pastoral scenes of Scotland, where he had been a resident. There is a similarity between my "Monk," and "The Missionary," but their offices and the scenes are entirely different, and some degree of resemblance was unavoidable in characters of the same description.
Filial affection, love of our country, bravery, sternness (inflexible, except under religions fears); the loftier feelings of a desolate female, under want and affliction, with something of the wild prophetical cast; religious submission, and deep acquiescence in the will of God;—these passions are brought into action, around one centre, if I may use the word, The Grave of the last Saxon.
That Harold's sons landed with a large fleet from Denmark, and were joined by an immense confederate army, in the third year of William's reign, is a well-known historical fact. That York was taken by the confederate army, and that all the Normans, except Sir William Malet, and his family, were killed, is also matter of record.[89] That afterwards, the blow against William failing, the whole country, from the Humber to Tyne, from the east to the west, was depopulated by sword and famine, are facts which are also to be found in all historians.
Some slight anachronisms may I hope, be pardoned—if anachronisms they are—such as the year in which the Tower was built, etc.
The plan of the Poem will be found, I trust, simple and coherent, the characters sufficiently marked and contrasted, and the whole conducive, however deficient in other respects, to the excitement of virtuous sympathy, and subservient to that which alone can give dignity to poetry—the cause of moral and religious truth.