The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume I Part 51

[147] an] a 1834.

[153] Would hang] Hanging 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828, 1829.

THE DESTINY OF NATIONS[131:1]

A VISION

Auspicious Reverence! Hush all meaner song, Ere we the deep preluding strain have poured To the Great Father, only Rightful King, Eternal Father! King Omnipotent!

To the Will Absolute, the One, the Good! 5 The I AM, the Word, the Life, the Living G.o.d!

Such symphony requires best instrument.

Seize, then, my soul! from Freedom's trophied dome The Harp which hangeth high between the s.h.i.+elds Of Brutus and Leonidas! With that 10 Strong music, that soliciting spell, force back Man's free and stirring spirit that lies entranced.

For what is Freedom, but the unfettered use Of all the powers which G.o.d for use had given?

But chiefly this, him First, him Last to view 15 Through meaner powers and secondary things Effulgent, as through clouds that veil his blaze.

For all that meets the bodily sense I deem Symbolical, one mighty alphabet For infant minds; and we in this low world 20 Placed with our backs to bright Reality, That we may learn with young unwounded ken The substance from its shadow. Infinite Love, Whose latence is the plenitude of All, Thou with retracted beams, and self-eclipse 25 Veiling, revealest thine eternal Sun.

But some there are who deem themselves most free When they within this gross and visible sphere Chain down the winged thought, scoffing ascent, Proud in their meanness: and themselves they cheat 30 With noisy emptiness of learned phrase, Their subtle fluids, impacts, essences, Self-working tools, uncaused effects, and all Those blind Omniscients, those Almighty Slaves, Untenanting creation of its G.o.d. 35

But Properties are G.o.d: the naked ma.s.s (If ma.s.s there be, fantastic guess or ghost) Acts only by its inactivity.

Here we pause humbly. Others boldlier think That as one body seems the aggregate 40 Of atoms numberless, each organized; So by a strange and dim similitude Infinite myriads of self-conscious minds Are one all-conscious Spirit, which informs With absolute ubiquity of thought 45 (His one eternal self-affirming act!) All his involved Monads, that yet seem With various province and apt agency Each to pursue its own self-centering end.

Some nurse the infant diamond in the mine; 50 Some roll the genial juices through the oak; Some drive the mutinous clouds to clash in air, And rus.h.i.+ng on the storm with whirlwind speed, Yoke the red lightnings to their volleying car.

Thus these pursue their never-varying course, 55 No eddy in their stream. Others, more wild, With complex interests weaving human fates, Duteous or proud, alike obedient all, Evolve the process of eternal good.

And what if some rebellious, o'er dark realms 60 Arrogate power? yet these train up to G.o.d, And on the rude eye, unconfirmed for day, Flash meteor-lights better than total gloom.

As ere from Lieule-Oaive's vapoury head The Laplander beholds the far-off Sun 65 Dart his slant beam on un.o.beying snows, While yet the stern and solitary Night Brooks no alternate sway, the Boreal Morn With mimic l.u.s.tre subst.i.tutes its gleam.

Guiding his course or by Niemi lake 70 Or Balda Zhiok,[133:1] or the mossy stone Of Solfar-kapper,[133:2] while the snowy blast Drifts arrowy by, or eddies round his sledge, Making the poor babe at its mother's back[134:1]

Scream in its scanty cradle: he the while 75 Wins gentle solace as with upward eye He marks the streamy banners of the North, Thinking himself those happy spirits shall join Who there in floating robes of rosy light Dance sportively. For Fancy is the power 80 That first unsensualises the dark mind, Giving it new delights; and bids it swell With wild activity; and peopling air, By obscure fears of Beings invisible, Emanc.i.p.ates it from the grosser thrall 85 Of the present impulse, teaching Self-control, Till Superst.i.tion with unconscious hand Seat Reason on her throne. Wherefore not vain, Nor yet without permitted power impressed, I deem those legends terrible, with which 90 The polar ancient thrills his uncouth throng: Whether of pitying Spirits that make their moan O'er slaughter'd infants, or that Giant Bird Vuokho, of whose rus.h.i.+ng wings the noise Is Tempest, when the unutterable Shape 95 Speeds from the mother of Death, and utters once[134:2]

That shriek, which never murderer heard, and lived.

Or if the Greenland Wizard in strange trance Pierces the untravelled realms of Ocean's bed Over the abysm, even to that uttermost cave 100 By mis-shaped prodigies beleaguered, such As Earth ne'er bred, nor Air, nor the upper Sea: Where dwells the Fury Form, whose unheard name With eager eye, pale cheek, suspended breath, And lips half-opening with the dread of sound, 105 Unsleeping Silence guards, worn out with fear Lest haply 'scaping on some treacherous blast The fateful word let slip the Elements And frenzy Nature. Yet the wizard her, Arm'd with Torngarsuck's power, the Spirit of Good,[135:1] 110 Forces to unchain the foodful progeny Of the Ocean stream;--thence thro' the realm of Souls, Where live the Innocent, as far from cares As from the storms and overwhelming waves That tumble on the surface of the Deep, 115 Returns with far-heard pant, hotly pursued By the fierce Warders of the Sea, once more, Ere by the frost foreclosed, to repossess His fleshly mansion, that had staid the while In the dark tent within a cow'ring group 120 Untenanted.--Wild phantasies! yet wise, On the victorious goodness of high G.o.d Teaching reliance, and medicinal hope, Till from Bethabra northward, heavenly Truth With gradual steps, winning her difficult way, 125 Transfer their rude Faith perfected and pure.

If there be Beings of higher cla.s.s than Man, I deem no n.o.bler province they possess, Than by disposal of apt circ.u.mstance To rear up kingdoms: and the deeds they prompt, 130 Distinguis.h.i.+ng from mortal agency, They choose their human ministers from such states As still the Epic song half fears to name, Repelled from all the minstrelsies that strike The palace-roof and soothe the monarch's pride. 135 And such, perhaps, the Spirit, who (if words Witnessed by answering deeds may claim our faith) Held commune with that warrior-maid of France Who scourged the Invader. From her infant days, With Wisdom, mother of retired thoughts, 140 Her soul had dwelt; and she was quick to mark The good and evil thing, in human lore Undisciplined. For lowly was her birth, And Heaven had doomed her early years to toil That pure from Tyranny's least deed, herself 145 Unfeared by Fellow-natures, she might wait On the poor labouring man with kindly looks, And minister refreshment to the tired Way-wanderer, when along the rough-hewn bench The sweltry man had stretched him, and aloft 150 Vacantly watched the rudely-pictured board Which on the Mulberry-bough with welcome creak Swung to the pleasant breeze. Here, too, the Maid Learnt more than Schools could teach: Man's s.h.i.+fting mind, His vices and his sorrows! And full oft 155 At tales of cruel wrong and strange distress Had wept and s.h.i.+vered. To the tottering Eld Still as a daughter would she run: she placed His cold limbs at the sunny door, and loved To hear him story, in his garrulous sort, 160 Of his eventful years, all come and gone.

So twenty seasons past. The Virgin's form, Active and tall, nor Sloth nor Luxury Had shrunk or paled. Her front sublime and broad, Her flexile eye-brows wildly haired and low, 165 And her full eye, now bright, now unillumed, Spake more than Woman's thought; and all her face Was moulded to such features as declared That Pity there had oft and strongly worked, And sometimes Indignation. Bold her mien, 170 And like an haughty huntress of the woods She moved: yet sure she was a gentle maid!

And in each motion her most innocent soul Beamed forth so brightly, that who saw would say Guilt was a thing impossible in her! 175 Nor idly would have said--for she had lived In this bad World, as in a place of Tombs, And touched not the pollutions of the Dead.

'Twas the cold season when the Rustic's eye From the drear desolate whiteness of his fields 180 Rolls for relief to watch the skiey tints And clouds slow-varying their huge imagery; When now, as she was wont, the healthful Maid Had left her pallet ere one beam of day Slanted the fog-smoke. She went forth alone 185 Urged by the indwelling angel-guide, that oft, With dim inexplicable sympathies Disquieting the heart, shapes out Man's course To the predoomed adventure. Now the ascent She climbs of that steep upland, on whose top 190 The Pilgrim-man, who long since eve had watched The alien s.h.i.+ne of unconcerning stars, Shouts to himself, there first the Abbey-lights Seen in Neufchatel's vale; now slopes adown The winding sheep-track vale-ward: when, behold 195 In the first entrance of the level road An unattended team! The foremost horse Lay with stretched limbs; the others, yet alive But stiff and cold, stood motionless, their manes h.o.a.r with the frozen night-dews. Dismally 200 The dark-red dawn now glimmered; but its gleams Disclosed no face of man. The maiden paused, Then hailed who might be near. No voice replied.

From the thwart wain at length there reached her ear A sound so feeble that it almost seemed 205 Distant: and feebly, with slow effort pushed, A miserable man crept forth: his limbs The silent frost had eat, scathing like fire.

Faint on the shafts he rested. She, meantime, Saw crowded close beneath the coverture 210 A mother and her children--lifeless all, Yet lovely! not a lineament was marred-- Death had put on so slumber-like a form!

It was a piteous sight; and one, a babe.

The crisp milk frozen on its innocent lips, 215 Lay on the woman's arm, its little hand Stretched on her bosom.

Mutely questioning, The Maid gazed wildly at the living wretch.

He, his head feebly turning, on the group Looked with a vacant stare, and his eye spoke 220 The drowsy calm that steals on worn-out anguish.

She shuddered; but, each vainer pang subdued, Quick disentangling from the foremost horse The rustic bands, with difficulty and toil The stiff cramped team forced homeward. There arrived, 225 Anxiously tends him she with healing herbs, And weeps and prays--but the numb power of Death Spreads o'er his limbs; and ere the noon-tide hour, The hovering spirits of his Wife and Babes Hail him immortal! Yet amid his pangs, 230 With interruptions long from ghastly throes, His voice had faltered out this simple tale.

The Village, where he dwelt an husbandman, By sudden inroad had been seized and fired Late on the yester-evening. With his wife 235 And little ones he hurried his escape.

They saw the neighbouring hamlets flame, they heard Uproar and shrieks! and terror-struck drove on Through unfrequented roads, a weary way!

But saw nor house nor cottage. All had quenched 240 Their evening hearth-fire: for the alarm had spread.

The air clipt keen, the night was fanged with frost, And they provisionless! The weeping wife Ill hushed her children's moans; and still they moaned, Till Fright and Cold and Hunger drank their life. 245 They closed their eyes in sleep, nor knew 'twas Death.

He only, las.h.i.+ng his o'er-wearied team, Gained a sad respite, till beside the base Of the high hill his foremost horse dropped dead.

Then hopeless, strengthless, sick for lack of food, 250 He crept beneath the coverture, entranced, Till wakened by the maiden.--Such his tale.

Ah! suffering to the height of what was suffered, Stung with too keen a sympathy, the Maid Brooded with moving lips, mute, startful, dark! 255 And now her flushed tumultuous features shot Such strange vivacity, as fires the eye Of Misery fancy-crazed! and now once more Naked, and void, and fixed, and all within The unquiet silence of confused thought 260 And shapeless feelings. For a mighty hand Was strong upon her, till in the heat of soul To the high hill-top tracing back her steps, Aside the beacon, up whose smouldered stones The tender ivy-trails crept thinly, there, 265 Unconscious of the driving element, Yea, swallowed up in the ominous dream, she sate Ghastly as broad-eyed Slumber! a dim anguish Breathed from her look! and still with pant and sob, Inly she toiled to flee, and still subdued, 270 Felt an inevitable Presence near.

Thus as she toiled in troublous ecstasy, A horror of great darkness wrapt her round, And a voice uttered forth unearthly tones, Calming her soul,--'O Thou of the Most High 275 Chosen, whom all the perfected in Heaven Behold expectant--'

[The following fragments were intended to form part of the poem when finished.]

[140:1]'Maid beloved of Heaven!

(To her the tutelary Power exclaimed) Of Chaos the adventurous progeny 280 Thou seest; foul missionaries of foul sire.

Fierce to regain the losses of that hour When Love rose glittering, and his gorgeous wings Over the abyss fluttered with such glad noise, As what time after long and pestful calms, 285 With slimy shapes and miscreated life Poisoning the vast Pacific, the fresh breeze Wakens the merchant-sail uprising. Night An heavy unimaginable moan Sent forth, when she the Protoplast beheld 290 Stand beauteous on Confusion's charmed wave.

Moaning she fled, and entered the Profound That leads with downward windings to the Cave Of Darkness palpable, Desert of Death Sunk deep beneath Gehenna's ma.s.sy roots. 295 There many a dateless age the Beldame lurked And trembled; till engendered by fierce Hate, Fierce Hate and gloomy Hope, a Dream arose, Shaped like a black cloud marked with streaks of fire.

It roused the h.e.l.l-Hag: she the dew-damp wiped 300 From off her brow, and through the uncouth maze Retraced her steps; but ere she reached the mouth Of that drear labyrinth, shuddering she paused, Nor dared re-enter the diminished Gulph.

As through the dark vaults of some mouldered Tower 305 (Which, fearful to approach, the evening hind Circles at distance in his homeward way) The winds breathe hollow, deemed the plaining groan Of prisoned spirits; with such fearful voice Night murmured, and the sound through Chaos went. 310 Leaped at her call her hideous-fronted brood!

A dark behest they heard, and rushed on earth; Since that sad hour, in Camps and Courts adored, Rebels from G.o.d, and Tyrants o'er Mankind!'

From his obscure haunt 315 Shrieked Fear, of Cruelty the ghastly Dam, Feverous yet freezing, eager-paced yet slow, As she that creeps from forth her swampy reeds.

Ague, the biform Hag! when early Spring Beams on the marsh-bred vapours. 320

'Even so (the exulting Maiden said) The sainted Heralds of Good Tidings fell, And thus they witnessed G.o.d! But now the clouds Treading, and storms beneath their feet, they soar Higher, and higher soar, and soaring sing 325 Loud songs of triumph! O ye Spirits of G.o.d, Hover around my mortal agonies!'

She spake, and instantly faint melody Melts on her ear, soothing and sad, and slow, Such measures, as at calmest midnight heard 330 By aged Hermit in his holy dream, Foretell and solace death; and now they rise Louder, as when with harp and mingled voice The white-robed mult.i.tude of slaughtered saints At Heaven's wide-open'd portals gratulant 335 Receive some martyred patriot. The harmony[142:1]

Entranced the Maid, till each suspended sense Brief slumber seized, and confused ecstasy.

At length awakening slow, she gazed around: And through a mist, the relict of that trance 340 Still thinning as she gazed, an Isle appeared, Its high, o'er-hanging, white, broad-breasted cliffs, Gla.s.sed on the subject ocean. A vast plain Stretched opposite, where ever and anon The plough-man following sad his meagre team 345 Turned up fresh sculls unstartled, and the bones Of fierce hate-breathing combatants, who there All mingled lay beneath the common earth, Death's gloomy reconcilement! O'er the fields Stept a fair Form, repairing all she might, 350 Her temples olive-wreathed; and where she trod, Fresh flowerets rose, and many a foodful herb.

But wan her cheek, her footsteps insecure, And anxious pleasure beamed in her faint eye, As she had newly left a couch of pain, 355 Pale Convalescent! (Yet some time to rule With power exclusive o'er the willing world, That blessed prophetic mandate then fulfilled-- Peace be on Earth!) An happy while, but brief, She seemed to wander with a.s.siduous feet, 360 And healed the recent harm of chill and blight, And nursed each plant that fair and virtuous grew.

But soon a deep precursive sound moaned hollow: Black rose the clouds, and now, (as in a dream) Their reddening shapes, transformed to Warrior-hosts, 365 Coursed o'er the sky, and battled in mid-air.

Nor did not the large blood-drops fall from Heaven Portentous! while aloft were seen to float, Like hideous features looming on the mist, Wan stains of ominous light! Resigned, yet sad, 370 The fair Form bowed her olive-crowned brow, Then o'er the plain with oft-reverted eye Fled till a place of Tombs she reached, and there Within a ruined Sepulchre obscure Found hiding-place.

The delegated Maid 375 Gazed through her tears, then in sad tones exclaimed;-- Thou mild-eyed Form! wherefore, ah! wherefore fled?

The Power of Justice like a name all light, Shone from thy brow; but all they, who unblamed Dwelt in thy dwellings, call thee Happiness. 380 Ah! why, uninjured and unprofited, Should mult.i.tudes against their brethren rush?

Why sow they guilt, still reaping misery?

Lenient of care, thy songs, O Peace! are sweet,[144:1]

As after showers the perfumed gale of eve, 385 That flings the cool drops on a feverous cheek; And gay thy gra.s.sy altar piled with fruits.

But boasts the shrine of Daemon War one charm,[144:2]

Save that with many an orgie strange and foul,[144:3]

Dancing around with interwoven arms, 390 The Maniac Suicide and Giant Murder Exult in their fierce union! I am sad, And know not why the simple peasants crowd Beneath the Chieftains' standard!' Thus the Maid.

To her the tutelary Spirit said: 395 'When Luxury and l.u.s.t's exhausted stores No more can rouse the appet.i.tes of kings; When the low flattery of their reptile lords Falls flat and heavy on the accustomed ear; When eunuchs sing, and fools buffoonery make, 400 And dancers writhe their harlot-limbs in vain; Then War and all its dread vicissitudes Pleasingly agitate their stagnant hearts; Its hopes, its fears, its victories, its defeats, Insipid Royalty's keen condiment! 405 _Therefore_, uninjured and unprofited (Victims at once and executioners), The congregated Husbandmen lay waste The vineyard and the harvest. As along The Bothnic coast, or southward of the Line, 410 Though hushed the winds and cloudless the high noon, Yet if Leviathan, weary of ease, In sports unwieldy toss his island-bulk, Ocean behind him billows, and before A storm of waves breaks foamy on the strand. 415 And hence, for times and seasons b.l.o.o.d.y and dark, Short Peace shall skin the wounds of causeless War, And War, his strained sinews knit anew, Still violate the unfinished works of Peace.

But yonder look! for more demands thy view!' 420 He said: and straightway from the opposite Isle A vapour sailed, as when a cloud, exhaled From Egypt's fields that steam hot pestilence, Travels the sky for many a trackless league, Till o'er some death-doomed land, distant in vain, 425 It broods inc.u.mbent. Forthwith from the plain, Facing the Isle, a brighter cloud arose, And steered its course which way the vapour went.

The Maiden paused, musing what this might mean.