Thee, Chatterton! these unblest stones protect
From want, and the bleak freezings of neglect.
Too long before the vexing Storm-blast driven
Here hast thou found repose! beneath this sod!
Thou! O vain word! thou dwell'st not with the clod! 20
Amid the shining Host of the Forgiven
Thou at the throne of mercy and thy God
The triumph of redeeming Love dost hymn
(Believe it, O my Soul!) to harps of Seraphim.

Yet oft, perforce ('tis suffering Nature's call),
I weep that heaven-born Genius so should fall;
And oft, in Fancy's saddest hour, my soul
Averted shudders at the poison'd bowl.

Now groans my sickening heart, as still I view
Thy corse of livid hue;

Now Indignation checks the feeble sigh,

Or flashes through the tear that glistens in mine eye!

Is this the land of song-ennobled line?

Is this the land, where Genius ne'er in vain
Pour'd forth his lofty strain?

Ah me! yet Spenser, gentlest bard divine,
Beneath chill Disappointment's shade,
His weary limbs in lonely anguish lay'd.
And o'er her darling dead

Pity hopeless hung her head,

While mid the pelting of that merciless storm,'
Sunk to the cold earth Otway's famish'd form!

25

30

35

40

year as a school exercise'. The Monody numbered 107 lines in 1794, 143 in 1796, 135 in 1797, 119 in 1803, 143 in 1828, 154 in 1829, and 165 lines in 1834.

16 these] yon 1794, 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828.

18-24 Escap'd the sore wounds of Affliction's rod Meek at the throne of Mercy and of God,

Perchance, thou raisest high th' enraptur'd hymn

Amid the blaze of Seraphim! 1794, 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828.

25 Yet oft ('tis Nature's bosom-startling call) 1794, 1796, 1828: Yet oft ('tis Nature's call) 1797, 1803. 26 should] shall 1829.

1794.

30 Thy] The

31-32 And now a flash of Indignation high Darts through the tear that glistens in mine eye. 1794, 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828. 37 Disappointment's deadly shade 1794.

35 his] her 1794. merciless] pitiless 1794.

41

Sublime of thought, and confident of fame,

From vales where Avon' winds the Minstrel came.

Light-hearted youth! aye, as he hastes along,

He meditates the future song,

How dauntless Ella fray'd the Dacyan foe;
And while the numbers flowing strong
In eddies whirl, in surges throng,

Exulting in the spirits' genial throe

45

In tides of power his life-blood seems to flow.

50

And now his cheeks with deeper ardors flame,
His eyes have glorious meanings, that declare

More than the light of outward day shines there,
A holier triumph and a sterner aim!

55

Wings grow within him; and he soars above
Or Bard's or Minstrel's lay of war or love.

Friend to the friendless, to the sufferer health,

He hears the widow's prayer, the good man's praise;

60

To scenes of bliss transmutes his fancied wealth,
And young and old shall now see happy days.
On many a waste he bids trim gardens rise,
Gives the blue sky to many a prisoner's eyes;
And now in wrath he grasps the patriot steel,
And her own iron rod he makes Oppression feel.
Sweet Flower of Hope! free Nature's genial child!
That didst so fair disclose thy early bloom,

1 Avon, a river near Bristol, the birth-place of Chatterton.

65

45 aye, as] om. 1797, 1803.

46 He] And 1797, 1803.

47-56 How dauntless Ella fray'd the Dacyan foes;

And, as floating high in air,

Glitter the sunny Visions fair,

His eyes dance rapture, and his bosom glows!

1794, 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828.

[1794 reads 'Danish foes'; 1797, 1803 read 'See, as floating', &c. Lines 48-56 were added in 1829.]

58-71 Friend to the friendless, to the sick man Health,

With generous Joy he views th' ideal wealth;

He hears the Widow's heaven-breath'd prayer of Praise;
He marks the shelter'd Orphan's tearful gaze;
Or where the sorrow-shrivell'd Captive lay,

5

Pours the bright Blaze of Freedom's noon-tide Ray:
And now, indignant 'grasps the patriot steel'
And her own iron rod he makes Oppression feel.

Filling the wide air with a rich perfume!

For thee in vain all heavenly aspects smil'd;
From the hard world brief respite could they win-

70

The frost nipp'd sharp without, the canker prey'd within! Ah! where are fled the charms of vernal Grace,

And Joy's wild gleams that lighten'd o'er thy face?
Youth of tumultuous soul, and haggard eye!
Thy wasted form, thy hurried steps I view,
On thy wan forehead starts the lethal dew,
And oh the anguish of that shuddering sigh!

Such were the struggles of the gloomy hour,
When Care, of wither'd brow,
Prepar'd the poison's death-cold power:
Already to thy lips was rais'd the bowl,

When near thee stood Affection meek

75

80

(Her bosom bare, and wildly pale her cheek) Thy sullen gaze she bade thee roll

85

On scenes that well might melt thy soul;
Thy native cot she flash'd upon thy view.

Clad in Nature's rich array,

And bright in all her tender hues,

Sweet Tree of Hope! thou loveliest child of Spring!
How fair didst thou disclose thine early bloom,

ΙΟ

Loading the west winds with its soft perfume!

And Fancy, elfin form of gorgeous wing,

[And Fancy hovering round on shadowy wing, 1794.]

On every blossom hung her fostering dews,
That, changeful, wanton'd to the orient Day!

15

But soon upon thy poor unshelter'd Head

[Ah! soon, &c. 1794.]

Did Penury her sickly mildew shed:

And soon the scathing Lightning bade thee stand

In frowning horror o'er the blighted Land 1794, 1796, 1828.

[Lines 1-8 of the preceding variant were omitted in 1797. Line 9 reads Yes! Clad,' &c., and line 12 reads 'Most fair,' &c. The entire variant, 'Friend... Land,' was omitted in 1803, but reappears in 1828. The quotation marks 'grasps the patriot steel' which appear in 1796, but not in 1794, were inserted in 1828, but omitted in 1829, 1834. Lines 1-6 were included in Lines written at the King's Arms, Ross', as first published in the Cambridge Intelligencer, Sept. 27, 1794, and in the editions of 1797, 1828, 1829, and 1834.]

72 Ah! where] Whither 1794, 1797. 73 that lighten'd] light-flashing 1797, 1803. 76 wan] cold 1794, 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828. lethal] anguish'd 1794, 1796, 1797, 1828. 77 And dreadful was that bosom-rending sigh 1794, 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828. 78 the gloomy] that gloomy 1803. Prepar'd the poison's power 1797, 1803.

80

Thy native cot, where still, at close of day,
Peace smiling sate, and listen'd to thy lay;
Thy Sister's shrieks she bade thee hear,
And mark thy Mother's thrilling tear;

See, see her breast's convulsive throe,
Her silent agony of woe!

Ah! dash the poison'd chalice from thy hand!

90

And thou hadst dashed it, at her soft command,
But that Despair and Indignation rose,

95

And told again the story of thy woes;

Told the keen insult of the unfeeling heart,
The dread dependence on the low-born mind;

Told every pang, with which thy soul must smart,
Neglect, and grinning Scorn, and Want combined!
Recoiling quick, thou badest the friend of pain

.

100

Roll the black tide of Death through every freezing vein!
O spirit blest!

Whether the Eternal's throne around,
Amidst the blaze of Seraphim,
Thou pourest forth the grateful hymn,
Or soaring thro' the blest domain
Enrapturest Angels with thy strain,-
Grant me, like thee, the lyre to sound,
Like thee with fire divine to glow ;-
But ah! when rage the waves of woe,

Grant me with firmer breast to meet their hate,

And soar beyond the storm with upright eye elate!

Ye woods! that wave o'er Avon's rocky steep,
To Fancy's ear sweet is your murmuring deep!
For here she loves the cypress wreath to weave;
Watching with wistful eye, the saddening tints of eve.
Here, far from men, amid this pathless grove,
In solemn thought the Minstrel wont to rove,
Like star-beam on the slow sequester'd tide
Lone-glittering, through the high tree branching wide.

105

ΠΙΟ

115

120

90 And mark thy mother's tear 1797, 1803. 98 low-born low-bred 1794. 99 with] at 1794. must] might 1794. 102 black] dark 1794. 103-13 These lines, which form the conclusion (11. 80-90) of the Christ's Hospital Version, were printed for the first time in 1834, with the following variants: 1. 104 the Eternal's] th' Eternal; 1. 105 Seraphim] Cherubim ; 1. 112 to meet] t'oppose; 1. 113 storm] storms. 120 slow] 121 Lone-glittering thro' the Forest' murksome pride 1794.

rude 1794.

And here, in Inspiration's eager hour,
When most the big soul feels the mastering power,
These wilds, these caverns roaming o'er,
Round which the screaming sea-gulls soar,
With wild unequal steps he pass'd along,
Oft pouring on the winds a broken song:
Anon, upon some rough rock's fearful brow

125

Would pause abrupt-and gaze upon the waves below.

130

Poor Chatterton! he sorrows for thy fate
Who would have prais'd and lov'd thee, ere too late.
Poor Chatterton! farewell! of darkest hues
This chaplet cast I on thy unshaped tomb;
But dare no longer on the sad theme muse,
Lest kindred woes persuade a kindred doom:
For oh! big gall-drops, shook from Folly's wing,
Have blacken'd the fair promise of my spring;
And the stern Fate transpierc'd with viewless dart
The last pale Hope that shiver'd at my heart!

135

Hence, gloomy thoughts! no more my soul shall dwell 140
On joys that were! no more endure to weigh
The shame and anguish of the evil day,
Wisely forgetful! O'er the ocean swell
Sublime of Hope I seek the cottag'd dell

Where Virtue calm with careless step may stray;
And, dancing to the moon-light roundelay,
The wizard Passions weave an holy spell!

145

O Chatterton! that thou wert yet alive!

Sure thou would'st spread the canvass to the gale,
And love with us the tinkling team to drive
O'er peaceful Freedom's undivided dale;
And we, at sober eve, would round thee throng,
Would hang, enraptur'd, on thy stately song,
And greet with smiles the young-eyed Poesy
All deftly mask'd as hoar Antiquity.

Alas, vain Phantasies! the fleeting brood
Of Woe self-solac'd in her dreamy mood!

123 mastering] mad'ning 1794, 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828. Monody ends 1794.

unshaped] shapeless 1803.

150

155

129 Here the

130-65 First printed in 1796.
136-9 om. 1803.

133

147 an] a 1834.

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