Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1880 edition. Excerpt: ... Auchindoun, Path, Drawbridge, and Portcullis. 305 HELEN OF ACHINDOXJN, A BALLAD. 1. The night was dark, --no lovely moon, With fascinating ray, Shone on the Towers of Achindoun, That lift their tops on high. 2. Death's calm o'er all assum'd the sway--No sound was heard, nor tone, Save, from the jungles near, the cry Of night's own bird, --the moan: '. Of Autumn's gusts the trees among, Strewing the foliage brown, --And the Guard's frequent steps along The walls of Auchindoun. i. 1mpregnable, they tower'd aloft, And, when in deadly jar By feudal Barons storm'd, had oft Roll'd back the shock of war. 5. By nature fortified, they stood Upon a lofty Hill, Along whose base the Fiddich's flood Pours lonely on, and still. G. Precipitous on ev'ry side That lofty Hill arose; Only one ridge a Path supplied To friends, or storming foes: 7. That Path, by strong portcullis'd Gate And Drawbridge, was secur'd, To ward against the deadly hate Which Chief on Chieftain pour'd. 8. Why from yon grated Lattice gleams, At this lone hour of night, When all the world in slumber seems, A Lamp's pale sickly light '.). Why, by its ray uncertain, rests Her head upon her hand, Yon lady fair? What grief molests 1 Tears on her eye-lids stand. 300 Helen of Auchindoun and Malcolm of Balvenie. 10. Heaves high her naked breast of snow With many a struggling sigh; Her auburn locks unbraided flow O'er her neck carelessly. 11. "I cannot sleep, I needs must weep; For, he I dearly love, Immur'd. lies in the Castle's Keep, My father's rage to prove. 12. "Oh! why so harsh should fathers prove Unto their children dear? The tigers cherish with more love The whelps which they do rear! 13. "Though mutual hate our sires do move A separate side to take, Must Helen less her Malcolm love, ...