Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Charms of melody, or, Siren medley

336 BALLADS ancient and modern, LEGENDARIES, &c.
Frederick and Alice.
FRF.DERICK leaves the land of France,
Homewards haftes his fteps to meafure ;
Carelefs cafls the parting glance
On the fcene of former pleafure ;
Joying in his prancing fteed.
Keen to prove his untried blade.
Hope's gay dreams the foldier lead
Over mountain, moo^, and glade.
Helplefs, ruin'd, left forlorn.
Lovely Alice wept alone,
Mourn'd o'er love's fond contract torn,
Hope, and peace, and honor flown.
Mark her breaft's convulfive throbs !
See, the tear of anguifli flows !
Mingling foon with buriling fobs.
Loud the laugh of frenzy rofe.
Wild (he curs'd, and wild flie pray'd ;
Seven long days and nights are o'er ;
Death in pity brought his aid.
As the village bell ftruck four.
Far from her, and far from France,
Faithlefs Frederick onward rides.
Marking blythe the morning's glance
Mantling o'er the mountain's fides.
Heard ye not the boding found,
As the tongue of yonder tower
Slowly, to the hills around,
Told the fourth, the fated hour ?
Starts the fleed, and fnuffs the air.
Yet no caufe of dread appears ;
Briftles high the rider's hair.
Struck with ftrange myfterious fears.
Defperate, as his terrors rife.
In the fteed the fpur he hides ;
From himfelf in vain he flies ;
Anxious, reftlefs, on he rides.
Seven long days, and feven long nights.
Wild he war.der'd, woe the while!
Ceafelefs care, and caufelefs fright.
Urge his footfteps many a mile.
Dark the feventh fad night dcfcends ;
Rivers fwell, and rain-ftreams pour j
While the deafening Thunder lends
All the terrors of his roar.
Weary, wet, and fpent with toil.
Where his head {hall Frederick hide ?
Where, but in yon ruin'd aide,
By the lightning's flafli defcried.
To the portal dank and low,
Faft his fteed the wanderer bound j
Down a ruin'd ftaircafe, flow
Next his darkling way he wound.
Long drear vaults before him lie !
Glimmering lights are feen to glide!
— " Blefled Mary hear my cry !
Deign a linner's fteps to guide!"—
Often loft their quivering beam.
Still the lights more flow before,
Till they reft their ghartly gleam.
Right againft an iron door.
Thundering voices from within,
Mix'd with peals of laughter, rofe j
As they fell, a folemn ftrain
Lent its wild and wond'rous clofe !
Midft the din, he feem'd to hear
Voice of friends, by death removed ;—
—Well he knew that folemn air,
'Twas the lay that Alice loved. —
Hark ! for now a folemn knell
Four times on the ftill night broke j
Four times, at its deaden'd fwell,
Echoes from the ruins fpoke.
As the lengthen'd clangours die.
Slowly ope's the iron door !
Straight a banquet met his eye.
But a funeral's form it wor^ f
CofEns for the feats extend ;
All with black the board was fpread.
Girt by parent, brother, friend,
Long (ince number'd with the dead !
Alice, in her grave clothes bound,
Ghaftly fmiiinf, points a. feat;
All arofe with thundering found ;
All the expecfled ftranger greet.
High their meagre arms they wave.
Wild their notes of welcome fwell ;
— " Welcome, traitor, to the grave !
" Perjured, bid the light farewell! —
Tales oflVtndd
The Fifherman.
Fram the German of Goethe,
THE water rufh'd, the water fwell'd,
A fiftierman fat nigh ;
Calm was his heart, and he beheld
His line with watchful eye :
While thus he fits with tranquil look :
In twain the water flows ;
Then, crown'd with reeds, from out the brook
A lovely woman rofe.
To him flie fung, to him flie faid,
— " Why tempt'ft thou frem the flood,
" By cruel arts of man betray'd,
" Fair youth, my fcaly brood .'
" Ah ! knew'ft thou how we find it fweet
" Beneath the waves to go,
" Thyfelf would leave the hooks deceit,
" And live with us below.
" Love not their fplendour in the main ^
" The fun and moon to lave ?
" Look not their beams as bright again,
" Reflected on the wave ?
" Tempts not this river's glaiTy blue,
" So cryftal, clear and bright ?
" Tempts not thy fhade, which bathes in dew^
" And fliares our cool delight .'"— ^
The water rufli'd, tlie water fwell'd, '
The fifherman fat nigh ;
With wiftiful glance the flood beheld,
And long'd the wave to try.
To him ftie faid, to him flie fung,
The river's guileful queen :
Half in he fell, half in he fprung,
And never more was feen.
M, 0, Lewitr
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