Canto VI

The Guard

room

And sought, amid thy faithful clan,
A refuge for an outlaw'd man,
Dishonouring thus thy loyal name.-
Fetters and warder for the Græme!'-
His chain of gold the King unstrung,
The links o'er Malcolm's neck he flung,
Then gently drew the glittering band,
And laid the clasp on Ellen's hand.

HARP of the North, farewell! The hills grow dark,

On purple peaks a deeper shade descending; In twilight copse the glow-worm lights her spark,

The deer, half-seen, are to the covert wending. Resume thy wizard elm! the fountain lending, And the wild breeze, thy wilder minstrelsy ; Thy numbers sweet with nature's vespers

blending,

With distant echo from the fold and lea,

And herd-boy's evening pipe, and hum of housing

bee.

Yet, once again, farewell, thou Minstrel Harp !
Yet, once again, forgive my feeble sway,

And little reck I of the censure sharp
May idly cavil at an idle lay.

Much have I owed thy strains on life's long

way,

Through secret woes the world has never known,

When on the weary night dawn'd wearier Canto VI

day,

And bitterer was the grief devour'd alone. That I o'erlive such woes, Enchantress! is thine

own.

Hark! as my lingering footsteps slow retire, Some Spirit of the Air has waked thy string! 'Tis now a seraph bold, with touch of fire, 'Tis now the brush of Fairy's frolic wing. Receding now, the dying numbers ring Fainter and fainter down the rugged dell, And now the mountain breezes scarcely bring A wandering witch-note of the distant spellAnd now, 'tis silent all! - Enchantress, fare thee well!

The Guardroom