O'er him a Vampire his dark wings displayed.' 'Twas MERION's self, covering with dreadful shade. He came, and, couched on ROLDAN's ample breast, Each secret pore of breathing life possessed, Fanning the sleep that seemed his final rest; Then, inly gliding like a subtle flame, Thrice, with a cry that thrilled the mortal frame, Called on the Spirit within. Disdaining flight, Calmly she rose, collecting all her might.3 Dire was the dark encounter! Long unquelled, Her sacred seat, sovereign and pure, she held. At length the great Foe binds her for his prize, And awful, as in death, the body lies! Not long to slumber! In an evil hour Informed and lifted by the unknown Power, It starts, it speaks! "We live, we breathe no more; The fatal wind blows on the dreary shore! On yonder cliffs beckoning their fellow-prey, The spectres stalk, and murmur at delay !4 -Yet if thou canst (not for myself I plead! Mine but to follow where 'tis thine to lead) Oh turn and save! To thee, with streaming eyes, To thee each widow kneels, each orphan cries! Who now, condemned the lingering hours to tell, Think and but think of those they loved so well!" All melt in tears! but what can tears avail? These climb the mast, and shift the swelling sail. These snatch the helm; and round me now I hear Smiting of hands, out-cries of grief and fear,5 (That in the aisles at midnight haunt me still, Turning my lonely thoughts from good to ill) [cry, "Were there no graves-none in our land," they "That thou hast brought us on the deep to die?" Silent with sorrow, long within his cloak His face he muffled-then the HERO spoke. "Generous and brave! when God himself is here, Why shake at shadows in your mid career? He can suspend the laws himself designed, He walks the waters, and the winged wind; Himself your guide! and yours the high behest, To lift your voice, and bid a world be blest! And can you shrink? to you, to you consigned The glorious privilege to serve mankind! Oh had I perished, when my failing frame Clung to the shattered oar 'mid wrecks of flame! -Was it for this I lingered life away, The scorn of Folly, and of Fraud the prey ;7 1 A species of Bat in South America; which refreshes by the gentle agitation of its wings, while it sucks the blood of the sleeper, turning his sleep into death. 7 Nudo nocchier, promettitor di regni ! By the Genoese and the Spaniards he was regarded as a man resolved on "a wild dedication of himself to unpathed waters, undreamed shores ;" and the court of Portugal endeavoured to rob him of the glory of his enterprise, by secretly despatching a vessel in the course which he had pointed out. "Lorsqu'il avait promis un nouvel hémisphère," says Voltaire, "on lui avait soutenu que cet hémisphère ne pouvait exister; et quand il l'eut decouvert, on prétendit qu'il avait été connu depuis long-temps." Bowed down my mind, the gift His bounty gave, At courts a suitor, and to slaves a slave? -Yet in His name whom only we should fear, ("Tis all, all I shall ask, or you shall hear) Grant but three days"-He spoke not uninspired;8 And each in silence to his watch retired At length among us came an unknown Voice! "Go, if ye will; and, if ye can, rejoice. Go, with unbidden guests the banquet share. In his own shape shall Death receive you there."9 CANTO VIII. Land discovered. TWICE in the zenith blazed the orb of light; "Oh whence, as wafted from Elysium, whence The sails were furled; with many a melting close, Solemn and slow the evening-anthem rose, Rose to the Virgin.12 "Twas the hour of day, When setting suns o'er summer-seas display A path of glory, opening in the west To golden climes, and islands of the blest; And human voices, on the silent air, Went o'er the waves in songs of gladness there! 8 He used to affirm, that he stood in need of God's particular assistance; like Moses, when he led forth the people of Israel, who forbore to lay violent hands upon him, because of the miracles which God wrought by his means. "So," said the Admiral, " did it happen to me on that voyage." Hist. c. 19. "And so easily," says a Commentator, "are the workings of the Evil One overcome by the power of God!" 9 This denunciation, fulfilled as it appears to be in the eleventh canto, may remind the reader of the Harpy's in Virgil. Æn. III. v. 247. 10 Ex ligno lucido confectum, et arte mirâ laboratum. P. Martyr. dec. i. 5. 11 The Simoom. 12 Salve, regina. Herrera, I. i. 12.-It was the usual service, and always sung with great solemnity. "I remember one evening," says Oviedo, "when the ship was in full sail, and all the men were on their knees, singing Salve, regina, &c. Relacion Sommaria.-The hymn, O Sanctissima, is still to be heard after sunset along the shores of Sicily, and its effect may be better conceived than described. Chosen of Men!1 "Twas thine, at noon of And clap their hands, exclaiming as they run, night, First from the prow to hail the glimmering light:2| CANTO IX. The New World. LONG on the deep the mists of morning lay, 4 Slowly, bare-headed, thro' the surf we bore The sacred cross, and, kneeling, kissed the shore. But what a scene was there ?5 Nymphs of romance, 6 Youths graceful as the Faun, with eager glance, Spring from the glades, and down the alleys peep, Then head-long rush, bounding from steep to steep, 1 "I believe that he was chosen for this great service; and that, because he was to be so truly an apostle, as in effect he proved to be, therefore was his origin obscure; that therein he might resemble those who were called to make known the name of the Lord from seas and rivers, and not from courts and palaces. And I believe also, that, as in most of his doings he was guarded by some special providence, his very name was not without some mystery: for in it is expressed the wonder he performed; inasmuch as he conveyed to a new world the grace of the Holy Ghost," &c.Hist. c. 1. 2 A light in the midst of darkness, signifying the spiritual light that he came to spread there. F. Col. c. 22. Herrera, I. i. 12. 3 Pedro Gutierrez, a Page of the King's Chamber. Rodrigo Sanchez of Segovia, Comptroller of the Fleet. 4 Signifying to the Infernal Powers (all' infierno todo) the will of the Most High, that they should renounce a world over which they had tyrannised for so many ages.Ovalle, iv. 5. 5" This country excels all others; as far as the day surpasses the night in splendour. Nor is there a better people in the world. They love their neighbour as themselves; their conversation is the sweetest imaginable, their faces always smiling; and so gentle, so affectionate are they, that I swear to your Highnesses," &c. Hist. c. 30, 33. 6 Dryades formosissimas, aut nativas fontium nymphas de quibus fabulatur antiquitas, se vidisse arbitrati sunt.P. Martyr, dec. i. lib. v. And an eminent Painter of the present day, when he first saw the Apollo of the Belvidere, was struck with its resemblance to an American warrior. WEST'S Discourses in the Royal Academy, 1794, "Come and behold the Children of the Sun !"7 At length the spell dissolves! The warrior's lance That now with terror starts, with triumph glows! THEN CORA came, the youngest of her race, The more she searched, pleased and perplexed the more ! And look'd and laugh'd, and blush'd with quick surprise! Her lips all mirth, all ecstacy her eyes! But soon the telescope attracts her view; And lo, her lover in his light canoe Rocking, at noon-tide, on the silent sea, Before her lies! It cannot, cannot be. Late as he left the shore, she lingered there, Till, less and less, he melted into air!Sigh after sigh steals from her gentle frame, And say that murmur-was it not his name? She turns, and thinks; and, lost in wild amaze, Gazes again, and could for ever gaze! Nor can thy flute, ALONSO, now excite, As in VALENCIA, when, with fond delight, FRANCISCA, waking, to the lattice flew, So soon to love and to be wretched too! Hers thro' a convent-grate to send her last adieu. 7 So, in like manner, when Cortes and his companions appeared at the gates of Mexico, the young exclaimed, They are Gods!" while the old shook their heads saying, "They are those who were to come and to reign over us!" -Herrera. 8" The Cacique came to the shore in a sort of palanquin -attended by his ancient men.-The gifts, which he received from me, were afterwards carried before him."Hist. c. 32. 9 The ring of Gyges, the lamp of Aladdin, and the horse of the Tartar king. -Yet who now comes uncall'd; and round and There silent sate many an unbidden Guest 1o, round, And near and nearer flutters to the sound; "Twas he that sung, if ancient Fame speaks truth, CANTO XI. Evening-A Banquet-The Ghost of Cazziva. There odorous lamps adorned the festal rite, 1 Ætas est illis aurea. Apertis vivunt hortis. P. Martyr. dec. i. 3. 2 The wild cotton-tree, often mentioned in History. "Cortes, says Bernal Diaz, "took possession of the Country in the following manner. Drawing his sword, he gave three cuts with it into a great Ceiba, and said-" 3 The Parrot, as described by Aristotle.-Hist. Animal. viii. 12. 4 Here are birds so small, says Herrera, that, though they are birds, they are taken for bees or butterflies. 5 The Humming-bird. Kakopit (florum regulus) is the name of an Indian bird, referred to this class by Seba. 6 Il sert après sa mort à parer les jeunes Indiennes, qui portent en pendans d'oreilles deux de ces charmans oiseaux. -BUFFON. According to an ancient tradition. See Oviedo, Vega, Herrera, &c. Not many years afterwards a Spaniard of distinction wandered everywhere in search of it; and no wonder, as Robertson observes, when Columbus himself could imagine that he had found the seat of Paradise. 8 P. Martyr. dec. i. 9 They believed that the souls of good men were conveyed to a pleasant valley, abounding in guavas and other delicious fruits. Herrera, I. iii. 3. Hist. del Almirante, c. 62. Whose steadfast looks a secret dread impressed; But whence that sigh? "Twas from a heart that And whence that voice? As from the grave it spoke! Hark, o'er the busy mead the shelf proclaims 15 Who claims the prize, when winged feet contend; How blest his lot!-tho', by the Muse unsung, 10 The dead walk abroad in the night, and feast with the living;" (F. Columbus, c. 62.) and "eat of the fruit called Guannaba." P. Martyr, dec. i. 9. 11 An ancient Cacique, in his life-time and after his death, employed by the Zemi to alarm his people.-See Hist. c. 62. 12 The Author is speaking in his inspired character. Hidden things are revealed to him, and placed before his mind as if they were present. 13Nor could they (the Powers of Darkness) have more effectually prevented the progress of the Faith, than by desolating the New World; by burying nations alive in mines, or consigning them in all their errors to the sword." -Relacion de B. de las Casas. 14 Not manalone, but many other animals becamexetinct there. 15 P. Martyr. dec. iii. c. 7. And many and many a year has passed away, CANTO XII. A Vision. STILL Would I speak of Him before I went, Alas, He hears me not! He cannot hear! Twice the Moon filled her silver urn with light. Then from the Throne an Angel winged his flight; He, who unfixed the compass, and assigned O'er the wild waves a pathway to the wind; Who, while approached by none but Spirits pure, Wrought, in his progress thro' the dread obscure, Signs like the ethereal bow-that shall endure ! As he descended thro' the upper air, Day broke on day as God himself were there! Before the great Discoverer, laid to rest, He stood, and thus his secret soul addressed 3. "The wind recalls thee; its still voice obey. Millions await thy coming; hence, away. To thee blest tidings of great joy consigned, Another Nature, and a new Mankind! The vain to dream, the wise to doubt shall cease; Young men be glad, and old depart in peace 4! Hence! tho' assembling in the fields of air, Now, in a night of clouds, thy Foes prepare To rock the globe with elemental wars, And dash the floods of ocean to the stars5; To bid the meek repine, the valiant weep, And Thee restore thy Secret to the Deep 6 ! "Not then to leave Thee! to their vengeance Thy heart their aliment, their dire repast7! [cast, Te tua fata docebo.-VIRG. 4 P. Martyr, Epist. 133, 152. 5 When he entered the Tagus, all the seamen ran from all parts to behold, as it were some wonder, a ship that had escaped so terrible a storm.-Hist. c. 40. 6 "I wrote on a parchment that I had discovered what I had promised;—and, having put it into a cask, I threw it into the sea."-Ibid. c. 37. 7 See the Eumenides of Eschylus, v. 305, &c. 8 Balboa immediately concluded it to be the ocean for which Columbus had searched in vain; and when, at length, after a toilsome march among the mountains, his guides pointed out to him the summit from which it might be seen, he commanded his men to halt, and went up alone. -Herrera, I. x. 1. Chains thy reward! beyond the ATLANTIC wave Spread the pure spirit of thy Master mild! Arts to adorn, and arms but to defend. "Hence, and rejoice. The glorious work is done. 9 "I always saw them in his room, and he ordered them to be buried with his body."-Hist. c. 86. 10 His person, says Herrera, had an air of grandeur. His hair, from many hardships, had long been grey. In him you saw a man of an unconquerable courage, and high thoughts; patient of wrongs, calm in adversity, ever trusting in God;-and, had he lived in ancient times, statues and temples would have been erected to him without number, and his name would have been placed among the stars. 11 See the Eumenides of Eschylus, v. 246. 12There go the sons of him who discovered those fatal countries, &c."-Hist. c. 85. 13 One of these, on account of his extraordinary sagacity and fierceness, received the full allowance of a soldier. His name was Berezillo. 14" With my own eyes I saw kingdoms as full of people, as hives are full of bees; and now where are they?"-LAS CASAS. "The 15 No unusual effect of an exuberant vegetation. air was so vitiated," says an African traveller, "that our torches burnt dim, and seemed ready to be extinguished; and even the human voice lost its natural tone." 16 See Washington's farewell address to his fellow-citizens. 17 See Paradise Lost, X. 18 Cortes. A peine put-il obtenir audience de CharlesQuint un jour il fendit la presse qui entourait le coche de l'empereur, et monta sur l'étrier de la portière. Charles demanda quel etait cet homme; "C'est," repondit Cortes, "celui qui vous a donné plus d'états que vos pères ne vous ont laissé de villes.' "VOLTAIRE. 19 Almost all," says Las Casas, "have perished. The innocent blood, which they had shed, cried aloud for vengeance; the sighs, the tears of so many victims went up before God." 20 L'Espagne a fait comme ce roi insensé qui demanda que tout ce qu'il toucheroit se convertit en or, et qui fut obligé de revenir aux dieux pour les prier de finir sa misère.MONTESQUIEU. While to the starry sphere thy name shall rise, On the two last leaves, and written in another hand, are some stanzas in the romance or ballad measure of the Spaniards. The subject is an adventure soon related. THY lonely watch-tower, Larenille, When Hernan, rising on his oar, "Those lights are on St. Mary's Isle ; Two Strangers at the Convent-gate. They ascended by steps hewn out in the rock; and, having asked for admittance, were lodged there. Brothers in arms the Guests appeared; His velvet cap a medal bore, And ermine fringed his broidered vest; The Eldest had a rougher aspect, and there was craft in his eye. He stood a little behind in a long black mantle, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword; and his white hat and white shoes glittered in the moon-shine.3 The The Eldest swore by our Lady, 9 the Youngest by his conscience; 10 while the Franciscan, sitting by in his grey habit, turned away and crossed himself again and again. "Here is a little book," said he at last," the work of him in his shroud below. It tells of things you have mentioned ; and, were Cortes and Pizarro here, it might perhaps make them reflect for a moment." Youngest smiled as he took it into his hand. He read it aloud to his companion with an unfaltering voice; but, when he laid it down, a silence ensued; nor was he seen to smile again that night."The curse is heavy," said he at parting, "but Cortes may live to disappoint it." Ay, and Pizarro too!" A circumstance, recorded by Herrera, renders this visit not improbable. "In May, 1528, Cortes arrived unexpectedly at Palos; and, soon after he had landed, he and Pizarro met and rejoiced; and it was remarkable that they should meet, as they were two of the most renowned men in the world." B. Diaz makes no mention of the interview; but, relating an occurrence that took place at this time in Palos, says, "that Cortes was now absent at Nuestra Senora de la Rábida." The Convent is within half a league of the town. |