Where the soul's glory shines with clearer beam, Say, ivied Valle Crucis, time-decay'd, Dim on the brink of Deva's wandering floods, Your riv'd arch glimmering thro' the tangled glade, Your grey hills towering o'er your night of woods, Deep in the Vale's recesses as you stand, And, desolately great, the rising sigh command, Say, lonely, ruin'd pile, when former years Saw Superstition frown upon the tears That mourn'd the rash irrevocable vow, Wore one young lip gay ELEANORA's smile? For your sad sons, nor Science wak'd her powers; Nor e'er did Art her lively spells display; But the grim idol vainly lash'd the hours 1. 5. Valle Crucis-The picturesque ruins of Valle Crucis Abbey, one of the most striking objects in this Valley. They are particularly described by Mr PENNANT, and there are engravings of them in his Tour. 1. 19. Grim Idol-Superstition. 10 Dropt her dark cowl on each devoted head, This gentle pair no glooms of thought infest, Then how should Summer-day or Winter-night, Seem long to them who thus can wing their hours! O! ne'er may pain, or sorrow's cruel blight, Breathe the dark mildew thro' these lovely bowers, But lengthen❜d life subside in soft decay, Illumed by rising Hope, and Faith's pervading ray. May one kind ice-bolt, from the mortal stores, That no sad course of desolated hours Here vainly nurse the unsubsiding woes! While all who honour Virtue, gently mourn LLANGOLLEN's vanish'd Pair, and wreath their sacred urn. VERSES ON WREXHAM, AND THE INHABITANTS OF ITS ENVIRONS. PROUD of her ancient race, Britannia shows Thrice happy Wrexham, 'mid thy neighbouring groves Stray, with 'twin'd arms, the Virtues, and the Loves, There FLETCHER, from her own Gwernheyled, beams, Fair as its meads, and liberal as its streams; 1.8. There Fletcher-Mrs Fletcher of Gwernheyled-Gwern. heyled, means Sunny Alders. VOL. III. The Sister APPERLYS, in youth's soft morn, Stream o'er her form, and lighten in her face; Nor only, WREXHAM, do thy circling groves Boast the fair virtues, and the radiant loves, There HAYMAN's song, with its enchanting powers, Floats thro' thy vales, thy mansions, and thy bowers; Her hallow'd temple there Religion shows, That erst with beauteous majesty arose In ancient days, when Gothic art display'd Her fanes, in airy elegance array'd, 1.1. Sister Apperlys-The two Miss Apperlys. 1. 3. Friendly Price Mrs Parry Price, late of that neighbourhood. 1. 7. Cunliffe's eyes-The Lady of Sir Foster Cunliffe, Ba ronet. 1, 15. Hayman's song-Watkin Hayman, Esq. Whose nameless charms the Dorian claims efface, Then plied, with curious skill, now rarely shown, That, while it charms the eye, pervades the heart, WREXHAM, for thee thus rose, by mental power, Fair modern Science o'er the Arts of yore; For thee exulting she entwines the wreaths, As Sculpture speaks, and heavenly Music breathes, Since great ROUBILLIAC decks thy sacred Shrine, And Genius wakes thy RANDAL'S Harp divine. 1. 11. Albion's long distinguish'd fanes-Westminster. 1. 13. Sainted Maid-Mrs Mary Middleton's monument by Roubilliac, in the Chancel at Wrexham, 1. 22. Randal's Harp-Mr Randal, organist of Wrexham ; an exquisite performer on the pedal harp. He has been blind from his infancy. |