[Page 103]
[Page 104]
ELEGY.
1 JOYLESS I seek the solitary shade,
2 Where dusky Contemplation veils the scene,
3 The dark retreat (of leafless branches made)
4 Where sick'ning sorrow wets the yellow'd green.
5 The darksome ruins of some sacred cell,
6 Where erst the sons of Superstition trod,
7 Tott'ring upon the mossy meadow, tell
8 We better know, but less adore our God.
9 Now, as I mournful tread the gloomy cave,
10 Thro' the wide window (once with mysteries dight)
11 The distant forest, and the dark'ned wave
12 Of the swoln Avon ravishes my sight.
13 But see the thick'ning vell of evening's drawn,
14 The azure changes to a sabled blue;
15 The rapt'ring prospects fly the less'ning lawn,
16 And Nature seems to mourn the dying view.
17 Self-sprighted Fear creeps silent thro' the gloom,
18 Starts at the rust'ling leaf, and rolls his eyes;
19 Aghast with horror, when he views the tomb,
20 With every torment of a hell he flies.
21 The bubbling brooks in plantive murmurs roll,
22 The bird of omen, with incessant scream,
23 To melancholy thoughts awakes the soul,
24 And lulls the mind to contemplation's dream.
25 A dreary stillness broods o'er all the vale,
26 The clouded moon emits a feeble glare;
27 Joyless I seek the darkling hill and dale;
28 Where'er I wander sorrow still is there.
Bristol, Nov. 17. 1769.
About this text
Author: Thomas Chatterton
Themes:
Genres:
heroic quatrain; elegy
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Source edition
Chatterton, Thomas, 1752-1770. Miscellanies in Prose and Verse; by Thomas Chatterton, the supposed author of the poems published under the names of Rowley, Canning, &c. London: printed for Fielding and Walker, Pater-Noster Row, MDCCLXXVIII., 1778, pp. 103-104. xxxii,245,[3]p.,plates; 8⁰. (ESTC T39457; OTA K039720.000)
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The text has been typographically modernized, but without any silent modernization
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editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. Based on the electronic
text originally produced by the TCP project, this
ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.
Other works by Thomas Chatterton
- ACROSTIC ON MISS [ELEANOR HOYLAND]. 1768. ()
- ACROSTIC ON MISS [SALLY CLARKE]. 1768. ()
- THE ADVICE. ADDRESSED TO MISS M—— R——, OF BRISTOL. ()
- A BURLESQUE CANTATA. 1770. ()
- BURLETTA. THE WOMAN OF SPIRIT. 1770. ()
- CERDICK, TRANSLATED FROM THE SAXON. ()
- CHATTERTON'S WILL. 1770. ()
- COLIN INSTRUCTED. 1770. ()
- THE CONSULIAD, AN HEROIC POEM. ()
- THE COPERNICAN SYSTEM. ()
- THE DEATH OF NICOU, AN AFRICAN ECLOGUE. ()
- THE DEFENCE, ()
- ELEGY, ON W. BECKFORD ESQ. ()
- ELEGY, To the Memory of Mr. THOMAS PHILLIPS of Fairford. ()
- ELEGY. ()
- EPISTLE TO THE REVEREND MR. CATCOTT. ()
- ETHELGAR, A SAXON POEM. ()
- FEBRUARY, AN ELEGY. ()
- GODRED CROVAN, A POEM. ()
- GORTHMUND, TRANSLATED FROM THE SAXON. ()
- HECCAR AND GAIRA AN AFRICAN ECLOGUE. ()
- THE HIRLAS, Translated from the ancient British of OWEN CYFELIOG, Prince of Powys. ()
- IN IMITATION OF OUR OLD POETS. ON OURE LADYES CHIRCH. 1769. ()
- KENRICK. TRANSLATED FROM THE SAXON. ()
- THE METHODIST. MAY 1770. ()
- NARVA AND MORED, AN AFRICAN ECLOGUE. ()
- ODE TO MISS H—L—D. 1768. ()
- ON MR. ALCOCK, OF BRISTOL, AN EXCELLENT MINIATURE PAINTER. ()
- One CANTO of an ANCIENT POEM, CALLED The UNKNOWN KNIGHT or the TOURNAMENT. ()
- THE PROPHECY. ()
- SENTIMENT. 1769. ()
- SONG TO MR. G. CATCOTT. 1769. ()
- A SONG. ADDRESSED TO MISS C—AM OF BRISTOL. ()
- SONG. FANNY[|BETSY] OF THE HILL. 1770. ()
- TO A FRIEND. ()
- TO MISS B—SH, OF BRISTOL. ()
- TO MISS C—KE. 1768. ()
- TO MISS H—L—D. 1768. ()
- TO MISS H—L—D. 1768. ()
- TO MISS H—L—D. 1768. ()
- TO MISS H—L—D. 1768. ()
- TO MISS H—L—D. WITH A PRESENT. 1768. ()
- TO MR. HOLLAND. ()
- TO THE BEAUTEOUS MISS H—L—D. ()