The
DOWAGER
.
By
the
Same
.
WHERE
aged
elms
in
many
a
goodly
row
Give
yearly
shelter
to
the
constant
crow
,
A
mansion
stands
:
—
long
since
the
pile
was
rais'd
,
Whose
Gothic
grandeur
the
rude
hind
amaz'd
.
For
the
rich
ornament
on
ev'ry
part
,
Confess'd
the
founder's
wealth
,
and
workman's
art
:
Tho'
as
the
range
of
the
wide
court
we
tread
,
The
broken
arch
now
totters
o'er
the
head
;
And
where
of
old
rose
high
the
social
smoke
,
Now
swallows
build
,
and
lonely
ravens
croak
.
Tho'
Time
,
whose
touch
each
beauty
can
deface
,
Has
torn
from
ev'ry
tow'r
the
sculptur'd
grace
;
Tho'
round
each
stone
the
sluggard
ivy
crawls
,
Yet
ancient
state
sits
hov'ring
on
the
walls
.
Where
wont
the
festal
chorus
to
resound
,
And
jocund
dancing
frequent
beat
the
ground
,
Now
Silence
spreads
around
her
gloomy
reign
,
Save
when
the
mastiff
clanks
his
iron
chain
,
Save
when
his
hoarse
bark
echoes
dire
alarm
,
Fierce
to
protect
the
place
from
midnight
harm
,
Its
only
guard
;
no
revel
sounding
late
Drives
the
night
villain
from
the
lonely
gate
.
An
hallow'd
matron
and
her
simple
train
These
solemn
battlements
alone
contain
;
An
hoary
dowager
,
whose
placid
face
Old
age
has
deck'd
with
lovely
aweful
grace
;
With
almost
vernal
bloom
her
cheek
still
strow'd
,
As
beauty
ling'ring
left
her
lov'd
abode
;
That
lov'd
abode
,
where
join'd
with
truth
and
sense
She
form'd
the
features
to
mute
eloquence
,
And
bade
them
charm
the
still
attentive
throng
,
Who
watch'd
the
sacred
lessons
of
her
tongue
.
For
not
thro'
life
the
dame
had
liv'd
retir'd
,
But
once
had
shone
,
e'en
'midst
a
court
admir'd
:
What
time
the
lov'd
possessor
of
her
charms
Returning
from
the
war
in
victor
arms
,
Call'd
from
his
monarch's
tongue
the
plausive
praise
,
While
honour
wreath'd
him
with
unfading
bays
.
She
,
happy
partner
of
each
joyful
hour
,
Then
walk'd
serene
amid
the
pomp
of
pow'r
:
While
all
confess'd
no
warrior's
wish
could
move
For
fairer
prize
,
than
such
accomplish'd
love
:
Nor
to
that
love
could
aught
more
transport
yield
,
Than
graceful
valour
from
the
victor
field
.
Thus
flourish'd
once
the
beauteous
and
the
brave
;
But
mortal
bliss
meets
still
th'
untimely
grave
:
Aurelius
died
—
his
relict's
pious
tear
O'er
his
lov'd
ashes
frequent
flow'd
sincere
,
Each
decent
rite
with
due
observance
paid
,
Each
solemn
requiem
offer'd
to
his
shade
,
Plac'd
'mid
the
brave
his
urn
in
holy
ground
,
And
bade
his
hallow'd
banners
wave
around
.
Then
left
the
gaudy
scenes
of
pomp
and
power
,
While
prudence
beckon'd
to
that
ancient
bower
,
And
those
paternal
fields
,
the
sole
remains
Of
ample
woods
and
far-extended
plains
,
Which
tyrant
custom
rudely
tore
away
To
distant
heirship
an
expected
prey
.
Serene
she
sought
the
far-retired
grove
,
Once
the
bless'd
mansion
of
her
happy
love
,
Pleas'd
with
the
thought
,
that
memory
oft
would
raise
A
solemn
prospect
of
those
blooming
days
Aurelius
gave
:
her
pious
purpose
now
To
keep
still
constant
to
her
sacred
vow
;
In
lonely
luxury
her
sorrows
feed
,
And
pass
her
life
in
widow's
decent
weed
.
One
pledge
of
love
her
comfort
still
remain'd
,
Whom
in
this
solitude
she
careful
train'd
To
virtuous
lore
;
and
while
as
year
by
year
New
graces
made
Aurelia
still
more
dear
;
Full
many
an
hour
unheeded
she
would
trace
The
father's
semblance
in
the
daughter's
face
;
While
tender
sighs
oft
heav'd
her
faithful
breast
,
And
sudden
tears
her
lasting
love
exprest
.
Thus
long
she
dwelt
in
innate
virtues
great
,
Amid
the
villagers
in
sacred
state
:
For
ev'ry
grace
to
which
submission
bows
,
The
pow'r
which
conscious
dignity
bestows
,
She
felt
superior
;
for
from
ancient
race
She
gloried
her
long
ancestry
to
trace
;
And
ever
bade
Aurelia's
thought
aspire
To
every
grace
,
each
ray
of
sacred
fire
,
That
full
of
heav'n-born
dignity
informs
The
mortal
breast
which
ardent
virtue
warms
;
Then
led
her
to
the
venerable
hall
Where
her
successive
sires
adorn'd
the
wall
,
And
arched
windows
with
their
blazon
bright
Shed
thro'
the
herald
glow
a
solemn
light
:
There
clad
in
rough
habiliments
of
war
Full
many
a
hero
bore
a
glorious
scar
;
There
in
the
civic
fur
the
sons
of
peace
,
Whose
counsels
bade
their
country's
tumults
cease
;
While
by
their
side
,
gracing
the
ancient
scene
,
Hung
gentle
ladies
of
most
comely
mien
.
Then
eager
thro'
the
well-known
tale
she
run
,
In
what
fair
cause
each
honour
had
been
won
,
What
female
grace
each
virgin
had
possess'd
To
charm
to
gentle
love
the
manly
breast
;
Pleas'd
to
observe
how
long
her
gen'rous
blood
Thro'
fair
and
brave
had
pass'd
a
spotless
flood
.
Mean
while
the
young
Aurelia's
bosom
sir'd
With
emulation
by
each
tale
inspir'd
,
In
eager
transport
frequent
breath'd
her
prayer
The
graces
of
her
ancestry
to
share
:
Nor
breath'd
in
vain
,
her
fond
maternal
guide
Cherish'd
with
care
each
spark
of
virtuous
pride
;
And
ever
as
she
gave
a
lesson
new
,
Would
point
some
old
example
to
her
view
:
Inflam'd
by
this
,
her
mind
was
quickly
fraught
With
each
sage
precept
,
that
her
mother
taught
.
The
goodly
dame
thus
bless'd
in
her
employ
,
Felt
each
soft
transport
of
parental
joy
,
And
liv'd
content
,
her
utmost
wish
fulfill'd
In
the
fair
prospect
of
a
virtuous
child
:
Resign'd
she
waited
now
the
aweful
hour
Then
death
should
raise
her
to
that
heav'nly
bow'r
,
There
with
her
lov'd
Aurelius
she
might
share
The
pleasing
task
,
to
watch
with
guardian
care
Their
offspring's
steps
,
and
hov'ring
o'er
her
head
,
The
gracious
dew
of
heavenly
peace
to
shed
;
Nor
fear'd
her
decency
of
life
would
prove
An
added
bliss
to
all
the
joys
above
.