The Lady of the Lake

The Lady of the Lake

Walter Scott

THE CHASE.

Harp of the North! that moldering long hast hung

On the witch-elm that shades St. Fillan’s spring,

And down the fitful breeze thy numbers flung,

Till envious ivy did around thee cling,

Muffling with verdant ringlet every string,—

O minstrel Harp! still must thine accents sleep?

Mid rustling leaves and fountain’s murmuring,

Still must thy sweeter sounds their silence keep,

Nor bid a warrior smile, nor teach a maid to weep?

Not thus, in ancient days of Caledon,

Was thy voice mute amid the festal crowd,

When lay of hopeless love, or glory won,

Aroused the fearful, or subdued the proud.

At each according pause, was heard aloud

Thine ardent symphony sublime and high!

Fair dames and crested chiefs attention bow’d;

For still the burden of thy minstrelsy

Was Knighthood’s dauntless deed, and Beauty’s matchless eye.

Oh, wake once more! how rude soe’er the hand

That ventures o’er thy magic maze to stray;

Oh, wake once more! though scarce my skill command

Some feeble echoing of thine earlier lay:

Though harsh and faint, and soon to die away,

And all unworthy of thy nobler strain,

Yet if one heart throb higher at its sway,

The wizard note has not been touch’d in vain.

Then silent be no more! Enchantress, wake again!

The stag at eve had drunk his fill,

Where danced the moon on Monan’s rill,

And deep his midnight lair had made

In lone Glenartney’s hazel shade;

But, when the sun his beacon red

Had kindled on Benvoirlich’s head,

The deep-mouth’d bloodhound’s heavy bay

Resounded up the rocky way,

And faint, from farther distance borne,

Were heard the clanging hoof and horn.