Among them all some sad discourse at night Was sure to breed a terrified delight: Some luckless one of the attentive dames Had figures seen like those within the frames, Figures of lords who once the land posses’d, And who could never in their coffins rest; Unhappy spirits! who could not abide 70} The loss of all their consequence and pride; } ’Twas death in all his power, their very names had died. } “These tales of terror views terrific bred, And sent the hearers trembling to their bed.” * * * * * In an autumnal evening, cool and still, The sun just dropp’d beneath a distant hill, The children gazing on the quiet scene, Then rose in glory Night’s majestic queen; And pleasant was the chequer’d light and shade Her golden beams and maple shadows made; 80 An ancient tree that in the garden grew, And that fair picture on the gravel threw. Then all was silent, save the sounds that make Silence more awful, while they faintly break; The frighten’d bat’s low shriek, the beetle’s hum, With nameless sounds we know not whence they come. Such was the evening; and that ancient seat The scene where then some neighbours chanced to meet. Up to the door led broken steps of stone, Whose dewy surface in the moonlight shone; 90 On vegetation, that with progress slow Where man forbears to fix his foot, will grow; The window’s depth and dust repell’d the ray Of the moon’s light and of the setting day; Pictures there were, and each display’d a face And form that gave their sadness to the place; The frame and canvas show’d that worms unseen, Save in their works, for years had working been; A fire of brushwood on the irons laid } All the dull room in fitful views display’d, 100} And with its own wild light in fearful forms array’d. } In this old Hall, in this departing day, Assembled friends and neighbours, grave and gay; When one good lady at a picture threw A glance that caused inquiry.—“Tell us who?” “That was a famous warrior; one, they said, That by a spirit was awhile obey’d; In all his dreadful battles he would say, ‘Or win or lose, I shall escape to-day’; And, though the shot as thick as hail came round, 110 On no occasion he received a wound; He stood in safety, free from all alarm, Protected, heaven forgive him, by his charm. But he forgot the date, till came the hour When he no more had the protecting power; And then he bade his friends around farewell! ‘I fall!’ he cried, and in the instant fell. “Behold those infants in the frame beneath! A witch offended wrought their early death; She form’d an image, made as wax to melt, 120 And each the wasting of the figure felt; The hag confess’d it when she came to die, And no one living can the truth deny. “But see a beauty in King William’s days,