a royal poet- 第3部分

　　He　receives　the　branch　with　mingled　hope　and　dread；　reads　it　with

rapture：　and　this；　he　says；　was　the　first　token　of　his　succeeding

happiness。　Whether　this　is　a　mere　poetic　fiction；　or　whether　the

Lady　Jane　did　actually　send　him　a　token　of　her　favor　in　this

romantic　way；　remains　to　be　determined　according　to　the　faith　or　fancy

of　the　reader。　He　concludes　his　poem；　by　intimating　that　the　promise

conveyed　in　the　vision　and　by　the　flower　is　fulfilled；　by　his　being

restored　to　liberty；　and　made　happy　in　the　possession　of　the　sovereign

of　his　heart。

　　Such　is　the　poetical　account　given　by　James　of　his　love　adventures

in　Windsor　Castle。　How　much　of　it　is　absolute　fact；　and　how　much　the

embellishment　of　fancy；　it　is　fruitless　to　conjecture：　let　us　not；

however；　reject　every　romantic　incident　as　incompatible　with　real

life；　but　let　us　sometimes　take　a　poet　at　his　word。　I　have　noticed

merely　those　parts　of　the　poem　immediately　connected　with　the　tower；

and　have　passed　over　a　large　part；　written　in　the　allegorical　vein；　so

much　cultivated　at　that　day。　The　language；　of　course；　is　quaint　and

antiquated；　so　that　the　beauty　of　many　of　its　golden　phrases　will

scarcely　be　perceived　at　the　present　day；　but　it　is　impossible　not

to　be　charmed　with　the　genuine　sentiment；　the　delightful　artlessness

and　urbanity；　which　prevail　throughout　it。　The　descriptions　of

nature　too；　with　which　it　is　embellished；　are　given　with　a　truth；　a

discrimination；　and　a　freshness；　worthy　of　the　most　cultivated　periods

of　the　art。

　　As　an　amatory　poem；　it　is　edifying　in　these　days　of　coarser

thinking；　to　notice　the　nature；　refinement；　and　exquisite　delicacy

which　pervade　it；　banishing　every　gross　thought　or　immodest

expression；　and　presenting　female　loveliness；　clothed　in　all　its

chivalrous　attributes　of　almost　supernatural　purity　and　grace。

　　James　flourished　nearly　about　the　time　of　Chaucer　and　Gower；　and　was

evidently　an　admirer　and　studier　of　their　writings。　Indeed；　in　one

of　his　stanzas　he　acknowledges　them　as　his　masters；　and；　in　some　parts

of　his　poem；　we　find　traces　of　similarity　to　their　productions；　more

especially　to　those　of　Chaucer。　There　are　always；　however；　general

features　of　resemblance　in　the　works　of　contemporary　authors；　which

are　not　so　much　borrowed　from　each　other　as　from　the　times。　Writers；

like　bees；　toll　their　sweets　in　the　wide　world；　they　incorporate

with　their　own　conceptions　the　anecdotes　and　thoughts　current　in

society；　and　thus　each　generation　has　some　features　in　common；

characteristic　of　the　age　in　which　it　lived。

　　James　belongs　to　one　of　the　most　brilliant　eras　of　our　literary

history；　and　establishes　the　claims　of　his　country　to　a

participation　in　its　primitive　honors。　Whilst　a　small　cluster　of

English　writers　are　constantly　cited　as　the　fathers　of　our　verse；

the　name　of　their　great　Scottish　compeer　is　apt　to　be　passed　over　in

silence；　but　he　is　evidently　worthy　of　being　enrolled　in　that　little

constellation　of　remote　but　never…failing　luminaries；　who　shine　in　the

highest　firmament　of　literature；　and　who；　like　morning　stars；　sang

together　at　the　bright　dawning　of　British　poesy。

　　Such　of　my　readers　as　may　not　be　familiar　with　Scottish　history

（though　the　manner　in　which　it　has　of　late　been　woven　with　captivating

fiction　has　made　it　a　universal　study）；　may　be　curious　to　learn

something　of　the　subsequent　history　of　James；　and　the　fortunes　of

his　love。　His　passion　for　the　Lady　Jane；　as　it　was　the　solace　of　his

captivity；　so　it　facilitated　his　release；　it　being　imagined　by　the

court　that　a　connection　with　the　blood　royal　of　England　would　attach

him　to　its　own　interests。　He　was　ultimately　restored　to　his　liberty

and　crown；　having　previously　espoused　the　Lady　Jane；　who　accompanied

him　to　Scotland；　and　made　him　a　most　tender　and　devoted　wife。

　　He　found　his　kingdom　in　great　confusion；　the　feudal　chieftains

having　taken　advantage　of　the　troubles　and　irregularities　of　a　long

interregnum　to　strengthen　themselves　in　their　possessions；　and　place

themselves　above　the　power　of　the　laws。　James　sought　to　found　the

basis　of　his　power　in　the　affections　of　his　people。　He　attached　the

lower　orders　to　him　by　the　reformation　of　abuses；　the　temperate　and

equable　administration　of　justice；　the　encouragement　of　the　arts　of

peace；　and　the　promotion　of　every　thing　that　could　diffuse　comfort；

competency；　and　innocent　enjoyment　through　the　humblest　ranks　of

society。　He　mingled　occasionally　among　the　common　people　in

disguise；　visited　their　firesides；　entered　into　their　cares；　their

pursuits；　and　their　amusements；　informed　himself　of　the　mechanical

arts；　and　how　they　could　best　be　patronized　and　improved；　and　was　thus

an　all…pervading　spirit；　watching　with　a　benevolent　eye　over　the

meanest　of　his　subjects。　Having　in　this　generous　manner　made　himself

strong　in　the　hearts　of　the　common　people；　he　turned　himself　to　curb

the　power　of　the　factious　nobility；　to　strip　them　of　those　dangerous

immunities　which　they　had　usurped；　to　punish　such　as　had　been　guilty

of　flagrant　offences；　and　to　bring　the　whole　into　proper　obedience

to　the　crown。　For　some　time　they　bore　this　with　outward　submission；

but　with　secret　impatience　and　brooding　resentment。　A　conspiracy　was

at　length　formed　against　his　life；　at　the　head　of　which　was　his　own

uncle；　Robert　Stewart；　Earl　of　Athol；　who；　being　too　old　himself　for

the　perpetration　of　the　deed　of　blood；　instigated　his　grandson　Sir

Robert　Stewart；　together　with　Sir　Robert　Graham；　and　others　of　less

note；　to　commit　the　deed。　They　broke　into　his　bedchamber　at　the

Dominican　Convent　near　Perth；　where　he　was　residing；　and　barbarously

murdered　him　by　oft…repeated　wounds。　His　faithful　queen；　rushing　to

throw　her　tender　body　between　him　and　the　sword；　was　twice　wounded

in　the　ineffectual　attempt　to　shield　him　from　the　assassin；　and　it　was

not　until　she　had　been　forcibly　torn　from　his　person；　that　the

murder　was　accomplished。

　　It　was　the　recollection　of　this　romantic　tale　of　former　times；　and

of　the　golden　little　poem　which　had　its　birthplace　in　this　Tower；　that

made　me　visit　the　old　pile　with　more　than　common　interest。　The　suit　of

armor　hanging　up　in　the　hall；　richly　gilt　and　embellished；　as　if　to

figure　in　the　tournay；　brought　the　image　of　the　gallant　and　romantic

prince　vividly　before　my　imagination。　I　paced　the　deserted　chambers

where　he　had　composed　his　poem；　I　leaned　upon　the　window；　and

endeavored　to　persuade　myself　it　was　the　very　one　where　he　had　been

visited　by　his　vision；　I　looked　out　upon　the　spot　where　he　had　first

seen　the　Lady　Jane。　It　was　the　same　genial　and　joyous　month；　the　birds

were　again　vying　with　each　other　in　strains　of　liquid　melody；　every

thing　was　bursting　into　vegetation；　and　budding　forth　the　tender

promise　of　the　year。　Time；　which　delights　to　obliterate　the　sterner

memorials　of　human　pride；　seems　to　have　passed　lightly　over　this

little　scene　of　poetry　and　love；　and　to　have　withheld　his　desolating

hand。　Several　centuries　have　gone　by；　yet　the　garden　still

flourishes　at　the　foot　of　the　Tower。　It　occupies　what　was　once　the

moat　of　the　Keep；　and　though　some　parts　have　been　separated　by

dividing　walls；　yet　others　have　still　their　arbors　and　shaded　walks；

as　in　the　days　of　James；　and　the　whole　is　sheltered；　blooming；　and

retired。　There　is　a　charm　about　a　spot　that　has　been　printed　by　the

footsteps　of　departed　beauty；　and　consecrated　by　the　inspirations　of

the　poet；　which　is　heightened；　rather　than　impaired；　by　the　lapse　of

ages。　It　is；　indeed；　the　gift　of　poetry　to　hallow　every　place　in　which

it　moves；　to　breathe　around　nature　an　odor　more　exquisite　than　the

perfume　of　the　rose；　and　to　shed　over　it　a　tint　more　magical　than

the　blush　of　morning。

　　Others　may　dwell　on　the　illustrious　deeds　of　James　as　a　warrior

and　a　legislator；　but　I　have　delighted　to　view　him　merely　as　the

companion　of　his　fellow…men；　the　benefactor　of　the　human　heart；

stooping　from　his　high　estate　to　sow　the　sweet　flowers　of　poetry　and

song　in　the　paths　of　common　life。　He　was　the　first　to　cultivate　the

vigorous　and　hardy　plant　of　Scottish　genius；　which　has　since　become　so

prolific　of　the　most　wholesome　and　highly…flavored　fruit。　He　carried

with　him　into　the　sterner　regions　of　the　north　all　the　fertilizing

arts　of　southern　refinement。　He　did　every　thing　in　his　power　to　win

his　countrymen　to　the　gay；　the　elegant；　and　gentle　arts；　which

soften　and　refine　the　character　of　a　people；　and　wreathe　a　grace　round

the　loftiness　of　a　proud　and　warlike　spirit。　He　wrote　many　poems；

which；　unfortunately　for　the　fulness　of　his　fame；　are　now　lost　to

the　world；　one；　which　is　still　preserved；　called　〃Christ's　Kirk　of　the

Green；〃　shows　how　diligently　he　had　made　himself　acquainted　with　the

rustic　sports　and　pastimes；　which　constitute　such　a　source　of　kind　and

social　feeling　among　the　Scottish　peasantry；　and　with　what　simple

and　happy　humor　he　could　enter　into　their　enjoyments。　He　contributed

greatly　to　improve　the　national　music；　and　traces　of　his　tender

sentiment；　and　elegant　taste；　are　said　to　exist　in　those　witching

airs；　still　piped　among　the　wild　mountains　and　lonely　glens　of

Scotland。　He　has　thus　connected　his　image　with　whatever　is　most

gracious　and　endearing　in　the　national　character；　he　has　embalmed

his　memory　in　song；　and　floated　his　name　to　after　ages　in　the　rich

streams　of　Scottish　melody。　The　recollection　of　these　things　was

kindling　at　my　heart　as　I　paced　the　silent　scene　of　his

imprisonment。　I　have　visited　Vaucluse　with　as　much　enthusiasm　as　a

pilgrim　would　visit　the　shrine　at　Loretto；　but　I　have　never　felt

more　poetical　devotion　than　when　contemplating　the　old　Tower　and　the

little　garden　at　Windsor；　and　musing　over　the　romantic　loves　of　the

Lady　Jane　and　the　Royal　Poet　of　Scotland。





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