CHAPTER VIII.

An Amour, which promises little good fortune, yet may be prodúctive of much.

The next morning we were again visited by Mr. Burchell, though I begán, for certain reasons, to be displeased with the fréquency of his return; but I could not refuse him my company and fire-side. It is true, his labour more than requited his entertainment 28; for he wrought amongst us with vigour, and, either in the meadow or at the háy-rick, put himself foremost. Besides, he had always something amusing that lessened our toil, and was at once so out of the way 29, and yet so sénsible, that I loved, laughed at, and pitied him 30. My only dislike arose from an attachment he discovered to my daughter: he would, in a jésting manner, call her his little mistress, and when he bought each of the girls 31 a set of ribbons, hers was the finest. I knew not how, but 32 he every

to say

28 His labour more than requited his entertainment. S. Engl. Sprachl. §. 630. Anm.

29 He was at once so out of the way. Unter mehreren andern figürlichen Bedeutungen hat way auch die, dass es so viel ist als right method to act, general scheme of acting. Es wird aber auch so von der Denkweise gebraucht, als: This is far out of the high- way of thinking, d. i. dieses liegt ganz von der offenen Heerstrasse des Denkens entfernt. To be out of the way heifst also, im Denken und Handeln sich durch Eigenheiten aus zeichnen, seine besonderen Launen haben. gleich folgende sensible bedeutet hier vernünftig, ver ständig.

Das

30 That I loved, laughed at, and pitied him. S. Engl. Sprachl. §. 695.

31 When he bought each of the girls. Vor each ist for weggelassen. S. Engl. Sprachl. §. 1012. (Zweite Ausg. §. 1013.). 32. I knew not how, but etc. S. Engl. Sprachl. §. 870.

day seemed to become more amiable, his wit to impróve, and his simplicity to assume the supérior airs of wisdom.

Our family dined in the field, and we sat, or ráther reclined, round a témperate repást; our cloth spread upon the hay, while Mr. Burchell gave cheérfulness to the feast. To heighten our satisfaction, two blackbirds answered each other from opposite hédges; the familiar réd-breast came and picked the crumbs from our hands, and every sound seemed but the écho of tranquillity. »I never sit thus,« says Sophia, »but I think of the two lovers, so sweetly described by Mr. Gay 33 who were struck dead in each other's arms. There is something so pathétic in the description, that I have read it a hundred times with new rápture. «—» In my opinion, « cried my son, »the finest strokes in that description are much belów those in the Acis and Galatéa of Ovid 34. The Roman poet understands the use of contrast bétter; and upon that

33 Described by Mr. Gay. John Gay, berühmt als Fabeldichter und als Dichter überhaupt, war geboren im Jahr 1688, verliefs frühe den Stand eines Krämers, zu dem ihn die Umstände bestimmt hatten, erwarb sich durch die ersten Pro ben seines Dichtergeistes bald Gönner und Freunde, und begleitete als Secretär eine Englische Gesandtschaft nach Hannover. Ein Liebling des Publicums wurde er besonders durch seine Bettlersoper, und lebte, auch als Mensch geschätzt und geliebt, bis zum Jahre 1732. Den Vorfall, worauf hier angespielt wird, erzählt Gay in einem an seinen Freund Fenton gerichteten Briefe, datirt Stanton Harcourt, Aug. 9, 1718, der in Pope's Werken Vol. IX. mit abgedruckt wor

den ist.

34 The Acis and Galatea of Ovid. Man findet diese Erzählung in den Metamorphosen XIII, 740; Agg Ovid, geboren zu Sulmo im Jahre 42 vor Christi Geburts starb im 17ten Jahre nach derselben zu Tomi, einer Stadt, die in Mösien nicht weit vom Pontus Euxinus lag, wohin er verwiesen worden war.

figure, artfully mánaged, all strength in the pathétic depends. «< » It is remarkable,« cried Mr. Burchell, >> that both the poets you mention have équally contributed to introduce a false taste into their respective countries, by loading all their lines with épithets. Men of little génius found them most easily imitated in their defects; and English poetry, like that in the, låtter empire of Rome, is nothing at présent but 35 a combination of luxúriant images, without plot or connection-a string of épithets that improve the sound without carrying on the sense. But, perhaps, mádam, while I thus reprehénd others, you'll think it just that I should give them an opportunity to retáliate; and, indeed, I have made this remárk only to have an opportunity of introducing to the company a bállad, which, whatéver be its other defécts, is, I think, at least free from those I have mentioned. <<

»Turn, géntle hérmit of the dale,
And guide my lonely way,

To where yon táper 36 cheers the vale
With hospitable ray.

» For here forlorn and lost I tread,
With fainting steps and slow 37;
Where wilds, immeasurably spread,
Seem léngth'ning as I go 38.«

»Forbeár, my son, « the hermit cries,
»To tempt the dangerous gloom;

35 Nothing at present but. S. Engl. Sprachl. §. 934uhës 36 To where yon taper. S. Engl. Sprachl. §. 883.

37 With fainting steps and slow. S. Engl. Sprachl. §. 6496 38 Seemlength'ning as I go. S. Engl. Sprachl. §. 835: Anm. 2).

For yonder faithless phantom flies
To lure thee to thy doom.

>>Here to the houseless child of want
My door is open still;

And though my pórtion is but scant,
I give it with good will.

>>Then turn to-night, and freély share
Whaté'er my cell bestóws;
My rúshy couch, and frúgal fare,
My blessing and repose.

»No flocks that range the valley free,
To slaughter I condémn;

Taught by that Power that pities me,
I learn to pity them.

>> But from the mountain's grássy side
A guiltless feast I bring;

A scrip with herbs and fruit supplied,
And water from the spring.

>>Then, pilgrim, turn, thy cáres foregó;
All earth-born cares are wrong;
Man wants but little here below,
Nor wants that little long.«

Soft as the dew from heaven descends,
His gentle accents fell 39:
The modest stránger lówly bends,

And follows to the cell.

39 His gentle accents fell. To fall ist hier auf eine eigene Art gebraucht worden, von der sich wol nicht leicht ein anderes Beispiel finden möchte, und wozu das gewählte Gleichniss scheint Veranlassung gegeben zu haben; es muss nämlich bei seiner Verbindung mit accents, durch klingen übersetzt werden.

Far in a wilderness obscure,
The lonely mánsion lay;

A réfuge to the neighbouring poor,
And strangers led astray.

No stóres beneath its húmble thatch
Required a máster's care;'

The wicket, opening with a latch,
Received the harmless pair.

And now, when worldly crowds retire,
To révels, or to rest 40,

The hermit trimm'd his little fire,
And cheer'd his pénsive guest;

And spread his végetable store,
And gaily press'd, and smiled;
And, skill'd in légendary lore,
The ling'ring hours beguiled

Around in sympathetic mirth
Its tricks the kitten tries;
The cricket chirrups in the hearth
The crackling faggot flies.

But nothing could a charm impárt
To soothe the stranger's woe;
For grief was heavy at his heart,
And tears began to flow.

His rising cares the hermit spied,
With answering care oppréss'd:

>> And whence, unhappy youth,« he cried,
>>The sorrows of thy breast?

40 And now when worldly crowds etc. So hat W. Scott. In den übrigen Ausgaben steht:

And now when busy crowds retire,

To take their evening rest.