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(From Hildegarde)
THE RHINE, the far-famed, castled Rhine, | |
| The mirror-stream of chivalry! | |
| What legends hang about its course, | |
| From Mount St. Gothard to the sea! | |
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| Most famous of historic streams, | 5 |
| Its banks have long been classic ground; | |
| From the dim ages of the past, | |
| In story and in song renowned. | |
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| The Rhine,—the legendary Rhine! | |
| What tales so wondrous e’er were told | 10 |
| As those of its fiend-haunted wilds, | |
| Its lovely nymphs, and knights of old! | |
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| River of battle and romance, | |
| Chivalric Rhine! to it belong | |
| The records of the historic page, | 15 |
| The legend, and the poet’s song. | |
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| It drinks the cool, clear glacier-stream, | |
| ’Neath azure skies and Alpine snows; | |
| A brook, a torrent, and a lake, | |
| It rushes on, and greater grows. | 20 |
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| It winds by many a castled rock, | |
| And many a dark and dreadful steep, | |
| Where grim old ruins o’er its flood | |
| Their watch like jealous guardians keep. | |
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| The Rhine,—the wild, romantic Rhine,— | 25 |
| The wondrous, spectre-haunted stream! | |
| Its sight brings back the distant past: | |
| I gaze upon it, and I dream. | |
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| I see these castles as they stood | |
| Many a hundred years ago: | 30 |
| I hear the challenge and reply, | |
| As mail-clad horsemen come and go. | |
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| I see dark forests stretching far, | |
| Where trees no longer have a place; | |
| I listen to the hunting-horn | 35 |
| Of stout old Rhinegraves in the chase. | |
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| I hear the merry laugh and shout | |
| Of many a joyous party bent | |
| On the high sport of falconry, | |
| Or bound to some great tournament. | 40 |
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| How fair the ladies whom I see | |
| On pillioned palfreys gayly ride! | |
| How brave and courteous are the knights | |
| Who canter proudly by their side! | |
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| O for the days when noble deeds | 45 |
| Alone gained grace in beauty’s eyes,— | |
| When men held honor more than life, | |
| And fame, not wealth, the sought-for prize! | |
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| O for the days of chivalry,— | |
| Of tournament and glittering throng, | 50 |
| And masque and pageantry and feast, | |
| And lady-love and minstrel song! | |
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| O for a life-long summer day | |
| To gaze on yonder glorious stream, | |
| And give my wandering fancy play | 55 |
| In many a visionary dream! | |
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