Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
France: Vols. IX–X. 1876–79.

St. Cloud

St. Cloud

By Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832)

SOFT spread the southern summer night

Her veil of darksome blue;

Ten thousand stars combined to light

The terrace of St. Cloud.

The evening breezes gently sighed,

Like breath of lover true,

Bewailing the deserted pride

And wreck of sweet St. Cloud.

The drum’s deep roll was heard afar,

The bugle wildly blew

Good-night to Hulan and Hussar,

That garrison St. Cloud.

The startled Naiads from the shade

With broken urns withdrew,

And silenced was that proud cascade,

The glory of St. Cloud.

We sat upon its steps of stone,

Nor could its silence rue,

When waked, to music of our own,

The echoes of St. Cloud.

Slow Seine might hear each lovely note

Fall light as summer dew,

While through the moonless air they float

Prolonged from far St. Cloud.

And sure a melody more sweet

His waters never knew,

Though music’s self was wont to meet

With princes at St. Cloud.

Nor then, with more delighted ear,

The circle round her drew,

Than ours, when gathered round to hear

Our songstress at St. Cloud.

Few happy hours poor mortals pass,

Then give those hours their due,

And rank among the foremost class

Our evenings at St. Cloud.