a royal poet-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。