Translations Of German Poetry In American Magazines 1741-1810 Part 33

Earl Walter kicks the waiter's rump, Down stairs! down stairs! halloo, halloo!

They sally forth, they wheel, they jump, And fast the scampering watch pursue.

The jolly bucks from tavern freed, Dash fearless on through thick and thin, While answering alleys, as they speed, Loudly re-echo to their din.

Saint Dunstan's arm, with ma.s.sy stroke The solemn midnight peal had rung, And bawling out, "Past twelve o'clock,"

Loud, long and deep the watchman sung.

The clamorous Earl Walter guides, Huzza, Huzza, my merry men, When, puffing, holding both their sides, Two strangers haste to join his train.

The right-hand stranger's locks were grey, But who he was I cannot tell; The left was debonnair and gay, A das.h.i.+ng blood I know full well.

He wav'd his beaver hat on high, Cried, "Welcome, welcome, n.o.ble lord!

What joys can earth, or sea, or sky, To match our midnight sports afford?"

"Methinks," the other said, "'twere best To leave, my friends, your frantick joys, And for the balmy sweets of rest, Exchange such rude discordant noise."

But still Earl Walter onward hies, And das.h.i.+ng forward, on they go, Huzza, huzza, each toper cries, "Hark forward, forward, hollo ho!"

The jovial band Earl Walter guides, Along the Fleet, up Ludgate-Hill, And puffing, holding both their sides, His boon companions follow still.

From yonder winding lane out springs A phantom, white as snow, And louder still Earl Walter sings, "Hark forward, forward, hollo, ho!"

A quaker prim has crossed the way, He sprawls their nimble feet below, But what care they for _yea_-and-_nay_, Still forward, forward, on they go.

See, at the corner of yon street, A humble stall, with apples crown'd!

See, scatter'd by Earl Walter's feet, The woman's apples rolling round.

"O Lord! have mercy on my stall, Spare the hard earnings of the poor, The helpless widow's little all, The fruit of many a watchful hour."

Earnest the right hand stranger pleads, The left still pointing to the prey, The impatient Earl no warning heeds, But furious holds the onward way.

"Away, thou poor old wither'd witch, Or dread the scourge's echoing blow!"

Then loud he sung and wav'd his switch, "Hark forward, forward, hollo ho!"

So said, so done; one single bound Clears the _green grocer's_ humble stall; While through the apples scatter'd round, They hurry, hurry, one and all.

And now behold the tim'rous prey, Beyond the reach of Comus' crew, Still lightly trip along the way, Unconscious who her steps pursue.

Again they wheel, their nimble feet The devious way still quickly trace, Down Ludgate-Hill, along the Fleet, The unwearied Earl pursues the chase.

The watch now muster strong and dare Dispute the empire of the field; They wave their cudgels high in air, "Now yield thee, n.o.ble Baron yield."

"Unmanner'd vagabonds! in vain You strive to mar our nightly game; Come on! come on! my merry men, The raggam.u.f.fins we can tame."

In heaps the victims bite the dust, Down sinks Earl Walter on the ground, Now run who can, and lie who must, For loud the _watchmen's rattles_ sound.

Now to the justice borne along, In sullen majesty they go; The place receives the motley throng, And echoes to their hollo ho!

All mild amid the rout profane, The _justice_ solemn thus began: "Forebear your knighthood thus to stain, Revere the dignity of man.

The meanest trull has rights to plead, Which wrong'd by cruelty or pride, Draw vengeance on thy guilty head, Howe'er by t.i.tles dignified."

Cold drops of sweat in many a trill, Adown Earl Walter's temples fall, And louder, louder, louder still, The surly watch for vengeance call.

The right-hand stranger anxious pleads; The clamours of the mob increase, The _riot act_ the justice reads, And binds the Earl to keep the peace.

The court broke up, they sally out, And raise a loud, a last huzza; Then sneak'd away and hung his snout, Each disappointed dog of law.

Muttering full many a curse, and fast Homeward to slumber now they go; Yet spite of all that now has pa.s.sed, You'll hear next night their hollo ho!

This is the Earl, and this his train, That oft the awaken'd _c.o.c.kney_ hears; With rage he glows in every vein When the wild din invades his ears.

The dreaming maid sighs sad and oft, That she her visions must forego, When waken'd from her slumbers soft, She hears the cry of hollo ho!

_Port Folio_, III-44, Jan. 17, 1807, Phila.

[Parody on G. A. Burger's poem _Der wilde Jager_. Cf. pp. 34, 85.]

THE WANDERER OF SWITZERLAND.

By JAMES MONTGOMERY.

_Emerald_, II-108, Feb. 28, 1807, Boston.

[James Montgomery, _op. cit._ Extracts given. Cf. Preface.]

SWISS PEASANT.

Turn we, to survey Where rougher climes a n.o.bler race display; Where the bleak Swiss their stormy mansion tread, And force a churlish soil for scanty bread, Yet still, e'en here, Content can spread a charm, Redress the clime, and all its rage disarm.

Though poor the peasant's hut his feast though small, He sees his little lot, the lot of all; Cheerful at morn, he wakes from short repose, Breathes the keen air, and carrols as he goes.

At night returning, every labour sped, He sits him down, the monarch of his shed; Smiles by his cheerful fire, and round surveys, His children's looks, that brighten at the blaze; While his lov'd partner, boastful of her h.o.a.rd, Displays her cleanly platter on her board; And haply too, some pilgrim, hither led, With many a tale repays the nightly bed.

_Emerald_, II-119, Mar. 7, 1807, Boston.

RUNIC ODE.

THE HAUNTING OF HAVARDUR.

By C. LEFTLY, Esq.

_Balance and Columbian Repos._, VI-144, May 5, 1807, Hudson, N. Y.

[Also in _Port Folio_, II-415, Dec. 31, 1806, Phila.]

FOREIGN POETICAL, POLITICAL SUMMARY.

PRUSSIA.