Songs of the Pixies

The Pixies, in the superstition of Devonshire, are a race of beings invisibly small, and harmless or friendly to man. At a small distance from a village in that county, half-way up a wood-covered hill, is an excavation called the Pixies' Parlour. The roots of old trees form its ceiling; and on its sides are innumerable cyphers, among which the author discovered his own cypher and those of his brothers, cut by the hand of their childhood. At the foot of the hill flows the river Otter. To this place the Author, during the summer months of the year 1793, conducted a party of young ladies; one of whom, of stature elegantly small, and of complexion colourless yet clear, was proclaimed the Faery Queen. On which occasion the following Irregular Ode was written.

  1. 1Whom the untaught Shepherds call
  2. 2Pixies in their madrigal,
  3. 3Fancy's children, here we dwell:
  4. 4Welcome, Ladies! to our cell.
  5. 5Here the wren of softest note
  6. 6Builds its nest and warbles well;
  7. 7Here the blackbird strains his throat;
  8. 8Welcome, Ladies! to our cell.
  1. 9When fades the moon to shadowy-pale,
  2. 10And scuds the cloud before the gale,
  3. 11Ere the Morn all gem-bedight
  4. 12Hath streak'd the East with rosy light,
  5. 13We sip the furze-flower's fragrant dews
  6. 14Clad in robes of rainbow hues;
  7. 15Or sport amid the shooting gleams
  8. 16To the tune of distant-tinkling teams,
  9. 17While lusty Labour scouting sorrow
  10. 18Bids the Dame a glad good-morrow,
  11. 19Who jogs the accustom'd road along,
  12. 20And paces cheery to her cheering song.
  1. 21But not our filmy pinion
  2. 22We scorch amid the blaze of day,
  3. 23When Noontide's fiery-tresséd minion
  4. 24Flashes the fervid ray.
  5. 25Aye from the sultry heat
  6. 26We to the cave retreat
  7. 27O'ercanopied by huge roots intertwin'd
  8. 28With wildest texture, blacken'd o'er with age:
  9. 29Round them their mantle green the ivies bind,
  10. 30Beneath whose foliage pale
  11. 31Fann'd by the unfrequent gale
  12. 32We shield us from the Tyrant's mid-day rage.
  1. 33Thither, while the murmuring throng
  2. 34Of wild-bees hum their drowsy song,
  3. 35By Indolence and Fancy brought,
  4. 36A youthful Bard, 'unknown to Fame,'
  5. 37Wooes the Queen of Solemn Thought,
  6. 38And heaves the gentle misery of a sigh
  7. 39Gazing with tearful eye,
  8. 40As round our sandy grot appear
  9. 41Many a rudely-sculptur'd name
  10. 42To pensive Memory dear!
  11. 43Weaving gay dreams of sunny-tinctur'd hue,
  12. 44We glance before his view:
  13. 45O'er his hush'd soul our soothing witcheries shed
  14. 46And twine the future garland round his head.
  1. 47When Evening's dusky car
  2. 48Crown'd with her dewy star
  3. 49Steals o'er the fading sky in shadowy flight;
  4. 50On leaves of aspen trees
  5. 51We tremble to the breeze
  6. 52Veil'd from the grosser ken of mortal sight.
  7. 53Or, haply, at the visionary hour,
  8. 54Along our wildly-bower'd sequester'd walk,
  9. 55We listen to the enamour'd rustic's talk;
  10. 56Heave with the heavings of the maiden's breast,
  11. 57Where young-eyed Loves have hid their turtle nest;
  12. 58Or guide of soul-subduing power
  13. 59The glance that from the half-confessing eye
  14. 60Darts the fond question or the soft reply.
  1. 61Or through the mystic ringlets of the vale
  2. 62We flash our faery feet in gamesome prank;
  3. 63Or, silent-sandal'd, pay our defter court,
  4. 64Circling the Spirit of the Western Gale,
  5. 65Where wearied with his flower-caressing sport,
  6. 66Supine he slumbers on a violet bank;
  7. 67Then with quaint music hymn the parting gleam
  8. 68By lonely Otter's sleep-persuading stream;
  9. 69Or where his wave with loud unquiet song
  10. 70Dash'd o'er the rocky channel froths along;
  11. 71Or where, his silver waters smooth'd to rest,
  12. 72The tall tree's shadow sleeps upon his breast.
  1. 73Hence thou lingerer, Light!
  2. 74Eve saddens into Night.
  3. 75Mother of wildly-working dreams! we view
  4. 76The sombre hours, that round thee stand
  5. 77With down-cast eyes (a duteous band!)
  6. 78Their dark robes dripping with the heavy dew.
  7. 79Sorceress of the ebon throne!
  8. 80Thy power the Pixies own,
  9. 81When round thy raven brow
  10. 82Heaven's lucent roses glow,
  11. 83And clouds in watery colours drest
  12. 84Float in light drapery o'er thy sable vest:
  13. 85What time the pale moon sheds a softer day
  14. 86Mellowing the woods beneath its pensive beam:
  15. 87For mid the quivering light 'tis ours to play,
  16. 88Aye dancing to the cadence of the stream.
  1. 89Welcome, Ladies! to the cell
  2. 90Where the blameless Pixies dwell:
  3. 91But thou, Sweet Nymph! proclaim'd our Faery Queen,
  4. 92With what obeisance meet
  5. 93Thy presence shall we greet?
  6. 94For lo! attendant on thy steps are seen
  7. 95Graceful Ease in artless stole,
  8. 96And white-robed Purity of soul,
  9. 97With Honour's softer mien;
  10. 98Mirth of the loosely-flowing hair,
  11. 99And meek-eyed Pity eloquently fair,
  12. 100Whose tearful cheeks are lovely to the view,
  13. 101As snow-drop wet with dew.
  1. 102Unboastful Maid! though now the Lily pale
  2. 103Transparent grace thy beauties meek;
  3. 104Yet ere again along the impurpling vale,
  4. 105The purpling vale and elfin-haunted grove,
  5. 106Young Zephyr his fresh flowers profusely throws,
  6. 107We'll tinge with livelier hues thy cheek;
  7. 108And, haply, from the nectar-breathing Rose
  8. 109Extract a Blush for Love!