Derwent Water: regatta 1786 | ||
site name:- | Derwent Water | |
civil parish:- | Keswick (formerly Cumberland) | |
county:- | Cumbria | |
locality type:- | regatta | |
locality type:- | recreation | |
1Km square:- | NY2620 (etc) | |
10Km square:- | NY22 | |
|
||
evidence:- | old text:- Clarke 1787 item:- poem; On the Regatta at Keswick, 1786; echoes |
|
source data:- | Guide book, A Survey of the Lakes of Cumberland, Westmorland,
and Lancashire, written and published by James Clarke, Penrith,
Cumberland, and in London etc, 1787; published 1787-93. goto source Page 66:- "POEM," "ON THE" "Regatta at Keswick, 1786." "O Muse! that nightly gliding through the hall Of tuneful Ossian gently touch'd his harp, And sweeping oft unseen the living string, With airy fingers struck the fancy'd note, Believ'd the music of departed Bards, Oh! thou that sitt'st amidst the circling stones, Crown'd with the sacred mistletoe! thy hand, Grac'd with a seemly bough of Britain's oak, (That oak which bears her thunders round the globe, When she affrights the distant realms with war,) Attend; and tune thy golden harp to notes Of joy exulting: sing the festive day, When, on the azure mirror of the Lake, The princely Howard held his splendid feast; When he himself, most like the god of mirth, In placid grandeur view'd the noble scene." "Scarcely had day's bright god begun his course, And chac'd the misty vapours from the lakes, When, ardent all for pleasure, forth there sprung A bright assemblage of firm, active youths, And virgins blushing like the op'ning bud. Nay, some there were who sought the sportive scene Whom frozen age had bow'd with iron hand; Drawn by the force of curiosity, Or by the workings of parental care, To watch and guard their blooming daughter's steps. The neighb'ring rustics too, with massy limbs, Inur'd to toil, inur'd to sun and rain; Each led his fav'rite damsel to the sight, And talk'd of Love, or laugh'd with hearty roar." "And now the vessels all in order range, To try the fortune of the wat'ry race. The rowers sit; their eyes with ardour glow, Attentive watching the appointed sign. And now the gun, the signal for the course, Rends with its iron voice th' o'ervaulting sky, And distant rocks redoubling the echo back The horrid note. - Instantly they start, And, adverse looking, try their utmost skill. Big swells each mighty muscle, strain'd with toil; O'er their knit brows the drops of labour pour, Whilst on their faces anxious fear and hope Alternate sat depicted. Now they come Almost within the grasp of Victory: Then, what rapture fires the Victor's mind," |
|
source data:- | goto source Page 67:- "When with his toil-stain'd arm he shakes the flag, And shouts applauding echo all around." "Now o'er the azure lake the horrid din Of mimic war resounds; the echoing cliffs Reverberate, on doubled thunder, back The awful sounds: fierce peal succeeds to peal, In savage dire confusion. Had the rocks, Which awful frown above this limpid plain, Been shaken from their venerable seats, Rift by the bolts of Jove, and scatter'd round, No sound more loud, more awful, could be heard! The hero, who inur'd to bloody war Has stood by Elliot, or by Rodney's side, Whilst million winged deaths were whistling round, Now feels his heart beat high; strong throbs each pulse, His kindling eyes flash fire: upright he stands, As when on some dread, memorable day, He saw the Frenchmen strike, or Spaniards burn. His tender spouse, the dear, the soft reward, Of all his toils, astonished with the din, Clings to his side, half pleas'd and half afraid; When softer echoes roll the distant roar, She smiles; but when the air-affrighting guns With iron clamours shake th' impending rocks She trembling presses hard her husbands hand, And weeps to think the perils he has 'scap'd." "But, hark! 'this silent! see, the fleet retires! The mellow horns now pour victorious sounds, Whilst every rock returns the soften'd strain. Oh! now, for Shakespeare, or for Milton's muse, To paint this mingled tide of harmony! Each cliff, each rock, each mountain, wood and dale, Return' a varied note; it floats in air;" "It mixes, meets, returns; 'tis soft, 'tis loud: As if th' unnumber'd spirits of the rock Held their aerial concerts 'midst the hills; And to his golden harp each join'd his voice, To welcome to their bow'r the Fairy Queen." "Thus joyous and delightful pass'd the day, Yet not unruffled was this tide of joy: The fair, the innocent Amelia, was The pride and flow'r of all the virgin throng! Her long Damaetas lov'd, she too lov'd him: But looks alone reveal'd the mutual flame, For virgin-modesty had bound their thoughts In chains, as yet unbroken. On this day, Whilst she in rapture view'd th' inchanting scene, (Urg'd by the motion of the limpid wave) Her vessel rolling, headlong plung'd her in The blue profound! She sunk, then rose again, Then sunk, to rise no more! Damaetas, near, Beheld her fall: of life regardless, then He leap'd into the flood; with nervous arm" |
|
source data:- | goto source Page 68:- "He cut the chrystal deep, and plunging down, Seiz'd, and brought her up again to life." "Restored now, she op'd her radiant eyes, And looking gratitude ineffable, "Is it then you, Damaetas? you, whom long "My virgin-heart hath own'd!" She could no more: The rosy hue again forsook her cheek, The light her eyes, and pallid Death a while Seem'd to return and re-demand his prey. What then, Damaetas, were the dire alarms That rent thy manly bosom? Love, despair, Grief, and astonishment, exert at once The utmost of their force, to tear thy soul!" "But, see, the rose again resumes its seat Upon her cheek! again her op'ning eye Beams soften'd lustre! Kneeling by her side, Damaetas press'd her hand: in fault'ring words Propos'd his am'rous suit. Her parents near, Relieved now from heart-corroding fear First pour'd in tender words their grateful hearts, Then to Damaetas gave the willing hand Of their belov'd Amelia. Instant joy Flush'd lively in his cheek, and fir'd his heart With all the rapt'rous bliss of mutual love. He tried in vain to speak, for words, alas! Could ill express tumultuous joys like his; He stammer'd, blush'd, and thanked them in thought." "And now the fiery Charioteer of day Drove down the western steep his blazing car, When homeward all return to close their sports, And usher in with dance the fable night. The sprightly music sounds, the youths advance, And blooming virgins form the beauteous group: Then join'd in couples, active as the light They tread the mazy dance; the swains the while Join in sweet toil, and press the given hand, And slily talk of love; or else, askance, Speak by their looks the feelings of the heart." "Now glitt'ring in his tinsell'd robes, the fop Displays his elegance, and smirks and lisps, And skips and flutters, like his kindred flies. Nor be the rustic sons of Mirth forgot; They to the squeaking of an ill-tun'd fiddle Labour in merriment, with each his lass, Till Morn unbars again her golden gates; And wakes the world to hail the springing day." |
|
|