the very abyss; then, wheeling out beneath from among the smooth dark rocks, which it had polished for ages, it wandered murmuring down the glen, forming the stream up which Waverley had just ascended'. The borders of this romantic reservoir corresponded in beauty; but it was beauty of a stern and commanding cast, as if in the act of expanding into grandeur. Mossy banks of turf were broken and interrupted by huge fragments of rock, and decorated with trees and shrubs, some of which had been planted under the direction of Flora, but so cautiously, that they added to the grace, without diminishing the romantic wildness of the scene. Here, like one of those lovely forms which decorate the landscapes of Poussin, Waverley found Flora gazing on the waterfall. Two paces farther back stood Cathleen, holding a small Scottish harp, the use of which had been taught to Flora by Rory Dall, one of the last harpers of the Western Highlands. The sun, now stooping in the west, gave a rich and varied tinge to all the objects which surrounded Waverley, and seemed to add more than human brilliancy to the full expressive darkness of Flora's eye, exalted the richness and purity of her complexion, and enhanced the dignity and grace of her beautiful form. Edward thought he had never, even in his wildest dreams, imagined a figure of such exquisite and interesting loveliness. The wild beauty of the retreat, bursting upon him as if by magic, augmented the mingled feeling of delight and awe with which he approached her, like a fair enchantress of Boiardo or Ariosto, by whose nod the scenery around seemed to have been created, an Eden in the wilderness. Flora, like every beautiful woman, was conscious of her own power, and pleased with its effects, which she could easily discern from the respectful, yet confused address of the young soldier. But, as she possessed excellent sense, she gave the romance of the scene, and other accidental circumstances, full weight in appreciating the feelings with which Waverley seemed obviously to be impressed; and, unacquainted with the fanciful and susceptible peculiarities of his character, considered his homage as the passing tribute which a woman of even inferior charms might have expected in such a situation. She therefore quietly led the way to a spot at such a distance from the cascade, that its sound should rather accompany than interrupt that of her voice and instrument, and, sitting down upon a mossy fragment of rock, she took the harp from Cathleen. 'The description of the waterfall mentioned in this chapter is taken from that of Ledeard, at the farm so called on the northern side of Lochard, and near the head of the Lake, four or five miles from Aberfoyle. It is upon a small scale, but otherwise one of the most exquisite cascades it is possible to behold. The appearance of Flora with the harp, as described, has been justly censured as too theatrical and affected for the ladylike simplicity of her character. But something may be allowed to her French education, in which point and striking effect always make a considerable object. "I have given you the trouble of walking to this spot, Captain Waverley, both because I thought the scenery would interest and because a Highland song would suffer still more from my imperfect translation, were I to introduce it without its own wild and appropriate accompaniments. To speak in the poetical language of my country, the seat of the Celtic Muse is in the mist of the secret and solitary hill, and her voice in the murmur of the mountain stream. He who woos her must love the barren rock more than the fertile valley, and the solitude of the desert better than the festivity of the hall." Few could have heard this lovely woman make this declaration, with a voice where harmony was exalted by pathos, without exclaiming that the muse whom she invoked could never find a more appropriate representative. But Waverley, though the thought rushed on his mind, found no courage to utter it. Indeed, the wild' feeling of romantic delight with which he heard the few first notes. she drew from her instrument, amounted almost to a sense of pain. He would not for worlds have quitted his place by her side; yet he almost longed for solitude, that he might decipher and examine at leisure the complication of emotions which now agitated his bosom. Flora had exchanged the measured and monotonous recitative of the bard for a lofty and uncommon Highland air, which had been a battle-song in former ages. A few irregular strains introduced a prelude of a wild and peculiar tone, which harmonized well with the distant waterfall, and the soft sigh of the evening breeze in the rustling leaves of an aspen which overhung the seat of the fair harpress. The following verses convey but little idea of the feelings with which, so sung and accompanied, they were heard by Waverley : There is mist on the mountain, and night on the vale, A stranger commanded-it sunk on the land, It has frozen each heart, and benumb'd every hand! The dirk and the target lie sordid with dust, The deeds of our sires if our bards should rehearse, But the dark hours of night and of slumber are past, } Glenaladale's peaks are illumed with the rays, And the streams of Glenfinnan leap bright in the blaze. O high-minded Moray! -the exiled-the dear!- 1 Ye sons of the strong, when that dawning shall break, O, sprung from the Kings who in Islay kept state, True son of Sir Evan, undaunted Lochiel, Place thy targe on thy shoulder and burnish thy steel! Stern son of Lord Kenneth, high chief of Kintail, Let the clan of grey Fingon, whose offspring has given To launch the long galley, and stretch to the oar. How Mac-Shimei will joy when their chief shall display Ye sons of brown Dermid, who slew the wild boar, For honour, for freedom, for vengeance awake! Here a large greyhound, bounding up the glen, jumped upon Flora, and interrupted her music by his importunate caresses. Al a distant whistle, he turned, and shot down the path again with 'The young and daring Adventurer, Charles Edward, landed at Glenaladale, in Moidart, and displayed his standard in the valley of Glenfinnan, mustering around it the Mac Donalds, the Camerons, and other less numerous clans, whom he had prevailed on to join him. There is a monument erected on the spot, with a latin inscription by the late Doctor Gregory. 2 The Marquis of Tullibardine's elder brother, who, long exiled, returned to Scotland with Charles Edward in 1745. the rapidity of an arrow. "That is Fergus's faithful attendant, Captain Waverley, and that was his signal. He likes no poetry but what is humorous, and comes in good time to interrupt my long catalogue of the tribes, whom one of your saucy English poets calls Our bootless host of high-born beggars, Mac-Leans, Mac-Kenzies, and Mac Gregors. Waverley expressed his regret at the interruption. "Oh, you cannot guess how much you have lost! The bard, as in duty bound, has addressed three long stanzas to Vich Ian Vohr of the Banners, enumerating all his great properties, and not forgetting his being a cheerer of the harper and barda giver of bounteous gifts.' Besides, you should have heard a practical admonition to the fair-haired son of the stranger, who lives in the land where the grass is always green-the rider on the shining pampered steed, whose hue is like the raven, and whose neigh is like the scream of the eagle for battle. This valiant horseman is affectionately conjured to remember that his ancestors were distinguished by their loyalty, as well as by their courage.-All this you have lost; but since your curiosity is not satisfied, I judge, from the distant sound of my brother's whistle, I may have time to sing the concluding stanzas before he comes to laugh at my translation." Awake on your hills, on your islands awake, Brave sons of the mountain, the frith, and the lake! 'Tis the summons of heroes for conquest or death, Be the brand of each chieftain like Fin's in his ire! CHAPTER XXIII. WAVERLEY CONTINUES AT GLENNAQUoich. 66 As Flora concluded her song, Fergus stood before them. knew I should find you here, even without the assistance of my friend Bran. A simple and unsublimed taste now, like my own, would prefer a jet d'eau at Versailles to this cascade, with all its accompaniments of rock and roar; but this is Flora's Parnassus, Cap : tain Waverley, and that fountain her Helicon. It would be greatly for the benefit of my cellar if she could teach her coadjutor, MacMurrough, the value of its influence he has just drunk a pint of usquebaugh, to correct, he said, the coldness of the claret-Let me try its virtues." He sipped a little water in the hollow of his hand, and immediately commenced, with a theatrical air,- "O Lady of the desert, hail ! That lovest the harping of the Gael, But English poetry will never succeed under the influence of a Highland Helicon-Allons, courage— O vous, qui buvez, à tasse pleine, Où on ne voit, sur le rivage, Que quelques vilains troupeaux, Suivis de nymphes de village, Qui les escortent sans sabots." "A truce, dear Fergus! spare us those most tedious and insipid persons of all Arcadia. Do not, for Heaven's sake, bring down Coridon and Lindor upon us.’ "Nay, if you cannot relish la houlette et le chalumeau, have with you in heroic strains." "Dear Fergus, you have certainly partaken of the inspiration of Mac-Murrough's cup, rather than of mine." “I disclaim it, ma belle demoiselle, although I protest it would be the more congenial of the two. Which of your crack-brained Italian romancers is it that says, Io d'Elicona niente Mi curo, in fe de Dio, che'l bere d'acque (Bea chi ber ne vuol) sempre mi spiacque!' But if you prefer the Gaelic, Captain Waverley, here is little Cathleen shall sing you Drimmindhu.-Come, Cathleen, astore, (i. e. my dear,) begin; no apologies to the Cean-kinné." Cathleen sung with much liveliness a little Gaelic song, the burlesque elegy of a country man on the loss of his cow, the comic tones of which, though he did not understand the language, made Waverley laugh more than once." Good sooth, I reck nought of your Helicon; Drink water whoso will, in faith I will drink none. 2 This ancient Gaelic ditty is still well known, both in the Highlands and in Ireland. It was translated into English, and published, if I mistake not, under the auspices of the facetious Tom D'Urfey, by the title of "Colley, my Cow." |