Chapter II: Part 2

It is to be lamented, for the comfort of that valuable class of society denominated Hunting-Grooms, that their masters do not look into the casualties of their studs with the discriminating eye of the worthy gentleman of Ballafletcher.

NOTE V, P. 29.

And every toast with ready will
His elfin hand consents to fill.
Heavens! what a wondrous draught he drew
Whene’er they toasted bold B-- --h.

Monsieur Mallet, the learned author of the ingenious work on Northren Antiquities, seems to consider Fairies and Elves as synonymous terms. In his remarks on the ninth fable of the Edda, we find him thus expressing himself.--“ALFHEIM signifies, in Gothic, the abode of the Genii, that is, the Fairies of the male-sex.” To prove the Gothic origin of our Elf, we need only appeal to the devotion he shews to the bottle. His conduct at the Dunse Festival is truly northern, and the mighty Thor himself, the great champion of Scandinavian revelry, could not have displayed greater zeal in emptying the enchanted horn.--But of this the reader may judge by perusing the Gothic fable.--

THE TWENTY-FIFTH FABLE.

_Of the Trials that Thor underwent._

“Then the king asked Thor, in what art he would choose to give
proof of that dexterity for which he was so famous. Thor replied,
that he would contest the prize of drinking with any person
belonging to his court. The king consented, and immediately went
into his palace to look for a large horn, out of which his
courtiers were obliged to drink when they had committed any
trespass against the customs of the court.[17] This the cup-bearer
filled to the brim, and presented to Thor, whilst the king spake
thus.--Whoever is a good drinker, will empty that horn at a single
draught; some persons make two of it; but the most puny drinker of
all can do it at three. Thor looked at the horn, and was astonished
at its length;[18] however, as he was very thirsty, he set it to
his mouth, and, without drawing breath, pulled as long and as
deeply as he could, that he might not be obliged to make a second
draught of it; but when he withdrew the cup from his mouth, in
order to look in, he could scarcely perceive any of the liquor
gone. To it he went again with all his might, but succeeded no
better than before. At last, full of indignation, he again set the
horn to his lips, and exerted himself to the utmost to empty it
entirely: then looking in, he found that the liquor was a little
lowered; upon this, he resolved to attempt it no more, but gave
back the horn. I now see plainly, says the king, that thou art not
quite so stout as we thought thee; but art thou willing to make
any more trials? I am sure, says Thor, such draughts as I have been
drinking, would not have been reckoned small among the Gods.

MALLET’S NORTH. ANTIQ. VOL. II, P. 126-127.”

NOTES TO CANTO SECOND.

NOTE I, P. 60.

He strode a poney, lank and lean,
That looked as if astray ’t had been;
Dun was its hue, with flowing-mane;
The tail was black, and like a train--

Contrary to the custom of the Manx Fairies, it might be inferred, that our Groom had just returned from the sanctuary of sportsmen, with a nag of the native breed. But having already made considerable progress in establishing the origin of the rider, we shall now take some pains in proving to our readers the pedigree of the steed: and in asserting him to be from the stock of the far-famed Sleipner, we hope to be borne out by his performances, and confirmed by probability in our opinion. The circumstance of that noted stallion having had eight legs, does not in the least degree weaken our belief in the genuine descent of the Goblin’s poney; for, reasoning by analogy, we have never yet heard of a parent with a wooden-leg transmitting timber-toes to posterity.

To those sportsmen who confine their genealogical inquiries to the general stud-book and racing-calendar, we present, in the words of the Gothic Edda, the history of a horse, more famed than the Childer’s Barb, or the Godolphin Arabian.--

HISTORIA VICESIMA PRIMA.

_Quomodo Loco procreavit equum Sleipnerum cum Svadilfaro._

“Faber quidam Asas adveniens, ad urbem illis ædificandam per tres
annos sese obtulit, eamque adeo munitam, ut tuta esset ab
incursionibus Gigantum. Mercedem vero laboris Frejam postulavit, ut
et lunam solemque. Dii vero, inito consilio, paciscuntur; si vero
quid laboris prima die æstatis superesset, præmium amitteret;
nullius vero opera ei uti liceret. Hic de auxilio equi sui
Svadelfari tantum pactus fuit. Omnia vero hæc fiebant, dirigente et
instigante Locone. Hic urbam ædificaturus, noctu per equum lapides
attraxit. Asis mirum videbatur, eam tam magnos adferre montes; nec
non equum plus, quam fabrum, conficere. Pacto autem multi
interfuere testes: quippe cum gigas videretur non satis tutus inter
Asas, si hic esset, Toro domum reverso. Qui jam mari Baltico
trajecto, hinc per amnes et fluvios ad Asiam progressus, (quod
priscis Austerveg audit) bellum cum gigantibus gessit. Urbs fuit
munita et tam alta, ut perspicere non valeres. Tribus vero reliquis
fabro diebus, Dii congregati solia sua ascendentes quæsiverunt,
quisnam auctor esset, ut Freya in Jotunheimiam elocaretur? ut et
aer perderetur, inducta cœlo calligine, sublatum solem et lunam
dando gigantibus. Illos vero inter conventum fuit, Loconem hoc
dedisse consilium. Dicebant, eum misera morte afficiendum esse,
nisi rationem, qua faber mercedem amitteret, inveniret, adjicientes
fore ut statim illum comprehenderent. Examinatus vero jurejurando
promisit se effecturum, ut faber mercede frustraretur, quicquid
tandem huic negotio impenderet. Fabro autem lapidis advehendi
causa, cum Svadilfaro, egressuro, ex sylva prosiliit equa quædam
solitaria, equo adhinniens. Quam conspicatus equus, in furorem
actus, rupto fune, eam adcurrit, jam in sylvam accelerantem,
insequente fabro, equum assecuturo. Equa vero totam per noctem
discurrente, faber impeditus fuit, quominus, hac nocte, una cum die
sequente, opus, uti antea, fuerit continuatum. Quo cognito, animo
percellitur giganteo. Quo viso, juramentis non parcentes Torum
invocarunt: qui statim adveniens, vibrato in aera malleo, dataque
mercede, occisum fabrum in Niflheimium detrusit. Loconi vero cum
Svadilfaro res fuit, ut equuleum genuerit nomine Sleipnerum, octo
habentem pedes.

EDDA, FAB. XXI, OPERA ET STUDIO JO. GORANSON.”

NOTE II, P. 63.

The Goblin Groom now screamed a scream;
For Goblins hate a running stream;
And, if the truth my records say,
The Elfin Poney neighed a neigh.

The terror of the inhabitants of Alfheim, or Fairy land, for running water, has been too often asserted to require much comment. Unlicensed spirits, that wander on the face of the earth, with intentions injurious to mankind, are always represented as tortured with hydrophobia. The author cannot hope that he has painted the Goblin’s terror in all the glowing colours of a Burns,[19] or with the finer tints of a Scott; yet he flatters himself some beauty may be found, by the admirers of pleonastic redundancy, in the passage expressive of the horror of the horse and rider; and he feels that, in this judgment, he will be supported by the most classical authorities in the English language; _e.g._

GILES SCROGGINS.

Giles Scroggins courted Molly Brown,
Fol deriddle lol, fol deriddle lido;
The fairest wench in all the town,
Fol deriddle lol, fol deriddle lido;
He bought a ring with posie true,
“If you loves I as I loves you,
“No knife can cut our love in two.”
Fol deriddle lol, fol deriddle lido.

But scissars cut as well as knives,
Fol deriddle lol, fol deriddle lido;
And quite unsartin’s all our lives,
Fol deriddle lol, fol deriddle lido;
The day they were to have been wed,
Fate’s scissars cut poor Giles’s thread,
So they could not be mar-ri-ed.
Fol deriddle lol, fol deriddle lido.

Poor Molly laid her down to weep,
Fol deriddle lol, fol deriddle lido;
And cried herself quite fast asleep,
Fol deriddle lol, fol deriddle lido;
When, standing all by the bed-post,
A figure tall her sight engrossed,
And it cried, I beez Giles Scroggins’ Ghost!
Fol deriddle lol, fol deriddle lido.

The Ghost it said, all solemnly,
Fol deriddle lol, fol deriddle lido;
O Molly, you must go with I!
Fol deriddle lol, fol deriddle lido;
All to the grave, your love to cool.--
She says, I am not dead, you fool!--
Says the Ghost, says he, Vy that’s no rule.
Fol deriddle lol, fol deriddle lido.

The Ghost he seized her, all so grim,
Fol deriddle lol, fol deriddle lido;
All for to go along with him;
Fol deriddle lol, fol deriddle lido.
“Come, come, said he, ere morning beam.”--
“I vont!” said she, and she screamed a scream--
Then she woke and found she dreamed a dream.
Fol deriddle lol, fol deriddle lido.

And again,--

With rapid round the Baron bent;
He sighed a sigh, he prayed a prayer;
The prayer was to his patron Saint,
The sigh was to his lady fair.

LAY OF THE LAST MINSTREL.

NOTE III, P. 66.

And thus he hilter skilter flew,
And distanced all the huntsmen-crew.

We cannot give a better idea of the hilter skilter mode of riding with hounds, than by quoting the truly classical words of an accomplished Leicestershire sportsman, who is equally celebrated as a painter and a poet.--

And next in the cluster
See Wor’ster and Muster;
Now Muster sets Wor’ster,
Now Wor’ster beats Muster;
Now Muster is first, Sir,
And Wor’ster is burst, Sir:
Such bunglers as those are
Ought both to be curst, Sir.

Although we in general disapprove of Parodies, the above is so excellent, and so applicable to our subject, that we sacrifice our principles for the gratification of our readers.

NOTE IV, P. 72.

No demi volte, nor demi air;
No high curvett, nor terre-a-terre;
No hand to guide the gay croupade.
Nor heel to aid the balotade;
No capriole his skill to shew;
He these disdained, with pas et saut.

It must be truly gratifying to yeomanry officers, and those who have not had the advantages of an equestrian education, that, in works of fancy, they may be at once amused and instructed with valuable hints on horsemanship; and believing, as we do, that those who have feasted on the pages of Marmion are now enabled to take a leading part in a meslee or fight, we shall proceed to forward them in their pursuits, by recommending to their attention Astley’s explanation of the Croupade.

The Tailor too of Brentford will be enjoyed with greater glee, when the spectators do not curb their mirth by a fellow-feeling for the Cockney equestrian.

“CROUPADE.

“The horse leaps into the air with all his feet off the ground at
one and the same time, and without stretching out those behind: by
an attention to this action, much good might result to the cavalry;
and here I will relate a manœuvre, to which I often had recourse in
1761, and at other periods of the seven years war. I instructed my
horse to strike an object, or objects, at the will of the rider,
within a given distance, before, behind, or together; and necessity
furnished me with the idea.

“In patroling, a soldier sometimes wants a guide, and gentle means
often prove ineffectual to induce a peasant to quit his bed, at
the dead of the night, for the accommodation of others,--to
dismount for the purpose of procuring admittance into a house, at
such a time, barred and bolted within, and perhaps in an enemy’s
country, would be dangerous. I knew my duty, and, ere this, my
horse knew his. On approaching the door, I caused him to strike it
with his fore-feet; and if this did not answer my purpose, (for it
would sometimes fail), I faced him about, when, with his croup, he
would break the door in pieces: this he would accomplish in a few
moments, to the surprise and terror of the inhabitants: on the
other hand, when upon the defensive, no person could approach me
without danger; and when on the offensive, and animated at my
pleasure, to the highest pitch, he would strike in every direction,
and clear his way!

ASTLEY’S EQUESTRIAN EDUCATION, P. 177.”

We do not remember that La Broue has any where pointed out the application of this useful air du Manège, as the French term it.

NOTE V, P. 74.

Loud howled each hound; I will presume
They howled at loss of Goblin Groom;
And well they might, for such a fay
Ne’er rode before on hunting day;--

Though not exactly authorized by the writer of the following poem, yet we cannot think he will take offence at our availing ourselves of its beauties, to illustrate the fidelity and attachment of the canine species to their masters, and those who have shared with them in the dangers and fatigues of the chace. We extract this poem from a Calcutta Gazette of 1807.--

BETH-GELERT,

OR

THE GRAVE OF THE GREYHOUND.[20]

The spearmen heard the bugle sound,
And cheerly smiled the morn,
And many a brach, and many a hound,
Obeyed Llewelyn’s horn.

And still he blew a louder blast,
And gave a lustier cheer,
“Come, Gelert, come, wer’t never last
“Llewelyn’s horn to hear.

“Oh! where does faithful Gelert roam,
“The flower of all his race?
“So true, so brave; a lamb at home,
“A lion in the chace!”

’Twas only at Llewelyn’s board
The faithful Gelert fed;
He watched, he served, he cheered his lord,
And sentineled his bed.

In sooth he was a peerless hound,
The gift of royal John;
But now no Gelert could be found,
And all the chace rode on.

And now, as o’er the rocks and dells
The gallant chidings rise,
All Snowdon’s craggy chaos yells
The many mingled cries!

That day Llewelyn little loved
The chace of hart or hare,
And scant and small the booty proved,
For Gelert was not there.

Unpleased, Llewelyn homeward hied:
When, near the portal seat,
His truant Gelert he espied
Bounding his lord to greet.

But, when he gained his castle door,
Aghast the chieftain stood;
The hound all o’er was smeared with gore,
His lips, his fangs, ran blood.

Llewelyn gazed with fierce surprise:--
Unused such looks to meet,
His fav’rite checked his joyful guise,
And crouched and licked his feet.

Onward in haste Llewelyn past,
And on went Gelert too,
And still, where’er his eyes he cast,
Fresh blood-gouts shocked his view.

O’erturned his infant’s bed he found,
With blood-stained covert rent;
And all around, the walls and ground
With recent blood besprent.

He called his child, no voice replied;
He searched with terror wild;
Blood, blood he found on every side;
But no where found his child.

“Hell-hound! my child by thee’s devoured!”
The frantic father cried;
And to the hilt his vengeful sword
He plunged in Gelert’s side.

His suppliant looks, as prone he fell,
No pity could impart:
But still his Gelert’s dying yell
Passed heavy o’er his heart.

Aroused by Gelert’s dying yell
Some slumberer wakened nigh:
What words the parent’s joy could tell
To hear his infant’s cry!

Concealed beneath a tumbled heap,
His hurried search had missed:
All glowing from his rosy sleep,
The cherub boy he kissed.

Nor scath had he, nor harm, nor dread;
But the same couch beneath
Lay a gaunt wolf, all torn and dead,
Tremendous still in death.

Ah, what was then Llewelyn’s pain!
For now the truth was clear;
His gallant hound the wolf had slain,
To save Llewelyn’s heir.

Vain, vain was all Llewelyn’s woe:
“Best of thy kind adieu!
“The frantic blow, which laid thee low,
“This heart shall ever rue.”

And now a gallant tomb they raise,
With costly sculpture deckt;
And marbles storied with his praise,
Poor Gelert’s bones protect.

There never could the spearman pass,
Or forester, unmoved;
There oft the tear-besprinkled grass
Llewelyn’s sorrow proved.

And there he hung his horn and spear,
And there, as evening fell,
In Fancy’s ear he oft would hear
Poor Gelert’s dying yell.

And till great Snowdon’s rocks grow old,
And cease the storm to brave,
The consecrated spot shall hold
The name of “Gelert’s Grave!”

NOTE VI, P. 76.

The passing shepherd calls the bush,
The Winning-Post of Friar Rush;--

This Friar, or “esprit follet,” is a gentleman of as many names and titles as any Spanish Grandee; “Will o’ the Wisp,” however, is the name he is best known by, when stript of his ecclesiastical honours: he has always been considered a tricky knave, and is thus spoken of in Marmion.--

Better we had through mire and bush
Been lanthorn led by Friar Rush.

MARMION, CANTO IV, P. 187.

NOTE VII, P. 79.

To every Bard that serves his Grace,
A goodly pension or a place;--

We here call upon our readers, to attend to the origin of the word Bard; inasmuch as, that term has become applicable to poem-mongers in general. The learned Mr. Prideaux informs us,--

“BARDUS possessed his father Druis’ place. To his ancestors
Phylosophy, Magick, Politicks, Rites and Ceremonies, this man added
Poetry, and set all their excellencies at a higher key. 2. From him
we have the ancient Bardi, the chroniclers of all heroick actions,
and commenders of their performers, to the imitation of their
posterity, whom an ancient poet thus bespeaketh,--

Vos quoq. qui fortes animas belloq. peremtas,
Laudibus in longum vates deducitis ævum.
Plurima securi fudistis carmina Bardi.

Then you brave Bards securely song,
The praise of dead Pears;
In lofty strains, for to prolong
Their fame for many years.

3. Their esteem was such amongst the greatest commanders, that if
two armies were even at push of pike, and a Bard had step’d in
between them, they would have held their hands, harkened to their
advice, and not have offered to strike until he were out of danger.
4. Famous amongst those Bards (before the coming of our Saviour)
were held Plenidius and Glaskirion, and of late years, Davye Dee,
David ap Williams and others. They say the island Bardsey had
Bardorum Insula, its name, from them, and Aquila, Perdix, Patrick,
Maddoch, and both the Merlins the wisards, were from this
institution.”

PRIDEAUX’S INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY, P. 255-256.

Although the terms Bard and Poet are those in more general use to express the rhyme-weaving brotherhood, yet there are words of Gothic origin which may still be found of uncommon meaning, and, on certain occasions, even more significant than the former. Thus, a dame declaiming in heroics to her waiting-women and children, is denominated a Scold, from the Scalds or Poets of Iceland; and the term Bragger may, from “Brage” of the Goths, be employed to designate a blustering Poetaster, who claims, for alleged facility and unquestionable length of composition, the applause reserved for creative genius and continued exertion.

THE END.

_Printed by Alex. Lawrie & Co. Edinburgh._

FOOTNOTES:

[1] In this happy manner of expressing his admiration of the object before him, the author assures his readers, that he lays no claim to originality.

[2] Bumble or bumbart bee. _Vide_ Dr. Jamieson’s Dictionary.

[3] North of the Tweed _beast_ is applied, as a general term, to animals, without distinction.

[4] The following anecdote, with many others equally interesting, is recorded in a very _rare_ work, to be found in few _collections, however excellent_. A gentleman and his friend, passing along Oxford Road, were stopped by an immense crowd near Hyde Park, and, on inquiring into the cause, were told that a person of the name of Vowel was leading to execution at Tyburn. “I wonder what vowel it can be,” (cried the one). “It is neither U nor I, (replied the other), so let us pass on.” JOE MILLER, a very old edition.

[5] Dunse, supposed to be derived from the old Celtic word _Dun_, a hill, is situated in the centre of the county of Berwick, near to the Lammermoor hills,--is famous for its _cabbages_,--from its being the birth-place of _Duns Scotus_,--and from the number of _alehouses_ which it contains. For an account of its places of ancient strength, _vide_ Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. iv.

[6] Whitadder and Blackadder, probably corruptions of Whitewater and Blackwater, two streams which, uniting in their course, empty themselves into the Tweed a little above Berwick.

[7] Those who feel with the author on this subject, will consult, with peculiar pleasure, the general tenor of our Parliamentary Reports.

[8]

O fortes pejoraque passi
Mecum sæpe viri nunc vino pellite curas
Cras ingens iterabimus æquor.

HOR. ODE 7, LIB. 1.

[9] Et vox assensu nemorum ingeminata remugit.

GEORG. III.

[10] The Fern Islands.

[11] Looking intensely. Dr. Jamieson gives the following authority for this meaning of the word.--

“He girnt, he _glourt_, he gapt, as he war weid.”
DUNBAR, MAITLAND POEMS, p. 77.

[12]

Il monte avec la main les eperons et gaule,
Le cheval de pegase qui volle en capriole,
Il monte si haut qu’il touche de sa teste les cieux,
Et par ses merveilles ravit en extasses les Dieux,
Les chevaux corruptible qui la bas sur terre son
En courbettes demi-airs terre-à-tere vont
Avec humilite soumission et bassesse,
L’adorer, comme Dieu et auteur de leur adresse.

_See a General System of Horsemanship, &c.
by the DUKE OF NEWCASTLE._

[13] Alias “Will o’ the Wisp,”--alias, in Scotland, “Spunkie.” The reader who is anxious for farther information on this interesting subject is referred to the notes on MARMION.

[14] Hedio. Sleidan.

[15] SCOTT. _Vide_ Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, vol. ii.

[16] By some etymologists of that learned class, who not only know whence words come, but also whither they are going, the term _Fairy_, or _Faërie_, is derived from _Faë_, which is again derived from _Nympha_. It is more probable the term is of oriental origin, and is derived from the Persic, through the medium of the Arabic. In Persic, the term _Peri_ expresses a species of imaginary being, which resembles the Fairy in some of its qualities, and is one of the fairest creatures of romantic fancy.

_MINSTRELSY OF THE SCOTTISH BORDER, p. 115-116._

[17] Our modern Bachanals will here observe, that punishing by a bumper is not an invention of these degenerate days. The ancient Danes were great Topers.

[18] The drinking vessels of the northern nations were the horns of animals, of their natural length, only tipt with silver, &c. In York-Minster is preserved one of those ancient drinking-vessels, composed of a large elephant’s tooth, of its natural dimensions, ornamented with sculpture, &c. See DRAKE’S HIST.

[19] Tam O’Shanter.

[20] The story of this Ballad is traditionary in a village at the foot of Snowden, where Llewelyn the Great had a house. The Greyhound, named Gêlert, was given to him by his father-in-law, King John, in the year 1205; and the place to this day is railed Beth Gêlert, or the Grave of Gêlert.