Poems and Translations from the Ancient Celtic Bards (1843) - Page 22

⚠Page shows significant foxing and spotting throughout.

THE DESERTED VALLEY.

Successive seasons lightly passed ;

My steps by youthful fancy youthful fancy: the imaginative and often impulsive whims of a young person led,

And visionary joys ; at last,

I thought of thee, sweet Stanlymead ! Stanlymead appears to be the name of the speaker's childhood home or estate.

I thought of thee,—no idle joy

Can long subdue our thoughts of home,

Nor pleasure’s airy wand destroy

Those haunts where memory loves to roam.

A wanderer in those lovely climes

Where eastern zephyrs zephyrs: gentle, soft breezes; in this context, the speaker is likely in the Middle East or Asia gently glide,

I’ve listened to the vesper chimes vesper chimes: bells rung at sunset for evening prayer services,

Thought of my Scottish home, and sighed !

In scenes where luxury instals

The dazzling state of orient pride original: "orient pride"; this refers to the perceived splendor and wealth of "The East" (Asia or the Middle East), a common theme in 19th-century Romantic literature.,

Remembrance of my fathers’ halls

Has turned the vain display aside.

My simple heart was oft beguiled

By witchery of woman’s eye ;

And artful beauty, too, has smiled,

To prompt that heart’s inconstancy inconstancy: the quality of being changeable or unfaithful; here, the speaker admits he was tempted to forget his home or his past loves.