1688. Robert Southey to Walter Savage Landor, 30 September [1809]*

20.

Down from the Heaven of Heavens Ereenia fellPrecipitate; yet imperceptibleHis fall, nor had he cause nor thought of fear,And when he came within this mundane sphereAnd felt that earth was nearThe Glendoveer his azure wings expanded,And sloping down the skyToward the spot from whence he sprang on high,There on the shore he landed.

Kalyal advanced to meet him,Not moving now as she was wont to greet him,Joy in her eye & in her eager face;With a calm smile of melancholy prideShe met him now, & turning half aside,Her warning hand repelld the dear embrace.Strange things Ereenia have befallen us hereShe said; the Almighty Man hath readThe lines which traced by Brama on my brain,There to the gifted eyeMake all my fortune plain,Mapping the mazes of futurity.He sued for peace; for it is written thereThat I with him the Amreeta cup must share.Therefore he bade me come & by his sideSit on the Swerga throne, his equal bride.I need not tell thee what reply was given.My heart, the sure interpreter of Heaven,His impious words belied, –Thou seest his poor revenge! – So having saidOne look she glanced upon her leprous stain,Indignantly, & shookHer head in calm disdain.

O Maid of soul divine,O more than ever dear,And more than ever mine,Replied the Glendoveer,Be of good cheer! He hath not read the waysOf Fate, – Almighty as he is, that mazeHath mocked his fallible sight.Said he the Amreeta Cup? so far arightThe Evil One hath seen, & Fate displaysHer hidden things in part, & part conceals,Baffling the wicked eyeAlike with what she hides & what reveals,When with unholy purpose it would pryInto the secrets of Futurity.So hath it been permitted him to seeDimly the inscrutable decree,For to the world belowWhere Yamen guards the Amreeta we must go,Thus Seeva hath his will exprest; even heThe Holiest, hath ordaind it; there he saithAll wrongs shall be redrestBy Yamen, by the righteous Power of Death

Forthwith the Father & the fated Maid,And that heroic Spirit who for themSuch flight had late essayd,The will of Heaven obeyd.They went their way along the roadThat leads to Yamens dread abode.

Many a day hath past awaySince they began their arduous way,Their way of toil & pain,And now their weary feet attainThe Earths extremest boundWhere outer Ocean girds it round.But like other Oceans this;Rather it seemd a drear abyss,Upon whose brink they stood, –Oh scene of fear! the travellers hearThe raging of the flood,They hear how fearfully it roars,But clouds of darker shade than nightFor ever hovering round those shoresFade all things from their sightThe Sun upon that darkness pours His ineffectual light,Nor ever moon or stars displayThro the thick shade one guiding ray,To show the perils of the way.

There in a creek a vessel lay,Just on the confines of the dayIt rode at anchor in its bay.These venturous pilgrims to conveyAcross the outer sea.Strange vessel sure it seemed to beAnd all unfit for such wild sea,For thro its yawning side the waveWas oozing in; the mast was frailAnd old & torn its only sail.How shall that crazy vessel braveThe billows that in wild commotionFor ever roar & rave?How hope to cross the dreadful Ocean,Oer which eternal shadows dwell,Whose secrets none return to tell.

Well might the travellers fear to enterBut summond once on that adventureFor them was no retreat;Nor boots it with reluctant feetTo linger on the strand.Aboard! Aboard!An aweful voice that left no choice,Sent forth its stern command.Aboard! Aboard!The Travellers hear that voice in fear,And breathe to Heaven an inward prayer,And take their seats in silence there.

Self-hoisted then, behold the sailExpands itself before the gale.Hands which they cannot see let slipThe cable of that fated ship.The land breeze sends her on her wayAnd lo! they leave the living light of day.

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21.

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Swift as an arrow in its flightThe Ship shot thro the incumbent night, –And they have left behindThe raging billows & the roaring wind,The storm, the darkness & all mortal fears.And lo! another lightTo guide their way appears,The light of other spheres!

That instant from Ladurlads heart & brainThe Curse was gone; he feels againFresh as in youths fair morn, & lo! the MaidHath lost her leprous stain.The Mighty One hath no dominion here,Starting she cried, – Oh happy, happy hour!We are beyond his power!Then raising to the GlendoveerWith heavenly beauty bright her angel face,Turnd not reluctant now & met his dear embrace.

Swift glides the Ship with gentle motionAcross that calm & quiet Ocean,That glassy sea which seemd to beThe mirror of tranquillity.Their pleasant passage soon was oer,The Ship hath reachd its destind shore,A level belt of ice which boundAs with an adamantine moundThe waters of the sleeping Ocean roundStrange forms were on the strandOf earth-born spirits, slain before their time,Who wandering over sea & sky & landHad so fulfilld their term; & now were metUpon this icy Belt, a motley band,Waiting their summons at the appointed hourWhen each before the Judgement Seat must standAnd hear his doom from Bali’s righteous power

Foul with habitual crimes a hideous crewWere there, the race of rapine & of blood,Now having overpast the mortal floodTheir own deformity they knew.And knew the need that to their works was dueTherefore in fear & agony they stood,Expecting when the Evil MessengerAmong them should appear. But with their fearA hope was mingled now,Oer the dark shade of guilt a deeper hueIt threw, & gave a fiercer characterTo the wild eye & lip, & sinful brow.They hoped that soon Kehama would subdueThe inexorable God & seize his throneReduce the Infernal World to his commandAnd with his irresistible right handRedeem them from the vaults of Padalon

Apart from these a milder company,The victims of offences not their own,Lookd when the appointed Messenger should comeGatherd together some, & some aloneBrooding in silence on their future doomWidows whom to their husbands funeral fireForce or strong error ledTo share the PyreAs to their everlasting marriage bed,And babes by sin unstained,Whom erring parents vow’dTo Ganges, & the holy stream profandWith that strange sacrifice, rite unordainedBy Law, by sacred Nature unallowd,Others more hapless in their destinyScarce having first inhald the vital breathWhose cradle from some treeUnnatural hands suspended,Then left till gentle DeathComing like Sleep their feeble moanings ended,Or for his prey the ravenous Kite descended,Or marching like an army from their cavesThe pismires blackened oer, then bleachd & bareLeft their unhardend bones to fall asunder there.

Innocent Souls, thus set so early freeFrom sun & sorrow & mortality,Their spotless spirits all-creating LoveReceived into its universal breast.Yon blue serene above Was their domain; clouds pillowed them to rest;The Elements on them like nurses tendedAnd with their growth etherial substance blended,Less pure than these is that strange Indian birdWho never dips in earthly streams her bill,But when the sound of coming showers is heard,Looks up & from the clouds receives her fill.Less pure the footless fowl of Heaven that neverRest upon Earth, but on the wing for ever,Hovering oer flowers their fragrant food inhale,Drink the descending dew upon its wayAnd sleep aloft while floating on the gale.And thus these innocents in yonder skyGrow & are strengthened, while the allotted yearsPerform their course; then hitherward they fly,Being free from mortal taint, so free from pain.A joyous band, expecting soon to soarTo Indras happy spheres,And mingle with the blessed companyOf heavenly spirits there for ever more

A Gulph profound surroundedThis icy Belt; the opposite sideWith highest rocks was boundedBut where their heads they hideOr where their base is foundedNone could espy. Above all reach of sightThey rose; the second Earth was on their height,Their feet were fixd in everlasting night.

So deep the Gulph no eyeCould plum its dark profundity Yet all its depth must try, for this the roadTo Padalon & Yamens dread abode.And from below, continuallyMinistrant Demons rose & caughtThe souls whose hour was come,Then with their burthen fraughtPlungd down & bore them to receive their doom.

Then might be seen who went in hope & whoTrembled to meet the meedOf many a foul misdeed, as wild they threwTheir arms retorted from the Demons graspAnd lookd around all eagerly to seekFor help, where help was none; & strove for aidTo clasp the nearest shade,Yea with imploring looks & horrent shriekEven from one Demon to another bendingWith hands extendingThis mercy they essayd.Still from the verge they strainAnd from the dreadful gulph avert their eyesIn vain, down plunge the Demons & their criesFeebly, as down they sink, from that profound arise.

What heart of living man could undisturbdBear sight like this! what wonder thereIf Kalyals lip were blanchd with inmost dread.The chill which from that icey BeltStruck upward was less keen than what she feltWith her hearts-blood thro every limb dispread.Close to the Glendoveer she clungAnd clasping round his neck her trembling handsShe closd her eyes, & there in silence hung

Then to Ladurlad said the Glendoveer,These Demons, as thou seest, the MinistersOf Yamen, wonder to behold us here.But for the dead they come & not for us.Therefore albeit they gaze upon thee thusHave thou no fear.A little while thou must be left alone.Till I have borne thy daughter down,And placed her safely by the throneOf him who keeps the Gate of Padalon.

Then taking Kalyal in his arms he said,Be of good heart Beloved! it is IWho bear thee. Saying this his wings he spreadSprung upward in the sky & poisd his flight Then plunged in the Gulph & sought the world of Night.

Hactemus¹ – Sept. 30.

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I have a half written letter which shall follow tomorrow – ²