O DE III. WRITTEN AT VALE-ROYAL ABBEY IN CHESHIRE. (Published in 1777.) As evening flowly spreads his mantle hoar, How funk the fcene, where cloifter'd Leifure 5 His crouded fpires o'er the broad mountain's brow! Vale-royal Abbey] A Monaftery for Ciftercian Monks, founded by King Edward I. about the year 1300, in confequence of a vow, which he made when in danger of being fhipwrecked, during his return from a crufade. It was first founded at Dernhall in the fame county in the year 1270, 54th of the reign of Henry III. But afterwards.Edward I. in the 27th year of his own reign, tranflated it to a place on the river Wever, not far dif tant, to which he on this occafion gave the name of The Valeroyal, and granted to the Abbot and Convent feveral parishes, lands, &c. adjoining. After the diffolution it came into the family of Holcroft, from whom it was purchased about the middle of the 17th century by the Lady Mary Cholmley; and in her family I believe that it ftill continues. The golden fans, that o'er the turrets ftrown, The prickly thistle fheds its plumy creft, With rich reflection of the ftoried glass. V. 9. The golden fans, that o'er the turrets ftrown, Quick-glancing to the fun, wild mufic made,] 15 Mr. Headley refers to fome inftances, where this idea occurs, quoted in the 2d vol. of Hiftory of English Poetry, p. 223. note. "In the "caftle of Pleafaunt Regard, the fans on the high towers are "mentioned as a circumftance of pleasure and beauty. Assembl. "of Lad. ver. 160: "The towris hie full pleasant shall ye finde, "And our Author again, ch. 38: "Aloft the towres the golden fanes goode Dyde with the winde make full sweete armony, "Them for to heare it was great melody." See alfo Percy's Reliques, vol. i. p. 104. V. 10. Quick-glancing to the fun,] Gray's Ode to Spring: Quick-glancing to the fun. V. 15. Where fhone the pavement's furface fmooth, impreft With rich reflection of the storied glass.] "Storied glafs" is of course the fame with "floried windows," On the birth of the Pr. of Wales, ver. 50. Mr. Headley obferves that the image contained in these lines, which in nature is most beautiful, C Here hardy chieftains slept in proud repose, And through the leffening iles, in radiant rows, 20 There oxen browze, and there the fable yew Through the dun void difplays its baleful glooms; And sheds in lingering drops ungenial dew O'er the forgotten graves and scatter'd tombs. By the flow clock, in ftately-measur'd chime, 25 That from the maffy tower tremendous toll'd, No more the plowman counts the tedious time, Nor distant shepherd pens his twilight fold. was first introduced into poetry by Pope, though very feebly expreffed : With various-colour'd light the pavement bone. But compare the language and the idea of Milton, though he is not defcribing the effect of painted glafs, reflected on the floor : the bright Pavement, that like a fea of jafper bone, Impurpled with celeftial rofes fmil'd. Par. Loft. iii. 362. This is fhining with various-coloured light; for the jasper has a green ground, interspersed with spots of red, white, and yellow. V. 25. By the flow clock, in ftately-meafur'd chime, &c.] The thoughts in this stanza are fimilar to those in the opening of Gray's Elegy: but the error in the latter, of making the ploughman leave off work at curfew-time, was feen and avoided. High o'er the trackless heath at midnight feen, V. 29. High o'er the tracklefs heath at midnight feen, (Where the tall fhaft and fretted nook between Every picturesque eye must be gratified with this accurate delineation of a very pleafing object. But my intention in citing it here is that I may notice how nicely Warton has at different times touched on the Gothic window, that interefting feature in our ecclefiaftical architecture. This will appear by an attention to the several paffages in which he has noticed it. In the Monody, ver. 9. the beight and long range of the windows are remarked; Where the tall windows rife in ftately rows Above th' embowering fhade. Both which particularities are noticed in the text: as also in Mons Catharina, ver. 81: Of Winchester Cathedral, Ingens delubrum, centum fublime feneftris. Somewhat of the shape is intimated in Ode on Approach of Sum mer, ver. 122: Far feen its arched windows blaze. The epithet" arched," I believe, is never used by our poet, but with reference to the pointed arch. But the Verfes to Sir Jof. Reynolds, which contain an exact picture of a cathedral, are minute alfo in this particular. Ver. 23: Where Superftition with capricious hand In many a maze the wreathed window plann'd, Which fupply us with the mullions and painted glass; to which if we add the great western window, intimated in the fame verses, 101." the broad window's height," (for, it will be observed, the Poet fpeaks of the weft window in New College Chapel) it may be difficult to mention any diftinguishing feature in that branch of Ev'n now, amid the wavering ivy-wreaths, (While kindred thoughts the pensive sounds inspire) When the weak breeze in many a whifper breathes, I seem to liften to the chaunting quire. 36 As o'er these shatter'd towers intent we muse, For though the forcerefs, Superftition blind, O'er the dim roofs, to cheat the tranced mind, Though the vain hours unfocial Sloth beguil'd, 45 While the still cloifter's gate Oblivion lock'd; And thro' the chambers pale, to flumbers mild Wan Indolence her drowfy cradle rock'd: Thefe Gothic architecture, which Warton has not noticed. are not hackneyed pictures, but show an observer of real appear ances. V. 42. Amid the pomp of dreadful facrifice,] Pope's Eloifa: From the full quire when loud Hosannahs rise, And fwell the pomp of dreadful facrifice. Ver. 353. V. 48. Wan Indolence her drowsy cradle rock'd:] Pope, in a very tender and affectionate paffage, uses the same figure: |