Fast by the springs where she to bathe was wont,
And in those meads where sometime she might haunt,
Were strewn rich gifts, unknown to any Muse,
Though Fancy's casket were unlock'd to choose.
Ah, what a world of love was at her feet!
So Hermes thought, and a celestial heat
Burnt from his winged heels to either ear,
That from a whiteness, as the lilly clear,
Blush'd into roses 'mid his golden hair,

20

25

Fallen in jealous curls about his shoulders bare.

From vale to vale, from wood to wood, he flew,

Breathing upon the flowers his passion new,

And wound with many a river to its head,

To find where this sweet nymph prepar'd her secret

bed:

30

In vain; the sweet nymph might nowhere be found,
And so he rested, on the lonely ground,

Pensive, and full of painful jealousies
Of the Wood-Gods, and even the very trees.
There as he stood, he heard a mournful voice,
Such as once heard, in gentle heart, destroys
All pain but pity: thus the lone voice spake :
"When from this wreathed tomb shall I awake!
"When move in a sweet body fit for life,
"And love, and pleasure, and the ruddy strife

35

40

"Of hearts and lips! Ah, miserable me!"

The God, dove-footed, glided silently

Round bush and tree, soft-brushing, in his speed,
The taller grasses and full-flowering weed,

Until he found a palpitating snake,

45

Bright, and cirque-couchant in a dusky brake.

She was a gordian shape of dazzling hue,

Vermilion-spotted, golden, green, and blue;
Strip'd like a zebra, freckled like a pard,
Ey'd like a peacock, and all crimson barr'd;
And full of silver moons, that, as she breathed,
Dissolv'd, or brighter shone, or interwreathed
Their lustres with the gloomier tapestries-
So rainbow-sided, touch'd with miseries,
She seem'd, at once, some penanc'd lady elf,
Some demon's mistress, or the demon's self.
Upon her crest she wore a wannish fire
Sprinkled with stars, like Ariadne's tiar:

Her head was serpent, but ah, bitter-sweet!

50

55

She had a woman's mouth with all its pearls complete: 60
And for her eyes: what could such eyes do there
But weep, and weep, that they were born so fair?
As Proserpine still weeps for her Sicilian air.
Her throat was serpent, but the words she spake
Came, as through bubbling honey, for Love's sake,
And thus; while Hermes on his pinions lay,
Like a stoop'd falcon ere he takes his prey.

65

"Fair Hermes, crown'd with feathers, fluttering light, "I had a splendid dream of thee last night :

"I saw thee sitting, on a throne of gold,

66

Among the Gods, upon Olympus old,

70

(48) Originally, Cerulean-spotted. Hunt says of this passage (see Appendix)-"The admiration, pity, and horror, to be excited by humanity in a brute shape, were never perhaps called upon by a greater mixture of beauty and deformity than in the picture of this creature. Our pity and suspicions are begged by the first word: the profuse and vital beauties with which she is covered seem proportioned to her misery and natural rights; and lest we should lose sight of them in this gorgeousness, the 'woman's mouth' fills us at once with shuddering and compassion."

(69) The manuscript reads silver for splendid.

"The only sad one; for thou didst not hear

"The soft, lute-finger'd Muses chaunting clear, "Nor even Apollo when he sang alone,

"Deaf to his throbbing throat's long, long melodious

moan.

"I dreamt I saw thee, rob'd in purple flakes,

75

"Break amorous through the clouds, as morning breaks,

"Strike for the Cretan isle; and here thou art!

"Too gentle Hermes, hast thou found the maid?" Whereat the star of Lethe not delay'd

80

His rosy eloquence, and thus inquired :

"Thou smooth-lipp'd serpent, surely high inspired! "Thou beauteous wreath, with melancholy eyes,

"Possess whatever bliss thou canst devise,

85

"Telling me only where my nymph is fled,

"Where she doth breathe!" "Bright planet, thou hast

said,"

Return'd the snake, "but seal with oaths, fair God!"

"I swear," said Hermes, "by my serpent rod,

"And by thine eyes, and by thy starry crown!"

90

Light flew his earnest words, among the blossoms blown.

Then thus again the brilliance feminine:

"Too frail of heart! for this lost nymph of thine,

"Free as the air, invisibly, she strays

"About these thornless wilds; her pleasant days
"She tastes unseen; unseen her nimble feet
"Leave traces in the grass and flowers sweet;

95

(78) In the manuscript

And, swiftly as a mission'd phobean dart,

a reading which shifts the accent from the second to the first syllable of the word Phabean.

(93) Cancelled manuscript reading, Superb of heart!

"From weary tendrils, and bow'd branches green, "She plucks the fruit unseen, she bathes unseen : "And by my power is her beauty veil'd

"To keep it unaffronted, unassail'd

100

"Of Satyrs, Fauns, and blear'd Silenus' sighs.
"Pale grew her immortality, for woe
"Of all these lovers, and she grieved so

105

"I took compassion on her, bade her steep

"Her hair in weird syrops, that would keep "Her loveliness invisible, yet free

"To wander as she loves, in liberty.

"Thou shalt behold her, Hermes, thou alone,
"If thou wilt, as thou swearest, grant my boon!"
Then, once again, the charmed God began
An oath, and through the serpent's ears it ran
Warm, tremulous, devout, psalterian.
Ravish'd, she lifted her Circean head,

110

115

Blush'd a live damask, and swift-lisping said,
"I was a woman, let me have once more
"A woman's shape, and charming as before.
"I love a youth of Corinth-O the bliss!

"Give me my woman's form, and place me where he is. 120

44

Stoop, Hermes, let me breathe upon thy brow,

(104) The manuscript has wor in place of grew.

(106) In the manuscript, bad, not bade as in the printed text. (114-16) There is an Alexandrine here in the manuscript—Warm, tremulous, devout, bright-ton'd, psalterian.

And the next line is

Ravish'd she lifted up her circean head,

a reading which, like that of line 78, shifts backwards the accent on the last word but one. Line 116 begins with Blush'd to live damask.

"And thou shalt see thy sweet nymph even now." The God on half-shut feathers sank serene,

She breath'd upon his eyes,

and swift was seen

Of both the guarded nymph near-smiling on the green. 125 It was no dream; or say a dream it was,

Real are the dreams of Gods, and smoothly pass

Their pleasures in a long immortal dream.

One warm, flush'd moment, hovering, it might seem
Dash'd by the wood-nymph's beauty, so he burn'd; 130
Then, lighting on the printless verdure, turn'd
To the swoon'd serpent, and with languid arm,
Delicate, put to proof the lythe Caducean charm.
So done, upon the nymph his eyes he bent
Full of adoring tears and blandishment,

135

And towards her stept: she, like a moon in wane,

Faded before him, cower'd, nor could restrain

Her fearful sobs, self-folding like a flower
That faints into itself at evening hour:

But the God fostering her chilled hand,

140

She felt the warmth, her eyelids open'd bland,
And, like new flowers at morning song of bees,
Bloom'd, and gave up her honey to the lees.
Into the green-recessed woods they flew ;

Nor grew they pale, as mortal lovers do.

145

.

Left to herself, the serpent now began
To change; her elfin blood in madness ran,

Her mouth foam'd, and the grass, therewith besprent,
Wither'd at dew so sweet and virulent;

Her eyes in torture fix'd, and anguish drear,

150

Hot, glaz'd, and wide, with lid-lashes all sear,

(123) The manuscript reads sunk for sank.

(132) The manuscript reads langrous arm.

(142) Cancelled manuscript reading, And she like flowers...