RPO -- Sir Walter Scott : The Lady of the Lake: Canto 3

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Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832)

The Lady of the Lake: Canto 3

(excerpt)

CORONACH

370He is gone on the mountain,

371 He is lost to the forest,

372Like a summer-dried fountain,

373 When our need was the sorest.

374The font, reappearing,

375 From the rain-drops shall borrow,

376But to us comes no cheering,

377 To Duncan no morrow!

378The hand of the reaper

379 Takes the ears that are hoary,

380But the voice of the weeper

381 Wails manhood in glory.

382The autumn winds rushing

383 Waft the leaves that are searest,

384But our flower was in flushing,

385 When blighting was nearest.

386Fleet foot on the correi,

387 Sage counsel in cumber,

388Red hand in the foray,

389 How sound is thy slumber!

390Like the dew on the mountain,

391 Like the foam on the river,

392Like the bubble on the fountain,

393 Thou art gone, and for ever!

Notes

370] From The Lady of the Lake, Canto III, lines 370-393. Scott writes: "The Coronoch of the Highlanders ... was a wild expression of lamentation, poured forth by the mourners over the body of a departed friend." In this instance, the mourners are the women of the village.

374] font: fountain.

386] correi: "the hollow side of the hill, where game usually lies" (Scott).

387] cumber: trouble.

Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.

Original text: Sir Walter Scott, The Lady of the Lake (Edinburgh: J. Ballantyne, 1810). LE S431ka Fisher Rare Book Library (Toronto).
First publication date: 1810
RPO poem editor: P. F. Morgan
RP edition: 3RP 2.418.
Recent editing: 2:2002/4/3

Rhyme: ababcdcd ...

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