— 4—

hang like banners and streamers from the top of the rocks over the unfathomable glade (st. 11.); Hawthorn, hazel,“primrose pale“, violet, fox glove, and night shade are the smaller plants that hide themselves in the eliffs, grey birch und aspen“weep beneath“; a good deal higher on the mountain 4.... the ash and warrior oak Cast anchor in the rifted rock“

and, higher yet, the weather beaten pine-tree stretches its branches athwart the narrow space between the rocks, which almost meet from either side of the glade(st. 13.). With Fitz-James(who is represented lin st. 9.] as a most energetic, bold, and kind hearted sportsman), we stand at last on the rocky verge of Loch Katrine. Evening is drawing on; mountains and lake are in the purple glow of the setting sun; perfect solitude and solemn silence reign round about(st. 14. 15.). How deeply and warmly the poet must have felt the charms of nature, to draw them with such fervour, for such descriptions can only come from a heart that really enjoys and is full of the beauties it paints.

That part of the poem which has occupied us hitherto(viz. from st. 1. to st. 17.) may be considered as the introduction to the principal action. It gives a beautiful picture of the Western Iighlands of Perthshire(the scene of the poem) and makes us acquainted with Fitz-James.— Goethe's Hermann und Dorethea and many other poems prove that such introductions are not at all unavoidable; but that of the Lady of the Lake is so exquisite and so well connected with what follows that we cannot but consider it one of the finest parts of the poem.

The introduction has inspired the reader with great interest, and prepared him to meet the heroine in stanza 22. The poet is very clever in enhancing the impression the mysterions silence and solitude of nature have already made upon us by calling to our minds the possibility of an„encounter with robbers, so frequent in the Highlands. Exven the brave and bold Fitz-James feels for a moment uneasy at the thought; he sounds his bugle in case some straggler of the chase should be near but— lo! at the sound a- lovely maiden starts from under an oak in Loch Katrine. We are quite amazed at seeing such a wilderness inhabited by a woman. Our imagination has been so powerfully excited by the poet that we at first almost believe her to be a fairy. Or should she be the vife, the daughter, the sister, the friend of some robber? Who knows!— The way in which the poet next draws the personal appearance of"this Lady of the Lake,“ is extremely beautiful. Ellen is, as it were, the counterpart of Goethe's Dorothea, the latter being a wonderfully imposing yet natural and innocent personage, whereas the former is a graceful, charming but equally natural and innocent maiden.(We do not mean to say that Scott's description is equal to the classic grandeur of Goethe's.) Having heard the first bugle- sound, she stands erect to catch a second:—

„With head upraised, and look intent And locks flung back and lips appart.

And eye and ear attentive bent, Like monument of Grecian art.“

After having thus, with the exactness of a sculptor, indicated the attitude of a person listening to a distant sound, he completes the picture by describing with ineffable gentleness her noble features, dark complexion, and the glowing hue with which the excercice of rowing has tinged her cheek. He prefers her natural movements to the studied elegance of high-life:—

„A foot more light, a step more true, E'en the slight hare bell raised its head

Ne'er from the heath-flower dashed the dew Elastic from her airy tread,“

Her language betrays"the accents of the mountain tongue“, but there is a silver sound in her voice.(It is very strange that in his minute description, the poet should have neglected to indicate Ellen's stature. He never says anything about it throughout the poem. Although we may easily guess that she is rather small, we think he ought to have told us so.).— However Ellen's moral beauty is as great, nay, greater than that of her personal appearance:

„»Never brooch the folds combined Above a heart more good and kind.“ Kindness, frankness, truthfulness, and firmness of character are her characteristic moral qualities.— The description of Ellen's character is, upon the whole, not so fine as that of her exterior, the latter verses of it being too much a mere enumeration of virtues. Although epic poetry does not require such a constant progress of action as a drama, yet,