The Project Gutenberg eBook of The palace of fantasy

This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

Title: The palace of fantasy

or, the bard's imagery; with other poems

Author: John Stockdale Hardy

Release date: August 22, 2025 [eBook #76716]

Language: English

Original publication: London: Smith, Elder and Co, 1845

Credits: Charlene Taylor, Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PALACE OF FANTASY ***

THE PALACE OF FANTASY;
OR,
THE BARD’S IMAGERY

With Other Poems.

By J. S. HARDY,
AUTHOR OF “HOURS OF THOUGHT; OR, POETIC MUSINGS.”

LONDON: SMITH, ELDER AND CO., 65, CORNHILL.
———
MDCCCXLV.

London:
Printed by Stewart and Murray,
Old Bailey.

ADVERTISEMENT.

The favourable notice of the Author’s former publication by the periodical press in general, (for which he offers his best acknowledgments) has emboldened him to venture a second time, under the hope of deserving the like approbation. If it be the means of leading any to “look through Nature up to Nature’s God,” his object is attained; while the cultivation of the “Muses” he deems to be its own “exceeding great reward.”

PREFACE.

The following Poem, being a sketch or shadowing out of objects and things that are beautiful or grand, may be divided into the descriptive, the allegorical, and the imaginative. “Fantasy” or Fancy is the personification of an imaginary character; and is represented as holding a Court, at which the crowd or multitude, considered as the world at large, are invited to attend, and are conducted by Sir Herald, a fantastic sort of personage, to the Palace of Fantasy; who on their entrance are immediately attired in suitable costume by an attendant page, a somewhat strange and half human figure, who courteously leads the way to the Saloon of Imagery, whose pictured tapestry is there described. Admitted to an audience, Dan Fantasy deputes his favourite companion, the Bard, as their attendant and guide through his wide domain, to point out its wonders with the intent to instruct, as also to amuse. For this purpose they are led to survey the hidden things of earth, marvels of nature, art, literature, and science, which are severally shown;—the whole intended as a moral to induce mankind to forego grovelling for loftier pursuits, as leading the mind and enticing it to extend its flight to a far nobler and more enduring destiny.

The Miscellaneous Poems, with some few exceptions, have appeared in several periodicals of the day; but are now collected for the first time, and added to the present volume, with the hope that they may not be less acceptable in their new dress.

Peckham.

CONTENTS.

	Page
THE PALACE OF PHANTASY; OR, THE BARD’S IMAGERY	1
MISCELLANEOUS POEMS:—
ON VIEWING THE TESSELATED PAVEMENT LATELY DISCOVERED ON THE SITE OF THE LATE FRENCH PROTESTANT CHURCH, THREADNEEDLE STREET	133
ON THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ROYAL EXCHANGE BY FIRE	135
LINES ON HEARING OF AN INFANT, DURING WEANING, BEING FOUND IN ITS NURSERY SLEEPING ON ITS MOTHER’S PICTURE	139
THOUGHTS ON SOLITARINESS	143
THE WRECK	149
THE WAILING SPIRIT OF THE “ROUND-DOWN CLIFF”	151
ON READING WORDSWORTH’S BEAUTIFUL LINES ON GRACE DARLING	155
THE EMIGRANTS	158
LINES ON THE PURSUITS OF GENIUS AND LEARNING	162
CORN FIELDS	165
THE APPROACH	168
ON MY NEW-BORN SON	170
FIRESIDE MUSINGS	172
AN ADDRESS TO THE DAISY	174
I’VE BEEN A-MUSING	175

CANTO I.

ARGUMENT.

Exordium—The Palace of Fantasy—Sir Herald described—His Address to the crowd assembled by proclamation—Prepares to lead them to the interior of the building—Its outward appearance—On their entry are first conducted by Sir Page to be suitably attired—A description of his person—Admitted to the Saloon—Its gorgeousness—Its walls of tapestry—The Druid—The Belted Knight and Merry Woodsman—The Caravan—A Scene on the Ganges—Mount Helicon—The Promontory and Prospect—The expected Interview—Dan Fantasy—His lofty State—Attendants and Recreation—The audience announced—The Populace addressed—The Bard appointed as their Conductor to the various wonders of the place—A Description of the Poet, who led them by a subterranean way—The Beautiful Bay—Treasures of the Deep—The hollow-way and disembowelled Earth—The Cavern—The Grotto—Naiads of Brook and Stream—Their Occupation—The object made known—Their further Progress—The View obtained—The Intent—Mountain Scenery—The Vale of Enna.

THE PALACE OF FANTASY.

CANTO I.

I.

O child of earth, who treads this mortal life
With weary steps, and turmoil hard to bear,
Forego, if e’er ye can, your care, and strife,
The sigh oppressive, and the trickling tear;
A truce for once to every anxious fear,
Let Fancy brighten up the passing hour;
Fain would she lead you in her flight’s career,
From noyance free, and cloud seen dark to low’r,
To spend your pleasant time ’neath her enchanting bow’r.

II.

Far tow’ring seen, a lofty palace rose,
Where stately cedars thick embow’ring grew;
A spot that some fell wizard would have chose,
So hid it was to gaze of public view;
At least the bustling world scarce of it knew,
And yet I ween it was a lovely spot;
The site once known it all enticed drew,
Whose blandishments made mortals bless their lot,—
More like to Arcady, fabled of old, I wot.

III.

Straight issued forth from yonder postern gate,
Mounted on dappled steed that paw’d the ground,
A strange, fantastic varlet, clad in state,
Big with importance, and with look profound,
While at his back there slung a horn to sound;
Part herald seem’d he in his gold attire,
And Mercury liken to as glanced he round;
A Sir Knight more to wonder than admire,
And yet his bearing showed no post in sooth stood higher.

IV.

Eftsoons, he ’gan his clarion loud to blow,
That bade with startling sound the welkin ring;
Anon a tide of gaping folk did flow,
With wonder filled, all eager hastening;
In troth it was a goodly gathering
That soon around Sir Herald forced their way;
Yet ere his mandate speech essayed to bring,
He waited for the crowd’s rude noise to stay,
Then blew again his horn, he brooked no more delay.

V.

“Ye toiling race, whose careworn visage tell
Of nights and days your wasted life hath led,
Know that I come with message to dispel
The gloomy dulness that seems on ye shed,
Whose scanty pittance makes ye poorly fed;
Dan Fantasy, my lord, in clemency,
Hath sped me to announce both board and bed,
With gracious ingress sent to all, and free
To range his spacious bounds, that ye may happy be.

VI.

“Yet one injunction I must first enforce,
Ere I admit you to my lord’s domain,
That you no outbreak wilful have recourse,
And from disorder you must needs refrain,
If ye for entrance hope without restrain;
Though ye at large may stray, free as the wind,
Be not too lavish when ye freedom gain,
For though Dan Fantasy’s indulgent kind,
You will, if ye transgress, a stinging scorpion find.”

VII.

Thus warned, Sir Herald turned his palfrey’s head,
His high behest accomplished, and fair speech;
Through postern way the panting crowd he led,
That did essay the entrance proud to reach,
Whose clamour loud enforced him silence preach.
And to their noisy mirth give some restrain;
Though little heeded they what he did teach,
’Till yonder marble porch was seen full plain,
When discord ceased, lest they should no admittance gain.

VIII.

Yon gorgeous structure that they now drew near,
Stood out in vast proportions, huge and bold,
Whose architectural contour did appear
Of various orders formed in beauty’s mould;
Doric and Saxon did the eye behold,
And columns fair Corinthian there uprose;
With windows carved in Gothic semblance old;
More like to what some gnome king would have chose,—
A genii’s palace seen at twilight eve’s repose.

IX.

No sooner had the motley gathered fry,
Like swarm of bees toward the entrance strove,
Than they with speed ’gan mount the steps hard by,
That in one flight continuous rose above;
When lo! the lofty portal ’gan to move,
And ope its ponderous sides ’mid radiance bright.
But ere right leave they had within to rove,
They must be shorn of their ungainly plight,
And doff their garments rude, and show more seemly sight.

X.

With that, the ragged troop were silent led
To ante-room, to change their outward gear.
Their strange conductor courtly bowed his head,
And eke soon furnished each with robes to wear;
While oft his eye, with sprightly gaze and leer,
Watched the deep motion of their wond’ring sight,
As deftly he the costliest made appear;
And like some varlet or mischievous wight,
So chuckled he Sir Page to see their alter’d plight.

XI.

He was, I ween, an elfish-looking wight,
With satin doublet slashed of velvet rare;
Agile in shape, half human and half sprite,
And yet, withal, a page-like look and air,
Showed gracefully, ’neath plumed cap he did wear.
A goodly personage, to boot, was he,
To shine at courts and royal favour share;
Or doff right low, and drop on bended knee,
Where lowly grace yblent with that of high degree.

XII.

Straightway he led them ’long the corridor,
Like guests equipped to meet invite of host;
Nor lingered they, but paced the marble floor,
And followed close the imp-like gliding ghost,
Whose flitting movements quick they almost lost,
And cross’d the hall resplendent once again;
Such circuit made as if exploring coast,
When right before them stood the entrance plain,
While in his pageship went an audience to obtain.

XIII.

He soon returned with gracious beck’ning smile,
That show’d his mission had accomplished been,
When he his lord’s fair pleasure spake awhile,
In words announcing “They might enter in,
And yet discreetly, and withouten din.”
This was the tenor of his high command,
“No Babel discord was allowed within,
On sure infliction of a scourging brand;”
For nought so chafed his Grace, whose nature else was bland.

XIV.

Awhile adjusting their disordered dress,
Late somewhat ruffled by their hurried speed;
The wide saloon admits the eager press,
Who under guidance in slow rank proceed,
When to their ear came dulcet pipe or reed,
That in the distance seem’d to die away,
And thrill’d the heart it did emove indeed
With sounds whose swelling notes brooked no delay,
But took the imprison’d soul and held it in its sway.

XV.

Meantime, upon their vision sudden fell
A lustrous light all dazzling to behold,
As if transported by enchanter’s spell
To scenes like that of famed Aladdin told,
Where lamps aglittering hung like burnish’d gold;
Anon, the lofty and capacious dome
Rose to the view in vast dimensions bold,
Akin to that famed cupola of Rome
That struck frail pigmy man, lost in its greatness dumb.

XVI.

The walls on each side hung with tapestry,
On amber ground in divers colours wove,
By fairy fingers wrought so marvellously,
Liken to what a Linwood’s needle strove
By art to charm, and each emotion move;
There nymphs and fawns half hid ’neath foliage seen,
Alist’ning Pan’s sweet pipe amid the grove,
And flocks white fleeced that cropped th’ unsullied green,
With fair Sicilian maids, made one Arcadian scene.

XVII.

And there were Druids by the gnarled oak,
Attendant seen on their night mysteries deep,
Mid torchlight’s gleam there awful did invoke,
As thro’ their scattered locks the winds did sweep,
Wild were their looks while orgies dread they keep
With blood-stained arms their muttered spells yblent,
And round their victim in contortion leap,
No living voice, nor sound, but theirs ylent,
Save wood, dark-stream, and blast, like genii moaned assent.

XVIII.

There eftsoons pricked his way thro’ forest glade,
A belted knight intent on val’rous deed,
With coat of mail well armed and trusty blade,
Borne graceful onward by his snorting steed,
Proud curveting impatient to proceed;
While merry woodsman with sharp bill and bow,
Blithe as the lark that carols ’bove his head;
Ere chariot wheels of Phœbus ’gan to glow,
Is seen thro’ brushwood copse to start the bounding roe.

XIX.

The caravan of Eastern climes was there,
O’er desert sands pursued its lengthened rout,
With stately camels bearing burthen rare,
Led in advance by wild accoutred scout,
Armed to protect or track the streamlet sought,
Certes to them a cheering welcome sound,
Delicious more to those who suffer drought
From barren soil where stream can scarce be found,
No bale so sad have they, whose land with springs abound.

XX.

Daughters of Ind’ were seen with glossy skin,
And Hindoo maids in deep prostration knelt,
Where wide spread Ganges’ rolling waves did shine,
Besides its banks the sacred influence felt,
Whose treasured stream the adoring soul ymelt;
There devotees in thronging groups repair,
While others sought where lonely Dervise dwelt,
Him to engage and lead devotion’s prayer
’Neath palm trees lovely shade, skreened from the noontide glare.

XXI.

For tapestry, pictorial grace displayed,
Creative art wrought out by sylvan hand,
Not painter’s skill like Angelo’s portrayed,
Colours more brilliant than did there expand,
In sooth there rose as if by fairy’s wand,
That legion fair yclept mount Helicon,
Where pearly streams enriched that pleasant land,
That flowed from Hippocrene’s pure fountain known,
And kiss’d the flow’ry mead in dalliance as it roune.

XXII.

While round about that rugged mountain side,
Some climb’d the steep, to breathe empyrean air,
And did essay to view the landscape wide,
Tho’ few could in that dainty prospect share,
Save gifted spirits born with genius rare,
Who soaring ’mid the clouds empurpled hue
Their pastime joy’d in that ethereal sphere,
Where floating shapes yblent in that clear blue,
That light as gossamer each other did pursue.

XXIII.

There straight the moving crowd did eke behold,
A spot of land that overhung the sea,
That bounded sparkling to that nook like gold,
So bright the waves ran murm’ring pleasantly,
While there uprose a lofty promont’ry,
On which a tall and sable figure stood,
And yet withal a startling dignity,
As one not ’habitant of earth:—the flood
Drew fixed that being’s gaze, who seemed not flesh and blood.

XXIV.

And there the eye it fell on frowning wood,
On mountain blue that did its form disclose,
With precipice and rugged causeway rude,
Where plunged the restless stream without repose;
That from its pebbly bed in spray uprose,
Seen thro’ yon vale of loveliness to wind
Thro’ ’bosky dell,’ its sinuous course to lose,
There wandered lone the thoughtful lettered hind,
’Mid sylvan glades and scenes whose charm delight the mind.

XXV.

And they had longer gazed the wond’ring crowd,
As with emblazoned skill each picture rose,
Had not the varlet troop heard summons loud,
That, hastening, urged their audience not ylose;
Which gracious mandate they may not refuse,
As they at once quick marshall’d by Sir Page,
No parley held, but did the offer choose,
Right glad such condescension did engage
Them as his honour’s guests, who seemed both lord and sage.

XXVI.

There sat Dan Fantasy in lofty state,
To whose ascending throne the group drew near,
On each side ranged the Graces on him wait,
Aonian maidens of the fountain clear;
While he a crown of dazzling stars did wear,
Like to Urania’s diadem of night,
His brows with laurel graced did eke appear,
A sky-blue tunic formed his vestment bright,
O’er which a saffron robe, like summer’s air, fell light.

XXVII.

And there were instruments of music brought,
With dulcet sounds that could enchantment wake;
But chief the lyre, the soul enthrilling caught,
And all its tones of sweetness did partake,
Harmonic chords, that one Elysium make;
The Thalian sock and buskin were displayed,
And mask, that caused the sides with laughter shake,
The lyric song, and pastoral, scattered laid,
And there the Homeric muse, the lofty mind portrayed.

XXVIII.

With hurried glance they scarce had time to scan
Those fond pursuits that did Sir Dan employ,
Ere through the long saloon a whisp’ring ran,
That did delight them with a pleasing joy;
Not children blithe so hankered after toy,
When known it was his Grace would shortly speak,
And give them full invite without annoy,
Whose thought did o’er their weary spirits break,
Like cheerful matin dawn, that doth th’ horizon streak.

XXIX.

“Ye care-worn, toiling race,” he thus began,
“In moody dulness doomed to moil for bread,
Children of earth, to soothe, if soothe I can,
Your thorny path, and cheer your drooping head;
And if my art have power, some sunshine shed;
For you my anxious breast oft heav’d the sigh,
When to your fate my roving thoughts were led;
Sad fate! like brutes immured in filthy sty,
Ye seemed to grovel on, nor cared to live or die.

XXX.

“What could entice ye pent in loathsome den,
From dawn of day to shadowy close of eve,
A charnel-house of labour, choked with men,
Women, and children wan; ye may perceive
The factory stalking-ghosts, here doomed to weave
For their employer’s wealth; poor recompense
The dole dealt out, for loss of health to grieve,
And ling’ring groan, sad poverty’s offence,
Their shorten’d thread of life ’neath want and abstinence.

XXXI.

“What pleasure is there in your drudgery found,
Like mere machines in motion set, I trow,
That go the same unvaried, sick’ning round,
The mind as dull, without an ebb or flow,
Stagnant, that scarce the vital spark doth show,
Like him, immersed in wildering ledger huge,
Pores o’er the page, to cast if right or no,
With addled brain, that few can envious grudge,
His unrequited pains, poor pate-disturbed drudge!

XXXII.

“’Twas thus in pity I beheld your state,
Abject, forlorn, without one cheering ray;
A very mole, as blind, with sluggish gait,
That seemed to burrow on your plodding way;
A cold existence, dragging through the day;
Which led me thus some pastime search for you,
Creation of my brain that sometimes stray,
And doth its airy pageantry pursue,
Till Fiction’s ideal dream starts into life anew.

XXXIII.

“And tho’ I would your leaden thoughts engage,
And thro’ their darken’d cell some light infuse,
To lead the spirit to th’ illumed page
Of Fancy’s scroll, immortal to amuse;
For you unroll its mysteries to peruse
Like that of Herculanean hidden found,
Yet without guidance sooth to wander loose
My rule forbids; your flight Pegasian bound,
Nor too adventurous be to soar the deep profound.

XXXIV.

“One have I chosen as your trusty guide,
The dear companion of my lonely hours;
Whose converse soothe like waters heard to glide,
Gurgling melodious ’mong Aonian flowers;
He will conduct you to my pleasant bowers,
And thread the windings of my loved retreat
As with a silken clue; whose playful powers
With bland discourse your ravished ear shall greet,
That ye, ymolten, will hang on his words, I weet.”

XXXV.

With that, Dan Fantasy, with beck’ning smile
That caught the twinkling eye of gifted bard,
Who left his darling pastime to beguile
The fleeting hours (his unalloyed reward),
To give attendance and bestow regard,
As his right honoured lord would have him show;
In troth he felt it was a boon conferr’d
He would not slight or willingly forego,
But do his best to please, and all his art bestow.

XXXVI.

Clad in a costume loose, half negligée,
In flowing robe like scribe he did appear;
His forehead high o’ergraced with fadeless bay,
While stray wild locks did ’neath his bonnet peer,
Which he unconscious seemed to careless wear;
His thoughts engaged seen in his dark fixed eye,
That dwelt enraptured on the ideal near
Creations of the mind that flitted by,
Whom he dismiss’d anon, to lead the company.

XXXVII.

Led by the bard the press fast followed close,
Whose voices heard to marvel as they went,
Wond’ring the winding passages he chose,
As tho’ he would the building circumvent;
Marshalling the way as one on purpose bent
Softly descending on an inclined plane,
’Mid glimmering light, and mute astonishment,
Until a high-arched doorway straight they gain,
At which they waiting stood admittance to obtain.

XXXVIII.

When straight the minstrel bard his girdle sought,
Whereon a brazen key with others slung,
Which he at once, as if by custom taught,
Essayed to use, when back, loud grating, flung
The portal wide, on massy hinges hung;
That to a flight of lengthened steps ylead,
Down which their way groped cautiously ymong
Deep vaulted chambers, by the pale ray shed,
Of flickering lamps disclosed a subterranean bed.

XXXIX.

O’er whose rough, rugged, surface, straggling went
The wand’ring troop, like pioneers in search
If outlet could be found; thus vent’rous bent,
So hardy missing seamen left in lurch,
Thro’ weary cavern’s length do wend their march;
Until an opening they descried in view,
Thus they with toil hard struggling sought to reach,
And gladly hail’d it, as they nearer drew,
Like coast explorers, when the right track they pursue.

XL.

Escaped the dark and vaulted cavern way,
Before their ken a wondrous scene arose,
Stretching far off, a wide extended bay,
Like that of Naples, sunk in soft repose;
The silvery wave, did there itself ylose
’Mong coral reefs, heard murm’ring sweet to run;
And pearly sands that did that beach compose,
There seen to glow the newly risen sun
Tracking yon orient sky his bright march had begun.

XLI.

High overhead on one side shaggy frowned,
With horrid front, a huge promont’ry bold,
Around whose base a shelt’ring cove was found,
Where treasured heaps, deposited of old,
Here in their bed hath slumbered where they rolled;
Things prized of earth,—the miser’s glittering hoard,
Vessels of silver, ingots, bars of gold;
Caskets of dazzling gems, once lost, appeared,
The hoardings of the deep, that glittered undisturbed.

XLII.

Wending their course by path to them unknown,
The bard still led with thoughtful steps the way,
Until they gained a causeway faced with stone,
O’er which they passed withouten more delay,
Between two cliffs upreared that frowned dismay;
That to a giant archway straightway led,
Diluvian old, that did invite to stray,
Through which a dimly burning light was shed,
Like that sepulchral gleam that hovers o’er the dead.

XLIII.

This hollow way, cut through the womb of earth,
Wrought out alone by Nature’s secret hand,
In elder time primeval took its birth,
That cast in shade the work of delving band,
Of earth’s industrious miners, wondrous plann’d;
Showing the various strata ’bove arrayed,
Layer of clay, with marl, and chalky land,
With petrifactions curious time hath made,
In undisturbed repose, as they had ever laid.

XLIV.

Through archway rude an outlet last they found,
Like some old porch by Saxon built of yore,
By which amazed, they entering gazed around,
Scene of enchantment that did on them pour;
From whose high dazzling roof, and pearly floor,
There flashed a radiance wondrous to behold,
Liken to romance read in ancient lore,
Of fell magician, or enchanter bold,
Who doth with waving wand a fairy scene unfold.