THF, SONGS OF " ROOKWOOD." 61 



The burthen of this song is magnificent. How the blessing springs 

 from the malediction 



{ ' Maranatha ! Anathema ! 

 Dread is the curse of Mandragora ! 

 Euthanasy!" 



Not quite equal to the foregoing, but still not without merit, is 



"THE YEW. 



"A noxious tree is the church-yard yew, 

 As if from the dead its sap it drew ;* 

 Dark are its branches, and dismal to see, 

 Like plumes at Death's latest solemnity. 

 Spectral and jagged, and black as the wings 

 Which some spirit of ill o'er a sepulchre flings: 

 Oh ! a terrible tree is the church-yard yew ; 

 Like it is nothing so ghastly to view. 



_" Yet this baleful tree hath a core so sound, 

 Can nought so tough in the grove be found ; 

 From it were fashioned brave English bows, 

 The boast of our isle, and the dread of its foes, 

 For our sturdy sires cut their stoutest staves 

 From the branch that hung o'er their fathers' graves : 

 And though it be dreary and dismal to view, 

 Staunch at the heart is the church-yard yew." 



In the original these songs derive much of their peculiar character 

 from being chaunted by an old sexton, whose talk is for ever of " the 

 dead and their house the grave." We will not surfeit our readers 

 with horrors, but will now strike a livelier note. Here is a delicious 

 ritornella, which we hope to hear from the lips of the lady of our 

 love, or, next to her, from those of the fair Stephens. This is one 

 of those songs which we before stated scarce need the aid of music. 

 It has nevertheless been gracefully arranged by Mr. F. Homer .f 



"LA GITANILLA. 



" By the Guadalquivir, 



Ere the sun be flown, 

 By that glorious river 



Sits a maid alone. 

 Like the sun-set splendour 



Of that current bright, 

 Shone her dark eyes, tender 



As its witching light : 



* Metuendaque succo 



Taxus. STATIUS. 



f We are happy to find that the high opinion which we have all along en- 

 tertained of these songs has been corroborated by their announcement in a 

 separate publication, adapted to music by Mr. F. Homer, a gentleman of rising 

 talent in his profession. Mr. Homer has published his selection under the 

 same title as the present article, and dedicated the work to the Countess of 

 Blessington. 



