BARTRAM'S INFLUENCE ON LITERATURE 185 



perpetual labyrinths, and, like enchanted land, still as they imagined 

 they had just gained it, it seemed to fly before them, alternately appear- 

 ing and disappearing. They resolved, at length, to leave the delusive pur- 

 suit, and to return; which, after a number of difficulties, they effected. 

 When they reported their adventures to their countrymen, the young 

 warriors were inflamed with an irresistible desire to invade, and make 

 a conquest of so charming a country ; but all their attempts have hitherto 

 proved abortive, never having been able again to find that enchanting 

 spot. 2 5 



Using this tradition as a basis Mrs. Hemans weaves into her 

 poem details borrowed from other sources. Bartram and the 

 reports of South American missionaries merge with " merely 

 imaginary circumstances " "** and produce a poem studded with 

 blue hills, shining lakes, fountain isles, serpent kings, cougars, 

 groves and fruits. 



Mrs. Hemans, however, does not always indicate her sources, 

 and then, of course, her borrowings are harder to trace. That 

 Bartram influenced her work is certain not only because of her 

 own acknowledgement in " The Isle of Founts " but also be- 

 cause of another poem, " The Aged Indian," in which no ack- 

 nowledgements of any kind appear. The poem begins: 



Warriors! my noon of life is past, 

 The brightness of my spirit flown; 

 I crouch before the wintry blast, 

 Amidst my tribe I dwell alone; 

 The heroes of my youth ate fled, 

 They rest among the warlike dead. 



Then follow seven stanzas in which the aged Indian reviews his 

 brave past and recalls the deeds of his companions, all now in 

 the " shadowy land"; then in a final stanza he concludes his 

 address: 



Sons of the brave! delay no more, 



The spirits of my kindred call; 



'Tis but one pang, and all is o'er! 



Oh! bid the aged cedar fall! 



To join the brethren of his prime. 



The mighty of departed time. 



" The quotation is an abridgement of a long paragraph, pp. 24-26. 

 ■"" Poetical Works, IV, 110. 



