No More Learning

Sir--

_Leonard_. You said his kindred all were in their graves, 345
And that he had one Brother--

_Priest_. That is but
A fellow-tale of sorrow. From his youth
James, though not sickly, yet was delicate;
And Leonard being always by his side 350
Had done so many offices about him,
That, though he was not of a timid nature,
Yet still the spirit of a mountain-boy
In him was somewhat checked; and, when his Brother
Was gone to sea, and he was left alone, 355
The little colour that he had was soon
Stolen from his cheek; he drooped, and pined, and pined--

_Leonard_. But these are all the graves of full-grown men!

_Priest_. Ay, Sir, that passed away: we took him to us;
He was the child of all the dale--he lived 360
Three months with one, and six months with another;
And wanted neither food, nor clothes, nor love:
And many, many happy days were his.
But, whether blithe or sad, 'tis my belief
His absent Brother still was at his heart. 365
And, when he dwelt [44] beneath our roof, we found
(A practice till this time unknown to him)
That often, rising from his bed at night,
He in his sleep would walk about, and sleeping
He sought his brother Leonard. --You are moved! 370
Forgive me, Sir: before I spoke to you,
I judged you most unkindly.

_Leonard_. But this Youth,
How did he die at last?

_Priest_. One sweet May-morning, 375
(It will be twelve years since when Spring returns)
He had gone forth among the new-dropped lambs,
With two or three companions, whom their course
Of occupation led from height to height
Under a cloudless sun--till he, at length, 380
Through weariness, or, haply, to indulge
The humour of the moment, lagged behind.
[45]
You see yon precipice;--it wears the shape
Of a vast building made of many crags; [46]
And in the midst is one particular rock 385
That rises like a column from the vale,
Whence by our shepherds it is called, THE PILLAR.
Upon its aery summit crowned with heath,
The loiterer, not unnoticed by his comrades,
Lay stretched at ease; but, passing by the place 390
On their return, they found that he was gone.
No ill was feared; till one of them by chance
Entering, when evening was far spent, the house
Which at that time was James's home, there learned [47]
That nobody had seen him all that day: [H] 395
The morning came, and still he was unheard of:
The neighbours were alarmed, and to the brook
Some hastened; some ran to the lake: [48] ere noon
They found him at the foot of that same rock
Dead, and with mangled limbs. The third day after 400
I buried him, poor Youth, [49] and there he lies!

_Leonard_. And that then _is_ his grave! --Before his death
You say [50] that he saw many happy years?

_Priest_. Ay, that he did--

_Leonard_. And all went well with him? --405

_Priest_. If he had one, the Youth [51] had twenty homes.

_Leonard_. And you believe, then, that his mind was easy? --

_Priest_. Yes, long before he died, he found that time
Is a true friend to sorrow; and unless
His thoughts were turned on Leonard's luckless fortune, 410
He talked about him with a cheerful love.