Landon in The Literary Gazette 1826/Ianthe Portrait
Literary Gazette, 25th March, 1826, Page 186
IANTHE.—A PORTRAIT.
Her likeness! why it is a vain endeavour
To image it. Painting or words may never
Say what she was; yet dwell I on the task,
As if that Poesy had a right to ask
From Memory its treasure. She was fair:—
Vague words! that is but what a thousand are.
I will be more distinct: her face was fine
And perfect, in its soften'd Grecian line.
The temples were transparent, and so white,
That the blue veins ran through like rays of light.
The brow was noble, queen-like, somewhat proud,
But this seem'd as it were of right allow'd—
For mind was in its beauty, and you gazed
On its high meaning till no more amazed
At what seem'd History's fiction,—when that queen—
Martyr—and heroine—woman—by turns had been.
I heard she was unhappy, and I checkt
My eager gaze at first; she might suspect—
For sorrow brings distrust—that it was less
Pity for her than idle curiousness.
This wore away; and then I loved to dwell
On beauty, that to me was all a spell.
How did I watch upon her soft eyes' keep,
Half-hidden by the eyelids' fringed sweep,
Which seem'd as if they hid from daylight's glare
The mournful meanings settled darkly there:—
The heart's deep-spreading sadness, till it made
The very light around perpetual shade!
But 'tis her voice that haunts me,—that low tone,
Melting as Woman's, Love's, or Pity's own—
Like silver tuned to music, or a bird
Gifted with human language—but each word
As sweet as any note that might belong
To the first murmur of a Minstrel' song.
I loved her with youth's first and fiery love,
That holds its own divinity above
All things which are of earth, yet not the less
For this, I loved with manhood's steadiness;
And yet it lives, though now its only food
Is memory.IOLE.