Text Comparison: Melville, Spenser, Others

Spenser

Melville

Book II, canto xii, stanza 11

Sketch First: The Isles at Large

That may not be, said then the Ferryman
Least we unweeting hap to be fordonne;
For those same Islands, seeming now and than,
Are not firme land, nor any certein wonne,
But stragling plots, which to and fro do ronne
In the wide waters: therefore are they hight
The wandring Islands. Therefore do them shonne;
For they have oft drawne many a wandring wight
Into most deadly daunger and distressed plight.

— “That may not be, said then the ferryman,
Least we unweeting hap to be fordonne;
For those same islands seeming now and than,
Are not firme land, nor any certein wonne,
But stragling plots which to and fro do ronne
In the wide waters; therefore are they hight
The Wandering Islands; therefore do them shonne;
For they have oft drawne many a wandring wight
Into most deadly daunger and distressed plight;

Book II, canto xii, stanza 12, lines 7-9

But whosoever once hath fastened
His foot thereon may never it recure
But wandreth evermore uncertain and unsure.

For whosoever once hath fastened
His foot thereon may never it secure
But wandreth evermore uncertain and unsure.”
        *         *         *         *         *

Book II, canto ix, stanza 33, lines 4-9

Darke, dolefull, drearie, like a greedy grave,
That still for carrion carcasses doth crave;
On top whereof ay dwelt the ghastly Owle,
Shrieking his balefull note, which ever drave
Farre from that haunt all other cheerfull fowle;
And all about it wandring ghosts did waile and howle.

“Darke, dolefull, dreary, like a greedy grave,
That still for carrion carcasses doth crave;
On top whereof ay dwelt the ghastly owl,
Shrieking his balefull note, which ever drave
Far from that haunt all other cheerful fowl,
And all about it wandring ghosts did wayle and howl.”

Book II, canto xii, stanza 23, lines 1-5

Sketch Second: Two Sides To a Tortoise

Most ugly shapes and horrible aspects,
Such as Dame Nature selfe mote feare to see,
Or shame, that ever should so fowle defects
From her most cunning hand escaped bee;
All dreadfull pourtraicts of deformitee:

“Most ugly shapes and horrible aspects,
Such as Dame Nature selfe mote feare to see,
Or shame, that ever should so fowle defects
From her most cunning hand escaped bee;
All dreadfull pourtraicts of deformitee.

Book II, canto xii, stanza 25, lines 6-9

Ne wonder if these did the knight appall;
For all that here on earth we dreadfull hold,
Be but as bugs to fearen babes withall
Compared to the creatures in the seas entrall.

Ne wonder if these do a man appall;
For all that here at home we dreadfull hold
Be but as bugs to fearen babes withall
Compared to the creatures in these isles' entrall.
       *        *        *        *        *

Book II, canto xii, stanza 26

Fear naught, (then said the Palmer, well aviz'd;)
For these same Monsters are not these in deed,
But are into these fearfull shapes disguiz'd
By that same wicked witch, to worke us dreed,
And draw from on this journey to proceede.
Tho lifting up his vertuous staffe on hye,
He Smote the sea, which calmed was with speed,
And all that dreadful Armie fast gan flye
Into great Tethys bosom, where they hidden lye.

Fear naught, then said the palmer, well avized,
For these same monsters are not there indeed,
But are into these fearful shapes disguized.
       *        *        *        *        *
(two lines omitted)
And lifting up his vertuous staffe on high,
(line omitted)
Then all that dreadful armie fast gan flye
Into great Zethy's bosom, where they hidden lye.”

Book II, canto xii, stanza 8, lines 1-6

Sketch Third: Rock Rodondo

For thy, this hight The Rock of vile Reproach,
A daungerous and detestable place,
To which nor fish nor fowl did once approach,
But yelling Meawes with Seagulles hoars and bace,
And Cormoyrants, with birds of ravenous race,
Which still sit waiting on that wastfull clift.

“For they this hight the Rock of vile Reproach,
A dangerous and dreadful place,
To which nor fish nor fowl did once approach,
But yelling meaws with sea-gulls hoars and bace
And cormoyrants with birds of ravenous race,
Which still sit waiting on that dreadful clift.”
       *        *        *        *        *

Book II, canto xii, stanza 33

With that the rolling sea resounding soft,
In his big base them fitly answered,
And on the rocke the waves breaking aloft,
A solemn Meane unto them measured,
The whiles sweet Zephirus lowd whisteled
His treble, a straunge kinde of harmony;
Which Guyons senses softly tickeled,
That he the boteman bad row easily,
And let him heare some part of their rare melody.

“With that the rolling sea resounding soft
In his big base them fitly answered,
And on the Rock, the waves breaking aloft,
A solemn meane unto them measured.”
       *        *        *        *        *
(three lines omitted)
 
“Then he the boteman bad row easily,
And let him heare some part of that rare melody.”
       *        *        *        *        *

Book II, canto xii, stanza 35, lines 6-9

Suddeinly an innumerable flight
Of harmefull fowles about them fluttering, cride,
And with their wicked wings them oft did smight,
And sore annoyed, groping in that griesly night.”

“Suddeinly an innumerable flight
Of harmefull fowles about them fluttering cride,
And with their wicked wings them oft did smight
And sore annoyed, groping in that griesly night.”
       *        *        *        *        *

Book II, canto xii, stanza 36, lines 1-2

Even all the nation of unfortunate
And fatall birds about them flocked were.

“Even all the nation of unfortunate
And fatal birds about them flocked were.”

Book I, canto x, stanza 53, line 1

Sketch Fourth:
A Pisgah View From the Rock

That done, he leads him to the highest mount,

— “That done, he leads him to the highest mount,

Book I, canto x, stanza 55, line 1

From thence, far off he unto him did shew.

From whence, far off he unto him did show:”—

[V. W.] Verse ix, lines 1-4

Sketch Fifth:
The Frigate, and Ship Flyaway

Looking far forth into the ocean wide,
A goodly ship with banners bravely dight,
And flag in her top-gallant I espide,
Through the main sea making her merry flight.

“Looking far forth into the ocean wide,
A goodly ship with banners bravely dight,
And flag in her top-gallant I espide,
Through the main sea making her merry flight.”

[M. H.] p. 514, lines 4-9

Sketch Sixth:
Barrington Isle and the Buccaneers

Let us all serville base subjection scorne,
And as we be sonness of the world so wide,
Let us our father's heritage divide,
And challenge to ourselves our portions dew
Of all the patrimony, which a few
Now hold on hugger-mugger in their hand.

“Let us all servile base subjection scorn,
And as we be sons of the earth so wide,
Let us our father's heritage divide,
And challenge to ourselves our portions dew
Of all the patrimony, which a few
Now hold on hugger-mugger in their hand.”
       *        *        *        *        *

[M. H.] p. 514, lines 38-39

Lords of the world, and so will wander free,
Where–so us listeth, uncontrolled of any.

“Lords of the world, and so will wander free,
Where–so us listeth, uncontroll'd of any.”
       *        *        *        *        *

[Beaumont] Opening Scene

How bravely now I live, how jocund,
how near the first inheritance,
without fears, how free from title troubles!

“How bravely now we live, how jocund,
how near the first inheritance,
without fear, how free from little troubles!”

Book II, canto ix, stanza 13, lines 1-7

Sketch Seventh:
Charles's Isle and the Dog-King

Thus as he spoke, loe with outragious cry
A thousand villeins round about them swarmed
Out of the rockes and caves adjoining nye,
Vile caitive wretches, ragged, rude, deformd,
All threatning death, all in straunge manner armd,
Some with unweldy clubs, some with long speares,
Some rusty knives, some staves in fire warmd.

—————— So with outrageous cry,
A thousand villeins round about him swarmed
Out of the rocks and caves adjoining nye;
Vile caitive wretches, ragged, rude, deformed;
All threatning death, all in straunge manner armed;
Some with unweldy clubs, some with long speares,
Some rusty knives, some staves in fier warmd.
       *        *        *        *        *

[M. H.] p. 514, lines 25-28

We will not be of any occupation,
Let such vile vassals, born to base vocation,
Drudge in the world, and for their living droyle,
Which have no wit to live withouten toyle.

We will not be of any occupation,
Let such vile vassals, born to base vocation,
Drudge in the world, and for their living droyle,
Which have no wit to live withouten toyle.

Book II, canto xii, stanza 27, lines 5-9

Sketch Eighth:
Norfolk Isle and the Chola Widow

At last they in an Island did espy
A seemely Maiden sitting by the shore,
That with great sorrow and sad agony,
Seemed some great misfortune to deplore,
And lowd to them for succor called evermore.

“At last they in an island did espy
A seemly woman sitting by the shore,
That with great sorrow and sad agony
Seemed some great misfortune to deplore,
And loud to them for succor called evermore.”

[Chatterton] stanza ii

“Blacke hys cryne as the wyntere nyghte,
Whyte hys rode as the sommer snow,
Rodde hys face as the mornynge lyghte,
Cale he lyes ynne the grave below;
Mie love ys dedde,
Gon to hys deathe-bedde,
Al under the wyllowe tree.”

“Black his eyes as the midnight sky,
White his neck as the driven snow,
Red his cheek as the morning light; —
Cold he lies in the ground below.
       My love is dead,
       Gone to his death-bed,
All under the cactus tree.”

[Collins] stanza vi

“Each lonely scene shall thee restore,
For thee the tear be duly shed;
Belov'd till life can charm no more,
And mourned till Pity's self be dead.”

“Each lonely scene shall thee restore,
For thee the tear be duly shed;
Belov'd till life can charm no more,
And mourned till Pity's self be dead.”

Book I, canto ix, stanza 35

Sketch Ninth:
Hood's Isle and the Hermit Oberlus

That darkesome cave they enter, where they find
That cursed man, low sitting on the ground,
Musing full sadly in his sullein mind;
His griesly lockes, long growen and unbound,
Disordered hong about his shoulders round,
And hid his face; through which his hollow eyne
Lookt deadly dull, and stared as astound;
His raw-bone cheekes through penurie and pine,
Were shronke into the jawes, as he did never dine.

“That darkesome glen they enter, where they find
That cursed man low sitting on the ground,
Musing full sadly in his sullein mind;
His griesly lockes long grouen and unbound,
Disordered hong about his shoulders round,
And hid his face, through which his hollow eyne
Lookt deadly dull, and stared as astound;
His raw-bone cheekes, through penurie and pine,
Were shronke into the jawes, as he did never dine.

Book I, canto ix, stanza 36, lines 1-3

His garment nought but many ragged clouts,
With thornes together pind and patched was,
The which his naked sides he wrapt abouts;

“His garments nought but many ragged clouts,
With thornes together pind and patched reads,
The which his naked sides he wrapt abouts.”

Book I, canto ix, stanza 34, lines 1-4

Sketch Tenth: Runaways, Castaways,
Solitaries, Gravestones, Etc.

And all about old stocks and stubs of trees,
Whereon nor fruit nor leaf was ever seene,
Did hang upon ragged knotty knees;
On which had many wretches hanged beene.

“And all about old stocks and stubs of trees,
    Whereon nor fruit nor leaf was ever seen,
Did hang upon ragged knotty knees,
    On which had many wretches hanged been.”