It is an ancient Mariner,

And he stoppeth one of three : " By thy long grey beard and thy glittering eye

“ Now wherefore stoppest me?

“ The Bridegroom's doors are open'd wide

“ And I am next of kin ; - The Guests are met, the Feast is set

“ May'st hear the merry din.

But still he holds the wedding guest

There was a Ship, quoth he“ Nay, if thou'st got a Jaughsome tale,

“ Mariner! come with me."

He holds him with his skinny hand,

Quoth he, there was a Ship“Now get thee hence, thou grey-beard Loon!

my

Staff shall make thee skip.

- Or

He holds him with his glittering eye

The wedding guest stood still
And listens like a three year's child ;

The Mariner hath his will.

The wedding-guest sate on a stone,

He cannot chuse but hear :
And thus spake on that ancient man,

The bright-eyed Mariner.

The Ship was cheer'd, the Harbour cleard

Merrily did we drop
Below the Kirk, below the Hill,

Below the Light-louse top.

The Sun came up upon the left,

Out of the Sea came he :
And he shone bright, and on the right

Went down into the Sea.

Higher and higher every day,

Till over the mast at noon-
The wedding-guest here beat his breast,

For he heard the loud bassoon.

The Bride hath pac'd into the Hall,

Red as a rose is she ;
Nodding their heads before her goes

The merry Minstralsy.

The wedding-guest he beat his breast,

Yet he cannot chuse but hear : And thus spake on that ancient Man,

The bright-eyed Mariner.

But now the Northwind came more fierce,

There came a Tempest strong! And Southward still for days and weeks

Like Chaff we drove along.

And now there came both Mist and Snow,

And it grew wondrous cold;
And Ice mast-high came floating by

As green as Emerald.

And thro' the drifts the snowy clifts

Did send a dismal sheen;
Nor shapes of men nor beasts we ken-

The Ice was all between.

The Ice was here, the Ice was there,

The Ice was all around : It crack'd and growl'd, and roar'd and howl'da

A wild and ceaseless sound.

At length did cross an Albatross,

Thorough the Fog it came;
As if it had been a Christian Soul,

We hail'd it in God's name.

The Mariners gave it biscuit-worms,

And round and round it flew :
The Ice did split with a Thunder-fit;

The Helmsman steer'd us thro'.

And a good south wind sprung up behind.

The Albatross did follow; And every day for food or play

Came to the Mariner's hollo !