Page:Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1918.djvu/693

 SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE

If he may know which way to go; For she guides him smooth or grim. See, brother, see! how graciously She ]ooketh down on him."

First Voice-

"But why drives on that ship so fast, Without or wave or wind?"

Second Voice

"The air is cut away before, And closes from behind.

Fly, brother, fly' more high, more high' Or we shall be belated. For slow and slow that ship will go, When the Manner's trance is abated."

I woke, and we were sailing on

As in a gentle weather*

The dead men stood together.

All stood together on the deck, For a charnel-dungeon fitter: All fix'd on me their stony eyes, That in the Moon did glitter.

The pang, the curse, with which they died, Had never pass'd away I could not draw my eyes from theirs, Nor turn them up to pray.

And now this spell was snapt. once more I viewed the ocean green, And look'd far forth, yet little saw Of what had eke been seen

��The Mariner hath been cast into a trance, for the ingtlK power ciubtth the vessel to drive north- ward fastei than hum in life could endure

��The super- natural motion is retarded , the Manner awakes, and his penance begins anew

��The curse is finally expiated

�� �