Lady Caroline Lamb: Introduction to Glenarvon. Intended for the First Ed. but Published in the Fourth.[1]
From far beyond the Pleiades,[2] from far beyond the constellation of Orion – borne on the wings of Hope, I came to visit you. – ‘Children of the Earth, hearken unto my words, and turn not aside from the warning voice of one, who still even, though in exile, loves you.’[3] – In the bright Planet where I was born, I lived happy, for I was innocent; and who that is innocent is not happy? Yet the unvaried monotony of so even a course fatigued me, and the desire of something new, led me into that which was evil: it is the progress of my terrestrial pilgrimage that I would fain bequeath to you: I presume not to hope, that my example will amend you; neither do I wish to intrude upon you any admonition. I lived on earth, as mortals live – I erred, as mortals err – and now, though far removed by death, my thoughts still turn with interest to your sphere.
The inhabitants of every particular planet, differ in quality and power from each other. / To us the charms of perpetual youth and innocence had been granted: our airy and pliable forms sometimes ascended over the surface of the Earth, fresh and beautiful as the early blossoms of the year. Yet we never attain to that full maturity, and those powers of intellect, which are allowed to the inhabitants of the more perfect planets; we are to them but as spring to summer.
And though our ethereal nature and the ordinances of our existence qualify us to range at large throughout the universe, yet it is only once during the period of our lives, that we are permitted to exert the power which we possess – and this is to us the period of temptation – if then we fall, we fall for ever – but if we resist, we return to enjoy the delights of eternal sunshine, reward and pleasure. – –
What millions of histories could I recount! What wonders, passing human credibility, could I describe! – But wherefore should I thus wander from my subject? – It is enough, that the days of innocence passed tranquilly along, and the wished for moment of liberty at length arrived. The Virgin Queen[4] of our bright star / appeared before us: she summoned us by name around her. – To each she distributed certain talismans, or charmed gifts which, as long as we retained them on our breasts, entitled us to her protection – and as she placed the precious spells upon hearts then spotless and secure, she warned us repeatedly to attend to their admonition. – This badge, which we were enjoined to wear, at all times, consisted of a precious jewel, in brightness and colour similar to fire – in form it represented the Bird of the sun – and such was its power that when any danger impended, over the being in whose breast it was placed, the incessant fluttering of its wings gave warning to avoid it.– Beloved and pure children of my heart, said our Queen, addressing us, fail not to attend to its admonitions, for, if you neglect them, the day will come when they will cease to be repeated. – To each of you some prohibition is enjoined. – Yours is this, she continued, looking upon me – Shun the earth, a sphere which, however small in extent, contains more of vanity and folly, than any other in the vast expanse of the Creation. – As she spoke, she waved her hand, the signal of liberty – when, in a moment, the air resounded with the quivering of / wings, and the light inhabitants of our Planet arose, as if, with one accord, fanning the breeze with their extended plumes – and ascending like a flight of birds towards the heavens. – Then, for the first time, we beheld, in one comprehensive view, the universal plan of nature –innumerable systems performing their various, but distinct courses, unclouded by mists, and unbounded by horizon – endless variety in infinite space. Then first we heard the full harmonious cadences of the angelic choirs’ celestial music! uttered by happy spirits, in praise of the great Author of existence – and directing our flight onwards from sphere to sphere – from world to world – we felt joyful in ourselves – and rejoiced in the wonders and varieties of Creation. – It was extatic happiness, but it was of short duration; – for who can endure liberty? And who that yields to insatiate passion, can resist his fate? A power stronger than reason, to which the faculties of my soul resigned themselves, impelled me forward to my ruin. I viewed with indifference the millions of peopled spheres through which I passed, till after darting around earth – half oppressed by its atmosphere, and half regretting the sin of disobedience, / which thus cast a stain upon pure nature, I alighted upon it – ‘It was in the beautiful season of the early summer, and amid the stillness of night that I first beheld the land that I love,’ and gazed, delighted, upon the dark mountains and the green valleys of Erin.[5] – The song of the Banshees mourning for the sorrows of their country, and the heroes who had fallen in battle broke upon the silence of night: while my wings poised me upon the breeze to listen to the strain, I beheld the spirits of the departed arise in solemn grandeur – freed from the shackles of mortality, a flame of glory distinguished the souls of heroes – and pointing upwards, formed a path of light before them. Thus passed away the hours of the night, a night so still and clear, that in the blue vault of Heaven, every distinct star shone forth with sparkling lustre: but when the rising sun illumined, with its golden rays, the wide expanse of the mighty atlantic, I still heard the voice of lamentation, and approaching near the rocky shore – plainly discovered one of the beautiful Genii of the Earth.[6] – His sable wings cast a deep shade upon his form; he struck, at intervals, the chords of his lyre and accompanied the melody with his voice – singing / in sweet and mournful notes. It seemed as if alone one soul of sadness dwelt in a paradise of unenjoyed sweets. Then first the tears of mortality fell from my eyes, and in weeping for the sorrows of man – I thought not of the misery I was preparing for myself. Fair Spirit of some more favoured planet, said he, as he gazed upon me, why do you thus sully the purity of your nature, by visiting the abode of misery – and conversing with the race of man? – We are but as the flowers that wither, or as the clouds that pass along and shadow, for a moment, the brightness of the heavens. All here is desolation and woe; ‘fly ere it be too late.’ He spoke, and turning from me, looked upon the deserted ruins of an ancient priory, and the remains of a wrecked vessel scattered upon the shore.
It was pleasant to hear his voice, though it was mournful – and when he upraised his eyes and gazed upon me, a gleam of brightness spread itself over every feature, and a smile, all-lovely and radiant, gave to them a momentary expression of joy, – day by day, I returned to listen to his instructions – he unfolded to me the secrets of ages, and opened my mind to / the words of wisdom – he traversed with me the countries of the earth, and pointed out to me every where the vanity of man; – one hour I beheld a monarch, in all the pride of conquest, the next I saw him a prisoner and a slave – at morn I heard the festive song of parents, who rejoiced in the birth of an infant, at night I saw the funeral torch that lighted the hope, the pride of his family to the grave; each individual appeared following, regardless of danger, some object that led him onward with ardour, and left him disappointed when it was attained – every where I marked the steps of folly and presumptions, every where of punishment and pain. The earth seemed to bring forth fruits, gems and riches in abundance, but man, alone, appeared to turn from the proffered blessings and repine. I fled with horror from crime and oppression, but a new and restless desire agitated my mind, as I followed my guide with the blind devotion of love – oh that it were permitted me, I exclaimed, to dwell in these strange and ever varying scenes – unlike the monotony of what I have hitherto gazed upon, every moment as it passes, carries with it a powerful interest – I would not, / as other mortals do, forget the end, for which I was created – lose sight of yon bright heaven, to which I now eagerly aspire – my heart should not be misled by splendid baubles, and idle vanities, but from the hour in which it were permitted me to dwell on earth, I would live but to enjoy its gifts, and render all around me happy – I would succour the unfortunate, humble the pride of the oppressor, my course should be one bright, and continued stream of honour; I would yield to every virtuous impulse, but curb even in its birth every evil passion, and spurn from me in abhorrence, every object that so unworthily tempts, misleads and infatuates mankind.
To renounce your etherial nature, and to become an inhabitant of the earth for a few short years, is possible, said my artful guide, but can you indeed desire it? all that is great and high must be for that interval relinquished, – your soul, too mighty and subtle for a mortal frame, must be shackled and pinioned in a perishable body – the glory of the heavens will fade, with every other remembrance, from your weakened mind, and years must pass, ere you regain even sufficient sense to guide you – / see those fair cherubs, who play around the hamlet of their parents, he continued, pointing to children who sported along the vallies over which we passed, they are innocent, as the angels above, but cannot protect themselves, even from the commonest evil – it is as such that you must become – as ignorant as helpless, before you can even begin to act in the manner you profess. – A dark, and threatening cloud, at that moment, shadowed over the countenance of the Genii. The bird of the sun fluttered his wings tremulously on my bosom, as if warning me to depart – he perceived it; – suddenly, a lake – ….a palace arose before my view, my imagination was troubled – –
It is the lordly mansion of Altamont, he cried: – all flourishes around – but see, he continued, its owner, its possessor, mourns, – he has no child to inherit his estate, to bear his name; he prays even now, he prays, for that, which, if granted, will cause his misery and disgrace.
Spirit of the air, child of the sun, – if indeed, it is thy rash desire, I can place thee in this fair domain, – thou shalt be heiress of the whole surrounding scene – the riches of the earth / shall be poured forth at thy feet – pleasure shall dance around thee, thou shalt be beloved, even as I perhaps, had loved thee, and then, added he, with an incredulous and contemptuous smile, shew to the sons of earth a great and unrivalled example of human excellence; – as he spoke, he approached, and seized the gem that yet withheld me from his power, then, with a shriek of triumph, arose from my side. – The thunders rolled in the heavens, the lightnings darted around me, the earth trembled, and all the elements in hostile contest with each other, at once, confused, terrified and overwhelmed my senses – the crush was as if the mountains had been crumbled into dust, and the mighty waters of the sea had rushed from their channels – the power of thought was lost amidst the tumult – I sunk, till by degrees I was involved in profound darkness with no memory of the past, and no hope of the future.
It was in the land of death that I awoke.[7] Oh! cold and dreary that sepulcher, where myriads of disembodied spirits slowly and sullenly over a dark sea of burning fire sail in the same unvaried, uninterrupted course, for ever and for ever, without even the fear of worse / to make the present supportable, without hope, from one eternal dream, or reality of endless unceasing apathy – and there, all that seemed lovely and beautiful in life, appeared before me in varying shadows, for nothing was real, and all crumbled into dust, when the wild winds, pent up beneath the body of the waters, shook the caverns as they struggled and roared from below – and there were spirits of flame, who had burst the fetters that confined them upon earth, and potentates, kings, demagogues and slaves, for the shade of every thing that had existed from the foundation of the earth, was there, and all was mournful and cold. –
Then came among us one more sorrowful in look, than every other, for he more than every other, had misused the gifts, with which the creator of all things had permitted him to be endowed; I recognized my guide, and turned to him, to reproach him; and many more were there, all votaries of pleasure, who had broken the fetters, which reason and virtue had imposed – a voice terrible to me, for while it spoke, the chill of death struck on my heart, then, as if my senses slept, addressed me.
‘Fallen spirit, thou hast listened to the illusions / of fancy, and hast sought for happiness in forbidden joys – thou hast quitted the paths of innocence and peace, and hast cast the sin of disobedience on thy soul – heaven has heard and granted thy request, thou art now in the land of death – arise and fulfil thy destiny – Calantha be thy name – ever follow the blind dictates of passion, be the slave of every strong emotion, pleasure and delight shall spring up around thee, but thou shalt cast all away, even as now, awake, and live, for God is just, but the spirit of evil infatuates before it destroys.’[8]
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Notes
[1] Introduction to the Fourth Edition of Glenarvon: The full title page describes this text as ‘the original Introduction’, which apparently refers to an Introduction the author composed for the first edition, but which was not printed. This Introduction first appears in the fourth edition.
[2] Pleiades: A cluster of stars in the constellation Taurus, known in Greek mythology as the Seven Sisters.
[3] ‘Children of the Earth. . . in exile, loves you.’: Lamb employs biblical phraseology found ubiquitously in the King James version, e.g., Deuteronomy 18:19: ‘And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him’. She apparently wants to set a cosmic scene like that of Genesis.
[4] The Virgin Queen: often an epithet for Elizabeth I (1533-1603).
[5] Erin: Ireland.
[6] one of the beautiful Genii of the Earth: an apparent reference to the Byron/Glenarvon character of the novel’s narrative.
[7] It was in the land of death that I awoke: Lamb’s ‘Introduction’ functions as a prologue, then, in which the spirit of Calantha is transported across space and time to be incarnated at Altamont and Castle Delaval.
[8] God is just, but the spirit of evil infatuates before it destroys: An exact repetition of the final lines of Glenarvon, but applied here to Calantha herself, rather than to Lord Glenarvon.