The Project Gutenberg EBook of Lays of Ancient Virginia, and Other Poems
by James Avis Bartley

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Title: Lays of Ancient Virginia, and Other Poems

Author: James Avis Bartley

Release Date: September 23, 2005 [EBook #16735]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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LAYS
OF
ANCIENT VIRGINIA,
AND OTHER
POEMS:

BY

JAMES AVIS BARTLEY,
OF ORANGE COUNTY, VIRGINIA.

RICHMOND:
J.W. RANDOLPH, PUBLISHER
1855

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1855,

BY J.A. BARTLEY,

In the Clerk's Office of the Eastern District Court of the United States
for the Eastern District of Virginia.

G.S. ALLEN & CO., PRINTERS, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA.

TO MY FATHER,
THIS VOLUME IS INSCRIBED
BY HIS SON,

THE AUTHOR.

PREFATORY LETTER TO THE PUBLIC.

DEAR PUBLIC:

These Poems were written with pleasure; if they be read with pleasure, I
shall be requited amply. How often the Guardian Angel of the Father of
Virginia in surpassing loveliness rose before my imagining eyes! Like
the spirit of a dream, she glided through the foliage, verdant and
shadowy. Enchanted myself, the desire to enchant others seized me. The
"Poet's Enchanted Life" is a gallery of poetic pictures of nature. Most
of the minor and miscellaneous pieces, breathe the spirit of virtuous
affection. If critics censure me unjustly or intemperately, I will fight
them--but I hope to find them, as well as you, dear Public, very kind
friends of a loving Author.

J.A. BARTLEY.

POCAHONTAS.

Where yonder moss-grown ruin[A] lonely stands,
Which from the James, the Pilgrim may survey,
Stretch alway forth its old, forsaken hands
As if to beg some friend its fall to stay,
And now the wild vine flaunts in greenness gay;
Erst rose a Castle, known to deathless fame,
Though now the mournful rampart falls away,
Hither Virginia's hero-father came,
To found a glorio