{
 "id": "matthew-arnold/the-church-of-brou",
 "title": "The Church of Brou",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "Matthew Arnold",
 "poet_slug": "matthew-arnold",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Poems",
 "book_slug": "poems",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 4,
 "container": null,
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1853,
  "venue": "Poems (1853)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/poems04unkngoog"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/matthew-arnold_poetry",
  "file": "poetry.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/27739",
   "https://archive.org/details/poemsofmatthewar00arnouoft",
   "https://archive.org/details/poeticalworksofm00arn",
   "https://archive.org/details/inmemoriamawrea00marsgoog"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-19"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 198,
  "n_stanzas": 34,
  "n_parts": 3,
  "longest_line_chars": 49,
  "max_indent": 2
 },
 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [
  {
   "ordinal": "I",
   "title": "The Castle",
   "stanza_range": [
    0,
    28
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "II",
   "title": "The Church",
   "stanza_range": [
    28,
    33
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "III",
   "title": "The Tomb",
   "stanza_range": [
    33,
    34
   ]
  }
 ],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "Down the Savoy valleys sounding,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Echoing round this castle old,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "’Mid the distant mountain-chalets",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Hark! what bell for church is toll’d?",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "In the bright October morning",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Savoy’s Duke had left his bride.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "From the Castle, past the drawbridge,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Flow’d the hunters’ merry tide.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Steeds are neighing, gallants glittering.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Gay, her smiling lord to greet,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "From her mullion’d chamber casement",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Smiles the Duchess Marguerite.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "From Vienna by the Danube",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Here she came, a bride, in spring.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Now the autumn crisps the forest;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Hunters gather, bugles ring.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Hounds are pulling, prickers swearing,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Horses fret, and boar-spears glance:",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Off!⁠—They sweep the marshy forests,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Westward, on the side of France.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Hark! the game’s on foot; they scatter:⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Down the forest ridings lone,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Furious, single horsemen gallop.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Hark! a shout⁠—a crash⁠—a groan!",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Pale and breathless, came the hunters;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "On the turf dead lies the boar.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "God! the Duke lies stretch’d beside him⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Senseless, weltering in his gore.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "In the dull October evening,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Down the leaf-strewn forest road,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "To the Castle, past the drawbridge,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Came the hunters with their load.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "In the hall, with sconces blazing,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Ladies waiting round her seat,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Cloth’d in smiles, beneath the dais",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Sate the Duchess Marguerite.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Hark! below the gates unbarring!",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Tramp of men and quick commands!",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "“⁠—’Tis my lord come back from hunting.”⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And the Duchess claps her hands.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Slow and tired, came the hunters;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Stopp’d in darkness in the court.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "“⁠—Ho, this way, ye laggard hunters!",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To the hall! What sport? What sport?”⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Slow they enter’d with their Master;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In the hall they laid him down.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "On his coat were leaves and blood-stains:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "On his brow an angry frown.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Dead her princely youthful husband",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Lay before his youthful wife;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Bloody ’neath the flaring sconces:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And the sight froze all her life.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "In Vienna by the Danube",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Kings hold revel, gallants meet.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Gay of old amid the gayest",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Was the Duchess Marguerite.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "In Vienna by the Danube",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Feast and dance her youth beguil’d.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Till that hour she never sorrow’d;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But from then she never smil’d.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "’Mid the Savoy mountain valleys",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Far from town or haunt of man,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Stands a lonely Church, unfinish’d,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Which the Duchess Maud began;",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Old, that Duchess stern began it;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In grey age, with palsied hands.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "But she died while it was building,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And the Church unfinish’d stands;",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Stands as erst the builders left it,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "When she sunk into her grave.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Mountain greensward paves the chancel;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Harebells flower in the nave.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“In my castle all is sorrow,”⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Said the Duchess Marguerite then.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "“Guide me, vassals, to the mountains!",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "We will build the Church again.”⁠—",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Sandall’d palmers, faring homeward,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Austrian knights from Syria came.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "“Austrian wanderers bring, O warders,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Homage to your Austrian dame.”⁠—",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "From the gate the warders answer’d;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Gone, O knights, is she you knew.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Dead our Duke, and gone his Duchess.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Seek her at the Church of Brou.”⁠—",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Austrian knights and much-worn palmers",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Climb the winding mountain way.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Reach the valley, where the Fabric",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Rises higher day by day.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Stones are sawing, hammers ringing;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "On the work the bright sun shines:",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "In the Savoy mountain meadows,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "By the stream, below the pines.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "On her palfrey white the Duchess",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Sate and watch’d her working train;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Flemish carvers, Lombard gilders,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "German masons, smiths from Spain.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Clad in black, on her white palfrey;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Her old architect beside⁠—",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "There they found her in the mountains,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Morn and noon and eventide.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "There she sate, and watch’d the builders,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Till the Church was roof’d and done.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Last of all, the builders rear’d her",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In the nave a tomb of stone.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "On the tomb two Forms they sculptur’d,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Lifelike in the marble pale.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "One, the Duke in helm and armour;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "One, the Duchess in her veil.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Round the tomb the carv’d stone fretwork",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Was at Easter tide put on.",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Then the Duchess clos’d her labours;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And she died at the St. John.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Upon the glistening leaden roof",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of the new Pile, the sunlight shines.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The stream goes leaping by.",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "The hills are cloth’d with pines sun-proof.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "’Mid bright green fields, below the pines,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Stands the Church on high.",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "What Church is this, from men aloof?",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "’Tis the Church of Brou.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "At sunrise, from their dewy lair",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Crossing the stream, the kine are seen",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Round the wall to stray;",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "The churchyard wall that clips the square",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of open hill-sward fresh and green",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Where last year they lay.",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "But all things now are order’d fair",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Round the Church of Brou.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "On Sundays, at the matin chime,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The Alpine peasants, two and three,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Climb up here to pray.",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Burghers and dames, at summer’s prime,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Ride out to church from Chambery,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Dight with mantles gay.",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "But else it is a lonely time",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Round the Church of Brou.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "On Sundays, too, a priest doth come",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "From the wall’d town beyond the pass,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Down the mountain way.",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And then you hear the organ’s hum,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "You hear the white-rob’d priest say mass,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And the people pray.",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "But else the woods and fields are dumb",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Round the Church of Brou.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "And after church, when mass is done,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The people to the nave repair",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Round the Tomb to stray.",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And marvel at the Forms of stone,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And praise the chisell’d broideries rare.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Then they drop away.",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "The Princely Pair are left alone",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In the Church of Brou.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "So rest, for ever rest, O Princely Pair!",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In your high Church, ’mid the still mountain air,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Where horn, and hound, and vassals, never come.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Only the blessed Saints are smiling dumb",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "From the rich painted windows of the nave",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "On aisle, and transept, and your marble grave:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Where thou, young Prince, shall never more arise",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "From the fring’d mattress where thy Duchess lies,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "On autumn mornings, when the bugle sounds,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And ride across the drawbridge with thy hounds",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To hunt the boar in the crisp woods till eve.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And thou, O Princess, shalt no more receive,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Thou and thy ladies, in the hall of state,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The jaded hunters with their bloody freight,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Coming benighted to the castle-gate.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "So sleep, for ever sleep, O Marble Pair!",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Or if ye wake, let it be then, when fair",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "On the carv’d Western Front a flood of light",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Streams from the setting sun, and colours bright",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Prophets, transfigur’d Saints, and Martyrs brave,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In the vast western window of the nave;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And on the pavement round the Tomb there glints",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A chequer-work of glowing sapphire tints,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And amethyst, and ruby;⁠—then unclose",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Your eyelids on the stone where ye repose,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And from your broider’d pillows lift your heads,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And rise upon your cold white marble beds;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And looking down on the warm rosy tints",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That chequer, at your feet, the illumin’d flints,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Say⁠—“What is this? we are in bliss⁠—forgiven⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Behold the pavement of the courts of Heaven!”⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Or let it be on autumn nights, when rain",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Doth rustlingly above your heads complain",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "On the smooth leaden roof, and on the walls",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Shedding her pensive light at intervals",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The Moon through the clere-story windows shines,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And the wind washes through the mountain pines.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Then, gazing up through the dim pillars high,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The foliag’d marble forest where ye lie,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Hush”⁠—ye will say⁠—“it is eternity.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "This is the glimmering verge of Heaven, and these",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The columns of the Heavenly Palaces.”⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And in the sweeping of the wind your ear",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The passage of the Angels’ wings will hear,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And on the lichen-crusted leads above",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The rustle of the eternal rain of Love.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ],
 "notes": [
  {
   "id": "parts-already-recorded",
   "kind": "defect",
   "raised": "2026-08-19",
   "what": "defects.py sections flags this record on The Castle, The Church, The Tomb, and the OCR token ARNOLD Q from the 1922 Oxford Poems. Those three movements are already in parts. Gutenberg 27739 contents list The Church of Brou as one poem in three numbered parts.",
   "consequence": "Left as one poem. The flag list is not the split list.",
   "to_settle": "Nothing on the verse. A cleaner witness would drop the OCR flag.",
   "checked_against": [
    "https://archive.org/details/poemsofmatthewar00arnouoft",
    "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/27739"
   ]
  }
 ]
}