Poems (1786) Part 3

XX.

She fearless prints the polar snows, Mid' horrors that reject the day; Along the burning line she glows, Nor shrinks beneath the torrid ray: She opens India's glitt'ring mine, Where streams of light reflected shine; Wafts the bright gems to Britain's temp'rate vale, And breathes her odours on the northern gale.

XXI.

While from the far-divided sh.o.r.e Where liberty unconquer'd roves, Her ardent glance shall oft' explore The parent isle her spirit loves; Shall spread upon the western main --Harmonious concord's golden chain, While stern on Gallia's ever hostile strand From Albion's cliff she pours her daring band.

XXII.

Yet hide the sabre's hideous glare Whose edge is bath'd in streams of blood, The lance that quivers high in air, And falling drinks a purple flood; For Britain! fear shall seize thy foes, While freedom in thy senate glows, While peace shall smile upon thy cultur'd plain, With grace and beauty her attendant train.

XXIII.

Enchanting visions sooth my sight-- The finer arts no more oppress'd, Benignant source of pure delight!

On her soft bosom love to rest.

While each discordant sound expires, Strike harmony! strike all thy wires; The fine vibrations of the spirit move And touch the springs of rapture and of love.

XXIV.

Bright painting's living forms shall rise; And wrapt in Ugolino's woe[A], Shall Reynolds wake unbidden sighs; And Romney's graceful pencil flow, That Nature's look benign pourtrays[B], When to her infant Shakspeare's gaze The partial nymph "unveil'd her awful face,"

And bade his "colours clear" her features trace.

[A] "Ugolino's woe"--a celebrated picture by Sir JOSHUA REYNOLDS, taken from DANTE.

[B] "Nature's look benign pourtrays"--a subject Mr. ROMNEY has taken from GRAY'S Progress of Poesy.

XXV.

And poesy! thy deep-ton'd sh.e.l.l The heart shall sooth, the spirit fire, And all the pa.s.sion sink, or swell, In true accordance to the lyre.

Oh! ever wake its heav'nly sound, Oh! call thy lovely visions round; Strew the soft path of peace with fancy's flowers, With raptures bless the soul that feels thy powers.

XXVI.

While Hayley wakes thy magic string, His shades shall no rude sound profane, But stillness on her folded wing, Enamour'd catch his soothing strain: Tho' genius breathe its purest flame --Around his lyre's enchanting frame; Tho' music there in every period roll, More warm his friendship, and more pure his soul.

XXVII.

While taste refines a polish'd age, While her own _Hurd_ shall bid us trace The l.u.s.tre of the finish'd page Where symmetry sheds perfect grace; With sober and collected ray To fancy, judgment shall display The faultless model, where accomplish'd art From nature draws a charm that leads the heart.

XXVIII.

Th' historic Muse illumes the maze For ages veil'd in gloomy night, Where empire with meridian blaze Once trod ambition's giddy height: Tho' headlong from the dang'rous steep Its pageants roll'd with wasteful sweep, Her tablet still records the deeds of fame And wakes the patriot's, and the hero's flame.

XXIX.

While meek philosophy explores Creation's vast stupendous round; Sublime her piercing vision soars, And bursts the system's distant bound.

Lo! mid' the dark deep void of s.p.a.ce A rushing world[A] her eye can trace!-- It moves majestic in its ample sphere, Sheds its long light, and rolls its ling'ring year.

[A] Alluding to Mr. Herschel's wonderful discoveries, and particularly to his discovery of a new planet called the Georgium Sidus.

x.x.x.

Ah! still diffuse thy genial ray, Fair Science, on my Albion's plain!

And still thy grateful homage pay Where Montagu has rear'd her fane; Where eloquence and wit entwine Their attic wreath around her shrine; And still, while Learning shall unfold her store, With their bright signet stamp the cla.s.sic ore.

x.x.xI.

Enlight'ning Peace! for thine the hours That wisdom decks in moral grace, And thine invention's fairy powers, The charm improv'd of nature's face; Propitious come! in silence laid Beneath thy olive's grateful shade, Pour the mild bliss that sooths the tuneful mind, And in thy zone the hostile spirit bind.

x.x.xII.

While Albion on her parent deep Shall rest, may glory light her sh.o.r.e, May honour there his vigils keep Till time shall wing its course no more; Till angels wrap the spheres in fire, Till earth and yon fair orbs expire, While chaos mounted on the wasting flame, Shall spread eternal shade o'er nature's frame.

EDWIN AND ELTRUDA,

A LEGENDARY TALE.

_Mark it, Cesario, it is old and plain; The spinsters and the knitters in the sun, And the free maids, that weave their thread with bones Do use to chant it. It is silly, sooth, And dallies with the innocence of love, Like the old age._ SHAKSPEARE'S TWELFTH NIGHT.

EDWIN AND ELTRUDA

A LEGENDARY TALE.

Where the pure Derwent's waters glide Along their mossy bed, Close by the river's verdant side, A castle rear'd its head.

The ancient pile by time is raz'd, Where Gothic trophies frown'd; Where once the gilded armour blaz'd, And banners wav'd around.

There liv'd a chief, well known to fame, A bold advent'rous knight; Renown'd for victory; his name In glory's annals bright.

What time in martial pomp he led His gallant, chosen train; The foe, who oft had conquer'd, fled, Indignant fled, the plain.