XXXVII. From its smooth shoulders hung two rapid wings Where the light boat was moored, and said “Sit here,” And pointed to the prow, and took her seat Beside the rudder with opposing feet. XXXVIII. And down the streams which clove those mountains vast, The panther-peopled forests (whose shade cast XXXIX. The silver moon into that winding dell, With slanted gleam athwart the forest tops, Tempered like golden evening, feebly fell; A green and glowing light, like that which drops From folded lilies in which glow-worms dwell, When Earth over her face Night's mantle wraps; Between the severed mountains lay on high, Over the stream, a narrow rift of sky. XL. And, ever as she went, the Image lay The busy dreams, as thick as summer flies, And drinking the warm tears, and the sweet sighs Inhaling, which with busy murmur vain They had aroused from that full heart and brain. XLI. And ever down the prone vale, like a cloud Upon a stream of wind, the pinnace went : VOL. II. E Now lingering on the pools, in which abode The calm and darkness of the deep content In which they paused; now o'er the shallow road Of white and dancing waters, all besprent With sand and polished pebbles :—mortal boat In such a shallow rapid could not float. XLII. And down the earthquaking cataracts, which shiver Their snow-like waters into golden air, Or under chasms unfathomable ever Sepulchre them, till in their rage they tear A subterranean portal for the river, It fled. The circling sunbows did upbear Its fall down the hoar precipice of spray, Lighting it far upon its lampless way. XLIII. And, when the Wizard Lady would ascend XLIV. And it unfurled its heaven-coloured pinions; Flinging a glory like the golden glow In which Spring clothes her emerald-wingèd minions, And moonlight splendour of intensest rime XLV. And then it winnowed the elysian air Which ever hung about that Lady bright, With its etherial vans: and, speeding there, Like a star up the torrent of the night, Or a swift eagle in the morning glare Breasting the whirlwind with impetuous flight, The pinnace, oared by those enchanted wings, Clove the fierce streams towards their upper springs. XLVI. The water flashed,-like sunlight, by the prow In tempest down the mountains; loosely driven, The Lady's radiant hair streamed to and fro; Beneath, the billows, having vainly striven XLVII. Or, when the weary moon was in the wane, The Lady Witch in visions could not chain Of shooting stars, and bade extend amain His storm-outspeeding wings the Hermaphrodite ; She to the austral waters took her way, Beyond the fabulous Thamondocana. XLVIII. Where, like a meadow which no scythe has shaven, Which rain could never bend or whirlblast shake, With the antarctic constellations paven, Canopus and his crew, lay the austral lake— There she would build herself a windless haven, Out of the clouds whose moving turrets make The bastions of the storm, when through the sky The spirits of the tempest thundered by :— XLIX. A haven beneath whose translucent floor The tremulous stars sparkled unfathomably; Hemmed in with rifts and precipices grey, L. And, whilst the outer lake beneath the lash Of the wind's scourge foamed like a wounded thing, And the incessant hail with stony clash Ploughed up the waters, and the flagging wing Of the roused cormorant in the lightning flash Looked like the wreck of some wind-wandering Fragment of inky thunder-smoke-this haven Was as a gem to copy heaven engraven. LI. On which that Lady played her many pranks, Outspeeds the antelopes which speediest are) LII. And then she called out of the hollow turrets Of those high clouds, white, golden, and vermilion, The armies of her ministering spirits. In mighty legions million after million They came, each troop emblazoning its merits Of the intertexture of the atmosphere They pitched upon the plain of the calm mere. LIII. They framed the imperial tent of their great Queen Of woven exhalations, underlaid With lambent lightning-fire, as may be seen A dome of thin and open ivory inlaid LIV. And on a throne o'erlaid with starlight, caught Pale as that moon lost in the watery night, LV. These were tame pleasures.-She would often climb Up to some beakèd cape of cloud sublime, Oft-time, Following the serpent lightning's winding track, She ran upon the platforms of the wind, LVI. And sometimes to those streams of upper air To let her join their chorus. Mortals found LVII. But her choice sport was, in the hours of sleep, Of utmost Axumé until he spreads, Like a calm flock of silver-fleeced sheep, His waters on the plain,-and crested heads LVIII. By Moris and the Mareotid lakes, Strewn with faint blooms like bridal-chamber floors, |