That in their stations all may persevere
To climb the ascent of being, and approach For ever nearer to the life divine.
That rocky pile thou seest, that verdant lawn Fresh water'd from the mountains.
Paint in thy fancy the primeval seat
Of man, and where the will supreme ordain'd His mansion, that pavilion fair, diffus'd Along the shady brink; in this recess, To wear the appointed season of his youth, Till riper hours should open to his toil The high communion of superior minds, Of consecrated heroes and of gods. Nor did the Sire Omnipotent, forget His tender bloom to cherish; nor withheld Celestial footsteps from his green abode. Oft from the radiant honours of his throne, He sent whom most he lov'd, the sovran Fair, The effluence of his glory, whom he plac'd Before his eyes for ever to behold;
The goddess from whose inspiration flows The toil of patriots, the delight of friends; Without whose work divine, in heaven or earth, Nought lovely, nought propitious comes to pass, Nor hope, nor praise, nor honour. Her the sire Gave it in charge to rear the blooming mind, The folded powers to open, to direct
The growth luxuriant of his young desires, And from the laws of this majestic world
To teach him what was good. As thus the nymph Her daily care attended, by her side
With constant steps, her gay companions stay'd The fair Euphrosyne, the gentle queen Of smiles, and graceful gladness, and delights That cheer alike the hearts of mortal men And powers immortal. See the shining pair! Behold, where from his dwelling now disclos'd They quit their youthful charge, and seek the skies. I look'd, and on the flowery turf there stood, Between two radiant forms, a smiling youth, Whose tender cheeks display'd the vernal flower Of beauty; sweetest innocence illum'd
His bashful eyes, and on his polish'd brow Sate young simplicity. With fond regard He view'd the associates, as their steps they mov'd; The younger chief his ardent eyes detain'd,
With mild regret invoking her return.
Bright as the star of evening she appear'd Eternal youth
Amid the dusky scene.
O'er all her form its glowing honours breath'd; And smiles eternal from her candid eyes Flow'd, like the dewy lustre of the morn Effusive trembling on the placid waves. The spring of heaven had shed its blushing spoils To bind her sable tresses: full diffus'd Her yellow mantle floated in the breeze; And in her hand she wav'd a living branch Rich with immortal fruits, of power to calm The wrathful heart, and from the brightening eyes, To chase the cloud of sadness. More sublime The heavenly partner mov'd. The prime of age Compos'd her steps. The presence of a god, High on the circle of her brow enthron'd, From each majestic motion darted awe, Devoted awe! till, cherish'd by her looks Benevolent and meek, confiding love To filial rapture soften'd all the soul. Free in her graceful hand she pois'd the sword Of chaste dominion. An heroic crown
Display'd the old simplicity of pomp
Around her honour'd head. A matron's robe,
White as the sunshine streams through vernal clouds, Her stately form invested. Hand in hand
The immortal pair forsook the enamel'd green, Ascending slowly. Rays of limpid light
Gleam'd round their path; celestial sounds were heard, And through the fragrant air ethereal dews Distill'd around them; till at once the clouds Disparting wide in midway sky, withdrew Their airy veil, and left a bright expanse Of empyrean flame, where spent and drown'd, Afflicted vision plung'd in vain to scan What object it involv'd. My feeble eyes Endur'd not. Bending down to earth I stood
With dumb attention. Soon a female voice, As watery murmurs sweet, or warbling shades, With sacred invocation thus began:
Father of gods and mortals! whose right arm With reins eternal guides the moving heavens, Bend thy propitious ear. Behold well pleas'd I seek to finish thy divine decree.
With frequent steps I visit yonder seat
Of man, thy offspring; from the tender seeds Of justice and of wisdom, to evolve
The latent honours of his generous fame; Till thy conducting hand shall raise his lot From earth's dim scene to these ethereal walks, The temple of thy glory. But not me, Not my directing voice he oft requires, Or hears delighted: this enchanting maid, The associate thou hast given me, her alone He loves, O Father! absent, her he craves; And but for her glad presence ever join'd, Rejoices not in mine: that all my hopes This thy benignant purpose to fulfil, I deem uncertain: and my daily cares Unfruitful all and vain, unless by thee Still farther aided in the work divine.
She ceas'd; a voice more awful thus reply'd: O thou; in whom for ever I delight, Fairer than all the inhabitants of heaven, Best image of thy author! far from thee Be disappointment, or distaste, or blame; Who soon or late shall every work fulfil, And no resistance find. If man refuse To hearken to thy dictates; or, allur'd By meaner joys, to any other power Transfer the honours due to thee alone; That joy which he pursues he ne'er shall taste. That power in whom delighteth ne'er behold. Go then, once more, and happy be thy toil Go then! but let not this thy smiling friend Partake thy footsteps. In her stead, behold! With thee the son of Nemesis I send;
The fiend abhorr'd! whose vengeance takes account Of sacred order's violated laws.
See where he calls thee, burning to be gone, Fierce to exhaust the tempest of his wrath On yon devoted head. But thou, my child, Control his cruel phrenzy, and protect
Thy tender charge; that when despair shall grasp His agonizing bosom, he may learn,
Then he may learn to love the gracious hand Alone sufficient in the hour of ill,
To save his feeble spirit; then confess Thy genuine honours, O excelling fair! When all the plagues that wait the deadly will Of this avenging demon, all the storms Of night infernal, serve but to display The energy of thy superior charms
With mildest awe triumphant o'er his rage, And shining clearer in the horrid gloom.
Here ceas'd that awful voice, and soon I felt The cloudy curtain of refreshing eve
Was clos'd once more, from that immortal fire Sheltering my eye-lids. Looking up, I view'd A vast gigantic spectre striding on
Through murmuring thunders and a waste of clouds, With dreadful action. Black as night his brow Relentless frowns involv'd. His savage limbs With sharp impatience violent he writh'd, As through convulsive anguish; and his hand, Arm'd with a scorpion-lash, full oft he rais'd In madness to his bosom; while his eyes Rain'd bitter tears, and bellowing loud he shook The void with horror. Silent by his side The virgin came. No discomposure stirr'd
Her features. From the glooms which hung around No stain of darkness mingled with the beam Of her divine effulgence. Now they stoop Upon the river bank; and now to hail, His wonted guests, with eager steps advanc'd The unsuspecting inmate of the shade.
As when a famish'd wolf, that all night long Had rang'd the Alpine snows, by chance at morn Sees from a cliff incumbent o'er the smoke Of some lone village, a neglected kid That strays along the wild for herb or spring;
Down from the winding ridge he sweeps amain, And thinks he tears him: so with tenfold rage, The monster sprung remorseless on his prey. Amaz'd the stripling stood: with panting breast Feebly he pour'd the lamentable wail
Of helpless consternation, struck at once, And rooted to the groud. The queen beheld His terror, and with looks of tenderest care Advanc'd to save him. Soon the tyrant felt Her awful power. His keen, tempestuous arm Hung nerveless, nor descended where his rage Had aim'd the deadly blow: then dumb retir'd With sullen rancour. Lo! the sovran maid Folds with a mother's arms the fainting boy, Till life rekindles in his rosy cheek;
Then grasps his hands, and cheers him with her tongue. O wake thee, rouse thy spirit! Shall the spite Of yon tormentor thus appal thy heart,
While I, thy friend and guardian, am at hand To rescue and to heal? O let thy soul Remember, what the will of heaven ordains Is ever good for all; and if for all,
Then good for thee. Nor only by the warmth And soothing sunshine of delightful things, Do minds grow up and flourish. Oft misled By that bland light, the young unpractis d views Of reason wander through a fatal road, Far from their native aim; as if to lie Inglorious in the fragrant shade, and wait The soft access of ever-circling joys, Were all the end of being. Ask thyself This pleasing error, did it never lull Thy wishes? Has thy constant heart refus'd The silken fetters of delicious ease? Or when divine Euphrosyne appear'd Within this dwelling, did not thy desires Hang far below the measure of thy fate, Which I reveal'd before thee? and thy eyes, Impatient of my counsels, turn away To drink the soft effusion of her smiles? Know then, for this the everlasting sire Deprives thee of her presence, and instead,
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