Rais'd on a thousand pillars, wreath'd around As heav'n with stars, the roof with jewels glows, And ever-living lamps depend in rows. Full in the passage of each spacious gate, The sage Historians in white garments wait;' Grav'd o'er their seats the form of Time was found, His scythe revers'd, and both his pinions bound. Within stood Heroes, who, through loud alarms, In bloody fields pursu'd renown in arms. High on a throne, with trophies charg'd; I view'd The Youth that all things but himself subdu’d: His feet on sceptres and tiaras trod, And his horn'd head bely'd the Lybian God. There CESAR, grac'd with both Minervas, shone; CESAR, the world's great master, and his own; Unmov'd, superior still, in ev'ry state, And scarce detested in his country's fate. With boundless pow'r unbounded virtue join'd, His own strict judge, and patron of mankind. Much-suff'ring Heroes next their honours claim, He whom ungrateful Athens could expel, Unconquer'd CATO shows the wound he tore; And BRUTUS his ill genius meets no more. But in the centre of the hallow'd choir, Six pompous columns o'er the rest aspire; Around the shrine itself of FAME they stand, Hold the chief honours, and the fane command. High on the first the mighty HoмER shone, Eternal adamant compos'd his throne; Father of verse! in holy fillets drest, His silver beard wav'd gently o'er his breast; Though blind, a boldness in his looks appears; In years he seem'd, but not impair'd by years. The Wars of TROY were round the pillar seen: Here fierce TYDIDES wounds the Cyprian Queen; Here HECTOR glorious from PATROCLUS' fall, Bold was the work, and prov'd the master's fire; A golden column next in rank appear'd, The LATIAN Wars, and haughty TURNUS dead; ELIZA stretch'd upon the fun'ral pyre; ENEAS bending with his aged Sire: TROY flam'd in burning gold; and o'er the throne Arms and the Man in golden cyphers shone. Four swans sustain a car of silver bright, With heads advanc'd, and pinions stretch'd for flight: Here, like some furious prophet, PINDAR rode, And seem'd to labour with th' inspiring God. Across the harp a careless hand he flings, The figur'd Games of GREECE the column. grace; NEPTUNE and JovE survey the rapid race. The youths hang o'er their chariots as they run, The fiery steeds seem starting from the stone; The champions, in distorted posture, threat; And all appear'd irregularly great. Here happy HORACE tun'd th' Ausonian lyre To sweeter sounds, and temper'd PINDAR'S fire: Pleas'd with Alcæus' manly rage t' infuse Here smiling Loves and Bacchanals appear, |