How do your tuneful echoes languish, And coward Vice, that revels in her chains. When Latium had her lofty spirit lost, They sought, oh Albion! next, thy sea-encircled coast. Far from the sun and summer-gale In thy green lap was Nature's Darling laid, To him the mighty Mother did unveil Her awful face: the dauntless child Stretch'd forth his little arms, and smiled. 'This pencil take' (she said), 'whose colours clear Richly paint the vernal year: Thine, too, these golden keys, immortal Boy! Of horror that, and thrilling fears, Or ope the sacred source of sympathetic tears.' Nor second He, that rode sublime Upon the seraph-wings of Extasy The secrets of the abyss to spy: He pass'd the flaming bounds of place and time: The living Throne, the sapphire-blaze Where angels tremble while they gaze, He saw; but blasted with excess of light, Closed his eyes in endless night. Behold where Dryden's less presumptuous car Two coursers of ethereal race, 105 With necks in thunder clothed, and long-resounding pace. Hark, his hands the lyre explore! Bright-eyed Fancy, hovering o'er, Scatters from her pictured urn Thoughts that breathe, and words that burn. 110 27. Oh! lyre divine, what daring spirit Yet oft before his infant eyes would run With orient hues, unborrow'd of the sun : Yet shall he mount, and keep his distant way Beneath the Good how far-but far above the Great. 115 120 T. Gray THE PASSIONS An Ode for Music When Music, heavenly maid, was young, First Fear his hand, its skill to try, Next Anger rush'd, his eyes on fire, In lightnings, own'd his secret stings; In one rude clash he struck the lyre And swept with hurried hand the strings. With woeful measures wan Despair, And bade the lovely scenes at distance hail ! And, where her sweetest theme she chose, A soft responsive voice was heard at every close; And Hope enchanted smiled, and waved her golden hair ;— And longer had she sung :—but with a frown Revenge impatient rose : 40 He threw his blood-stain'd sword in thunder down ; And, though sometimes, each dreary pause between, Her soul-subduing voice applied, Yet still he kept his wild unalter'd mien, 50 While each strain'd ball of sight seem'd bursting from his head. Thy numbers, Jealousy, to nought were fix'd: Sad proof of thy distressful state! And now it courted Love, now raving call'd on Hate. Of differing themes the veering song was mix'd; 55 60 Pour'd through the mellow horn her pensive soul : Bubbling runnels join'd the sound; Through glades and glooms the mingled measure stole, Or, o'er some haunted stream, with fond delay, Love of peace, and lonely musing In hollow murmurs died away. But O! how alter'd was its sprightlier tone Her buskins gemm'd with morning dew, Blew an inspiring air, that dale and thicket rung, The oak-crown'd Sisters and their chaste-eyed Queen, 75 Satyrs and Sylvan Boys, were seen Peeping from forth their alleys green: Brown Exercise rejoiced to hear; And Sport leapt up, and seized his beechen spear. Last came Joy's ecstatic trial: 80 He, with viny crown advancing, First to the lively pipe his hand addrest: But soon he saw the brisk awakening viol 85 Whose sweet entrancing voice he loved the best : They would have thought who heard the strain To some unwearied minstrel dancing; As if he would the charming air repay, O Music! sphere-descended maid, 28. 29. Thy wonders, in that god-like age, THE SONG OF DAVID He sang of God, the mighty source Of all things, the stupendous force 110 115 W. Collins From Whose right arm, beneath Whose eyes, The world, the clustering spheres He made, The glorious light, the soothing shade, Where secrecy remains in bliss, And wisdom hides her skill. Tell them, I AM, Jehovah said To Moses while Earth heard in dread, At once, above, beneath, around, INFANT JOY 'I have no name; I am but two days old.' 'I happy am; Joy is my name.' -Sweet joy befall thee! CLXXIX. C. Smart 5 10 15 CLXXX. 5 |