And, to acknowledged law rebellious, still, She, in the midst of all, preserved me stil A Poet, made me seek beneath that name, And that alone, my office upon earth; And, lastly, as hereafter will be shown. If willing audience fail not, Nature's self By all varieties of human love 351 Assisted, led me back through opening day As selfish passion urged, would act amiss; To those sweet counsels between head The dupe of folly, or the slave of crime." venge and heart Whence grew that genuine knowledge fraught with peace, Which, through the later sinkings of this cause, Hath still upheld me, and upholds me nor From indiscriminate laughter, nor sate In the catastrophe (for so they dream. now And nothing less), when, finally to close And seal up all the gains of France, And, turned into a gewgaw, a machine Sets like an Opera phantom. Thus, O Frien Through times of honour and thre times of shame Descending, have I faithfully retraced The perturbations of a youthful mind Is seen, heard, felt, and caught at every Under a long-lived storm of great event A story destined for thy ear, who now Among the fallen of nations, dost abi Where Etna, over hill and valley, casts His shadow stretching towards Syrac The city of Timoleon! Righteous Hear How are the mighty prostrated! Th When the great voice was heard from out Matured, and in the summer of their the tombs native, I ladder for thy spirit to reascend o health and joy and pure contented ness; strength. Comes o'er my heart: in fancy I behold Her seas yet smiling, her once happy vales; 431 Nor can my tongue give utterance to a name o me the grief confined, that thou art Of note belonging to that honoured isle, hose rosy peaks, from which the Morn- Within a chest imprisoned; how they ing looks 410 broad on many nations, are no more or purpose, at a time, how different! 415 hat Nature gives to Poets, now by thought came 445 Laden from blooming grove or flowery field, And fed him there, alive, month after month, Because the goatherd, blessed man! had lips Wet with the Muses' nectar. Thus I soothe 1 Theocrit. Idyll. vii. 78.—ED. LONG time have human ignorance and Bend the complying heads of lordly pines ↑ And, with a touch, shift the stupendous (guilt Detained us, on what spectacles of woe Compelled to look, and inwardly oppressed With sorrow, disappointment, vexing thoughts, 6 Confusion of the judgment, zeal decayed, Our song, and not with these our song must end. clouds Through the whole compass of the skyl ye brooks, Muttering along the stones, a busy noise By day, a quiet sound in silent night; Ye waves, that out of the great deep sta forth In a calm hour to kiss the pebbly shore. Not mute, and then retire, fearing storm; And you, ye groves, whose ministry it is Ye motions of delight, that haunt the To interpose the covert of your shades, sides Even as a sleep, between the heart of man Of the green hills; ye breezes and soft And outward troubles, between man him Not seldom, and his own uneasy heart: Oh! that I had a music and a voice Feelingly watched, might teach Man's Harmonious as your own, that I migh haughty race Through these distracted times; in Na- Like a cowled monk who hath forsworn 45 Of intellectual power, fostering love, Dispensing truth, and, over men and things, Where reason yet might hesitate, diffusing Walk on this earth! how feeble have I been 105. When thou wert in thy strength! Nor New pleasure, wider empire for the sight, But through presumption; even in plea-Amid the turns and counterturns, the Seems hard to shun. And yet I knew a maid, A young enthusiast, who escaped thee bonds; Her eye was not the mistress of her heart; Far less did rules prescribed by passe taste, Although a strong infection of the age, ture, 121 125 Or barren intermeddling subtleties, are When genial circumstance hath favoured. them, no more; Whate'er the scene presented to her view Birds in the bower, and lambs in the Could they have known her, would ha loved; methought Her very presence such a sweetnes breathed, That flowers, and trees, and even th silent hills, And everything she looked on, shed have had An intimation how she bore herself Towards them and to all creatures. Gr delights (Such as they were) were sought insati- In such a being; for, her com ably. thoughts Vivid the transport, vivid though not Are piety, her life is gratitude. profound; I roamed from hill to hill, from rock to rock, Even like this maid, before I was ca forth Still craving combinations of new forms. From the retirement of my native hills |