They fall, unbleft, untended, and unmourn'd. Thus o'er the proftrate city black Despair Extends her raven wing, while, to complete The scene of defolation, ftretch'd around The grim guards ftand, denying all retreat, And give the flying wretch a better death.
Much yet remains unfung: the rage intense
Of brazen-vaulted fkies, of iron fields,
Where drought and famine starve the blasted year; Fir'd by the torch of Noon to tenfold rage, 1095 The infuriate hill, that fhoots the pillar'd flame; And, rous'd within the fubterranean world, Th' expanding earthquake, that refiftlefs shakes Afpiring cities from their folid base, And buries mountains in the flaming gulf. But 'tis enough: return, my vagrant Muse, A nearer scene of horror calls thee home.
Behold! flow-fettling o'er the lurid grove Unusual darkness broods, and, growing, gains The full poffeffion of the fky, furcharg'd With wrathful vapour, from the secret beds Where fleep the mineral generations drawn. Thence nitre, fulphur, and the fiery spume Of fat bitumen, fteaming on the day, With various-tinctur'd trains of latent flame Pollute the sky, and in yon' baleful cloud A reddening gloom, a magazine of fate, Ferment, till by the touch ethereal rous'd, 3
The dash of clouds, or irritating war Of fighting winds, while all is calm below, They furious fpring. A boding filence reigns Dread thro' the dun expanse, save the dull found That from the mountain, previous to the storm, Rolls o'er the muttering earth, difturbs the flood, And shakes the foreft-leaf without a breath. Prone to the lowest vale the aërial tribes Defcend: the tempeft-loving raven scarce Dares wing the dubious dufk. In rueful gaze The cattle ftand, and on the scowling heavens Caft a deploring eye, by man forfook, Who to the crowded cottage hies him fast, Or feeks the shelter of the downward cave. 'Tis liftening fear and dumb amazement all; When to the startled eye the fudden glance Appears far fouth, eruptive thro' the cloud, And following flower, in explosion vast, The Thunder raises his tremendous voice. At first, heard folemn o'er the verge of heaven, The tempeft growls; but as it nearer comes, And rolls its awful burden on the wind, The lightnings flash a larger curve, and more The noise astounds; till over-head a fhect Of livid flame difclofes wide, then fhuts, And opens wider; fhuts and opens still Expanfive, wrapping ether in a blaze: Follows the loofen'd aggravated roar,
Enlarging, deepening, mingling; peal on peal Crufh'd horrible, convulfing heaven and earth. Down comes a deluge of fonorous hail,
Or prone-defcending rain. Wide-rent, the clouds 1145 Pour a whole flood; and yet, its flame unquench'd, Th' unconquerable lightning struggles thro', Ragged and fierce, or in red whirling balls,
And fires the mountains with redoubled rage. 1149 Black from the ftroke, above, the smouldering pine Stands a fad hatter'd trunk; and, ftretch'd below, A lifeless group the blafted cattle lie:
Here the foft flocks, with that fame harmless look They wore alive, and ruminating still
In Fancy's eye, and there the frowning bull, 1155 And ox half-rais'd. Struck on the caftled cliff, The venerable tower and fpiry fane
Refign their aged pride. The gloomy woods Start at the flash, and from their deep recefs Wide-flaming out, their trembling inmates shake. Amid Caernarvon's mountains rages loud The repercuffive roar: with mighty crush, Into the flashing deep, from the rude rocks Of Penmanmaur heap'd hideous to the sky, Tumble the fmitten cliffs; and Snowden's peak, 1165 Diffolving, inftant yields his wintry load. Far-feen the heights of heathy Cheviot blaze,
And Thulè bellows thro' her utmost ifles.
Guilt hears appall'd, with deeply-troubledthought;
And yet not always on the guilty head Defcends the fated flash. Young Celadon And his Amelia were a matchless pair; With equal virtue form'd, and equal grace, The fame, diftinguish'd by their fex alone; Her's the mild luftre of the blooming morn, And his the radiance of the risen day.
They lov'd; but fuch their guilelefs paffion was, As in the dawn of time inform'd the heart Of Innocence and undiffembling Truth.
'Twas friendship heighten'd by the mutual wish, 1180 Th' enchanting hope, and fympathetic glow, Beam'd from the mutual eye. Devoting all To love, each was to each a dearer self, Supremely happy in th' awakened power Of giving joy. Alone, amid the shades, Still in harmonious intercourse thy liv'd The rural day, and talk'd the flowing heart, Or figh'd and look'd unutterable things.
So pafs'd their life, a clear united stream, By care unruffled; till, in evil hour, The tempeft caught them on the tender walk, Heedlefs how far and where its mazes ftray'd, While with each other bleft, creative Love Still bade eternal Eden fmile around. Prefaging inftant fate, her bofom heav'd Unwonted fighs, and ftealing oft' a look Of the big gloom, on Celadon her eye
Fell tearful, wetting her difordered cheek.
In vain affuring love, and confidence
In Heaven, repress'd her fear; it grew, and shook Her frame near diffolution. He perceiv'd Th' unequal conflict, and as angels look On dying faints, his eyes compassion shed, With love illumin'd high. "Fear not," he said, "Sweet Innocence! thou ftranger to offence, 1205 "And inward ftorm! He who yon' fkies involves "In frowns of darkness, ever fmiles on thee "With kind regard. O'er thee the fecret shaft "That wastes at midnight, or th' undreaded hour "Of noon, flies harmlefs; and that very voice 1210 "Which thunders terror thro' the guilty heart, "With tongues of feraphs whispers peace to thine. "'Tis fafety to be near thee, fure, and thus "To clafp Perfection!" From his void embrace, 1214 Mysterious Heaven! that moment to the ground, A blackened corfe, was ftruck the beauteous maid. But who can paint the lover, as he stood Pierc'd by fevere amazement, hating life, Speechlefs, and fix'd in all the death of woe! So, faint resemblance! on the marble tomb The well-diffembled mourner ftooping ftands, For ever filent, and for ever fad.
As from the face of heaven the fhattered clouds Tumultuous rove, th' interminable sky
Sublimer fwells, and o'er the world expands 1225
« ElőzőTovább » |