Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

Aerial, warn'd of rifing winter, ride
Autumnal winds, to warmer climates borne;
So, Arts and each good Genius in My train,
I cut the clofing gloom, and foar'd to heaven.
In the bright regions there of purest day,
Far other scenes and palaces arife,
Adorn'd profufe with other arts divine.
All beauty here below, to them compar'd,
Would, like a rose before the mid-day fun,
Shrink up its bloffom; like a bubble break
The paffing poor magnificence of kings:
For there the King of Nature, in full blaze,
Calls every splendour forth; and there his court
Amid ethereal powers and virtues holds ;
Angel, archangel, tutelary gods,

545

550

555

560

Of cities, nations, empires, and of worlds.
But facred be the veil that kindly clouds
A light too keen for mortals, wraps a view
Too foftening fair, for those that here in dust
Muft cheerful toil out their appointed years,
A fenfe of higher life would only damp
The Ichoolboy's talk, and fpoil his playful hours;
Nor could the child of Reafon, feeble Man!
With vigour thro' this infant being drudge,
Did brighter worlds, their unimagin'd bliss
Disclosing, dazzle and diffolve his mind.

365

570

BRITAIN.

LIBERTY

PART IV.

The Contents.

DIFFERENCE betwixt the Ancients and Moderns flightly touched upon, to ver. 30. Description of the dark ages. The Goddess of Liberty, who during thefe is fuppofed to have left earth, returns, attended with Arts and Sciences,

She first defcends on Italy. Sculpture, Painting, and Architecture, fix at Rome, to revive their feveral Arts by the great models of Antiquity there, which many barbarous invasions had not been able to deftroy. The revival of these Arts marked out. That fometimes Arts may flourish for a while under defpotic governments, though never the natural and genuine production of them, to ver. 254. Learning begins to dawn. The Mufe and Science attend Liberty, who, in her progress towards Great-Britain, raifes feveral free states and cities. These enumerated, to ver. 381. Author's exclamation of joy, upon feeing the British feas and coaft rife in the Vision, which painted whatever the Goddefs of Liberty faid. She refumes her narration. The Genius of the Deep appears, and, addreffing Liberty, affociates Great-Britain into his dominion, to ver. 451. Liberty received and congratu lated by Britannia and the native Genii or Virtues of the ifland. The fe defcribed. Animated by the prefence of Liberty, they begin their operations. Their beneficent influence contrafted with the works and delusions of oppo fing demons, to ver. 626. Concludes with an abstract of the English hiftory, marking the feveral advances of Liberty, down to her complete eftablishmen at the Revolution.

STRUCK with the rifing scene, thus I, amaz'd— "Ah! Goddefs; what a change! Is earth the fame? "Of the fame kind the ruthlefs race fhe feeds?

And does the fame fair fun and ether spread

“Round this vile spot their all-enlivening foul?
"Lo! Beauty fails; lost in unlovely forms
"Of little pomp, Magnificence no more
"Exalts the mind, and bids the Public fmile;
"While to rapacious intereft Glory leaves
"Mankind, and every grace of life is gone."

10

To this the Power, who vital radiance calls From the brute mafs of man an ordered world. "Wait till the morning fhines, and from the depth "Of Gothic darkness fprings another day. "True, Genius droops; the tender ancient taste 15 "Of Beauty, then fresh-blooming in her prime, "But faintly trembles thro' the callous foul, "And Grandeur, or of morals or of life, "Sinks into fafe pursuits and creeping cares. "Even cautious Virtue feems to ftoop her flight, 20 "And aged Life to deem the generous deeds "Of youth romantic; yet in cooler thought "Well-reafon'd, in researches piercing deep "Thro' Nature's works, in profitable arts, "And all that calm Experience can disclose, "(Slow guide, but fure) behold the world anew "Exalted rife, with other honours crown'd;

25

And, where My spirit wakes the finer powers, "Athenian laurels ftill afrefh fhall bloom." Oblivious ages pafs'd, while Earth, forfook go By her beft Genii, lay to Demons foul,

And unchain'd Furies, an abandon'd prey.

35

Contention led the van, first small of fize,
But foon dilating, to the skies fhe towers;
Then wide as air the livid fury spread,
And high her head above the stormy clouds,
She blaz'd in omens, fwell'd the groaning winds
With wild furmises, battlings, founds of war:
From land to land the madd'ning trumpet blew,
And pour'd her venom thro' the heart of man. 40
Shook to the Pole, the North obey'd her call.
Forth rush'd the bloody Power of Gothic war,
War against human-kind; Rapine, that led
Millions of raging robbers in his train ;
Unliftening, barbarous Force, to whom the sword 45
Is reafon, honour law; the Foe of Arts
By monfters follow'd, hideous to behold,

That claim'd their place. Outrageous mix'd with thefe.
Another fpecies of tyrannic rule *,

Unknown before, whose cancrous fhackles feiz'd 50
Th' envenom'd foul; a wilder Fury, she
Even o'er her elder Sifter + tyranniz'd;

Or if, perchance, agreed, inflam'd her rage,
Dire was her train, and loud: the Sable Band,
Thundering," Submit, ye Laity! ye Prophane! 55
"Earth is the Lord's, and therefore Ours; let kings
"Allow the common claim, and half be theirs ;
"If not, behold! the facred lightning flies;"
Scholaftic Difcord, with an hundred tongues,
• Church power, or ecclefiaftical tyranny.

+ Civil tyranny.

[blocks in formation]

For fcience, uttering jangling words obfcure,
Where frighted Reason never yet could dwell;
Of peremptory feature, Cleric Pride,

Whose reddening cheek no contradiction bears;
And Holy Slander, his affociate firm,
On whom the Lying Spirit ftill descends;
Mother of tortures! Perfecuting Zeal,
High-flashing in her hand the ready torch,
Or poniard bath'd in unbelieving blood;
Hell's fierceft fiend! of faintly brow demure,
Affuming a celeftial seraph's name,

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

While fhe beneath the blafphemous pretence
Of pleasing Parent Heaven, the Source of Love!
Has wrought more horrors, more detefted deeds,
Than all the reft combin'd. Led on by her,
And wild of head to work her fell defigns,
Came Idiot Superftition; round with ears
Innumerous ftrow'd, ten thousand Monkifh forms
With legends play'd them, and with tenets meant
To charm or fcare the fimple into flaves,

75

And poison reafon! grofs, fhe fwallows all, 80
The most abfurd believing ever most ;

Broad o'er the whole her univerfal night,
The gloom ftill doubling, Ignorance diffus'd.
Nought to be feen but vifionary Monks

To councils ftrolling, and embroiling creeds; 85
Banditti Saints, disturbing distant lands,

* Crufades.

« ElőzőTovább »