They likewife know, beyond the nerve remiss 340 The tafteful little their hard toil has earn'd, Even,cheer'd by Me,their fhaggy mountains charm, More than or Gallic or Italian plains, 345 And fickening Fancy oft', when abfent long, 351 Whence, vapour-wing'd, the sudden tempeft springs; ვნა The Swifs, after having been long absent from their native country, are feized with fuch a violent defire of seeing it again, as affects them with a kind of languishing indifpofition, called The Swiss fickness, Of hardy men and hearts affronting death, I gave fome favour'd cities* there to lift 365 A nobler brow, and thro' their fwarming ftreets, More bufy, wealthy, cheerful, and alive, In each contented face to look My soul. 371 Thence the loud Baltic paffing, black with storm, Their genius purg'd, and temper'd hard by froft, 375 380 Here, with the fhifted Vision, burft my joy. “O the dear prospect ! O majestic view! "Sec Britain's Empire! Lo! the watry vaft "Wide-waves, diffufing the cerulean plain. "And now, methinks, like clouds at diftance feen, 66 Emerging white from deeps of ether, dawn 386 My kindred cliffs; whence, wafted in the gale, 66 Ineffable, a fecret sweetness breathes. "Goddefs! forgive-My heart, furpris'd, o'erflows "With filial fondness for the land you blefs." 390 As parents to a child complacent deign The Hans towns. The Swedes. See note on ver. 678. Approvance, the celeftial Brightness fmil'd; Or from it ftream'd compreft the gloomy cloud. 400 To Me his voice It works his dreadful will. "Even yet, untouch'd by daring keel, be theirs 410 415 93 420 "Nor Alexanders me, nor Cæfars, brav'd. "Still in the crook of fhore, the coward fail "Till now low-crept, and peddling Commerce ply'd "Between near-joining lands. For Britons, chief, "It was referv'd, with star-directed prow "To dare the middle deep, and drive affur'd 425 "To distant nations thro' the pathless main. "Chief for their fearless hearts the glory waits, "Long months from land, while the black stormy "Around them rages, on the groaning mast [night "With unfhook knee to know their giddy way; 43° "To fing, unquell'd, amid the lashing wave; To laugh at danger. Theirs the triumph be, "By deep Invention's keen pervading eye, "The heart of Courage, and the hand of Toil,. "Each conquer'd ocean staining with their blood, "Instead of treasure robb'd by ruffian War, "Round focial earth to circle fair exchange, 436 "And bind the nations in a golden chain, "To these I honour'd ftoop. Rushing to light "A race of men behold! whose daring deeds 440 "Will in renown exalt my namele plains "O'er those of fabling Earth, as he 's to mine "In terror yield. Nay, could my favage heart "Such glories check, their unsubmitting soul "Would all my fury brave, my tmpest climb, 445 "And might in spite of me my kingdom force." Here, waiting no reply, the shadowy Power Eas'd the dark sky, and to the deeps return'd; 450 455 Of this encounter glad, My way to land I quick purfu'd, that from the smiling fea Receiv'd Me joyous. Loud acclaims were heard, And mufic, more than mortal, warbling, fill'd With pleas'd astonishment the lab'ring hind, Who for a while th' unfinish'd furrow left, And let the listening steer forget his toil. Unseen by groffer eye, Britannia breath'd, And her aërial train, these founds of joy; For of old time, fince first the rushing flood, 460 Urg'd by Almighty pow'r, this favour'd Isle Turn'd flashing from the continent aside, Indented shore to shore responsive still, Its guardian fheThe goddess whose staid eye Beams the dark azure of the doubtful dawn. Her treffes, like a flood of foftened light, Thro' clouds imbrown'd, in waving circles play. Warm on her cheek fits Beauty's brightest rose. Of high demeanour, stately, fhedding grace With every motion. Full her rising chest ; And new ideas, from her finifh'd shape, Charm'd Sculpture taking, might improve her art. Such the fair guardian of an Ifle that boasts, Profufe as vernal blooms, the fairest dames. High-fhining on the promontory's brow, 465 470 475 |