Large froth before me, while there yet Of mitigation, or redeeming bubble

Headlong I darted; at one eager swirl 630 Gain'd its bright portal, enter'd, and behold!

'T was vast, and desolate, and icy-cold; And all around But wherefore this to

thee

O they had all been saved but crazed eld Annull'd my vigorous cravings; and thus quell'd

And curb'd, think on 't, O Latmian! did I sit

Who in few minutes more thyself shalt Writhing with pity, and a cursing fit

see?

I left poor Scylla in a niche and fled.

My fever'd parchings up, my scathing dread

Met palsy half way: soon these limbs be

came

Against that hell-born Circe. The crew had gone,

By one and one, to pale oblivion;
And I was gazing on the surges prone,
With many a scalding tear, and many a
groan,

Gaunt, wither'd, sapless, feeble, cramp'd, When at my feet emerged an old man's

and lame.

Now let me pass a cruel, cruel space, Without one hope, without one faintest

-had grasp'd

My soul page after page, till well nigh Had we both perish'd?'- 'Look!' the

My eyes against the heavens, and read I told thee of, where lovely Scylla lies; 720

He mark'd their brows and foreheads; saw
their hair

Put sleekly on one side with nicest care;
And each one's gentle wrists, with rever-

ence,

Put cross-wise to its heart.

'Let us commence,'

Whisper'd the guide, stuttering with joy,

' even now.'

And thou wilt see the issue.' 'Mid the
sound

Of flutes and viols, ravishing his heart,
Endymion from Glaucus stood apart,
And scatter'd in his face some fragments
light.

How lightning-swift the change! a youth-
ful wight

He spake, and, trembling like an aspen- Smiling beneath a coral diadem,

And having done it, took his dark blue Endymion, with quick hand, the charm ap

cloak

And bound it round Endymion: then struck His wand against the empty air times nine.

'What more there is to do, young man, is
thine:

But first a little patience; first undo
This tangled thread, and wind it to a clue.
Ah, gentle ! 't is as weak as spider's skein;
And shouldst thou break it — What, is it
done so clean ?

plied

The nymph arose: he left them to their joy,
And onward went upon his high employ,
Showering those powerful fragments on
the dead.

And, as he pass'd, each lifted up its head,
As doth a flower at Apollo's touch.
Death felt it to his inwards: 't was too
much:

790

Death fell a-weeping in his charnel-house. The Latmian persevered along, and thus All were reanimated. There arose A noise of harmony, pulses and throes Of gladness in the air while many, who Had died in mutual arms devout and true, Sprang to each other madly; and the rest Felt a high certainty of being blest. Olympus! we are safe! Now, Carian, They gazed upon Endymion. Enchant

A power overshadows thee! Oh, brave!
The spite of hell is tumbling to its grave.
Here is a shell; 't is pearly blank to me, 761
Nor mark'd with any sign or charactery
Canst thou read aught? O read for pity's
sake!

break

ment

This wand against yon lyre on the pedes- Grew drunken, and would have its head tal.'

'T was done: and straight with sudden

swell and fall

and bent.

Delicious symphonies, like airy flowers,
Budded, and swell'd, and, full-blown, shed

full showers

Of feather'd Indian darts about, as through Aye, I have seen these signs in one of