Do I, in wrath, to you of fate complain?
Or once betray fear's most inglorious pain?
No!-Hail, twice hail then, ignominious death!
Behold how willing glides my parting breath!
Far greater, better far-ay, far indeed!
Like me, have fuffer'd, and like me will bleed.
Apoftles, patriarchs, prophets, martyrs all,
Like me once fell, nor murmur'd at their fall.
Shall I, whofe days, at beft, no ill design'd,
Whofe virtue fhone not, though I lov'd mankind,
Shall I, now guilty wretch, shall I repine?
Ah, no! to justice let me life refign!
Quick, as a friend, would I embrace my
He taught me patience, who first taught me woe; 600
But friends are foes, they render woe fevere,
For me they wail, from me extort the tear.
Not those, yet absent, missive griefs control;
These periods weep, those rave, and these condole,
At entrance fhrieks a friend, with pale furprize; 605
Another panting, proftrate, fpeechless lies;
One gripes my hand, one fobs upon my breast!
Ah, who can bear ?-it fhocks, it murders reft!
And is it yours, alas! my friends to feel?
And is it mine to comfort, mine to heal ?
Is mine the patience, yours the bosom strife?
Ah! would rath love lure back my thoughts to life?
Adieu, dear, dangerous mourners! fwift depart!
Ah, fly me! fly!—I tear ye from my heart.
Ye faints, whom fears of death could ne'er control,
In my last hour compofe, fupport my foul !
See my blood wash repented fin away!
Receive, receive me to eternal day!
With words like these the deftin'd hero dies,
While angels waft his foul to happier skies.
Diftinction now gives way; yet on we talk,
Full darkness deepening o'er the formless walk.
Night treads not with light ftep the dewy gale,
Nor bright-diftends her ftar-embroider'd veil;
Her leaden feet, inclement damps diftil,
Clouds fhut her face, black winds her vefture fill;
An earth-born meteor lights the fable skies,
Eastward it shoots, and, funk, forgotten dies.
So pride, that rofe from duft to guilty power,
Glares out in vain; fo duft fhall pride devour.
Fishers, who yonder brink by torches gain,
With teethful tridents ftrike the fcaly train.
Like fnakes in eagles' claws, in vain they strive,
When heav'd aloft, and quivering yet alive.
While here, methought, our time in converfe pafs'd,
The moon clouds muffled, and the night wore fast.
At prowling wolves was heard the maftiff's bay,
And the warn'd mafter's arms forbad the prey!
Thus treafon steels, the patriot thus defcries,
Forth fprings the monarch, and the mischief flies. 640
Pale glow-worms glimmer'd through the depth of night,
Scattering, like hope through fear, a doubtful light.
Lone Philomela tun'd the filent grove,
With penfive pleasure liften'd wakeful Love.
Half-dreaming Fancy form'd an angel's tongue, 645
And Pain forgot to groan, so sweet she fung.
The Night-crone, with the melody alarm'd,
Now paus'd, now liften'd, and awhile was charm'd;
But like the man, whofe frequent ftubborn will
Refifts what kind, feraphic founds inftil,
Her heart the love-inspiring voice repell'd,
Her breast with agitating mischief fwell'd;
Which clos'd her ear, and tempted to destroy
The tuneful life, that charms with virtuous joy.
Now faft we measure back the trackle's way;
No friendly stars directive beams display.
But lo!-a thousand lights fhoot inftant rays;
Yon kindling rock reflects the ftartling blaze.
I ftand aftonifh'd-thus the hermit cries:
Fear not, but liften with enlarg'd furprize!
Still muft thefe hours our mutual converfe claim,
And cease to echo till Olympia's name ;
Grots, rivulets, groves, Olympia's name forget,
Olympia now no fighing winds repeat.
Can I be mortal, and thofe hours no more,
Thofe amorous hours, that plaintive echoes bore?
Am I the fame? Ah no!-Behold a mind,
Unruffled, firm, exalted, and refin'd!
Late months, that made the vernal season gay,
Saw my health languish off in pale decay.
No racking pain yet gave disease a date;
No fad, prefageful thought preluded fate :
Yet number'd were my days-My destin'd end
Near, and more near-Nay, every fear suspend !
I pass'd a weary, lingering, fleepless night:
Then rofe, to walk in morning's earliest light:
But few my fteps-a faint, and cheerless few!
Refreshment from my flagging fpirits flew.
When, low, retir'd beneath a cypress shade,
My limbs upon a flowery bank I laid,
Soon by foft-creeping, murmuring winds compos'd,
A slumber press'd my languid eyes-They clos'd:
But clos'd not long-Methought Olympia spoke;
Thrice loud fhe call'd, and thrice the flumber broke.
Iwak'd. Forth-gliding from a neighbouring wood, 685
Full in my view the shadowy charmer stood.
Rapturous I started up to clafp the shade;
But ftagger'd, fell, and found my vitals fade :
A mantling chillness o'er my bosom spread,
As if that inftant number'd with the dead.
Her voice now fent a far, imperfect sound,
When in a swimming trance my pangs were drown'd.
Still farther off the call'd-With soft furprize,
I turn'd-but void of strength, and aid to rife;
Short, fhorter, fhorter yet, my breath I drew :
Then up my struggling foul unburtben'd flew.
Thus from a ftate, where fin and grief abide,
Heaven fummon'd me to mercy-thus I died.
He faid. Th' astonishment with which I start, Like bolted ice runs fhivering through my heart. 700 Art thou not mortal then? I cried. But lo! His raiment lightens, and his features glow ! In fhady ringlets falls a length of hair; Embloom'd his afpect fhines, enlarg'd his air. Mild from his eyes enlivening glories beam; Mild on his brow fits majefty fupreme.
Bright plumes of every dye, that round him flow,
Veft, robe, and wings, in varied luftre show.
He looks, and forward steps with mien divine;
A celestial gives him all to fhine.
He fpeaks-Nature is ravish'd at the found,
The forefts move, and streams ftand liftening round! Thus he. As incorruption I affum'd,
As inftant in immortal youth I bloom'd!
Renew'd, and chang'd, I felt my vital springs, 715
With different lights difcern'd the form of things;
To earth my paffions fell like mists away,
And reafon open'd in eternal day.
Swifter than thought from world to world I flew,
Celestial knowledge fhone in every view.
My food was truth-what transport could I mifs?
My profpect, all infinitude of blifs.
Olympia met me first, and, smiling gay,
Onward to mercy led the fhining way;
As far tranfcendant to her wonted air,
As her dear wonted felf to many a fair!
In voice, and form, beauty more beauteous shows,
And harmony ftill more harmonious grows.
She points out fouls, who taught me friendship's charms,
They gaze, they glow, they fpring into my arms!
Well pleas'd, high ancestors my view command;
Patrons and patriots all; a glorious band!
Horatio too, by well-born fate refin'd,
Shone out white-rob'd with faints, a spotlefs mind!
What once, below, ambition made him mifs,
Humility here gain'd, a life of bliss!
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