網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版
[blocks in formation]

ODE TO LIBERTY

[Publ. 1747]

STROPHE

WHO shall awake the Spartan fife, And call in solemn sounds to life, The youths, whose locks divinely spreading, Like vernal hyacinths in sullen hue, At once the breath of fear and virtueshedding, Applauding Freedom loved of old to view? What new Alcæus, fancy-blest, Shall sing the sword, in myrtles drest,

At Wisdom's shrine awhile its flame concealing,

9

(What place so fit to seal a deed renown'd?) Till she her brightest lightnings round revealing,

It leap'd in glory forth, and dealt her prompted wound !

O goddess, in that feeling hour, When most its sounds would court thy ears,

Let not my shell's misguided power E'er draw thy sad, thy mindful tears. No, Freedom, no, I will not tell How Rome, before thy weeping face, With heaviest sound, a giant-statue, fell, Push'd by a wild and artless race From off its wide ambitious base, When Time his northern sons of spoil awoke, And all the blended work of strength

and grace,

20

With many a rude repeated stroke, And many a barbarous yell, to thousand fragments broke.

EPODE

30

Yet, even where'er the least appear'd,
The admiring world thy hand revered;
Still 'midst the scatter'd states around,
Some remnants of her strength were found;
They saw, by what escaped the storm,
How wondrous rose her perfect form;
How in the great, the labour'd whole,
Each mighty master pour'd his soul!
For sunny Florence, seat of art,
Beneath her vines preserved a part,
Till they, whom Science loved to name,
(O who could fear it ?) quench'd her flame.
And lo, an humbler relic laid

In jealous Pisa's olive shade!

See small Marino 2 joins the theme
Though least, not last in thy esteem:

[blocks in formation]

40

Strike, louder strike the ennobling strings
To those,1 whose merchant sons were kings;
To him,2 who, deck'd with pearly pride,
In Adria weds his green-hair'd bride;
Hail, port of glory, wealth, and pleasure,
Ne'er let me change this Lydian measure:
Nor e'er her former pride relate,

[ocr errors]

To sad Liguria's bleeding state.

Ah no! more pleased thy haunts I seek, 50
On wild Helvetia's mountains bleak:
(Where, when the favour'd of thy choice,
The daring archer heard thy voice;
Forth from his eyrie roused in dread,
The ravening eagle northward fled):
Or dwell in willow'd meads more near,
With those to whom thy stork is dear:
Those whom the rod of Alva bruised,
Whose crown a British queen refused!
The magic works, thou feel'st the strains,
One holier name alone remains;
The perfect spell shall then avail,
Hail, nymph, adored by Britain, hail!

ANTISTROPHE

59

[blocks in formation]

To thee this blest divorce she owed, For thou hast made her vales thy loved, thy last abode!

SECOND EPODE

90

100

Then too, 'tis said, an hoary pile,
'Midst the green navel of our isle,
Thy shrine in some religious wood,
O soul-enforcing goddess, stood !
There oft the painted native's feet
Were wont thy form celestial meet:
Though now with hopeless toil we trace
Time's backward rolls, to find its place;
Whether the fiery-tressed Dane,
Or Roman's self o'erturn'd the fane,
Or in what heaven-left age it fell,
'Twere hard for modern song to tell.
Yet still, if Truth those beams infuse,
Which guide at once, and charm the Muse,
Beyond yon braided clouds that lie,
Paving the light embroider'd sky,
Amidst the bright pavilion'd plains,
The beauteous model still remains.
There, happier than in islands blest,
Or bowers by spring or Hebe drest,
The chiefs who fill our Albion's story,
In warlike weeds, retired in glory,
Here their consorted Druids sing
Their triumphs to the immortal string.

How may the poet now unfold
What never tongue or numbers told?
How learn delighted, and amazed,
What hands unknown that fabric raised?
Even now before his favour'd eyes,
In gothic pride, it seems to rise!
Yet Græcia's graceful orders join,
Majestic through the mix'd design:
The secret builder knew to choose

ΠΙΟ

120

Each sphere-found gem of richest hues
Whate'er heaven's purer mould contains,
When nearer suns emblaze its veins
There on the walls the patriot's sight
May ever hang with fresh delight,
And, graved with some prophetic rage,
Read Albion's fame through every age.
Ye forms divine, ye laureat band,
That near her inmost altar stand!
Now soothe her to her blissful train
Blithe Concord's social form to gain:
Concord, whose myrtle wand can steep
Even Anger's bloodshot eyes in sleep;
Before whose breathing bosom's balm
Rage drops his steel, and storms grow calm:
Her let our sires and matrons hoar
Welcome to Britain's ravaged shore;

130

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

ODE TO PEACE

[Publ. 1747]

O THOU, who bad'st thy turtles bear
Swift from his grasp thy golden hair,
And sought'st thy native skies;
When War, by vultures drawn from far,
To Britain bent his iron car,

And bade his storms arise!

Tired of his rude tyrannic sway,
Our youth shall fix some festive day,

His sullen shrines to burn:

But thou who hear'st the turning spheres, 10
What sounds may charm thy partial ears,
And gain thy blest return!

O Peace, thy injured robes up-bind!
O rise and leave not one behind
Of all thy beamy train;

The British Lion, goddess sweet,

Lies stretch'd on earth to kiss thy feet,
And own thy holier reign.

Let others court thy transient smile, But come to grace thy western isle, By warlike Honour led;

And, while around her ports rejoice, While all her sons adore thy choice, With him for ever wed!

THE PASSIONS

AN ODE FOR MUSIC

WHEN music, heavenly maid, was young,
While yet in early Greece she sung,
The Passions oft, to hear her shell,
Throng'd around her magic cell,
Exulting, trembling, raging, fainting,
Possest beyond the Muse's painting:
By turns they felt the glowing mind
Disturb'd, delighted, raised, refined;
Till once, 'tis said, when all were fired,
Fill'd with fury, rapt, inspired,
From the supporting myrtles round
They snatch'd her instruments of sound;
And, as they oft had heard apart
Sweet lessons of her forceful art,
Each (for Madness ruled the hour)
Would prove
his own expressive power.
First Fear his hand, its skill to try,
Amid the chords bewilder'd laid,

20

10

[blocks in formation]
« 上一頁繼續 »