And spreads her arms-as if the general | If, when that interference hath relieved him, air Alone could satisfy her wide embrace. Melt, principalities. before her melt! Her love ve hailed-her wrath have felt; He must sink down to languish In worse than former helplessness-and lie Till the caves roar,—and, imbecility Again engendering anguish, But she through many a change of form The same weak wish returns, that had [creature, hath gone, And stands amidst you now, an armèd Whose panoply is not a thing put on, But the live scales of a portentous nature; That, having wrought its way from birth to birth, [to the earth! Stalks round-abhorred by Heaven, a terror I marked the breathings of her dragon crest; My soul, a sorrowful interpreter, rest, Seemed to bisect her orbèd shield, As stretches a blue bar of solid cloud Across the setting sun, and through the fiery west. So did she daunt the earth, and God defy! And, wheresoe'er she spread her sovereignty, Pollution tainted all that was most pure. Have we not known-and live we not to tell That Justice seemed to hear her final knell? Faith buried deeper in her own deep breast Herstores, and sighed to find them insecure! And Hope was maddened by the drops [lived rest: From shades, her chosen place of shortShame followed shame-and woe supplan that fell ted woe-.. Is this the only change that time can show? How long shall vengeance sleep? Ye patient heavens, how long? Infirm ejaculation! from the tongue Of nations wanting virtue to be strong Up to the measure of accorded might, And daring not to feel the majesty of right. Weak spirits are there--who would ask, Upon the pressure of a painful thing, The lion's sinews, or the eagle's wing; Or let their wishes loose, in forest glade, Among the lurking powers Of herbs and lowly flowers, Or seek, from saints above, miraculous aid; That man may be accomplished for a task Which his own nature hath enjoined—and why? before deceived him. A ROMAN master stands on Grecian sound! ear: A gift of that which is not to be given By all the blended powers of earth and heaven. By more deserving brows.-Yet so ye prop, As if the wreath of liberty thereon CLOUDS, ungering yet, extend in solid bars By breezeless air to smoothest polish, yield Where ruthless mortals wage incessant wars. TO THOMAS CLARKSON, ON THE FINAL Is it a mirror?-or the nether sphere MARCH, 1807. Didst first lead forth this pilgrimage sublime, With unabating effort, see, the palm A great man's happiness; thy zeal shall find A PROPHECY. FEBRUARY, 1807. HIGH deeds, O Germans, are to come from you! Opening to view the abyss in which it feeds trace Go back to antique ages, if thine eyes For his field-pastime, high and absolute, [found, COMPOSED WHILE THE AUTHOR WAS Thus in your books the record shall be And through the human heart explore my | Like echo, when the hunter-train at dawn way, [may, Have roused her from her sleep: and And look and listen-gathering, whence I forest-lawn, [resound Triumph, and thoughts no bondage can Cliffs, woods, and caves her viewless steps restrain. And babble of her pastime !-On, dread power! COMPOSED AT THE SAME TIME AND ON With such invisible motion speed thy flight, THE SAME OCCASION. I DROPPED my pen :-and listened to the That sang of trees up-torn and vessels tost; Of business, care, or pleasure,-or resigned Which, without aid of numbers, I sustain, heed The prophecy,-like that of this wild blast, ness shrink, Through hanging clouds, from craggy height to height, [herdsman's bower, Through the green vales and through the That all the Alps may gladden in thy might, Here, there, and in all places at one hour. ALAS! what boots the long, laborious quest Or pains abstruse-to elevate the will, More for mankind at this unhappy day SAY, what is honour?-"Tis the finest sense Stoop their proud heads, but not unto the dust, A foe's most favourite purpose to fulfil : N BRAVE Schill! by death delivered, take thy | Internal darkness and unquiet breath; flight. [rest And, if old judgments keep their sacred From Prussia's timid region. Go, and course, [cipitate With heroes mid the islands of the blest, Him from that height shall Heaven preOr in the fields of empyrean light. By violent and ignominious death. A meteor wert thou in a darksome night; Yet shall thy name conspicuous and sublime, Stand in the spacious firmament of time, To whose all-pondering mind a noble aim, Is there a power that can sustain and The captive chieftain, by a tyrant's doom, A dungeon dark! where he must waste the year, What time his injured country is a stage |