MR. ALEXANDER CUMING,
A Young Gentleman unfortunately lost in the Northern Ocean on his Return from China, 1740.
Ne jaceat nullo, vel ne meliore sepulchro. Lucan, lib. viii.
'Twas on a summer's night I lay repos'd,
In the kind arms of hospitable Rest;
When Fancy to my waking thought disclos'd
And deep the visionary scene imprest:
Close by my side in robes of morning-grey
A form celestial stood-or seem'd to stand;
Intranc'd in admiration as I lay,
She rais'd with aspect calm my feeble hand :
And while through all my veins the tumult ran,
With mild benignity-she placid thus began : 10
"Patience my name-of Lachesis the child, Nor art thou unacquainted with my voice; By me afflicted Virtue suffers mild,
And to th' eternal will submits its choice. Behold, commission'd from the heavenly sphere, I come to strengthen thy corrected sight; To teach thee yet continued woes to bear, And eye Misfortune in a friendly light : Nor thou my present summons disobey, But chearfully prepare to wait me on my way."
"Daughter of Heaven (methought I strait replied)
Gladly by me thy summons is obey'd ;
Content I follow thee, celestial guide,
Beneath thy sure protection undismay'd:
Oft in sharp perils and surrounding woes
Thy salutary presence have I found;
Then lead wherever thy direction shows,
To distant seas, or earth's remotest bound:
Ready am I to wait thy purpos'd flight,
Thine be the care to act the sovereign will aright !"
Sudden, enfolded in a fleecy cloud,
Through yielding air we cut our rapid way,
While the pale moon a dubious light bestow'd,
Lands as we pass'd and intermingled sea :
Nor ceas'd our voyage, till the blushing dawn
Dispell'd the glimmering of the starry host;
And Night's dark curtain by degrees withdrawn,
We found ourselves on Thule's sky-girt coast:
Where Silence sits on her untroubled throne,
As if she left the world to live and reign alone.
Here no invading noise the Goddess finds,
High as she sits o'er the surrounding deep;
But pleas'd she listens to the hollow winds,
Or the shrill mew, that lulls her evening-sleep;
Deep in a cleft-worn rock we found her laid,
Spangled the roof with many an artless gem:
Slowly she rose, and met us in the shade,
As half disturb'd that such intrusion came:
But at her sister's sight with look discreet,
She better welcome gave, and pointed each a seat.
Wide from her grotto to the dazzled eye
A boundless prospect! lay the azure waste,
Lost in the sightless limit sea and sky ;
By measurable distance faintly trac'd;
Whence now arising from his wat'ry bed,
The sun emerging spread his golden ray;
When sweetly Patience rais'd her pensive head,
And thus the Goddess said, or seem'd to say: "Mark, mortal, with Attention's deepest care, The swift approaching scene the hands of Heaven prepare." h
With look intent, across the shining void,
(An object to the weak beholder lost!)
Just in the horizon dim a sail I spied,
As if she made some long-expected coast:
Kind to her wishes blew the western breeze,
As, swift advancing o'er the placid main
She shap'd her course, increasing by degrees,
Till nearer sense made all her beauties plain;
And shew'd her on the yielding billows ride,
In all the gallant trim of ornamental pride! 70
Thus flew she onward with expanded sail,
A sight delightful to the pleasur'd eye!
Borne on the wings of the propitious gale,
Heedless, alas! of hidden danger nigh:
The joyful sailor, long on ocean tost,
Already thought his tedious sufferings o'er;
Already hail'd the hospitable coast,
And trod in thought along the friendly shore: When, dreadful to behold -disastrous shock! Shipwreck'd, at once she struck on a wave-cover'd
O Heaven!—it was a piteous sight to view
The wild confusion suddenly took place!
The different gestures of the frighted crew!
The fear that mark'd each death-distracted face.
All one impassion'd scene of woe appear'd,
Some wildly rav'd, while others scarce could speak.
No order was observ'd, no reason heard,
For mortal paleness sate on every cheek!
I look'd at Patience!-as she sate me nigh,
And wonder'd, as I look'd, to see her tearless eyel 9
Again I turn'd-when, o'er the vessel's side,
Distinct I saw a manly youth appear,
Launch the oar'd pinnace to the swelling tide,
Nor shew'd his steady brow a guilty fear!
The sad remainder with a mournful hail
His just design and bold departure blest;
With lifted eye he spread the slender sail,
As if he trusted Heaven to guide the rest:
Swift o'er the main the bark retreating flew,
And the tall ship at once was taken from my view.
Immediate Patience from her seat arose,
And all abrupt the transient visit broke;
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