The long-liv'd volume; and, deep-musing, hail
The sacred shades, that slowly-rising pass

Before my wondering eyes. First SOCRATES,

Who, firmly good in a corrupted state,

440

Against the rage of tyrants single stood,

Invincible! calm Reason's holy law,

That Voice of God within th' attentive mind,
Obeying, fearless, or in life, or death.

Great moral teacher! Wisest of Mankind!

445

SOLON the next; who built his common-weal

On equity's wide base; by tender laws

A lively people curbing, yet undamp❜d;
Preserving still that quick peculiar fire,
Whence in the laurel'd field of finer arts,

450

And of bold freedom, they unequal'd shone;
The pride of smiling GREECE, and human-kind.
LYCURGUS then, who bow'd beneath the force
Of strictest discipline, severely wise,

All human passions. Following him, I see,

455

As at Thermopylæ he glorious fell,

The firm DEVOTED CHIEF, who prov❜d by deeds

The hardest lesson which the other taught.

Then ARISTIDES lifts his honest front;

Spotless of heart, to whom th' unflattering voice 460

Of freedom gave the noblest name of Just;

In pure majestic poverty rever'd;

Who, ev❜n his glory to his country's weal

Submitting, swell'd a haughty Rival's fame.
Rear'd by his care, of softer ray appears

465

CIMON Sweet-soul'd; whose genius, rising strong,
Shook off the load of young debauch; abroad
The scourge of Persian pride, at home the friend
Of every worth and every splendid art;
Modest, and simple, in the pomp of wealth.
Then the last worthies of declining GREECE,
Late call'd to glory, in unequal times,
Pensive, appear. The fair Corinthian boast,
TIMOLEON, happy temper! mild, and firm,
Who wept the Brother while the Tyrant bled.

470

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And, equal to the best, the THEBAN PAIR,

Whose virtues, in heroic concord join❜d,

Their country rais'd to freedom, empire, fame.
He too, with whom Athenian honour sunk,

And left a mass of sordid lees behind,
PHOCION the Good; in public life severe;

480

To virtue still inexorably firm;

But when, beneath his low illustrious roof,

Sweet peace and happy wisdom smooth'd his brow,

Not friendship softer was, nor love more kind.

485

And he, the last of old LYCURGUS' sons,
The generous victim to that vain attempt,
To save a rotten State, AGIS, who saw
Ev'n SPARTA's self to servile avarice sunk.
The two Achaian heroes close the train:

C C

490

ARATUS, who a while relum'd the soul
Of fondly-lingering liberty in GREECE:
And he her darling as her latest hope,
The gallant PHILOPOEMEN; who to arms
Turn'd the luxurious pomp he could not cure;

Or toiling in his farm, a simple swain;
Or, bold and skilful, thundering in the field.
Or rougher front, a mighty people come!
A race of heroes! in those virtuous times

495

Which knew no stain, save that with partial flame 500
Their dearest country they too fondly lov❜d:
Her better founder first, the light of ROME,
NUMA, who soften'd her rapacious sons:
SERVIUS the King, who laid the solid base
On which o'er earth the vast republic spread.

505

Then the great consuls venerable rise.

The PUBLIC FATHER who the Private quell'd,
As on the dread tribunal sternly sad.

He, whom this thankless country could not lose,
CAMILLUS, only vengeful to her foes.
FABRICIUS, Scorner of all-conquering gold;
And CINCINNATUS, awful from the plough.
Thy WILLING VICTIM, Carthage, bursting loose
From all that pleading Nature could oppose;
From a whole city's tears, by rigid faith
Imperious call'd, and honour's dire command.

510

515

SCIPIO, the gentle chief, humanely brave;

Who soon the race of spotless glory ran,
And, warm in youth, to the Poetic shade
With Friendship and Philosophy retir'd.
TULLY, whose powerful eloquence a while
Restrain'd the rapid fate of rushing ROME.
Unconquer'd CATO, virtuous in extreme.

520

And thou, unhappy BRUTUS, kind of heart;

Whose steady arm, by awful virtue urg'd,

525

Lifted the Roman steel against thy Friend.
Thousands besides, the tribute of a verse

Demand; but who can count the stars of heaven?
Who sing their influence on this lower world?

BEHOLD, who yonder comes! in sober state,

Fair, mild, and strong, as is a vernal sun:
'Tis Phoebus' self, or else the Mantuan Swain!
Great HOMER too appears, of daring wing,
Parent of song! and equal by his side,

530

The BRITISH MUSE: join'd hand in hand they walk,
Darkling, full up the middle steep to fame.

Nor absent are those shades, whose skilful touch
Pathetic drew th' impassion❜d heart, and charm'd
Transported Athens with the MORAL SCENE:

536

Nor those who, tuneful, wak'd th' enchanting LYRE.

FIRST of your kind! society divine!

Still visit thus my nights, for

you

reserv'd,

And mount my soaring soul to thoughts like yours.

Silence, thou lonely power! the door be thine;

541

See on the hallowed hour that none intrude,

Save a few chosen friends, who sometimes deign
To bless my humble roof, with sense refin'd,
Learning digested well, exalted faith,

545

Unstudy'd wit, and humour ever gay.

Or from the Muses' hill with POPE descend,
To raise the sacred hour, to bid it smile,

550

And with the social spirit warm the heart:

For tho' not sweeter his own HOMER sings,
Yet is his life the more endearing song.

WHERE art thou, HAMMOND? thou the darling pride, The friend and lover of the tuneful throng!

556

Ah why, dear youth, in all the blooming prime

Of vernal genius, where disclosing fast

Each active worth, each manly virtue lay,

Why wert thou ravish'd from our hope so soon? 560

What now avails that noble thirst of fame,

Which stung thy fervent breast? that treasur'd store

Of knowledge, early gain'd? that eager zeal

To serve thy country, glowing in the band

Of YOUTHFUL PATRIOTS, who sustain her name?

What now, alas! that life-diffusing charm

566

Of sprightly wit? that rapture for the Muse,
That heart of friendship, and that soul of joy,
Which bade with softest light thy virtues smile?
Ah! only shew'd, to check our fond pursuits,
And teach our humbled hopes that life is vain!

570