Healthful in heart and look; clear Chastity, Still labours glorious with some great design. Low walks the sun, and broadens by degrees, 1610 1615 Just o'er the verge of day. The shifting clouds 1620 Assembled gay, a richly-gorgeous train, In all their pomp attend his setting throne. Air, earth, and ocean smile immense. And now, As if his weary chariot sought the bowers Of Amphitritè, and her tending nymphs, 1625 (So Grecian fable sung) he dips his orb; Now half-immers'd; and now a golden curve 1630 The dreamer of this earth, an idle blank; A sight of horror to the cruel wretch, 1635 Who all day long in sordid pleasure roll'd, Himself an useless load, has squander'd vile, Upon his scoundrel train, what might have cheer'd But to the generous still-improving mind, 1640 That gives the hopeless heart to sing for joy, Boastless, as now descends the silent dew; To him the long review of order'd life 1645 CONFESS'd from yonder slow-extinguish'd All ether softening, sober Evening takes Her wonted station in the middle air; clouds, 1650 A thousand shadows at her beck. First this Of Nature nought disdains: thoughtful to feed 1660 From field to field the feather'd seeds she wings. His folded flock secure, the shepherd home Hies, merry-hearted: and by turns relieves The ruddy milk-maid of her brimming pail ; The beauty whom perhaps his witless heart, Unknowing what the joy-mixt anguish means, Sincerely loves, by that best language shewn Of cordial glances, and obliging deeds. 1665 Onward they pass, o'er many a panting height, 1670 And valley sunk, and unfrequented; where 1675 At fall of eve the fairy people throng, Of massy Stygian woof, but loose array'd 1685 In mantle dun. A faint erroneous ray, Glanc'd from th' imperfect surfaces of things, While wavering woods, and villages, and streams, And rocks, and mountain-tops, that long retain'd 1690 Thence weary vision turns; where, leading soft Sweet Venus shines; and from her genial rise, 1695 Unrival'd reigns, the fairest lamp of night. As thus th' effulgence tremulous I drink, With cherish'd gaze, the lambent lightnings shoot Across the sky; or horizontal dart 1700 In wondrous shapes; by fearful murmuring crowds That more than deck, that animate the sky, 1705 The guilty nations tremble. But, above Those superstitious horrors that enflave The fond sequacious herd, to mystic faith 1710 And blind amazement prone; the enlighten'd few 1715 That wondrous force of thought, which mounting spurns This dusky spot, and measures all the sky; Of barren ether, faithful to his time, They see the blazing wonder rise anew, To light up worlds, and feed th' eternal fire. 1720 1725 WITH thee, serene PHILOSOPHY, with thee,' A lustre shedding o'er th' ennobled mind, New to the dawning of celestial day. 1735 Hence thro' her nourish'd powers, enlarg'd by thee, She springs aloft, with elevated pride, Above the tangling mass of low desires, That bind the fluttering crowd; and, angel-wing'd, The heights of science and of virtue gains, Or in the starry regions, or th' abyss, To Reason's and to Fancy's eye display'd: 1740 |