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"And bursting vapours ftruggling for a vent, "Blaze in the upper and the nether sky?

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XLIX.

194

Or what if heav'n's high pow'r in vengeance rise, To hurl thefe bolts that fet the skies on fire? "What if th' Almighty Mind these strokes devise, "And groaning nations in the shock expire ?

L.

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"Think'st thou not Virtue can maintain her seat, Offspring belov'd of heav'n's eternal King? "Think it thou fuch fhocks can reach her bleft retreat, **Shelter'd behind the cherub Mercy's wing.

LI.

"No! let the coward guilty only fear,

200

"Whose conscious hearts reproach them from within;

"It is their place alone to tremble here,

"Who fink opprefs'd beneath a load of fin.

"Believe me,

LII.

Goltho, not the roaring war

Of yonder fiery cope, tho' mov'd etern',

"Can with the dreadful paffions ere compare, "That raging in unhallow'd bofoms burn.

LIH.

"For thefe all in their place the lot fulfil,

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"Which Heav'n to each most wifely hath affign'd, "Whilft those tempestuous passions thwart the will, "And cross the mandates of th' Almighty Mind."212

LIV.

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Touch'd with the words of one fo wife and young,
Regardless of the ftorm brave Goltho walks,
Hangs on the accents falling from his tongue, 215
And ev'n when filent thinks that still he talks.

LV.

But now two paths full op'ning to the view,
To right and left, perplex'd the trav`llers stand,
Nor know which road to leave nor which pursue,
Alike they doubt to turn to either hand.

LVI.

One track led winding down a shelving dale,
All arch'd with bending branches overhead,
The other op'ning to the northern gale,

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Wide and more wide its greenwood carpet spread.

LVII.

Goltho and Sigebert now first defcend

The darkling dell, and its recefs explore,

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Whilst where the wid'ning shades more free extend, ·
With prudent step advanc'd brave Ulfinore."

LVÍN.

This done, they all appointed to return

To that fame place where both the ways did meet,
And Ulfinore, who early did difcern

The open plain, turn'd back, his friend to greet.

LIX.

But when the spot he gain'd, in vain he fought
Thofe friends, for whom awhile he patient waits

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Revolving over in his anxious thought

The various perils of uncertain fates.

LX.

235

But, tir'd at length, he down the darkling dale Moves with foft pace, and prudent eye afkance, Meas'ring the track where scoops the hollow vale, And his firm steps fupporting on his lance.

LXI.

So fteers fome veffel thro' the boiling deep,

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While rocks, and fhoals, and quickfands are in view, Such cautious watch the fteady pilots keep,

And guide what course to shun and what pursue;

LXII.

And ever and anon the boist'rous surge,

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That fwells to meet them, carefully avoid,

Then with quick helm the answering veffel urge
To fhun its rage on other billows buoy'd.

LXIII.

And now had Ulfinore, with weary pace,

Trac'd many a rood of that fame winding way, 250

Exploring as he went each fecret place,

Each dell, impervious e'en to brightest day.

LXIV.

At length, emerging from the op'ning glade,
He reach'd the margin of a rifing hill,

Whofe verdant top was crown'd with leafy shade,

And at its foot there ran a murm'ring rill.

256

LXV.

The winds were hush'd, and the loud thunder's roar
In feeble distant mutt'rings dy'd away,

The livid lightnings flashing now no more,
And night retir'd, pierc'd by Aurora's ray.

LXVI.

On the hill-top the gray dawn refted high,
Which many a wreath of purple did adorn,
Sol's floping beams shot upward to the sky,
And the lark fang, the herald of the morn.
LXVII.

260

Glad Earth reviv'd, and o'er her face was fpread 265
The cheerful mantle of reviving green;

The leafy trees, each from his lofty head,
Distill'd big drops, which glitt'ring fell fcrene.

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270

Nature rejoie'd; but ftill with downcast eye,
And heavy heart, foreboding future wo,
The prudent youth heaves fast the mournful figh,
While half fupprefs'd the bursting sorrows flow.
›› LXIX.

Goltho he calls; his manly voice he rears,

Oft' to its pitch, which hill and dale rebound,
The much-lov'd'name each grot and cavern hears,
And Goltho echoes thro' the fylvan bound.

LXX.

But Goltho hears not, distant from his friend, la evil plight he counts the lonely hours,

276

Doom'd long his fate uncertain to attend,
Coop'd in the durefs of unfriendly tow'rs.

LXXI.

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Far had he ftray'd adown the winding track,
Refolv'd fome outlet from its maze to find,
Then mounts the hill, but hafty turning back,
He faw furpris'd an armed band behind.

LXXII.

These by the bloody Borgio's captains led,
Rufh'd bold and fudden from the op'ning glade;

And now fo well their evil bus'nefs fped,

The youths must perish, or be captive made.

LXXIII.

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And they had perish'd, while with desp❜rate force They ftrove to penetrate the thick-rank'd foe, 290 But that they funk beneath the trampling horse, And thus were taken ev'n without a blow.

LXXIV.

These to the Brescian camp the chiefs convey'd,
Refolv'd to keep them as a pledge fecure,

Where they in heavy chains were instant laid, 295
And must long pain and tedious bonds endure.

LXXV.

But turn we now where Aribert awaits
Th' uncertain iffue of disastrous war,

And in Verona's tow'rs th' affembled ftates

Debating fage with fenatorial care.

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