III. I mark'd Ambition in his war-array! I heard the mailed Monarch's troublous cry"Ah! wherefore does the Northern Conqueress stay ? "Groans not her chariot on it's onward way?" Fly, mailed Monarch, fly! Stunn'd by Death's twice mortal mace, No more on Murder's lurid face Th' insatiate hag shall glote with drunken eye! Ye that gasp'd on WARSAW's plain ! Ye that erst at ISMAIL's tower, Mid women's shrieks and infant's screams! Sudden blasts of triumph swelling, Rush around her narrow dwelling! The exterminating fiend is fled (Foul her life, and dark her doom) Mighty armies of the dead, Dance like death-fires round her tomb ! Then with prophetic song relate, Each some tyrant-murderer's fate! T IV. Departing Year! 'twas on no earthly shore Thou storied'st thy sad hours! Silence ensued, Whose locks with wreaths, whose wreaths with glories shone. Then, his eye wild ardours glancing, From the choired Gods advancing, The SPIRIT of the EARTH made reverence meet, V. Throughout the blissful throng, Hush'd were harp and song : Till wheeling round the throne the LAMPADS seven, (The mystic Words of Heaven) Permissive signal make; The fervent Spirit bow'd, then spread his wings and spake! "Thou in stormy blackness throning "Love and uncreated Light, "By the Earth's unsolaced groaning, "Seize thy terrors, Arm of might! "By Peace, with proffer'd insult scar'd, "Masked Hate and envying Scorn! "By Years of Havoc yet unborn! "And Hunger's bosom to the frost-winds bared! "But chief by Afric's wrongs, "Strange, horrible, and foul! " By what deep guilt belongs "To the deaf Synod, full of gifts and lies!' " By Wealth's insensate laugh! by Torture's howl! "Avenger, rise ! "For ever shall the thankless Island scowl, "Her quiver full, and with unbroken bow ? "Speak! from thy storm-black Heaven O speak aloud! "And on the darkling foe "Open thine eye of fire from some uncertain cloud! "O dart the flash! O rise and deal the blow! "The Past to thee, to thee the Future cries! " Hark! how wide Nature joins her groans below! "Rise, God of Nature! rise." VI. The voice had ceased, the vision fled; And ever, when the dream of night (The strife is o'er, the day-light fled, See! the starting wretch's head Lies pillow'd on a brother's corse !) VII. Not yet enslav'd, not wholly vile, (Those grassy hills, those glitt'ring dells Has social Quiet lov'd thy shore; Nor ever proud Invader's rage Or sack'd thy towers, or stain'd thy fields with gore. VIII. Abandon'd of Heaven! mad Avarice thy guide, By livid fount, or red volcanic stream, If ever to her lidless dragon-eyes, O Albion! thy predestin'd ruins rise, The fiend-hag on her perilous couch doth leap, Muttering distemper'd triumph in her charmed sleep. |