Had from its scabbard sprung; but toward the seat Of the arch-fiend all turned with one accord, As loud he thus harangued the sanguinary horde. "Ye powers of Hell, I am no coward. I proved this of old: who led your forces against the armies of Jehovah? Who coped with Ithuriel and the thunders of the Almighty? Who, when stunned and confused ye lay on the burning lake, who first awoke, and collected your scattered powers? Lastly, who led you across the unfathomable abyss to this delightful world, and established that reign here which now totters to its base? How, therefore, dares yon treacherous fiend to cast a stain on Satan's bravery? he who preys only on the defenceless — who sucks the blood of infants, and delights only in acts of ignoble cruelty and unequal contention. Away with the boaster who never joins in action, but, like a cormorant, hovers over the field, to feed upon the wounded, and overwhelm the dying. True bravery is as remote from rashness as from hesitation; let us counsel coolly, but let us execute our counselled purposes determinately. In power we have learned, by that experiment which lost us Heaven, that we are inferior to the Thunder-bearer: -In subtlety, in subtlety alone we are his equals. Open war is impossible. "Thus we shall pierce our conqueror through the race Which as himself he loves; thus if we fall, We fall not with the anguish, the disgrace, Of falling unrevenged. The stirring call Of vengeance rings within me! Warriors all, The word is vengeance, and the spur despair. Away with coward wiles! — Death's coal-black pall Be now our standard! - Be our torch the glare Of cities fired! our fifes, the shrieks that fill the air!” Him answering rose Mecashphim, who of old, And cinnamon unheaped the sacred pyre, And nightly magi watched the everlasting fire. He waved his robe of flame, he crossed his breast, And sighing his papyrus scarf surveyed, Woven with dark characters, then thus addressed The troubled council. I. Thus far have I pursued my solemn theme The lyre which I in early days have strung: And now my spirit's faint, and I have hung The shell, that solaced me in saddest hour, On the dark cypress! and the strings which rung With Jesus' praise, their harpings now are o'er, Or, when the breeze comes by, moan and are heard no more. II. And must the harp of Judah sleep again? Thou who dost listen when the humble pray, One little space prolong my mournful day! One little lapse suspend Thy last decree! I am a youthful traveller in the way, And this slight boon would consecrate to Thee, Ere I with Death shake hands, and smile that I am free. These last two stanzas were discovered by Southey written on the leaf of a different book, and apparently long after the first canto. LINES WRITTEN ON A SURVEY OF THE HEAVENS, IN THE MORNING BEFORE DAYBREAK. YE many twinkling stars, who yet do hold Of night's dominions! Planets, and central orbs Of boundless space, above the rolling spheres The angelic hosts, in their inferior heaven, Roll o'er the air serene- - The Eolian spheres, Harping along their viewless boundaries, Catch the full note, and cry, “The Lord is great," From orb to orb, to the remotest verge Oh! 'tis this heavenly harmony which now Oh! what is man, when at ambition's height! What even are kings, when balanced in the scale Of these stupendous worlds! Almighty God! Thou, the dread author of these wondrous works! Say, canst thou cast on me, poor passing worm, One look of kind benevolence? - Thou canst: For Thou art full of universal love, And in thy boundless goodness wilt impart Oh! when reflecting on these truths sublime, The gauds, and honours of the world appear! page, The schoolman's labour'd page, have I employed |