Classic Poem

XXI.

But a long length of comfortable ease
Relax'd the nobler virtues' vigorous tone;
And each subdu'd sunk down by slow degrees,
Till unawares the powers of all were gone.
And tawdry affectation shameless shone,
And Pride presumptuous ruled the evil hour,
And Discontent set up her hideous groan,
While Misery's gathering clouds began to lower,
And Avarice over all assumed a boundless power.

XXII.

Then house was heap'd on house, and field to field,
By every art with care unceasing join'd;
And all of strange, that different climates yield,
In gorgeous robes and luscious draughts combin'd.
And Idleness, on splendid couch reclin'd,
Doz'd to the lyre, or drain'd the genial bowl,
Careless, though rising awful on the wind,
Already with the rain of judgment foul,
Th' oppressor's clamorous cry, the poor man's wailings roll!

XXIII.

Prophets might threaten, Avarice is deaf,
And to the future Pleasure still is blind;
In ruder wrong alone that sought relief,
And peace in deeper draughts this hoped to find
Till overgrown Profanity, unrein'd,
O'er high and low with lawless license rode;
And bursting Ruin's thunderbolt behind
Burnt up entire their idolized abode!
Which smokes, and still they flee before th' avenging God!

XXIV.

Or why my unambitious lay prolong
To tell of Greece, of Carthage, and of Rome?
Of Greece the lively land of dance and song,
Of cloudless skies, and fields of brightest bloom:
But fallen, beneath the Tyrant's blasting doom,
Suns shine, winds breathe, and showers distil in vain!
What are the honey'd dews, the high perfume,
Hymettus yields, and Tempe's breathing plain,
To him who hopeless writhes in slavery's galling chain?

XXV.

Of Carthage, whose right hand was in the sea
While, bold, her left on lofty Atlas spread,
With generous heat, and active industry,
And plenty's bloom, made sunny Afric glad
Upon the winds whose blazing banner dread,
Stream'd like a meteor big with nations' doom!
And once, by peerless skill and valour led,
With ceaseless burning, threaten'd to consume
The adamantine strength of all-subduing Rome!

XXVI.

Of Rome, whose fire-ey'd eagles on the wind,
From clime to clime with ravening fury flew,
While Robbery howl'd before, and Death behind
O'er all the shadows of oblivion threw.
Yet, could she artful breathe o'er all anew,
Not life's full vigour, nor the flush of health,
But something gorgeous to the transient view
Of casual observation caught by stealth,
Disguis'd the rest of fear — the tinsel glare of wealth.

XXVII.

But all was hollow. Though the skies were bright,
And all life's summits shone with dazzling glow,
The turbid stream of Misery, on the sight
Still deep and dark, for ever toil'd below.
And half suppress'd, the stifled groan of wo
Still rising, painful pierc'd the pensive ear:
And wide-extending, life-consuming, slow,
Inspiring coward shame and trembling fear,
The fires of Slavery shone for ever glimmering drear.

XXVIII.

Why should I tell, how in a length of days,
With all her pillar'd strength, her turrets tall,
Push'd headlong from her broad ambitious base,
She fell, and Earth was shaken by her fall?
Yet firm, as in a band of brass, withal
Immoveable, her iron roots remain'd;
Though chang'd her voice, resistless still, her call
The willing ear of slumb'ring nations gain'd,
While Cruelty and Sloth, and Lust, and Murder reign'd.

XXIX.

Till Learning from her drowsy trance awoke,
And light resistless burst the cloister'd cell,
And, heaven-inspir'd, one mighty spirit broke,
With angel strength, her soul enslaving spell.
Nor will I stay her dark intrigues to tell,
Her ravings wild, her anathemas dire,
Which wicked men took up with frantic yell,
And o'er the nations, with infernal ire,
Pour'd mountain waves of blood, and scatter'd showers of fire!

XXX.

Nor how a Tyrant's appetative mood,
Still unappeas'd, and shifting every hour!
Despis'd, or over-stubbornly withstood,
Set England's blushing Rose beyond her power!
Which, though at times a cloud might darkling lower,
Hath ever since been brightening in its bloom,
And darting deep and wide its roots of power,
Till continents can scantly give it room,
And earth's remotest isles inhale its rich perfume!