Classic Poem

Of wasteful havoc and destructive fate
I sing the tragic scene, a mournful tale!
Yet call no slaughtering hero to my aid,
To strew my bloodless verse with mangled foes,
A torrent spilt, but not of human gore,
Ruin deform'd, but not of man erect.
O heaven-born Muse! (for Muse I must invoke
Or mistress fair, for fashion or for need)
Deign to describe the memorable Fall
Of Chloc's Jordan; so by mortals nam'd
The vessel was, howe'er uncouth the sound,
But veil'd by modest maids in gentler terms:
Like Rome, the mistress of the world, it fell,
From its own greatness only not secure.
Say first, what colours stain'd its vaulted sides,
Lest harmless bards mistake the' important truth,
And speak as fancy leads or rhyme directs;
And he that terms it white as silver swans
And spotless innocence, and new-fall'n snow,
That spreads its plumes on Atlas' bleaky head,
Shall suffer blemish in the wrong compare.
Another humorous sports and jeers its hue
Earthly and coarse, of substance indigest.
How oft are men by devious error led
To wander various, wide alike from truth!
A sickly pale languish'd on the' inner round,
Such as betrays the want of love-sick maids;
Foe to the rosy cheek and coral lip,
But flies the lusty touch of warmer man,
And beauty reassumes its native seat.
Smooth were its sides, but from the bottom rose
A manly head emboss'd, for hero meant
No question, fam'd for arms and antique stem:
Such honours the well-meaning vulgar pay
TOfame of gallant men, and waste their skill
On high-hung signs, and earth of homely hue.
What blushes did the virile image cost
The harmless maid! fearful lest so employ'd
The amorous stone should soften into life,
As erst Pygmalion's marble mistress chang'd
Her Parian substance, by less motive sway'd.
Without, the cerulous dye bestrew'd the urn,
And on the swelling surface, Flora's pride,
The lily and the gaudy tulip smil'd,
Fed with the briny nectar it contain'd
One handle held the vessel, arch'd and smooth,
But for its weighty office far unfit:
Here weakness lurk'd in comely form disguis'd,
Hence the sad source and root of all our woe:
Imprudent man too often trusts his fate
To one smooth friend, who shrinks when nearly tried.
The unsuspecting fair-one never fail'd
At morn and eve to dew its spacious womb,
At morn her first, at eve her latest act.
How often has it flow'd with maiden streams
Fam'd for rare virtues, and but seldom found?
'Twas with this magic stream Diana spread
The branchy horns on bold Acteon's brow;
The well e'er since a secret power retains
On human foreheads antlers to convey.
'Twas now the heavy period fix'd by Fate
Hasten'd apace, with evil mischief fraught.
'Tis true no comet stream'd terrific blaze,
Nor thunder-crack sinistrous roar'd aloud;
Not but a crazy sound gave certain proof
Of hidden crack, foreboding wider wounds,
Yet 'scap'd suspicion. Foresight ever fails
When unavoided ruin is decreed.
The feeble Sun, array'd with lifeless flames,
Inn'd at the bearded Goat, and drove his car
Extinguish'd heavy half the tour of heav'n,
And winter, keen of breath, blew shivering cold
Around the globe and hid the voluble streams:
Some to the chimney's warm protection fly,
And fright the sooty earth with sooty tale
Of sprite nocturnal or adventrous knight;
Some bid defiance to the' inclement air,
Fir'd with the juicy flame of old Falern.
Amidst a jovial crew fair Chloe quaff'd
With loud carouse, till sated nature crav'd
Timely relax, distent with liquid pain.
Alone she lifts the Jordan to her aid,
And straight a hideous din 'gan roar aloud;
Wave dash'd on wave, deluge on deluge roll'd,
And curl'd the circling eddy to the brim.
Whole cataracts at once discharg'd fell down
With violent gush, and drove the deep cascade,
Till weary of its load the labouring urn
Flew from its hold: a horrid burst ensues,
And mangled limbs bestrew the bruised floor:
Not louder roars the three-edg'd bolt of heav'n
When form'd by Vulcan, or when thrown by Jove.
Forth from the hideous shreds a tepid sea
Rolls angry foam, and smokes along the plain:
Part of the stream with slow and silent pace
Sunk unobserv'd, in narrow crannies lost,
Part murmurs crowding at the portal wide
Which opes the mazy way that winding leads
To the' ancient race of earth: protected mice,
The race exiguous, uninur'd to wet,
Their mansions quit, and other countries seek.
Thus fell the Jordan, that had long withstood,
Firm and resolv'd, the shock of mighty waves,
Which lost their strength and dash'd her shores in vain;
Till, at the' approach of one impetuous tide,
Fate took the' occasion and confirm'd its doom.
So the fam'd Edistone near Plymouth Fort
(Sure mark to wandering ships and lost at night)
Contemn'd the billows tumbling round its sides
And mock'd their sports, till on a fatal night
The wind blew loud, the' enraged ocean roar'd,
And plung'd the Pharos in the vast abyss.