Yet part no injuries of heav'n could feel,
Like crystal faithful to the graven stcel:
The rock's high summit, in the temple's shade,
Nor heat could melt, nor beating storm invade.
Their names inscrib'd unnumber'd ages past,
From time's first birth, with time itself shall last;
These ever new, nor subject to decays,
Spread, and grow brighter with the length of days

So Zembla's rocks (the beauteous work of frost)
Rise white in air, and glitter o'er the coast;
Pale suns, unfelt, at distance roll away,
And on the impassive ice the lightnings play;
Eternal snows the growing mass supply,
Till the bright mountains prop th' incumbent sky.
As Atlas fix'd, each hoary pile appears,
The gather'd winter of a thousand years.
On this foundation Fame's high temple stands;
Stupendous pile! not rear'd by mortal hands.
Whate'er proud Rome or Artful Greece beheld,
Or elder Babylon, its frame excell'd.
Four faces had the dome, and every face
Of various structure, but of equal grace:
Four brazen gates, on columns lifted high,
Salute the different quarters of the sky.
Here fabled chiefs, in darker ages born,
Or worthies old, whom arms or arts adorn,
Who cities rais'd, or tam'd a monstrous race,
The walls in venerable order grace :
Heroes in animated marble frown,
And legislators seem to think in stone.

Westward, a sumptuous frontispiece appear'd, On Doric pillars of white marble rear'd, Crown'd with an architrave of antique mould, And sculpture rising on the roughen'd gold. In shaggy spoils here Theseus was beheld, And Perseus dreadful with Minerva's shield: There great Alcides, stooping with his toil, Rests on his club, and holds th' Hesperian spoi!

Here Orpheus sings; trees moving to the sound
Start from their roots, and form a shade around:
Amphion there the loud creating lyre
Strikes, and behoids a sudden Thebes aspire !
Cythæron's echoes answer to his call,
And half the mountain rolls into a wall:
There might you see the lengthening spires ascend,
Thc domes swell up, the widening arches bend,
The growing tow'rs, like exhalations, rise,
And the huge columns heave into the skies.

The eastern front was glorious to behold,
With diamond flaming, and barbaric gold.
There Ninus shone, who spread the Assyrian fame.
And the great founder of the Persian name:
There in long robes the royal magi stand,
Grave Zoroaster waves the circling wand :
The sage Chaldæans rob’d in white appear’d,
And Brachmans, deep in desert woods rever'd.
These stopp'd the moon, and call'd th’unbodied shaden
To midnight banquets in the glimmering glades;
Made visionary fabrics round them rise,
And airy spectres skim before their eyes;
Of talismans and sigils knew the power,
And careful watched the planetary hour.
Superior, and alone, Confucius stood,
Who taught that useful science-to be good.

But on the south, a long majestic race Of Egypt's priests the gilded niches grace, Who measured earth, described the starry spheres, And traced the long records of lunar years. High on his car Sesostris struck my view, Whom scepter'd slaves in golden harness drew: His hands a bow and pointed javelin hold. His giant limbs are arm'd in scales of gold. Between the statues obelisks were placed, And the learn'd walls with hieroglyphics graced

Of Gothic structure was the northern side, O'erwrought with ornaments of barbarous pride.

There huge Colosses rose, with trophies crown'd,
And Runic characters were graved around.
There sat Zamolxis with erected eyes,
And Odin here in mimic trances dies.
There on rude iron columns, smear'd with blood,
The horrid forms of Scythian heroes stood:
Druids and Bards (their once loud harps unstrung)
And youths that died to be by poets sung.
These and a thousand more of doubtful fame,
To whom old fables give a lasting name,
In ranks adorn'd the temple's outward facc;
The wall in lustre and effect like glass,
Which, o'er each object casting various dycs,
Enlarges some, and others multiplies :
Nor void of emblem was the mystic wall,
For thus romantic Fame increases all.

The temple shakes, the sounding gates unfold,
Wide vaults appear, and roofs of fretted gold:
Raised on a thousand pillars wreathed around
With laurel-foliage, and with eagles crown'd:
Of bright transparent beryl were the walls,
The friezes gold, and gold the capitals :
As heaven with stars, the roof with jewels glows,
And ever-living lamps depend in rows.
Full in the passage of each spacicus gate,
The sage historians in white garments wait;
(iraved o'er their seats the form of Time was found,
His scythe reversed, and both his pinions bound.
Within stood heroes, who through loud alarms
In bloody fields pursued renown in arms.
High on a throne with trophies charged I view'd
Che youth that all things but himself subducd;
His feet on sceptres and tiaras trod,
And his horn'd head belied the Lybian god.
There Cæsar, graced with both Minervas, shono;
Cæsar, the world's great master, and his own
Unmoved, superior still in every state,
And scarce detested in his country's fate.

But chief were those, who not for empire fought, Rut with their toils their people's safety bought:

h o'er the rest Epaminondas stood; umoleon, glorious in his brother's blood; Bola Scipio, saviour of the Roman state; Great in his triumphs, in retirement great; And wise Aurelius, in whose well-taught mind With boundless power unbounded virtue join'd, His own strict judge, and patron of mankind.

Much-suffering heroes next their honours claim, Those of less noisy, and less guilty fame, Fair virtue's silent train : supreme of these Here ever shines the godlike Socrates; He whom ungrateful Athens could expel, At all times just, but when he sign'd the shell: Here his abode the martyr'd Phocion claims, With Agis, not the last of Spartan names: Unconquer'd Cato shows the wound he tore, And Brutus his ill genius meets no more.

But in the centre of the hallow'd choir, Six pompous columns o'er the rest aspire; Around the shrine itself of Fame they stand, Hold the chief honours, and the fane command High on the first, the mighty Homer shone; Eternal adamant composed his throne; Father of verse! in holy fillets dress'd, His silver beard waved gently o'er his breast; Though blind, a boldness in his looks appears, In years he seem'd, but not impair'd by years. The wars of Troy were round the pillar seen; Here fierce Tydides wounds the Cyprian qucen; Here Hector glorious from Patroclus' fall, Here dragg'd in triumph round the Trojan wall. Motion and life did every part inspire, Bold was the work, and proved the master's fire; A strong expression most he seem'd t’ affect, And here and there disclosed a brave neglect.

A golden column next in rank appear'd, On which a shrine of purest gold was rear'd; Finish'd the whole, and labour'd every part, With patient touches of unwearied art; The Mantuan there in sober triumph sate, Composed his posture, and his look sedate; On Homer still he fix'd a reverent eye, Great without pride, in modest majesty. In living sculpture on the sides were spread The Latian wars, and haughty Turnus dead; Eliza stretch'd upon the funeral pyre; Æneas bending with his aged sire; Troy, flamed in burning gold, and o'er the throne *Arms and the man'in golden cyphers shone.

Four swans sustain a car of silver bright, With heads advanced, and pinions stretch'd for flig Here, like some furious prophet, Pindar rode, And seem'd to labour with the inspiring god. Across the harp a careless hand he flings, And boldly sinks into the sounding strings. The figured games of Greece the column grace, Neptune and Jove survey the rapid race. The youths hang o'er their chariots as they run; The fiery steeds seem starting from the stone: The champions in distorted postures threat; And all appear'd irregularly great.

llere happy Horace tuned the Ausonian lyre To sweeter sounds, and temper’d Pindar's fire; Pleased with Alcæus' manly rage to infuse The softer spirit of the Sapphic muse. The polish d pillar different sculptures grace; A work outlasting monumental brass. Here smiling loves and Bacchanals appear, The Julian star and great Augustus here. The doves that round the infant poet spread Myrtles and bays, hung hovering o'er his head

Here, in a shrine that cast a dazzling light, Sate fix'd in thought the mighty Stagyrite: