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She figh'd ;—and mounting on the glancing ray,
Shot o'er the scene, and fought the climes of day.
Now rouz'd to life th' affembled myriads trod,

No tyrant o'er them shakes th' avenging rod;
'Tis confcience speaks-th', impartial mandate giv'n
Configns to death, or opes the climes of heav'n;
Her looks divine the fever'd thought controul,
Her voice like mufic thrills th' enraptur'd foul.
But fee, where rising, a refplendent throng,
Thy fons, Europa, claim a nobler fong!
Lo! Britain's heroes burst upon the fight,
Each chief who dar'd th' exulting foe to fight!
View the wide fields, where fainting armies bled!
See Blenheims, Creffi's, Agincourts difplay'd!
War, blood, deftruction, triumphs, conquefts rife,
And kings, and patriots blefs th' enraptur'd eyes!
Let Gallia next her num'rous hofts unfold,
The crowds fhe rais'd by force, or won by gold:
Think you beheld th' united armies spread,
And all the crowds Turenne, or Conde led;
By Charles' unguided rage the throng that dy'd;
The millions murder'd for her Bourbon's pride.
Join all at once, or (if thy thoughts can foar
So vast a height) yet add ten thousand more!
Say when thy foul its laft idea brought,
Stretch'd o'er the verge of strong expanded thought;
When all th' unbounded genius foar'd on high,
Did e'er fuch numbers ftrike the wond'ring eye?

So

So vaft, they mock the foul's confounded fight:
Ev'n thought falls back in its unequal flight;
Not tempting hope the mighty depth can sound,
Nor fancy's widening ken can mark the bound.
Yet, mid' the crowd that pour'd o'er all the field,
A crowd which scarce the labouring eye beheld!
Ye monarchs, hear!-this pomp of nations join'd,
These ages, empires, kingdoms, states combin'd,
These boasted thoufands, millions, myriads,-all,
Shrunk to a point unmeasurably small!
Scarce when a group of buzzing flies display
Their forms, that glitter with the glancing ray;
Scarce, lefs observ'd, mid' all the numbers there,
One flitting wing that feebly fans the air!
Eternal God, whose word fupremely wife
Can crush, or people all th' expanded skies!
Who bid'ft creation wait on thy command,
Throw'ft worlds like atoms from thy forming hand!
O! for fome nobler, more exalted lays,

Some heav'nly strains, to speak thy boundless praise
All fancy droops on this transporting scene!

All rapture dull! all elegance is mean!

All thought too faint! all colours cease to glow!
All fire too languid! all fublime too low !

O thou, whose name all nature joins to raise!
What feraph's voice can tell thy wondrous ways!
Who fhow'd (how god-like was th' amazing plan!)
Thy pow'r on angels, but thy love to man!

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Thy pow'r, thy love, when uncontroul'd and free,

Crufh'd all their hofts, O man! and ranfom'd thee. But ftay, my mufe, be filent and admire;

This lofty theme exceeds angelic fire!

Mark what new fcene thy rapid glance defcrys!

What fudden radiance flashes o'er the fkies!
From heav'n's vaft heights th' immortal throng defcend;
The worlds below in mute fufpenfe attend:
Thro' all its tracts thy mighty theme purfue,

And paint the scenes that burst on thy view.
Now, touch'd with grief, the penfive guide furvey'd,
Whate'er of grand this awful pomp display'd;
Then rais'd in filent woe his mournful eyes,
And paus'd, till thus with intermingling fighs :
"Say where, vain mortal! now the pomp of state?
"The pride of kings, the triumphs of the great?
Where now the imbattled hoft, the whirling car?
"Where the proud fpoils of defolating war?

Hope's flatt'ring wish, ambition's tow'ring aim? "The boaft of grandeur, and the wreaths of fame ? "Where the gay plan by fancy's hand refin'd, "That fmil'd illufive on th' enchanted mind? "Ah! view'd no more, these beauteous traits decay, "Like ftars that fade before the rifing day! "Lefs fwift the gale that skims the ruffling ftream, "Nor flies more quick the visionary dream. "Hail, heav'nly piety, fupremely fair!

Whose smiles can calm the horrors of despair;

"Bid in each breast unusual transports flow,

"And wipe the tears that ftain the cheek of woe: "How bleft the man who leaves each meaner fcene, "Like thee, exalted, fmiling, and ferene! "Whose rifing foul pursues a nobler flight; "Whose bosom melts with more refin❜d delight; "Whose thoughts, elate with transports all fublime, "Can foar at once beyond the views of time: "Till loos'd from earth, as angels unconfin'd, "He flies aërial on the darting wind; "Free as the keen ey'd eagle, bears away, "And mounts the regions of eternal day.”

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