For, clear precifion all, the tongue of gods,
Is harmony itself; to every ear
Familiar known, like light to every eye.
Meantime difclofing ages, as the fpoke,
In long fucceffion pour'd their empires forth;
Scene after scene, the human drama spread;
And still th' embodied picture rofe to fight.

385

Oh Thou, to whom the Muses owe their flame; 390 Who bid'ft, beneath the pole, Parnaffus rise, And Hippocrenè flow; with thy bold ease,

The striking force, the lightning of thy thought,

And thy ftrong phrase, that rolls profound, and clear;
Oh, gracious Goddess! re-inspire my fong;

While I, to nobler than poetic fame
Afpiring, thy commands to Britons bear.

395

NOTES

NOTES on the preceding Poem.

Ver. 83. L. J. Brutus, and Virginius.

Ver. 247. M. Angelo Buonaroti, Palladio, and Raphael d'Urbino; the three great modern masters in fculpture, architecture, and painting.

Ver. 273. Tufculum is reckoned to have stood at a place now called Grotta Ferrata, a convent of monks. Ver. 276. The bay of Mola (anciently Formia) into which Homer brings Ulyffes, and his companions. Near Formiæ Cicero had a villa.

Ver. 284. Naples then under the Austrian govern

ment.

Ver. 288. Campagna Felice, adjoining to Capua.

Ver. 290. The coaft of Baix, which was formerly adorned with the works mentioned in the following lines; and where, amidst many magnificent ruins, those of a temple erected to Venus are still to be seen.

Ver. 303. All along this coaft the ancient Romans had their winter retreats; and feveral populous cities food.

GREECE.

The CONTENTS of PART II.

Liberty traced from the pastoral ages, and the first uniting of neighbouring families into civil government; to ver. 47. The feveral establishments of Liberty, in Egypt, Perfia, Phoenicia, Paleftine, flightly touched upon, down to her great establishment in Greece; to ver. 91. Geographical defcription of Greece; to ver. 113. Sparta and Athens, the two principal ftates of Greece, defcribed; to ver. 164. Influence of Liberty over all the Grecian fates; with regard to their government, their po litenefs, their virtues, their arts and fciences. The vaft fuperiority it gave them, in point of force and bravery, over the Perfians, exemplified by the action of Thermopylæ, the battle of Marathon, and the retreat of the ten thoufand. Its full exertion, and most beautiful effects in Athens; to ver. 216. Liberty the fource of free philofophy. The various schools, which took their rife from Socrates; to ver. 257. Enumeration of fine arts: eloquence, poctry, mufic, fculpture, painting, and architecture; the effects of Liberty in Greece, and brought to their utmost perfection there; to ver. 381. Tranfition to the modern ftate of Greece; to ver. 411. Why Liberty declined, and was at laft entirely loft among the Greeks; to ver. 472. Concluding reflection.