S this Part contains a defcription of the eftablishment
of LIBERTY in ROME, it begins with a view
of the Grecian colonies fettled in the fouthern parts of
Italy, which with Sicily conftituted the Great Greece of
the Antients. With thefe colonies the Spirit of LIBERTY,
and of Republics, Spreads over Italy; to Ver. 32.
Transition to PYTHAGORAS and his philofophy, which
be taught thro' th fe free fiates and cities; to Ver. 71.
Amidst the many jmall Republics in Italy, ROME the
deftined feat of LIBERTY. Her eftablishment there dated
from the expulfion of the Tarquins. How differing from
that in GREECE to Ver. 88. Reference to a view of
the ROMAN REPUBLIC given in the First Part of this
Poem to mark its Rife and Fall the peculiar purport of
This. During its first ages, the greatest force of Li-
BERTY, and Virtue, exerted; to Ver. 103. The
Source whence derived the Heroic Virtues of the Ro-
MANS. Enumeration of thefe Virtues. Thence their
fecurity at home; their glory, fuccefs, and empire,
abroad; to Ver. 226. Bounds of the Roman empire
geographically defcribed; to Ver. 257. The flates of
GREECE reftored to LIBERTY, by TITUS QUINTUS
FLAMINIUS, the highest inftance of public generofity and
beneficence; to Ver. 328. The lofs of LIBERTY in
ROME. Its caufes, progrefs, and completion in the death
of BRUTUS; to Ver. 485. ROME under the emperors;
to Ver. 513. From ROME the GODDESS of LIBERTY
goes among the NORTHERN NATIONS; where, by
infufing into them her Spirit and general principles, SHE
lays the ground-work of her future establishments; fends
them in vengeance on the Roman empire, now totally en-
flaved; and then, with Arts and Sciences in her train,
quits earth during the dark ages; to Ver. 550. The
celeftial regions, to which LIBERTY retired, not proper
to be opened to the view of mortals.
HERE melting mix'd with air th' ideal forms,
painted fill whate'er the GODDESS fung.
Then I, impatient." From extinguish'd GREECE, "To what new region ftream'd the Human Day ?" She foftly fighing, as when Zephir leaves,
Refign'd to Boreas, the declining year,
Refum'd. Indignant, these last scenes I fled;
And long ere then, Leacadia's cloudy cliff,
And the Ceraunian hills behind me thrown,
All LATIUM ftood arous'd. Ages before,
Great mother of republics! GREECE had pour'd,
Swarm after swarm, her ardent youth around.
On Afia, Afric, Sicily, they ftoop'd,
But chief on fair HESPERIA's winding shore;
* The laft ftruggles of Liberty in GREECE.
Where, from* Lacinium to Etrurian vales,
They roll'd increafing colonies along,
And lent materials for my ROMAN REIGN.
With them my Spirit spread; and numerous states,
And cities rose, on Grecian models form'd;
A's its parental policy, and arts,
Each had imbib'd. Befides, to each affign'd
A Guardian Genius, o'er the public weal,
Kept an unclofing eye; try'd to sustain;
Or more fublime, the foul infus'd by Mɛ :
And strong the battle rofe, with various wave,
Against the Tyrant Demons of the land.
Thus they their little wars and triumphs knew ;
Their flows of fortune, and receding times,
But almost all below the proud regard
Of story vow'd to ROME, on deeds intent
That Truth beyond the flight of Fable bore.
NOT fo the+SAMIAN SAGE; to him belongs
The brightest witnefs of recording Fame.
For these free states his native § isle forfook,
And a vain tyrant's tranfitory fmile,
He fought Crotona's pure falubrious air,
And thro' Great Greece his gentle wisdom taught;
A promontory in Calabria.
PYTHAGORAS.
§ Samos, over which then reigned the tyrant POLYCRATES. The fouthern parts of Italy and Sicily, fo called becaufe of the Grecian colonies there fettled.
listening years the mind,
Wisdom that calm'd for
Nor ever heard amid the ftorm of zeal.
His mental eye first launch'd into the deeps
Of boundless æther; where unnumber'd orbs,
Myriads on myriads, thro' the pathless sky
Unerring roll, and wind their steady way.
There he the full confenting choir beheld;
There first difcern'd the secret band of love,
The kind attraction, that to central funs
Binds circling earths, and world with world unites.
Inftructed thence, he great ideas form'd
Of the whole-moving, all-informing GOD,
The Sun of beings! beaming unconfin'd
Light, life, and love, and ever-active power :
Whom nought can image, and who best approves
The filent worship of the moral heart,
That joys in bounteous heaven, and spreads the joy.
Nor fcorn'd the foaring fage to loop to life,
And bound his reason to the sphere of Man.
He gave the four yet † reigning virtues name ;
Infpir'd the ftudy of the finer arts,
That civilize mankind, and laws devis'd
Where with enlighten'd juftice mercy mix'd.
He even, into his tender fyftem, took
Whatever shares the brotherhood of life:
He taught that life's indiffoluble flame,
From brute to man, and man to brute again,
* His scholars were enjoined filence for five years.
The four cardinal virtues.
For ever fhifting, runs th' eternal round ;
Thence try'd against the blood-polluted meal,
And limbs yet quivering with fome kindred foul,
To turn the human heart. Delightful truth!
Had he beheld the living chain afcend,
And not a circling Form but rifing Whole.
AMID these small republics one arose, On yellow Tyber's bank, almighty ROME, Fated for ME. A nobler spirit warm'd
Her fons; and, rous'd by tyrants, nobler ftill
It burn'd in BRUTUS; the proud Tarquins chas'd, 75
With all their crimes; bade radiant æras rise,
And the long honours of the Conful-Line.
HERE from the fairer, not the greater, plan
Of GREECE I vary'd; whofe unmixing states,
By the keen foul of emulation pierc'd,
Long wage'd alone the bloodless war of arts,
And their best empire gain'd. But to diffufe
O'er Men an empire was my purpose now :
To let my martial Majefty abroad;
Into the vortex of one State to draw
The whole mix'd Force, and Liberty, on earth;
To conquer Tyrants, and set Nations free.
ALREADY have I given, with flying touch,
A broken view of this my ampleft reign.
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