For thee the fates, feverely kind, ordain A cool fufpenfe from pleasure and from pain; Thy life a long dead calm of fix'd repofe; No pulfe that riots, and no blood that glows. Still as the feas, e'er winds were taught to blow, Or moving spirit bade the waters flow; Soft as the flumbers of a faint forgiven, And mild as opening gleams of promis'd heaven. Come, Abelard! for what haft thou to dread? The torch of Venus burns not for the dead. Nature stands check'd; religion disapproves; Ev'n thou art cold-yet Eloifa loves. Ah, hopeless, lafting flames! like thofe that burn To light the dead, and warm th' unfruitful urn. What fcenes appear where'er I turn my view! The dear ideas, where I fly, pursue, Rife in the grove, before the altar rise, Stain all my foul, and wanton in my eyes. I waste the matin lamp in fighs for thee, Thy image feals between my God and me, Thy voice I feem in every hymn to hear, With every bead I drop too foft a tear. When from the cenfer clouds of fragrance roll, And fwelling organs lift the rifing foul, One thought of thee puts all the pomp to flight, Priefts, tapers, temples, fwim before my fight: In feas of flame my plunging foul is drown'd, While altars blaze, and angels tremble round.

While proftrate here in humble grief I lie, Kind, virtuous drops juft gathering in my eye, While, praying, trembling, in the dust I roll, And dawning grace is opening on my foul: Come, if thou dar'ft, all charming as thou art! Oppofe thyself to heaven; difpute my heart; Come, with one glance of thofe deluding eyes Blot out each bright idea of the skies; [tears; Take back that grace, thofe forrows, and thofe Take back my fruitlefs penitence and prayers; Snatch me, juft mounting, from the bleft abode; Aflift the fiends, and tear me from my God!

No, fly me, fly mc, far as pole from pole;
Rife Alps between us and whole oceans roll!
Ah, come not, write not, think not once of me,
Nor fhare one pang of all I felt for thee.
Thy oaths I quit, thy memory refign;
Forget, renounce me, hate whate'er was mine.
Fair eyes, and tempting looks (which yet I view!)
Long lov'd, ador'd ideas, all adieu!

O, grace ferene! O virtue heavenly fair!
Divine oblivion of low-thoughted care!
Fresh-blooming hope, gay daughter of the sky!
And faith, our early immortality!
Enter, each mild, each amicable gueft;
Receive and wrap me in eternal rest!

See in her cell fad Eloifa fpread,
Propt on fome tonib, a neighbour of the dead.
In each low wind methinks a fpirit calls,
And more than echoes talk along the walls.
Here, as I watch'd the dying lamp around,
From yonder thrine I heard a hollow found.

"Come, fifter, come !" (it faid, or feem'd to say) "Thy place is here, fad fifter, come away! "Once like thyfelf, I trembled, wept, and pray'd, "Love's victim then, though now a fainted maid: "But all is calm in this eternal fleep;

"Here grief forgets to groan, and love to weep: "Ev'n fuperftition lofes every fear;

"For God, not man, abfolves our frailties here."
I come, I come! prepare your rofeate bowers,
Celestial palms, and ever-blooming flo ers.
Thither, where finners may have reft, I go,
Where flames refin'd in breafts feraphic glow:
Thou, Abelard! the last fad office pay,
And fmooth my paffage to the realms of day;
See my lips tremble, and my eye-balls roll,
Suck my last breath, and catch my Aying foul!
Ah, no-in facred vestments mayst thou stand,
The hallow'd taper trembling in thy hand,
Prefent the crofs before my lifted eye,
Teach me at once, and learn of me to die.
Ah then, thy once-lov'd Eloifa fee!
It will be then no crime to gaze on me.
See from my cheek the tranfient roses fly!
See the laft fparkle languish in my eye!
Till every motion, pulfe, and breath be o'er ;
And ev❜n my Abelard be lov'd no more.
O, death all cloquent! you only prove
What duft we doat on, when 'tis man we love.

Then too, when fate fhall thy fair frame destroy, (That caufe of all my guilt, and all my joy), In trance ecftatic may the pangs be drown'd, Bright clouds defcend, and angels watch thee round,

From opening fkies may freaming glories fhine, And faints embrace thee with a love like mine!

May one kind grave unite each hapless name, And graft my love immortal on thy fame! Then, ages hence, when all my woes are o'er, When this rebellious heart fhall beat no more; If ever chance two wandering lovers brings To Paraclete's white walls and filver springs, O'er the pale marble fhall they join their heads, And drink the falling tears each other sheds; Then fadly fay, with mutual pity mov'd,

O, may we never love as thefe have lov'd!" From the full choir, when loud hofannahs rife, And fwell the pomp of dreadful facrifice, Amid that scene of fome relenting eye Glance on the ftone where our cold relics lie, Devotion's felf fhall fteal a thought from heaven, One human tear fhall drop, and be forgiven. And fure if fate fome future bard shall join In fad fimilitude of griefs to mine, Condemn'd whole years in abfence to deplore, And image charms he must behold no more; Such if there be, who loves fo long, fo well; Let him our fad, our tender flory tell! The well-fung woes will foothe my pensive ghoft; He beft can paint them who shall feel them moft.

20

In air felf-balanc'd hung the globe below,
Where mountains rife, and circling oceans flow,
Here naked rocks, and empty waftes were feen;
There towery cities, and the forefts green :
Here failing fhips delight the wandering eyes;
There trees and intermingled temples rife :
Now a clear fun the fhining scene difplays;
The tranfient landscape now in clouds decays.
O'er the wide profpect as I gaz'd around,
Sudden I heard a wild promifcuous found,
Like broken thunders that at distance roar,
Or billows murmuring on the hollow shore:
Then gazing up, a glorious pile beheld,
Whofe towering fummit ambient clouds conceal'd,
High on a rock of ice the structure lay,
Steep its afcent, and flippery was the way;
The wonderous rock like Parian marble fhone,
And feem'd, to distant fight, of solid stone.
Infcriptions here of various names I view'd,
The greater part by hoftile time fubdu'd ;
Yet wide was fpread their fame in ages paft;
And poets once had promis'd they fhould laft.
Some fresh engrav'd appear'd of wits renown'd;
I look'd again, nor could their trace be found.
Critics I faw, that other names deface,

And fix their own, with labour, in their place :
Their own, like others, foon their place refign'd,
Or disappear'd, and left the first behind.
Nor was the work impair'd by storms alone,
But felt th' approaches of too warm a fun;

IMITATIONS.

Now valeis, and now foreftes, And now unneth great bestes,

Now rivers, now citees,

Now towns, now great trees,

Now fhippes fayling in the fee.

30

For Fame, impatient of extremes, decays
Not more by envy, than excess of praife.
Yet part no injuries of heaven could feel,
Like crystal faithful to the graving steel:
The rock's high fummit, in the temple's fhade,
Nor heat could melt, nor beating ftorm invade.
Their names infcrib'd unnumber'd ages paft
From time's first birth, with time itself fhall laft; 50
These ever new, nor fubject to decays,

Spread, and grow brighter with the length of days.

60

So Zembla's rocks (the beauteous work of froft) Rife white in air, and glitter o'er the coast; Pale funs, unfelt, at distance roll away, And on th' impaffive ice the lightnings play; Eternal fnows the growing mafs fupply, 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 ftructure, 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 legiflators seem to think in stone.

Weftward, a fumptuous frontispiece appear'd, On Doric pillars of white marble rear'd, Crown'd with an architrave of antique mold, And fculpture rifing on the roughen'd gold. In fhaggy fpoils here Thefeus was beheld,

70

third book of Fame.

It ftood upon fo high a rock,
Higher standeth none in Spayne-
What manner stone this rock was,
For it was like a lymed glass,
But that it fhone full more clere ;
But of what congeled matere
It was, I nifte redily;
But at the last efpied I,
And found that it was every dele,
A rock of ice, and not of ftele.
Ver. 31. Infcriptions here, &c.]

Though faw I all the hill y-grave
With famous folkes names fele,
That had been in much wele
And her fames wide y-blow;
But well unneth might I know,
Any letters for to rede
Their names by, for out of drede
They weren almost off-thawen so,
That of the letters one or two
Were molte away of every name,
So unfamous was woxe her fame;
But men faid what may ever laft?
Ver. 41. Nor was the work impair'd, &c.]
Though gạn I in myne harte cast,

There great Alcides, ftooping with his toi!,
Refts on his club, and holds th' Hefperian spoil:
Here Orpheus fings; trees moving to the found
Start from their roots, and form a fhade around;
Amphion there the loud creating lyre
Strikes, and behold a fudden Thebes afpire!

IMITATIONS.

That they were molte away for heate, And not away with ftormes beate. Ver. 45. Yet part no injuries, &c]

For on that other fide I fey
Of that hill which northward ley,
How it was written full of names
Of folke, that had afore great fames,
Of old time, and yet they were

As fresh as men had written hem there
That felf day, or that houre

That I on hem gan to poure;
But well I wifte what it made;
It was conferved with the fhade
(All the writing that I fye)
Of the caftle that stoode on high,
And stood eke in fo cold a place,
That heat might is not deface.

Cytheron's echoes answer to his call,
And half the mountain rolls into a wall:
There might you fee the lengthening fpires afcend,
The domes fwell up the widening arches bend, 90
The growing towers like exhalations rife,
And the huge columns heave into the skies.
The eastern front was glorious to behold,
With diamond flaming, and Barbaric gold.
There Ninus fhone, who fpread th' Affyrian fame,
And the great founder of the Persian name :
There in long robes the royal Magi stand,
Grave Zoroafter waves the circling wand:
The fage Chaldeans rob'd in white appear'd,
And Brachmans, deep in defert woods rever'd. 100
Thefe flopp'd the moon, and call'd th' unbody'd
fhades

ΓΙΟ

To midnight banquets in the glimmering glades;
Made vifionary fabrics round them rise,
And airy spectres fkim before their eyes;
Of Talifmans and Sigils knew the power,
And careful watch'd the planetary hour.
Superior, and alone, Confucius ftood,
Who taught that useful science to be good.
But on the fouth, a long majestic race
Of Egypt's priests the gilded niches grace,
Who meafur'd earth, defcrib'd the starry spheres,
And trac'd the long records of lunar years.
High on his car Sefoftris ftruck my view,
Whom fcepter'd flaves in golden harness drew :
His hands a bow and pointed javelin hold;
His giant limbs are arm'd in chains of gold.
Between the ftatues obelisks were plac'd,
And the learn'd walls with hieroglyphics grac'd.
Of Gothic ftructure was the northern fide,
O'erwrought with ornaments of barbarous pride.120
There huge Coloffus rofe, with trophies crown'd,
And Runic characters were grav'd around.
There fate Zamolxis with erected eyes,
And Odin here in mimic trances dies.
There on rude iron columns, fmcar'd with blood,
The horrid forms of Scythian heroes stood.
Druids and Bards (their once loud harps unftrung)
And youths that dy'd to be by poets fung.
Thefe and a thousand more of doubtful fame,
To whom old fables gave a lasting name.
In ranks adorn'd the temple's outward face;
The wall in luftre and effect like glafs,
Which, o'er each object cafting various dyes,
Enlarges fome, and others multiplies:
Nor void of emblem was the mystic wall,
For thus romantic Fame increases all.

130

And his horn'd head bely'd the Libyan god.
There Cæfar, grac'd with both Minervas fhone;
Cæfar, the world's great mafter, and his own;
Unmov'd, fuperior ftill in every state,
And scarce detefted in his country's fate.
But chief were those, who not for empire fought,
But with their toils their people's fafety bought:160
High o'er the reft Epaminondas flood;
Timoleon, glorious in his brother's blood;
Bold Scipio, faviour of the Roman ftate;
Great in his triumphs, in retirement great;
And wife Aurelius, in whofe well-taught mind
With boundless power unbounded virtue join'd,
His own ftrict judge, and patron of mankind.

170

Much fuffering heroes next their honours claim, Those of less noify, and lefs guilty fame, Fair virtue's filent train: fupreme of these Here ever fhines the godlike Socrates; He whom ungrateful Athens could expell, At all times juft, but when he figu'd the shell: Here his abode the martyr'd Phocion claims, With Agis, not the last of Spartan names: Unconquer'd Cato fhews the wound he tore, And Brutus his ill genius meets no more.

But in the centre of the hollow'd choir, Six pompous columns o'er the reft afpire; Around the thrine itself of fame they ftand, 180 Hold the chief honours, and the fame command. High on the first, the mighty Homer fhone; Eternal Adamant compos'd his throne, Father of verfe! in holy fillets dreft, His filver beard wav'd gently o'er his breaft; Though blind, a boldness in his looks appears; In years he feem'd, but not impair'd by years.

IMITATIONS.

Ver. 179. Six pompous columns, &c.]
From the dees many a pillere,
Of metal that fhone not full clere, &c.
Upon a piliere faw 1 ftonde
That was of lede and iron fine,
Him of the fea Saturnine,

The Ebraicke Jofephus the old, &c.

Upon an iron pillere ftrong,
That painted was all endlong,
With tigers' blood in every place,

The Tholofan that hight Stace,

That bear of Thebes up the name, &c.

Ver. 182.

Full wonder high on a pillere

Of iron, he the great Omer,

And with him Dares and Titus, &c.

200

A golden column next in rank appear'd. On which a fhrine of pureft gold was rear'd; Finish'd the whole, and labour'd every part, With patient touches of unwearied art: The Mantuan there in fober triumph fat, Compos'd his posture, and his look fedate; On Homer still he fix'd a reverend eye, Great without pride, in mòdeft majesty. In living fculpture on the fides were spread The Latian wars, and haughty Turnus dead; Eliza ftretch'd upon the funeral pyre, Eneas bending with his aged fire · Troy flam'd in burning gold, and o'er the throne Arms and the man in golden cyphers fhone.

Four Avans fuftain a car of filver bright, 210 With heads advanc'd, and pinions ftretch'd for

flight:

Here, like fome furious prophet, Pindar rode,
And feem'd to labour with th' inspiring God.
Acrofs the harp a carele's hand he flings,
And boldly finks into the founding strings,
The figur'd games of Greece the column grace,
Neptune and Jove furvey the rapid race.
The youths hang o'er their chariots as they run ;
The fiery feeds feem starting from the stone;
The champions in diftorted poftures threat;
And all appear'd irregularly great.

Here happy Horace tun'd th' Aufonian lyre
To fweeter founds, and temper'd Pindar's fire;
Pleas'd with Alceæus' manly rage t' infuse
The fofter spirit of the Sapphic muse.
The polifh'd pillar different fculptures grace;
A work outlasting monumental brass.

IMITATIONS. Ver. 196, &c.

There faw I ftand on a pillere
That was of tinned iron cleere,
The Latin poet Virgilye,

That hath bore up of a great while
The fame of pious Æneas:

And next him on a pillere was
Of copper, Venus' clerke Ovide,
That hath fowen wondrous wide
The great god of love's fame-
Tho faw on a pillere by
Of iron wrought full sternly,
The great poet Dan Lucan,
That on his fhoulders bore up then
As hye as that I might fee,
The tame of Julius and Pompee.

And next him on a pillere ftode
Of fulphure, like as he were wode,
Dan Claudian, fo the for to tell,
That bare up all the fame of hall, &c.

220

Here smiling Loves and Bacchanals appear,
The Julian ftar and great Augustus here.
The doves that round the infant poet fpread 230
Myrtles and bays, hung hovering o'er his head.
Here, in a fhrine that caft a dazzling light,
State fix'd in thought the mighty Stagyrite;
His facred head a radiant Zodiac crown'd,
And various animals his fides furround;
His piercing eyes, erect, appear to view
Superior worlds, and look all nature through.

With equal rays immortal Tully fhone,
The Roman roftra deck'd the conful's throne:
Gathering his flowing robe, he seem'd to ftand 240
In act to speak, and graceful stretch'd his hand.
Behind, Rome's genius waits with civic crowns,
And the great father of his country owns.

250

These maffy columns in a circle rife, O'er which a pompous dome invades the skies: Scarce to the top I ftretch'd my aching fight, So large it spread, and fwell'd to fuch a height. Full in the midft proud Fame's imperial feat With jewels blaz'd, magnificiently great; The vivid emeralds there revive the eye, The flaming rubies fhew their fanguine dye, Bright azure rays from lively fapphires stream, And lucid amber cafts a golden gleam. With various-colour'd light the pavement shone, And all on fire appear'd the glowing throne ;. The dome's high arch reflects the mingled blaze, And forms a rainbow of alternate rays. When on the goddess first I caft my fight, Scarce feem'd her ftatue of a cubit's height; But fwell'd to larger fize, the more I gaz'd, 260 Till to the roof her towering front the rais'd. With her, the Temple every moment grew, And ampler vistas open'd to my view: Upward the columns fhoot, the roofs afcend, And arches widen, and long aifles extend. Such was her form, as ancient bards have told, Wings raise her arms, and wings her feet infoid; A thousand busy tongues the goddefs bears, And thousand open eyes, and thousand liftening ears. Beneath, in order rang'd, the tuneful nine (Her virgin handmaids) still attend the fhrine: With eyes on Fame for ever fix'd, they fing; For Fame they raise the voice, and tune the string, With time's first birth began the heavenly lays. And laft, eternal, through the length of days.

IMITATIONS.

Ver. 259. Scarce feem'd her ftature, &c.
Methought that she was fo lite,
That the length of a cubite
Was longer than the feemed be;
But thus foone in a while she,
Her felfe ho wonderly straight,
That with her feet the the earth right,
And with her head the touchyd heaven-
Ver. 270. Beneath, in order rang'd, &c.]
I heard about her throne y-fung
That all the palays walls rung,
So fung the mighty mufe, the
That cleped is Cailiope,
And her feven fifters cke--

270