485 Had not the mind a power to will and chufe, Virtue and Vice were names without a cause, This would not Hate deferve, nor that Applause; 490 Justice in vain has high tribunals rear'd, 495 Whom can her fentence punish, whom reward? And no wife choice or vigilance has shown, Should trains of atoms human fenfe impel, Though not fo fierce, so strong, fo visible, in ruffians drive, or conquerors drag us on ; 500 505 510 515 As As much we 're 'forc'd, when by an atom 's fway Our mind of rulers feels a conscious awe, 520 Reveres their juftice, and regards their law. She rectitude and deviation knows, That vice from one, from one that virtue flows; From virtue pleasure, and remorse from fin; 525 Hopes of a juft reward by that are fed, By this of wrath vindictive fecret dread. The mind, which thus can rules of duty learn, She can a life fucceeding this conceive, Can rush on danger, can deftruction face,. 530 535 540 And chains and want to profperous guilt prefer; 545 Unmov'd, Unmov'd, these wild tempeftuous feats furvey, 550 Fix'd and unchang'd the faithlefs world behold, Sages remark, we labour not to show The will is free, but that the man is fo: 555 For what enlighten'd reafoner can declare What human will and understanding are? What science from thofe objects can we frame 560 And various powers and faculties affert, Perhaps by fuch abstraction of the mind What masters of the fchools can make it clear 565 Thofe faculties, which two to them'appear, Are not refiding in the foul the fame, And not diftin&t, but by a different name? Thus has the Mufe purfued her hardy theme, And fung the wonders of this artful frame. 570 Ere yet one fubterranean arch was made, One cavern vaulted, or one girder laid; Ere the high rocks did o'er the fhores arife, Or fnowy mountains tower'd amidst the skies; 575 Before Before the air its bofom did unfold, 580 585 590 When after, at th' Almighty's high command, Obedient waves divided from the land; And shades and lazy mifts were chac'd away, While rofy light diffus'd the tender day ; When uproar ceas'd, and wild confufion fled, And new-born Nature rais'd her beauteous head; She fung the frame of this terrestrial pile, The hills, the rocks, the rivers, and the foil; She view'd the fandy frontiers, which restrain The noisy insults of th' imprifon'd main ; Rang'd o'er the wide diffufion of the waves, The moift coerulean walks, and fearch'd the coral caves. She then furvey'd the fluid fields of air, And the crude feeds of meteors fashion'd there; Then with continued flight the fped her way, Mounted, and bold pursued the fource of day; With wonder of celeftial motions fung, How the pois'd orbs are in the vacant hung, How the bright fluices of ætherial light, Now fhut, defend the empire of the night, And now, drawn up with wife alternate care, Let floods of glory out, and spread with day the air. Then with a daring wing fhe foar'd fublime, 595 600 From realm to realm, from orb to orb did climb: Where Where far, oh far, beyond what mortals fee, The mind new fups, new planets, can explore, Thus in bold numbers did th' adventurous Mufe Did lofty woods, and humble brakes review, She next effay'd the embryo's rife to trace Through every dark recefs pursue their flight, 610 615 620 } 625 630 Unconscious of the road, and void of fightions sight.} From thence a nobler flight fhe did eifay, The mind's extended empire to furvey. |