"Thou seest; foul missionaries of foul sire,

"Fierce to regain the losses of that hour

"When LOVE rose glittering, and his gorgeous wings

"Over the abyss flutter'd with such glad noise, "As what time after long and pestful calms,

"With slimy shapes and miscreated life

"Poisoning the vast Pacific, the fresh breeze "Wakens the merchant-sail uprising. Night "An heavy unimaginable moan

"Sent forth, when she the PROTOPLAST beheld "Stand beauteous on Confusion's charmed wave. "Moaning she fled, and entered the Profound "That leads with downward windings to the Cave "Of Darkness.palpable, Desart of Death "Sunk deep beneath GEHENNA's massy roots. "There many a dateless age the Beldame lurk'd "And trembled; till engender'd by fierce HATE, "Fierce HATE and gloomy HOPE, a DREAM arose, 66 Shap'd like a black cloud mark'd with streaks of fire. "It rous'd the Hell-Hag: she the dew-damp wiped "From off her brow, and thro' the uncouth maze "Retraced her steps; but ere she reach'd the mouth "Of that drear labyrinth, shuddering she paused, "Nor dared re-enter the diminish'd Gulph.

"As thro' the dark vaults of some moulder'd Tower

"" (Which, fearful to approach, the evening Hind "Circles at distance in his homeward way)

"The winds breathe hollow, deem'd the plaining groan

"Of prison'd spirits; with such fearful voice

"NIGHT murmur'd, and the sound thro' Chaos went. Leapt at her call her hideous-fronted brood!

"A dark behest they heard, and rush'd on earth,
"Since that sad hour, in Camps and Courts adored,

"Rebels from God, and Monarchs o'er Mankind!

From his obscure haunt

Shriek'd FEAR, of Cruelty the ghastly Dam,
Fev'rish yet freezing, eager-paced yet slow,
As she that creeps from forth her swampy reeds,
Ague, the biform Hag! when early Spring
Beams on the marsh-bred vapours.

"Even so" (the exulting Maiden said)

"The sainted Heralds of Good Tidings fell,

"And thus they witness'd God! But now the clouds "Treading, and storms beneath their feet, they soar

Higher, and higher soar, and soaring sing

"Loud songs of Triumph! O ye spirits of God, "Hover around my mortal agonies!"

She spake, and instantly faint melody

Melts on her ear, soothing and sad, and slow,
Such measures, as at calmest midnight heard
By aged Hermit in his holy dream,

Foretell and solace death; and now they rise
Louder, as when with harp and mingled voice
The white-robed multitude of slaughter'd saints
At Heaven's wide-open'd portals gratulant
Receive some martyr'd Patriot. The harmony
Entranced the Maid, till each suspended sense
Brief slumber seized, and confused extacy.

At length awakening slow, she gazed around :
And thro' a Mist, the relict of that trance,

Still thinning as she gaz'd, an Isle appear'd,
Its high, o'er-hanging, white, broad-breasted cliffs
Glass'd on the subject ocean.
A vast plain

Stretch'd opposite, where ever and anon

*Revel. vi. 9, 11. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held. And white robes were given unto every one of them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

The Plough-man following sad his meagre team
Turn'd up fresh sculls unstartled, and the bones
Of fierce hate-breathing combatants, who there
All mingled lay beneath the common earth,
Death's gloomy reconcilement! O'er the Fields
Stept a fair form, repairing all she might,
Her temples olive-wreath'd; and where she trod,
Fresh flowrets rose, and many a foodful herb.
But wan her cheek, her footsteps insecure,
And anxious pleasure beam'd in her faint eye,
As she had newly left a couch of pain,
Pale Convalescent! (Yet some time to rule
With power exclusive o'er the willing world,
That blest prophetic mandate then fulfill'd,
PEACE be on Earth!) An happy while, but brief,
She seem'd to wander with assiduous feet,
And heal'd the recent harm of chill and blight,
And nurs'd each plant that fair and virtuous grew.

But soon a deep precursive sound moan'd hollow: Black rose the clouds, and now, (as in a dream) Their reddening shapes, transform'd to Warrior-hosts, Cours'd o'er the Sky, and battled in mid-air.

Nor did not the large blood-drops fall from Heaven

Portentous! while aloft were seen to float,

Like hideous features blended with the clouds,
Wan Stains of ominous Light! Resign'd, yet sad,
The fair Form bow'd her olive-crowned Brow:

Then o'er the plain with oft reverted eye

Fled till a Place of Tombs she reach'd, and there
Within a ruin'd Sepulchre obscure

Found Hiding-place.

The delegated Maid

Gaz'd thro' her tears, then in sad tones exclaim'd, “Thou mild-ey'd FORM! wherefore, ah! wherefore fled? "The name of JUSTICE written on thy brow

"Resplendent shone; but all they, who unblam'd "Dwelt in thy dwellings, call thee HAPPINESS.

"Ah! why, uninjured and unprofited,

"Should multitudes against their brethren rush?

66

Why sow they guilt, still reaping Misery?

"Lenient of care, thy songs, O PEACE! are sweet,
"As after showers the perfumed gale of eve,
"That flings the cool drops on a feverous cheek:
"And gay thy grassy altar pil'd with fruits.

"But boasts the shrine of Dæmon WAR one charm,
"Save that with many an orgie strange and foul,
"Dancing around with interwoven arms,

"The Maniac SUICIDE and Giant MURDER