At length Ambition urg'd his country's wea!,
Affuming the fair look of public Zeal;
Still in his breaft fo generous glow'd the flame,
The vice, when there, a virtue half became.
His pitying eye faw millions in diftrefs,
He deem'd it godlike to have power to bless :
Thus, when unguarded, treafon ftain'd him o'er ;
And virtue and content were then no more.
But when to death by rigorous juftice doom'd, 565,
His genuine fpirit faint-like ftate refum'd,
Oft from foft penitence diftill'd a tear;
Oft hope in heavenly mercy lighten'd fear;
Oft would a drop from struggling nature fall,
And then a fimile of patience brighten all.
He feeks in heaven a friend, nor feeks in vain.
His guardian angel swift defcends again;
And refolution thus bespeaks a mind,
Not fcorning life, yet all to death resign'd ;
-Ye chains, fit only to restrain the will
Of common, defperate veterans in ill,
Though rankling on my limbs ye lie, declare,
Did e'er my rifing foul your preffure wear?
No!-free as liberty, and quick as light,
To worlds remote fhe takes unbounded flight.
Ye dungeon-glooms, that dim corporeal eyes,
Could ye once blot her prospect of the skies ?
No!-from her clearer fight ye fled away,
Like error, pierc'd by truth's resistless ray.
Ye walls, that witnefs my repentant moan!
Ye echoes, that to midnight forrows groan!
Do I, in wrath, to you of fate complain ?
Or once betray fear's most inglorious pain?
No '—Hail, twice hail then, ignominious death!
Behold how willing glides my parting breath!
Far greater, better far-ay, far indeed!
Like me, have fuffer'd, and like me will bleed.
Apostles, patriarchs, prophets, martyrs all,
Like me once fell, nor murmur'd at their fall.
Shall I, whofe days, at beft, no ill defign'd,
Whose virtue fhone not, though I lov'd mankind,
Shall I, now guilty wretch, fhall I repine ?
Ah, no! to justice let me life resign !
Quick, as a friend, would I embrace my foe!
He taught me patience, who firft taught me woe; 600
But friends are foes, they render woe fevere,
For me they wail, from me extort the tear.
Not thofe, yet absent, miffive griefs control;
These periods weep, thofe rave, and thefe condole,
At entrance fhrieks a friend, with pale furprize; 605
Another panting, proftrate, speechless lies;
One gripes my hand, one fobs upon my breast!
Ah, who can bear?-it fhocks, it murders reft!
And is it yours, alas! my friends to feel?
And is it mine to comfort, mine to heal ?
Is mine the patience, yours the bosom strife?
Ah! would rash love lure back my thoughts to life?
Adieu, dear, dangerous mourners! swift depart!
Ah, fly me! fly!-I tear ye from my heart.
Ye faints, whom fears of death could ne'er control,
In my last hour compose, support my foul !
See my blood wash repented fin away!
Receive, receive me to eternal day!
With words like these the deftin'd hero dies, While angels waft his foul to happier skies.
Diftinction now gives way; yet on we talk,
Full darkness deepening o'er the formless walk.
Night treads not with light step the dewy gale,
Nor bright-diftends her star-embroider'd veil ;
Her leaden feet, inclement damps diftil,
Clouds fhut her face, black winds her vefture fill;
An earth-born meteor lights the fable skies,
Eastward it shoots, and, funk, forgotten dies.
So pride, that rofe from dust to guilty power,
Glares out in vain; so dust shall pride devour.
Fishers, who yonder brink by torches gain,
With teethful tridents ftrike the fcaly train.
Like fnakes in eagles' claws, in vain they strive,
When heav'd aloft, and quivering yet alive.
While here, methought, our time in converse pass'd,
The moon clouds muffled, and the night wore fast.
At prowling wolves was heard the mastiff's bay,
And the warn'd master's arms forbad the prey!
Thus treafon fteels, the patriot thus defcries,
Forth fprings the monarch, and the mifchief flies. 640
Paleglow-worms glimmer'd through the depth of night,
Scattering, like hope through fear, a doubtful light.
Lone Philomela tun'd the filent grove,
With penfive pleasure listen'd wakeful Love.
Half-dreaming Fancy form'd an angel's tongue, 645
And Pain forgot to groan, fo fweet she sung.
The Night-crone, with the melody alarm'd,
Now paus'd, now liften'd, and awhile was charm'd;
But like the man, whose frequent-stubborn will
Resists what kind, feraphic founds instil,
Her heart the love-infpiring voice repell'd,
Her breast with agitating mischief swell'd;
Which clos'd her ear, and tempted to destroy
The tuneful life, that charms with virtuous joy.
Now fast we measure back the trackless way;
No friendly stars directive beams display.
But lo!—a thousand lights shoot instant rays:
Yon kindling rock reflects the ftartling blaze.
I stand astonish'd-thus the hermit cries:
Fear not, but liften with enlarg'd furprize!
Still muft thefe hours our mutual converfe claim,
And ceafe to echo fill Olympia's name ;
Grots, rivulets, groves, Olympia's name forget,
Olympia now no fighing winds repeat.
Can I be mortal, and thofe hours no more,
Thofe amorous hours, that plaintive echoes bore?
Am I the fame? Ah no!-Behold a mind,
Unruffled, firm, exalted, and refin'd!
Late months, that made the vernal season gay,
Saw my health languish off in pale decay.
No racking pain yet gave disease a date;
No fad, prefageful thought preluded fate :
Yet number'd were my days-My destin'd end
Near, and more near-Nay, every fear suspend !
I pafs'd a weary, lingering, fleepless night:
Then rofe, to walk in morning's earliest light:
But few my steps-a faint, and cheerlefs few!
Refreshment from my flagging fpirits flew.
When, low, retir'd beneath a cypress shade,
My limbs upon a flowery bank I laid,
Soon by foft-creeping, murmuring winds compos'd,
A slumber press'd my languid eyes-They clos'd :
But clos'd not long-Methought Olympia spoke ;
Thrice loud fhe call'd, and thrice the flumber broke.
Iwak'd. Forth-gliding from a neighbouring wood, 685
Full in my view the fhadowy charmer stood.
Rapturous I started up to clafp the shade;
But ftagger'd, fell, and found my vitals fade :
A mantling chillness o'er my bosom spread,
As if that instant number'd with the dead.
Her voice now fent a far, imperfect found,
When in a swimming trance my fangs were drown'd.
Still farther off the call'd-With foft furprize,
I turn'd-but void of strength, and aid to rife;
Short, fhorter, fhorter yet, my breath I drew:
Then up my struggling foul unburthen'd flew.
Thus from a state, where fin and grief abide,
Heaven fummon'd me to mercy-thus I died.
He faid. Th' aftenishment with which I start,
Like bolted ice runs fhivering through my heart. 700
Art thou not mortal then? I cried. But lo!
His raiment lightens, and his features glow !
In fhady ringlets falls a length of hair;
Embloom'd his afpect fhines, enlarg'd his air.
Mild from his eyes enlivening glories beam;
Mild on his brow fits majefty fupreme.
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