Higher, and higher soar, and soaring sing

"Loud songs of Triumph!
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?
"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

"Exult in their fierce union! I am sad,

"And know not why the simple Peasants crowd

"Beneath the Chieftains' standard!"

To her the tutelary Spirit replied:

Thus the Maid.

"When Luxury and Lust's exhausted stores
"No more can rouse the appetites of KINGS;
"When the low flattery of their reptile Lords
"Falls flat and heavy on the accustom'd ear;
"When Eunuchs sing, and Fools buffoonery make,
"And Dancers writhe their harlot-limbs in vain :

"Then WAR and all its dread vicissitudes

66

Pleasingly agitate their stagnant Hearts;

"Its hopes, its fears, its victories, its defeats,

66

Insipid Royalty's keen condiment ! "Therefore, uninjur'd and unprofited, cr (Victims at once and Executioners) "The congregated Husbandmen lay waste

"The Vineyard and the Harvest. As along

"The Bothnic coast, or southward of the Line,

"Yet if LEVIATHAN, weary of ease,

"In sports unwieldy toss his Island-bulk, "Ocean behind him billows, and before

"A storm of waves breaks foamy on the strand. "And hence, for times and seasons bloody and dark, "Short Peace shall skin the wounds of causeless War, "And War, his strained sinews knit anew,

"Still violate th' unfinish'd works of Peace.

"But yonder look! for more demands thy view!"

He said and straightway from the opposite Isle

:

A Vapor sail'd, as when a cloud, exhaled

From Egypt's fields that steam hot pestilence,
Travels the sky for many a trackless league,
'Till o'er some Death-doom'd land, distant in vain,
It broods incumbent. Forthwith from the Plain,
Facing the Isle, a brighter cloud arose,

And steer'd its course which way the Vapor went.

The Maiden paus'd, musing what this might mean. But long time pass'd not, ere that brighter Cloud Returned more bright: along the Plain it swept ; And soon from forth its bursting sides emerg'd A dazzling Form, broad-bosom'd, bold of eye, And wild her hair, save where with laurels bound. Not more majestic stood the healing God, When from his brow the arrow sped that slew Huge Python. Shriek'd AMBITION's giant throng, And with them hiss'd the Locust-fiends that crawl'd