|
Page 67:-
When with his toil-stain'd arm he shakes the flag,
And shouts applauding echo all around.
Now o'er the azure lake the horrid din
Of mimic war resounds; the echoing cliffs
Reverberate, on doubled thunder, back
The awful sounds: fierce peal succeeds to peal,
In savage dire confusion. Had the rocks,
Which awful frown above this limpid plain,
Been shaken from their venerable seats,
Rift by the bolts of Jove, and scatter'd round,
No sound more loud, more awful, could be heard!
The hero, who inur'd to bloody war
Has stood by Elliot, or by Rodney's side,
Whilst million winged deaths were whistling round,
Now feels his heart beat high; strong throbs each pulse,
His kindling eyes flash fire: upright he stands,
As when on some dread, memorable day,
He saw the Frenchmen strike, or Spaniards burn.
His tender spouse, the dear, the soft reward,
Of all his toils, astonished with the din,
Clings to his side, half pleas'd and half afraid;
When softer echoes roll the distant roar,
She smiles; but when the air-affrighting guns
With iron clamours shake th' impending rocks
She trembling presses hard her husbands hand,
And weeps to think the perils he has 'scap'd.
But, hark! 'this silent! see, the fleet retires!
The mellow horns now pour victorious sounds,
Whilst every rock returns the soften'd strain.
Oh! now, for Shakespeare, or for Milton's muse,
To paint this mingled tide of harmony!
Each cliff, each rock, each mountain, wood and dale,
Return' a varied note; it floats in air;
It mixes, meets, returns; 'tis soft, 'tis loud:
As if th' unnumber'd spirits of the rock
Held their aerial concerts 'midst the hills;
And to his golden harp each join'd his voice,
To welcome to their bow'r the Fairy Queen.
Thus joyous and delightful pass'd the day,
Yet not unruffled was this tide of joy:
The fair, the innocent Amelia, was
The pride and flow'r of all the virgin throng!
Her long Damaetas lov'd, she too lov'd him:
But looks alone reveal'd the mutual flame,
For virgin-modesty had bound their thoughts
In chains, as yet unbroken. On this day,
Whilst she in rapture view'd th' inchanting scene,
(Urg'd by the motion of the limpid wave)
Her vessel rolling, headlong plung'd her in
The blue profound! She sunk, then rose again,
Then sunk, to rise no more! Damaetas, near,
Beheld her fall: of life regardless, then
He leap'd into the flood; with nervous arm
|
Lakes Guides menu.
