III. Son of the morning, rise! approach you here! Will rise with other years, till man shall learn Vainly his incense soars, his victim bleeds; [reeds. 1 Poor child of Doubt and Death, whose hope is built on IV. Bound to the earth, he lifts his eye to heaven- [In the original MS. we find the following note to this and the five succeeding stanzas, which had been prepared for publication, but was afterwards withdrawn, "from a fear," says the poet, "that it might be considered rather as an attack, than a defence of religion; "-"In this age of bigotry, when the puritan and priest have changed places, and the wretched Catholic is visited with the sins of his fathers,' even unto generations far beyond the pale of the commandment, the cast of opinion in these stanzas will, doubtless, meet with many a contemptuous anathema. But let it be remembered, that the spirit they breathe is desponding, not sneering, scepticism; that he who has seen the Greek and Moslem superstitions contending for mastery over the former shrines of Polytheism - who has left in his own Pharisees, thanking. God that they are not like publicans and sinners,' and Spaniards in theirs, abhorring the heretics, who have holpen them in their need, will be not a little bewildered, and begin to think, that as only one of them can be right, they may, most of them, be wrong. With regard to morals, and the effect of religion on mankind, it appears, from all historical testimony, to have had less effect in making them love their neighbours, than inducing that cordial Christian abhorrence between sectaries and schismatics. The Turks and Quakers are the most tolerant: if an Infidel pays his heratch to the former, he may pray how, when, and where he pleases; and the mild tenets and devout demeanour of the latter, make their lives the truest commentary on the Sermon on the Mount."] Thou know'st not, reck'st not to what region, so V. Or burst the banish'd Hero's lofty mound; Far on the solitary shore he sleeps: 2 He fell, and falling nations mourn'd around; But now not one of saddening thousands weeps, Nor warlike-worshipper his vigil keeps Where demi-gods appear'd, as records tell. Remove yon skull from out the scatter'd heaps: Is that a temple where a God may dwell? Why ev'n the worm at last disdains her shatter'd cell! VI. Look on its broken arch, its ruin'd wall, The dome of Thought, the palace of the Soul: And Passion's host, that never brook'd control: 1 ["Still wilt thou harp."— MS.] 2 It was not always the custom of the Greeks to burn their dead; the greater Ajax, in particular, was interred entire. Almost all the chiefs became gods after their decease; and he was indeed neglected, who had not annual games near his tomb, or festivals in honour of his memory by his countrymen, as Achilles, Brasidas, &c., and at last even Antinous, whose death was as heroic as his life was infamous. VII. Well didst thou speak, Athena's wisest son ! There no forced banquet claims the sated guest, VIII. Yet if, as holiest men have deem'd, there be With those who made our mortal labours light! The Bactrian, Samian sage, and all who taught the right! i IX. There, thou!—whose love and life together fled, Twined with my heart, and can I deem thee dead 1 [In the original MS., for this magnificent stanza, we find what follows: "Frown not upon me, churlish Priest ! that I Look not for life, where life may never be; I am no sneerer at thy phantasy: Thou pitiest me,-alas! I envy thee, Of happy isles and happier tenants there; I ask thee not to prove a Sadducee; Still dream of Paradise, thou knows't not where, But lov'st too well to bid thine erring brother share."] XV. ir Greece! that looks on thee, hy mouldering shrines removed ich it had best behoved ne'er to be restored. en from their isle they roved, apless bosom gored, iking Gods to northern climes XVI. ? shall I then forget anderer o'er the wave? eign'd lament could rave; ass'd to other climes : 1 charms may not enslave; e land of war and crimes. VII. the dark blue sea veen, a full fair sight; is fair as breeze may be, gallant frigate tight; to the right, how, eir flight, row. |