Of future times to spread that better sun

Which lights up British soul: for deeds like these

The dazzling fair career unbounded lies;

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While (still superior bliss!) the dark abrupt

Is kindly barr'd, the precipice of ill.
Oh! luxury divine ! Oh! poor to this,
Ye giddy glories of despotic thrones!
By this, by this, indeed, is imag'd Heaven,
By boundless good, without the power of ill.

And now, behold! exalted as the cope
That swells immense o'er many-peopled earth,
And like it free, My fabric stands complete,
The Palace of the Laws. To the four heavens
Four gates impartial thrown, unceasing crowds,
With kings themselves the hearty peasant mix'd,
Pour urgent in; and tho' to different ranks
Responsive place belongs, yet equal spreads

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The shelt'ring roof o'er all; while Plenty flows, 1185
And glad Contentment echoes round the whole.

Ye Floods, descend! ye Winds, confirming, blow!
Nor outward tempest, nor corrosive time,
Nought but the felon undermining hand
Of dark Corruption, can its frame dissolve,
And lay the toil of ages in the dust.

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THE PROSPECT.

Liberty.

PART V.

The Contents.

THE author addresses the goddess of Liberty, marking the happiness and grandeur of Great Britain, as arising from her influence, to ver. 88. She resumes her discourse, and points out the chief virtues which are necessary to maintain her establishment there, to ver. 374 Recommends, as its last ornament and finishing, sciences, fine arts, and public works. The encouragement of these urged from the example of France, though under a despotic government, to ver. 549. The whole concludes with a prospect of future times, given by the goddess of Liberty; this described by the author, as it passes in vision before him.

HERE interposing, as the goddess paus'd, "Oh! blest Britannia! in thy presence bleşt, “Thou guardian of mankind! whence spring, alone, "All human grandeur, happiness, and fame : "For Toil, by thee protected, feels no pain; "The poor man's lot with milk and honey flows; "And gilded with thy rays, e'en death looks gay. "Let other lands the potent blessings boast "Of more exalting suns: let Asia's woods, "Untended, yield the vegetable fleece; "And let the little insect-artist form, "On higher life intent, its silken tomb :

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"Let wondering rocks, in radiant birth, disclose "The various tinctur'd children of the sun : "From the prone beam let more delicious fruits “A flavour drink, that in one piercing taste "Bids each combine; let Gallic vineyards burst "With floods of joy; with mild balsamic juice "The Tuscan olive: let Arabia breathe "Her spicy gales, her vital gums distil: "Turbid with gold, let southern rivers flow, "And orient floods draw soft o'er pearls their maze : "Let Afric vaunt her treasures: let Peru "Deep in her bowels her own ruin breed, "The yellow traitor, that her bliss betray'd; "Unequall'd bliss! and to unequall'd rage! "Yet not the gorgeous East, nor golden South, "Nor, in full prime, that new-discover'd world, "Where flames the falling day in wealth and praise, "Shall with Britannia vie, while, goddess! she 30 "Derives her praise from Thee, her matchless charms. "Her hearty fruits the hand of Freedom own; "And, warm with culture, her thick-clust'ring fields "Prolific teem. Eternal verdure crowns "Her meads; her gardens smile eternal spring : "She gives the hunter-horse, unquell'd by toil, "Ardent, to rush into the rapid chase :

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"She, whitening o'er her downs, diffusive, pours "Unnumber'd flocks: she weaves the fleecy robe "That wraps the nations: she to lusty droves "The richest pasture spreads; and her's, deep-wave Autumnal seas of pleasing plenty round. "These her delights; and by no baneful herb, "No darting tiger, no grim lion's glare, "No fierce descending wolf, no serpent roll'd "In spires immense progressive o'er the land "Disturb'd. Enlivening these, add cities full "Of wealth, of trade, of cheerful toiling crowds;

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"Add thriving towns; add villages and farms, "Innumerous sow'd along the lively vale, "Where bold unrival'd peasants happy dwell: "Add ancient seats, with venerable oaks "Embosom'd high, while kindred floods below "Wind thro' the mead; and those of modern hand, "More pompous, add, that splendid shine afar. "Need I her limpid lakes, her rivers, name, "Where swarm the finny race? Thee, chief, O Thames! "On whose each tide, glad with returning sails, “Flows in the mingled harvest of mankind? "And thee, thou Severn! whose prodigious swell, 60 "And waves, resounding, imitate the main? 66 Why need I name her deep capacious ports, "That point around the world? and why her seas "All ocean is her own, and every land "To whom her ruling thunder ocean bears. "She, too, the mineral feeds: the obedient lead, The warlike iron, nor the peaceful less, "Forming of life art-civiliz'd the bond; "And that the Tyrian merchant sought of old*, "Not dreaming then of Britain's brighter fame. "She rears to Freedom an undaunted race: "Compatriot, zealous, hospitable, kind, "Her's the warm Cambrian: her's the lofty Scot, "To hardship tam'd, active in arts and arms, "Fir'd with a restless, an impatient flame "That leads him raptur'd where Ambition calls: "And English Merit her's, where meet, combin❜d, "Whate'er high fancy, sound judicious thought, "An ample generous heart, undrooping soul, "And firm tenacious valour, can bestow. "Great nurse of fruits, of flocks, of commerce, she! "Great nurse of men! By thee, O goddess! taught,

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