But now the tree, its foliage full-display'd, All-glorious days, illuminate the earth! "Round him our sages see, our men of place, The alien, in whose heart these words sank deep, Serv'd monarchs, and had swell'd a conqueror's train. To these a subject people incense heap: A people free have honors not so vain. "Alas!" he said, and o'er the waves his Seems to seek out his distant place of birth, "May Virtue soon the hemispheres ally! All-glorious days, illuminate the earth!" eye ODE IV. PRELUDE. NOT in the highway, Trod by the vulgar, Murmurs Permessus ; Sparkles celestial, Haunt of thy sisters. Lull'd by the breezes, Gather we flowers Never yet woven, Never in chaplets Seen by the starr'd West. There shall the spirits, That in the old time, Under thy guidance, Efforts so daring, While, o'er the sweet harp Touch'd by the Teian Bard as he warbled, Or on the vary'd Chords of ALCEUS, Ivycrown'd BACCHUS, BACCHUS and VENUS ; Rose-wreath'd my tresses, Flashing my eyeballs Nods to the measure. * (1) ODE V. THOUGH ABSENT FROM HIS MISTRESS, THE POET SEES HER STILL WITH THE EYES OF FANCY. I HAVE withdrawn me, SYBIL, from thy sight; (1) The above poem, written at a sitting, here terminated, and when a long time afterwards I came across it, and I would resume it, I found that I had neglected to make a memorandum of the design as it was to have been completed; and my memory could not supply the omission. To continue it I have not now time. Considering it however as a successful application of an ancient measure to English poetry, and that it will make a very fair introduction to the amatory portion of the odes, I have inserted it accordingly. Deck'd in the very garb it lately wore, It comes before me, and thus doubly bright. There are the brows my lips were wont to press ! The burning cheek, so often touch'd to mine, Thy throat, thy swelling breasts! I see thee all! Thy voice whose whisper'd accents wont to fall Come to my arms, thou beauteous vision! come ! No! by those lips whose inner edge I press ; Ah me! I have withdrawn me from thy sight; ODE VI. THE WISH. I WOULD I were a little bird, Then wouldst thou take me in thy hand, And fold me gently to thy breast; And thou perhaps wouldst praise my song, And I the amorous lay prolong, |