Where'er he moves PALEMON still attends, As if on him his only hope depends; While RODMOND, fearful of some neighbouring shore, Cries, ever and anon, Look out afore! Thus o'er the flood four hours she scudding flew, When FALCONERA's rugged Cliffs they view Faintly along the larboard bow descried, As o'er its mountain tops the lightnings glide; And hear the Breakers lash the rugged strand- Swift as the rapid eagle cleaves the skies: That danger past reflects a feeble joy, But soon returning fears their hope destroy: As in th' Atlantic Ocean, when we find Some Alp of Ice driv'n southward by the wind, The sultry air all sickening pants around, In deluges of torrid ether drown'd; Till when the floating Isle approaches nigh, In cooling tides th' aërial billows fly: Awhile delivered from the scorching heat, In gentler tides our feverish pulses beat: Too soon they kindle, and too soon expire. III. Say MEMORY! thou from whose unerring tongue Instructive flows the animated song, What Regions now the scudding Ship surround? Regions of old through all the World renown'd; That, once the Poet's theme, the Muses' boast, Now lie in ruins, in oblivion lost! Did they, whose sad distress these lays deplore, Unconscious pass along each famous shore? Here Fancy droops, while sullen clouds, and Storm, The generous temper of the Soul deform: To learning lost, severer Grief endured; In vain might PHOEBUS' ray his mind inspire, If one this pain of living death possest, When, with PALEMON watching in the night Contiguous lies at Port Liono's head; Great source of Science! whose immortal name Stands foremost in the glorious roll of Fame; Here godlike SOCRATES, and PLATO shone, And firm to truth eternal honour won; The first in Virtue's cause his life resign'd, By Heaven pronounced the wisest of mankind; Some Columns stand, with mantling weeds o'ergrown; Of antique marble; hence the Haven's name, Next, in the gulf of Engia, CORINTH lies, Whose gorgeous fabrics seemed to strike the skies; Whom, though by tyrant victors oft subdued, Greece, Egypt, Rome, with admiration viewed: Her name, for architecture long renowned, Spread like the foliage which her Pillars crowned; But now, in fatal desolation laid, Oblivion o'er it draws a dismal shade. Then further westward, on Morea's land, Here once she flourished, at whose trumpet's sound Advanced with Persia's sumless hosts to war, And Greece all shuddered as the Chief drew near; Their force opposed with SPARTA's glorious train; |