THE WITCH OF ATLAS. I. BEFORE those cruel Twins, whom at one birth The pains of putting into learned rhyme, II. Her mother was one of the Atlantides: In the warm shadow of her loveliness ; He kissed her with his beams, and made all golden The chamber of grey rock in which she lay— She, in that dream of joy, dissolved away. III. "Tis said, she was first changed into a vapour, On hill-tops when the moon is in a fit; Which hide themselves between the Earth and Mars. IV. Ten times the Mother of the Months had bent Since in that cave a dewy splendour hidden, V. A lovely lady garmented in light From her own beauty-deep her eyes, as are Two openings of unfathomable night Seen through a tempest's cloven roof-her hair Dark-the dim brain whirls dizzy with delight, Picturing her form; her soft smiles shone afar, And her low voice was heard like love, and drew. All living things towards this wonder new. VI. And first the spotted cameleopard came, Of his own volumes intervolved;-all gaunt VII. The brinded lioness led forth her young, That she might teach them how they should forego Their inborn thirst of death; the pard unstrung His sinews at her feet, and sought to know With looks whose motions spoke without a tongue How he might be as gentle as the doe. The magic circle of her voice and eyes All savage natures did imparadise. VIII. And old Silenus, shaking a green stick Teazing the God to sing them something new, |