Wheeling from right to left this gloomy Band
Circled their Sovereign Lord, enthroned on high,
Grasping the massy sceptre of command,

Gigantic rocks, the beacons of the sea,

The loftiest vaunt of Alpine liberty,

How shrunk and dwindled-how excelled by

Him!

Atlas seems but a mole-hill-the' upward eye, Scanning that bulk enormous, waxes dim, Dread symbol of immensity in form and limb!

In the deep trenches of his haggard features
Pride sate, and majesty, and stern delight
To see how fear o'erswayed his abject creatures;
His fell red eyes, scattering envenomed light,
Glared like hot Sirius through the mist of night;
His huge rough beard, as lion's mane unshaped,
His chin and shaggy breast enveloped quite;
His mouth like a terrific whirlpool gaped,

And even as he spoke, the clotted gore escaped.

E'en as Volcanic hills, cloudy and red,

Live sulphur belch, so he his rank breath poured; And e'en as rifted skies broad lightnings shed, So his jaws oft a fiery deluge showered,Now thwarted Tantalus no longer lowered O'er the coy fugitive stream,-no Furies shook Their scorpion knots, steadfast Ixion towered, Cocytus rested, not a murmur broke The calm profound-till thus their thundering Monarch spoke.

"Ye powers of must I call ye so?—of Hell!— Oh, that disastrous chance should plunge you here;

You wont amid those subject stars to dwell,
(Buoyant for ever, round the master Sphere)
Now tenantless, or worse—usurped-Who'd sear
His heart's torn strings by pondering on the story
Of hate-revolt-unutterable fear-

Conviction flashing on defeated glory

Remembrance waving still the tyrant's banner o'er

ye.

"Let it suffice to know what we have lost, To know, we ne'er the blue untainted sky May tread, each breath by ecstasy engrossed, That sky which stars-suns-in their bravery Glancing through tuneful mazes, beautify: Hopeless-exiled-doomed to this penal cage, Whose ghastly darkness we both feel and seeWhilst earth-born man to heap fire on my rage Grasps with elected might our forfeit Heritage.

"Who yet hath stayed Jehovah in his path?
He then the' Incarnate sent, on that loved Son
To wreak the glowing quiver of his wrath;
Man drained the blood-drops of the Innocent
One

And stood revived the Conqueror then shone Thro' Hell, by Death in vain, and Sin defended; His earthquake-step staggered my reeling throne, And at His call the damned souls ascended, Love, Gratitude, and Joy, with angel harpings blended.

But whither have I wandered? Why again

Ope Memory's staunched wounds? Enow they've bled;

Vile impotence of anger, to complain!
Madness of folly! to chase sorrows fled

On time's hushed wing!-to exorcise the dead! Our lofty hopes once to perdition hurled, Perish thoughts born of them! Shall it be said, Merged in the past we listless saw unfurled Redemption's standard beaming o'er a prostrate world!

IV.

THE DEPARTURE OF ARMIDA.-Book IV.

THE Sun hath sunk at last in Ocean's flood,

O'er the flushed hills twilight's slow mists ad

vance,

Armida treads the forest solitude;

Buoyant her step, and sweetly wild her glance That sees, dilating with prophetic trance,

A woman, cased in Beauty's panoply,

Blunting the warrior's sword, shivering his

lance ;

The while strange rumours through Damascus

fly,

Moulded to every shape, by every phantasy.