Forego thy keys of gold, Cephas, thy mansioners must now be free. Shall grace the judge's side; When, the new earth reclad in bridal glee, He comes to wake the dead, the dooms of men deciding. Whether for Constantine, Or that mysterious Trine, Which ranks the prophet with the Only Lord; Whose cruel heat oblique Steep'd writhing infidels in flames abhorr❜d; Or for those priests the wed-bed who renounce, Flows the wrath-vial now-what mortal may pronounce. The star that told his birth, How might be won the beamy home of bliss, From her high front hath torn; Hurling its glories to the foul abyss, In meet eclipse, while the arch-fiend of God, Loos'd from his searing chains, shall wield the sov'reign rod. The thousand years are past For which his bonds should last, Again he strolls abroad and roars amain; "There is no God," he cries, While impious shouts arise, And laughing crouds applaud the hell-taught strain, No God," with lips unpalsied they declare, Tossing their brands against the scorned domes of prayer. Torn from its altar-stand With sacrilegious hand, The chalice scatters its forbidden wine { On mystic wafers, flung In scorn by heaps of dung, And human flesh, dogs of the miscreants dine t They hoot a felon fool by fellow fools admir'd. Was it for these accurst, Thy chisel bad the moving marble preach? The storied wall to cloathe With those pure charities, which vainly teach? In wringing tones so sooth that seraphs lean'd to know? As, when o'er guilty towns Jehovah's anger frowns, Deep bellowings thro' the nigh volcano writhe; While priests with fault'ring tread, Their pale processions lead, And shudder at their proper temple's highth: So was the holy city all aghast, When through its rifled walls the stranger ruffians past. The saintly father flies To close his fading eyes, Where yet the lonely olive strives to grow: Or harmless crosier'd hand, Would now forfend him from th' assassin's blow. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold this wrong, Avenging plagues of war Affright the world afar; The ranged ranks to loud-blown trumpets wheel: Are pawing for the fight; The spear is fasten'd to the tube of steel: The widow's shriek, the orphan's tear, For the town-shatt'ring cannon's roar, is hard to hear. Lo! the fell devil-forms That play amid the storms Plunder, who tears from Industry his all; Rape, who delights to rush Where beams the virgin's blush; Murder scarce waiting for Suspicion's call, Ere in the bishop's hoary hair His grappling fist is fixt, his lifted poignard bare, But not for aye shall reign The hell-disgorged train: Ye will return to lift the bruised reed, Who, learn'd of Jesus' tongue, To pardon human wrong, Cheer the shorn lamb, and bind the wounds that bleed. Immortal Mercy dwells in safe retreat, And back to the sad toil shall wend her pilgrim feet. Then all the angel train Shall visit earth again; And Michael bind the dragon's strength anew: In holier pray'r to blend, And purer, heav'n-atoning rites renew. To guard the teacher's hall, the ruin'd pile to rear. Long absent Justice then Shall back return to men, With meas'ring look her scales and compass minding; And Peace, with myrtle wand, Shall take no fleeting stand, From either foot her turtle-wings unbinding; So when the seven-mouth'd tide Withdraws his waters wide, And feeds his scaly flocks in narrower vale; Emerging groves are seen, Enrob'd in springing green, To branch beside the dike-bound city's pale: And as the oozy billows sink, Young flow'rs and waving blades dance on the fragrant brink. Far from their impious dens, The greedy crocodiles in fear are swum: To rinse the marble floor, From ling'ring slime impure, With pearled wrist the bathing maidens come: And joyous crouds with sport and song, Stroll where the levelling stream trail'd its slow width along. BELLUM ET LIBERTAS. HAIL to the trumpet's blast! That calls bright Valour to the tented field→→ Break off the festal strain;-no more Shall Love the Warrior's arms entwine; The drum's deep murmuring on the sullen gale; The helmet's plumy terrors nod, FREEDOM! to thee we consecrate the toil; LIGHT of the SOUL! for thee we brave |