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the coast of Gaul, at the beginning of the eighth book. Nisroc incites the king of that country to attack them; hence is deduced the origin of the national enmity between the English and French. The guardian spirits assemble; their speeches; the genius of Albion proposes to conduct Albina to the palace of Mammon, in order to rouse the hero from his inactivity. In the ninth book, the war in Gaul is supported with alternate success, and various heroes distinguish themselves on both sides by their valour or virtue. Moloch contrives an enchanted valley between the Gallic city and the Phoenician camp, which distresses the Tyrians extremely, who, despairing of the prince's return, are encouraged and assisted by Ramiel.-In the tenth book, the genius appears to Albina, relates to her the situation of Britan, and passes with her disguised like young warriors, through the centre of the earth; they rise on a sudden in the gardens of Mammon, and discover themselves to the prince, who returns with them to Europe.-The malevolent spirits, thus baffled in all their attempts, debate, in the eleventh book, upon taking more vigorous measures, and resolve to hazard a decisive battle with the guardian angels. The war in Gaul continued; a bloody combat; the Tyrians put to flight; Britan and Albina appear and rally them; the evil deities defeated; Gaul subdued; the Phoenicians pass the enchanted valley. In the last book, the victorious army march along the coast of France, till they discern the rocks

rocks of Albion; upon which they embark, and cross the channel, attended by the invisible genii, who sit in the sails. The nuptials of Britan, who gives his name to the island, with Albina, that is, in the more hidden sense, of Royalty with Liberty. The Tyrians choose their brides among the other nymphs. Ramiel conducts the king and queen of Britain to the top of a high mountain, since called Dover Cliff, whence he shews them the extent of their empire, points to its different rivers, forests, and plains, foretels its future glory, and, having resumed his celestial form, flies to heaven; the hero and nymph descend from the mountain astonished and delighted.

BRITAIN DISCOVERED.

BOOK I.

THE daring chief who left the Tyrian shore,
And, led by angels, durst new seas explore,
Commands my boldest strain. Thro' dire alarms,
The shock of tempests, and the clash of arms,
He sought the main where blissful Albion lay,
And, heav'n-defended, took his anxious way.
Tho' air-born fiends his wand'ring fleet assail'd,
With impious rage; yet love and truth prevail'd.

BRITAIN DISCOVERED: AN HEROIC POEM.
THE ARGUMENTS.

BOOK I. THE Phanicians having landed near Tartessus, are unkindly received by the natives; their leader, BRITAN, sends Phenix and Hermion,

as

as his ambassadors, to the king of Iberia, who treats them with indignity, rejects the proffered union, and commands them to leave his coast. In the mean time, the prince of Tyre wanders, to meditate on his destined enterprize, into a forest; where his attendant spirit appears to him in the character of a Druid, warns him of approaching dangers, and exhorts him to visit in disguise the court of king Lusus: he consents; is conducted to the banks of the Tagus, with a harp and oaken garland; and is hospitably entertained by the sovereign of Lusitania, who prevails on him to relate the history of his life and fortunes. The narrative begins from his vision of ALBIONE in the groves of Tyre, and his consultation of the Memphian sages, to his arrival in Greece. He visits DIDO, his father's sister, then employed in building Carthage. A debate between Phenix and the Carthaginian chiefs on the best possible form of government.

BOOK II. THE gods of INDIA convened on Mount Cailás, by Rudra or Mahádéva, the power of destruction; their numbers, characters, attributes, and attendants. The goddess Gangá announces the views and voyage of the Tyrian hero; expresses her apprehensions of his ultimate success, but advises the most vehement opposition to him; declaring, that his victory will prove the origin of a wonderful nation, who will possess themselves of her banks, profane her waters, mock the temples of the Indian divinities, appropriate the wealth of

powers,

their adorers, introduce new laws, a new religion, a new government, insult the Bráhmens, and disregard the sacred ordinances of Brihmá. After a solemn debate, it is agreed to exert all their and to begin with obstructing the passage of the Phanician fleet into the Atlantic, by hurling a vast mountain into the straits; they proceed immediately to a variety of hostile machinations.

BOOK III.-THE narrative of Britan continued, with a description of the Grecian islands, of the Italian and Gallic shores, and closed with an account of the tempest that compelled him to land on the coast of Iberia. The king of Lusitania, foreseeing the future greatness of the prince, secretly envies him, but promises friendly aid in private, assigning reasons for his inability to give open succour. Britan departs, and proceeds toward Gaul, in order to view the channel, and beautiful isle, that were destined to perpetuate his name.

BOOK IV. THE hero, still disguised, and attended by his tutelary genius, travels to the coast of Gaul; learns that the king of that country, GALLUS, invited by an embassy from Iberia, and instigated by the HINDU god of battles, had resolved to concur in extirpating the Phenicians; and is apprised, that the Tartessians had actually assailed the works which his army had raised. On this, he returns with incredible celerity; while the benignant genii or spirits, permitted to attend on favoured mortals, hold a splendid convention in the Empyrean.

Book

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BOOK V.-WAR is begun in form, and various actions of heroes are related; the Indian gods intermix in fight, and are opposed by the guardian spirits. Tartessus taken by storm in a council of Tyrian chiefs, it is proposed by Leler, to leave the coast victorious, and sail instantly to Albion; but the impracticability of that plan is evinced by a messenger, who announces the sudden obstruction of the ships. Britan then proposes, as a measure distressful but necessary, to pursue their course with vigour through Iberia and Gaul; that, if conquered, they might perish gloriously; if conquerors, might seize the hostile galleys, and in them pass the channel. The proposal is received with bursts of applause, and the Phenician troops are drawn out in complete array.

BOOK VI.-VARIOUS exploits and events in battle. The actions of Indra, god of air, with his seven evil genii; of Rama, Belaḥadra, Nared, and Cartic. The Tyrians, in deep distress, apply to Lusus, who assists them coldly. The Celts are every-where successful; and the Gallic fleet covers the bay.

BOOK VII.-THE guardian spirit prepares the nymph Albione for prosperous events; encourages Britan, but announces imminent perils; then leaves him, on pretence of assisting at certain Druidical rites. A terrible combat in the air, and at the straits, between the opposing gods and the tutelary angels; the mountain is rent from the mouth

of

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