Consulted her in each emergency, Believed her, spite of contradicting doubt : He found a wondrous strength in that soft arm PART I. HIS TRAINING AND CHARACTER. B I ARDS of all nations hymn the praise On whom the light of genius plays With various coloured ray: They many stirring odes indite To consecrate the claims of might, They kneel before success : They robe the monarch's prosperous reign, II They dearly love to overrate With all excess of song Th' already recognised, and mate Their theme with all that's strong; Replenishing the ample store Of him that hath, with useless more While, hidden from the grosser sense, In lowly state, but loftier worth, III Nor this alone: foul deeds of crime That Hist'ry's pages fill, Transformed, appear as acts sublime, When touched by strength and skill : The empire grasped through force and wrong, Evokes the approving smile: While word-imaginations vie With Sculpture, Painting, Poetry, To deify the vile. IV Not so the bird, to whom chief power Of minstrelsy belongs, Who sings o'er the deserted tower Not so the sun, who loves to pour His radiant beams o'er every shore, Where laden palm-trees spread and soar, His friendly warmth and genial smile And Rome's illustrious fane. V There rises one to greet our quest In Hist'ry's early time, Who those rare qualities possest That make a life sublime; The skill to weave strong words in speech, A will that ne'er by man was cowed VI The crowd must fail to glorify To merit true each soul and eye VII The beings that avert their eyes With cold uncaring gaze When Sunset's richest glory dyes Sea, Sky, in too brief blaze; Who can unbidden turn their sight From Nature's masterpiece of light To keenly view the bauble-horde That neighbouring gaudy shops afford In Trumpery's trifling taste: VIII These, who but care for paltriest art, Can scarce respect, admire, |