Where, where was Eloïfe? her voice, her hand,
Her ponyard had oppos'd the dire command,
Barbarian, ftay: that bloody ftroke restrain;
The crime was common, common be the pain.
I can no more; by fhame by rage suppress'd, 105
Let tears and burning blushes speak the reft.

Canft thou forget that fad, that folemn day,
When victims at yon altar's foot we lay?
Canft thou forget what tears that moment fell,
When, warm in youth, I bade the world farewell?
As with cold lips I kifs'd the facred veil,
The thrines all trembled, and the lamps grew pale:
Heaven fearce believ'd the Conqueft it furvey'd,
And Saints with wonder heard the vows I made.
Yet then, to those dread altars as I drew,
Not on the cross my eyes were fix'd, but you:
Not grace, or zeal, love only was my call;
And if I lofe thy love, I lofe my all.
Come! with thy looks, thy words, relieve my

woe;

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These still at leaft are left thee to bestow.
Still on that breaft enamour'd let me lie,
Still drink delicious poifon from thy eye,
Pant on thy lip, and to thy heart be prefs'd;
Give all thou canft-and let me dream the rest.
Ah, no! inftruct me other joys to prize,
With other beauties charm my partial eyes,
Full in my view fet all the bright abode,
And make my foul quit Abelard for God.

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Ah think at leaft thy flock deferves thy care, Plants of thy hand, and children of thy prayer. From the falfe world in early youth they fled, By thee to mountains, wilds, and deferts led. You rais'd thefe hallow'd walls; the defert fmil'd And paradife was open'd in the wild. No weeping orphan faw his father's ftores Our fhrines irradiate, or emblaze the floors; No filver faints, by dying mifers given, Here bribe the rage of ill-requited Heaven; But fuch plain roofs as Piety could raise, And only vocal with the Maker's praife. In thefe lone walls (their days eternal bound) Thefe mofs-grown domes with fpiry turrets crown'd,

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Where awful archies make a noon-day night,
And the dim windows fhed a folemn light;
Thy eyes diffus'd a reconciling ray,
And gleams of glory brighten'd all the day.
But now no face divine contentment wears,
'Tis all blank fadnefs, or continual tears.
See how the force of others prayers I try,
(0 pious fraud of amorous charity!)
But why fhould I on others prayers depend?
Come thou, my father, brother, hutband, friend!
Ah, let thy handmaid, fifter, daughter, move,
And all thofe tender names in one, thy love!
The darkfome pines that o'er yon rocks reclin'd
Wave high, and murmur to the hollow wind,
The wandering streams that fhine between the
hills,

The grots that echo to the tinkling rills,
The dying gales that pant upon the trees,
The lakes that quiver to the curling breeze ;-
No more thefe fcenes my meditation aid,
Or lull to reft the vi ̈onary maid.

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I ought to grieve, but cannot what I ought;
I mourn the lover, not laiment the fault;
I-view my crime, but kindle at the view,
Repent old pleafures, and folicit new;
Now turn'd to heaven, I weep my paft offence,
Now think of thee, and curfe my innocence.
Of all affliction taught a lover yet,
'Tis fure the hardest science to forget!
How fhall I lose the fin, yet keep the fenfe,
And love th' offender, yet deteft th' offence?
How the dear object from the crime remove,
Or how diftinguifh penitence from love?
Unequal task! a paffion to refign,
For hearts fo touch'd, fo pierc'd, fo loft as mine!
Ere fuch a foul regains its peaceful state,
How often muft it love how often hate!
How often hope, defpair, refent, regret,
Conceal, difdain, do all things but forget! 200
But let heaven feize it, all at once 'tis fir'd:
Not touch'd, but rapt ; not waken'd, but inspir'd!
Oh come, oh teach me nature to fubdue,
Renounce my love, my life, myself-and you.
Fill my fond heart with God alone, for he
Alone can rival, can fucceed to thee.

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How happy is the blameless Veftal's lot; The world forgetting, by the world forgot! Eternal fun-fhine of the spotlefs mind! Each prayer accepted, and each with refign'd; Labour and reft that equal periods keep; "Obedient slumbers that can wake and weep?" Defires compos'd, affections ever even ; Tears that delight, and fighs that waft to heaven. Grace fhines around her with ferenest beams, 215 And whifpering Angels prompt her golden dreams. For her th' unfading rofe of Eden blooms, And wings of Seraphs fhed divine pertunes; For her the fpoufe prepares the bridal ring; For her white virgins Hymenaels fing; To founds of heavenly harps fhe dies away, And melts in vifions of eternal day.

220

Far other dreams my erring foul employ, Far other raptures of unholy joy: When, at the clofe of each fad, forrowing day, Fancy restores what vengeance fnatch'd away, Then confcience fleeps, and leaving nature free, All my loofe foul unbounded Springs to thee.

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230

O curft, dear horrors of all-confcious night!
How glowing guilt exalts the keen delight!
Provoking Demons all restraint remove,
And ftir within me every fource of love.
I hear thee, view thee, gaze o'er all thy charms,
And round thy phantom glue my clafping arms.
I wake :—no more I hear, no more I view, 235
The phantom flies me, as unkind as you.
I call aloud; it hears not what I fay:
1 ftretch my empty arms; it glides away.
To dream once more I clofe my willing eyes;
Ye fort illufions, dear deceits, arise!
Alas, no more! methinks we wandering go
Through dreary waftes, and weep each other's

woe,

240

Where round fome mouldering tower pale ivy

creeps,

And low-brow'd rocks hang nodding o'er the deeps.

Sudden you mount, you beckon from the skies;
Clouds interpofe, waves roar, and winds arife.
I fhriek, start up, the fame fad prospect find,
And wake to all the griefs I left behind.

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For thee the fates, 1everely kind, ordain A cool fufpenfe from pleasure and from pain ; Thy life a long dead calm of fix'd repose; No pulfe that riots, and no blood that glows. Still as the fea, ere winds were taught to blow, Or moving spirit bade the waters flow; Sotf as the flumbers of a faint forgiven, And mild as opening gleams of promis'd heaven. Come, Abelard! for what haft thou to dread? The torch of Venus burns not for the dead. Nature ftands check'd; Religion disapproves : 260 Ev'n thou art cold-yet Eloïfa loves. Ab, hopeless, lafting flames! like thofe that burn To light th' dead, and warm the unfruitful urn. What scenes appear where'er I turn my view! The dear ideas, where Ifly, pursue, Rife in the grove, before the altar rife, Stain all my foul, and wanton in my eyes. I waste the matin lamp in fighs for thee, Thy image fteals between my God and me, Thy voice I feem in every hymn to hear, With every bead I drop too foft a tear. When from the cenfer clouds of fragrance roll, And fwelling organs lift the rifing foul, One thought of thee puts all the pomp to flight, Priefts, tapers, temples, fwim before my fight: In feas of flame my plunging foul is drown'd, 275 While Altars blaze, and Angels tremble round.

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While proftrate here in humble grief I lie, Kind, virtuous drops juft gathering in my eye, While, praying, trembling, in the duft I roll, And dawning grace is opening on my foul: 280 Come, if thou dar'ft, al charming as thou art! Oppofe thyself to Heaven; difpute my heart; Come, with one glance of thofe deluding eyes Blot out each bright idea of the kies;

Take back that grace, thofe forrows, and thofe

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"Thy place is here, fad fitter, come away! 310 "Once like thyfelf, I trembled, wept, and "pray'd,

"Love's victim then, though now a fainted << maid:

But all is calm in this eternal fleep; "Here grief forgets to groan, and love to weep: "Ev'n fuperftition lofes every fear;

315 "For God, not man, abfolves our frailties "here."

321

I come, I come! prepare your roseate bowers,, Celestial palms, and ever-blooming flowers. Thither, where finners may have reft, I go, Where flames refin'd in breasts feraphic glow: Thou, Abelard! the laft fad office pay, And smooth my paffage to the realms of day; See my lips tremble, and my eye-balls roll, Suck my last breath, and catch my flying foull Ah no-in facred veftments mayft thou ftand, 226 The hallow'd taper trembling in thy hand, Prefent the Crofs before my lifted eye, Teach me at once, and learn of me to die. Ah then, thy once-lov'd Eloïfa fee! It will be then no crime to gaze on me. See from my cheek the tranfent rofes fly! See the laft fparkle languish in my eye! Till every motion, pulfe, and breath be o'er; And ev'n my Abelard be lov'd no more,

(That caufe of all my guilt, and all my joy) In trance extatic may thy pangs be drown'd, Bright clouds defcend, and Angels watch thee round,

From opening skies may ftreaming glories fine. And Saints embrace thee with a love like mine!

May one kind grave unite each haplefs name, And graft my love immortal on thy fame! Then, ages hence, when all my woes are c'er, When this rebellious heart shall beat no more; If ever chance two wandering lovers brings To Paraclete's white walls and filver fprings, O'er the pale marble fhall they join their heads, And drink the falling tears each other thedi; 550

that foft feafon, when defcending showers Call forth the greens, and wake the rifing

flowers;

When opening buds falute the welcome day, And earth relenting feels the genial ray :

5

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45

Nor was the work impair'd by forms alone, But felt th' approaches of too warm a fun; For Fame, impatient of extremes, decays Not more by Envy, than excefs of Praife. Yet part no injuries of heaven could feel, The rock's high fummit, in the temple's fhade, Like cryftal faithful to the graving steel: Nor heat could melt, nor beating ftorm invade. Their names infcrib'd unnumber'd ages pat From time's frft birth, with time itfelf fhall laft; Thefe, ever new, nor fubject to decays, Spread, and grow brighter with the length of days. 51 So Zembla's rocks (the beauteous work of froft) Rife white in air, and glitter o'er the coaft; Pale funs, unfelt, at diitance roll away, And on th' impaffive ice the lightnings play; Eternal fnows the growing mats fupply, Till the bright mountains prop th'incumbent fky; As Atlas fx'd each hoary pile appears, The gather d winter of a thousand years. On this foundation Fame's high temple flands; Stupendous pile! not rear'd by mortal hands. Whate'er proud Rome or artful Grecce behield, Or elder Babylon, its frame excell'd. Four faces had the dome, and every face Four brazen gates, on columns lifted high, Of various ftru&ure, but of equal grace! Salute the different quarters of the sky. Here fabled Chiefs in darker ages born,

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65

Or Worthies old, whom arms or arts adorn, 7
Who cities rais'd, or tam'd a monstrous race,
The walls in venerable order grace:
And Legitators feem to think in flore.
Heroes in animated marble frown,

76

As balmy fleep had charm'd my cares to reft, And love itfelf was basith'd from my breaft, (What time the mora myfterious vitons brings, While purer fumbers fpread their golden wings) A train of phantoms in wild order rofe, Aad, join'd, this intellectual fcene compofe. 10 Iftood, methought, betwixt earth, feas, andikies; The whole creation open to my eyes: In air felf-halanc'd hung the globe below, Where mountains rife, and c reling oceans flow; Here naked rocks, and empty waftes were feen; There towery cities, and the forefts green: Here failing fhips delight the wandering eyes; There trees and intermingled temples rife : Now a clear fun the fhining fcene difplays; The tranfient landicape now in clouds decays. O'er the wide profpe&t as I gaz'd around, Sudden I heard a wild promifcuous found, Like broken thunders that at diftance roar, Or billows murmuring on the hollow fhore: Then gazing up, a glorious pile beheld, Whofe towering fummit ambient clouds conceal'da High ona rock of ice the ftructure lay, Steep italcent, and flippery was the way; The wonderous rock li e Parian marble f one, And feem'd, to diftant fight, a folid stone, Infcriptions here of various Names I view'd, greater part by hoftile time fubdued; fpread their fame in ages paft, And Poets once had promis'd they frould lat. Some fresh engrav'd appear'd of wits renown'd; I looked again, nor could their trace be found. 36

The

Yet wide was

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30

Critics I faw, that other names deface,
And fx their own, with labour, in their place:
Their own, like others, foon their place refign'd,
Or difappear'd, and left the firft behind,

Vol. VI.

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115

Of Talifmans and Sigils knew the power,
And careful waten'd the Planetary hour.
Superior, and alone, (onfucius itood,
Who taught that ufeful science, to be good.
But on the South, a long majestic race
Of Egypt Prieft the gild diches grace,
Who mea ur'd earth, defcrib'd the Starry spheres,
And trac'd the log records of lunar years.
High on his car Setoitris ftruck my view,
Whom tcepter'd Laves in golden harness drew :
His hands a bow and pointed javelin hold;
His giant limbs are arm'd in fcales of gold.
Between the ftatues Obelisks were plac'd,
And the learn'd walls with Hieroglyphics grac❜d.
Of Gothic ftructure was the Northern fide,
C'erwrought with ornaments of barbarous pride.
There huge Coloffes rofe, with trophies crown'd,
And Runic characters were grav'd around.
There late Zamolxis with erected eyes,
And Odin here in mimic trances dies.
There on rude iron columns, finear'd with blood,
The horrid forms o Scythian heroes stood. 126
Druids and Bards (their once loud harps un-
ftrung)

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Much fuffering heroes next their honours claim, Thofe of lefs noify, and lefs guilty fame, Far virtue's filent train: fupreme of these Here ever shines the godlike Socrates; He whom ungrateful Athens could expell, At all times just, but when he fign'd the Shell: Here his abode the martyr'd Procion claims, With Agis, not the laft of Spartan names : Unconquer'd Cato fhews the wound he tore, And Brutus his ill Genius meets no more. But in the centre of the hallow'd choir, Six pompous columns o'er the reft afpire; Around the fhrine itself of Fame they fland, 120 Hold the chief honours, and the fane command. High on the firit, the mighty Homer fhone ; Eternal adamant compos'd his throne; Father of verfe! in holy fillets dreit, His flver beard way'd gently o'er his breath; 18 Though blind, a boldness in his looks appears; In years he feem'd, but not impair'd by years. The wars of Troy were round the pillar feen: Here fierce Tydides wounds the Cyprian Queen; Here Hector glorious from Patroclus' fall, Here dragg'd in triumph round the Trojan wall. Motion and life did every part infpire, Bold was the work, and prov'd the master's fire; A ftrong expreffion moft he feem'd ť affe&t, And here and there disclos'd a brave neglect. 195 A golden column next in rank appear'd, On which a shrine of pureft gold was rear'd; Finish'd the whole, and labour'd every part, With patient touches of unwearied art: The Mantuan there in fober triumph fate, Compos'd his posture, and his look fedate ; On Homer ftill he fix'd a reverent eye, Great without pride, in modeft majesty. In living fculpture on the fdes were spread The Latian wars, and haughty Turnus dead; Eliza ftretch'd upon the funeral pyre, Eneas bending with his aged fire: Troy flam'd in burning gold, and o'er the throne ARMS AND THE MAN in golden cyphers fhone. Four fwans fuitain a car of ilver bright, With heads advanc'd, and pinions ftretch'd for Alight:

1,0

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210

Here, like fome furious prophet, Pindar rode,
And feem'd to labour with th' infpiring God.
Across the harp a careless hand he flings,
And boldly finks into the founding ftrings. 215
The figur'd games of Greece the column grace,
Neptune and Jove furvey the rapid race.
The youths hang o'er their chariots as they run;
The fiery fteeds feem ftarting from the ftone;
The champions in diftorted poftures threat; 220
And all appear'd irregularly great.

Here happy Horace tun'd th' Aufonian lyre
To fweeter founds, and temper'd Pindar's fire :
Pleas'd with Alcæus' manly rage t' insuse
225
The fofter spirit of the Sapphic Muse.
The poli 'd pillar different fculptures grace;
A work outlafting monumental brafs.
Here fmiling Loves and Bacchanals appear,
The Julian ftar and great Auguftus here.
The Doves that round the infant Poet fpread 230
Myrtles and bays, hung hovering o'er his head. /
Here, in a frine that caft a dazzling light,
Sate fix'd in thought the mighty Stagyrite;

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His facred head a radiant Zodiac crown'd, And various Animals his fides furround; His piercing eyes, erect, appear to view Superior worlds, and look all Nature through. With equal rays immortal Tully fhone, The Roman Roftra deck'd the Conful's throne. Gathering his flowing robe, le feem'd to stand In act to fpeak, and graceful firetch'd his hand. Behind Rome's Genius waits with Civic crowns, And the great Father of his country owns. These maffy columns in a circle rife, O'er which a pompous dome invades the skies: Scarce to the top I stretch'd my aching fight, So large it fpread, and fwell'd to fuch a height. Full in the midit proud Fames's imperial feat With jewels blaz'd magnincently great; The vivid emeralds there revive the eye, The faming rubies fhew their fanguine dye, Bright azure rays from lively fapphires stream, And lucid amber cafts a golden gleam. With various-colour'd light the pavement fhone, And all on fire appear'd the glowing throne; 255 The dome's high arch reflects the mingled blaze, And forms a rainbow of alternate rays. When on the Goddefs first I caft my ight, Scarce feem'd her ftature of a cubit's height; But fwell'd to larger fize, the more I gaz'd, Till to the roof her towering front she rais'd. With her, the Temple every moment grew, And ampler Viftas open'd to my view: Upwards the columns fhoot, the roofs afcend, And arches widen, and long aifles extend. Such was her form, as ancient bards have told, Wings raife her arms, and wings her feet infold; A thoufad bufy tongues the Goddess bears, And thoufand open eyes, and thousand liftening

ears.

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Beneath, in order rang'd, the tuneful Nine (Her virgin handmaids) ftill attend the fhrine: With eyes on Fame for ever fix'd, they fing; For Fame they raife the voice, and tune the itring; With time's first birth began the heavenly lays, And laft, eternal, through the length of days. Around these wonders as I caft a look, The trumpet, founded, and the temple fhook, And all the nations, fummon'd at the call, From different quarters fill the crouded hall: Of various tongues the mingled founds were heard: In various garbs promiscuous throngs appear'd; Thick as the bees, that with the Spring renew Their flowery toils, and fip the fragrant dew, When the wing'd colonies rft tempt the sky, Oer dufky fields and fhaded waters fly, Or, fettling, feize the fweets the blooms yield, And a low murmur runs along the field. Millions of fuppliant crouds the fhrine attend, And all degrees before the Goddess bend; The poor,

285

the rich, the valiant, and the fage, 290 And boafting youth, and narrative old age. Their pleas were different, their requeft the fame; For good and bad alike are fond of Fame Some the difgrac'd, and fome with honours

crown'd;

Ualike fucceffes equal merits found.

Thus her blind fifter, fickle Fortune, reigns, And undifcerning fcatters crowns and chains.

295

First at the fhrine the Learned world appear, And to the Goddess thus prefer their prayer. Long have we fought t' inftruct and please mankind, With ftudies pale, with nid..ight vigils blind; But tha k'd by iew, rewarded yet by none, We here appeal to thy fuperior throne: On wit and learning the just prize behow, For Fame is all we must expect below.

305

The Goddess heard, and Lade the Mufes raife The golden Trumpet of eternal Praise : From pole to pole the winds dirtute the found, That fills the circuit of the world around; Not all at once, as thunder breaks the cloud; 310 The notes at feit were rather fweet than loud; By just degrees they every moment rise, Fill the wice earth, and gai. upon the kies. At every breath were balmy odours fred, Which will grew fweeter, a they wider pread; Lefs fragrant feents tholdig rofe exhales, Or fpices breathing in Arabian gales.

320

Next thefe the good and just, an awful train,
Thus on their knees addrefs the facred faue,
Since living virtue is with envy cors'd,
And the beit men are treated lie the wor?,
Do thou just Goddef, call our merits forth,
And give each deed th' exact intrinhe wortn.
Not with bare justice fhall your act be crow.'d
(Said Fame) but high above defert renown'd:
Let fuller notes th' applauding world amaze,
And the loud clarion labour in your praife.

This band difmifs'd behold a other croud
Prefer'd the fame request and lowly bow'd;
The conftant tenour of whose well-spent days 33
No lefs deferv'd a juft return of praise.
But ftraight the direful Trump of Slander founds;
Through the big dome the doubling thunder
bounds;

Loud as the burst of cannon rends the skies,
The dire report through every region flies, 335
In every ear inceffant rumours rung,

And gathering fcandals grew on every tongue.
From the black trumpet's rufty concave broke
Sulphureous flames, and clouds of rolling smoke:
The poisonous vapour blots the purple kies, 34°
And withers all before it as it flies.

Atroop came next, who crownsand armour wore, And proud defance in their loors they bore: For thee (they cryd) amidit alarms and trife, We fail'd in tempefts down the ftream of lie; For thee whole nations fill'd with flames and blood, And swam to empire through the purple flood, Thofe ills we dar'd, thy inipiration own, What virtue feem'd, was done for thee alone. Ambitious fools! (the Queen reply'd, and frown'd) Be all your acts in dark oblivion drown'd; There fleep forgot, with mighty tyrants gone, Your ftatues moulder'd, and your names unknown! A fudden cloud straight snatch'd them from my fight,

And each majestic phantom funk in night.

356

Then came the fmalleft tribe I yet had feen; Plain, was their drefs and modeft was their mein.

Great idol of mankind! we neither claim
The praife of merit, nor afpire to fame!
But, fafe in deferts from th' applaufe of men 360
Would die unheard of, as we liv'd unfees,