Fill'd the loud echoes of the world around, While shore to shore return'd the lengthen'd sound? With weeping Freedom to the chariot tied, Nor know a Cæsar from his slave: In empty air their mighty deeds exhale, In vain with various arts they strive Bid to the skies th' ambitious tow'r ascend; Of vanquish'd Monarchs tumbled from the throne: Rushing with strong and steady current, bears The pompous piles, with all their fame, away Deep in whose dread abyss the glory lies Of empires, ages, never more to rise! Where's now imperial Rome, Who erst to subject Kings denounc'd their doom, And shook the sceptre o'er a trembling world? From her proud height by force barbarian hurl'd. Now, on some broken capital reclin❜d, The Sage of classic mind Her awful relics views with pitying eye, In melancholy majesty along, Or pensive hover o'er the ruins round, Where old Euphrates winds his storied flood, The barren shores, and solitary plain, Yet, 'tis Divinity's implanted fire Which bids the soul to glorious heights aspire; Enlarge her wishes, and extend her sight Beyond this little Life's contracted round, And wing her eagle flight To grandeur, fame, and bliss without a bound. Ambition's ardent hopes, and golden dreams, Her tow'ring madness, and her wild extremes, Unfold this sacred truth to Reason's eye, Yes, Friend! let noble deeds, and noble aims, Some worthy monument may still declare Not such as mad Ambition's vot❜ries raise Upon the driving sand of vulgar praise; On Virtue's adamantine rock, That to the skies shall lift its tow'ring head Plann'd like a Memphian Pyramid sublime, By just degrees, and with a daring grace, Of time! no, that's a period too confin'd Which o'er the barrier leaps of added years, Of ages, æras, and revolving spheres, And leaves the flight of numbers still behind. Shall rend the globe from pole to pole; Shall Virtue see her honours shine; Shall see them blazing round the sacred shrine Of blest Eternity. |