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And garlanding, grew wild; and pleasure reignd. In harmless tendril they each other chaind, And strove who should be smotherd deepest in Fresh crush of leaves. For one so weak to venture his poor verse In such a place as this. O do not curse, High Muses! let him hurry to the ending. Of dulcet instruments came charmingly; And then a hymn. Brother of Jove, and co-inheritor Of elements! Eternally before Thee the waves awful bow. Fast, stubborn rock, At thy feard trident shrinking, doth unlock Its deep foundations, hissing into foam. All mountain-rivers lost, in the wide home Of thy capacious bosom ever flow. Thou frownest, and old Æolus thy foe Skulks to his cavern, mid the gruff complaint Of all his rebel tempests. Dark clouds faint When, from thy diadem, a silver gleam Slants over blue dominion. Thy bright team Gulfs in the morning light, and scuds along To bring thee nearer to that golden song Apollo singeth, while his chariot Waits at the doors of heaven. Thou art not For scenes like this: an empire stern hast thou; And it hath furrowd that large front: yet now, As newly come of heaven, dost thou sit To blend and interknit Subdued majesty with this glad time. O shell-born King sublime! We lay our hearts before thee evermore We sing, and we adore! Be tender of your strings, ye soothing lutes; Nor be the trumpet heard! O vain, O vain! Not flowers budding in an April rain, Nor breath of sleeping dove, nor rivers flow No, nor the Æolian twang of Loves own bow, Can mingle music fit for the soft ear Of goddess Cytherea! Yet deign, white Queen of Beauty, thy fair eyes On our souls sacrifice. Who has another care when thou hast smiled? Unfortunates on earth, we see at last All death-shadows, and glooms that overcast Our spirits, fannd away by thy light pinions. O sweetest essence! sweetest of all minions! God of warm pulses, and dishevelld hair, And panting bosoms bare! Dear unseen light in darkness! eclipser Of light in light! delicious poisoner! Thy venomd goblet will we quaff until We fillwe fill! And by thy Mothers lips For clamour, when the golden palace-door Opend again, and from without, in shone A new magnificence. On oozy throne Smooth-moving came Oceanus the old, To take a latest glimpse at his sheep-fold, Before he went into his quiet cave To muse for everThen, a lucid wave, Scoopd from its trembling sisters of mid-sea, Afloat, and pillowing up the majesty Of Doris, and the Ægean seer, her spouse Next, on a dolphin, clad in laurel boughs, Theban Amphion leaning on his lute. His fingers went across itAll were mute To gaze on Amphitrite, queen of pearls, And Thetis pearly too. Around giddy Endymion; seeing he Was there far strayed from mortality. He could not bear itshut his eyes in vain; Imagination gave a dizzier pain. O I shall die! sweet Venus, be my stay! Where is my lovely mistress? Well away! I dieI hear her voiceI feel my wing At Neptunes feet he sank. A sudden ring Of Nereids were about him, in kind strife To usher back his spirit into life: But still he slept. At last they interwove Their cradling arms, and purposed to convey Towards a crystal bower far away. To his inward senses these words spake aloud; Written in star-light on the dark above: Dearest Endymion! my entire love! How have I dwelt in fear of fate; tis done Immortal bliss for me too hast thou won. Arise then! for the hen-dove shall not hatch Her ready eggs, before Ill kissing snatch Thee into endless heaven. Awake! awake! Came quiet to his eyes; and forest green, Cooler than all the wonder he had seen, Lulld with its simple song his fluttering breast. How happy once again in grassy nest! |
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