Have been permitted to resume awhile 15 20 Long time had Satan view'd with envious eye, From where in Pandæmonium thron'd he sat, Columbia's mighty chief, at whose right hand He saw Success waving her lucid plumes, While Glory had descended from above, And o'er his standard spread her eagle wings. He saw, and griev'd, and thus to his compeers 25 Pour'd the foreboding tumults of his soul; "Was it for this that we have toil'd so long To avert the will of Heaven, and to mix In all the affairs of men discord and war? Shall a mean rebel trample under foot 30 markable, indeed, that the celebrated duke of Manchester applied this very passage to those evil counsellors whose rash and headstrong politics caused that fatal war which is the subject of the present poem; but the enlightened reader needs not be told that, how evil soever the poet may believe such counsels to have been, his whole object in introducing his machinery is purely allegorical. Lords' Debates, March 5, 1776, v. p. 189. Almon. 30. a mean rebel-As the direct tendency of superfluous wealth, particularly in the earlier period of life, is to enervate the human mind, pointing out only quò ducit gula, it is not much to be wondered at that many of the greatest characters of the world should have arisen from humble stations. "Washington's patrimonial estate was by no means considerable; his youth was employed in useful industry-in the practice of his profession as a surveyor." And if the reader will take the pains to inquire into the origin of the various administrators (for I speak not of emperors and kings) of the European governments, either at the present, or in former times, he will find it not unfrequently obscure and humble. See Marshall's Life of Washington, ii. p. 2, 8vo. Phillips, 1804. Our fruitful crops of ignorance and power? The reins of empire we so long have plac'd See where Columbia's endless woods rebound 35 With hymns of victory; see her altars blaze Heard ye that shout? All heaven, and earth, and hell, Chaos, and night reverberate the sound; 'T was to seraphick Liberty. E'en now, 40 Now while we thus deliberation hold, To perfect his great work: Columbia, Whence we have hop'd, as from an earthly throne, 45 Preeminent to pour upon mankind Future oppression, civil wars, and strife; And all our hopes be blasted with our power. 44. Whence we have hop'd,-If the efforts of the British ministry to subjugate America had been crowned with success, it is hardly possible to doubt the consequences that would have ensued: "either terms must have been granted to her equivalent to independence, or else a perpetual cause of war would have remained." Other nations must have suffered by these conflicts with America, as they are now benefited by the establishment of her independence. Upon this subject the reader may consult the advertisement prefixed to Ramsay's History; and the Appendix, No. IV. 8vo. Stockdale, 1793. Some speedy dissolution. Brave compeers! Exert thy wonted power, or rather seek 65 70 Scarce had he said, when in the furthest west 60 Seraphick splendour glided down the sky, And over York-town halted. Vaulted hell Saw the dire sign, and to its central depths Groan'd. Satan shook in all his ponderous limbs, And his dread tongue forgot its utterance; While silence, still as night, held the whole host Of hell's proud chiefs; until again their prince, By shame and anger rous'd, thus loud exclaim'd; "Moloch! why sleepest thou ? Beëlzebub! Mammon! and all ye potentates of hell! Rouse, rouse your energies! For shame, ye Is this the time to sleep, when all the powers Of heaven and earth combine to overthrow Our new-establish'd empire, and restore The reign of peace and charity to man? E'en hell itself 's in danger: saw ye not The archangel Liberty with outspread wing Glide thro' the western sky, and take her stand Close by our foe, near York-town's sea-lav'd walls? That Liberty's our death! Then farewell, hell! 80 Farewell, our throne! Annihilation, hail!" chiefs! 75 So spake the archfiend: indignant Moloch rose, And with fell fury struggling, and with words In doubtful war on either side of heaven? Did Moloch sleep when the uprooted hills, 90 Arch'd o'er heaven's pavement? Where was Moloch then, When the dread Thunderer drove his rapid car Hurl'd us down headlong from the gates of heaven ? I never prophesied of death to hell; I tremble not because seraphick light 100 105 He said, and swore a Stygian oath that shook E'en Satan's haughty soul; then seiz'd his arms, 110 While quivering horrour sat upon his lips. To them rose Beelzebub, than whom in hell stores, And thus with soothing words the chiefs address'd; "Whence this dire discord midst immortal spirits? Is 't not enough that heaven and earth combine 116 To undermine our cause, but must ourselves Accelerate our downfall, and become 120 130 To him thus Moloch temperate replied; 135/ 140 |