University of Virginia Library

TO NAPLES.

Naples—Naples!—richest ditty—
Pæan-song—divinest City;
Swan-like Harmony sublime,
Rising o'er the tide of time;
Murmurings of melodious shell,
With a long, eolian swell;
Lark-like hymn, and echoing strain—
Praising thine enchanted reign;—
Might not serve to show forth all
Thy countless splendours magical;
Lo! where spreads thy blue bright bay,
Like a mirror to the day;
Lo! where soars thy mountain dread,
Dominion beaming from his head;
(Though with dire destruction blind,
Oft overwhelmingly conjoined);
Lo! where smile thy fertile fields,
Where the vine its treasure yields;
Its purple hoard of treasure rare,
A golden river running there;
Secret—hidden—costly—pure—
Which exhaustless shall endure!
Lo! where gleam thy palaced walls—
Terraced bowers, and pillared halls;
And laugh thy gardens and thy groves—
Haunts of the graces and the loves—
There and every where a spell
Seems, bright Queen! round thee to dwell:
A mastering spell, a kindling charm,
To awake, to touch, to enchant, and warm!
Naples! Naples!—richest ditty—
Pæan song—thou fairest City—
Chaunt inspired, of proudest choir—
Strain sublime of loftiest lyre—
Ne'er might serve to show forth all
Thy matchless splendours—magical.
No! no! let thine own Syren sing,
With voice more sweet than silvery string;
And so the beauty we behold,
May be well and brightly told;
But thine own Syren sole can be,
The Muse that shall be worthy thee!