II.
1.
Thro' the deep long extent of time,
A race of heroes sprung;
Love was their sire—They in each distant clime,
Liv'd by Love's law, his triumphs sung.
See Discord back to Chaos hurl'd!
See dawning reason harmonize the world!
Soon o'er his realms so vast and wide
Ocean views the vessel glide:
Commerce, lo! has spread the sail,
And lands remote th'advent'rers fondly hail:
And Tyre, how great thy rapture to explore
The treasures new of many a distant shore!
2.
Ah! what is all the blaze of power?
And what the pride of wealth, but pomp, and pain?
Then brooding Avarice knew her hour;
Then wrapp'd her niggard soul in dreams of gain;
Ambition, too, thy growing hopes were bold;
She ponder'd where to hide the worshipp'd gold,
Remorseless, curs'd amidst her hoard;
Thou durst bid ocean wear thy chain,
Like gorgeous Persia's madden'd Lord,
And the wide world confess thy reign.
Love call'd his sons; he saw
Where lust and wanton waste
Each fram'd with tyrant pride the lawless law;
And lo! they haste,
The Hero Race, man's guardian angel-bands;
What hero sleeps, when Love commands?
“Proceed, he cries, my ancient laws proclaim,
“Still imitate my deeds, still emulate my fame.”
3.
“Then only gold is bright
“When like the sun it shines,
“And round the world distributes generous light:
“But when the dirt of mines
“Cleaves to a miser's soul, the base-born ore
“Is baser than before;
“Shine ye in bounty rich; to all impart
“Their boon of bliss, the genial warmth of heart:
“Let earth be cloth'd in golden grain,
“Make vallies smile and rivers flow,
“Teach every art to own thy reign,
“And genius with new fires to glow:
“Bid science from her sleep of years to start,
“And Laws controul the miscreant heart:
“And bid the muse with her soul-soothing charm
“The grizly host of human ills disarm,
“To soothe or fire the breast:
“Thus live, in blessing others blest,
“Thus reign, and, more than conquerors, rule the mind,
“Such be the Hero Race, the stars of human kind.”
