University of Virginia Library

SUMMER'S NIGHT.

I.

The Sun has sunk beneath the west,
And ev'ry bird is in his nest,
Who late upon the liveried tree
Pour'd forth his vesper melody.
Silent is the guarded camp,
Save from the Sentry's measur'd tramp,
A heavy stillness weighs on all,
K eeps the hardiest breast in thrall.
Thick and motionless the air,
A murky gloom o'er all is spread:
No Moon doth thro' the mist appear,
And not a star doth show its head.
Not a single zephyr blows,
Not a single banner flows;
'Tis like what was ere this vast world,
Was round its flaming centre hurl'd,
When Chaos lay, a lightless heap,
The silent throne of senseless sleep.

II.

In such a dark and gloomy hour,
First Satan felt ambition pour
Thro' all his veins her fire:
And round his princely standard drew,
And madly urg'd, the impious crew
To battle with their Sire!

III.

In such still hour his bands he led,
Against that High Eternal Head,
Ten thousand purple banners waving!
In such an hour th' Almighty hurl'd
The traitor from his heav'nly world,
Ten thousand blasting thunders raving!

IV.

In such an hour the rebel fell,
And sank beneath the waves of hell,
An Alien for ever
From heav'n, from happiness and love,
Condemn'd o'er Orcus' plains to rove,
Or man from peace to sever!

V.

In such an hour, the Dæmon came
To sully man's yet spotless name,
To tempt the fool to pry!
In such an hour imprudent Eve,
Taught all her sons to toil, to grieve,
To sin, to curse, and die!

VI.

In such an hour, invidious Cain,
Shudder'd to see a brother slain,
And own'd a murd'rer's dread!
In such an hour God's awful voice,
A curse pronounc'd in thunder's noise
On his devoted head!

VII.

In such an hour the Cherub race,
Rashly left their native place,
The rosy bow'rs of heav'n:
To clasp within their deathless arms,
The ripe, delusive, god-like charms
To mortal women giv'n!

VIII.

At such an hour, when Babel rais'd
Its head sublime, and mortals prais'd
Their wisdom, braving God!
Th' All-pow'rful at their folly smil'd;
Their tiny, puny work revil'd,
Dispers'd them with a nod!

IX.

At such an hour, near Xanthus' flood,
The naked rival Triad stood:
Upon the Shepherd's eyes
The o'erpow'ring flame of beauty flash'd,
And ev'ry tow'r in Ilion crash'd,
As he bestow'd the prize!

X.

At such an hour, young Paris met
The Spartan queen, and at her feet,
Sank the enraptur'd boy!
At such an hour, she press'd his bark,
And rais'd in Greece that mighty spark,
Which fir'd the Halls of Troy!

XI.

The Phrygian prince, at such an hour,
Prov'd his thoughtless mother's pow'r,
Embrac'd the Tyrian dame:
At such an hour he sow'd that feud,
Which delug'd Italy with blood,
Destroy'd the Punic name.

XII.

At such an hour, chaste Dian's fane,
Own'd the resistless might of flame,
Its sculptur'd columns rocking:
And as its pond'rous turrets fell,
The broad-red flame was heard to yell,
Its prostrate foe in triumph mocking!

XIII.

At this dread hour, great Cæsar's ghost,
Vanish'd from Pluto's dreary coast,
And press'd Philippi's plain:
On Brutus fix'd that with'ring look,
Which none but Brutus' soul could brook,
Thrice his airy truncheon shook,
Then sunk to hell again!

XIV.

At such an hour that frantic fool,
Hell's most pliant dastard tool,
Delighted, saw old Roma blaze!
And as the roaring flames arise,
And mingle with the people's cries,
On his polluted harp, the miscreant plays!

XV.

At such an hour, the stern Macbeth,
Consign'd his royal guest to death:
And from his aged head
The murd'rers hand the chaplet tore,
Its envied gems bedimm'd with gore,
Its golden blossoms shed!

XVI.

At this dark hour, the dæmon clans,
Assemble in their dire divans,
Their horrid schemes devise!
While the Tartarean concave swells,
And bursts before a thousand yells,
A thousand victims' cries!

XVII.