Through the long vales aerial music roves,
And nobler fruitage dyes the bending groves.
"Through spotless nations as the realm refined,
Thy influence there sublimes the immortal mind;
Its active pinions swift through nature roam,
Lose the low world, and claim a nobler home.
Their limbs, of endless life, with glory crown'd,
New youth improves, and growing charms surround:
On the bless'd shore thy splendors love to shine,
And raise thy sons each hour, to raptures more divine."
Thus ceased the sound: the harp's melodious strain
Join'd the glad hymn, and charm'd the listening train;
A sparkling joy each speaking face display'd,
While light expanding lessen'd every shade.

BATTLE BEFORE THE WALLS OF AI.

Now near the burning domes, the squadrons stood,
Their breasts impatient for the scenes of blood:
On every face a deathlike glimmer sate,

The unbless'd harbinger of instant fate.

High through the gloom, in pale and dreadful spires,
Rose the long terrors of the dark red fires;

Torches, and torrent sparks, by whirlwinds driven,

Stream'd through the smoke, and fired the clouded heaven.

As oft tall turrets sunk with rushing sound,

Broad flames burst forth, and swept the etherial round,
The bright expansion lightened all the scene,
And deeper shadows lengthen'd o'er the green.
Loud through the walls that cast a golden gleam,
Crown'd with tall pyramids of bending flame,
As thunders rumble down the darkening vales,
Roll'd the deep solemn voice of rushing gales:
The bands admiring gazed the wondrous sight,
And expectation trembled for the fight.

At once the sounding clarion breath'd alarms;
Wide from the forest burst the flash of arms;
Thick gleam'd the helms; and o'er astonish'd fields,
Like thousand meteors, rose the flame-bright shields.
In gloomy pomp, to furious combat roll'd

Ranks sheath'd in mail, and chiefs in glimmering gold;
In floating lustre bounds the dim-seen steed,
And cars, unfinish'd, swift to cars succeed;
From all the host ascends a dark red glare,
Here in full blaze, in distant twinklings there;
Slow waves the dreadful light; as round the shore
Night's solemn blasts with deep concussion roar,

So rush the footsteps of the embattled train,
And send an awful murmur o'er the plain.

Tall in the opposing van, bold Irad stood,
And bade the clarion sound the voice of blood.
Loud blew the trumpet on the sweeping gales,
Rock'd the deep groves, and echo'd round the vales:

A ceaseless murmur all the concave fills,

Waves through the quivering camp, and trembles o'er the hills.

High in the gloomy blaze the standards flew;
The impatient youth his burnish'd falchion drew;
Ten thousand swords his eager bands display'd,
And crimson'd terrors danced on every blade.
With equal rage, the bold, Hazorian train
Pour'd a wide deluge o'er the shadowy plain;
Loud rose the song of war; loud clanged the shields;
Dread shouts of vengeance shook the shuddering fields;
With mingled din, shrill, martial music rings,
And swift to combat each fierce hero springs.
So broad, and dark, a midnight storm ascends,
Bursts on the main, and trembling nature rends;
The red foam burns, the wat'ry mountains rise,
And deep unmeasured thunder heaves the skies;
The bark drives lonely; shivering and forlorn,
The poor, sad sailors wish the lingering morn:
Not with less fury rush'd the vengeful train;
Not with less tumult roar'd the embattled plain.
Now in the oak's black shade they fought conceal'd;
And now they shouted through the open field;
The long, pale splendors of the curling flame
Cast o'er their polish'd arms a livid gleam;
An umber'd lustre floated round their way,
And lighted falchions to the fierce affray.
Now the swift chariots 'gainst the stubborn oak
Dash; the dark earth re-echoes to the shock.
From shade to shade the forms tremendous stream,
And their arms flash a momentary flame.
Mid hollow tombs, as fleets an airy train,
Lost in the skies, or fading o'er the plain;
So visionary shapes, around the fight,

Shoot through the gloom, and vanish from the sight;
Through twilight paths the maddening coursers bound,
The shrill swords crack, the clashing shields resound.
There, lost in grandeur, might the eye behold
The dark red glimmerings of the steel and gold,
The chief, the steed, the nimbly rushing car,

And all the horrors of the gloomy war.

Here the thick clouds, with purple lustre bright,

Spread o'er the long, long host and gradual sunk in night;
Here half the world was wrapp'd in rolling fires,
And dreadful valleys sunk between the spires.
Swift ran black forms across the livid flame,
And oaks waved slowly in the trembling beam:
Loud rose the mingled noise; with hollow sound,

Deep rolling whirlwinds roar, and thundering flames resound.
As drives a blast along the midnight heath,

Rush'd raging Irad on the scenes of death;

High o'er his shoulder gleam'd his brandish'd blade,
And scatter'd ruin round the twilight shade.
Full on a giant hero's sweeping car

He pour'd the tempest of resistless war;

His twinkling lance the heathen raised on high,
And hurl'd it, fruitless, through the gloomy sky;
From the bold youth the maddening coursers wheel,
Gash'd by the vengeance of his slaughtering steel:
"Twixt two tall oaks the helpless chief they drew;
The shrill car dash'd; the crack'd wheels rattling flew ;
Crush'd in his arms, to rise he strove in vain,
And lay unpitied on the dreary plain.

EVENING AFTER A BATTLE.

ABOVE tall western hills, the light of day
Shot far the splendors of his golden ray;
Bright from the storm with tenfold grace he smiled,
The tumult softened, and the world grew mild.
With pomp transcendent, robed in heavenly dyes,
Arch'd the clear rainbow round the orient skies;
Its changeless form, its hues of bean divine,
-Fair type of truth and beauty's-endless shine
Around the expanse, with thousand splendors rare;
Gay clouds sail'd wanton through the kindling air;
From shade to shade, unnumber'd tinctures blend;
Unnumber'd forms of wond'rous light extend:
In pride stupendous, glittering walls aspire,

Graced with bright domes, and crown'd with towers of fire,
On cliffs cliffs burn; o'er mountains mountains roll:
A burst of glory spreads from pole to pole :

Rapt with the splendor, every songster sings,

Tops the high bough, and claps his glistening wings:

With new born green, reviving nature blooms,
And sweeter fragrance freshening air perfumes.
Far south the storm withdrew its troubled reign;
Descending twilight dimm'd the dusky plain;
Black night arose; her curtains hid the ground:
Less roar'd, and less, the thunder's solemn sound;
The bended lightning shot a brighter stream,
Or wrapp'd all heaven in one wide, mantling flame;
By turns, o'er plains, and woods, and mountains, spread
Faint, yellow glimmerings, and a deeper shade.

From parting clouds, the moon outbreaking shone,
And sate, sole empress, on her silver throne;
In clear, full beauty, round all nature smiled,
And claim'd o'er heaven and earth, dominion mild;
With humbler glory, stars her court attend,
And bless'd, and union'd, silent lustre blend.

PROCESSION OF ISRAELITISH

VIRGINS TO MEET THE

RE

TURNING ARMY.

THE Sun declined; besmear'd with dust and blood,
Slow o'er the plain the wearied squadrons trod;
When fair as Phosphor leads the morning train,

Dress'd in new beams, and beauteous from the main ;
Crown'd with white flowers, that breath'd a rich perfume,
And clothed in loveliness of gayest bloom,
Rose in soft splendor Caleb's youngest pride,
A thousand maidens following at her side.
In snow white robes of flowing silk array'd,
First of the virgins walk'd the blushing maid;
Her long, dark hair loose floated in the wind;
Her glowing eyes confess'd the etherial mind;
A wreath of olive flourish'd in her hand;
A silver lyre obey'd her soft command;

With sounds harmonious rang the warbled strings,
And thus the maids, and thus Selima sings.
"Who comes from Ai, adorn'd with gay attire,
Bright as the splendor of the morning fire?
Fair as the spring, ascends the lovely form,
And dreadful as the blaze that lights the storm!
Ye maids, with flowerets strew the conqueror's way,
Strike the loud harp, and sing the dreadful day!"

To Irad's steps the matchless fair one came,
Her breast quick panting, and her cheeks on flame;

Her beauteous hand the verdant crown display'd;
Graceful he bow'd, and placed it on his head.
Slow to her train the trembling fair withdrew,
The charm'd youths following with a moveless view.
So, wing'd with light, and dress'd in strange array,
The mantling glory of the rising day,

With sweet complacence, such as angels show
To souls unprison'd from this world of woe,
Parted soft smiling from our general sire
Some bright-eyed virtue, of the heavenly choir,
Far in the solar walk, with wondrous flight,
The form celestial lessen'd on his sight.

LAMENTATION OF SELIMA FOR THE DEATH OF IRAD.

CANST thou forget, when, call'd from southern bowers,
Love tuned the groves, and spring awaked the flowers,
How, loosed from slumbers by the morning ray,
O'er balmy plains we bent our frequent way?
On thy fond arm, with pleasing gaze, I hung,
And heard sweet music murmur o'er thy tongue;
Hand lock'd in hand, with gentle ardor press'd,
Pour'd soft emotions through the heaving breast,
In magic transport heart with heart entwined,
And in sweet languors lost the melting mind.

'Twas then, thy voice, attuned to wisdom's lay,
Show'd fairer worlds, and traced the immortal way;
In virtue's pleasing paths my footsteps tried,
My sweet companion, and my skilful guide;
Through varied knowledge taught my mind to soar,
Search hidden truths, and new-found walks explore:
While still the tale, by nature learn'd to rove,
Slid, unperceived, to scenes of happy love.
Till weak, and lost, the faltering converse fell,
And eyes disclosed what eyes alone could tell;
In rapturous tumult bade the passions roll,
And spoke the living language of the soul.

With what fond hope, through many a blissful hour,
We gave the soul to fancy's pleasing power;
Lost in the magic of that sweet employ
To build gay scenes, and fashion future joy!
We saw mild peace o'er fair Canaan rise,
And shower her pleasures from benignant skies.
On airy hills our happy mansion rose,

Built but for joy, nor room reserved for woes.
22*

VOL. I.