By Me proud Genoa's marble turrets rofe. 290 • Nor be the then triumphant state * forgot; Where, pufh'd from plunder'd earth †, a remnant still, Inspir'd by Me, thro' the dark ages kept Of My old Roman flame some sparks alive : The feeming god-built city! which My hand Deep in the bosom fix'd of wond'ring feas. Aftonish'd mortals fail'd, with pleasing awe, Around the fea-girt walls, by Neptune fenc'd, And down the briny street; where on each hand, 295 300 Amazing feen amid unstable waves, 305 The Mart of nations! long, obedient feas Roll'd all the treafure of the radiant East. Each fubject tearing, many tyrants rose. 310 + Venice was the most flourishing city in Europe, with regard to trade, before the paffage to the East Indies by the Cape of Good Hope, and America, vere discovered. + Those who fled to some marshes in the Adriatic gulf, from the defolation spread over Italy by an irruption of the Huns, first founded there this famous city, about the beginning of the fifth century. Cast o'er the whole indifsoluble chains: They likewife added, to fecure their sway. 315 Of toil impatient, flags the drooping fail. A larger circle §; found another feat †, Op'ning a thousand ports, and, charm'd with toil, 320 The Mountains then, clad with eternal snow, I planted there a League of friendly states ‡, 325 And bade plain Freedom their ambition be. Rare to be seen! unguilty cities rife, 330 Cities of brothers form'd: while equal Life, Accorded gracious with revolving Pow'r, Maintains them free; and in their happy streets, Nor cruel deed, nor mifery, is known. For valour, faith, and innocence of Life, 335 Not only give the dreadful Alps to fmile, § The main occan. † Great Britain. ‡ The Swiss Cantons. || Geneva, fituated on the Lacus Lemanus, a small state, but no ble example of the blessings of civil and religious liberty, 2219774 And press their culture on retiring snows; And the proud arm of Baurbon to defy. 340 Ev'n cheer'd by ME, their shaggy mountains charm, More than or Gallic or Italian plains ; And fick'ning Fancy oft, when absent long, 345 351 355 Whence, vapour-wing'd, the sudden tempest springs : From these defcending, as I wav'd My course 360 • The Swiss, after having been long absent from their native country, are feized with such a violent defire of seeing it again, as affects them with a kind of languishing indifpofition, called the Swiss sickness. Of hardy men and hearts affronting death, More busy, wealthy, cheerful, and alive, 365. Thence the loud Baltic passing, black with storm, To wintry Scandinavia's utmost bound; 371 There, I the manly race †, the parent-hive Their genius purg'd, and temper'd hard by frost, 375 Tempeft and toil their nerves, the fons of those Whose only terror was a bloodless death §, 380 Emerging white from deeps of ether; dawn " My kindred cliffs; whence, wafted in the gale, " Ineffable, a secret sweetness breathes... "GODDESS, forgive! - My heart, furpriz'd, o'erflows "With filial fondness for the land you bless." 386 390 As parents to a child complacent deign The Hans Towns. § See note on verse 678. + The Swedes Approvance, the CELESTIAL BRIGHTNESS smil'd; With easy wing; behold! from furge to furge, 395 400 It works his dreadful will. TO ME his voice MY SISTER-GODDESS now, to yon blest. Ifle,. " Henceforth the Partner of my rough domain. "All my dread walks to BRITONS open lie. "Those that refulgent, or with rofy morn, "Or yellow ev'ning, flame; those that, profufe " Drunk by equator-funs, feverely shine; "Or those that, to the poles approaching, rife "In billows rolling into Alps of ice. "Ev'n, yet untouch'd by daring keel, be theirs "The vast Pacific; that on other worlds, "Their future conqueft, rolls resounding tides. 406 410 415 420 Long I maintain'd inviolate my reign; "Nor Alexanders me, nor Cafars brav'd. "Still, in the crook of shore, the coward fail "Till now low-crept; and peddling Commerce ply'd |