THE VISION OF COLUMBUS

FROM BOOK VII 1

And lo, descending from the seats of art,

The growing throngs for active scenes depart,

In various garbs they tread the welcome land,

Swords at their side or sceptres in their hand,

With healing powers bid dire diseases

cease,

Or sound the tidings of eternal peace.

In no blest land has fair Religion shone, And fix'd so firm her everlasting throne. 30 Where, o'er the realms those spacious temples shine,

Frequent and full the throng'd assemblies join;

There, fired with virtue's animating flame, The sacred task unnumber'd sages claim; The task, for angels great; in early youth, To lead whole nations in the walks of truth,

Shed the bright beams of knowledge on the mind,

For social compact harmonize mankind,
To life, to happiness, to joys above,
The soften'd soul with ardent zeal to

View the glad throng, the glorious triumph join,

His paths pursue and in his splendor shine;

Purged from your stains in his atoning blood,

Assume his spotless robes and reign beside your God.

Thus heard the hero-while his roving view

Traced other crouds that liberal arts pursue;

When thus the Seraph-Lo, a favourite band,

The torch of science flaming in their hand!

Thro' nature's range their ardent souls aspire,

Or wake to life the canvass and the lyre. Fixt in sublimest thought, behold them rise,

See the descending streams around him burn,

Glance on his rod and with his guidance turn;

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He bids conflicting heavens their blasts expire,

Curbs the fierce blaze and holds the imprison'd fire.

No more, when folding storms the vault o'er-spread,

The livid glare shall strike thy race with dread;

Nor towers nor temples, shuddering with the sound;

Sink in the flames and spread destruction round.

His daring toils, the threatening blast that wait,

Shall teach mankind to ward the bolts of fate;

The pointed steel o'er-top the ascending spire,

And lead o'er trembling walls the harmless fire;

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While other plains of death, that gloom the skies,

And chiefs immortal o'er his canvass rise. See rural seats of innocence and ease, High tufted towers and walks of waving trees,

The white waves dashing on the craggy shores,

Meandering streams and meads of spangled flowers,

Where nature's sons their wild excursions lead,

In just design, from Taylor's pencil spread.

Steward and Brown the moving portrait raise,

Each rival stroke the force of life conveys;

See circling Beauties round their tablets stand,

And rise immortal from their plastic hand;

Each breathing form preserves its wonted grace,

And all the soul stands speaking in the face.

Two kindred arts the swelling statue heave,

Wake the dead wax and teach the stone to live.

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A spacious structure rose, sublimely great, The last resort, the unchanging scene of state.

On rocks of adamant the walls ascend, Tall columns heave, and Parian arches bend;

High o'er the golden roofs, the rising spires,

Far in the concave meet the solar fires; Four blazing fronts, with gates unfolding high,

Look, with immortal splendor, round the sky:

Hither the delegated sires ascend,

And all the cares of every clime attend. 20 As the fair first-born messengers of heaven,

To whom the care of stars and suns is given,

When the last circuit of their winding spheres

Hath finish'd time and mark'd their sum

throne;

Each, from his far dim sky, illumes the road,

1 The Vision resumed and extended over the whole earth. Present character of different nations. Future progress of society with respect to commerce, discoveries, the opening of canals, philosophical, medical and political knowledge, the assimilation and final harmony of all languages. Cause of the first confusion of tongues explained, and the effect of their union described. View of a general Council of all nations assembled to establish the political harmony of mankind. Conclusion. (The "Argument" supplied by the Author.) The Conclusion is here quoted.

as

So, from all climes of earth, where nations rise,

Or lands or oceans bound the incumbent skies,

Wing'd with unwonted speed, the gathering throng

In ships and chariots, shape their course along;

Till, wide o'er earth and sea, they win their way,

Where the bold structure flames against the day;

There, hail the splendid seat by Heaven assign'd,

To hear and give the counsels of mankind.

Now the dread concourse, in the ample dome,

Pour thro' the arches and their seats assume;

40

Far as the extended eye can range around, Or the deep trumpet's solemn voice re

sound,

Long rows of reverend sires, sublime, extend,

And cares of worlds on suspend.

every brow High in the front, for manlier virtues known,

A sire elect, in peerless grandeur, shone;
And rising oped the universal cause,
To give each realm its limit and its laws;
Bid the last breath of dire contention

cease,

And bind all regions in the leagues of peace,

50

Bid one great empire, with extensive

sway,

Spread with the sun and bound the walks of day,

One centred system, one all-ruling soul, Live thro' the parts, and regulate the whole.

Here, said the Angel with a blissful smile,

Behold the fruits of thy unwearied toil. To yon far regions of descending day, Thy swelling pinions led the untrodden