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(plates 25-27) |
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1. The eternal female groan'd! It was heard all over the earth. |
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2. Albion's coast is sick silent; the American meadows faint! |
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3. Shadows of prophecy shiver along by the lakes and the rivers |
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And mutter across the ocean: France, rend down thy dungeon; |
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4. Golden Spain burst the barriers of old Rome; |
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5. Cast thy keys, O Rome, into the deep falling, even to eternity down falling, |
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6. And weep [and bow thy reverend locks.] |
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7. In her trembling hands she took the new born terror, howling; |
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8. On those infinite mountains of light, now barr'd out by the Atlantic sea, |
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The new born fire stood before the starry king! |
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9. Flag'd with grey brow'd snows and thunderous visages, the jealous wings wav'd over the deep. |
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10. The speary hand burned aloft, unbuckled was the shield; |
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Forth went the hand of jealousy among the flaming hair, |
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And hurl'd the new born wonder thro' the starry night. |
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11. The fire, the fire is falling! |
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12. Look up! Look up! O citizen of London, enlarge thy countenance: |
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O Jew. Leave counting gold! Return to thy oil and wine. O African! |
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Black African! (Go, winged thought, widen his forehead) |
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13. The fiery limbs, the flaming hair, shot like the sinking sun into the western sea. |
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14. Wak'd from his eternal sleep, the hoary element roaring fled away; |
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15. Down rush'd, beating his wings in vain, the jealous king; his grey brow'd councellors, |
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Thunderous warriors, curl'd veterans, among helms, and shields, |
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And chariots, horses, elephants: banners, castles, slings, and rocks. |
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16. Falling, rushing, ruining! Buried in the ruins, on Urthona's dens; |
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17. All night beneath the ruins, then, their sullen flames faded, |
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Emerge round the gloomy king. |
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18. With thunder and fire, leading his starry hosts thro' th |
