While folemn domes, arch'd fhades, and vistas green, At well-mark'd distance close the facred scene.

On this the Goddess cast an anxious look, Then dropt a tender tear, and thus she spoke : Yes, I could once with pleas'd attention trace The mimic charms of this prophetic vafe; Then lift my head, and with enraptur'd eyes View on yon plain the real glories rife. Yes, ISIS! oft haft thou rejoic'd to lead Thy liquid treafures o'er yon fav'rite mead; Oft haft thou ftopt thy pearly car to gaze, While ev'ry Science nurs'd it's growing bays; While ev'ry Youth with fame's ftrong impulse fir'd, Preft to the goal, and at the goal untir'd, Snatch'd each celestial wreath, to bind his brow, The Mufes, Graces, Virtues could beftow. E'en now fond Fancy leads th' ideal train, And ranks her troops on Mem'ry's ample plain; See the firm leaders of my patriot line, See! SIDNEY, RALEIGH, HAMDEN, SOMERS fhine. See нOUGH fuperior to a tyrant's doom

Smile at the menace of the flave of Rome,

Each foul whom truth could fire, or virtue move,
Each breast, strong panting with it's country's love,
All that to Albion gave the heart or head,
That wifely counsel'd, or that bravely bled,
All, all appear; on me they grateful smile,
The well-earn'd prize of every virtuous toil

To me with filial reverence they bring,

And hang fresh trophies o'er my honour'd fpring.
Ah! I remember well yon beachen spray,
There ADDISON first tun'd his polish'd lay;
'Twas there great CATO's form first met his eye,
In all the pomp of free-born majesty;

My fon, he cry'd, obferve this mein with awe, "In folemn lines the ftrong resemblance draw; "The piercing notes fhall ftrike each British ear; "Each British eye fhall drop the patriot tear! "And rous'd to Glory by the nervous strain, "Each Youth fhall fpurn at flav'ry's abject reign, "Shall guard with CATO's zeal Britannia's laws, "And speak, and act, and bleed in freedom's caufe." The Hero fpoke; the bard affenting bow'd The lay to liberty and CATO flow'd; While Echo, as she rov'd the vale along, Join'd the ftrong cadence of his Roman fong.

But ah! how Stillness flept upon the ground, How mute Attention check'd each rising found; Scarce ftole a breeze to wave the leafy spray, Scarce trill'd sweet Philomel her softest lay, When LOCKE walk'd mufing forth; e'en now I view Majestic Wisdom thron'd upon his brow,

View Candor fmile upon his modeft cheek, And from his eye all Judgment's radiance break. "Twas here the fage his manly zeal expreft,

Here ftript vain falfhood of her gaudy veft;

Here Truth's collected beams first fill'd his mind,
E'er long to burft in bleffings on mankind;

E'er long to fhew to reafon's purged eye,

That" NATURE'S FIRST BEST GIFT WAS LIBERTY."
Proud of this wond'rous fon, fublime I ftood,
(While louder furges fwell'd my rapid flood)
Then vain as Niobe, exulting cry'd,

Iliffus! roll thy fam'd Athenian tide;

Tho' Plato's steps oft mark'd thy neighb'ring glade,
Tho' fair Lyceum lent it's awful shade,
Tho' ev'ry Academic green impreft
It's image full on thy reflecting breast,

Yet my pure ftream fhall boast as proud a name,
And Britain's ISIS flow with Attic fame.

Alas! how chang'd! where now that Attic boaft?
See! Gothic Licence rage o'er all my coaft;
See! Hydra Faction spread it's impious reign,
Poison each breaft, and madden ev'ry brain :
Hence frontless crouds, that not content to fright
The blushing Cynthia from her throne of night,
Blast the fair face of day; and madly bold,
To Freedom's foes infernal orgies hold;
To Freedom's foes, ah! fee the goblet crown'd,
Hear plaufive shouts to Freedom's foes refound;
The horrid notes my refluent waters daunt,
The Echoes groan, the Dryads quit their haunt;
Learning, that once to all diffus'd her beam,
Now fheds, by stealth, a partial private gleam,

In fome lone cloifter's melancholy fhade,
Where a firm few fupport her fickly head,
Defpis'd, infulted by the barb'rous train,
Who fcour like Thracia's moon-ftruck rout the plain,
Sworn foes like them to all the Mufe approves,
All Phæbus favours, or Minerva loves.

Are these the fons my foft'ring breast must rear,
Grac'd with my name, and nurtur'd by my care?
Muft these go forth from my maternal hand
To deal their infults thro' a peaceful land,

And boaft while Freedom bleeds, and Virtue groans,
That" ISIS taught Rebellion to her Sons?"
Forbid it heaven! and let my rifing waves
Indignant fwell, and whelm the recreant flaves!
In England's cause their patriot floods employ,
As Xanthus delug'd in the caufe of Troy.
Is this deny'd then point fome secret way
Where far far hence these guiltlefs ftreams may ftray;
Some unknown channel lend, where Nature spreads
Inglorious vales, and unfrequented meads,

;

There, where a hind scarce tunes his ruftic strain,
Where scarce a pilgrim treads the pathiefs plain,
Content I'll flow; forget that e'er my tide
Saw yon majestic ftructures crown it's fide
Forget, that e'er my rapt attention hung
Or on the Sage's or the Poet's tongue;
Calm and refign'd my humbler lot embrace,
And pleas'd, prefer oblivion to difgrace.

THE

TRIU M PH

O F

I SI S.

OCCASIONED BY THE FOREGOING POEM.

BY MR. THOMAS WARTON, OF OXFORD.

Quid mibi nefcio quam, proprio cum Tybride Romam,
Semper in ore geris? referunt fi vera parentes,

Hanc urbem infano nullus qui marte petivit
Lætatus violaffe redit. Nec numina fedem
Deftituunt.----

CLAUDIAN.

N clofing flow'rs when genial gales diffuse The fragrant tribute of refreshing dews; When chaunts the milk-maid at her balmy pail, And weary reapers whistle o'er the vale; Charm'd by the murmurs of the quiv'ring shade, O'er ISIS' willow-fringed banks I ftray'd: And calmly mufing thro' the twilight way, In penfive mood I fram'd the Doric lay. When lo! from op'ning clouds, a golden gleam Pour'd fudden fplendors o'er the fhadowy stream; And from the wave arose it's guardian queen, Known by her fweeping ftole of gloffy green;