And by the voice of all its elements To preach the gen'ral doom*. When were the winds Let flip with fuch a warrant to deftroy? When did the waves fo haughtily o'erleap Their ancient barriers, deluging the dry? Have kindled beacons in the fkies; and th' old * Alluding to the calamities at Jamaica. August 18, 1783. Alluding to the fog that covered both Europe and Afia during the whole sum mer of 1783. Still they are frowning fignals, and bespeak Displeasure in his breaft who fmites the earth. And 'tis but feemly, that, where all deferve Alas for Sicily! rude fragments now The voice of finging and the fprightly chord While God performs upon the trembling stage How does the earth receive him?With what figns Of gratulation and delight, her king? Pours fhe not all her choiceft fruits abroad, Her fweeteft flow'rs, her aromatic gums, Difclofing paradife where'er he treads? She quakes at his approach. Her hollow womb, And fiery caverns roars beneath his foot. The hills move lightly, and the mountains fmoke, For he has touch'd them. From th' extremeft point Of elevation down into th' abyss His wrath is bufy, and his frown is felt. The rocks fall headlong, and the vallies rife, The rivers die into offenfive pools, And, charg'd with putrid verdure, breathe a grofs What folid was, by transformation ftrange, And fugitive in vain. The fylvan fcene Upridg'd fo high, and fent on fuch a charge, That prefs'd the beach, and, hafty to depart, Fall prone: the pale inhabitants come forth, And, happy in their unforeseen release From all the rigours of restraint, enjoy The terrors of the day that fets them free. Who then, that has thee, would not hold thee fast, Freedom! whom they that lose thee so regret, That ev❜n a judgment, making way for thee, Such evil fin hath wrought; and fuch a flame Kindled in heaven, that it burns down to earth, And, in the furious inqueft that it makes On God's behalf, lays waste his fairest works. The minifter of man, to ferve his wants, Life's neceffary means, but he must die. Storms rife t' o'erwhelm him; or, if ftormy winds Rife not, the waters of the deep shall rise, And, needing none affiftance of the storm, Shall roll themselves afhore, and reach him there. T |