Held, o'er the shuddering realms, unquestioned

sway:

See crimes, that feared not once the eye of day, Rooted from men, without a name or place: See nations blotted out from earth, to pay

The forfeit of deep guilt ;-with glad embrace The fair disburdened lands welcome a nobler race.

XXVI.

Thus error's monstrous shapes from earth are driven;

They fade, they fly-but truth survives their flight;

Earth has no shades to quench that beam of heaven;

Each ray that shone, in early time, to light The faltering footsteps in the path of right, Each gleam of clearer brightness shed to aid In man's maturer day his bolder sight,

All blended, like the rainbow's radiant braid, Pour yet, and still shall pour, the blaze that cannot fade.

XXVII.

Late, from this western shore, that morning chased

The deep and ancient night, that threw its shroud

O'er the green land of groves, the beautiful waste,

Nurse of full streams, and lifter-up of proud Sky-mingling mountains that o'erlook the cloud.

Erewhile, where yon gay spires their bright

ness rear,

Trees waved, and the brown hunter's shouts were loud

Amid the forest; and the bounding deer Fled at the glancing plume, and the gaunt wolf yelled near.

XXVIII.

And where his willing waves yon bright blue bay

Sends up, to kiss his decorated brim,

And cradles, in his soft embrace, the gay Young group of grassy islands born of him, And crowding nigh, or in the distance dim, Lifts the white throng of sails, that bear or bring

The commerce of the world;-with tawny limb, And belt and beads in sunlight glistening, The savage urged his skiff like wild bird on the

wing.

XXIX.

Then all this youthful paradise around,

And all the broad and boundless mainland, lay Cooled by the interminable wood, that frowned O'er mount and vale, where never summer ray Glanced, till the strong tornado broke his way Through the gray giants of the sylvan wild; Yet many a sheltered glade, with blossoms gay, Beneath the showery sky and sunshine mild, Within the shaggy arms of that dark forest smiled.

XXX.

There stood the Indian hamlet, there the lake Spread its blue sheet that flashed with many

an oar,

Where the brown otter plunged him from the brake,

And the deer drank; as the light gale flew o'er, The twinkling maize-field rustled on the shore ;

And while that spot, so wild, and lone, and fair, A look of glad and guiltless beauty wore, And peace was on the earth and in the air, The warrior lit the pile, and bound his captive there;

XXXI.

Not unavenged-the foeman, from the wood, Beheld the deed, and when the midnight shade Was stillest, gorged his battle-axe with blood; All died-the wailing babe-the shrieking maid

And in the flood of fire that scathed the glade, The roofs went down; but deep the silence grew, When on the dewy woods the day-beam played; No more the cabin smokes rose wreathed and blue,

And ever, by their lake, lay moored the light canoe.

XXXII.

Look now abroad-another race has filled These populous borders-wide the wood recedes, And towns shoot up, and fertile realms are tilled;

The land is full of harvests and green meads; Streams numberless, that many a fountain feeds, Shine, disembowered, and give to sun and breeze,

Their virgin waters; the full region leads

New colonies forth, that toward the western

seas

Spread, like a rapid flame among the autumnal

trees.

XXXIII.

Here the free spirit of mankind, at length,
Throws its last fetters off; and who shall place
A limit to the giant's unchained strength,
Or curb his swiftness in the forward race!

Far, like the comet's way through infinite space, Stretches the long untravelled path of light, Into the depths of ages: we may trace, Distant, the brightening glory of its flight, Till the receding rays are lost to human sight.

XXXIV.

Europe is given a prey to sterner fates, And writhes in shackles ; strong the arms that chain

To earth her struggling multitude of states; She too is strong, and might not chafe in vain Against them, but might cast to earth the train That trample her, and break their iron net. Yes, she shall look on brighter days and gain The meed of worthier deeds; the moment set To rescue and raise up, draws near-but is not yet.

XXXV.

But thou, my country, thou shalt never fall, Save with thy children-thy maternal care, Thy lavish love, thy blessings showered on allThese are thy fetters-seas and stormy air Are the wide barrier of thy borders, where, Among the gallant sons that guard thee well, Thou laugh'st at enemies: who shall then declare

The date of thy deep-founded strength, or tell How happy, in thy lap, the sons of men shall dwell?

To him who in the love of Nature holds
Communion with her visible forms, she speaks
A various language; for his gayer hours
She has a voice of gladness, and a smile
And eloquence of beauty, and she glides
Into his darker musings, with a mild
And healing sympathy, that steals away
Their sharpness, ere he is aware. When thoughts
Of the last bitter hour come like a blight
Over thy spirit, and sad images

Of the stern agony, and shroud, and pall,
And breathless darkness, and the narrow house,
Make thee to shudder, and grow sick at heart ;-
Go forth, under the open sky, and list

To Nature's teachings, while from all around-
Earth and her waters, and the depths of air,-
Comes a still voice-Yet a few days, and thee
The all-beholding sun shall see no more
In all his course; nor yet in the cold ground,
Where thy pale form was laid, with many tears,
Nor in the embrace of ocean, shall exist

Thy image. Earth, that nourished thee, shall claim

Thy growth, to be resolved to earth again,
And, lost each human trace, surrendering up
Thine individual being, shalt thou go

To mix for ever with the elements,
To be a brother to the insensible rock
And to the sluggish clod, which the rude swain
Turns with his share, and treads upon. The oak
Shall send his roots abroad, and pierce thy mould.

Yet not to thine eternal resting-place

Shalt thou retire alone-nor couldst thou wish Couch more magnificent. Thou shalt lie down