Peru. Canto The First Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A B A C DDEEDDFFDDGGHHIIJJDD KKLLMMDDDDNNNNNNOOPQ HHHHDDNNNNNNNN NNDDNNRRNNNNPQNNNNDD CCNNFFRRHHCCIIDDSTDD UUSVDDKKNNWXNN RRNNYYIINNFFNNDDDD IIPQHHDDNN OOIIZZA2A2DDJB2VC2D2 D2NNNNHHDDRRNNE2NHHH HNNIIF2F2VTNNG2G2 DDDH2NI2

ADVERTISEMENTA
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That no readers of the following work may entertain expectations respecting it which it would ill satisfy it is necessary to acquaint them that the author has not had the presumption even to attempt a full historical narration of the fall of the Peruvian empire To describe that important event with accuracy and to display with clearness and force the various causes which combined to produce it would require all the energy of genius and the most glowing colours of imagination Conscious of her utter inability to execute such a design she has only aimed at a simple detail of some few incidents that make a part of that romantic story where the unparalleled sufferings of an innocent and amiable people form the most affecting subjects of true pathos while their climate totally unlike our own furnishes new and ample materials for poetic descriptionB
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THE ARGUMENTA
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General description of the country of Peru and of its animal and vegetable productions the virtues of the people character of Ataliba their Monarch his love for Alzira their nuptials celebrated character of Zorai her father descent of the genius of Peru prediction of the fate of that empireC
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Where the pacific deep in silence lavesD
The western shore with slow and languid wavesD
There lost Peruvia rose thy cultur'd sceneE
The wave an emblem of thy joy sereneE
There nature ever in luxuriant showersD
Pours from her treasures the perennial flowersD
In its dark foliage plum'd the tow'ring pineF
Ascends the mountain at her call divineF
The palm's wide leaf its brighter verdure spreadsD
And the proud cedars bow their lofty headsD
The citron and the glowing orange springG
And on the gale a thousand odours flingG
The guava and the soft ananas bloomH
The balsam ever drops a rich perfumeH
The bark reviving shrub Oh not in vainI
Thy rosy blossoms tinge Peruvia's plainI
Ye fost'ring gales around those blossoms blowJ
Ye balmy dew drops o'er the tendrils flowJ
Lo as the health diffusing plant aspiresD
Disease and pain and hov'ring death retiresD
Affection sees new lustre light the eyeK
And feels her vanish'd joys again are nighK
The Pacos A and Vicunnas B sport aroundL
And the meek Lamas C burden'd press the groundL
Amid the vocal groves the feather'd throngM
Pour to the list'ning breeze their native songM
The mocking bird her varying note essaysD
The vain macaw his glitt'ring plume displaysD
While spring's warm ray the mild suffusion shedsD
The plaintive humming bird his pinion spreadsD
His wings their colours to the sun unfoldN
The vivid scarlet and the blazing goldN
He sees the flower which morning tears bedewN
Sinks on its breast and drinks th' ambrosial dewN
Then seeks with fond delight the social nestN
Parental care has rear'd and love has blestN
The drops that on the blossom's light leaf hungO
He bears exulting to his tender youngO
The grateful joy his happy accents proveP
Is nature smiling on her works of loveQ
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Nor less Peruvia for thy favour'd climeH
The virtues rose unsullied and sublimeH
There melting charity with ardor warmH
Spread her wide mantle o'er th' unshelter'd formH
Cheer'd with the festal song her lib'ral toilsD
While in the lap of age D she pour'd the spoilsD
Simplicity in every vale was foundN
The meek nymph smil'd with reeds and rushes crown'dN
And innocence in light transparent vestN
Mild visitant the gentle region blestN
As from her lip enchanting accents partN
They thrill with pleasure the reponsive heartN
And o'er the ever blooming vales aroundN
Soft echoes waft each undulating soundN
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This happy region Ataliba sway'dN
Whose mild behest the willing heart obey'dN
Descendant of a scepter'd sacred raceD
Whose origin from glowing suns they traceD
And as o'er nature's form the solar lightN
Diffuses beauty and inspires delightN
So o'er Peruvia flow'd the lib'ral rayR
Of mercy lovelier than the smile of dayR
In Ataliba's pure and gen'rous heartN
The virtues bloom'd without the aid of artN
His gentle spirit love's soft power possestN
And stamp'd Alzira's image on his breastN
Alzira form'd each tenderness to proveP
That sooths in friendship and that charms in loveQ
But ah in vain the drooping muse would paintN
Her accents languid and her colours faintN
How dear the joys love's early wishes soughtN
How mild his spirit and how pure his thoughtN
Ere wealth in sullen pomp was seen to riseD
And break the artless bosom's holy tiesD
Blast with his touch affection's op'ning flowerC
And chill the hand that rear'd her blissful bowerC
Fortune light nymph still bless the sordid heartN
Still to thy venal slave thy gifts impartN
Bright in his view may all thy meteors shineF
And lost Peruvia open every mineF
For him the robe of eastern pomp displayR
The gems that ripen in the torrid rayR
Collected may their guilty lustre streamH
Full on the eye that courts the partial beamH
But Love oh Love should haply this late hourC
One softer mind avow thy genuine powerC
Breathe at thy altar nature's simple strainI
And strew the heart's pure incense on thy faneI
Give to that bosom scorning fortune's toysD
Thy sweet enchantments and thy virtuous joysD
Bid pleasure bloom thro' many a circling yearS
Which love shall wing and constancy endearT
Far from this happy clime avert the woesD
The heart from alienated fondness knowsD
And from that agony the spirit saveU
When unrelenting yawns the op'ning graveU
When death dissolves the ties for ever dearS
When frantic passion pours her parting tearV
With all the cherish'd pains affection feelsD
Hangs on the quiv'ring lip that silence sealsD
Views fondness struggling in the closing eyeK
And marks it mingling in the falt'ring sighK
As the lov'd form while folded to her breastN
On earth's cold bosom seeks more lasting restN
Leave her fond soul in hopeless griefs to mournW
Clasp the pale corse and bathe th' unconscious urnX
Mild to the wounds that pierce her bleeding heartN
Nature's expiring pang and death's keen dartN
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Pure was the lustre of the orient rayR
That joyful wak'd Alzira's nuptial dayR
Her auburn hair spread loosely to the windN
The virgin train with rosy chaplets bindN
The scented flowers that form her bridal wreatheY
A deeper hue a richer fragrance breatheY
The gentle tribe now sought the hallow'd faneI
Where warbling vestals pour'd the choral strainI
There aged Zorai his Alzira prestN
With love parental to his anxious breastN
Priest of the sun within the sacred shrineF
His fervent spirit breath'd the strain divineF
With glowing hand the guiltless off'ring spreadN
With pious zeal the pure libation shedN
Nor vain the incense of erroneous praiseD
When meek devotion's soul the tribute paysD
On wings of purity behold it riseD
While bending mercy wafts it to the skiesD
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Peruvia oh delightful land in vainI
The virtues flourish'd on thy beauteous plainI
In vain sweet pleasure there was seen to moveP
And wore the smile of peace the bloom of loveQ
For soon shall burst the unrelenting stormH
Rend her soft robe and crush her tender formH
Peruvia soon the fatal hour shall riseD
The hour despair shall waste in tears and sighsD
Fame shall record the horrors of thy fateN
And distant ages weep for ills so greatN
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Now o'er the deep chill night her mantle flungO
Dim on the wave the moon's faint crescent hungO
Peruvia's Genius sought the liquid plainI
Sooth'd by the languid murmurs of the mainI
When sudden clamour the illusion brokeZ
Wild on the surface of the deep it spokeZ
A rising breeze expands her flowing veilA2
Aghast with fear she spy'd a flying sailA2
The lofty mast impends the banner wavesD
The ruffled surge th' incumbent vessel lavesD
With eager eye he views her destin'd foeJ
Lead to her peaceful shores th' advent'rous prowB2
Trembling she knelt with wild disorder'd airV
And pour'd with frantic energy her pray'rC2
Oh ye avenging spirits of the deepD2
Mount the blue lightning's wing o'er ocean sweepD2
Loud from your central caves the shell resoundN
That summons death to your abyss profoundN
Call the pale spectre from his dark abodeN
To print the billow swell the black'ning floodN
Rush o'er the waves the rough'ning deep deformH
Howl in the blast and animate the stormH
Relentless powers for not one quiv'ring breezeD
Has ruffled yet the surface of the seasD
Swift from your rocky steeps ye condors E strayR
Wave your black plumes and cleave th' a rial wayR
Proud in terrific force your wings expandN
Press the firm earth and darken all the strandN
Bid the stern foe retire with wild affright FE2
And shun the region veil'd in partial nightN
Vain hope devoted land I read thy doomH
My sad prophetic soul can pierce the gloomH
I see I see my lov'd my favour'd climeH
Consum'd and fading in its early primeH
But not in vain the beauteous realm shall bleedN
Too late shall Europe's race deplore the deedN
Region abhorr'd be gold the tempting baneI
The curse that desolates thy hostile plainI
May pleasure tinge with venom'd drops the bowlF2
And luxury unnerve the sick'ning soulF2
Ah not in vain she pour'd th' impassion'd tearV
Ah not in vain she call'd the powers to hearT
When borne from lost Peruvia's bleeding landN
The guilty treasures beam'd on Europe's strandN
Each sweet affection fled the tainted shoreG2
And virtue wander'd to return no moreG2
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A The pacos is a domestic animal of Peru Its wool resembles the colour of dried rosesD
B The vicunnas are a species of wild pacosD
C The lamas are employed as mules in carrying burdensD
D The people cheerfully assisted in reaping those fields whose produce was given to old persons past their labourH2
E The condor is an inhabitant of the Andes Its wings when expanded are said to be eighteen feet wideN
F Transcriber's note Misnumbered in originalI2

Helen Maria Williams



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