Vision Of Columbus - Book 8 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDAAEEFFGGHHII JJKKGGKKHHLLMMNNIIKK OOPQRSEETQGGUUPQEEVW QQXXQQQQYYHHYYQQWVQQ HHHHQQHHQQZWYYYYWVA2 DYYJB2HHHHMMDDQQQQBB HHYYYYWWMMYYC2C2YYVW QQHHWWQQQQQQD2E2HHYY A2DHHBF2YYYYBBHHG2G2 QG2

And now the Angel from the trembling sightA
Veil'd the wide world when sudden shades of nightA
Move o'er the ethereal vault the starry trainB
Paint their dim forms beneath the placid mainB
While earth and heaven around the hero's eyeC
Seem arch'd immense like one surrounding skyC
Still from the Power superior splendors shoneD
The height emblazing like a radiant throneD
To converse sweet the soothing shades inviteA
And on the guide the hero fix'd his sightA
Kind messenger of Heaven he thus beganE
Why this progressive labouring search of manE
If man by wisdom form'd hath power to reachF
These opening truths that following ages teachF
Step after step thro' devious mazes windG
And fill at last the measure of the mindG
Why did not Heaven with one unclouded rayH
All human arts and reason's powers displayH
That mad opinions sects and party strifeI
Might find no place t'imbitter human lifeI
To whom the Angelic Power to thee 'tis givenJ
To hold high converse and enquire of heavenJ
To mark uncircled ages and to traceK
The unfolding truths that wait thy kindred raceK
Know then the counsels of th'unchanging MindG
Thro' nature's range progressive paths design'dG
Unfinish'd works th'harmonious system graceK
Thro' all duration and around all spaceK
Thus beauty wisdom power their parts unrollH
Till full perfection joins the accordant wholeH
So the first week beheld the progress riseL
Which form'd the earth and arch'd th'incumbant skiesL
Dark and imperfect first the unbeauteous frameM
From vacant night to crude existence cameM
Light starr'd the heavens and suns were taught their boundN
Winds woke their force and floods their centre foundN
Earth's kindred elements in joyous strifeI
Warm'd the glad glebe to vegetable lifeI
Till sense and power and action claim'd their placeK
And godlike reason crown'd the imperial raceK
Progressive thus from that great source aboveO
Flows the fair fountain of redeeming loveO
Dark harbingers of hope at first bestow'dP
Taught early faith to feel her path to GodQ
Down the prophetic brightening train of yearsR
Consenting voices rose of different seersS
In shadowy types display'd the accomplish'd planE
When filial Godhead should assume the manE
When the pure Church should stretch her arms abroadT
Fair as a bride and liberal as her GodQ
Till warm benevolence and truth refinedG
Pervade the world and harmonize mankindG
And thus fair Science of celestial birthU
With times long circuit treads the gladsome earthU
By gradual steps to mark the extended roadP
That leads mankind to reason and to GodQ
In elder times when savage tribes beganE
A few strong passions sway'd the wayward manE
Envy revenge and sateless lust of powerV
Fired the dark soul and stain'd the fields with goreW
By jarring strife all milder joys supprestQ
Lost their soft influence on the furious breastQ
No friendly ties the barbarous feuds assuageX
And ceaseless carnage feeds the brutal rageX
When different tribes in social bands combinedQ
Their local views the joyless soul confinedQ
Eternal bickerings brutal strength supply'dQ
Cities are wall'd and warring hosts divideQ
When infant arts in growing nations roseY
They lured the envy of surrounding foesY
The savage bands united sieze the preyH
Destroy the learning and obstruct the swayH
Thus at the Muse's call when Thebes aroseY
And science sway'd where nurt'ring Nilus flowsY
Rich with the spoils of art fair structures blazedQ
And barb'rous nations envy'd as they gazedQ
The tempting pyramid the growing storeW
The charm of conquest and the grasp of powerV
Lured the dark world with envious pride esateQ
To whelm fair Science in the wrecks of stateQ
Till Thebes and Memphis nameless ruins lieH
And crush'd the power that raised them to the skyH
O'er bright Chaldea's plains her vot'ries strayH
Described the stars and fix'd their wandering wayH
The unclouded skies the shepherd learn'd to readQ
His loves to cherish and his flocks to feedQ
Till haughty Babel stretch'd an envy'd swayH
And furious millions warr'd the arts awayH
Ilissus' banks display'd a happier seatQ
Where every Muse and all the graces meetQ
Parnassian heights she soars then steering farZ
Driven by the close pursuit of vengeful warW
She wings her flight a western region gamsY
And moves in majesty o'er Latian plainsY
But pride and conquest follow where she leadsY
Her eagle flies the untutor'd savage bleedsY
Rome's haughty Genius taught by her to soarW
With pride of learning swells the pride of powerV
From Brits from Scythians plucks the laurel crownA2
And deems by right the unletter'd world his ownD
Till fired by insult vengeful myriads roseY
And all the north pours forth the swarming foesY
Like sweeping tempests in embattled heavenJ
When fire and blackness streak the sails of evenB2
The dark red hosts of painted warriors rollH
Rome's thoughtless capitol the tempting goalH
Nor arts they need nor order points thier wayH
For arts and order swell the Roman swayH
Spain Latium Afric feed the furious flameM
And hapless Science mourns her buried nameM
As when the sun moves o'er the flaming zoneD
Careering clouds attend his servid throneD
Superior splendors in his course display'dQ
Proclaim the progress of a heavier shadeQ
Thus where the Power her ancient circuit heldQ
Her shining course succeeding darkness veil'dQ
Fear interest envy bound her laurel'd reignB
A coast her walk the Hellespont her mainB
Ere Goya's trembling steel could point the poleH
Or heavens inverted taught thy bark to rollH
At length the scene a nobler pomp assumesY
A milder beam dispels the Gothic gloomsY
In sober majesty and charms of peaceY
The goddess moves and cheers her filial raceY
Lifts bolder wings with happier flight to soarW
No more to rest till heavens illume no moreW
At once consenting nations rise to fameM
Here Charles's genius wakes the Gallic nameM
There Alfred aids the universal causeY
And opes the source of liberty and lawsY
Here Greece invites her to her ancient homeC2
There in rough greatness heaves her Gothic domeC2
Wide spreads her sway o'er blest Arabian plainsY
Where her own Caliph liberal Rachid reignsY
O'er all the climes extends the rising PowerV
From farthest Ganges to the Atlantic shoreW
Even horrid war that erst her course withstoodQ
And whelm'd so oft her peaceful shrines in bloodQ
Now leads thro' paths unseen her glorious wayH
Extends her limits and confirms her swayH
See from all Europe's bounds the warriors pourW
In crouding millions to the Asian shoreW
Mankind their prey the unmeaning Cross their prideQ
And sacred vengeance their delusive guideQ
Zeal points their way thro' famine toil and bloodQ
To aid with arms the imagin'd cause of GodQ
Till fields of slaughter whelm the broken hostQ
Their pride appall'd their countless myriads lostQ
The sad remains to peaceful toils returnD2
Skill'd in the arts that eastern climes adornE2
O'er Europe's changing shores the charms displayH
And wasted realms with happier fruits repayH
The rival barons whom ambition drawsY
Their wealth to lavish in the holy causeY
In peace retiring yield the regal crownA2
And blend their counsels to exalt the throneD
While slaves no longer purchased with the soilH
Waked into freemen ply the cheerful toilH
Assert their rights extend the royal reignB
And mutual terrors break the feudal chairF2
Now growing commerce in firm compact joinsY
Surrounding nations and their force combinesY
From rich Ausonia bold advent'rers riseY
Trace midland currents tow'rd the northern skiesY
Enlarge their navies and with wealthier trainB
Roll with the Rhine and widen with the mainB
Then tempt a broader flight extend the sailH
Point the sure compass call a foreign galeH
For spicy fruits the orient surges braveG2
And load with sparkling gems the liberal waveG2
See Rome once more the unfolding arts attendQ
Her grovG2

Joel Barlow



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