Vision Of Columbus - Book 8 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDAAEEFFGGHHII JJKKGGKKHHLLMMNNIIKK OOPQRSEETQGGUUPQEEVW QQXXQQQQYYHHYYQQWVQQ HHHHQQHHQQZWYYYYWVA2 DYYJB2HHHHMMDDQQQQBB HHYYYYWWMMYYC2C2YYVW QQHHWWQQQQQQD2E2HHYY A2DHHBF2YYYYBBHHG2G2 QG2And now the Angel from the trembling sight | A |
Veil'd the wide world when sudden shades of night | A |
Move o'er the ethereal vault the starry train | B |
Paint their dim forms beneath the placid main | B |
While earth and heaven around the hero's eye | C |
Seem arch'd immense like one surrounding sky | C |
Still from the Power superior splendors shone | D |
The height emblazing like a radiant throne | D |
To converse sweet the soothing shades invite | A |
And on the guide the hero fix'd his sight | A |
Kind messenger of Heaven he thus began | E |
Why this progressive labouring search of man | E |
If man by wisdom form'd hath power to reach | F |
These opening truths that following ages teach | F |
Step after step thro' devious mazes wind | G |
And fill at last the measure of the mind | G |
Why did not Heaven with one unclouded ray | H |
All human arts and reason's powers display | H |
That mad opinions sects and party strife | I |
Might find no place t'imbitter human life | I |
To whom the Angelic Power to thee 'tis given | J |
To hold high converse and enquire of heaven | J |
To mark uncircled ages and to trace | K |
The unfolding truths that wait thy kindred race | K |
Know then the counsels of th'unchanging Mind | G |
Thro' nature's range progressive paths design'd | G |
Unfinish'd works th'harmonious system grace | K |
Thro' all duration and around all space | K |
Thus beauty wisdom power their parts unroll | H |
Till full perfection joins the accordant whole | H |
So the first week beheld the progress rise | L |
Which form'd the earth and arch'd th'incumbant skies | L |
Dark and imperfect first the unbeauteous frame | M |
From vacant night to crude existence came | M |
Light starr'd the heavens and suns were taught their bound | N |
Winds woke their force and floods their centre found | N |
Earth's kindred elements in joyous strife | I |
Warm'd the glad glebe to vegetable life | I |
Till sense and power and action claim'd their place | K |
And godlike reason crown'd the imperial race | K |
Progressive thus from that great source above | O |
Flows the fair fountain of redeeming love | O |
Dark harbingers of hope at first bestow'd | P |
Taught early faith to feel her path to God | Q |
Down the prophetic brightening train of years | R |
Consenting voices rose of different seers | S |
In shadowy types display'd the accomplish'd plan | E |
When filial Godhead should assume the man | E |
When the pure Church should stretch her arms abroad | T |
Fair as a bride and liberal as her God | Q |
Till warm benevolence and truth refined | G |
Pervade the world and harmonize mankind | G |
And thus fair Science of celestial birth | U |
With times long circuit treads the gladsome earth | U |
By gradual steps to mark the extended road | P |
That leads mankind to reason and to God | Q |
In elder times when savage tribes began | E |
A few strong passions sway'd the wayward man | E |
Envy revenge and sateless lust of power | V |
Fired the dark soul and stain'd the fields with gore | W |
By jarring strife all milder joys supprest | Q |
Lost their soft influence on the furious breast | Q |
No friendly ties the barbarous feuds assuage | X |
And ceaseless carnage feeds the brutal rage | X |
When different tribes in social bands combined | Q |
Their local views the joyless soul confined | Q |
Eternal bickerings brutal strength supply'd | Q |
Cities are wall'd and warring hosts divide | Q |
When infant arts in growing nations rose | Y |
They lured the envy of surrounding foes | Y |
The savage bands united sieze the prey | H |
Destroy the learning and obstruct the sway | H |
Thus at the Muse's call when Thebes arose | Y |
And science sway'd where nurt'ring Nilus flows | Y |
Rich with the spoils of art fair structures blazed | Q |
And barb'rous nations envy'd as they gazed | Q |
The tempting pyramid the growing store | W |
The charm of conquest and the grasp of power | V |
Lured the dark world with envious pride esate | Q |
To whelm fair Science in the wrecks of state | Q |
Till Thebes and Memphis nameless ruins lie | H |
And crush'd the power that raised them to the sky | H |
O'er bright Chaldea's plains her vot'ries stray | H |
Described the stars and fix'd their wandering way | H |
The unclouded skies the shepherd learn'd to read | Q |
His loves to cherish and his flocks to feed | Q |
Till haughty Babel stretch'd an envy'd sway | H |
And furious millions warr'd the arts away | H |
Ilissus' banks display'd a happier seat | Q |
Where every Muse and all the graces meet | Q |
Parnassian heights she soars then steering far | Z |
Driven by the close pursuit of vengeful war | W |
She wings her flight a western region gams | Y |
And moves in majesty o'er Latian plains | Y |
But pride and conquest follow where she leads | Y |
Her eagle flies the untutor'd savage bleeds | Y |
Rome's haughty Genius taught by her to soar | W |
With pride of learning swells the pride of power | V |
From Brits from Scythians plucks the laurel crown | A2 |
And deems by right the unletter'd world his own | D |
Till fired by insult vengeful myriads rose | Y |
And all the north pours forth the swarming foes | Y |
Like sweeping tempests in embattled heaven | J |
When fire and blackness streak the sails of even | B2 |
The dark red hosts of painted warriors roll | H |
Rome's thoughtless capitol the tempting goal | H |
Nor arts they need nor order points thier way | H |
For arts and order swell the Roman sway | H |
Spain Latium Afric feed the furious flame | M |
And hapless Science mourns her buried name | M |
As when the sun moves o'er the flaming zone | D |
Careering clouds attend his servid throne | D |
Superior splendors in his course display'd | Q |
Proclaim the progress of a heavier shade | Q |
Thus where the Power her ancient circuit held | Q |
Her shining course succeeding darkness veil'd | Q |
Fear interest envy bound her laurel'd reign | B |
A coast her walk the Hellespont her main | B |
Ere Goya's trembling steel could point the pole | H |
Or heavens inverted taught thy bark to roll | H |
At length the scene a nobler pomp assumes | Y |
A milder beam dispels the Gothic glooms | Y |
In sober majesty and charms of peace | Y |
The goddess moves and cheers her filial race | Y |
Lifts bolder wings with happier flight to soar | W |
No more to rest till heavens illume no more | W |
At once consenting nations rise to fame | M |
Here Charles's genius wakes the Gallic name | M |
There Alfred aids the universal cause | Y |
And opes the source of liberty and laws | Y |
Here Greece invites her to her ancient home | C2 |
There in rough greatness heaves her Gothic dome | C2 |
Wide spreads her sway o'er blest Arabian plains | Y |
Where her own Caliph liberal Rachid reigns | Y |
O'er all the climes extends the rising Power | V |
From farthest Ganges to the Atlantic shore | W |
Even horrid war that erst her course withstood | Q |
And whelm'd so oft her peaceful shrines in blood | Q |
Now leads thro' paths unseen her glorious way | H |
Extends her limits and confirms her sway | H |
See from all Europe's bounds the warriors pour | W |
In crouding millions to the Asian shore | W |
Mankind their prey the unmeaning Cross their pride | Q |
And sacred vengeance their delusive guide | Q |
Zeal points their way thro' famine toil and blood | Q |
To aid with arms the imagin'd cause of God | Q |
Till fields of slaughter whelm the broken host | Q |
Their pride appall'd their countless myriads lost | Q |
The sad remains to peaceful toils return | D2 |
Skill'd in the arts that eastern climes adorn | E2 |
O'er Europe's changing shores the charms display | H |
And wasted realms with happier fruits repay | H |
The rival barons whom ambition draws | Y |
Their wealth to lavish in the holy cause | Y |
In peace retiring yield the regal crown | A2 |
And blend their counsels to exalt the throne | D |
While slaves no longer purchased with the soil | H |
Waked into freemen ply the cheerful toil | H |
Assert their rights extend the royal reign | B |
And mutual terrors break the feudal chair | F2 |
Now growing commerce in firm compact joins | Y |
Surrounding nations and their force combines | Y |
From rich Ausonia bold advent'rers rise | Y |
Trace midland currents tow'rd the northern skies | Y |
Enlarge their navies and with wealthier train | B |
Roll with the Rhine and widen with the main | B |
Then tempt a broader flight extend the sail | H |
Point the sure compass call a foreign gale | H |
For spicy fruits the orient surges brave | G2 |
And load with sparkling gems the liberal wave | G2 |
See Rome once more the unfolding arts attend | Q |
Her grov | G2 |
Joel Barlow
(1)
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