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I met thee in earth's bosom； all my power
Have I put forth to serve thee。 What； not yet
Escap'd from dull mortality's harsh net？
A little patience； youth！ 'twill not be long；
Or I am skilless quite： an idle tongue；
A humid eye； and steps luxurious；
Where these are new and strange； are ominous。
Aye； I have seen these signs in one of heaven；
When others were all blind： and were I given
To utter secrets； haply I might say
Some pleasant words：… but Love will have his day。
So wait awhile expectant。 Pr'ythee soon；
Even in the passing of thine honey…moon；
Visit thou my Cythera： thou wilt find
Cupid well…natured； my Adonis kind；
And pray persuade with thee… Ah； I have done；
All blisses be upon thee； my sweet son！〃…
Thus the fair goddess： While Endymion
Knelt to receive those accents halcyon。
Meantime a glorious revelry began
Before the Water…Monarch。 Nectar ran
In courteous fountains to all cups outreach'd；
And plunder'd vines； teeming exhaustless； pleach'd
New growth about each shell and pendent lyre；
The which； in disentangling for their fire；
Pull'd down fresh foliage and coverture
For dainty toying。 Cupid； empire…sure；
Flutter'd and laugh'd； and oft…times through the throng
Made a delightful way。 Then dance； and song；
And garlanding grew wild； and pleasure reign'd。
In harmless tendril they each other chain'd；
And strove who should be smother'd deepest in
Fresh crush of leaves。
O 'tis a very sin
For one so weak to venture his poor verse
In such a place as this。 O do not curse；
High Muses！ let him hurry to the ending。
All suddenly were silent。 A soft blending
Of dulcet instruments came charmingly；
And then a hymn。
〃King of the stormy sea！
Brother of Jove； and co…inheritor
Of elements！ Eternally before
Thee the waves awful bow。 Fast； stubborn rock；
At thy fear'd trident shrinking； doth unlock
Its deep foundations； hissing into foam。
All mountain…rivers； lost in the wide home
Of thy capacious bosom； ever flow。
Thou frownest； and old AEeolus thy foe
Skulks to his cavern； 'mid the gruff complaint
Of all his rebel tempests。 Dark clouds faint
When； from thy diadem； a silver gleam
Slants over blue dominion。 Thy bright team
Gulphs in the morning light； and scuds along
To bring thee nearer to that golden song
Apollo singeth； while his chariot
Waits at the doors of heaven。 Thou art not
For scenes like this： an empire stern hast thou；
And it hath furrow'd that large front： yet now；
As newly come of heaven； dost thou sit
To blend and interknit
Subdued majesty with this glad time。
O shell…borne King sublime！
We lay our hearts before thee evermore…
We sing； and we adore！
〃Breathe softly； flutes；
Be tender of your strings； ye soothing lutes；
Nor be the trumpet heard！ O vain； O vain；
Not flowers budding in an April rain；
Nor breath of sleeping dove； nor river's flow；…
No； nor the AEolian twang of Love's own bow；
Can mingle music fit for the soft ear
Of goddess Cytherea！
Yet deign； white Queen of Beauty； thy fair eyes
On our souls' sacrifice。
〃Bright…winged Child！
Who has another care when thou hast smil'd？
Unfortunates on earth； we see at last
All death…shadows； and glooms that overcast
Our spirits； fann'd away by thy light pinions。
O sweetest essence！ sweetest of all minions！
God of warm pulses； and dishevell'd hair；
And panting bosoms bare！
Dear unseen light in darkness！ eclipser
Of light in light！ delicious poisoner！
Thy venom'd goblet will we quaff until
We fill… we fill！
And by thy Mother's lips…〃
Was heard no more
For clamour； when the golden palace door
Opened again； and from without； in shone
A new magnificence。 On oozy throne
Smooth…moving came Oceanus the old；
To take a latest glimpse at his sheep…fold；
Before he went into his quiet cave
To muse for ever… Then a lucid wave；
Scoop'd from its trembling sisters of mid…sea；
Afloat； and pillowing up the majesty
Of Doris； and the AEgean seer； her spouse…
Next； on a dolphin； clad in laurel boughs；
Theban Amphion leaning on his lute：
His fingers went across it… All were mute
To gaze on Amphitrite； queen of pearls；
And Thetis pearly too。…
The palace whirls
Around giddy Endymion； seeing he
Was there far strayed from mortality。
He could not bear it… shut his eyes in vain；
Imagination gave a dizzier pain。
〃O I shall die！ sweet Venus； be my stay！
Where is my lovely mistress？ Well…away！
I die… I hear her voice… I feel my wing…〃
At Neptune's feet he sank。 A sudden ring
Of Nereids were about him； in kind strife
To usher back his spirit into life：
But still he slept。 At last they interwove
Their cradling arms； and purpos'd to convey
Towards a crystal bower far away。
Lo！ while slow carried through the pitying crowd；
To his inward senses these words spake aloud；
Written in star…light on the dark above：
Dearest Endymion！ my entire love！
How have I dwelt in fear of fate： 'tis done…
Immortal bliss for me too hast thou won。
Arise then！ for the hen…dove shall not hatch
Her ready eggs； before I'll kissing snatch
Thee into endless heaven。 Awake！ awake！
The youth at once arose： a placid lake
Came quiet to his eyes； and forest green；
Cooler than all the wonders he had seen；
Lull'd with its simple song his fluttering breast。
How happy once again in grassy nest！
BOOK IV。
Muse of my native land！ loftiest Muse！
O first…born on the mountains！ by the hues
Of heaven on the spiritual air begot：
Long didst thou sit alone in northern grot；
While yet our England was a wolfish den；
Before our forests heard the talk of men；
Before the first of Druids was a child；…
Long didst thou sit amid our regions wild
Rapt in a deep prophetic solitude。
There came an eastern voice of solemn mood
Yet wast thou patient。 Then sang forth the Nine；
Apollo's garland：… yet didst thou divine
Such home…bred glory； that they cry'd in vain；
〃Come hither； Sister of the Island！〃 Plain
Spake fair Ausonia； and once more she spake
A higher summons：… still didst thou betake
Thee to thy native hopes。 O thou hast won
A full accomplishment！ The thing is done；
Which undone； these our latter days had risen
On barren souls。 Great Muse； thou know'st what prison；
Of flesh and bone； curbs； and confines； and frets
Our spirit's wings： despondency besets
Our pillows； and the fresh to…morrow morn
Seems to give forth its light in very scorn
Of our dull； uninspired； snail…paced lives。
Long have I said； how happy he who shrives
To thee！ But then I thought on poets gone；
And could not pray：… nor could I now… so on
I move to the end in lowliness of heart。…
〃Ah； woe is me！ that I should fondly part
From my dear native land！ Ah； foolish maid！
Glad was the hour； when； with thee； myriads bade
Adieu to Ganges and their pleasant fields！
To one so friendless the clear freshet yields
A bitter coolness； the ripe grape is sour：
Yet I would have； great gods！ but one short hour
Of native air… let me but die at home。〃
Endymion to heaven's airy dome
Was offering up a hecatomb of vows；
When these words reach'd him。 Whereupon he bows
His head through thorny…green entanglement
Of underwood； and to the sound is bent；
Anxious as hind towards her hidden fawn。
〃Is no one near to help me？ No fair dawn
Of life from charitable voice？ No sweet saying
To set my dull and sadden'd spirit playing？
No hand to toy with mine？ No lips so sweet
That I may worship them？ No eyelids meet
To twinkle on my bosom？ No one dies
Before me； till from these enslaving eyes