Thofe facred lays whofe voice fublime Shall never meet the human ear, Till, torn the veil of flesh away, Stand to the foul confefs'd the realms of endless day. II. Yet ftreams from that immortal fource, Were not to mortal fenfe denied, On ISRAEL's race with fwelling force Unbounded rufh'd the facred tide: JUDEA's palmy groves around. Now to the harp's responsive strings O'er dread JEHOVAH's proftrate foes, ISAIAH now with fiercer fire Strikes loud the bold prophetic wire, And treads, or feems in act to tread, While now the lay pathetic thrills By BABEL'S willow-border'd rills, As from JUDEA's captive train The victor's taunting voice demands the choral ftrain. III. But hark-what lays enchanting found Unroots the foreft from the ground? By the perfuafive powers fubdu'd Charm'd from the prey the favage brood Attentive liften round.- 'Tis he, the firft of GRECIA's choir, 'Tis ORPHEUS ftrikes the living lyre! And And fee ALCEUS' fterner hand Appals pale flavery's trembling band, His fingers o'er the warbling ftrings, While, as the drama's potent art Or melts or terrifies the heart, More fighs arife, more forrows flow, As Mufic's aiding hand ftrikes deep the fhafts of woe. IV. Nor yet amid the wreck of time The rapturous powers are loft: Soft breathe her airs on every clime, And vifit every coaft. What though HESPERIA'S funnier day Now boaft to wake the fweeteft lay; Yet fure, if ere the throbbing breaft Sweet Mufic's native voice confefs'd, To To the foft meafures that proceed From CALEDONIA's northern reed, No feeling bofom shall deny The genuine claim of Melody. V. Though wild caprice with frantic hand Awhile may feize the facred lyre, While folly's fons applauding stand To hear her ftrike the wire: O ALBION! as thy polifh'd ear Will none but claffic numbers hear, So let thy voice propitious own Thofe thrilling notes that ftrike the heart alone. Whether the foft melodious lay In fimple measures flow, Now warbling elegantly gay, Now tuned to placid woc. Or |