Sublime on Glory's pinions to arife,

Urg'd by the love of manly enterprize;

Swol'n Indolence and Fear, with envious view

The radiant track inceffant will purfue,

The fneer of Malice to the croud will teach,

And mock thofe Tabors they defpair to reach.

*This little Poem was written on feeing Mr. SADLER, the firft ENGLISH AERONAUT, ascend in his Balloon from the Phyfic Garden in Oxford, in November 1784.

Nor

Nor does the bold Adventurer dread alone

The poifon'd fhafts by fcowling Envy thrown;

For deck'd in Wifdom's garb pedantic Pride,
And pompous Dulness constant to her fide,

Shall try with looks profound each new defign

By the strict rules of Compass and of Line,

And damn the Scheme, whose Author can't pro

duce

The exact returns of profit and of use.

Far be it from the Muse with Siren song

To draw from ufeful toil the induftrious throng
Or o'er the ferious arts of life to raise

Warm Speculation's yet unfanction'd praife,

Earth's genial lap who teaches to unfold

A richer ftore of vegetable gold,

Who knows in union's clofer bands to draw

The oppofing claims of Liberty and Law,

Who

Who dares in Freedom's holy cause to brave

The adverfe legion and the hoftile wave,

Shall gain from Virtue's breath a purer fame
Than all the Poet or the Sage can claim.

Yet, led by Science, they whofe fteps explore Each deep refource of Nature's hidden ftore; Whether pale ftudy prompt them to reveal What wonderous fcenes her fhapes minute conceal, Or with fuperior zeal and bolder toil,

Which danger cannot check, or labor foil,

They trace her giant form and march fublime

Through each viciffitude of foil and clime,

Shall furely there fome treafur'd secrets find,
Parents of good and useful to mankind,

Which far conceal'd from vulgar eye-fight lay

Till active Science call'd them into day.

When

When first fage MATHESIS thofe laws reveal'd Which lead the Stars thro' Heaven's eternal field,

What prescience could forefee their courfe fhould

guide

The future veffel through the unfathom'd tide?

Does BOTANY collect her flowers in vain

Without one lenient herb to soften pain?
And has the MUSE ftill pour'd an empty lay,

Nor charm'd one vagrant foot to virtue's way?

Or grant that Science, of her stores profuse, Forfake awhile her toils of grayer use,

Yet fure no vulgar joys his breaft engage

Who reads the wonders of her awful page,

Purfues the paths by former Sages trod,

Which lead thro' Nature's works, to Nature's God;

Now follows Vegetation's varied powers,

Thro' all the change of foliage, fruit, and flowers,

Now

Now feels the electric fpark with fudden flame...
Shoot mimic lightning through his thrilling frame,

And now delights the etheraal orbs to tracè
Amid the vast expanse of boundless space.

Hail then ye daring few! who proudly foar Through paths by mortal eye unview'd before! From earth and all her humble fcenes who rife To fearch the extended manfions of the fkies..

If firm his breaft who firft undaunted gave
His fragile veffel to the ftormy wave,

How much fuperior he! whofe buoyant car
Borne through the ftrife of elemental war,
Driven by the veering wind's uncertain tide,
No helm to fleer him, and no oar to guide,

See Earth's ftupendous regions spread below,

To hillocks fhrunk the mountains loftieft brow."

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