Who now his head fublime, aftonish'd shrouds In the dull gloom of rain-distended clouds, And fits enthron'd 'mid folitude and fhade Which human eye-fight never can pervade, day. And fay ye gloomy Cynics who defpife The manly labors of the brave and wife, Which Science kindles and which Fame inspires, Yet Yet Hell's remoteft regions would explore Say can ye tell what this, yet novel art, May to the future race of man impart, Tempted by cloudlefs fkies, yet half afraid, To try the bofom of the unruffled lake; Grafping with trembling hand the ill-form'd oar, And scarcely venturing from the leffening fhore, While fhouting crouds applauding rent the skies, And weeping matrons blam'd the bold emprize : Had fome enthufiaft bofom then foretold What wonderous fcenes the invention fhould un fold, That That Ocean fway'd by this improving Att Should join thofe coafts it's billows feem'd to part, Bear the ftupendous Bark in fafety o'er, And every produce waft to every shore; Had talk'd of climes by future Navies cross'd From scenes of Arctic to Antarctic froft, And regions open'd to the astonish'd fight Such credit had he gain'd, as now would gain The fanguine votary from the fneering train, Whose hopes should promise from the improv'd balloon Planets explor'd, and Empires of the Moon. Then while the fons of GALLIA juftly claim The earliest trophies in this field of fame, Shall ALBION's race with impotence of Pride Not emulate their triumphs, but deride? No! No! while they candid own their Rivals here Have started first in Glory's bright career, The applauding Mufe her garlands fhall bestow New laurels rais'd on Isis' learned plain, And taught her ofier'd brink to rival SEINE. VOL. I. M ON The laboring bofom of the ftormy deep, The face of day o'erfpread by vapors scowls, And 'mid the fhrowds the increafing tempeft howls, O'er the tall maft the giant furges rife, And a new Chaos mingles earth and skies; Bold even in danger's face, the naval train Exert their force, and try their art in vain; Despair and Death on all their efforts lower, And the loud tempeft mocks their feeble power. Large |