The pow'r that animates the stars on high,
And harmony extends along the sky:
Directs this vast machine, its course to trace,
With motion regular, through ether's space;
Why back the sev'n revolving planets go,
And retrogression in their movements show?
If one great ruler regulates the whole,
Or two superior BEINGS Heav'n control?
If colours be inherent in the thing,
Or only from deluded vision spring?

How OCEAN's tides are swelled by Luna's rays?
What wind the bursting thunders down conveys?

155

160

Whence rainy clouds?the hail and flaky snow?- 165
The streaming flames that from the welkin flow?
The red-forked flashes, darting through the air?
And horrid comet's tail with hideous glare?

YOUR ship was now at anchor safely placed:
The earth and fruitful leisure, you embraced;
Your literary works, on wings of fame,
T'wards immortality, conveyed your name.
When JUSTICE presently, from realms on high,
On this retirement cast an anxious eye,
Perceived that inactivity prevailed,

And laws, for want of due attention, failed.

A veil she o'er her modest features threw ;

From gates of AUTUMN suddenly withdrew,

170

175

Where, in the SOUTH, the Zodiack downward bends,
While, on the Scorpion, NIGHT for light depends. 180
Where'er she took her flight, calm peace was seen;
Ferociousness appeared with tranquil mien;
All sought the charming goddess to behold,
Who earth had quitted since the age of gold.

IN silence she Liguria's city* gained:

The mansion entered that, her friend, contained,
Whom she-discovered tracing, with his hand,
Celestial motions, on the yielding sand;

Those calculations which, amid surprise,

185

Th' ingenious Memphis viewed with eager eyes: 190
How, through the skies, the Heav'nly bodies moved:-
The planets' regular rotations proved :-
What numbers indicated, 'mid the day,

The shades of darkness o'er the SUN's bright ray;

And Phoebe's phases, when her brother's sight
Was intercepted, void of beaming light.

Ar length Astræa's fulgent face he spied,
And felt convinced a goddess he descried:
Her venerated features overran ;

f

195

Advanced; and from the sand effaced his plan.

200

To him th' IMMORTAL thus herself addressed:

"O Mallius !-goodness glowing in thy breast, "In whom the ancient equity is found,

"And manners of a better age abound,

.66

Enough of study ;-leave the TUNEFUL THRONG: 205 "From me already thou hast been too long.

"The laws recall thee: come, resume thy pow'r,

And, on thy former bays, fresh lustre show'r. "Who bounds e'er set to serving human kind? Herself, to limits, PRUDENCE ne'er resigned. "With many, thou hast early honours viewed; "But solely merit finds the same renewed: "The repetition approbation shows,

"And VIRTUE fondly claims what FORTUNE chose.

2 M

210

* Milan.

"Dost think that NATURE opes a finer field,
"And more rewards will to thy labours yield?-
"That precepts, by thy fav'rite Plato, taught,
"His country, benefits superior, brought,
"To him* who, foll'wing oracles renowned,

215

Plunged EASTERN navies in the deep profound, 220 "The citizens in vessels bore away,

"And Athens saved from flames and Persian sway?
"Lycurgus could the Spartan dames inspire
"With courage equal to his fond desire,
"And, by the impulse of his laws séveré,
"The timid sex dismissed each trembling fear:
Though bare of walls, the people undismayed,
Intrepid valour, 'mid the fight, displayed;
"While, at Tarentum, spite of counsel grave,
"That sage Pythagoras so fully gave,

66

66

"And years of silence anxiously maintained, Disgraceful luxury was unrestrained.

"To such a prince, who service would deny? "Could merit better for reward rely?

Of highest folly he should be accused,

225

230

235

"Who, joined with Stilicho, his pow'rs, refused. "In council, or where floats the martial crest,

"What former age another such possessed?

"Stern Brutus would be pleased beneath his sway;

"Fabricius easily the court obey;

240

"And e'en the rigid Catos feel inclined,

"To subjugate their independent mind.

"Our sister, CLEMENCY, thou may'st observe, To blunt the cruel sword, strains ev'ry nerve;

* Themistocles.

"And PIETY is lifted from the ground,
"Two brothers clasping, who serene are found.
"See PERFIDY, o'er broken arms, forlorn;
"The serpents, from the FURIES' tresses torn,
"Now gasp for breath, and vomit on their chains
"A venom that no longer force retains.

"With PEACE, triumphantly FAITH shows delight:
"WE, from ABOVE, have hither winged our flight;
"The Pow'RS DIVINE from high Olympus range,
"In cities to behold the happy change.
"O Theodorus!-to return, decide."-
He, humbly to the goddess, thus replied:
"REVERED Astræa! me, would you compel

"To quit the solitude in which I dwell?
"With rust of rural habits covered o'er,

1

245

250

255

"Must I beneath your standards move once more? 260 "I solely have, a length of time, with toil,

66

My cares employed to furrow up the soil;

"To learn its nature:-study rocks and trees;
"The aspect that with olives best agrees,
"What lands with corn are proper to be sown,

"And sloping hills for fruitful vines alone.

"Shall I, a veteran, again be found,

265

"Where clarions' roar spreads trembling terrours round?

"An aged seaman, from the seas, retired,

"To plough, as formerly, the DEEP, required!

"Must I once more to FORTUNE trust my fame;

"Risk glories safe and place in doubt my name?
"I know that USE can NATURE e'en subdue;
"But soon is that forgot, we don't pursue.

270

"Brisk steeds contemn the feeble guide's command, 275 "And bows, awhile unstrung, resist the hand.

"But JUSTICE to refuse, I will avow,

"There's no excuse: her claims we must allow.

" 'Twas you, mankind, from woods and caves first drew, "And made them turpitude with horrour view:

"The laws respect; and banish from the mind,
"That fell ferocity for beasts designed.
"Whoe'er your precepts in his breast retains

May bo.dly rush through flames or liquid plains:
"Unarmed, himself against battalions trust,
"And hosts of foes constrain to bite the dust.
"For him shall show'rs cool Ethiopia's heat,
"And Scythia, warmth from vernal breezes, meet.'
THIS said, he, from the goddess' hands, received
Four reins of length, with EQUITY inweaved;
The one, the Po and Tiber's streams, embraced,
And Italy with num'rous cities graced;

A second, Carthage, ruled, and Libya's shore :
Th' Illyrian tracts, the third extended o'er;
The last reached Corsica, Sardinia's hills,

And triforked Sicily's rich fields and rills,
And whatsoe'er Tyrrhenian billows lave,

280

285

290

295

Or sounds with dashing of th' Ionian wave.

Th' extended sway and burden of affairs,

Nor shook your firmness, nor perplexed your cares. 300 But, like Olympus' summit, raised on high,

Which leaves a space below, where tempests fly,

No low'ring clouds intrude their sullen mien ;
The air remains eternally serene:

Unmoved, the mount hears rain in torrents pour,
Roll t'wards the foot, and thunders loudly roar.
So Theodorus, calmness in his breast,
And always like himself with freedom blessed,

305