On this bleak height tall firs, with ice-work crown'd,
"Bend, while their flaky winter fhades the ground!
'Hoarse, and direct, a blustering north-wind blows!
On boughs, thick-ruftling, crack the crifped fnows! 110
Tangles of froft half-fright the wilder'd eye,
By heat oft-blacken'd like a lowering sky!
Hence down the fide two turbid rivulets pour,
And devious two, in one huge cataract roar!
While pleas'd the watery progrefs I pursue,
Yon rocks in rough affemblage rush in view!
In form an amphitheatre they rife;
And a dark gulf in their broad centre lies.
There the dim'd fight with dizzy weakness fails,
And horror o'er the firmeft brain prevails!
Thither thefe mountain-ftreams their paffage take,
Headlong foam down, and form a dreadful lake!
The lake, high-fwelling, fo redundant grows,
From the heap'd store deriv'd, a river flows;
Which, deepening, travels through a distant wood, 125
And thence emerging, meets a fifter-flood;
Mingled they flash on a wide-opening plain,
And pafs yon city to the far-feen main.
So blend two fouls by heaven for union made,
And ftrengthening forward, lend a mutual aid, 130
And prove in every tranfient turn their aim,
Through finite life to infinite the fame.
Nor ends the landscape-Ocean, to my fight, Points a blue arm, where failing fhips delight, Inprospect leffen'd!-Now new rocks, rear'd high, 135 S.retch a cross-ridge, and bar the curious eye;
There lies obfcur'd the ripening diamond's ray,
And thence red-branching coral 's rent away.
In conic form there gelid crystal grows;
Through fuch the palace lamp, gay luftre throws! 140
Lustre, which, through dim night, as various plays
As play from yonder fnows the changeful rays!
For nobler ufe the cryftal's worth may rife,
If tubes perfpective hem the fpotless prize;
Through thefe the beams of the far-lengthen'd eye 145
Measure known ftars, and new remoter fpy.
Hence Commerce many a fhorten'd voyage fteers,
Shorten'd to months, the hazard once of years ;
Hence Halley's foul etherial flight effays;
Inftructive there from orb to orb fhe ftrays;
Sees, round new countlefs funs, new fyftems roll!
Sees God in all! and magnifies the whole !
Yon rocky fide enrich'd the fummer fcene,
And peasants search for herbs of healthful green;
Now naked, pale, and comfortless it lies,
Like youth extended cold in death's disguise.
There, while without the founding tempeft fwells,
Incav'd fecure th' exulting eagle dwells;
And there, when Nature owns prolific spring,
Spreads o'er her young a fondling mother's wing. 160
Swains on the coaft the far-fam'd fish descry,
That gives the fleecy robe the Tyrian dye;
While fhells, a scatter'd ornament bestow,
The tinctur'd rivals of the flowery bow.
Yon limeless fands, loose-driving with the wind, 165
In future cauldrons useful texture find,
Till, on the furnace thrown, the glowing mass
Brightens, and brightening hardens into glass.
When winter halcyons, flickering on the wave,
Tune their complaints, yon fea forgets to rave;
Though lafh'd by ftorms, which naval pride o'erturn,
The foaming deep in sparkles seems to burn,
Loud winds turn zephyrs to enlarge their notes,
And each fafe neft on a calm furface floats.
Now veers the wind full eaft; and keen, and fore, 175 Its cutting influence aches in every pore! How weak thy fabric, Man!-A puff, thus blown, Staggers thy ftrength, and echoes to thy groan. A tooth's minuteft nerve let anguish feize, Swift kindred fibres catch! (fo frail our eafe!) Pinch'd, pierc'd, and torn, enflam'd, and unaffuag'd, They fiart, and fwell, and throb, and shoot enrag'd! From nerve to nerve fierce flies th' exulting pain! -And are we of this mighty fabric vain?
Now my blood chills! fcarce through my veins it glides!
Sure on each blaft a fhivering ague rides!
Warn'd let me this bleak eminence forfake,
And to the vale a different winding take!
Half I defcend: my fpirits faft decay;
A terrace now relieves my weary way.
Clofe with this stage a precipice combines ;
Whence ftill the fpacious country far declines!
The herds feem infects in the diftant glades,
And men diminish'd, as, at noon, their shades!
Thick on this top o'ergrown for walks are seen
Grey leaflefs wood, and winter-greens between!
The reddening berry, deep-ting'd holly fhows,
And matted mistletoe, the white, beftows!
Though loft the banquet of autumnal fruits,
Though on broad oaks no vernal umbrage fhoots! 200
These boughs, the filenc'd shivering songsters seek!
Thefe foodful berries fill the hungry beak.
Beneath appears a place, all outward bare,
Inward the dreary manfion of Despair!
The water of the mountain-road, half-stray'd,
Breaks o'er it wild, and falls a brown cafcade.
Has Nature this rough, naked piece defign'd,
To hold inhabitants of mortal kind?
She has. Approach'd, appears a deep descent,
Which opens in a rock a large extent !
And hark-its hollow entrance reach'd, I hear
A. trampling found of footsteps haitening near!
A death-like chillness thwarts my panting breaft:
Soft! the wish'd object stands at length confeft!
Of youth his form!-But why with anguish bent? 215
Why pin'd with fallow marks of difcontent?
Yet Patience, labouring to beguile his care,
Seems to raife hope, and fimiles away despair.
Compaffion, in his eye, furveys my grief,
And in his voice invites me to relief.
Preventive of thy call, behold my hate,
(He says,) nor let warm thanks thy fpirits wafte!
All fear forget-Each portal I poffefs,
Duty wide opens to receive diftrefs.
Oblig'd, I follow, by his guidance led;
The vaulted roof re-echoing to our tread!
And now, in fquar'd divifions, I furvey
Chambers fequefter'd from the glare of day;
Yet needful lights are taught to intervene,
Through rifts; each forming a perfpective fcene. 230
In fiont a parlour meets my entering view;
Oppos'd, a room to sweet refection due.
Here my chill'd veins are warm'd by chippy fires,
Through the bor'd rock above, the fioke expires;
Neat, o'er a homely board, a napkin 's spread,
Crown'd with a heapy canister of bread.
A maple cup is next dispatch'd, to bring
The comfort of the falutary fpring :
Nor mourn we abfent bleffings of the vine,
Here laughs a frugal bowl cf rofy wine;
And favoury cates, upon clear embers cast,
Lie hiffing, till fnatch'd off; a rich repaft!
Soon leap my fpirits with enliven'd power,
And in gay converfe glides the feastful hour.
The Hermit, thus: Thou wonder'it at thy fare: 245
On me, yon city, kind, befows her care:
Meat for keen famine, and the generous juice,
That warms chill'd life, her charities produce:
Accept without reward; unafk'd 'twas mine;
Hele what thy health requires, as free be thine. 250
Hence learn that GOD, (who, in the time of need,
In frozen deferts can the raven feed)
Well-fought, will delegate fome pitying breast,
His fecond means, to fuccour man distrest.
He paus'd. Deep thought upon his afpect gloom'd; 255
Then he, with fmile humane, his voice refum'd..
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