And who is he, from yonder antient roof, With Horror in his Eye, who steals around Each hollow Isle; and with a fierce Embrace Clasps the encrumbling ruin? 'Tis the Foe 310 Of Men and Virtue, Eldest-born of Night, And Superstition call'd, a Giant fond Of Dead-Men's Bones, and vagrant [Rottenness], Denied a Tomb; around him turns the wheel, And faggots blaze; and prizons, with a Groan Resounding loud, affright the Coward Soul From Reason's Law, and Nature's. Hark! he Mourns The fretted Abby where he reign'd Secure, With Indolence and Folly, social pair, Nurses to shrine-enamour'd Zeal, who built 320 The Cavern deep and dark, in which he chain'd The drowsy Nine; who yet at Morn or Eve Hail'd the arising or descending Sun With gothic Note, harmoniously sad. But now no more the Votive Maiden clasps The clay cold Saint, and mingles with her Vow The Heaven-reproaching Sigh; in these blest realms No more the power-compelling Bigot plucks The robe from Kings, and consecrates the Tomb That hides a Brother-Saint with Zeal-enforc'd 330 And ceremonious Solemnity.-- O'er the Opaque of Nature and of Night Fair Truth rose smiling, with the Heaven-born Art That shews the Man his Fellow's Thought imprest Within the Volumes' varied Character, Where to the wondering Eye the Soul reveals Her Store immortal. Hence a Bacon shone And Newton thro' the World, and Light on Light Pour'd on the human Breast, as when of old, From the Eternal Fountains of the God, 340 Etherial Streams assail'd the groaning Mass; Then Chaos and the Sun's large Eye survey'd The first [distinguish'd] Forms of mortal Things, Till then in Congregate Confusion hurl'd Without a Station, and without a Name. Then Wit began, the younger-born of Light, To sport in hallow'd Cloysters, where the arm Of Superstition, red with slaughter'd Foes, Held high the Torch of Discord. Stroke on Stroke The smiling Boy repeated with his Sword, 350 Sharp as the [Whirlwind's] Eye: yet fear'd the fight, And oft drew back, his silver wing born down By the foul Breath of Malice; till at length The Monster, rousing in Collected Might, Shook with his Roar the Earth, and at the Sound Red Tyranny, and Torture, with his Limbs Disjoint, and Ignorance that blows the blast For every Fire, prepar'd each bloody Form Of Death, and woo'd Destruction for her Wheel.--