Nor less thy world, Columbus, drinks, refresh'd The lavish moisture of the melting year. Wide e'er his isles, the branching Orinoque Rolls a brown deluge; and the native drives To dwell aloft on life-sufficing trees-- At once his dome, his robe, his food, and arms. Swell'd by a thousand streams, impetuous hurl'd From all the roaring Andes, huge descends The mighty Orellana. Scarce the muse Dares stretch her wing o'er this enormous mass Of rushing water; scarces she dares attempt The sea-like Plata; to whose dread expanse, Continuous depth, and wondrous length of course, Our floods are rills. With unabated force, In silent dignity they sweep along; And traverse realms unknown, and blooming wilds, And fruitful deserts--worlds of solitude, Where the sun smiles and Seasons teem in vain, Unseen and unenjoyed. Forsaking these, O'er peopled plains they fair-diffusive flow, And many a nation feed, and circle safe, In their soft bosom, many a happy isle; The seat of blameless Pan, yet undisturbed By Christian crimes and Europe's cruel sons. Thus pouring on they proudly seek the deep, Whose vanquish'd tide, recoiling from the shock, Yields to this liquid weight of half the globe; And ocean trembles for his green domain. But what avails this wondrous waste of wealth, This gay profusion of luxurious bliss, This pomp of Nature? what their balmy meads. Their powerful herbs, and Ceres void of pain? By vagrant birds dispers'd, and wafting winds. What their unplanted fruits? what the cool draughts, The ambrosial food, rich gums, and spicy health, Their forests yield? their toiling insects what, Their silky pride, and vegetable robes? Ah! what avail their fatal treasures, hid Deep in the bowels of the pitying earth, Golconda's gems, and sad Potosi's mines? Where dwelt the gentlest children of the sun! What all that Afric's golden rivers roll, Her odorous woods, and shining ivory stores? Ill-fated race! the softening arts of peace, Whate'er the humanizing muses teach; The godlike wisdom of the tempered breast; Progressive truth, the patient force of thought; Investigation calm, whose silent powers Command the world; the light that leads to Heaven; Kind equal rule, the government of laws, And all-protecting freedom, which alone Sustains the name and dignity of man: These are not theirs. The parent sun himself Seems o'er this world of slaves to tyrannize; And, with oppressive ray, the roseate bloom Of beauty blasting, gives the gloomy hue, And feature gross; or worse, to ruthless deeds, Mad jealousy, blind rage, and fell revenge, Their fervid spirit fires. Love dwells not there, The soft regards, the tenderness of life, The heart-shed tear, the ineffable delight Of sweet humanity: these court the beam