15 This weaned her heart from things below, And kindled it with strong desire to gain Her hope's high aim. Life could no longer now Flatter her love, or make her prayers refrain From begging, yet with humble resignation, To be dismissed from her mortal station. 16 Oh, how she welcomed her courteous pain, And languished with most serene content! No paroxysms could make her once complain, Nor suffered she her patience to be spent Before her life; contriving thus to yield To her disease, and yet not lose the field. 17 This trying furnace wasted day by day (What she herself had always counted dross) Her mortal mansion, which so ruined lay, That of the goodly fabric nothing was Remaining now, but skin and bone; refined Together were her body and her mind. 18 At length the fatal hour--sad hour to me!-- Released the longing soul: no ejulation Tolled her knell; no dying agony Frowned in her death; but in that lamb-like fashion In which she lived ('O righteous heaven!' said I, Who closed her dear eyes,) she had leave to die. 19 O ever-precious soul! yet shall that flight Of thine not snatch thee from thy wonted nest: Here shalt thou dwell, here shalt thou live in spite Of any death--here in this faithful breast. Unworthy 'tis, I know, by being mine; Yet nothing less, since long it has been thine. 20 Accept thy dearer portraiture, which I Have on my other Psyche fixed here; Since her ideal beauties signify The truth of thine: as for her spots, they are Thy useful foil, and shall inservient be But to enhance and more illustrate thee. IMPERIAL ROME PERSONIFIED. 1 Thus came the monster to his dearest place On earth, a palace wondrous large and high, Which on seven mountains' heads enthroned was; Thus, by its sevenfold tumour, copying The number of the horns which crowned its king. 2 Of dead men's bones were all the exterior walls, Raised to a fair but formidable height; In answer to which strange materials, A graff of dreadful depth and breadth Upon the works, filled with a piteous flood Of innocently-pure and holy blood. 3 Those awful birds, whose joy is ravenous war, Strong-taloned eagles, perched upon the head Of every turret, took their prospect far And wide about the world; and questioned Each wind that travelled by, to know if they Could tell them news of any bloody prey. 4 The inner bulwarks, raised of shining brass, With firmitude and pride were buttressed. The gate of polished steel wide opened was To entertain those throngs, who offered Their slavish necks to take the yoke, and which That city's tyrant did the world bewitch.