While high in air the golden treasure burns, And Love and Glory guide the prow by turns. But, when Thessalia's inauspicious plain Received the matron-heroine from the main; 145 While horns of triumph sound, and altars burn, And shouting nations hail their Chief's return: Aghaft, She saw new-deck'd the nuptial bed, And proud CREUSA to the temple led; Saw her in JASON'S mercenary arms 150 Deride her virtues, and insult her charms; Saw her dear babes from fame and empire torn, In foreign realms deserted and forlorn; Her love rejected, and her vengeance braved, By Him her beauties won, her virtues saved.-- 155 With stern regard she eyed the traitor-king, And felt, Ingratitude! thy keenest sting; "Nor Heaven," She cried, "nor Earth, nor Hell can hold "A Heart abandon'd to the thirst of Gold!" Stamp'd with wild foot, and shook her horrent brow, 160 And call'd the furies from their dens below. --Slow out of earth, before the festive crowds, On wheels of fire, amid a night of clouds, Drawn by fierce fiends arose a magic car, Received the Queen, and hovering flamed in air.-- 165 As with raised hands the suppliant traitors kneel And fear the vengeance they deserve to feel, Thrice with parch'd lips her guiltless babes she press'd, And thrice she clasp'd them to her tortur'd breast; Awhile with white uplifted eyes she stood, 170 Then plung'd her trembling poniards in their blood. "Go, kiss your sire! go, share the bridal mirth!" She cry'd, and hurl'd their quivering limbs on earth. Rebellowing thunders rock the marble towers, And red-tongued lightnings shoot their arrowy showers; 175 Earth yawns!--the crashing ruin sinks!--o'er all Death with black hands extends his mighty Pall; Their mingling gore the Fiends of Vengeance quaff, And Hell receives them with convulsive laugh. Round the vex'd isles where fierce tornados roar, 180 Or tropic breezes sooth the sultry shore; What time the eve her gauze pellucid spreads O'er the dim flowers, and veils the misty meads; Slow, o'er the twilight sands or leafy walks, With gloomy dignity DICTAMNA stalks; [_Dictamnus._ l. 184. Fraxinella. In the still evenings of dry seasons this plant emits an inflammable air or gas, and flashes on the approach of a candle. There are instances of human creatures who have taken fire spontaneously, and been totally consumed. Phil. Trans.