Yon starry vault that round him rolls the spheres, And gives to earth her seasons, days and years, The source designates and the clue imparts Of all his errors and of all his arts. There spreads the system that his ardent thought First into emblems, then to spirits wrought; Spirits that ruled all matter and all mind, Nourish'd or famish'd, kill'd or cured mankind, Bade him neglect the soil whereon he fed, Work with hard hand for that which was not bread, Erect the temple, darken deep the shrine, Yield the full hecatomb with awe divine, Despise this earth, and claim with lifted eyes His health and harvest from the meteor'd skies. Accustom'd thus to bow the suppliant head, And reverence powers that shake his heart with dread, His pliant faith extends with easy ken From heavenly hosts to heaven-anointed men; The sword, the tripod join their mutual aids, To film his eyes with more impervious shades, Create a sceptred idol, and enshrine The Robber Chief in attributes divine, Arm the new phantom with the nation's rod, And hail the dreadful delegate of God. Two settled slaveries thus the race control, Engross their labors and debase their soul; Till creeds and crimes and feuds and fears compose The seeds of war and all its kindred woes. Unfold, thou Memphian dungeon! there began The lore of Mystery, the mask of man; There Fraud with Science leagued, in early times, Plann'd a resplendent course of holy crimes, Stalk'd o'er the nations with gigantic pace, With sacred symbols charm'd the cheated race, Taught them new grades of ignorance to gain, And punish truth with more than mortal pain,-- Unfold at last thy cope! that man may see The mines of mischief he has drawn from thee. --Wide gapes the porch with hieroglyphics hung, And mimic zodiacs o'er its arches flung; Close labyrinth'd here the feign'd Omniscient dwells, Dupes from all nations seek the sacred cells; Inquiring strangers, with astonish'd eyes, Dive deep to read these subterranean skies, To taste that holiness which faith bestows, And fear promulgates thro its world of woes. The bold Initiate takes his awful stand, A thin pale taper trembling in his hand; Thro hells of howling monsters lies the road, To season souls and teach the ways of God.