Seen o’er yon arid waste, close by there stood Those Memphian statues known through ages past, Far-famed; of which the head of Memnon woo’d Titan’s warm rays, symphonious in the blast, Whose mournful cadence o’er the desert cast Sounds oft emitted, heard to fill the air In tones vibration swept too sweet to last, That died away like music strange and rare: When from that image struck angelic chords rose there. CI. They likewise looked upon a column fair, In spiral beauty ’neath cerulean skies, Formed of red granite, beautiful, and rare; In fine proportion polished seen to rise Its capitol, that drew admiring eyes, Like “Pompey’s noble pillar” proudly named, By fearless Tar once scaled that dared emprize; Whose gallery’s height those vent’rous bold ones climb’d, What will not Briton’s dare, for daring exploit famed. CII. There rose the wonder of the olden time, Fair groves that seemed suspended from the sky, In form an amphitheatre sublime, Tier above tier in terraces spread high, Dark shrubs and noble trees that met the eye-- A garden hung like Babylon’s of yore, Whose walls that city girt in majesty, Stupendous reared, as in her palmy pow’r, With massy gates and towers, that frowned in grandeur hoar. CIII. Of all the glories that they yet beheld, None in review surpass’d Pompeii’s site, At foot of Mount Vesuvius reveal’d, Which fifteen centuries have hid in night, Stood there disclosed to each beholder’s sight; A city dazzling in its pomp and gold, Its palace gates, and nobles in their might, And glittering troops, with shining halberts bold, While luxury’s full tide through that famed city rolled. CIV. Pointing the clouds, bright golden fanes upreared, On which the sun with unveil’d splendour shone; Fountains and marble palaces appeared, And living life beamed out in sculptured stone, Whom eloquence, the warrior, genius own; Painting and poetry, sister arts divine, Perfection wrought, so exquisite made known-- Imaged to live, immortal in design. Such gorgeous works graced art in age Pompeiian thine. CV. And rain’s greatness pass’d before their sight-- Princely Palmyra, glorious in decay; The giant base, from which the shaft rose light, That to the ether blue did soar away, Crown’d by its capitol’s superb array; Whose classic arch and columns beauteous stone Formed proud piazza, or low prostrate lay In scatter’d groups magnificent were shown; Now stretched o’er Syrian waste, lone as the night wind’s moan. CVI.