With golden harps and branching laurels graced: Around the fane, engraved by Vulcan's hand, The sciences and arts were seen to stand; Here Æsculapius' snake display'd his crest, 350 And burning glories sparkled on his breast; While from his eye's insufferable light, Disease and death recoil'd in headlong flight: Of this great temple, through all time renown'd, Sunk in oblivion, no remains are found. Contiguous here, with hallow'd woods o'erspread, Renown'd Parnassus lifts its honour'd head; There roses blossom in eternal spring, And strains celestial feather'd warblers sing; Apollo here bestows the unfading wreath; 360 Here Zephyrs aromatic odours breathe; They o'er Castalian plains diffuse perfume, Where round the scene perennial laurels bloom: Fair daughters of the sun, the sacred Nine! Here wake to ecstasy their harps divine, Or bid the Paphian lute mellifluous play, And tune to plaintive lore the liquid lay: Their numbers every mental storm control, And lull to harmony the afflicted soul; With heavenly balm the tortured breast compose, 370 And soothe the agony of latent woes: The verdant shades that Helicon surround, On rosy gales seraphic tunes resound! Perpetual summers crown the happy hours, Sweet as the breath that fans Elysian flowers: Hence pleasure dances in an endless round, And love and joy, ineffable, abound. IV. Stop, wandering thought! methinks I feel their strains Diffuse delicious languor through my veins. Adieu, ye flowery vales, and fragrant scenes, 380 Delightful bowers, and ever vernal greens! Adieu, ye streams! that o'er enchanted ground In lucid maze the Aonian hill surround; Ye fairy scenes! where fancy loves to dwell, And young delight, for ever, oh, farewell! The soul with tender luxury you fill, And o'er the sense Lethean dews distil-- Awake, O memory! from the inglorious dream, With brazen lungs resume the kindling theme; Collect thy powers, arouse thy vital fire, 390 Ye spirits of the storm my verse inspire! Hoarse as the whirlwinds that enrage the main, In torrents pour along the swelling strain. Now, through the parting wave impetuous bore, The scudding vessel stemm'd the Athenian shore; The pilots, as the waves behind her swell, Still with the wheeling stern their force repel; For this assault should either quarter [3] feel, Again to flank the tempest she might reel! The steersmen every bidden turn apply, To right and left the spokes alternate fly-- 400 Thus, when some conquer'd host retreats in fear, The bravest leaders guard the broken rear;