And O, ye swelling hills, and spacious plains! Besprent from shore to shore with steeple-towers, And spires whose 'silent finger points to heaven;'[HB] Nor wanting, at wide intervals, the bulk 20 Of ancient minster lifted above the cloud Of the dense air, which town or city breeds To intercept the sun's glad beams--may ne'er That true succession fail of English hearts, Who, with ancestral feeling, can perceive[512] 25 What in those holy structures ye possess Of ornamental interest, and the charm Of pious sentiment diffused afar, And human charity, and social love. --Thus never shall the indignities of time 30 Approach their reverend graces, unopposed; Nor shall the elements be free to hurt Their fair proportions; nor the blinder rage Of bigot zeal madly to overturn; And, if the desolating hand of war 35 Spare them, they shall continue to bestow, Upon the thronged abodes of busy men (Depraved, and ever prone to fill the mind[513] Exclusively with transitory things) An air and mien of dignified pursuit; 40 Of sweet civility, on rustic wilds. The Poet, fostering for his native land Such hope, entreats that servants may abound Of those pure altars worthy; ministers Detached from pleasure, to the love of gain 45 Superior, insusceptible of pride, And by ambitious[514] longings undisturbed; Men, whose delight is where their duty leads Or fixes them; whose least distinguished day Shines with some portion of that heavenly lustre 50 Which makes the sabbath lovely in the sight Of blessed angels, pitying human cares. --And, as on earth it is the doom of truth To be perpetually attacked by foes Open or covert, be that priesthood still, 55 For her defence, replenished with a band Of strenuous champions, in scholastic arts Thoroughly disciplined; nor (if in course Of the revolving world's disturbances Cause should recur, which righteous Heaven avert! To meet such trial) from their spiritual sires 61 Degenerate; who, constrained to wield the sword Of disputation, shrunk not, though assailed With hostile din, and combating in sight Of angry umpires, partial and unjust; 65 And did, thereafter, bathe their hands in fire,[HC] So to declare the conscience satisfied: Nor for their bodies would accept release; But, blessing God and praising him, bequeathed 69 With their last breath, from out the smouldering flame, The faith which they by diligence had earned, Or,[515] through illuminating grace, received, For their dear countrymen, and all mankind. O high example, constancy divine!