_Spirit_. Meantime still struggle in the mortal chain, Till Earth wax hoary; War with yourselves, and Hell, and Heaven, in vain, Until the clouds look gory 210 With the blood reeking from each battle-plain; New times, new climes, new arts, new men; but still, The same old tears, old crimes, and oldest ill, Shall be amongst your race in different forms; But the same moral storms Shall oversweep the future, as the waves In a few hours the glorious giants' graves[148]. _Chorus of Spirits_. Brethren, rejoice! Mortal, farewell! Hark! hark! already we can hear the voice 220 Of growing Ocean's gloomy swell; The winds, too, plume their piercing wings; The clouds have nearly filled their springs; The fountains of the great deep shall be broken, And heaven set wide her windows[149]; while mankind View, unacknowledged, each tremendous token-- Still, as they were from the beginning, blind. We hear the sound they cannot hear, The mustering thunders of the threatening sphere; Yet a few hours their coming is delayed; 230 Their flashing banners, folded still on high, Yet undisplayed, Save to the Spirit's all-pervading eye. Howl! howl! oh Earth! Thy death is nearer than thy recent birth; Tremble, ye mountains, soon to shrink below The Ocean's overflow! The wave shall break upon your cliffs; and shells, The little shells, of ocean's least things be Deposed where now the eagle's offspring dwells[150]-- 240 How shall he shriek o'er the remorseless sea! And call his nestlings up with fruitless yell, Unanswered, save by the encroaching swell;-- While man shall long in vain for his broad wings, The wings which could not save:-- Where could he rest them, while the whole space brings Nought to his eye beyond the deep, his grave? Brethren, rejoice! And loudly lift each superhuman voice-- All die, 250 Save the slight remnant of Seth's seed-- The seed of Seth, Exempt for future sorrow's sake from death. But of the sons of Cain None shall remain; And all his goodly daughters Must lie beneath the desolating waters; Or, floating upward, with their long hair laid Along the wave, the cruel heaven upbraid, Which would not spare 260 Beings even in death so fair. It is decreed, All die! And to the universal human cry The universal silence shall succeed!