CANTO II.

The Voyage continued.

"What vast foundations in the Abyss are there, [i]

As of a former world? [Footnote 1] Is it not where ATLANTIC kings their barbarous pomp display'd; [k]

Sunk into darkness with the realms they sway'd, When towers and temples, thro' the closing wave, [l]

A glimmering ray of antient splendour gave-- And we shall rest with them. Arise, behold, - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We stop to stir no more...nor will the tale be told."

The pilot smote his breast; the watch-man cried "Land!" and his voice in faltering accents died. [m]

At once the fury of the prow was quell'd; And (whence or why from many an age withheld) [Footnote 2]

Shrieks, not of men, were mingling in the blast; And armed shapes of G.o.d-like stature pa.s.s'd!

Slowly along the evening sky they went, As on the edge of some vast battlement; Helmet and shield, and spear and gonfalon Streaming a baleful light that was not of the sun!

Long from the stern the great Adventurer gaz'd With awe not fear; then high his hands he rais'd.

"Thou All-supreme---in goodness as in power, Who, from his birth to this eventful hour, Hast led thy servant [Footnote 3] over land and sea, Confessing Thee in all, and all in Thee, Oh still"--He spoke, and lo, the charm accurst Fled whence it came, and the broad barrier burst!

A vain illusion! (such as mocks the eyes Of fearful men, when mountains round them rise From less than nothing [Footnote 4]) nothing now beheld, But scatter'd sedge--repelling, and repell'd!

And once again that valiant company Right onward came, ploughing the Unknown Sea.

Already borne beyond the range of thought, With Light divine, with Truth immortal fraught, From world to world their steady course they keep, [Footnote 5]

Swift as the winds along the waters sweep, Mid the mute nations of the purple deep.

--And now the sound of harpy-wings they hear; Now less and less, as vanishing in fear!

And, see, the heav'ns bow down, the waters rise.

And, rising, shoot in columns to the skies, [Footnote 6]

That stand--and still, when they proceed, retire, As in the Desert burn'd the sacred fire; [Footnote 7]

Moving in silent majesty, till Night Descends, and shuts the vision from their sight.

[Footnote 1: In like manner the companions of Ulysses utter their thoughts without reserve. Od. X.]

[Footnote 2: The author seems to have antic.i.p.ated his long slumber in the library of the Fathers.]

[Footnote 3: 'They may give me what name they please. I am servant of Him, &c.' F. Columbus, c 2.]

[Footnote 4: Isaiah xl. 17.]

[Footnote 5: As St. Christopher carried Christ over the deep waters, so Columbus went over safe, himself and his company.--F. Col. c. 1.]

[Footnote 6: Water-spouts. See Edwards's Hist. of the West Indies.

I. 12. Note.]

[Footnote 7: Exod. xiii. 21.]

CANTO III.

An a.s.sembly of Evil Spirits.

Tho' chang'd my cloth of gold for amice grey-- [n]

In my spring-time, when every month was May, With hawk and hound I cours'd away the hour, Or sung my roundelay in lady's bower.

And tho' my world be now a narrow cell, (Renounc'd for ever all I lov'd so well) Tho' now my head be bald, my feet be bare, And scarce my knees sustain my book of prayer, Oh I was there, one of that gallant crew, And saw--and wonder'd whence his Power He drew, Yet little thought, tho' by his side I stood, Of his great Foes in earth and air and flood, Then uninstructed.--But my sand is run, And the Night coming---and my Task not done!-- 'Twas in the deep, immeasurable cave Of ANDES, echoing to the Southern wave, [o]

Mid pillars of Basalt, the work of fire, That, giant-like, to upper day aspire, 'Twas there that now, as wont in heav'n to shine, Forms of angelic mould, and grace divine, a.s.sembled. All, exil'd the realms of rest, In vain the sadness of their souls suppress'd; Yet of their glory many a scatter'd ray Shot thro' the gathering shadows of decay.

Each mov'd a G.o.d; and all, as G.o.ds, possess'd One half the globe; from pole to pole confess'd! [Footnote 1]

These in dim shrines and barbarous symbols reign, Where PLATA and MARAGNON meet the Main. [p]

Those the wild hunter worships as he roves, In the green shade of CHILI'S fragrant groves; Or warrior-tribes with rites of blood implore, Whose night-fires gleam along the sullen sh.o.r.e Of HURON or ONTARIO, inland seas, [q]

What time the song of death is in the breeze!

'Twas now in dismal pomp and order due, While the vast concave flash'd with lightnings blue, On shining pavements of metallic ore, That many an age the fusing sulphur bore, They held high council. All was silence round, When, with a voice most sweet yet most profound, A sovereign Spirit burst the gates of night, And from his wings of gold shook drops of liquid light!

MERION, commission'd with his host to sweep From age to age the melancholy deep!

Chief of the ZEMI, whom the Isles obey'd, By Ocean sever'd from a world of shade. [Footnote 2]

I.

"Prepare, again prepare,"

Thus o'er the soul the thrilling accents' came, "Thrones to resign for lakes of living flame, And triumph for despair.

He, on whose call afflicting thunders wait, Has will'd it; and his will is fate!

In vain the legions, emulous to save, Hung in the tempest o'er the troubled main; [r]

Turn'd each presumptuous prow that broke the wave, And dash'd it on its sh.o.r.es again.

All is fulfill'd! Behold, in close array, What mighty banners stream in the bright track of day!"

II.

"No voice, as erst, shall in the desert rise; [Footnote 3]

Nor antient, dread solemnities With scorn of death the trembling tribes inspire.

Wreaths for the Conqueror's brow the victims bind!

Yet, tho' we fled yon firmament of fire, Still shall we fly, all hope of rule resign'd?"

He' spoke; and all was silence, all was night! [s]

Each had already wing'd his formidable flight.

[Footnote 1: G.o.ds, yet confess'd later.--Milton.----Ils ne laissent pas d'en etre les esclaves, & de les honorer plus que le grand Esprit, qui de sa nature est bon.--Lafitau.]

[Footnote 2: La plupart de ces isles ne sont en effet que des pointes de montagnes; et la mer, qui est au-dela, est une vraie mer Mediterranee. Buffon.]

[Footnote 3: Alluding to the oracles of the Islanders, so soon to become silent: and particularly to a prophecy, delivered down from their ancestors, and sung with loud lamentations (Petr. Martyr, dec.

3. lib. 7) at their solemn festivals (Herrera. I. iii. 4) that the country would be laid waste on the arrival of strangers, completely clad, from a region near the rising of the sun. Ibid. II. S. 2. It is said that Cazziva, a great Cacique, after long fasting and many ablutions, had an interview with one of the Zemi, who announced to him this terrible event (F. Columbus, c. 62), as the oracle of Latona, according to Herodotus (II. 152) predicted the overthrow of eleven kings in Egypt, on the appearance of men of bra.s.s, risen out of the sea.

Nor did this prophecy exist among the Islanders alone. It influenced the councils of Montezuma, and extended almost universally over the forests of America. Cortes. Herrera. Gomara. 'The demons, whom they worshipped,' says Acosta, 'in this instance told them the truth.']

CANTO IV.

The Voyage continued.

"Ah, why look back, tho' all is left behind?

No sounds of life are stirring in the wind.-- And you, ye birds, winging your pa.s.sage home, How blest ye are!--We know not where we roam, We go," they cried, "go to return no more; Nor ours, alas, the transport to explore A human footstep on a desert sh.o.r.e!"

Still, as beyond this mortal life impell'd By some mysterious energy, He held His everlasting course. Still self-possess'd, High on the deck He stood, disdaining rest; (His amber chain the only badge he bore, [Footnote 1]

His mantle blue such as his fathers wore) Fathom'd, with searching hand, the dark profound, And scatter'd hope and glad a.s.surance round.

At day-break might the Caravels [Footnote 2] be seen, Chasing their shadows o'er the deep serene; Their burnish'd prows lash'd by the sparkling tide.

Their green-cross standards [Footnote 3] waving far and wide.

And now once more to better thoughts inclin'd, The sea-man, mounting, clamour'd in the wind.

The soldier told his tales of love and war; [t]

The courtier sung--sung to his gay guitar.

Round, at Primero, sate a whisker'd band; So Fortune smil'd, careless of sea or land! [u]

LEON, MONTALVAN, (serving side by side; Two with one soul--and, as they liv'd, they died) VASCO the brave, thrice found among the slain, Thrice, and how soon, up and in arms again, As soon to wish he had been sought in vain, Chain'd down in Fez, beneath the bitter thong, To the hard bench and heavy oar so long!

ALBERT of FLORENCE, who, at twilight-time, In my young ear pour'd DANTE'S tragic rhyme, Screen'd by the sail as near the mast we lay, Our night illumin'd by the ocean-spray; LERMA "the generous", AVILA "the proud;" [Footnote 4]