Page:The Seasons - Thomson (1791).djvu/128

 Whate'er the humanizing Muses teach; The godlike wisdom of the temper'd breast; Progressive truth, the patient force of thought; Investigation calm, whofe silent powers Command the world; the that leads to ; Kind equal rule, the government of laws, And all-protecting, which alone Sustains the name and dignity of Man: These are not theirs. The parent-sun himself Seems o'er this world of slaves to tyrannize; And, with oppressive ray, the roseat bloom Of beauty blasting, gives the gloomy hue, And feature gross: or worse, to ruthless deeds, Mad jealousy, blind rage, and fell revenge, Their fervid spirit fires. Love dwells not there, The soft regards, the tenderness of life, The heart-shed tear, th' ineffable delight Of sweet humanity: these court the beam Of milder climes; in selfish fierce desire, And the wild fury of voluptuous sense, There lost. The very brute-creation there This rage partakes, and burns with horrid fire.

! the green serpent, from his dark abode, Which even Imagination fears to tread, At noon forth-issuing, gathers up his train In orbs immense, then, darting out anew, Seeks the refreshing fount; by which diffus'd, He throws his folds: and while, with threatning tongue, And deathful jaws erect, the monster curls His flaming crest, all other thirst, appall'd, Or shivering flies, or check'd at distance stands, Nor dares approach. But still more direful he, The small close-lurking minister of fate, Whose high-concocted venom thro' the veins A