Smooth to the shelving brink a copious flood Rolls fair and placid; where collected all, In one impetuous torrent, down the steep It thundering shoots, and shakes the country round. At first, an azure sheet, it rushes broad; Then whitening by degrees as prone it falls, And from the loud-resounding rocks below Dash'd in a cloud of foam, it sends aloft A hoary mist, and forms a ceaseless shower Nor can the tortur'd wave here find repose: But, raging still amid the shaggy rocks, Now flashes o'er the scattered fragments, now Aslant the hollow'd channel rapid darts; And falling fast from gradual slope to slope, With wild infracted course, and lessen'd roar, It gains a safer bed, and steals at last, Along the mazes of the quiet vale.
Invited from the cliff, to whose dark brow He clings, the steep-ascending eagle soars, With upward pinions, through the flood of day, And, giving full his bosom to the blaze, Gains on the sun; while all the tuneful race, Smit by afflictive noon, disorder'd droop, Deep in the thicket; or, from bower to bower Responsive, force an interrupted strain. The stockdove only through the forest coos, Mournfully hoarse; oft ceasing from his plaint, Short interval of weary woe! again The sad idea of his murder'd mate, Struck from his side by savage fowler's guile Across his fancy comes; and then resounds A louder song of sorrow through the grove.
Beside the dewy border let me sit, All in the freshness of the humid air: There on that hollow'd rock, grotesque and wild, An ample chair moss-lin'd, and overhead By flowing umbrage shaded; where the bee Strays diligent, and with the extracted balm Of fragrant woodbine loads his little thigh.
[Illustration: An ample chair, moss-lined]
Now, while I taste the sweetness of the shade, While nature lies around deep-lull'd in noon, Now come, bold fancy, spread a daring flight, And view the wonders of the torrid zone Climes unrelenting! with whose rage compar'd, Yon blaze is feeble, and yon skies are cool.
See, how at once the bright-effulgent sun, Rising direct, swift chases from the sky The short-liv'd twilight; and with ardent blaze Looks gayly fierce o'er all the dazzling air: He mounts his throne; but kind before him sends, Issuing from out the portals of the morn, The general breeze to mitigate his fire, And breathe refreshment on a fainting world. Great are the scenes, with dreadful beauty crown'd And barbarous wealth, that see, each circling year, Returning suns and double seasons pass: Rocks rich in gems, and mountains big with mines, That on the high equator ridgy rise, Whence many a bursting stream auriferous plays; Majestic woods, of every vigorous green, Stage above stage, high waving o'er the hills, Or to the far horizon wide-diffus'd, A boundless deep immensity of shade. Here lofty trees, to ancient song unknown, The noble sons of potent heat and floods Prone-rushing from the clouds, rear high to heaven Their thorny stems, and broad around them throw Meridian gloom. Here, in eternal prime, Unnumber'd fruits, of keen, delicious taste And vital spirit, drink amid the cliffs, And burning sands that bank the shrubby vales, Redoubled day; yet in their rugged coats A friendly juice to cool its rage contain.