Upon no slight occasion; quickly speak,

Why thus hath fled the coral from your

Have

cheek?

my rude Tritons any insult dar'd?
Or by the surly Proteus are ye scar'd,
Driving his scaly herds too near the cell,
In which my blue-ey'd daughters love to dwell?
Without reserve declare your sad distress,
Your sire and king shall quickly grant redress.

NEREID.

We thank thee, Father; often in our grief
In thy protection have we found relief.-
No insult from rude Tritons we sustain,
Nor of old Proteus come we to complain;
Far from his herds we sat, within the cell
In which thy blue-ey'd daughters love to dwell;
The nymph Ligeae to her sisters told,

How this fair world from chaos rose of old;
When, as we listen'd to the pleasing tale,

Dread noises did at once our ears assail;

e Ligea one of the Nereids, so called from the sweetness of her voice.

15

Like thunder, much they seem'd, but seem'd more nigh

Than thunder when it bellows through the sky.

Scar'd at the horrid din, our helpless bands
Forsook the Cave, and fled along the sands:
Nor ceas'd our flight, until our weary feet
Had reach'd the entrance of this sacred seat.
Cheer'd by thy presence, still we dread to hear
What dire event impends; nor vain our fear-
For never, since by thy all-powerful aid

The strong foundations of the deep were laid,
Were heard such noises in these realms before.

NEPTUNE.

Daughters, myself did hear the dread uproar,
Tremendous was the sound; the palace-wall
Shook, as it echo'd through the vaulted hall:
Nor know I yet the cause; but stay ye here,
My trembling Children, and compose your fear;
For I have sent a Triton, to inquire

What meant the tumult: strike, meanwhile, the lyre,
And let my watʼry subjects all rejoice

To hear the music of Ligea's voice!

CHORUS.

f

STROPHE.

Soon as the Gods repos'd (their labours done),

In his flaming car, the Sun

Rush'd through the vault of heaven, as if in haste
To view the glories of his new domain,

Rending the veil of darkness, as he pass'd;

The world's great fabric stood at once display'd;
Amidst their gazing train

Well pleas'd, old Saturn's sons survey'd

The wond'rous pile their hands had made;
And as beneath their comprehensive view

The vast expanse in three divisions lay,
Three lots at once the mighty brothers drew
Fixing to endless time the limits of their sway.

f The Nereid is supposed to resume the song, which was interrupted, and the Creation of the world having been described (as appears by the 19th and 20th lines) she now proceeds to sing the Division of it.

ANTISTROPHE.

To Jove was given the empire of the sky; There he sits in majesty,

In the bright regions of eternal day;

Among the clouds, that bear his massy throne
Loud thunders roll, and forked lightnings play.
'Twas Pluto's doom to rule the shades below:
Far from the Gods, alone,

Within the sable realms of woe

Where Styx's sullen waters flow,

He sways his iron sceptre; by his side,

Snatch'd from her sisters of ethereal race,

Persephone, a melancholy bride,

Beholds in silent awe the horrors of the place.

EPODE.

MIGHTY Ruler of the sea,

Blest be the lot which gave these realms to thee.—

Propitious Chance thy empire laid,

Nor in eternal shade,

Nor in the kingdoms of unceasing light;

For o'er our grots and caves the Night

B

Her sable mantle throws,

What time th' empyreal coursers close
Their eager race, with furious leap,
Bounding down the western steep,

Till their burning sides they lave
In the cool Atlantic wave;

And when the Hours unbar the eastern gate,

And to th' admiring world the God of day
Marches forth in gorgeous state,

Here too his orb is seen;

Not blazing with the yellow glare,

With which he fires the regions of the air;

Our waters blunt his arrows keen,

Slow through the wave descends the broken ray, And decks our crystal seats in tints of softest green.

What though oft the wintry storm,

Sweeping furious through the skies,

With many a wrinkle, as it flies,
Ocean's hoary face deform?

The great Abyss doth undisturb'd repose;
Though Eolus should wide unclose

His bolts and bars, releasing every wind
In his vast cave confin'd,