From the sleep of bondage; nor the vision fair To fevered cheeks, a voice flowed o'er my troubled mind. XLVI. Like music of some minstrel heavenly gifted, To one whom fiends enthral, this voice to me; I was so calm and joyous.-I could see The platform where we stood, the statues three XLVII. At first Laone spoke most tremulously: But soon her voice the calmness which it shed "I had a dear friend once, but he is dead! And of all those on the wide earth who breathe, Thou dost resemble him alone-I spread This veil between us two, that thou beneath Shouldst image one who may have been long lost in death. XLVIII. "For this wilt thou not henceforth pardon me? Yes, but those joys which silence well requite Forbid reply-why men have chosen me To be the Priestess of this holiest rite I scarcely know, but that the floods of light To meet thee, long most dear; and now unite Thine hand with mine, and may all comfort wither From both the hearts whose pulse in joy now beat together, XLIX. "If our own will as others' law we bind, If the foul worship trampled here we fear; If as ourselves we cease to love our kind !"— She paused, and pointed upwards-sculptured there One was a Giant, like a child asleep On a loose rock, whose grasp crushed, as it were In dream, sceptres and crowns; and one did keep L. A Woman sitting on the sculptured disk Of the broad earth, and feeding from one breast Her looks were sweet as Heaven's when loveliest In Autumn eves.-The third Image was drest LI. Beside that Image then I sate, while she Stood, 'mid the throngs which ever ebbed and flowed Like light amid the shadows of the sea Cast from one cloudless star, and on the crowd That touch which none who feels forgets, bestowed; And whilst the sun returned the steadfast gaze Of the great Image as o'er Heaven it glode, That rite had place; it ceased when sunset's blaze Burned o'er the isles; all stood in joy and deep amaze. When in the silence of all spirits there Laone's voice was felt, and through the air Her thrilling gestures spoke most eloquently fair. I. "Calm art thou as yon sunset! swift and strong Its free spirits here assembled, See thee, feel thee, know thee now,— To hail thee, and the elements they chain 2. "O Spirit vast and deep as Night and Heaven! Or Sympathy the sad tears turning 3. "Eldest of things, divine Equality! Wisdom and Love are but the slaves of thee, Earth bares her general bosom to thy ken, To feed upon thy smiles, and clasp thy sacred feet, 4. My brethren, we are free! the plains and mountains, For oft we still must weep, since we are human. And whose beams are joys that lie In blended hearts, now holds dominion; The dawn of mind, which upwards on a pinion Borne, swift as sunrise, far illumines space, And clasps this barren world in its own bright embrace ! 5. "My brethren, we are free! the fruits are glowing Beneath the stars, and the night winds are flowing O'er the ripe corn, the birds and beasts are dreaming Never again may blood of bird or beast Stain with its venomous stream a human feast, To the pure skies in accusation steaming, Avenging poisons shall have ceased To feed disease and fear and madness, The dwellers of the earth and air Shall throng around our steps in gladness Our toil from thought all glorious forms shall cull, Shall clothe in light the fields and cities of the free! Who gaze on us from your crystalline cars! Thoughts have gone forth whose powers can sleep no more! Regions which groan beneath the Antarctic stars, Of western waves, and wildernesses Kings shall turn pale! Almighty Fear The Fiend-God, when our charmed name he hear, While Truth with Joy enthroned o'er his lost empire reigns!" LII. Ere she had ceased, the mists of night entwining LIII. Her voice was as a mountain stream which sweeps Such living change, and kindling murmurs flew LIV. Over the plain the throngs were scattered then And Hope, and Justice, and Laone's name, Earth's children did a woof of happy converse frame. LV. Their feast was such as Earth, the general mother, Pours from her fairest bosom, when she smiles In the embrace of Autumn;-to each other As when some parent fondly reconciles Her warring children, she their wrath beguiles With her own sustenance: they relenting weep: All shapes might throng to share, that fly, or walk, or creep. LVI. Might share in peace and innocence, for gore Into a mortal bane, and brown corn set In baskets; with pure streams their thirsting lips they wet. LVII. Laone had descended from the shrine, And every deepest look and holiest mind Fed on her form, though now those tones divine Were silent as she past; she did unwind Her veil, as with the crowds of her own kind She mixed; some impulse made my heart refrain LVIII. And joyous was our feast; pathetic talk, Of sweet captivity, which none disdains Which that delightful day with its own shadow blest. CANTO SIXTH. I. Beside the dimness of the glimmering sea, Weaving swift language from impassioned themes, Our willing fancies, 'till the pallid beams Of the last watchfire fell, and darkness wrapt The waves, and each bright chain of floating fire was snapt. II. And till we came even to the city's wall And the great gate, then, none knew whence or why, Disquiet on the multitudes did fall : And first, one pale and breathless past us by, |