For where portentous thy proud banners waved, And fair Renown disdains their hated dust to grace. The dreadful work of death prepare: The father's crimes for boundless vengeance call, And all the tyrant's sons shall fall; Nor branch, nor offspring shall my fury spare, Lest o'er the trembling earth again Spread the wild horrors of their reign. No more their haughty towers shall pierce the skies, And fill the wide world with their fame; Against them, saith Jehovah, I will rise, Will rend from Babylon the name, Smite from its course her stagnant stream, And o'er its miry gulfs shall clanging seamews scream. Thus hath God sworn, the' Almighty Lord: Like the strong mountains shall my purpose stand, To crush the' Assyrian in my land; Through all their hosts shall rage the vengeful Dreadful on Sion's sacred brow [sword; The God of Armies shall they know. Daughter of Sion, let thy joy arise, From thy grieved neck his yoke shall fall; Virgin, exult, thy haughty foe despise, His chain no more thy arms shall gall. Thus hath God sworn, nor sworn in vain: The' Almighty's hand is stretch'd, who shall its force restrain? REV. R. POTTER. THE FATE OF TYRANNY*. I. 1. OPPRESSION dies: the tyrant falls : Jehovah breaks the' avenger's rod. [blood. Has run his raging race, has closed the scene of Chiefs arm'd around behold their vanquish'd lord; [sword. Nor spread the guardian shield, nor lift the loyal I. 2. He falls; and earth again is free. All Nature lifts the choral song. The fir trees, on the mountain's head, The lordly cedars nod on sacred Lebanon: Tyrant! they cry, since thy fell force is broke, Our proud heads pierce the skies, nor fear the woodman's stroke. This Ode is a free paraphrase of part of the 14th chapter of Isaiah, where the Prophet, after he has foretold the destruction of Babylon, subjoins a Song of Triumph, which, he supposes, the Jews will sing when his prediction is fulfilled. And ⚫ it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, that thou shalt take up this proverb against the King of Babylon, and say "How hath the oppressor ceased."' &c. REFERENCES. 1st Strophe, ver. 4, 5, 6. 1st Antistrophe, 'The whole earth is at rest,' &c. ver. 7, 8. I. 3. Hell, from her gulf profound, Rouses at thine approach; and, all around, Her shadowy heroes all, E'en mighty kings, the heirs of empire wide, What, dost thou join our ghostly train, Proud king! Corruption fastens on thy breast; And calls her crawling brood, and bids them share the feast. II. 1. Oh Lucifer! thou radiant star; Flamed foremost in the van of day; Who saidst The distant poles shall hear me and obey. [glow, High o'er the stars my sapphire throne shall And, as Jehovah's self, my voice the heavens shall bow. REFERENCES. 1st Epode, Hell from beneath is moved for thee,' &c. ver. 9, 10, 11. 2d Strophe, How art thou fallen from heaven,' &c. ver. 12, 13, 14. VOL. I. I II. 2. He spake, he died. Distain'd with gore, Beside yon yawning cavern hoar, See, where his livid corse is laid. Surveys him long with dubious eye; And muses on his fate, and shakes his reverend head. Just Heavens! is thus thy pride imperial gone? Is this poor heap of dust the King of Babylon? II. 3. Is this the man, whose nod Made the earth tremble: whose terrific rod Saw her rich realms transform'd to deserts dry; Stood stern Captivity. Vain man! behold thy righteous doom; Behold each neighbouring monarch's tomb; The trophied arch, the breathing bust, The laurel shades their sacred dust: While thou, vile outcast, on this hostile plain, Moulder'st a vulgar corse, among the vulgar slain. REFERENCES. 2d Antistrophe, Yet thou shalt be brought down to Hell,' &c. ver, 15, 16. 2d Epode, 'Is this the man that made the earth to tremble,' &c. ver. 16, 17, 18, 19. III. 1. No trophied arch, no breathing bust No laurel flourish o'er thy grave. For why, proud king, thy ruthless hand And crush'd the subject race, whom kings are born to save: Eternal infamy shall blast thy name, [shame. And all thy sons shall share their impious father's III. 2. Rise, purple Slaughter! furious rise; Dart thy vindictive shafts around: No conquer'd nations call them lord; Nor let their cities rise to curse the goodly ground. For thus Jehovah swears; No name, no son, No remnant shall remain of haughty Babylon. III. 3. Thus saith the righteous Lord: My vengeance shall unsheath the flaming sword; REFERENCES. 3d Strophe, Thou shalt not be joined to them in burial,' &c. ver. 20. 3d Antistrophe, 'Prepare slaughter for his children,' ver. 21, 22. 3d Epode, Saith the Lord, I will also make it a possession for the bittern,' &c. ver. 22-27. |