POETRY 967. 



<* And doom'd, ere yet thy life began, 



** A warning to presumptuoas man, 



** Thou dar'st my mystic realms invade! 



" Hear, then — and shake with conscious dread.— » 

 *^' The potent, fix'd, irreTOcabJe word, 

 " Th' eternal edict of IJearen's awful Lord. 



VI. 



*^ Vengeance, whose fury shall devour 



*' The proud blasphemer of his pow'r ! 



*' To millions food and health I bring, 



*' The bounties of th' Eternal King; 



*' On thee, destruction I bestow, 



*' Disease, repentance, shame, and woe ! 



*' Sec'st thou not in the lurid air, 



*' With'ring thy strength with fatal glare, 

 '' Fell Pestilence, whose hot and tainted breath 

 " Shall heap thy groaning camp with loathsome ! 



VII. 



*' Where'er thy desperate march is bent, 



*' Sec the swift foe thy course prevent, 



*' Like lightning in the Tan appear, 



*' Or rush tempestuous on the rear. 



*' In crowds they rush, in crowds they die ! 



" New swarms th' enthusiast realms supply; 



*' Thy troops no more th' assault sustaiu, 



*' Vain is their skill, their courage vain ; 

 " Their fainting limbs refuse their arms to wield, 

 <' And victors yet, they press the torrid field. 



VIII. 



" Fly, then — Destruction meets thy view, 



*' Wilt thou not fly though shame pursue ? 



*' Safe yet in port thy navy rides ; • 



" A remnant yet may stem the tides ; 



*' Though dumb be every warrior's boast, 



*' A remnant yet may reach the coast! , 



*' Ah, wretch ! and impotent of mind ! 



*' Whom angry Heav'n has render'd blind ! 

 <' Has ne'er the clear- voic'd trump of Fame 

 *' Fill'd thine astonish'd ear with Britain's name ? 



JX. 



" Her sons — no Atheist crew are they, 

 « No slaves to Superstition's sway, 



3 Q 4 " Before 



