CANTO i. PRODUCTION OF LIFE. 39 



Urania, leaning with unstudied grace, 

 Rests her white elbow on a column's base; 

 Awhile reflecting takes her silent stand, 

 Her fair cheek press'd upon her lily hand; 

 Then, as awaking from ideal trance, 

 On the smooth floor her pausing steps advance, 

 Waves high her arm, upturns her lucid eyes, 

 Marks the wide scenes of ocean, earth, and skies; 440 

 And leads, meandering as it rolls along 

 Through Nature's walks, the shining stream of Song. 



First her sweet voice in plaintive accents chains 

 The Muse's ear with fascinating strains; 

 Reverts awhile to elemental strife, 

 The change of form, and brevity of life; 

 Then tells how potent Love with torch sublime 

 Relights the glimmering lamp, and conquers Time. 

 The polish'd walls reflect her rosy smiles, 

 And sweet-ton'd echoes talk along the ailes. 450 



END OF CANTO I. 



