ODE
to
FANCY
.
By
the
Same
.
I.
GILDING
with
brighter
beams
the
vernal
skies
,
Now
hastes
the
car
of
day
to
rise
.
Youth
,
and
Mirth
,
and
Beauty
leads
In
golden
reins
the
sprightly
steeds
,
With
wanton
Love
that
rolls
his
sparkling
eyes
.
Morpheus
,
no
more
Thy
poppies
,
cropt
on
Lethe's
margin
,
shed
Around
thy
languid
poet's
head
.
Thou
drowsy
god
,
'Tis
time
to
break
thy
leaden
rod
,
And
give
thy
slumbers
o'er
.
But
come
,
thou
woodland
Nymph
,
along
,
Mistress
of
the
vocal
song
,
Fancy
ever
fair
and
free
;
Whether
on
the
mountains
straying
,
Or
on
beds
of
roses
playing
,
Daughter
of
sweet
Liberty
.
II
.
Through
all
the
ivy-circled
cave
Soft
music
at
thy
birth
was
heard
to
sound
.
The
graces
danc'd
thy
bower
around
,
And
gently
dipt
thee
in
the
silver
wave
.
With
blossoms
fair
thy
cradle
drest
,
And
rock'd
their
smiling
babe
to
rest
.
To
kiss
thy
lips
,
the
bees
,
a
murmuring
throng
,
With
busy
wings
,
unnumber'd
flew
;
For
thee
,
from
every
flower
their
tribute
drew
,
And
lull'd
thy
slumbers
with
an
airy
song
.
Come
in
thy
heav'nly
woven
vest
,
That
Iris'
hand
has
ting'd
in
every
dye
,
With
which
she
paints
the
sky
,
Flowing
o'er
thv
zoneless
breast
.
III
.
Me
,
sweet
enchantress
,
deign
to
bear
O'er
the
seas
,
and
thro'
the
air
;
O'er
the
plains
extended
wide
,
O'er
misty
hills
,
and
curling
clouds
we
ride
,
Now
mounting
high
,
now
sinking
low
,
Thro'
hail
and
rain
,
and
vapours
go
;
Where
is
treasur'd
up
the
snow
:
Where
sleeps
the
thunder
in
its
cell
;
Where
the
swift-wing'd
light'nings
dwell
;
Or
where
the
blust'ring
storms
are
taught
to
blow
.
Now
tread
the
milky
way
;
Unnumber'd
worlds
that
float
in
aether
spy
,
Among
the
glittering
planets
stray
,
To
the
lunar
orbit
fly
,
And
mountains
,
shores
,
and
seas
descry
.
Now
catch
the
music
of
the
spheres
;
Which
,
since
the
birth
of
time
,
Have
,
in
according
chime
,
And
fair
proportion
,
rolling
round
,
With
each
diviner
sound
Attentive
Silence
,
pierc'd
thy
list'ning
ears
;
Unheard
by
all
,
but
those
alone
Whom
to
wisdom's
secret
throne
The
Muse
,
with
heav'n-taught
guidance
,
deigns
to
bring
,
To
trace
the
sacred
paths
with
hallowed
feet
;
Or
,
Fancy
,
who
the
mystic
shade
,
In
thy
airy
car
,
pervade
,
Where
Plato's
raptur'd
spirit
holds
its
solemn
seat
.
IV
.
But
,
Fancy
,
downward
urge
thy
flight
.
On
some
mountain's
towering
height
,
With
hoary
frosts
eternal
crown'd
,
Rapt
with
dusky
vapours
round
,
Let
me
fix
my
stedfast
feet
.
I
feel
,
I
feel
the
fanning
gales
;
The
wat'ry
mists
beneath
retreat
.
The
noontide
ray
now
darts
its
heat
,
And
pours
its
glories
o'er
the
vales
.
Glittering
to
the
dancing
beams
,
Urging
their
stubborn
way
the
rocks
among
,
I
hear
,
and
see
a
thousand
streams
Foam
,
and
roar
,
and
rush
along
.
But
to
the
plains
descended
,
Their
sudden
rage
is
ended
.
Now
lost
in
deep
recess
of
darksome
bowers
.
Again
now
sparkling
thro'
the
meads
Vested
soft
with
vernal
flowers
,
Reflecting
the
majestic
towers
,
Its
peaceful
flood
the
roving
channel
leads
.
There
the
rural
cots
are
seen
.
From
whose
low
roof
the
curling
smoke
ascends
,
And
dims
with
blueish
volumes
all
the
green
.
There
some
forest
far
extends
Its
groves
embrown'd
with
lengthen'd
shade
;
Embosom'd
where
some
Gothic
seat
,
Of
monarchs
once
retreat
;
In
wild
magnificence
array'd
,
The
pride
of
ancient
times
presents
,
And
lifts
,
in
contrast
fair
display'd
,
Its
sun-reflecting
battlements
.
V.
Near
,
some
imperial
city
seems
to
reign
,
Triumphant
o'er
the
subject
land
;
With
domes
of
art
Vitruvian
crown'd
.
See
gleam
her
gilded
spires
around
,
Her
gates
in
aweful
grandeur
stand
.
Equal
to
shine
in
peace
,
or
war
sustain
;
Her
mighty
bulwarks
threat
the
plain
With
many
a
work
of
death
,
and
armed
mound
.
Where
rolls
her
wealthy
river
deep
and
wide
,
Tall
groves
of
crowded
masts
arise
;
Their
streamers
waving
to
the
skies
,
The
banks
are
white
with
swelling
sails
,
And
distant
vessels
stem
the
tide
,
Circling
thro'
pendant
cliffs
,
and
watery
dales
.
The
russet
hills
,
the
valleys
green
beneath
,
The
sallows
brown
,
and
dusky
heath
,
The
yellow
corn
,
empurpled
vine
,
In
union
soft
their
tints
combine
,
And
,
Fancy
,
all
engage
thine
eye
With
a
sweet
variety
.
While
clouds
the
fleeting
clouds
pursue
,
In
mutual
shade
,
and
mutual
light
,
The
changing
landscape
meets
the
sight
;
'Till
the
ken
no
more
can
view
;
And
heaven
appears
to
meet
the
ground
;
The
rising
lands
,
and
azure
distance
drown'd
Amid
the
gay
horizon's
golden
bound
.
VI
.
Such
are
the
scenes
that
oft
invite
To
feed
thee
,
Fancy
,
with
delight
.
All
that
nature
can
create
,
Beauteous
,
aweful
,
new
and
great
,
Sweet
enthusiast
,
is
thy
treasure
,
Source
of
wonder
,
and
of
pleasure
;
Every
sense
to
transport
winning
,
Still
unbounded
and
beginning
.
Then
,
Fancy
,
spread
thy
wings
again
;
Unlock
the
caverns
of
the
main
.
Above
,
beneath
,
and
all
around
:
Let
the
tumbling
billows
spread
;
'Till
the
coral
floor
we
tread
,
Exploring
all
the
wealth
that
decks
the
realms
profound
;
There
,
gather
gems
that
long
have
glow'd
In
the
vast
,
unknown
abode
,
The
jasper
vein'd
,
the
saphire
blue
,
The
ruby
bright
with
crimson
hue
,
Whate'er
the
bed
resplendent
paves
,
Or
decks
the
glittering
roofs
on
high
,
Thro'
whose
translucent
arch
are
seen
the
rolling
waves
.
Fancy
,
these
shall
clasp
thy
vest
,
With
these
thy
lovely
brows
be
drest
,
In
every
gay
,
and
various
dye
.
But
hark
!
—
the
seas
begin
to
roar
,
The
whistling
winds
assault
my
ear
,
The
lou'ring
storms
around
appear
—
Fancy
,
bear
me
to
the
shore
.
There
in
thy
realms
,
bright
goddess
,
deign
Secure
to
fix
thy
votary's
feet
:
O
give
to
follow
oft
thy
train
:
Still
with
accustom'd
lay
thy
power
to
greet
;
To
dwell
with
Peace
,
and
sport
with
thee
,
Fancy
,
ever
fair
and
free
.