TOHERGRACETheDuchessDowagerofPORTLAND
Margaret Cavendish Bentinck (1715-1785), a friend of Elizabeth Montagu's.
.Nature!thouactivePrinciple,whosedepthsThecuriousmindwou'dwillinglyexplore;Thou,whoinuniversalordersway'stThejarringatomsofavariousworld!TheSceptic'sDeity!whosewilder'dsoulNe'erreach'd,byFaith,thyfirststupendouscause.ImmediateemanationofaGod!O,swelltheuntaughtrapture;biditriseSpontaneousinmybareuncultur'dmind!Thoushaltaspire,whenGratitudeassists,TonoblerheightsthanScienceeverdar'd.ThenfoundwithextacyaPortland'sname,Andbiditlivebeyondthewreckofworlds.ForherletFancypiercethedeepabyss,Dartthro'theliquidelement,andtreadTheshellypavement,dazzlingwiththeglareOfvariedhues;thelivelycoralhere,Herethepalepearl;thelovelyvividgreenOfbrilliantonyx,andthesapphire'sblue.TheTritonssportingintheiroozygrots,Forgettoheavethetempest-lovingwave;ThehugeLeviathan,whichlatehad'scap'dNorwegiantoils,and,stungbyFear,descendsMoreswiftthaneaglesmountmeridianheights,Feelsraptureaddedtothejoyoflife,WhilstNeptune,fromhisfloatingcouch,thusspeaks:"Portlandmydeepdominionsdaresexplore,"NorherealonetheNaturalistpursues"Thosehiddengemsbyvulgarsoulsne'erpriz'd;"Forhertheboldadventurershalldare"ThegoldenserpentinArabianwilds,"Asphaltites,andthevenerableNile,"PluckthefairapplewhichGomorrah'sflame"Hasfill'dwithsulphur;treadoncehallow'dearth"WhereancientSionstood;thoseheightsascend"WhichpiousNoah,oftDeucalioncall'd,"Firsthail'dwithgratefuljoy,andfearlesspress"TheCaspianwave:forhertheroverseeks"Thescatter'dremnantsofaruin'dworld."Butthatthesurgeyonplanetwou'do'erwhelm,"TherootsofOceanwou'dIthrowtoland,"Andallmygemsshou'dmeethergenerouseye;"—Itmustnotbe;greatJove'sindignantfrown"Wou'dshrinkeachcowardwavebeneathhisfellow."Thisboonrefus'd,Igiveanoblerstill"Insweetexchange;magnificentlygood,"Hergodlikesoulthewanderershallsooth,"ChacethesadgloomfromSorrow'swoe-sunkeye,"Andbideachfutureminuteflyinpeace."ThusspaketheGod,thelist'ningsurgescatchThepotentsounds,andwastthemtotheshore;EchotoMantuangrovesthestrainprolong'd;ButTityrushadlongforsooktheshade;And,sincehisabsence,Melodyhasmourn'd.