INVOCATION
TO
HORROR
.
FAR
be
remov'd
each
painted
scene
!
What
is
to
me
the
sapphire
sky
?
What
is
to
me
the
earth's
soft
dye
?
Or
fragrant
vales
which
sink
between
Those
velvet
hills
?
yes
,
there
I
see
—
(
Why
do
those
beauties
burst
on
me
?
)
Pearl
dropping
groves
bow
to
the
sun
;
Seizing
his
beams
,
bright
rivers
run
That
dart
redoubled
day
:
Hope
ye
vain
scenes
to
catch
the
mind
To
torpid
sorrow
all
resign'd
,
Or
bid
my
heart
be
gay
?
False
are
those
hopes
!
—
I
turn
—
I
fly
,
Where
no
enchantment
meets
the
eye
,
Or
soft
ideas
stray
.
HORROR
!
I
call
thee
from
the
mould'ring
tower
,
The
murky
church-yard
,
and
forsaken
bower
,
Where
,
'midst
unwholesome
damps
The
vap'ry
gleamy
lamps
Of
ignes
fatui
shew
the
thick-wove
night
,
Where
morbid
MELANCHOLY
sits
,
And
weeps
,
and
sings
,
and
raves
by
fits
,
And
to
her
bosom
strains
the
fancied
sprite
.
Or
,
if
amidst
the
arctic
gloom
,
Thou
toilest
at
thy
sable
loom
,
Forming
the
hideous
phantoms
of
Despair
—
Instant
thy
grisly
labours
leave
,
With
raven
wing
the
concave
cleave
,
Where
floats
,
self-borne
,
the
dense
nocturnal
air
.
Oh
!
bear
me
to
th'
impending
cliff
Under
whose
brow
the
dashing
skiff
Beholds
Thee
seated
on
thy
rocky
throne
;
There
,
'midst
the
shrieking
wild
wind's
roar
,
Thy
influence
,
HORROR
,
I'll
adore
,
And
,
at
thy
magic
touch
,
congeal
to
stone
.
Oh
!
hide
the
Moon's
obtrusive
orb
,
The
gleams
of
ev'ry
star
absorb
,
And
let
CREATION
be
a
moment
thine
!
Bid
billows
dash
;
let
whirlwinds
roar
,
And
the
stern
,
rocky-pointed
shore
,
The
stranded
bark
,
back
to
the
waves
resign
!
Then
,
whilst
from
yonder
turbid
cloud
,
Thou
roll'st
thy
thunders
long
,
and
loud
,
And
light'nings
flash
upon
the
deep
below
,
Let
the
expiring
Seaman's
cry
,
The
Pilot's
agonizing
sigh
Mingle
,
and
in
the
dreadful
chorus
flow
!
HORROR
!
far
back
thou
dat'st
thy
reign
;
Ere
KINGS
th'
historic
page
could
stain
With
records
black
,
or
deeds
of
lawless
power
;
Ere
empires
Alexanders
curst
,
Or
Faction
,
mad'ning
Caesars
nurst
,
The
frighted
World
receiv'd
thy
awful
dower
!
Whose
pen
JEHOVAH's
self
inspir'd
;
He
,
who
in
eloquence
attir'd
,
Led
Israel's
squadrons
o'er
the
earth
,
Grandly
terrific
,
paints
thy
birth
.
Th'
ALMIGHTY
,
'midst
his
fulgent
seat
on
high
,
Where
glowing
Seraphs
round
his
footstool
fly
,
Beheld
the
wanton
cities
of
the
plain
,
With
acts
of
deadly
name
his
laws
disdain
;
He
gave
th'
irrevocable
sign
,
Which
mark'd
to
man
the
hate
divine
;
And
sudden
from
the
starting
sky
The
Angels
of
his
wrath
bid
fly
!
Then
,
HORROR
!
thou
presided'st
o'er
the
whole
,
And
fill'd
,
and
rapt
,
each
self-accusing
soul
!
Thou
did'st
ascend
to
guide
the
burning
shower
—
On
THEE
th'
Omnipotent
bestow'd
the
hour
!
'Twas
thine
to
scourge
the
sinful
land
,
'Twas
thine
to
toss
the
fiery
brand
;
Beneath
thy
glance
the
temples
fell
,
And
mountains
crumble
at
thy
yell
.
ONCE
MORE
thou'lt
triumph
in
a
fiery
storm
;
ONCE
MORE
the
Earth
behold
thy
direful
form
;
Then
shalt
thou
seek
,
as
holy
prophets
tell
,
Thy
native
throne
amidst
th'
eternal
shades
of
HELL
!
ANNA
MATILDA
.