But not to Lybia's barren climes alone,

To Chili, or the wild Siberian zone,

Belong the wretched heart and haggard eye,
Degraded worth, and poor misfortune's figh!-

Ye orient realms, where Ganges' waters run!
Prolific fields! dominions of the fun!

-I I

How long your tribes have trembled, and obey'd?
How long was Timur's iron fceptre fway'd!
Whose marshall'd hofts, the lions of the plain,
From Scythia's northern mountains to the main,
Rag'd o'er your plunder'd fhrines and altars bare,
With blazing torch and gory fcymitar,—
Stunn'd with the cries of death each gentle gale,
And bath'd in blood the verdure of the vale!
Yet could no pangs the immortal spirit tame,
When Brama's children perish'd for his name;

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The martyr fmil'd beneath avenging pow'r,

And brav'd the tyrant in his torturing hour!

When Europe fought your fubject realms to gain,

And stretch'd her giant fceptre o'er the main,
Taught her proud barks their winding way to shape,

And brav'd the ftormy fpirit of the Cape;
Children of Brama! then was mercy nigh

I 2

550

To wash the ftain of blood's eternal dye?

Did Peace defcend, to triumph and to fave,

555

When freeborn Britons crofs'd the Indian wave?

Ah, no!—to more than Rome's ambition true,

The Nurfe of Freedom gave it not to you!
She the bold route of Europe's guilt began,
And in the march of nations, led the van!

560

Rich in the gems of India's gaudy zone,

And plunder pil'd from kingdoms not their own,
Degenerate Trade! thy minions could defpife

The heart-born anguish of a thousand cries;

Could lock, with impious hands, their teeming ftore, 565

While famish'd nations died along the fhore; 13

Could mock the groans of fellow-men, and bear

The curfe of kingdoms peopled with defpair;

Could ftamp difgrace on man's polluted name,
And barter, with their gold, eternal shame!

But, hark! as bow'd to earth the Bramin kneels,

From heav'nly climes propitious thunder peals!

Of India's fate her guardian fpirits tell,

Prophetic murmurs breathing on the shell,

570

And folemn founds, that awe the lift'ning mind,

Roll on the azure paths of ev'ry wind.

"Foes of mankind! (her guardian spirits fay), Revolving ages bring the bitter day,

When Heav'n's unerring arm shall fall on you,

And blood for blood these Indian plains bedew;

Nine times have Brama's wheels of lightning hurl'd
His awful prefence o'er the alarmed world;
Nine times hath Guilt, through all his giant frame,
Convulfive trembled as the Mighty came;

Nine times hath fuffering Mercy fpar'd in vain- 3 4

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-But Heav'n fhall burft her starry gates again!

He comes! dread Brama shakes the funless sky

With murmuring wrath, and thunders from on high!

Heaven's fiery horse, beneath his warrior form,

Paws the light clouds, and gallops on the ftorm!

590

Wide waves his flickering fword, his bright arms glow

Like fummer funs, and light the world below!

Earth, and her trembling isles in Ocean's bed

Are fhook; and Nature rocks beneath his tread!

Το pour redress on India's injur'd realm,

595

The oppreffor to dethrone, the proud to whelm;
To chase destruction from her plunder'd fhore
With arts and arms that triumph'd once before,
The tenth Avatar comes! at Heav'n's command
Shall Serifwattee 15 wave her hallowed wand!

And Camdeo bright, and Ganefa sublime,

Shall blefs with joy their own propitious clime!—

600