ODE ON SCIENCE

O, heavenly born! in deepest dells

If fairest science ever dwells

Beneath the mossy cave;

Indulge the verdure of the woods,

With azure beauty gild the floods,

And flowery carpets lave.

For, Melancholy ever reigns

Delighted in the sylvan scenes

With scientific light;

While Dian, huntress of the vales,

Seeks lulling sounds and fanning gales,

Though wrapt from mortal sight.

Yet, goddess, yet the way explore

With magic rites and heathen lore

Obstructed and depress'd;

Till Wisdom give the sacred Nine,

Untaught, not uninspired, to shine,

By Reason's power redress'd.

When Solon and Lycurgus taught

To moralize the human thought

Of mad opinion's maze,

To erring zeal they gave new laws,

Thy charms, O Liberty, the cause

That blends congenial rays.

Bid bright Astræa gild the morn,

Or bid a hundred suns be born,

To hecatomb the year;

Without thy aid, in vain the poles,

In vain the zodiac system rolls,

In vain the lunar sphere.

Come, fairest princess of the throng,

Bring sweet philosophy along,

In metaphysic dreams;

While raptured bards no more behold

A vernal age of purer gold,

In Heliconian streams.

Drive Thraldom with malignant hand,

To curse some other destined land,

By Folly led astray:

Iërne bear on azure wing;

Energic let her soar, and sing

Thy universal sway.

So when Amphionbade the lyre

To more majestic sound aspire,

Behold the madding throng,

In wonder and oblivion drown'd,

To sculpture turn'd by magic sound

And petrifying song.