And youths that died to be by poets sung. These, and a thousand more, of doubtful fame, To whom old fables gave a lasting name, 130 In ranks adorned the temple's outward face ; The wall in lastre and effect like glass, Which o'er each object casting various dyes, Enlarges some, and others multiplies : Nor void of emblem was the mystic wall, 135 For thus romantic Fame increases all. The temple shakes, the sounding gates un fold, Wide vaults appear, and roofs of fretted gold : Raised on a thousand pillars, wreathed around With laurel-foliage, and with eagles crowned : Of bright, transparent beryl were the walls, 141 The friezes gold, and gold the capitals : As heaven with stars, the roof with jewels glows, And ever-living lamps depend in rows. Full in the passage of each spacious gate, 145 The sage historians in white garments wait; Graved o'er their seats the form of Time was found, His scythe reversed, and both his pinions bound. Within stood heroes, who through loud alarms In bloody fields pursued renown in arms. 150 so celebrated for their savage virtue. Those heroic barbarians accounted it a dishonour to die in their beds, and rushed on to certain death in the prospect of an after-life, and for the glory of a song from their bards in praise of their actions.-P. 1 “It shone lighter than a glass, And made well more than it was, 155 High on a throne, with trophies charged, I viewed The youth that all things but himself sub dued ; His feet on sceptres and tiaras trod, And his horned head belied the Libyan god. There Cæsar, graced with both Minervas, shone; Cæsar, the world's great master, and his own; Unmoved, superior still in every state, And scarce detested in his country's fate. But chief were those, who not for empire fought, But with their toils their people's safety bought: High o'er the rest Epaminondas stood; Timoleon, glorious in his brother's blood ; ? Bold Scipio, saviour of the Roman state, Great in his triumphs, in retirement great ; 164 And wise Aurelius, in whose well-taught mind With boundless power unbounded virtue joined, His own strict judge, and patron of mankind. Much-suffering heroes next their honours claim, Those of less noisy, and less guilty fame, Fair Virtue's silent train : supreme of these 170 Here ever shines the godlike Socrates : 160 1 Alexander the Great. The tiara was the crown peculiar to the Asian princes. His desire to be thought the son of Jupiter Ammon caused him to wear the horns of that god, and to represent the same upon his coins ; which was continued by several of his successors.-P. 2 Timoleon had saved the life of his brother Timophanes, in the battle between the Argives and Corinthians; but afterwards killed him when he affected the tyranny, preferring his duty to his country to all the obligations of blood.-P. He whom ungrateful Athens could expel, But in the centre of the hallowed choir, 1 Aristides, who, for his great integrity, was distinguished by the appellation of “the Just.” When his countrymen would have banished him by the ostracism, where it was the custom for every man to sign the name of the person he voted to exile in an oystershell, a peasant, who could not write, came to Aristides to do it for him, who readily signed his own name.-P. 2 In the midst of the temple, nearest the throne of Fame, are placed the greatest names in learning of all antiquity. These are described in such attitudes as express their different characters : the columns on which they are raised are adorned with sculptures, taken from the most striking subjects of their works; which sculpture bears a resemblance, in its manner and character, to the manner and character of their writings.-P. 3 " From the dees many a pillere, Of metal that shone not full clere, &c. Upon an iron piller strong, That bare of Thebes up the name," &c.-P. Of iron, he the great Omer, Eternal adamant composed his throne; wall: Motion and life did every part inspire, Bold was the work, and proved the master's fire; A strong expression most he seemed to affect, And here and there disclosed a brave neglect, A golden column next in rank appeared,' 196 1 « There saw I stand on a pillere And next him on a pillere was Tho saw I on a pillere by And next him on a pillere stoode On Homer still he fixed a reverent eye, throne Four swans sustain a car of silver bright,’ 210 With heads advanced, and pinions stretched for flight: Here, like some furious prophet, Pindar rode, And seemed to labour with the inspiring god. Across the harp a careless hand he flings, And boldly sinks into the sounding strings. 215 The figured games of Greece the column grace, Neptune and Jove survey the rapid race. The youths hang o'er their chariots as they run; The fiery steeds seem starting from the stone; The champions in distorted postures threat; 220 And all appeared irregularly great. Here happy Horace tuned the Ausonian lyre To sweeter sounds, and tempered Pindar's fire; Pleased with Alcæus' manly rage to infuse 3 1 Elissa (Dido).- Ward. 2 Pindar being seated in a chariot, alludes to the chariot races he celebrated in the Grecian games. The swans are emblems of poetry, their soaring posture intimates the sublimity and activity of his genius. Neptune presided over the Isthmian, and Jupiter over the Olympian games.-P. 3 This expresses the mixed character of the odes of Horace: The second of these verses alludes to that line of his, “ Spiritum Graiæ tenuem camoenæ," |