Shapes of a dream! The veiling clouds retire, Wraps in one blaze earth, heaven, and deepest hell. Contemplant Spirits! ye that hover o'er And ye of plastic power, that interfused And aye on Meditation's heaven-ward wing Sheds on the frost-bound waters-The glad stream A THE DESTINY OF NATIONS. A VISION. USPICIOUS Reverence! Hush all meaner song, Ere we the deep preluding strain have poured To the Will Absolute, the One, the Good! Such symphony requires best instrument. Strong music, that soliciting spell, force back For what is freedom, but the unfetter'd use Of all the powers which God for use had given? But chiefly this, him first, him last to view Through meaner powers and secondary things Effulgent, as through clouds that veil his blaze. For all that meets the bodily sense I deem Symbolical, one mighty alphabet For infant minds; and we in this low world That we may learn with young unwounded ken But some there are who deem themselves most free When they within this gross and visible sphere Chain down the winged thought, scoffing ascent, Proud in their meanness: and themselves they cheat With noisy emptiness of learned phrase, Their subtle fluids, impacts, essences, Self-working tools, uncaused effects, and all Those blind omniscients, those almighty slaves, Untenanting creation of its God. But properties are God: the naked mass (If mass there be, fantastic guess or ghost) Acts only by its inactivity. Here we pause humbly. Others boldlier think And what if some rebellious o'er dark realms Arrogate power? yet these train up to God, And on the rude eye, unconfirmed for day, Flash meteor-lights better than total gloom. As ere from Lieule-Oaive's vapoury head The Laplander beholds the far-off sun Dart his slant beam on unobeying snows, While yet the stern and solitary night Brooks no alternate sway, the Boreal Morn With mimic lustre substitutes its gleam, I Balda Zhiok; i. e. mons altitudinis, the highest mountain in Lapland. 2 Solfar Kapper; capitium Solfar, hic locus omnium quotquot veterum Lapponum superstitio sacrificiis religiosoque cultui dedicavit, celebratissimus erat, in parte sinus australis situs semimilliaris spatio a mari distans. Ipse locus, quem curiositatis gratia aliquando me invisisse memini duobus præaltis lapidibus, sibi invicem oppositis, quorum alter musco circumdatus erat, constabat.-Leemius de Lapponibus. The Lapland women carry their infants at their back in a piece of excavated wood, which serves them for a cradle. Opposite to the infant's mouth there is a hole for it to breathe through.-Mirandum prorsus est et vix credibile nisi cui vidisse contigit. Lappones hyeme iter facientes per vastos montes, perque horrida et invia tesqua, eo presertim tempore quo omnia perpetuis nivibus obtecta sunt et nives ventis agitantur et in gyros aguntur, viam ad destinata loca absque errore invenire posse, lactantem autem infantem si quem habeat, ipsa mater in dorso bajulat, in excavato ligno (Gieed'k ipsi vocant) quod pro cunis utuntur: in hoc infans pannis et pellibus convolutus colligatus jacet.-Leemius de Lapponibus. With wild activity; and peopling air, Of the present impulse, teaching self control, Seat Reason on her throne. Wherefore not vain, Or if the Greenland Wizard in strange trance Pierces the untravelled realms of Ocean's bed Over the abysm, even to that uttermost cave By mis-shaped prodigies beleaguer'd, such As earth ne'er bred, nor air, nor the upper sea: Where dwells the Fury Form, whose unheard name With eager eye, pale cheek, suspended breath, And lips half-opening with the dread of sound, Unsleeping Silence guards, worn out with fear Lest haply 'scaping on some treacherous blast The fateful word let slip the elements And frenzy Nature. Yet the wizard her, Armed with Torngarsuck's power, the Spirit of Good, 1 Jaibme Aibmo. 2 They call the Good Spirit Torngarsuck. The other great but malignant spirit is a nameless Female; she dwells under the sea in a great house, where she can detain in captivity all the animals of the ocean by her |