CANTO THE NINTH.

ARGUMENT.

Under the Imagery of a Dream, the POET describes his Ascent to the Gate of PURGATORY, and relates the Means by which he obtained Admittance.

AURORA, stealing from her Consort’s arms,

Shew’d in the glimm’ring east her rising charms ;

The Stars, that form’d the Scorpion’s radiant train,

Gemm’d her pale brow ; while Night’s retiring shade,

Yet o’er the West a partial gloom display’d,

Measuring the downward Sky with tardy wane.

II.

Then ADAM’s gift, my tenement of clay,

To my protracted toils at last gave way

In MORPHEUS’ arms, on grassy couch reclin’d,

Amid my ghostly guard. The hour was come,

When gentle PROGNE mourns her ancient doom,

Her slaughter’d Infant, and her Spouse unkind.

III.

But now, from Earth unmoor’d, the mounting Soul

Gave sorrow to the winds, and wing’d the Pole,

On things immortal, with immortal sight,

Gazing at will. Amid the ample Sky,

Methought an Eagle seem’d his wings to ply,

With golden gleam, across the fields of Light.

IV.

I seem’d to stand upon the PHRYGIAN Plain,

Where GANYMEDE forsook his wond’ring train,

Wafted to Heav’n’s Divan with whirlwind speed :

“ Fate hovers here,” I cry’d ; ’tis hence alone,

The plumy ranger of th’ OLYMPIAN throne,

Bears off his favour’d prey of mortal breed.

V.

Not long he linger’d in his station high,

But, like the bolt that fires the angry Sky,

Sweeping along, he seiz’d me as I stood :

Thence, mounting, to the burning spheres we past,

Whose flames began our blended forms to waste,

And lap, with fiery tongues, our seething blood.

VI.

Starting in terror from my trance profound

I woke ; such fright the young ACHILLES found,

When first he woke upon the SYRIAN coast :

When, from the CENTAUR’s guard, his Mother bore

Her threaten’d Son, to that sequester’d shore,

Where soon the GREEKS her expectation cross’d.

VII.

As the young Warrior woke with sudden start,

Thus fled my slumbers, while, with beating heart

And icy veins, I gaz’d, distracted round :

At length, I spy’d the faithful MANTUAN near,

And now the burning Sun had climb’d the Sphere

Thrice ten degrees above the wat’ry bound.

VIII.

“ Fear not,” he cry’d, “ the Point is gain’d at length ;

Now, let your Spirit put forth all its strength,

Fir’d, and expanding to the moment’s claim :

Probation’s Porch is nigh. ---Yon’ breach behold,

That parts the mural Mound, in ruin roll’d,

Thither you mounted like ascending Flame.

IX.

“ Just as the grey dawn usher’d in the Day,

When stretch’d on flow’ry couch, below you lay,

On fleet wing sailing thro’ the breaking gloom,

Onward, a Vision came ; with fervent plea,

It cry’d, “ Resign that slumb’ring Man to me,

I’ll teach his weight to mount on Eagle Plume.”

X.

“ We left the wond’ring Spectres far below,

And as the ruddy East began to glow

With Orient beams, you rose upon the ray :

The Pageant up the Sky, with easy flight,

Instinctive I pursu’d, and saw you light

Where yon’ fall’n rampires shew the rifled way.

XI.

“ She pointed to the pass, and upward soar’d ;

The dream departed, and to light restor’d,

Instant you woke at this important post :”

Like one I stood, in Truth’s uncertain light

And doubts involv’d, as Day contends with Night,

Till ev’ry fear in rising Hope was lost.

XII.

This change I felt ; and, when I saw the Bard,

With cheerful look and angel-step prepar’d

The battlements to pass, I soon pursu’d :

Attend, ye Mortals, to the mystic lay,

The Song, ascnidng to the Source of Day,

Claims, from the daring Muse, a loftier mood.

XIII.

To the disparted Mound we came at last,

No ruin now it seem’d, but proudly grac’d

With a bright portal, and ascending stair :

A Guardian of the Pass was seen above,

With lips fast clos’d, that never seem’d to move ;

Admittance we implor’d with rev’rent air.

XIV.

An heav’nly Minister appear’d within,

Too bright for mortal eye suffus’d with Sin

Undazzl’d to behold, a glancing blade,

Far waving in his dexter hand around,

With keen reflection seem’d my sense to wound,

By this ethereal Habitant dismay’d.

XV.

“ Keep thy due distance, and declare,” he cry’d ;

“ What heav’nly Delegate vouchsaf’d to guide

Your steps ? be cautious, lest you meet with harm !”

“ A Denizen of Heav’n,” the MANTUAN said,

“ Told, where the Gate its shining valves display’d ;

Soon the bright Sentry own’d the powerful sign.”

XVI.

“ Mount,” he reply’d ; “ then, high distinguish’d soul !

May Saints conduct thee, to that higher goal,

Where those that pass the test, may claim the Sky :

Fear not to scale the stairs.” We venture on ;

The lowest step, like Parian marble shone,

And gave my Form reflected to the eye.

XVII.

The second seem’d of dark and sullen hue,

As if from MONZIBEL its birth it drew ;

It stime-worn face was mark’d with many a scar :

Deep fissures ran along its inmost grain,

Crossing the mass in many a winding vein,

Like the deep marks of elemental war.

XVIII.

The third, a purple radiance slung around,

Like blood, fast spouting from a recent wound,

The Seraph’s feet upon the sanguine floor

Appear’d : upon a throne he sate sublime,

Of chisel’d adamant, defying Time,

Full in the midst before the massy Door.

XIX.

“ Your humble hands in supplication rear,”

MARO advis’d, “ that, by your potent pray’r

Subdu’d, the Guardian may unlock the Gate.”

Beating my breast, my pliant knees I bent,

The favouring Spirit gave a kind consent,

But first prepar’d me for my mystic fate.

XX.

Seven deep distinguish’d marks his trenchant blade,

Upon my gore-distilling front pourtray’d ;

“ Enter !” he cry’d ; “ within the waters flow

That lave such wounds.” My trembling eyes beheld

The sober Vestment which his limbs conceal’d,

Of earthy hue, sad sign of guilt and woe !

XXI.

Then from beneath his Hermit Garb, he drew

A golden Key, and one of silver hue,

And turn’d them both. “ If one of these,” he cry’d,

“ In this laborious operation fail,

In vain the second wards the Gate assail,

Altho’ by Man, or Angel’s hand, apply’d.

XXII.

“ The one appears of richer metal made,

More skill is in its fellow’s frame display’d ;

To these victorious wards the valves unclose :

From PETER’s hands they came, a charge divine,

Who bade me ne’er to Pity’s scale incline,

Unless her genuine fruit, Repentance shews.”

XXIII.

With mighty impulse then, he push’d the Door ;

“ Enter,” he said ; “ you see the Path before :

But, if you look behind, ’tis instant clos’d,

And entrance is deny’d.” With sudden jar

The valves unclose, loud Echo sent afar

The doubling din, around the rugged Coast.

XXIV.

Such angry sounds the great Dictator heard :

So thunder’s the disparting valves, that clear’d

The hallow’d passage to his feet profane ;

Where ROME her treasures shew’d, in rich display :

When daring hands the tribune forc’d away,

Who strove his impious fury to restrain.

XXV.

But these discordant strains were mingled soon

With Hallelujahs, whose harmonious tune

Mellow’d the movements of the harsher sound :

Confusion sweet ! as when the Organ blows,

Amd choral warblings swell the solemn close,

The Poet’s Art in Melody is drown’d.

END OF THE NINTH CANTO.