Sure signs of anguish, dangers, and distress, 490 A dame should drown with all her feather'd tin, And seas from thence be call'd the Chelidonian main. At this some shook for fear; the more devout away. The passage yet was good; the wind, 'tis true, The sun, already from the Scales declin'd, But change from bad to worse of weather and of wind. Nor need they fear the dampness of the sky Of truth in dreams, from melancholy fumes. And all good counsel is on cowards lost. The question, crudely put to shun delay, 520 [most, 530 His point thus gain'd, Sir Martin dated thence His pow'r, and from a priest became a prince. He order'd all things with a busy care, And cells, and refectories did prepare, And large provisions laid of winter-fare: But now and then let fall a word or two Of hope, that Heav'n some miracle might show, And for their sakes the sun should backward go ; Against the law of Nature upward climb, And, mounted on the Ram, renew the prime 、 For which two proofs in sacred story lay, A chapel hous'd them, truly call'd of Ease: 540 At last they heard the foolish Cuckoo sing, The priest, before them did his wings display, Who but the Swallow triumphs now alone? The canopy of heav'n is all her own: Her youthful offspring to their haunts repair, And glide along in glades, and skim in air, And dip for insects in the purling springs, And stoop on rivers to refresh their wings. Their mothers think a fair provision made, That ev'ry son can live upon his trade : 570 And, now the careful charge is off their hands, To settle jointure-chimnies on the bride. And now 'twas time (so fast their numbers rise) To plant abroad, and people colonies. The youth drawn forth, as Martin had desir'd, 590 (For, so their cruel destiny requir'd) Were sent far-off on an ill-fated day; The rest would needs conduct them on their way; And Martin went, because he fear'd-alone to stay. So long they flew with inconsid'rate haste, That now their afternoon began to waste; And, what was ominous, that very morn The sun was enter'd into Capricorn; Which by their bad astronomer's account, That week the virgin Balance should remount. 600 An infant moon eclips'd him in his way, And hid the small remainders of his day. The crowd, amaz'd, pursu'd no certain mark; But birds met birds, and justled in the dark: Few mind the public in a panic fright; And fear increas'd the horror of the night. Night came, but unattended with repose; Alone she came; no sleep, their eyes to close; Alone, and black she came ; no friendly stars arose. What should they do, beset with dangers round; No neighb'ring dorp; no lodging to be found, But bleaky plains, and bare unhospitable ground: The latter brood, who just began to fly, Sick-feather'd, and unpractis'd in the sky, For succour to their helpless mother call; She spread her wings; some few beneath them crawl; She spread them wider yet, but could not cover all. T'augment their woes, the winds began to move Debate in air, for empty fields above— Till Boreas got the skies, and pour'd amain His rattling hailstones, mix'd with snow and rain. The joyless morning late arose, and found A dreadful desolation reign around; 613 620 Some bury'd in the snow, some frozen to the ground. |