To Ocean. The Fumigation from Aromatics.
Ocean I call, whose nature ever flows,
From whom at first both Gods and men arose;
Sire incorruptible, whose waves surround,
And earth's concluding mighty circle bound:
Hence every river, hence the spreading sea,
And earth's pure bubbling fountains spring from thee
Hear, mighty fire, for boundless bliss is thine,
Whose waters purify the pow'rs divine:
Earth's friendly limit, fountain of the pole,
Whose waves wide spreading, and circumfluent roll,
Approach benevolent, with placid mind,
And be for ever to thy mystics kind,
To Vesta. The Fumigation from Aromatics.
Daughter of Saturn, venerable dame,
The seat containing of unweary'd flame;
In sacred rites these ministers are thine,
Mystics much-blessed, holy, and divine,
In thee, the Gods have fix'd their dwelling place,
Strong, stable basis of the mortal race:
Eternal, much form'd, ever florid queen,
Laughing and blessed, and of lovely mien;
Accept these rites, accord each just desire,
And gentle health, and needful good inspire.
To Sleep. The Fumigation from a Poppy.
Sleep, king of Gods, and men of mortal birth,
Sov'reign of all sustain'd by mother Earth;
For thy dominion is supreme alone,
O'er all extended, and by all things known,
'Tis thine all bodies with benignant mind
In other bands than those of brass to bind
Tamer of cares, to weary toil repose,
From whom sweet solace in affliction flows.
Thy pleasing, gentle chains preserve the soul,
And e'en the dreadful cares of death controul;
For death and Lethe with oblivious stream,
Mankind thy genuine brothers justly deem.
With fav'ring aspect to my pray'r incline,
And save thy mystics in their works divine.
To the Divinity of Dreams. The Fumigation from Aromatics.
Thee I invoke, blest pow'r of dreams divine,
Angel of future fates, swift wings are thine
Great source of oracles to human kind,
When stealing soft, and whisp'ring to the mind,
Thro' sleep's sweet silence and the gloom of night,
Thy pow'r awakes th' intellectual sight
To silent souls the will of heav'n relates,
And silently reveals their future fates,
For ever friendly to the upright mind
Sacred and pure, to holy rites inclin'd
For these with pleasing hope thy dreams inspire,
Bliss to anticipate, which all desire.
Thy visions manifest of fate disclose,
What methods best may mitigate our woes;
Reveal what rites the Gods immortal please,
And what the means their anger to appease
For ever tranquil is the good man's end,
Whose life, thy dreams admonish and defend.
But from the wicked turn'd averse to bless,
Thy form unseen, the angel of distress
No means to cheek approaching ill they find,
Pensive with fears, and to the future blind.
Come, blessed pow'r, the signatures reveal
Which heav'n's decrees mysteriously conceal,
Signs only present to the worthy mind,
Nor omens ill disclose of monst'rous kind,
To Death. The Fumigation from Manna.
Hear me, O Death, whose empire unconfin'd,
Extends to mortal tribes of ev'ry kind.
On thee, the portion of our time depends,
Whose absence lengthens life, whose Presence ends.
Thy sleep perpetual bursts the vivid folds,
By, which the soul, attracting body holds: Common
To all of ev'ry sex and age,
For nought escapes thy all-destructive rage;
Not youth itself thy clemency can gain,
Vig'rous and strong, by thee untimely slain.
In thee, the end of nature's works is known,
In thee, all judgment is absolv'd alone:
No suppliant arts thy dreadful rage controul,
No vows revoke the purpose of thy soul
O blessed pow'r regard my ardent pray'r,
And human life to age abundant spare the and
Cite This Text