INTRODUCTION
.
Dedicated
to
His
Royal
Highness
George
Prince
of
Wales
(
afterwards
George
IV
.
)
I
need
not
perhaps
inform
the
reader
,
that
I
had
before
written
a
Canto
on
the
subject
of
this
poem
;
but
I
was
dissatisfied
with
the
metre
,
and
felt
the
necessity
of
some
connecting
idea
that
might
give
it
a
degree
of
unity
and
coherence
.
This
difficulty
I
considered
as
almost
inseparable
from
the
subject
;
I
therefore
relinquished
the
design
of
making
an
extended
poem
on
events
,
which
,
though
highly
interesting
and
poetical
,
were
too
unconnected
with
each
other
to
unite
properly
in
one
regular
whole
.
But
on
being
kindly
permitted
to
peruse
the
sheets
of
Mr
Clarke's
valuable
work
on
the
History
of
Navigation
,
I
conceived
(
without
supposing
historically
with
him
that
all
ideas
of
navigation
were
derived
from
the
ark
of
Noah
)
that
I
might
adopt
the
circumstance
poetically
,
as
capable
of
furnishing
an
unity
of
design
;
besides
which
,
it
had
the
advantage
of
giving
a
more
serious
cast
and
character
to
the
whole
.
To
obviate
such
objections
as
might
be
made
by
those
who
,
from
an
inattentive
survey
,
might
imagine
there
was
any
carelessness
of
arrangement
,
I
shall
lay
before
the
reader
a
general
analysis
of
the
several
books
;
and
,
I
trust
,
he
will
readily
perceive
a
leading
principle
,
on
which
the
poem
begins
,
proceeds
,
and
ends
.
I
feel
almost
a
necessity
for
doing
this
in
justice
to
myself
,
as
some
compositions
have
been
certainly
misunderstood
,
where
the
connexion
might
,
by
the
least
attention
,
have
been
perceived
.
In
going
over
part
of
the
same
ground
which
I
had
taken
before
,
I
could
not
always
avoid
the
use
of
similar
expressions
.
I
trust
I
need
not
apologise
for
having
,
in
some
instances
,
departed
from
strict
historical
facts
.
It
is
not
true
that
Camoens
sailed
with
De
Gama
,
though
,
from
the
authority
of
Voltaire
,
it
has
been
sometimes
supposed
that
he
did
.
There
are
other
circumstances
for
which
I
may
have
less
reason
to
expect
pardon
.
The
Egyptians
were
never
,
or
but
for
a
short
time
,
a
maritime
nation
.
In
answer
to
this
,
I
must
say
,
that
history
and
poetry
are
two
things
;
and
though
the
poet
has
no
right
to
contradict
the
historian
,
yet
,
if
he
find
two
opinions
upon
points
of
history
,
he
may
certainly
take
that
which
is
most
susceptible
of
poetical
ornament
;
particularly
if
it
have
sufficient
plausibility
,
and
the
sanction
of
respectable
names
.
In
deducing
the
first
maritime
attempts
from
Thebes
,
so
called
from
Thebaoth
,
the
Ark
,
founded
by
the
sons
of
Cush
,
who
first
inhabited
the
caves
on
the
granite
mountains
of
Ethiopia
,
I
have
followed
the
idea
of
Bruce
,
which
has
many
testimonies
,
particularly
that
of
Herodotus
,
in
its
favour
.
In
making
the
ships
of
Ammon
first
pass
the
straits
of
Babelmandel
,
and
sail
to
Ophir
,
I
have
the
authority
of
Sir
Isaac
Newton
.
But
still
these
points
must
,
from
their
nature
,
be
obscure
;
the
poet
,
however
,
has
a
right
to
build
upon
them
,
whilst
what
he
advances
is
not
in
direct
contradiction
to
all
historical
admitted
facts
.
He
may
take
what
is
shadowy
,
if
it
be
plausible
,
poetical
,
and
coherent
with
his
general
plan
.
Having
said
ingenuously
thus
much
,
I
hope
I
shall
not
be
severely
accused
for
having
admitted
,
en
passant
,
some
ideas
(
which
may
be
thought
visionary
)
in
the
notes
,
respecting
the
allusion
to
the
ark
in
Theocritus
,
the
situation
of
Ophir
,
the
temple
of
Solomon
,
and
the
algum-tree
.
I
must
also
submit
to
the
candour
of
the
critic
,
the
necessity
I
sometimes
felt
myself
under
of
varying
the
verse
,
and
admitting
,
when
the
subject
seemed
particularly
to
require
it
,
a
break
into
the
measure
.
He
will
consider
,
as
this
poem
is
neither
didactic
,
nor
epic
,
that
might
lead
on
the
mind
by
diversity
of
characters
,
and
of
prospects
;
it
was
therefore
necessary
(
at
least
I
thought
myself
at
liberty
so
to
do
)
to
break
the
uniformity
of
the
subject
by
digression
,
contrast
,
occasional
change
of
verse
,
et
cet
.
But
after
all
,
at
a
time
so
unfavourable
to
long
poems
,
I
doubt
whether
the
reader
will
have
patience
to
accompany
me
to
the
end
of
my
circumnavigation
.
If
he
do
,
and
if
this
much
larger
poetical
work
than
I
have
ever
attempted
should
be
as
favourably
received
as
what
I
have
before
published
has
been
,
I
shall
sincerely
rejoice
.
At
all
events
,
in
an
age
which
I
think
has
produced
genuine
poetry
,
if
I
cannot
say
"
Ed
Io
,
anchi
,
sono
pittore
;
"
it
will
be
a
consolation
to
me
to
reflect
,
that
I
have
no
otherwise
courted
the
muse
,
than
as
the
consoler
of
sorrow
,
the
painter
of
scenes
romantic
and
interesting
,
the
handmaid
of
good
sense
,
unadulterated
feelings
,
and
religious
hope
.
It
was
at
first
intended
that
the
poem
should
consist
of
six
books
;
one
book
being
assigned
to
De
Gama
,
and
another
to
Columbus
.
These
have
been
compressed
.
I
was
the
more
inclined
to
this
course
,
as
the
great
subject
of
the
Discovery
of
America
is
in
the
hands
of
such
poets
as
Mr
Southey
and
Mr
Rogers
.
Donhead
,
Nov.
3
,
1804.
ANALYSIS
.
BOOK
THE
FIRST
.
The
book
opens
with
the
resting
of
the
Ark
on
the
mountains
of
the
great
Indian
Caucasus
,
considered
by
many
authors
as
Ararat
:
the
present
state
of
the
inhabited
world
,
contrasted
with
its
melancholy
appearance
immediately
after
the
flood
.
The
poem
returns
to
the
situation
of
our
forefathers
on
leaving
the
ark
;
beautiful
evening
described
.
The
Angel
of
Destruction
appears
to
Noah
in
a
dream
,
and
informs
him
that
although
he
and
his
family
alone
have
escaped
,
the
very
Ark
,
which
was
the
means
of
his
present
preservation
,
shall
be
the
cause
of
the
future
triumph
of
Destruction
.
In
his
dream
,
the
evils
in
consequence
of
the
discovery
of
America
,
the
slave-trade
,
et
cet
.
,
are
set
before
him
.
Noah
,
waking
from
disturbed
sleep
,
ascends
the
summit
of
Caucasus
.
An
angel
appears
to
him
;
tells
him
that
the
revelations
in
his
dream
were
permitted
by
the
Almighty
;
that
he
is
commissioned
to
explain
everything
;
he
presents
to
his
view
the
shadow
of
the
world
as
it
exists
;
regions
are
pointed
out
;
the
dispersion
of
mankind
;
the
rise
of
superstition
;
the
birth
of
a
Saviour
,
and
the
triumph
of
Charity
:
that
navigation
shall
be
the
means
of
extending
the
knowledge
of
God
over
the
globe
;
and
though
some
evils
must
take
place
,
happiness
and
love
shall
finally
prevail
upon
the
earth
.
BOOK
THE
SECOND
Commences
with
an
ardent
wish
,
that
as
our
forefather
viewed
the
world
clearly
displayed
before
him
in
a
vision
,
so
we
of
these
late
days
might
be
able
,
through
the
clouds
of
time
,
to
look
back
upon
the
early
ages
of
the
globe
;
we
might
then
see
,
in
their
splendour
,
Thebes
,
Edom
,
et
cet
.
;
but
the
early
history
of
mankind
is
obscure
,
the
only
certain
light
is
from
the
sacred
writings
.
By
these
we
are
informed
of
the
dispersion
of
earth's
first
inhabitants
,
after
the
flood
.
The
descendants
of
Ham
,
after
this
dispersion
,
according
to
Bruce
,
having
first
gained
the
summits
of
the
Ethiopian
mountains
,
there
form
subterraneous
abodes
.
In
process
of
time
they
descend
,
people
Egypt
,
build
Thebes
;
obscure
tradition
of
the
Ark
;
first
make
voyages
.
Ophir
is
not
long
afterwards
discovered
.
This
Bruce
places
,
on
most
respectable
authority
,
at
Sofala
;
I
have
ventured
to
place
it
otherwhere
,
but
still
admitting
one
general
idea
,
that
when
the
way
to
it
overland
was
attended
with
difficulties
,
an
easier
course
was
at
last
opened
by
sea
.
As
to
Ammon's
exploits
,
I
must
shelter
myself
under
the
authority
of
Sir
Isaac
Newton
.
After
a
sacrifice
by
the
Egyptians
,
the
monsoon
sets
in
.
The
ships
follow
its
direction
,
as
the
mariners
imagine
a
god
leads
them
.
Hence
the
discovery
of
so
much
of
the
world
by
sea
.
Reflection
on
commerce
.
The
voyage
of
Solomon
.
A
description
of
the
glory
of
Tyre
,
the
most
commercial
mart
of
the
early
world
.
Tyrian
discoveries
in
the
Mediterranean
;
voyages
to
the
coast
of
Italy
and
Spain
,
to
the
Straits
,
and
from
thence
to
Britain
.
Tyre
is
destroyed
,
and
the
thought
naturally
arises
,
that
Britain
,
which
,
at
the
time
of
the
splendour
of
the
maritime
Tyrians
,
was
an
obscure
island
,
is
now
at
the
summit
of
maritime
renown
;
while
Tyre
is
a
place
where
only
"
the
fisherman
dries
his
net
.
"
This
leads
to
an
eulogium
on
England
;
and
the
book
concludes
with
the
triumphs
of
her
fleets
and
armies
on
that
very
shore
,
on
which
science
,
and
art
,
and
commerce
,
and
maritime
renown
,
first
arose
.
This
digression
,
introducing
the
siege
of
Acre
,
appeared
to
the
author
not
only
natural
,
but
in
some
measure
necessary
to
break
the
uniformity
of
the
subject
.
BOOK
THE
THIRD
Commences
with
the
feelings
excited
by
the
conclusion
of
the
last
,
by
a
warm
wish
that
England
may
for
ages
retain
her
present
elevated
rank
.
This
leads
to
the
consideration
of
her
naval
opulence
,
which
carries
us
back
to
the
subject
we
had
left
—
the
fate
of
Tyre
.
The
history
of
the
empires
succeeding
Tyre
is
touched
on
:
the
fall
of
her
destroyer
,
Babylon
;
the
succession
of
Cyrus
;
the
character
of
Cyrus
,
and
his
want
of
enlarged
policy
,
having
so
many
means
of
encouraging
commerce
;
and
his
ill-fated
expedition
to
the
East
Indies
.
Alexander
the
Great
first
conceives
the
idea
of
establishing
a
vast
maritime
empire
:
in
his
march
of
conquest
,
he
proceeds
to
the
last
river
of
the
Punjab
,
the
Hyphasis
,
which
descends
into
the
Indus
,
the
sources
of
which
are
near
the
mountains
of
Caucasus
,
where
the
ark
rested
.
The
Indian
account
of
the
Deluge
,
it
is
well
known
,
resembles
most
wonderfully
the
history
of
Moses
.
When
Alexander
can
proceed
no
further
,
poetical
fiction
introduces
the
person
of
a
Brahmin
,
who
relates
the
history
of
the
Deluge
:
viz.
,
that
one
sacred
man
was
,
in
this
part
of
the
world
,
miraculously
preserved
by
an
ark
;
the
further
march
of
the
conqueror
towards
the
holy
spot
is
deprecated
:
his
best
glory
shall
be
derived
from
the
sea
,
and
from
uniting
either
world
in
commerce
.
Alexander
is
animated
with
the
idea
;
and
his
fleet
,
under
Nearchus
,
proceeds
down
the
Indus
to
the
sea
.
This
forms
a
middle
,
connected
with
the
account
of
the
Deluge
,
book
first
.
BOOK
THE
FOURTH
.
Nearchus
'
voyage
being
accomplished
,
and
Alexandria
now
complete
,
Commerce
is
represented
as
standing
on
the
Pharos
,
and
calling
to
all
nations
.
The
tide
of
commerce
would
have
flowed
still
in
the
track
pointed
out
by
the
sagacity
of
Alexander
,
but
that
a
wider
scene
,
beyond
the
ancient
world
,
opens
to
the
view
of
Discovery
.
The
use
of
the
magnet
is
discovered
;
and
Henry
of
Portugal
prosecutes
the
plan
of
opening
a
passage
along
the
coast
of
Africa
to
the
East
.
One
of
his
ships
on
its
return
from
the
expedition
has
been
driven
from
Cape
Bojador
(
the
formidable
boundary
of
Portuguese
research
)
by
a
storm
at
sea
.
The
isle
afterwards
called
Porto
Santo
is
discovered
.
The
circumstance
related
;
but
the
extraordinary
appearance
of
a
supernatural
shade
over
the
waters
at
a
distance
excites
many
fears
and
superstitions
.
The
attempt
,
however
,
to
penetrate
the
mystery
,
is
resolved
on
.
Zarco
reaches
the
island
of
Madeira
;
tomb
found
;
which
introduces
the
episode
.
At
the
tomb
of
the
first
discoverer
(
whether
this
be
fanciful
or
not
,
is
nothing
to
poetry
)
the
Spirit
of
Discovery
casts
her
eyes
over
the
globe
;
she
pursues
De
Gama
to
the
East
;
history
of
Camoens
touched
on
;
Columbus
;
sees
with
triumph
the
discovery
of
a
new
world
,
and
from
thence
extends
her
ideas
till
the
great
globe
is
encompassed
;
after
which
she
returns
to
the
"
tranquil
bosom
of
the
Thames
,
"
with
Drake
,
the
first
circumnavigator
,
whose
ship
,
after
its
various
perils
,
being
laid
up
in
that
river
,
gives
rise
to
some
brief
concluding
reflections
.
BOOK
THE
FIFTH
.
Hitherto
we
have
described
only
the
triumphs
of
Discovery
;
but
it
appears
necessary
that
many
incidental
evils
,
special
and
general
,
should
be
mentioned
.
Fate
and
miserable
end
of
some
great
commanders
,
—
of
our
gallant
and
benevolent
countryman
,
Cook
.
After
the
natural
feelings
of
regret
,
the
mind
is
led
to
contemplate
the
great
advantages
of
his
voyages
:
the
health
of
seamen
;
the
accessions
to
geographical
knowledge
;
the
spirit
of
humanity
and
science
;
his
exploring
the
east
part
of
New-Holland
;
and
being
the
first
to
determine
the
proximity
of
America
to
Asia
.
This
circumstance
leads
us
back
from
the
point
whence
we
set
out
—
the
ark
of
Noah
;
and
hence
we
are
partly
enabled
to
solve
,
what
has
been
for
so
many
ages
unknown
,
the
difficulty
respecting
the
earth's
being
peopled
from
one
family
.
The
poem
having
thus
gained
a
middle
and
end
,
the
conclusion
of
the
whole
is
,
that
as
this
uncertainty
in
the
physical
world
has
been
by
Discovery
cleared
up
,
so
all
the
apparent
contradictions
in
the
moral
world
shall
be
reconciled
.
We
have
yet
many
existing
evils
to
deplore
;
but
when
the
Supreme
Disposer's
plan
shall
have
been
completed
,
then
the
earth
,
which
has
been
explored
and
enlightened
by
discovery
and
knowledge
,
shall
be
destroyed
;
but
the
mind
of
man
,
rendered
at
last
perfect
,
shall
endure
through
all
ages
,
and
"
justify
His
ways
from
whom
it
sprung
.
"
Such
is
the
outline
and
plan
of
the
following
poem
.
I
have
felt
myself
obliged
to
give
this
hasty
analysis
,
thinking
that
self-defence
almost
required
it
,
lest
a
careless
reader
might
charge
me
with
carelessness
of
arrangement
.
I
must
again
beg
it
to
be
remembered
,
that
History
and
Poetry
are
two
things
;
and
that
the
poet
has
a
right
to
build
his
system
,
not
on
what
is
exact
truth
,
but
on
what
is
,
at
least
,
plausible
;
what
will
form
,
in
the
clearest
manner
,
a
whole
;
and
what
is
most
susceptible
of
poetical
ornament
.