THE
PRAISES
OF
ISIS
;
A
POEM
.
WRITTEN
MDCCLV
.
BY
CHARLES
EMILY
,
ESQ
.
CASTALIAN
goddess
,
come
;
nor
slight
the
call
Of
simplest
bard
;
auspicious
come
,
and
prompt
The
flowing
numbers
;
so
may
Isis
lend
Attentive
ear
well-pleas'd
,
nor
with
disdain
Reject
the
wreath
of
freshest
flowrets
cull'd
From
Pindus'
hill
to
deck
her
lovely
brow
.
—
Begin
;
what
Muse
to
Isis
shall
deny
The
votive
song
?
for
Isis
loves
the
Muse
.
—
Thee
,
fairest
Naiad
,
oft
at
early
dawn
I
meditate
,
till
Evening
,
matron
staid
,
Her
tresses
dripping
with
ambrosial
dew
Advance
slow-pacing
from
the
gilded
West
;
Nor
cease
I
to
reflect
,
how
blest
are
they
,
To
envy
blest
,
that
in
thy
peaceful
haunts
Hold
pleasing
dalliance
with
the
Muses'
train
;
Yet
tho'
in
other
clime
I
rest
remote
,
Ill-fated
,
that
my
wayward
lot
forbids
To
wander
thy
green
verge
beside
,
shalt
thou
Remain
unsung
;
while
now
the
hoary
Cam
Hard
by
me
rolls
his
slowly-winding
wave
.
As
where
Apelles
in
accordance
meet
Weds
light
to
shade
;
and
with
Promethean
art
Teaches
the
breathing
canvas
to
express
A
furtive
life
;
with
wonder
we
behold
Unnumbered
beauties
rush
upon
the
sight
,
Gazing
,
while
on
the
border
of
the
lip
Stands
mute
Suspence
,
yet
doubtful
which
may
first
Demand
,
which
last
,
the
tribute
of
applause
;
Thus
,
Isis
,
while
for
thee
I
string
the
lyre
,
The
tongue
of
praise
awhile
forgets
its
purpose
,
In
magic
wonder
bound
;
nor
knows
the
Muse
Lost
in
the
pleasing
labyrinth
,
where
to
bend
Her
footstep
first
.
—
Say
,
shall
I
first
rehearse
,
How
thou
,
a
virgin
yet
,
wert
whilom
wont
In
Nereus'
hall
to
join
the
festive
dance
Thy
sister
train
among
,
the
fairest
thou
Of
all
the
Naiads
,
that
with
silver
foot
Skim
the
smooth
surface
of
the
glassy
deep
?
Say
,
rather
shall
I
sing
,
how
kingly
Thame
(
If
holy
bards
in
better
ages
born
Have
story'd
true
)
to
share
his
watery
bed
Thee
woo'd
long
loving
?
nor
in
proud
disdain
Didst
thou
refuse
with
kingly
Thame
to
mix
Thy
marriageable
wave
Vid.
the
marriage
of
the
Thames
and
Medway
in
Spenser's
Faery
Queen
.
.
To
Neptune's
court
Upon
that
great
solemnity
repair'd
The
river
gods
:
all
that
from
crystal
urn
Enrichening
moisture
pour
o'er
British
plains
.
There
first
advancing
with
imperial
port
Proud
Humber
came
;
majestic
as
the
god
Whose
mighty
trident
Neptune
.
shakes
the
trembling
earth
:
Next
Severn
,
conscious
of
Sabrina's
Vid.
Milton
in
Comus
.
fate
,
The
king
of
floods
;
in
greenish
mantle
clad
Bespangled
here
and
there
with
costly
gems
And
many
a
glistering
pearl
:
there
too
was
seen
The
Medway
,
and
the
hoarse-resounding
Trent
,
The
pleasant
Medway
,
that
with
conscious
pride
Beholds
the
glorious
race
Scil
.
the
men
of
Kent
.
,
who
long
of
yore
Breathing
stern-visag'd
valour
scorn'd
to
stoop
The
servile
neck
to
William's
William
the
conqueror
.
galling
yoke
,
Unconquerable
souls
:
the
yellow
Ouse
There
came
,
and
Towy
winding
up
and
down
His
watry
folds
,
and
Deva
Milton
speaks
of
the
river
Dce
or
Deva
,
in
this
manner
:
—
Where
Deva
spreads
it's
wizard
stream
.
Lycidas
.
held
of
old
A
sacred
current
;
with
the
blue-rob'd
Dove
Alluding
to
the
bluish
colour
of
its
waters
.
,
And
Derwent
,
sister
streams
;
and
Avon
Shakespear
was
buried
,
and
has
a
monument
erected
to
him
at
Stratford
upon
Avon
.
fair
,
The
silver-sandal'd
nymph
:
whose
bank
along
At
silent
eve
in
pensive
posture
stretch'd
,
Calls
raptur'd
Fancy
from
Elysian
bower
Her
darling
Shakespear's
ever
hallow'd
shade
.
There
was
the
Tweed
,
the
turret-crested
Tyne
,
And
Eden
,
famous
stream
;
who
hath
not
heard
Of
Eden
?
there
the
plowman
as
he
turns
With
crooked
share
the
bordering
glebe
,
full
oft
Gauntlets
and
rust-worn
spears
and
vizor'd
helms
,
And
pond'rous
shields
with
quaint
device
pourtray'd
,
And
bones
enormous
of
gigantic
size
With
gaping
wonder
sees
;
then
calls
to
mind
The
well
known
tale
,
how
there
by
British
knights
Was
many
a
bold
exploit
and
bloody
fight
Atchiev'd
of
old
.
—
But
tedious
'twere
to
name
All
that
with
one
accord
to
Neptune's
hall
Then
came
,
when
now
the
beauteous
Isis
gave
To
mix
with
royal
Thame's
uxorious
flood
Her
virgin
stream
.
Nor
on
that
solemn
day
Was
wanting
(
then
with
rural
chaplet
crown'd
,
Tho'
now
adorn'd
with
many
a
glittering
tower
)
Thou
,
father
Cam
:
that
oft
with
kind
attention
Hast
deign'd
awhile
to
listen
,
as
I
tun'd
The
simple
madrigal
;
nor
jealous
he
,
That
now
his
windings
intricate
I
trace
With
musing
gait
;
and
teach
the
mimic
nymph
,
All
as
she
sits
his
flowery
bank
along
,
To
sound
the
praises
of
a
sister
flood
:
—
And
can
I
sing
aught
better
,
than
thy
praise
,
O
lovely
Isis
?
lovelier
in
the
eye
Of
Phoebus
seen
,
than
erst
the
silver
stream
Of
fabled
Castaly
;
and
fam'd
as
that
Which
flow'd
Minerva's
city
Scil
.
Athens
.
fast
beside
,
Ilissus
,
nurse
of
each
ingenuous
art
.
Should
I
rehearse
,
or
those
,
whose
bounty
bad
The
liquid
mirrour
of
thy
glassy
wave
Yon
towery
mansions
to
reflect
;
or
those
,
Thy
darling
progeny
,
who
burn'd
to
grasp
Immortal
fame
,
and
with
unwearied
search
Urg'd
flying
Science
to
its
inmost
maze
;
Should
I
their
names
rehearse
,
the
sun
,
that
now
His
mattin
beam
wide
scattering
tips
with
gold
The
ragged
skirt
of
yonder
orient
cloud
,
Wou'd
drink
the
western
wave
,
or
ever
ceas'd
The
lengthen'd
song
.
—
These
structures
Bodley
plann'd
;
Those
Sheldon's
bounty
rear'd
.
That
beauteous
dome
Radcliffe's
library
,
Bids
grateful
Isis
still
adore
the
shade
Of
Radcliffe
,
honour'd
name
:
him
Paean
taught
(
For
he
was
lov'd
of
Paean
)
to
explore
The
medicinal
power
of
juicy
shrub
And
healing
plant
,
that
o'er
her
verdant
lap
With
free
profusion
parent
Nature
strews
;
Nor
thankless
he
;
for
to
the
god
he
rear'd
In
pious
gratitude
a
stately
fane
.
Whence
rose
yon
fabric
Christ-church
college
.
,
that
conspicuous
lifts
Its
sky-topt
dome
with
more
majestic
pride
?
'Twas
Wolsey's
glorious
work
:
to
Science
rise
No
towers
more
lov'd
;
for
there
the
mitred
sage
The
Bishop
of
Bristol
,
then
dean
of
the
above
cathedral
.
,
In
wisdom's
lore
deep
skill'd
,
with
kindest
eye
Observes
the
budding
Genius
as
it
thrusts
Its
youthful
blossoms
;
or
with
conscious
joy
There
oft
in
recollection
sweet
beholds
Those
,
(
whom
his
honest
nurture
erst
inform'd
With
all
that's
deem'd
or
excellent
or
fair
)
O'er
Britain's
peaceful
land
their
goodly
beams
Dispense
abroad
:
names
,
that
to
latest
time
Shall
shine
distinguish'd
in
the
rolls
of
Fame
.
Oft
,
as
thou
sat'st
within
thy
pearl
pav'd
grot
,
With
pleas'd
attention
,
Isis
,
hast
thou
caught
The
dulcet
sounds
,
when
in
yon
sacred
grove
,
To
Phoebus
sacred
,
woo'd
the
Latian
Muse
Sweet
Addison
:
who
like
the
sedulous
bee
Rifled
each
honey-bosom'd
flower
,
that
edg'd
The
fount
of
Helicon
.
—
Why
loves
to
bend
His
lonely
step
to
yonder
aged
oak
,
Deep
musing
,
while
bright
Cynthia
silvers
o'er
The
negro
forehead
of
uncomely
Night
,
Th'
enraptur'd
Bard
?
and
on
the
dew-sprent
turf
His
temples
pillowing
,
sees
before
him
dance
(
Or
dreams
he
sees
)
the
Muses
Nine
,
and
glows
With
inspiration
strange
?
There
Fame
records
Custom'd
the
merry
Chaucer
erst
to
frame
His
laughter-moving
tale
:
nor
,
when
his
harp
He
tun'd
to
notes
of
louder
pitch
,
and
sung
Of
ladies
passing
fair
,
and
bloody
jousts
,
And
warrior
steeds
,
and
valour-breathing
knights
For
matchless
prowess
fam'd
,
deserv'd
he
not
The
laureat
wreath
;
for
he
,
like
Phoebus
,
knew
To
build
in
numbers
apt
the
lofty
song
.
—
"
Whence
art
thou
,
gracious
Presence
?
Art
thou
sent
"
From
heaven
,
an
angel
minister
,
to
bless
"
These
favour'd
seats
?
for
that
excelling
form
"
Bespeaks
thee
more
than
man
;
"
in
wonder
wrapt
Thus
Isis
cry'd
,
while
on
her
margent
green
In
youthful
grace
how
amiable
!
stood
Britannia's
rising
hope
Edward
the
Black
Prince
.
.
With
stedfast
eye
Long
time
she
gaz'd
unsatisfied
,
and
mark'd
Each
godlike
thought
,
that
imag'd
on
his
look
With
strong
reflection
shone
,
the
undoubted
pledge
Of
future
deeds
:
tho'
yet
was
Cressy's
plain
Unstain'd
with
slaughter
:
nor
had
Gallia's
king
John
,
king
of
France
taken
prisoner
by
Edward
the
Black
Prince
.
His
ravag'd
crown
yet
mourn'd
;
nor
deem'd
,
that
soon
Wou'd
dawn
the
luckless
day
,
when
he
must
drag
The
galling
bond
of
sore
captivity
Alluding
to
the
manner
of
a
Roman
triumph
.
,
The
gaze
of
clustering
multitudes
,
and
deck
The
glorious
triumph
of
a
British
boy
.
—
Nor
,
while
yon
fair
aspiring
domes
adorn
Thy
verge
,
O
Isis
,
shall
unmention'd
pass
Alfred
,
auspicious
name
:
say
,
goddess
say
,
Bursts
not
thy
breast
with
swelling
raptures
fraught
,
While
Memory
with
her
foregeful
pencil
paints
The
glorious
portrait
?
On
the
godlike
form
Advanc'd
,
not
graceful
less
,
than
on
the
top
Of
Delian
Cynthus
,
steps
Latona's
son
,
In
mildest
majesty
:
beside
him
went
,
As
musing
deep
,
an
hoary-headed
Sa
,
Of
wonderous
reverence
;
on
his
broad
smooth
front
Had
Wisdom
stampt
its
fair
similitude
.
The
laurel
grac'd
his
temples
:
in
his
hand
A
golden
harp
,
Apollo's
gift
,
he
bore
;
And
oft
with
cunning
finger
was
he
wont
To
rove
along
the
sounding
strings
,
and
lift
The
ravish'd
soul
of
statue-fixt
Attention
To
the
heaven
of
rapture
—
O
how
sweet
thy
charms
,
All-powerful
Harmony
!
in
years
indeed
Advanc'd
he
seem'd
;
yet
on
the
cheek
of
age
Hale
vigour
with
unfading
freshness
bloom'd
;
Upright
he
stept
in
stately
mien
,
and
breath'd
Amiable
dignity
:
such
seem'd
of
yore
The
sire
of
Jove
,
what
time
on
Latian
plains
He
dwelt
with
Janus
,
hospitable
king
.
Well
knew
,
what
was
,
what
is
,
what
is
to
come
,
The
reverend
Sage
;
and
wisely
could
he
treat
Of
justice
,
truth
,
and
universal
love
From
man
to
man
;
and
mark
the
limits
,
when
Virtue
is
virtue
;
when
its
mad
excess
Strays
headlong
into
vice
:
he
too
could
tell
How
moves
the
planet
in
harmonious
dance
Its
central
sun
around
:
whence
Iris
steals
The
bright
variety
of
hues
,
that
fringe
Her
humid
bow
;
how
springs
of
night
and
day
The
due
vicissitude
;
why
o'er
the
earth
Circling
the
year
with
grateful
interchange
The
wandering
seasons
roll
;
of
higher
things
Nor
knew
not
he
;
for
of
th'
aetherial
mind
,
That
beams
to
day
,
to-morrow
,
and
for
ever
,
An
unextinguish'd
spark
;
of
nature's
laws
;
And
nature's
God
full
well
could
he
discourse
.
Him
gracious
Heaven
in
pity
to
mankind
Sent
from
its
star-pav'd
court
(
so
sung
beneath
His
ivy'd
oak
of
yore
the
Druid
sage
)
And
nam'd
him
SCIENCE
:
first
on
Asian
clime
He
settled
,
there
where
proud
Euphrates
rolls
Amid
Chaldaean
plains
,
or
on
the
bank
Of
Pharian
Nile
;
there
he
his
favourite
seat
Long
choosing
,
soften'd
with
refinements
meet
The
savage
genius
of
mankind
,
and
taught
With
awful
laws
to
curb
licentious
guilt
,
To
build
the
wall
girt
city
,
and
to
frame
The
peaceful
league
of
blest
society
With
all
the
sweet
civilities
of
life
.
Him
Greece
from
thence
with
open
arms
embrac'd
A
welcome
guest
:
but
chief
he
lov'd
to
haunt
The
porch
of
Academe
;
where
mildly
beam'd
The
modest
wisdom
of
good
Socrates
;
Where
wont
the
honey'd
Alluding
to
the
fable
of
the
bees
settling
on
the
lips
of
Plato
;
which
was
look'd
on
as
an
omen
of
the
sweetness
of
his
diction
.
eloquence
to
flow
From
Plato's
sweet-distilling
lip
;
and
where
The
letter'd
Aristotle
,
who
was
born
at
Stagyra
.
Stagyrite
from
Nature's
source
His
maxims
drew
.
Nor
on
Ausonian
coast
Was
Science
honour'd
less
;
since
there
had
come
The
Samian
Pythagoras
,
born
at
Samos
.
sage
,
who
smit
with
love
of
knowledge
O'er
many
a
distant
realm
had
stretch'd
his
search
,
And
climates
warm'd
beneath
another
sun
.
At
length
when
now
in
more
degenerate
times
Had
exile
Freedom
loath'd
the
Hesperian
shore
,
With
crooked
keel
did
heaven-born
Science
plow
The
swelling
back
of
Ocean
,
till
he
gain'd
Neptunian
Albion's
hospitable
beech
;
The
nurse
of
Liberty
;
for
ill
,
I
ween
,
Can
Learning
thrive
,
if
Freedom
shall
deny
To
cherish
with
mild
ray
the
rising
flower
;
To
Albion
isle
he
came
,
what
time
was
sheath'd
The
sword
of
war
;
and
Alfred's
arm
had
crush'd
The
might
of
Paynim
foes
:
the
gracious
king
With
gladness
hail'd
his
venerable
guest
;
And
led
him
forth
,
where
thro'
the
flowery
meads
The
silver
Isis
winds
her
liquid
maze
.
When
thus
the
royal
goodness
spake
benign
:
"
Here
deign
,
O
heaven-descended
Sage
,
to
fix
"
Thy
favourite
mansion
;
here
to
latest
times
"
Instruct
thy
sons
(
nor
think
that
Britons
bear
"
Such
savage-hearted
natures
,
but
will
melt
"
In
soft
humanity
)
thy
secret
stores
"
To
pierce
with
curious
diligence
,
and
snatch
"
Each
fair
perfection
,
each
excelling
art
,
"
And
all
,
that
profits
or
delights
mankind
;
"
Here
(
as
reclining
on
the
peaceful
lap
"
Of
Leisure
not
inglorious
,
they
delight
"
To
muse
in
calm
Retirement's
lonely
haunt
)
"
Instruct
them
to
pursue
the
unerring
print
"
Of
Wisdom's
step
;
or
with
no
lowly
flight
,
"
High
borne
on
Contemplation's
eagle
wing
,
"
To
rise
from
nature
up
to
nature's
God
.
"
How
happy
they
!
whom
thou
shalt
give
to
tread
"
The
pleasant
paths
of
knowledge
,
and
to
weave
"
The
lawrel
chaplet
for
their
honour'd
brows
!
"
He
ceas'd
,
with
look
mild
as
when
Phoebus
sheds
His
soft
effulgence
on
autumnal
eve
.
The
laurel'd
seer
in
thankful
guise
bow'd
low
His
hoary
reverence
:
"
With
peculiar
love
"
Sure
heaven
then
looks
(
he
cry'd
)
on
mortals
down
,
"
When
kings
,
like
Alfred
,
rise
;
whose
patriot
souls
"
Still
center
in
a
nation's
good
;
who
live
"
By
glorious
works
to
make
their
country
great
:
"
Such
well
deserve
to
rule
:
Vid.
the
speech
of
Sarpedon
to
Glaucus
in
Homer
.
such
heaven
beholds
"
Well-pleas'd
;
nor
grudges
,
that
to
them
it
gave
"
Its
high
vicegerency
.
—
In
future
time
"
Some
one
mayhap
,
the
whilst
he
shall
behold
"
With
conscious
pride
,
how
far
his
native
land
"
Transcends
whatever
vaunts
historic
fame
"
Of
polish'd
Athens
,
and
imperial
Rome
"
The
seat
of
demi-gods
,
in
holy
rapture
"
Shall
bless
the
name
of
Alfred
;
and
relate
,
"
That
he
,
still
anxious
for
his
Britain's
weal
,
"
Led
Science
there
where
thro'
the
flowery
meads
"
Her
liquid
maze
the
silver
Isis
winds
—
"
Nor
shalt
thou
,
hospitable
flood
,
where
now
"
I
stay
my
wandering
feet
,
a
stranger
guest
,
"
Unhonour'd
flow
:
for
on
thy
grassy
brim
"
Full
oft
shalt
thou
in
silent
joy
behold
,
"
Bards
that
shall
know
to
bind
the
captiv'd
soul
"
With
energy
of
song
;
and
sages
wise
,
"
As
whilom
mus'd
th'
Athenian
stream
beside
;
"
And
statesmen
,
patriot
souls
,
with
merit
fraught
"
And
virtue
more
than
Roman
.
—
Here
shall
rise
"
My
best-lov'd
progeny
Mr.
Locke
,
who
was
of
Christ-church
college
.
,
that
shall
explore
"
(
Of
Heaven
how
highly
favour'd
)
what
till
then
"
Stagger'd
the
pedant's
pride
,
and
slipt
the
grasp
"
Of
baffled
sophist
:
he
with
Truth's
bright
ray
"
The
ten-fold
gloom
,
which
darkening
logic
spread
,
"
Shall
pierce
;
and
,
like
the
golden-footed
morn
,
"
Scatter
abroad
the
chearing
beam
of
light
.
—
"
These
are
the
glories
,
that
with
influence
sweet
"
Shall
gild
thy
shores
,
blest
Isis
:
these
are
they
,
"
With
homage
due
that
each
revolving
year
"
Shall
visit
Alfred's
hallowed
shrine
,
and
bring
"
The
pledge
of
gratitude
and
filial
love
.
"