“Thee CIRCE, and MEDÆA too,
“In black enchantment us’d;
“With baneful plants most fitly mix’d,
“In hellish steams suffus’d.
IV.
“Ah! why does Parent NATURE form,
“Such works, her works to spoil;
“And by her own hand teach mankind,
“Infernal arts and guile?
V.
“Say, fell Enchantress of the plain,
“The foe of human-kind?
“Say for what crimes man’s hapless race
“From thee such evils find!
VI.
“Oh! quit the woods, the plains, the fields,
“Where health and plenty bloom:
“Retire to rocks and desart-wilds,
“Or shade the Murd’rer’s tomb.
VII.
“Or rather haste to PLUTO’S realm;
“There hide thy hated head,
“And flourish still unrival’d there;
“Where Styx’ nine streams are spread.
VIII.
“But here may ev’ry healing flow’r
“In prime of beauty bloom:
“To sick’ning Man restoring health,
“And shedding rich perfume!”
IX.
I ceas’d—The Flow’r indignant heard;
And all its leaves display’d
A deep’ning gloom, which flung around
A double NIGHT OF SHADE.
X.
“Insulting Man!” she trembling cry’d,
“Of creatures most unjust;
“Still taxing Nature with those faults,
“Sprung from his evil lust.
XI.
“The poison’d Snake, the noxious Weed,
“Earth’s venom’d juices drain;
“And, more than all yon’ fragrant flow’rs,
“Enrich with health the plain.
XII.
“Nay of my race grows many a plant,
“Which, of rich gifts possest,
“The sage Physician culls with care,
“To ease the Patient’s breast.
XIII.
“Let Man his own wild passions tame,
“And hush them into Peace;
“MEDÆA’S wand, and CIRCE’S cup,
“Were innocent to these.
XIV.
“For ME, great Nature’s high behest;
“Contented I fulfil;
“Nor dream that aught by her ordain’d,
“Can ever end in ill.
XV.
“Go thou, fond youth, and VIRTUE’S charge
“With equal care obey:
“Then ev’ry Weed shall prove a Flow’r,
“To strew thy destin’d way.”