we complain,
    When she vouchsafes her gracious aid in vain
    In vain the self-abandon’d shift the blame
    Upon their stars, or fate’s perverted name. 
    Ne’er did a gladiator shun the stroke
    With nimbler turn, or more attentive look;
    Never did pilot’s hand the vessel steer
    With more dexterity the shoals to clear
    Than with evasion quick and matchless art,
    By grace and virtue arm’d in head and heart,
    She wafted quick the cruel shaft aside,
    Woe to the lingering soul that dares the stroke abide! 
    I watch’d, and long with firm expectance stood
    To see a mortal by a god subdued,
    The usual fate of man! in hope to find
    The cords of Love the beauteous captive bind
    With me, a willing slave, to Cupid’s car,
    The fortunes of the common race to share. 
    As one, whose secrets in his looks we spy,
    His inmost thoughts discovers in his eye
    Or in his aspect, graved by nature’s hand,
    My gestures, ere I spoke, enforced my fond demand. 
    “Oh, link us to your wheels!” aloud I cried,
    “If your victorious arms the fray decide: 
    Oh, bind us closely with your strongest chain! 
    I ne’er will seek for liberty again!”—­
    But oh! what fury seem’d his eyes to fill! 
    No bard that ever quaff’d Castalia’s rill
    Could match his frenzy, when his shafts of fire
    With magic plumed, and barb’d with hot desire,
    Short of their sacred aim, innoxious fell,
    Extinguish’d by the pure ethereal spell. 
    Camilla; or the Amazons in arms
    From ancient Thermodon, to fierce alarms
    Inured; or Julius in Pharsalia’s field,
    When his dread onset forced the foe to yield—­
    Came not so boldly on as she, to face
    The mighty victor of the human race,
    Who scorns the temper’d mail and buckler’s ward. 
    With her the Virtues came—­an heavenly guard,
    A sky-descended legion, clad in light
    Of glorious panoply, contemning mortal might;
    All weaponless they came; but hand in hand
    Defied the fury of the adverse band: 
    Honour and maiden Shame were in the ban,
    Elysian twins, beloved by God and man. 
    Her delegates in arms with them combined;
    Prudence appear’d, the daughter of the mind;
    Pure Temperance next, and Steadiness of soul,
    That ever keeps in view the eternal goal;
    And Gentleness and soft Address were seen,
    And Courtesy, with mild inviting mien;
    And Purity, and cautious Dread of blame,
    With ardent love of clear unspotted fame;
    And sage Discretion, seldom seen below,
    Where the full veins with youthful ardour glow;
    Benevolence and Harmony of soul
    Were there, but rarely found from pole to pole;
    And there consummate Beauty shone, combined
    With all the pureness of an angel-mind.