was fair, innumerable stars
       Studded heaven's dark blue vault;                         120
       The eastern wave grew pale
       With the first smile of morn.
       The magic car moved on.
       From the swift sweep of wings
     The atmosphere in flaming sparkles flew;                    125
       And where the burning wheels
     Eddied above the mountain's loftiest peak
       Was traced a line of lightning.
     Now far above a rock the utmost verge
       Of the wide earth it flew,                                130
     The rival of the Andes, whose dark brow
       Frowned o'er the silver sea.
     Far, far below the chariot's stormy path,
       Calm as a slumbering babe,
       Tremendous ocean lay.                                     135
     Its broad and silent mirror gave to view
       The pale and waning stars,
       The chariot's fiery track,
       And the grey light of morn
       Tingeing those fleecy clouds                              140
     That cradled in their folds the infant dawn.
       The chariot seemed to fly
     Through the abyss of an immense concave,
     Radiant with million constellations, tinged
       With shades of infinite colour,                           145
       And semicircled with a belt
       Flashing incessant meteors.

       As they approached their goal,
     The winged shadows seemed to gather speed.
     The sea no longer was distinguished; earth                  150
     Appeared a vast and shadowy sphere, suspended
       In the black concave of heaven
       With the sun's cloudless orb,
       Whose rays of rapid light
     Parted around the chariot's swifter course,                 155
     And fell like ocean's feathery spray
       Dashed from the boiling surge
       Before a vessel's prow.

       The magic car moved on.
       Earth's distant orb appeared                              160
     The smallest light that twinkles in the heavens,
       Whilst round the chariot's way
     Innumerable systems widely rolled,
       And countless spheres diffused
       An ever varying glory.                                    165
     It was a sight of wonder! Some were horned,
     And like the moon's argentine crescent hung
     In the dark dome of heaven; some did shed
     A clear mild beam like Hesperus, while the sea
     Yet glows with fading sunlight; others dashed               170
     Athwart the night with trains of bickering fire,
     Like sphered worlds to death and ruin driven;
     Some shone like stars, and as the chariot passed
       Bedimmed all other light.

       Spirit of Nature! here                                    175
     In this interminable wilderness
     Of worlds, at whose involved immensity
       Even soaring fancy staggers,
       Here is thy fitting temple.
       Yet not the lightest leaf                                 180
     That quivers to the passing breeze
       Is less instinct with thee,—
       Yet not the meanest worm.
     That lurks in graves and fattens on the dead,
       Less shares thy eternal