- 1Hence, soul-dissolving Harmony
- 2That lead'st th' oblivious soul astray--
- 3Though thou sphere-descended be--
- 4Hence away!--
- 5Thou mightier Goddess, thou demand'st my
lay,
- 6Born when earth was seiz'd with cholic;
- 7Or as more sapient sages say,
- 8What time the Legion diabolic
- 9Compell'd their beings to enshrine
- 10In bodies vile of herded swine,
- 11Precipitate adown the steep
- 12With hideous rout were plunging in the deep,
- 13And hog and devil mingling grunt and yell
- 14Seiz'd on the ear with horrible obtrusion;--
- 15Then if aright old legendaries tell,
- 16Wert thou begot by Discord on Confusion!
- 17What though no name's sonorous power
- 18Was given thee at thy natal hour!--
- 19Yet oft I feel thy sacred might,
- 20While concords wing their distant flight.
- 21Such Power inspires thy holy son
- 22Sable clerk of Tiverton!
- 23And oft where Otter sports his stream,
- 24I hear thy banded offspring scream.
- 25Thou Goddess! thou inspir'st each throat;
- 26'Tis thou who pour'st the scritch-owl note!
- 27Transported hear'st thy children all
- 28Scrape and blow and squeak and squall;
- 29And while old Otter's steeple rings,
- 30Clappest hoarse thy raven wings!
