On soaring souls, that sail among the spheres;

And man how purblind, if unknown the whole!

Who circles spacious earth, then travels here,

Shall own, he never was from home before!

Come, my Prometheus,[56] from thy pointed rock

Of false ambition; if unchain’d, we’ll mount;

We’ll, innocently, steal celestial fire,

And kindle our devotion at the stars;

A theft, that shall not chain, but set thee free.

Above our atmosphere’s intestine[57] wars, 620