The Vision of the Marquis of Worcester.
With hopes now high, now with despair oppress’d,
As Phœbus sunk, he also sunk to rest;
When lo! uprose before his mental view
A hundred Engines of devices new!
In slow procession he their forms survey’d;
In each recondite fabric were display’d
Rare works of art, and such as far surpass
Ought erst beheld in iron, steel, or brass;
While gems with gold and silver’s polished sheen
Blended their hues in this artistic scene:
Resplendent seals were there in groups arranged,
Which by a touch their rare devices changed,
And secrets in all languages convey’d
From man to man, nor once their trust betray’d.
Such were the seals to Eastern Magi known,
By which of old their wond’rous feats were shown.
Nine engines next in slow succession came,
Explosive from the slightest touch of flame,
Replete with missiles, used in various ways:
A floating garden, gay, with verdant bowers,
And redolent with blooming trees and flowers,
Drew its own moisture, moved its pleasing form,
Spontaneous met the sun, and shunn’d the storm;
Such scenes of fair delight, are wont to smile
From age to age in Hainan’s palmy isle!
Nine splendid founts their varied forms display’d,
Whence cooling streams, abstrusely winding, stray’d;
In one, tall jets bright Iris’ colours show’d;
In one, the waters ever ebb’d and flow’d:
Next there came forth a vast abstruse machine,
Where motions of ten thousand worlds were seen;
Th’ æthereal vault around was wide display’d,
As by bright Phœbus from his car survey’d;
Here scenic splendour and rich art outshone
All Orreries to modern science known!
A new variety, in number vast,
Of ever-changing forms before him pass’d:
Not Proteus’ self could with their antics cope,
Nor modern scenes of gay Kaleidoscope:
Their graceful symmetry and rainbow-hues
A rapt’rous wonder o’er his mind diffuse!
To vary these abstruse artistic scenes,
There pass’d along a group of fresh machines;
Many there were that in these days impart
Essential aid to various schemes of art:
One was a globe buoy’d by a crystal well,
Which night or day the passing hour could tell,
With the elapsing minutes, seconds too;
And, like the dial, to the heaven true;
The famed Clepsydra, in its artifice,
Was but a bauble when compared with this!
Martial designs came next, in size immense,
Adapted for attack, and for defence:
To crown these shows of wonder and delight,
A Being rose of superhuman might: