So beautiful as ours was ere man sinned,—
The waters sweeping, like a mighty wind,
To whelm the earth, from its foundations hurled;
All nature stood aghast, its course was changed—
A comet threw afar its lurid gleam,
Up-broke the fountains of the ocean stream,
While a fierce earthquake thro' the centre ranged,
Shattering the mountains in its might.—How vain
Was then the strength of man, as poor his pride,
To stem the onsweep of that ceaseless tide,