If  firm  his  bread  who  firft  undaunted  gave
His  fragile  veflel  to  the  ftormy  wave,
How  much  fuperior  he !  whofe  buoyant  car
Borne  through  the  ftrife  of  elemental  war,
Driven  by  the  veering  wind's  uncertain  tide,
No  helm  to  fteer  him,  and  no  oar  to  guide,
See  Earth's  flupendous  regions  fpread  below,
To  hillocks  fhrunk  the  mountains  loftieft  brow.
Who


158  AEROPHORIOIvf.
Who  now  his  head  fublime,  aftoniftYd  fhroucls
In  the  dull  gloom  of  rain-diflended  clouds,
And  fits  enthron'd  'mid  folitude  and  fhade
Which  human  eye-fight  never  can  pervade,
Or  rides  arnidft  the  howling  tempeft's  force
Tracing  the  volley 'd  lightning  to  it's  fource,
Or  proudly  rifing  o'er  the  lagging  wind
Leaves  all  the  jarring  Atmofphere  behind,
And  at  his  feet,  while  fpreading  clouds  extend,
While  thunders  bellow,  and  while  ftorms  defcend,
Feels  on  his  head  the  enlivening  fun-beams  play,
And  drinks  in  fides  ferene  the  unfuliied  ftream  of
day.
And  fay  ye  gloomy  Cynics  who  defpife
The  manly  labors  of  the  brave  arid  wife,
Who  damp  with  envious  Breath  the  generous  fires
Which  Science  kindles  and  which  Fame  infpires,

Yet


AEROPHORION.  i59

Yet  Hell's  remoteft  regions  would  explore

If  the  rich  mine  allur'd  with  proffer'd  ore.
