In vain th’ enraptur’d maid would now impart,
The rising joy that swells, that pains her heart;
Las Casas’ feet in floods of tears she steeps,
Looks on her sire and smiles, then turns, and weeps; 310
Then smiles again, while her flush’d cheek, reveals
The mingled tumult of delight she feels. 
So fall the crystal showers of fragrant spring,
And o’er the pure, clear sky, soft shadows fling;
Then paint the drooping clouds from which they flow 315
With the warm colours of the lucid bow. 
Now, o’er the barren desert, Zamor leads
Aciloe, and her sire, to Chili’s meads: 
There, many a wand’ring wretch, condemn’d to roam
By hard oppression, found a shelt’ring home:  320
Zamor to pity, tun’d the vocal shell,
Bright’ning the tear of anguish, as it fell. 
Did e’er the human bosom throb with pain
The heav’nly muse has sought to sooth in vain? 
She, who can still with harmony its sighs, 325
And wake the sound, at which affliction dies;
Can bid the stormy passions backward roll,
And o’er their low-hung tempests lift the soul;
With magic touch paint nature’s various scene
Wild on the mountain, in the vale serene; 330
Can tinge the breathing rose with brighter bloom,
Or hang the sombrous rock in deeper gloom;
Explore the gem, whose pure, reflected ray
Throws o’er the central cave a paler day;
Or soaring view the comet’s fiery frame 335
Rush o’er the sky, and fold the sphere in flame;
While the charm’d spirit, as her accents move,
Is wrapt in wonder, or dissolv’d in love. 338

PERU.

CANTO THE SIXTH.

THE ARGUMENT.

The troops of Almagro and Alphonso meet on the plains of Cuzco—­ Manco-Capac attacks them by night—­his army is defeated, and he is forced to fly with its scattered remains—­Cora goes in search of him—­ her infant in her arms—­overcome with fatigue, she rests at the foot of a mountain—­an earthquake—­a band of Indians fly to the mountains for shelter—­Cora discovers her husband—­their interview—­her death—­he escapes with his infant_—­Almagro claims a share of the spoils of Cuzco—­his contention with Pizarro—­the Spaniards destroy each other —­Almagro is taken prisoner, and put to death—­his soldiers, in revenge, assassinate Pizarro in his palace—­Las Casas dies—­Gasca, a Spanish ecclesiastic, arrives in Peru—­invested with great power—­his virtuous conduct—­the annual festival of the Peruvians—­their late victories over the Spaniards in Chili—­a wish for the restoration of their liberty—­the Poem concludes.

PERU.

CANTO THE SIXTH.