far and near
    Spread their wild ravage o’er the yellow year: 
    There, towers and walls and lofty works extend;
    Victorious legions the scaled walls ascend. 
    Last stretch’d along a valley’s shadowy length,
    Appear’d two realms’ consolidated strength. 
    Wide fly the glowing balls, swift falchions glare,
    And whizzing arrows hide the clouded air. 
    The sculptured kings pursue their trembling foes,
    And, where they move, the imaged tumult grows. 
    Another scene—­the toil of war is past;
    This seems to triumph, that to groan his last: 
    Blood covers all, refulgent trophies rise,
    And shouts of conquest seem to rend the skies.

      In silent reverence stood each wondering Swede,
    Unmoved by terror:  thrice the youth decreed
    To speak, and thrice upon his fetter’d tongue,
    Restrain’d by awe, th’ imperfect accents hung,
    When the dread form the boundless stillness broke;
    Ocean and air stood listening as he spoke.

      “The power who reins the whirlwind’s stormy force,
    And guides the wheeling planets in their course,
    Provoked by crimes, o’er Sweden’s guilty land
    Stretch’d wide the terrors of his flaming hand: 
    Her venal priests, her kings in luxury lost,
    Her factious nobles, and seditious host,
    Call’d down th’ unwilling bolt; and many a year
    Beheld it blaze, and shrunk beneath its flames severe. 
    His angry thunder on a blasted shore }
    Has wreak’d its vengeance; the collected store }
    Of wrath is spent, and the last peal is o’er. }
    Now o’er the land, rich with a new-born spring,
    Returning Mercy waves her golden wing: 
    Obedient fate draws back its sable line, }
    And bright events in long succession shine:  }
    Consenting years roll on, and crown the great design. }
    Unnumber’d arts, more glorious from decay,
    Rise one by one, and gild the land with day. 
    No more shall Sweden mourn her fetter’d doom,
    The sport of despots, and the slave of Rome: 
    Slanderers of Heaven, betrayers of mankind
    By passion bloated, and to reason blind,
    Her prelates shall oppress the land no more;
    But Liberty, with charms unknown before,
    Break forth effulgent; and protecting Peace,
    For a long age, bid battle’s trumpet cease. 
    Her guardian genius, from th’ empyreal plain }
    I come, to bid primeval blessings reign, }
    And exiled Science lift her sacred lamp again. }

      “Thou, Harfagar, allied to earth no more,
    Pursue my flight, and seek our friendly shore. 
    Thy term of care is past:  thy clouded day
    Dissolves at length in heaven’s eternal ray. 
    Th’ almighty Parent calls thee, from on high,
    To fill the seats of immortality.