Of the great Image, as o’er Heaven it glode,
That rite had place; it ceased when sunset’s blaze
Burned o’er the isles.  All stood in joy and deep amaze—­
—­When in the silence of all spirits there
Laone’s voice was felt, and through the air 2180
Her thrilling gestures spoke, most eloquently fair:—­

51.1. 
’Calm art thou as yon sunset! swift and strong
As new-fledged Eagles, beautiful and young,
That float among the blinding beams of morning;
And underneath thy feet writhe Faith, and Folly, 2185
Custom, and Hell, and mortal Melancholy—­
Hark! the Earth starts to hear the mighty warning
Of thy voice sublime and holy;
Its free spirits here assembled
See thee, feel thee, know thee now,—­ 2190
To thy voice their hearts have trembled
Like ten thousand clouds which flow
With one wide wind as it flies!—­
Wisdom! thy irresistible children rise
To hail thee, and the elements they chain 2195
And their own will, to swell the glory of thy train.

51.2. 
’O Spirit vast and deep as Night and Heaven! 
Mother and soul of all to which is given
The light of life, the loveliness of being,
Lo! thou dost re-ascend the human heart, 2200
Thy throne of power, almighty as thou wert
In dreams of Poets old grown pale by seeing
The shade of thee;—­now, millions start
To feel thy lightnings through them burning: 
Nature, or God, or Love, or Pleasure, 2205
Or Sympathy the sad tears turning
To mutual smiles, a drainless treasure,
Descends amidst us;—­Scorn and Hate,
Revenge and Selfishness are desolate—­
A hundred nations swear that there shall be 2210
Pity and Peace and Love, among the good and free!

51.3. 
’Eldest of things, divine Equality! 
Wisdom and Love are but the slaves of thee,
The Angels of thy sway, who pour around thee
Treasures from all the cells of human thought, 2215
And from the Stars, and from the Ocean brought,
And the last living heart whose beatings bound thee: 
The powerful and the wise had sought
Thy coming, thou in light descending
O’er the wide land which is thine own 2220
Like the Spring whose breath is blending
All blasts of fragrance into one,
Comest upon the paths of men!—­
Earth bares her general bosom to thy ken,
And all her children here in glory meet 2225
To feed upon thy smiles, and clasp thy sacred feet.