The Complete Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley Part 197

SONNET.

TO A BALLOON LADEN WITH KNOWLEDGE.

[Published from the Esdaile ma.n.u.script book by Dowden, "Life of Sh.e.l.ley", 1887; dated August, 1812.]

Bright ball of flame that through the gloom of even Silently takest thine aethereal way, And with surpa.s.sing glory dimm'st each ray Twinkling amid the dark blue depths of Heaven,-- Unlike the fire thou bearest, soon shalt thou _5 Fade like a meteor in surrounding gloom, Whilst that, unquenchable, is doomed to glow A watch-light by the patriot's lonely tomb; A ray of courage to the oppressed and poor; A spark, though gleaming on the hovel's hearth, _10 Which through the tyrant's gilded domes shall roar; A beacon in the darkness of the Earth; A sun which, o'er the renovated scene, Shall dart like Truth where Falsehood yet has been.

SONNET.

ON LAUNCHING SOME BOTTLES FILLED WITH KNOWLEDGE INTO THE BRISTOL CHANNEL.

[Published from the Esdaile ma.n.u.script book by Dowden, "Life of Sh.e.l.ley", 1887; dated August, 1812.]

Vessels of heavenly medicine! may the breeze Auspicious waft your dark green forms to sh.o.r.e; Safe may ye stem the wide surrounding roar Of the wild whirlwinds and the raging seas; And oh! if Liberty e'er deigned to stoop _5 From yonder lowly throne her crownless brow, Sure she will breathe around your emerald group The fairest breezes of her West that blow.

Yes! she will waft ye to some freeborn soul Whose eye-beam, kindling as it meets your freight, _10 Her heaven-born flame in suffering Earth will light, Until its radiance gleams from pole to pole, And tyrant-hearts with powerless envy burst To see their night of ignorance dispersed.

THE DEVIL'S WALK.

A BALLAD.

[Published as a broadside by Sh.e.l.ley, 1812.]

1.

Once, early in the morning, Beelzebub arose, With care his sweet person adorning, He put on his Sunday clothes.

2.

He drew on a boot to hide his hoof, _5 He drew on a glove to hide his claw, His horns were concealed by a Bras Chapeau, And the Devil went forth as natty a Beau As Bond-street ever saw.

3.

He sate him down, in London town, _10 Before earth's morning ray; With a favourite imp he began to chat, On religion, and scandal, this and that, Until the dawn of day.

4.

And then to St. James's Court he went, _15 And St. Paul's Church he took on his way; He was mighty thick with every Saint, Though they were formal and he was gay.

5.

The Devil was an agriculturist, And as bad weeds quickly grow, _20 In looking over his farm, I wist, He wouldn't find cause for woe.

6.

He peeped in each hole, to each chamber stole, His promising live-stock to view; Grinning applause, he just showed them his claws, _25 And they shrunk with affright from his ugly sight, Whose work they delighted to do.

7.

Satan poked his red nose into crannies so small One would think that the innocents fair, Poor lambkins! were just doing nothing at all _30 But settling some dress or arranging some ball, But the Devil saw deeper there.

8.

A Priest, at whose elbow the Devil during prayer Sate familiarly, side by side, Declared that, if the Tempter were there, _35 His presence he would not abide.

Ah! ah! thought Old Nick, that's a very stale trick, For without the Devil, O favourite of Evil, In your carriage you would not ride.

9.

Satan next saw a brainless King, _40 Whose house was as hot as his own; Many Imps in attendance were there on the wing, They flapped the pennon and twisted the sting, Close by the very Throne.

10.

Ah! ah! thought Satan, the pasture is good, _45 My Cattle will here thrive better than others; They dine on news of human blood, They sup on the groans of the dying and dead, And supperless never will go to bed; Which will make them fat as their brothers. _50

11.

Fat as the Fiends that feed on blood, Fresh and warm from the fields of Spain, Where Ruin ploughs her gory way, Where the shoots of earth are nipped in the bud, Where h.e.l.l is the Victor's prey, _55 Its glory the meed of the slain.

12.

Fat--as the Death-birds on Erin's sh.o.r.e, That glutted themselves in her dearest gore, And flitted round Castlereagh, When they s.n.a.t.c.hed the Patriot's heart, that HIS grasp _60 Had torn from its widow's maniac clasp, --And fled at the dawn of day.

13.

Fat--as the Reptiles of the tomb, That riot in corruption's spoil, That fret their little hour in gloom, _65 And creep, and live the while.

14.

Fat as that Prince's maudlin brain, Which, addled by some gilded toy, Tired, gives his sweetmeat, and again Cries for it, like a humoured boy. _70

15.

For he is fat,--his waistcoat gay, When strained upon a levee day, Scarce meets across his princely paunch; And pantaloons are like half-moons Upon each brawny haunch. _75

16.

How vast his stock of calf! when plenty Had filled his empty head and heart, Enough to satiate foplings twenty, Could make his pantaloon seams start.

17.

The Devil (who sometimes is called Nature), _80 For men of power provides thus well, Whilst every change and every feature, Their great original can tell.

18.

Satan saw a lawyer a viper slay, That crawled up the leg of his table, _85 It reminded him most marvellously Of the story of Cain and Abel.

19.

The wealthy yeoman, as he wanders His fertile fields among, And on his thriving cattle ponders, _90 Counts his sure gains, and hums a song; Thus did the Devil, through earth walking, Hum low a h.e.l.lish song.

20.

For they thrive well whose garb of gore Is Satan's choicest livery, _95 And they thrive well who from the poor Have s.n.a.t.c.hed the bread of penury, And heap the houseless wanderer's store On the rank pile of luxury.

21.

The Bishops thrive, though they are big; _100 The Lawyers thrive, though they are thin; For every gown, and every wig, Hides the safe thrift of h.e.l.l within.

22.

Thus pigs were never counted clean, Although they dine on finest corn; _105 And cormorants are sin-like lean, Although they eat from night to morn.

23.

Oh! why is the Father of h.e.l.l in such glee, As he grins from ear to ear?