2 Nor second he that rode sublime Upon the seraph-wings of Ecstasy, The secrets of th' abyss to spy.

The supernatural sphere into which it introduces the reader is a remarkable creation, with its curse, its polar spirit, the phantom ship, the seraph band, and the magic breeze.

Which once around the darkness of the grave, From seraph-voices, in glad triumph ringing, Of a new covenant assurance gave? CHORUS OF WOMEN We, his true-hearted, With spices and myrrh.

But a pitiful, pitiful look, Jenny, Your seraph features wore, As I left you that dark autumn morn, Left you forevermore; And heaven seemed shut against me As I blindly shut that door.

A man all light, a seraph-man, 490 On every corse there stood.

I. Within our heaven of love, the new-born star We long devoutly watched, like shepherd kings, Steals into light, and, floating from afar, Methinks some bright transcendent seraph sings, Waving with flashing light her radiant wings, Immortal welcome to the stranger fair: To us a child is born.

My captive soul would sigh to stray, Tho' seraph-songs its truth to prove, Call it from earth to heaven to away.

And now a fourth with seraph-beauty bright Descends, accosts them, and outshines the light!