HIGH wafted o'er the flood, the Centaur bore

His mortal charge, and gain'd the further fhore.
Where the deep horrors of a pathlefs wood
O'er-hung the wave with dark funereal frown:
Deep tangled fhades the horrid foil embrown,
And deadly venom ev'ry trunk bedew'd.

II.

No fhade fo difmal hides Cornetto's fhore,
As where Cacina hears the Tufcan roar,
Nor fouler fhapes poffefs the haunted glade :
Their dire affemblies here the Harpies hold,
Whofe voice purfu'd the Trojan fleet of old,
And hideous fcenes of future woe difplay'd.

III.

They fleet around on broad portentous wing,
And hov'ring high their baleful dirges fing;
Then people ev'ry bough, a dismal throng:
Down to the breaft they feem of female race,
But dusky plumage all the rest deface,

And with strong talons to the boughs they clung.

IV.

"See (Maro cry'd) the Wood, whofe gloomy

bounds

A level track of burning fand surrounds :

Beyond the limits of this baleful

grove.

And now, for fcenes beyond the reach of faith!
Scenes yet unequall'd in the haunts of death!

Prepare your eyes, as thro' the vale we rove."

Thro' the long wood, ascending fhrill and clear; Nor tort'ring hand, nor fentenc'd foul was feen.Inftant, my vain furmife the Mantuan faw

And-" Let thy hardy hand (he cry'd) withdraw Those envious boughs, the walks of death between!"

VI.

My ready hands the hanging branches tore;
And lo! my hands were all embru'd in gore!
When, from the trunk, an hollow dismal found
Exclaim'd, "Ah! why my bleeding fibres tear?-
If e'er above you breath'd the vital air,

Why thus with cruel hand your brethren wound?

VII.

Tho' here confin'd, in this accurfed wood,
We boast a common race and kindred blood:-
But, were we born of Lybia's venom'd race,
Hard were the deed our tortur'd boughs to bend,
And from the trunk our bleeding members rend!
Nor would a pious hand our plants deface!"