The Guinea Voyage: A Poem in Three Books To Which Are Added Observations on a Voyage to the Coast of Africa — Key Ideas to Explore

Far other feelings his mild soul imprest; Far other ardours shook his hopeless breast. With purest passion long his bosom beat, Its rise propitious, and its progress sweet. Returning love diffus'd the nameless charm, And met his hopes, in virgin blushes warm. In mutual confidence and fondness blest, Nor guilt alarm'd, nor fear disturb'd the breast. But eyes parental, film'd with doubtful hue, (That with inverted glass youth's prospects view,) Mark'd the soft transports of their chaste delight, And peevish envy sicken'd at the fight. With keen infliction giv'n, the stern command Cut with relentless stroke the tender band. The pious maid, with dutious, fearful smart, Tore the fond lover from her trembling heart. Despairing, doating—with distracted mien— He flew the spot, and chang'd the heav'nly scene; Rush'd to the rigours of the frozen pole, To quench the conflicts of his fervid soul: His fervid griefs the frozen aid deny, And brave the winter of an arctic sky; Thence by the winds and fiercer passions blown, He tries the ardours of the flaming zone. Seeking with hopeless agony to find Extremes like those, which shook his tortur'd mind; From cold Despair's keen night and icy sway, To all the scorchings of Love's burning ray.

See o'er the glossy wave the vessel skim, In swelling garments proud, and gayest trim, Glitt'ring in streamers, deck'd in painted guile, Cov'ring the latent bane with specious smile, In shining colours, splendidly array'd, Assume the honours of an _honest trade_, And hide, beneath a prostituted glare, The poison'd purpose, and the' insidious snare.

Beguil'd, the crew now raise the' associate strain, And the last drops from pleasure's goblet drain. The gloomy _master_ views with looks malign Their short-liv'd mirth, and hugs the black design— Feeds his dark rancour with the foul alloy— How soon the impending fate will damn their joy.

So when primeval bliss through _Eden_ stream'd And young-ey'd innocence on pleasure beam'd, With heedless joy the unsuspecting pair, Revell'd in guiltless rapture, void of care. Stung with the sight, the soul-ensnaring fiend, _Slav'ry's first author_, with fell rancour grinn'd; Fermenting envy swell'd the villain-thought— How soon his kindred mates, with malice fraught, _Sin_, _Pain_, and _Death_, would throw their shades between, And blast with horror the delightful scene, Change the lov'd converse and th' enchanting air, To shrieks of woe and howlings of despair! Now tost beneath the vessel's ample side, The last boat lingers on the breaking tide. The bending deck receives the parting crowd; And shades of sorrow ev'ry face o'ercloud; Associates, friends, compress the burning hand; In pale dejection weeping maidens stand— Presageful, eye the liquid, wild abyss, And wet with tender tears the trembling kiss; Sink from the nerveless arm, in lost dismay, As the dread signal speeds the boat away. Three soul-expanding shouts the skies divide; Three wild, responsive cheers re-echo wide— The sweet vibrations tremble on the ear, The last delightful sounds they'll ever hear! And now the refluent boat evades the sight, High-mounting waves the vessels disunite. Still the white signal, fading, strains the eyes, Still the lorn lover with his hand replies; Till melting into air—the object lost— And duty sternly calling to his post, 'Twixt him and joy th' eternal curtain's drawn, No more of bliss to know returning dawn.

Swift from the breezy north, assisting gales Impel the course, and swell the yielding sails. Before the sightless breeze the vessel flies, Clambers the mountain sea, and braves the skies; Or thund'ring down the depths that foam below, Ploughs up the surging brine with dashing prow. The rattling cordage whirls, the sail-yards strain, The winding pipe re-echoes o'er the main: Firm in their stations, ply th' obedient crowd, Trim the directing lines, and strain the shroud; Tug at the beating sheets with sinew'd force, And give the vast machine its steady course.

Now, all that meets the vainly straining eye, Is boundless ocean and unmeasur'd sky. Unless perchance, beyond the wat'ry trace, _Iberia_'s purple hills th' horizon grace, Or on the right, with a whole vintage red, Storm-beat _Madeira_ waves her woody head.

Still o'er the pathless waste, with rapid force, Led by th' encreasing ray, we urge the course. Surrounding dolphins gambol o'er the tide, And deck the blue-green wave with silver pride: Swift from the beautious tyrant, the weak fry Forsake the flood, and arid ether try, Spread the moist wing—attempt th' untoward height, And in short soarings urge their trembling flight. The breathing porpus cleaves his pond'rous way, The flouncing skipjacks bound in liquid play;  Bonitoes court the spray on either side, And Albicores in shining mazes glide: While huge Leviathan, in monarch mood, Spooms, like an island, thro' the subject flood.