-
For human Feet , or for the armed Hoof ,
Above you, and below all precipice,
You still advance towards the Court of Dis .
Over this cawsey as you forward go,
On your right hand cross the deep course below,
You see the Fountains long imprison'd streams,
Leap out to wanton in the Sun's warm beams.
There through a marble Pipe some two foot wide,
And deeper than a Pikes -length can decide,
Sick of long wandring in those invious caves ,
She here disgorges her tumultuous waves,
With such a force, that if you coit a stone,
Any thing flat, although a heavy one,
Though the fall makes it sink, it will amain,
Like squeamish Patients throw it up again,
As a pale leaf, kill'd by the winters frown;
Nor, till it gain an Edge , receive it down.
So that it seems by the strange force it has,
Rising from such a pond'rous Mountains base,
As if prest down with the great weight, it thence
Deriv'd this supernatural violence.
Above the Spring , the Channel goes up still,
Dry now: but which the Cave does sometimes fill
With such a roaring, and high swelling Tide ,
The tallest First-rate-Frigat there may ride.
Now to the Cave we come, wherein is found
A new strange thing, a Village under ground;
Houses , and Barns for Men , and Beasts behoof ,
With distinct Walls , under one solid Roof .
Stacks both of Hay , and Turf , which yields a scent
Can only fume from Satan 's fundament;
For this black Cave lives in the voice of fame
To the same sence by a yet coarser Name .
The Subterranean People ready stand,
A Candle each, most two in either hand
To guide, who are to penetrate inclin'd,
The intestinum rectum of the Fiend .
Thus, by a blinking and promiscuous light,
We now begin to travel into Night ,
Hoping indeed to see the Sun agen;
Though none of us can tell, or how, or when.
Now in your way a soft descent you meet.
Where the sand takes th'impression of your feet,
And which, ere many yards you measur'd have,
Brings you into the level of the Cave .
Some paces hence the roof comes down so low
The humblest statures are compell'd to bow,
First low, then lower; till at last we go
On four feet now who walkt but now on two;
Then straight it lets you upright rise, and then
Forces you to stoop down, and creep agen;
Till to a silent Brook at last you come,
Whose lympid waves dart rays about the room:
But there the Rock its bosom bows so low,
That few Adventurers further press to go;
Yet we must through; or else how can we give
Of this strange place a perfect Narrative?
But how's the question; for the water's deep,
The bottom dipping, slippery, and steep,
Where if you slip, in ill hour you came hither,
You shoot under a Rock the Lord knows whither.
Then 'tis twelve paces broad, to that so low
The Rock does tow'rds the waters surface bow,
That who will pass in double danger's bound,
Rising he breaks his scull, he's stooping drown'd.
Thrice I the pass attempted with desire,
And thrice I did ingloriously retire;
Till shame did that my courage fail'd to do,
And, maugre difficulties, forc't me through.
As my foot chockt upon the further shoar,
My heart began to rise, was sunk before,
And as soon felt a new access of pain,
Now I was here, how to get back again.
And with good cause; for if (as sometimes here
By mounts of Sand within it does appear,
A rapid current Navigably deep
The sides, and bottom of the Cave does sweep)
There now should the least rill of water come
To fill the forenam'd very little room,
And higher should, but poor six inches, swell,
'Twould render all Retreat impossible.
But that thought comes too late, and they who take
A voyage once over the Stygian Lake
(Where Souls for ever usually remain)
Have better luck if they return again.
Being ore this dangerous pass , above us now
Are high-roof'd Vaults: oh, for a Golden bough
To charm the Train of that infernal God
Who in these Caverns makes his dark abode!
The Cave is here not only high, but wide,
Stretching it self so far from side, to side,
As if (past these blind Creeks) we now were come
Into the hollow of the mountains Womb ,
The stately walls of diff'ring Fabrick are,
One sloping, th'other perpendicular,
I Fabrick say, because on the right hand,
If you will climb the Acherontick strand,
A curious Portal greets the wondring eye,
Where Architectures chiefest Symmetry
Is every where observ'd, and serves to show
Above you, and below all precipice,
You still advance towards the Court of Dis .
Over this cawsey as you forward go,
On your right hand cross the deep course below,
You see the Fountains long imprison'd streams,
Leap out to wanton in the Sun's warm beams.
There through a marble Pipe some two foot wide,
And deeper than a Pikes -length can decide,
Sick of long wandring in those invious caves ,
She here disgorges her tumultuous waves,
With such a force, that if you coit a stone,
Any thing flat, although a heavy one,
Though the fall makes it sink, it will amain,
Like squeamish Patients throw it up again,
As a pale leaf, kill'd by the winters frown;
Nor, till it gain an Edge , receive it down.
So that it seems by the strange force it has,
Rising from such a pond'rous Mountains base,
As if prest down with the great weight, it thence
Deriv'd this supernatural violence.
Above the Spring , the Channel goes up still,
Dry now: but which the Cave does sometimes fill
With such a roaring, and high swelling Tide ,
The tallest First-rate-Frigat there may ride.
Now to the Cave we come, wherein is found
A new strange thing, a Village under ground;
Houses , and Barns for Men , and Beasts behoof ,
With distinct Walls , under one solid Roof .
Stacks both of Hay , and Turf , which yields a scent
Can only fume from Satan 's fundament;
For this black Cave lives in the voice of fame
To the same sence by a yet coarser Name .
The Subterranean People ready stand,
A Candle each, most two in either hand
To guide, who are to penetrate inclin'd,
The intestinum rectum of the Fiend .
Thus, by a blinking and promiscuous light,
We now begin to travel into Night ,
Hoping indeed to see the Sun agen;
Though none of us can tell, or how, or when.
Now in your way a soft descent you meet.
Where the sand takes th'impression of your feet,
And which, ere many yards you measur'd have,
Brings you into the level of the Cave .
Some paces hence the roof comes down so low
The humblest statures are compell'd to bow,
First low, then lower; till at last we go
On four feet now who walkt but now on two;
Then straight it lets you upright rise, and then
Forces you to stoop down, and creep agen;
Till to a silent Brook at last you come,
Whose lympid waves dart rays about the room:
But there the Rock its bosom bows so low,
That few Adventurers further press to go;
Yet we must through; or else how can we give
Of this strange place a perfect Narrative?
But how's the question; for the water's deep,
The bottom dipping, slippery, and steep,
Where if you slip, in ill hour you came hither,
You shoot under a Rock the Lord knows whither.
Then 'tis twelve paces broad, to that so low
The Rock does tow'rds the waters surface bow,
That who will pass in double danger's bound,
Rising he breaks his scull, he's stooping drown'd.
Thrice I the pass attempted with desire,
And thrice I did ingloriously retire;
Till shame did that my courage fail'd to do,
And, maugre difficulties, forc't me through.
As my foot chockt upon the further shoar,
My heart began to rise, was sunk before,
And as soon felt a new access of pain,
Now I was here, how to get back again.
And with good cause; for if (as sometimes here
By mounts of Sand within it does appear,
A rapid current Navigably deep
The sides, and bottom of the Cave does sweep)
There now should the least rill of water come
To fill the forenam'd very little room,
And higher should, but poor six inches, swell,
'Twould render all Retreat impossible.
But that thought comes too late, and they who take
A voyage once over the Stygian Lake
(Where Souls for ever usually remain)
Have better luck if they return again.
Being ore this dangerous pass , above us now
Are high-roof'd Vaults: oh, for a Golden bough
To charm the Train of that infernal God
Who in these Caverns makes his dark abode!
The Cave is here not only high, but wide,
Stretching it self so far from side, to side,
As if (past these blind Creeks) we now were come
Into the hollow of the mountains Womb ,
The stately walls of diff'ring Fabrick are,
One sloping, th'other perpendicular,
I Fabrick say, because on the right hand,
If you will climb the Acherontick strand,
A curious Portal greets the wondring eye,
Where Architectures chiefest Symmetry
Is every where observ'd, and serves to show
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