“ ‘Now since the god inspires me to proceed, Be that, whate’er inspiring power, obey’d: For I will sing of mighty mysteries, Of truths conceal’d before, from human eyes, Dark oracles unveil, and open all the skies. Pleased as I am to walk along the sphere Of shining stars, and travel with the year, To leave the heavy earth, and scale the height Of Atlas, who supports the heavenly weight; To look from upper light, and thence survey Mistaken mortals wandering from the way, And wanting wisdom, fearful for the state Of future things, and trembling at their fate!

“ ‘Those I would teach; and by right reason bring To think of death as but an idle thing. Why thus affrighted at an empty name, A dream of darkness, and fictitious flame? Vain themes of wit, which but in poems pass, And fables of a world that never was? What feels the body when the soul expires, By time corrupted, or consumed by fires? Nor dies the spirit, but new life repeats In other forms, and only changes seats.