Page:Poems - Southey (1799) volume 2.djvu/77

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And burst his fetters, only strong whilst strongBelieved. Then in the bottomless abyssOppression shall be chain'd, and PovertyDie, and with her, her brood of Miseries;And Virtue and Equality preserveThe reign of Love, and Earth shall once againBe Paradise, whilst Wisdom shall secureThe state of bliss which Ignorance betrayed."
"Oh age of happiness!" the Maid exclaim'd,Roll fast thy current, Time till that blest ageArrive! and happy thou my Theodore,Permitted thus to see the sacred depthsOf wisdom!""Such," the blessed Spirit replied,"Beloved! such our lot; allowed to rangeThe vast infinity, progressive stillIn knowledge and encreasing blessedness,This our united portion. Thou hast yetA little while to sojourn amongst men:
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