| Samuel Waddington, comp. The Sonnets of Europe. 1888. | | | | The Statue of Moses | | By Giambattista Felice Zappi (1667–1719) |
| | Translated by Sir Aubrey de Vere
WHAT form in everlasting marble wrought | |
| Sits, giantlike, Art’s noblest triumph there? | |
| Voice almost trembles on the lip, high thought | |
| Seems throbbing on that brow of grandeur rare; | |
| ’Tis Moses!—Lo! that beard of wreathing hair | 5 |
| And the twin glories from his temples shot; | |
| Moses!—but with that yet diviner air | |
| Upon the Mount from God’s own presence caught. | |
| Such was he once, when the wave’s wild rebound | |
| Hung o’er him vast; such, when the deathful roar | 10 |
| Of waters closed, at the command of Heaven! | |
| And ye, vile crew,—once worshippers around | |
| A worthless calf; had ye but knelt before | |
| A shape like this, your sin almost had been forgiven. | | | | |
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