J.M.W. Turner: Sketchbooks, Drawings and Watercolours

And in southern enfeebling climes afar
Should carry conquests bleeding spear
To every shore to strain the adventurous sail
And pursue in icy seas the Greenland whale
But you insidiously have given them pride
To dare these realms by mortals yet untry’d

Contentious as the warring clouds
At Winter Eve the Ariel power crouds
Accused enflame avengefull harm
In silence awful presagefull [as the coming inserted] of a storm
As the deep fermenting humor crouds the skies
Who rage [?against] cloud of varied dyes
Blots out the day to dismal darkness turnd
[All remainder deleted] Existenc[e] lost, save when lightning burns
With flash[ing] horror see the vivid light
That life destroy’d and peacefull nature blight
power but that piercing light
And scaiths all nature by its banefull light
That life destroys and natures blossom blight