Arm'd all to point, and on a courfer fair
Ymounted high, in military pride,
His little train before he flow did ride.
Him eke behind a gentle 'fquire enfues,
With his young lord aye marching fide by fide,
His counsellor and guard in goodly thews,
Who well had been brought up and nurs'd by
ev'ry Mufe.

Thus as their pleafing journey they purfu'd,
With cheerful argument beguiling pain,
Ere long defcending from an hill they view'd
Beneath their eyes outstretch'd a fpacious plain,
That fruitful fhew'd and apt for ev'ry grain,
For paftures, vines, and flow'rs, while Nature fair
Sweet-fmiling all around with count'nance faint

Seem'd to demand the tiller's art and carc

Her wildneis to correct, her lavish waste repair.
Right good I ween and bounteous was the foil,
Aye wont in happy feafon to repay
With tenfold ulury the peafant's toil,
But now it was ruin all and wild decay;
Untill'd the garden and the fallow lay, [grown,
The sheep-thorne down with barren brakes to'er-
The whiles the merry peasants fport and play
All as the public evil were unknown,

Or ev'ry public care from ev'ry breast was flown.

Aftonifh'd at a scene at once fo fair
And fo deform'd, with wonder and delight
At man's neglect and Nature's bounty rare,
In ftudious thought awhile the Fairy knight
Bent on that goodly lond & his eager fight,
Then forward rufh'd impatient to defery
What towns and cattles therein were empight;
For towns him feem'd and caftles he did fpy [eye.
As to th' horizon round he stretch'd his roaming
Nor long way had they travell'd ere they came
To a wide ftream that with tumultuous roar
Amongst rude rocks its winding courfe did frame:
Black was the wave and fordid, cover'd o'er
With angry foam, and ftain'd with infants' gore:
Thereto, along th' unlovely margin stood
A birchen grove that waving from the shore
Aye caft upon the tide its falling bud,
And with its bitter juice empoifon'd all the flood.
Right in the centre of the vale empight
Not diftant far a forked mountain rofe,
In outward form prefenting to the fight
That fam'd Parnaffian hill on whofe fair brows
The Nine Aonian Sifters wont repose,
Lift'ning to fweet Caftalia's founding stream,
Which thro' the plains of Cirrha murm'ring flows;
But this to that compar'd mote juftly feem
Ne fitting haunt for gods, ne worthy man's esteem.
For this, nor founded deep nor fpredden wide,
Nor high uprais'd above the level plain,
By toiling art thro' tedious years applied,
From various parts compil'd with ftudious pain,

Thews, manners. Empight, plac'd.

Was erft upthrown, if fo it mote attain,
Like that poetic mountain, to be hight ¶
The noble feat of Learning's goodly train;
Thereto, the more to captivate the fight
It like a garden fair molt curiously was dight**,
By mcafure and by rule it was outlay'd,
In figur'd plots with leafy walls enclos'd,
With fymmetry fo regular difpos'd
That plot to plot ftill anfwer'd fhade to shade;
Each correfpondent twain alike array'd
With like embellishments of plants and flow'rs,
Of ftatues, vafes, fpouting founts, that play'd
Thro' fhells of Tritons their afcending show'rs,
And labyrinths involv'd and trelice-woven bow'rs.
There likewife mote be feen on ev'ry fide
And fhapely box of all their branching pride
The yew obedient to the planter's will,
Ungently fhorne, and with prepoft'rous skill
To various beafts and birds of fundry quill
Transform'd, and human shapes of mondrous size,
Huge as that giant race who hill on hill
High-heaping,foughtwith impious vain emprize++
Despite of thund'ring Jove to icale the steepy skies,
Als other wonders of the fportive fhears
Globes. fpiral columns, pyramids, and piers,
Fair Nature mifadorning there were found,
With fprouting urns and budding ftatues crown'd,
And horizontal dials on the ground

+Fain, earnest, eager.

++ Emprize, enterprife, attempt. 5 Whilom, formerly.

In living box by cunning artists trac'd,
And gallies trim on no long voyage bound,
But by their roots there ever anchor'd faft, [blaft.
All were their bellying fails outfpread to ev'ry
O'er all appear'd the mountain's forked brows
With terraffes on terraffes upthrown,
And all along arrang'd in order'd rows
And viftos broad the velvet flopes adown
The ever verdant trees of Daphne fhone;
But aliens to the clime, and brought of old
From Latian plains and Grecian Helicon,
They fhrunk and languifh'd in a foreign mould,
By changeful fummers starv'd, and pinch'd by
winter's cold.

On golden thrones of antic form reclin'd,
Amid this verdant grove with folemn state,
In mimic majefty Nine Virgins fat,

In features various as unlike in mind:
Als boafted they themselves of heavenly kind,
And to the sweet Parnallian Nymphs allied;
Thence round their brows the Delphic bay they
twin'd,

And matching with high names their apish pride,
O'er ev'ry learned fchool aye claim'd they to
prefide.

In antic garbs (for modern they difdain'd)
By Greek and Roman artifts whilom §§ made,
Of various woofs and variously distain'd
With tints of ev'ry hue were they array'd;

Brakes, briers.

§ Lond, land. Hight, called, named. ** Dight, dreft. ‡‡ All, ufed frequently by the old English poets for although.

And

And here and there ambitioufly difplay'd
A purple fhred of fome rich robe, prepar'd
Erft by the Mufes or th' Aonian Maid,
To deck great Tullius or the Mantuan bard,
Which o'er each motely weft with uncouth
fplendour glar'd.

And well their outward vefture did exprefs
The bent and habit of their inward mind,
Affe&ting Wildom's antiquated drefs,
And usages by time cast far behind:
Thence to the charms of younger Science blind,
The customs, laws, the learning, arts, and phrafe,
Of their own countries they with fcorn declin'd;
Ne facred Truth herself would they embrace
Unwarranted, unknown in their forefathers days.
Thus ever backward cafting their furvey
To Rome's old ruins, and the groves forlorn
Of elder Athens, which in profpe& lay [turn
Stretch'd out beneath the mountain, would they
Their bufy fearch, and o'er the rubbish mourn;
Then gath'ring up with fuperftitious care
Each little ferap, however foul or torn,
In grave harangues they boldly would declare,
This Ennius, Varro, this the Stagirite, did wear.
Yet under names of venerable found,
While o'er the world they ftretch'd their awful rod,
Thro' all the provinces of Learning own'd
For teachers of whate'er is wife and good;
Als from each region to their drad abode
Came youth unnumber'd, crowding all to tafte
The ftreams of Science, which united flow'd
Adown the mount from nine rich fources caft,
And to the vale below in one rude torrent paft.
O'er ev'ry fource, protectress of the ftream,
One of thofe Virgin Sifters did prefide,
Who dignifying with her noble name
Her proper food, aye pour'd into the tide
The heady vapours of fcholaftic pride,
Defpotical and abject, bold and blind,

Fierce in debate, and forward to decide,
Vain love of praife with adulation join'd,
And difingenuous feorn and impotence of mind.
Extending from the hill on ev'ry fide,
In circuit vaft a verdant valley fpread,
Acrofs whofe uniform flat bofom glide
Ten thoufand fireams, in winding mazes led
By various fluices from one common head;
A turbid mafs of waters, valt, profound!
Hight of Philology the lake, and fed

By that rude terrent which with roaring found
Came rumbling from the hill, and flow'd the

level round.

And ev'ry where this fpacious valley o'er,

Were torn reluctant from the tender fide
Of their fond mothers, and by faitours + ftrorg,
By pow'r made infolent and hard by pride, [tid.
Were driv'n with furious rage, and lath'd into the
On the rude bank with trembling feet they flood,
And cafting round their oft reverted eyes,
If haply they mote 'fcape the hated flood,
Fill'd all the plain with lamentable cries:
But far away th' unheeding father flies,
Conftrain'd his ftrong compunétions to reprefs;
While clofe behind, affuming the difguife
Of nurt'ring Care and smiling Tenderness, [preß,
With fecret fcourges arm'd thofe grifly faltours
When the young Sun with flow'ry Maia rides,
As on the steepy margin of a brook,
With innocent difmay a bleating flock
Crowd back, affrighted at the rolling tides,
The shepherd-fwain at firft exhorting chides
Their fedly fear; at length, impatient grown,
With his rude crook he wounds their tender fides,
And, all regardless of their piteous moan,
Into the dashing wave compels them furious down.
Thus urg'd by maft'ring fear and dolorous teer§
Into the current plung'd that infant crowd:
Right piteous was the fpectacle I ween,
Of tender ftriplings ftain'd with tears and blood,
Perforce conflicting with the bitter flood,
And lab'ring to attain the diftant fhore,
Where holding forth the gown of manhood flood
The Siren Liberty, and evermore
Solicited their hearts with her enchanting lore.
Irkfome and long the paffage was, perplex'd
With rugged rocks, on which the raving tide
By fudden bursts of angry tempefts vex'd,
Oft dafh'd the youth, whofe ftrength mote ill abide
With head uplifted o'er the waves to ride;
Whence many wearied ere they had o'erp.ft
The middle ftream (for they in vain have tried)
Again return'd aftounded and aghaft,
Ne one regardful look would ever backward caft,
Some, of a rugged more enduring frame,
Their teilfome courfe with patient pain purfed,
And tho' with many a bruife and muchel blame,
Eft hanging on the rocks, and eft embru'd
Deep in the muddy ftream, with hearts fubdu'd,
And quail'd by labour, gain'd the shore at laft;
But in life's practic'd lear** unfkill'd and rude,
Forth to that forked hill they filent pac'd,
Where hid in ftudious fhades their fruitlefs heurs
they wafte.

Others of rich and noble lineage bred,

Tho' with the crowd to pafs the flood constrain',
Yet o'er the crags with fond indulgence led

Faft by cach ftream was feen a num'rous throngBy hircling guides, and in all depths fustain'd, Of beardless ftriplings, to the birch-crown'd shore | Skimm'd'lightly o'er the tide, undipt, unftain'd, By nurfes, guardians, fathers, dragg'd along, Save with the fprinkling of the wat❜ry fpray, Who helplefs, meck, and innocent of wrong, And aye their proud prerogative maintain'd

Of ignorance, and eafe, and wanton play,
Soft harbingers of vice and premature decay.
A few, alas! how few! by Heaven's high will
With fubtle fpirits endow'd and finews ftrong,
Albefore mated † by the tempefts thrill
'That bellow'd fierce and rife the rocks among,
By their own native vigour borne along,
Cut briskly thro' the waves, and forces new
Gath'ring from toil, and ardor from the throng
Of rival youths, outstript the lab'ring crew,
And to the true Parnaffe and heaven-throng'd
glory flew.

Dire was the tumult and from ev'ry fhore
Difcordant echoes ftruck the deafen'd car,
Heart-thrilling cries, with fobs and fingults & fore
Short-interrupted, the imploring tear,
And furious ftripes and angry threats fevere,
Confus'dly mingled with the jarring found
Of all the various fpeeches that whilere ||
On Shinar's widespread champaign did astound
High Babel's builders vain, and their proud works

confound.

Conftrains ev'n ftubborn Nature to obey,
Whom difpoffeffing oft he doth affay
To govern in her right; and with a pace
So foft and gentle doth he win his way,
That the unwares is caught in his embrace';
And tho' deflour'd and thrall'd nought feels her
foul difgrace.

For nurt'ring even from their tendereft age
The docile fons of men withouten pain,
By difciplines and rules to ev'ry stage
of life accommodate, he doth them train
Infenfibly to wear and hug his chain:
Als his behefts or gentle or fevere,
Or good or noxious, rational or vain,
He craftily perfuades them to revere
As inftitutions fage and venerable lear.
Protector therefore of that forked hill,
And mighty patron of those Sisters Nine,
Who there enthron'd with many a copious rill,
Feed the full streams that thro' the valley shine,
He deemed was, and aye with rites divine,
Like thofe which Sparta's hardy race of yore
Were wont perform at fell Diana's fhrine,
He doth conftrain his vaffals to adore
Perforce their facred names, and learn their fa-
cred lore.

Much was the knight empaffion'd at the scene;
But more his blooming fon, whofe tender bicaft
Empierced deep with fympathizing teen
On his pale check the figns of drad imprefs'd,
And fill'd with tears his eyes, which fore diftrefs'd,
Up to his fire he rais'd in mournful wife,
Who with fweet finiles paternal foon redrefs'd
His troublous thoughts, and clear'd each fad fur-(All was he wont lefs dreadful to appear

mife:

Then turns his ready fteed, and on his journey hics.
But far he had not march'd ere he was stay'd
By a rude voice, that like th' united found
Of houting myriads thro' the valley bray'd,
And fhook the groves, the floods, and folid ground;
The diftant hills rebellow'd all around.
"Arreft, Sir Knight," it cried, "thy fond career,
"Nor with prefumptuous difobedience wound
“That awful majesty which all revere!
"In my commands, Sir Knight, the voice of
"nations hear."

Quick turn'd the knight, and faw upon the plain
Advancing tow'rds him, with impetuous gait,
And vifage all inflam'd with fierce difdain,
A monftrous giant, on whofe brow elate
Shone the bright enfign of imperial state;
Albeit lawful kingdom he had none,
But laws and kingdoms wont he oft create,'
And oft times over both erect his throne,

While fenates, priests, and kings, his fovran
fceptre own.

Custom he hight, and aye in ev'ry land
Ufurp'd dominion with defpotic fway

O'er all he holds, and to his high command

Albe, although.

Singults, fighs.

And to the Fairy knight now drawing near
With voice terrific and imperious mien

When known and practis'd than at diftance feen)
And kingly stretching forth his fceptre fheen,
Him he commandeth upon threaten'd pain
Of his displeasure high and vengeance keen,
From his rebellious purpose to refrain,[train.
And all due honours pay to Learning's rev'rend
So faying, and foreftalling all reply,
His peremptory hand without delay,
As one who little car'd to justify
His princely will, long us'd to boundless sway,
Upon the Fairy youth with great difmay
In ev'ry quaking limb convuls'd he lay'd,
And proudly ftalking o'er the verdant lay ††,
Him to thofe fcientific ftreams convey'd,
With many his young compeers, therein to be
embay'd ‡‡.

The knight his tender fon's distressful ftour §§
Perceiving, fwift to his affiftance flew,
Ne vainly ftay'd to deprecate that pow'r
Which from fubmiffion aye more haughty grew :
For that proud giant's force he wifely knew
Not to be meanly dreaded, nor defied
With rafh prefumption; and with courage true,
Rather than step from virtue's path aside,
Oft had he fingly fcorn'd his all-difmaying pride.

+ Mated, amazed, feared.
Whilere, formerly.

Parnaffe, Parnaffus.
Sovran, for fovereign.

**The Lacedemonians, in order to make their children hardy, and endure pain with conftancy and courage, were accustomed to cause them to be fcourged very feverely. "And I myself," fays Plutarch, in his Life of Lycurgus, "have feen feveral of them endure whipping to death at the foot of the altar of Diana, furnamed Orthia,”? tt Lay, mead. Embay'd, bathed, dipt. § Stour, trouble, misfortune, &c. And

+ Fone, foes.

I Gride, cut, hack.