And how fenfation and reflection join'd As reafon, fancy, or opinion wrought, [thought. Their variousmafksthey play'd,and fed her penfive Alsthro' the fields of Science had he stray'd With eager fearch, and fent his piercing eye Thro' each learn'd fchool, each philofophic fhade, Where Truth and Virtue erft were deem'd to lie, His curious foul, he turn'd him to explore And now forth-pacing with his blooming heir, Thus as their pleafing journey they purfu'd, 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 care Her wildness to correct, her lavish waste repair. Right good I ween and bounteous was the foil, Aye wont in happy feafon to repay With tenfold ufury the peafant's toil, But now 'twas ruin all and wild decay; Untill'd, the garden and the fallow lay; [grown, The sheep fhorne down with barren brakes||o'erThe whiles the merry pealants sport 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 Nor long way had they travell'd, ere they came Black was the wave and fordid, cover'd o'er But this to that compar'd mote juftly feem In figur'd plots, with leafy walls enclos'd, Each correfpondent twain alike array'd Huge as that giant race who, hill on hill Defpite of thund'ring Jove, to fcale the steepy skies. Als other wonders of the sportive shears Fair Nature mifadorning there were found; Globes, fpiral columns, pyramids, and piers, With fprouting urns and budding statues And horizontal dials on the ground [crown'd, In living box by cunning artists trac❜d, And gallies trim on no long voyage bound, But by their roots there ever anchor'd fast, All were their bellying fails outspread to ev'ry blaft. O'er all appear'd the mountain's forked brows Amid this verdant grove, with folemn state, And matching with high names their apish O'er ev'ry learned school aye claim'd they to prefide. In antic garbs (for modern they disdain’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; And here and there ambitiously display'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 veft with uncouth fplen. dor glar'd. ++ Emprize, enterprize, attempt. SS Whilom, formerly. And well their outward vesture did exprefs Of their own countries they with fcorn declin'd, By that rude torrent which, with roaring found, Came tumbling from the hill, and flow'd the level round. And ev'rywhere this fpacious valley o'er, By nurfes, guardians, fathers, dragg'd along ; All, ufed frequently by the old English poets for although. Drad, dreadful. Faitour, doer, from faire, to do, and fait, deed; commonly used by Spenfer in a bad sense. * Bbz Од On the rude bank with trembling feet they ftood, And cafting round theit oft reverted eyes, As on the freepy margin of a brook, And all regardless of their piteous moan, down. Thus urg'd by maft'ring fear, and dolorous teen, Into the current plung'd that infant crowd, Right piteous was the fpectacle I ween, Of tender ftriplings ftain'd with tears andblood, Perforce conflicting with the bitter flood, And lab'ring to attain the diftant shore, Where, holding forth the gown of manhood, The Siren Liberty, and evermore [ftood 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 burfts 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, weary'd ere they had o'erpaft The middle ftream (for they in vain Have Again return'd aftounded § and aghaft, [try'd) Ne one regardful look would ever backward caft. Some, of a rugged more enduring frame, Theirtoilfome courfe with patient pain purfu'd, 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 fhore at laft; But in life's practic lear++ unskill'd and rude, Forth to that forked hill they filent pac'd, Where, hid in ftudious fhades, their fruitless hours they waftc. Others, of rich and noble lineage bred, Tho' with the crowd to país the flood conftrain'd, Yet o'er the crags with fond indulgence led By hireling guides, and in all depths fuftain'd, Skimm'd lightly o'er the tide, undipt, unftain'd, Save with the fprinkling of the wat'ry spray, And aye their proud prerogative maintain'd Of ignorance and ease, and wanton play, Soft harbingers of vice and premature decay. A few, alas! how few! by Heav'ns high will With fubtle fpirits endow'd and finews ftrong, Albefore mated † by the tempests fhrill That bellow'd fierce and rife the rocks among, By their own native vigour borne along, Cut brifkly thro' the waves, and forces new Gath'ring from toil, and ardor from the throng Of rival youths, outftript the lab'ring crew, And to the true Parnaffe § and heav'n-throng'd glory flew. [fore Dire was the tumult and from ev'ry fhore Difcordant echoes ftruck the deafen'd car, Heart-thrilling cries, with fobs and fingults 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 widefpread chainpain did aftound High Babel's builders vain, and their proud works confound. Much was the knight empaffion'd at the scene, Up to his fire he rais'd in mournful wife, Who with fweet fmiles paternal foon redress'd His troublous thoughts, and clear'd each fad furmife; [hies. Then turns his ready fteed, and on his journey 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. reer, Nor with prefumptuous difobedience wound That, awful majefty which all revere ! In my commands, Sir Knight, the voice of nations hear.' Quick turn'd the knight, and faw upon theplain 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 inperial fiate; Albeit lawful kingdom he had none, But laws and kingdoms wont he oft create, And oft times over both erect his throne, While fenates, priefts, and ftings, his fovran 4 fceptre own. Aftounded, aftonish'd. Albe, although. Singults, fighs.. **Muchel, much. Mated, amazed, facred. Cufto Cuftom he hight, and aye in ev'ry land Ufurp'd dominion with defpotic fway O'er all he holds, and to his high command Constrains ev'n ftubborn Nature to obey, Whom difpoffeffing oft he doth essay To govern in her right: and with a pace So foft and gentle doth he win his way, That the unawares is caught in his embrace; And tho' deflow'r'd and thrall'd, nought feels her foul difgrace. age For nurt'ring even from their tenderest 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 thole Sifters Nine, Who there enthron'd with many a copious rill, Feed the full stream that thro' the valley thine He deemed was, and aye with rites divine, Like those which Sparta's hardy race of yore Were wont perforin at fell Diana's fhrine, He doth conftrain his vaffals to adore, Perforce their facred names, and learn their fa cred lore. And to the Fairy knight, now drawing near With voice terrific and imperious mien (All was he wont lefs dreadful to appear When known and practis'd than at distance feen) And kingly ftretching forth his fceptre fheen, So faying, and foreftalling all reply, His princely will, long us'd to boundless fway, The knight his tender fon's distressful stour|||| For that proud giant's force he wifely knew Not to be meanly dreaded, nor defy'd [true, With rafh prefumption; and with courage Rather than step from virtue's paths aside, Oft had he fingly scorn'd his all difmaying pride. And now, difdaining parle, his courfer hot He fiercely prick'd, and couch'd his vengeful fpear, Wherewith the giant he fo rudely fmot, That him perforce conftrain'd to wend § arWho much abafh'd at fuch rebuke fevere, [rear; Yet his accuftom'd pride recov'ring foon, Forthwith his maffy fceptre 'gan uprear; For other warlike weapon he had noue, Ne other him behov'd to quell his boldest fone. With that enormous mace the Fairy knight So fore he bet, that all his armour bray'd †, Το pieces well nigh riv'n with the might Of fo tempestuous ftrokes; but he was stay'd, And ever with delib'rare valour weigh'd The fudden changes of the doubtful fray, From cautious prudence oft deriving aid, When force unequal did him hard effay; So lightly from his fteed he leap'd upon the lay Then fiftly drawing forth his trenchant blade, High o'er his head he held the fenceful shield, And warily forecafting to evade The giant's furious arm about him wheel'd, With reftlefs fteps aye traverfing the field, And ever as his foe's intemp'rate pride Thro' rage defenceless mote advantage yield, With his harp fword fo oft he did him gride, That his gold fandal'd feet in crimson floods were dy'd. His bafer parts he maim'd with many wound; a But far above his utmost reach were pight §§ The forts of life; ne never to confound With utter ruin, and abolish quite A pow'r so puiffant, by his fingle might Did he prefume to hope; himself alone From lawless force to free in bloody fight, He flood content to bow to custom's throne, So reafon mote not blush his fovran rule to own, So well he warded and fo fiercely prest His foe, that weary wex'd he of the fray, Ye nould he algates lower his haughty creft, But making in contempt his fore difinay, Difdainfully releas'd the trembling prey As one unworthy of his princely care; Then proudly cafting on the warlike Fay + A fimile of fcorn and pity, thro' the air 'Gan blow his thrilling horn; the blaft was heard afar. ++The Lacedemonians, in order to make their children hardy, and endure pain with conftancy and courage, were accustomed to caufe them to be fcourged very feverely." And I myfelf," fays Plutarch, in his Life of Lycurgus, “have seen several of them endure whipping to death at the foot of the altar of Diana, "furnamed Orthia." Eftfoons aftonish'd at th'alarming found, And faw an armed knight him fstanding near, Yfeized were at firft with terrors great, fheath, And climbing to his ftéed march thence away Of boiit'rous joy the fudden-bursting found, Of nitrous grain th'afflicted welkin ‡‡ tore: Heart-piercing insults and revilings fore, Als from that forked hill the boafted feat But the brave Fairy knight, no whit difmay'd, But chiefly they whom Heav'n's difpofing hand They, O perverfe and bafe ingratitude! lefs, Ev'n they to whom kind Nature did accord + Welkin, sky. § Hefs, behefts, precepts, commands. Nor |