And here and there ambitiously display'd A purple shred of some rich robe, prepar'd Erst by the Muses or th' Aonian Maid, To deck great Tullias or the Mantuan bard, Which o'er each motley vest with uncouth splendor glar'd.
And well their outward vesture did express The bent and habit of their inward mind, Affecting Wisdom's antiquated dress, And usages by time cast far behind: Thence to the charms of younger Science blind, The customs, laws, the learning, arts, and phrase, Of their own countries they with scorn declin'd; Ne sacred Truth herself would they embrace Unwarranted, unknown in their forefathers days. Thus ever backward casting their survey To Rome's old ruins, and the groves forlorn Of elder Athens, which in prospect lay [turn Stretch'd out against the mountain, would they Their busy search, and o'er the rubbish mourn, Then gath'ring up with superstitious care Each little scrap, however foul or torn, In grave harangues they boldly would declare, This Ennius, Varro, this the Stagirite, did wear. Yet ander names of venerable sound, [rod, While o'er the world they stretch'd their awful Thro' all the provinces of Learning own'd For teachers of whate'er is wise and good; Als from each region to their drad * abode Came youth unnumber'd, crowding all to taste The streams of Science, which united flow'd Adown the mount from nine rich sources cast, And to the vale below in one rude torrent past. O'er ev'ry source, protectress of the stream, One of those Virgin Sisters did preside, Who dignifying with her noble name Her proper food, aye pour'd into the tide, The heady vapors of scholastic pride, Despotical and abjeet, bold and blind, Fierce in debate, and forward to decide, Vain love of praise with adulation join'd, And disingenuous scorn and impotence of mind. Extending from the hill on ev'ry side, In circuit vast a verdant valley spread, Across whose uniform flat bosom glide Ten thousand streams, in winding mazes led By various sluices from one common head; A turbid mass of waters, vast, profound! Hight of Philology the lake, and fed By that rade torrent which with roaring sound Came tumbling from the hill, and flow'd the
And ev'ry where this spacious valley o'er, Fast by each stream was seen a numerous throng Of beardless striplings, to the birch-crown'd shore By nurses, guardians, fathers, dragg'd along, Who, helpless, meek, and innocent of wrong,
Were torn reluctant from the tender side Of their fond mothers, and by faitours + strong, By pow'r made insolent and hard by pride, [tide. Were driv'n with furious rage, and fash'd into the On the rude bank with trembling feet they stood, And casting round their oft reverted eyes, If haply they mote 'scape the hated flood, Fill'd all the plain with lamentable eries: But far away th' unheeding father flies, Constrain'd his strong compunctions to repress; While close behind, assuming the disguise Ofnurt'ring Care and smiling Tenderness, [press. With secret scourges arin'd those grisly faitours As on the steepy margin of a brook, When the young Sun with flowry Maia rides, With innocent dismay a bleating flock Crowd back affrighted at the rolling tides, The shepherd-swain at first exhorting chides Their seely fear; at length, impatient grown, With his rude crook he wounds their tender sides, And, all regardless of their piteous moan, [down. Into the dashing wave compels them furious Thus urg'd by mast ring fear and dolorous teen § Into the current plung'd that infaut crowd: Right piteous was the spectacle I ween, Of tender striplings stain'd with tears and blood, Perforce conflicting with the bitter flood, And lab'ring to attain the distant shore, Where holding forth the gown of manhood stood The Siren Liberty, and evermore Solicited their hearts with her enchanting lore, Irksome and long the passage was, perplex'd With rugged rocks, on which the raving tide By sudden bursts of angry tempests vex'd Oft dash'd the youth, whose strength moteillabide With head uplifted o'er the waves to ride; Whence many wearied ere they had o'erpast The middle stream (for they in vain have tried) Again return'd astounded || and aghast, Ne one regardful look would ever backward cast. Some, of a rugged more enduring frame, Their toilsome course with patient pain pursu'd, Andtho' with many a bruise and muchel blane, Eft hanging on the rocks, and eft embra'd Deep in the muddy stream, with hearts subdu'd, And quail'd by labor, gain'd the shore at last; But in life's practis'd lear** unskill'd and rude, Forth to that forked hill they silent pac'd, Where hid in studious shades their fruitless hours they waste.
Others of rich and noble lineage bred, Tho' with the crowd to pass the flood constrain'd, Yet o'er the crags with fond indulgence led By hireling guides, and in all depths sustain'd, Skimin'd lightly o'er the tide, undipt, unstain'd, Save with the sprinkling of the wat'ry spray, And aye their proud prerogative maintain'd
Faitour, doer, from faire, to do, and fait, deed; commonly used by Spenser in a bad sense.
Of ignorance, and ease, and wanton play, Soft harbingers of vice and premature decay. A few, alas! how few! by Heaven's high will With subtle spirits endow'd and sinews strong, Albe sore mated by the tempests shrill That bellow'd fierce and rise the rocks among, By their own native vigor 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 Parnasse ‡ and heaven-throng'd glory flew.
Dire was the 'tumult! and from ev'ry shore Discordant echoes struck the deafen'd ear, Heart-thrilling cries, with sobs and singults § sore Short interrupted, the imploring tear, And furious stripes and angry threats severe, Confus'dly mingled with the jarring sound Of all the various speeches that whilcre || On Shinars's widespread champaign did astound High Babel's builders vain, and their proud
Much was the knight empassion'd at the scene; But more his blooming son, whose tender breast Empierced deep with sympathizing teen On his pale cheek the sign of drad impress'd, And fill'd with tears his eyes, with sore dis- Upto his sire he rais'd in mournful wise, [tress'd, Who with sweet smiles paternal soon redress'd His troublous thoughts, and clear'd each sad surmise:
Then turns his ready steed, and onhisjourneyhies. But far he had not march'd ere he was stay'd By a rude voice, that like th' united sound Of shouting myriads thro' the valley bray'd And shook the groves, the floods, and solid The distant hills rebellow'd all around. [ground; "Arrest, sir Knight," it cried, "thy foud career, "Nor with presumptuous disobedience wound That awful majesty which all revere ! "In my commands, sir Knight, the voice of "nations hear."
Quick turn'd the knight, and saw upon the plain Advancing towards him, with impetuous gait, And visage all inflam'd with fierce disdain, A monstrous giant, on whose brow elate Shone the bright ensign 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 senates, priests, and kings, his sovran sceptre own.
Custom he hight, and aye in ev'ry land Usurp'd dominion with despotic sway O'er all he holds, and to his high command
Constrains ev'n stubborn Nature to obey,. Whom dispossessing oft he doth essay so soft and gentle doth he win his way, To govern in her right; and with a pace That she unwares is caught in his embrace; And tho' deflour'd and thrall'd nought feels her foul disgrace.
For nurt'ring even from their tenderest age The docile sons of men withouten pain, By disciplines and rules to every stage Of life accommodate, he doth them train Insensibly to wear and hug his chain ; Als his behests or gentle or severe, Or good or noxious, rational or vajn, As institutions sage and venerable lear. He craftily persuades them to revere 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 those which Sparta's** hardy race of yore He doth constrain his vassals to adore Were wont perform at fell Diana's shrine, Perforce their sacred names, and learn their sa-
And to the Fairy knight now drawing near With voice terrfic and imperious mien (All was he wont less dreadful to appear [seen) When known and practis'd than at distance And kingly stretching forth his sceptre sheen, Him he commandeth threaten'd pain upon Of his displeasure high and vengeance keen, From his rebellious purpose to refrain, [train. And all due honors pay to Learning's rev'rend So saying, and forestalling 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 dismay In ev'ry quaking limb convuls'd he lay'd, And proudly stalking o'er the verdant lay †† Him to those scientific streams convey'd, With many his young compeers, therein to be embay'd it.
The knight his tender son's distressful stour §§ Perceiving, swift to his assistance flew, Ne vainly stay'd to deprecate that pow'r Which from submission aye more haughty grew: For that proud giant's force he wisely knew Not to be meanly dreaded, nor defied With rash presumption; aud with courage true, Rather than step from virtue's path aside, Oft had he singly scorn'd his all-dismaying pride.
+ Mated, amazed, scared. Whilere, formerly.
Parnasse, Parnassus. Sovran for sovereign.
⚫ Albe, although. Singults, sighs. **The Lacedemonians, in order to make their children hardy and endure pain with constancy and courage, were accustomed to cause them to be scourged very severely. "And I myself," says Plutarch, in his Life of Lycurgus," have seen several of them endure whipping to death at the foot of the altar of Diana, surnamed Othia." †† Lay, mead. ‡‡ Embay'd, bathed, dipt. §§ Stour, trouble, misfortune, &c.
And now, disdaining parle, his courser hot He fiercely prick'd, and couch'd his vengeful
Wherewith the giant he so rudely smot, That him perforce constrain'd to wend * arrear; Who much abash'd at such rebuke severe, Yet his accustom'd pride recov'ring soon, Forthwith his massy sceptre 'gan uprear, For other warlike weapon he had none, Ne other him behov'd to quell his boldest fonet. With that enormous mace the Fairy knight So sore he bet that all his armor bray'd §, To pieces well nigh riv'n with the might Of so tempestuous strokes; but he was stay'd, And ever with delib'rate valor weigh'd The sudden changes of the doubtful fray, From cautious prudence oft deriving aid, When force unequal did him hard assay; So lightly from the steed he leap'd upon the lay. Then swiftly drawing forth his trenchant blade, High o'er his head he held his fenceful shield, And warily forecasting to evade
They, when their bleeding king they did behold And saw an armed knight him standing near, Attended by that palmer sage and bold, Whose vent'rous search of devious truth whilere Spread thro' the realns of learning horrors drear, Yseised were at first with terrors great, And in their boding hearts began to fear Dissension factious, controversial hate, And innovations strange, in Custom's peaceful
But when they saw the knight his falchion sheath, And climbing to his steed march thence away With all his hostile train, they 'gan to breathe With freer spirit, and with aspect gay Soon chas'd the gath'ring clouds of black afray: Als their great monarch, cheered with the view Of myriads who confess his sovran sway, His ruffled pride began to plume anew And on his bugle clear a strain of triumph blew. Thereat the multitude that stend around Sent up at once a universal roar Of boistrous joy: the sudden-bursting sound, Like the explosion of a warlike store
Of nitrous grain, th' afflicted welkin §§ tore: Then turning tow'rds the knight with scoffings Heart-piercing insults and revilings sore, [lewd,
The giant's furious arm about him wheel'd, With restless steps aye traversing the field, And ever as his foe's intemp'rate pride Thro' rage defenceless mote advantage yield, With his sharp sword so oft he did hini gride Ţ, | Loud bursts of laughter vain, and hisses rude That his gold sandal'd feet in crimson floods were dy'd.
His baser parts he maim'd with many a wound; But far above his utmost reach were pight The sorts of life; ne never to confound With utter ruin, and abolish quite A pow'r so puissant, by his single might Did he presume to hope: himself alone From lawless force to free in bloody fight He stood, content to bow to custour's throne, So reason mote not blush his sovran rule to own. So well he warded and so fiercely prest His foe, that weary wax'd he of the fray. Yet nould he algates †† lower his haughty crest, But masking in contempt his sore dismay, Disdainfully releas'd the trembling prey As one unworthy of his princely care: Then proudly casting on the warlike Fay ‡‡ A smile of scorn and pity, thro' the air 'Gan blow his shrilling horn; the blast was heard afar.
Eftsoons astonish'd at th' alarming sound, The signal of distress and hostile wrong, Confus'dly trooping from all quarters round, Came pouring o'er the plain a numerous throng Of ev'ry sex and order, old and young, The vassals of great Custom's wide domain, Who to his lore inur'd by usage long His ev'ry summons heard with pleasure fain, And felt his ev'ry wound with sympathetic pain.
As thro' the throng he pass'd his parting steps pursued.
Als from that forked hill, the boasted seat Of studious Peace and mild Philosophy, Indignant murmurs note be heard to threat, Must'ring their rage; eke baleful Infamy, Rous'd from her den of base obscurity By those fam'd Maidens Nine, began to sound Her brazen trump of black'ning obloquy, While Satire, with dark cloudsencompass'd round Sharp secret arrows shot, and aim'd his back to wound.
But the brave Fairy knight no whit dismay'd, Held on his peaceful journey o'er the plain, With curious eye observing, as he stray'd Thro' the wide provinces of Custom's reign, What mote afresh admonish him remain Fast by his virtuous purpose; all around So many objects mov'd his just disdain, Him seein'd that nothing serious, nothing sound, In city, village, bow'r, or castle, mote be found. In village, city, castle, bow'r, and hall, Each sex, each age, each order and degree, To vice and idle sport abandon'd all, Kept one perpetual gen'ral jubilee, Ne suffer'd aught disturb their merry glee; Ne sense of private loss, ne public woes, Restraint of law, religion's drad decree, Intestine desolation, foreign foes,[vulsive threes. Norlicaven's tempestuousthreats, nor earth'scon Bet, beat. § Bray'd, resounded. Pight, plac'd. SS Welkin, sky.
+ Fone, foes. Gride, cut, hack.
* Wend arrear, move backwards. Trenchant, cutting. t Nould he algates, would not by any means.
But chiefly they whom Heaven's disposing hand Had seated high on Fortune's upper stage, And plac'd within their call the sacred band That wants on Nurture and Instruction sage, If haply their wise hests* mote them engage To climb thro' knowledge to more noble praise, And, as they mount, enlighten ev'ry age With the bright influence of fair virtue's rays, Which from the awful heights of grandeur brighter blaze :-
They, O perverse and base ingratitude! Despising the great ends of Providence, For which above their mates they were endued With wealth, authority, and enuinence, To the low services of brutal sense Abus'd the means of pleasures more refin'd, O, knowledge, virtue, and beneficence; And, fett'ring on her throne th' immortal Mind, The guidanceofherrealmto passions wild resign'd. Hence, thoughtless, shameless, reckless, spiritless, Nought worthy of their kind did they essay, But, or benumb'd with palsied idleness, In merely living loiter'd life away, Or by false taste of pleasure led astray, For ever wand'ring in the sensual bow'rs Of feverish Debauch and lustful Play, Spent on ignoble toils their active pow'rs, And with untimely blasts diseas'd their vernal
Een they to whom kind Nature did accord A frame more delicate and purer mind, Tho' the soul brothel and the wine-stain'd board Of beastly Comus loathing they declin'd, Yet their soft hearts to idle joys resign'd; Like painted insects thro' the summer air With random flight aye ranging unconfin'd, And tasting ev'ry flow'r and blossom fair Withouten any choice, withouten any care. For choice them needed none who only sought With vain amusements to beguile the day; Andwherefore should they take or care or thought Whom Nature prompts and Fortune calls to play? "Lords of the earth, be happy as ye may!" So learn'd, so taught, the leaders of mankind Th' unreasoning vulgar willingly obey, And, leaving toil and poverty behind, [find. Ran forth by different ways the blissful boon to Nor tedious was the search; for ev'ry where, As nigh great Custom's royal tow'rs the knight Pass'd thro' th' adjoining hamlets, mote he hear| The merry voice of festival delight Saluting the return of morning bright With matin revels by the mid-day hours Scarce ended, and again with dewy night In cover'd theatres or leafy bow'rs, [pow'rs. Offring her ev'ning vows to Pleasure's joyous And ever on the way mote he espy Men, women, children, a promiscuous throng Of rich, poor, wise, and simple, low and high, By land, by water, passing aye along With murmurs, anticks, music, dance and song,
Hests, behests, precepts, commands.
To Pleasure's num'rous temples, that beside The glist'ning streams, or tufied groves among, To ev'ry idle foot stood open wide, And ev'ry gay desire with various joys supplied. For there each heart with diverse charms to move The sly enchantress summon'd all her train;` Alluring Venus, queen of vagrant love, The boon companion Bacchus loud and vain, And tricking Hermes, god of fraudful gain. Who when blind Fortune throws directs the die, And Phoebus, tuning his soft Lydian strain To wanton motions and the lover's sigh, [ry. And thought-beguiling show and masking revel- Unmeet associates these for noble youth Who to true honor meaneth to aspire, And for the works of virtue, faith and truth, Would keep his manly faculties entire ; The which avizing well the cautious fire From that soft Siren land of pleasaunce vain With timely haste was minded to retire, Or ere the sweet contagion mote attain [stain. His son's unpractis'd heart, yet free from vicious So turning from that beaten road aside, Thro' many a devious path at length he pac'd, As that experienc'd palmer did him guide Till to a mountain hoare they came at last, Whose high-rais'd brows, with sylvan honors Majestically frown'd upon their plain, [grac'd, And over all an awful horror cast;
Seen'd as those villas gay it did disdain, [train, Which spangled all the vale like Flora's painted The hill ascended straight, crewhile they came To a tall grove, whose thick embow'ring shade, Impervious to the sun's meridian flame, E'en at mid-noon a dubious twilight made, Like to that sober light which, disarray'd Of all its gorgeous robe, with blunted beams; Thro' windows dim with holy acts pourtray'd Along some cloister'd abbey faintly gleams, Abstracting the rapt thought from vain earth- musing themes.
Beneath this high o'erarching canopy Of clust'ring oaks, a sylvan colonnade, Aye list'ning to the native melody Of birds sweet echoing thro' the lonely shade, On to the centre of the grove they stray'd; which in a spacious circle op'ning round, Within its shelt ring arms securely laid,, Disclos'd to sudden view a vale profound, With Nature's artless smiles and tranquil beau- ties crown'd.
There on the basis of an antient pile, Whose cross-surmounted spire' o'erlook'd the A venerable matron they erewhile [wood, Discover'd have beside a murm'ring flood, Reclining in right sad and pensive mood: Retir'd within her own abstracted breast, She seem'd o'er various woes by turns to brood, The which her changing cheer by turns express'd, Now glowing with disdain, with grief now over- kest t
Her thus inmers'd in anxious thoughts profound" Contempt of order, manners profligate,[state. When as the knight perceiv'd, he nearer drew, The symptoms of a foul, diseas'd and bloated To weet what bitter bale did her astound, "Ev'n Wit and Genius, with their learned train And whence th' occasion of her anguish grew; 'Of Arts and Muses, tho' from heav'n above For that right noble matron well he knew, "Descended, when their talents they profane And many perils huge and labors sore "To varnish folly, kindle wanton love, Had for her sake endur'd, her vassal true, "And aid eccentric sceptic pride to rove Train'd in her love, and practis'd evermore Beyond celestial truth's attractive sphere, Her honor to respect, and reverence her lore. This moral system's central sun, aye prote "O dearest Drad!" he cried, "fair Island Queen!" To their fond votaries a curse severe, "Mother of heroes! Empress of the main! "And only make mankind more obstinately err. "What means that stormy brow of troublous" And stand my sons herein from censure clear? [train "Have they consider'd well and understood "Sith heaven-born Peace, with all her smiling" The use and import of those blessings dear "Of Sciences and Arts, adorns thy reign "Which the great Lord of Nature hath bestow'd "With wealth and knowledge, splendor and "As well to prove as to reward the good? [plain! "Whence are these torrents then, these billowy "Each port how throng'd! how fruitful ev'ry Of vice, in which as in his proper flood [seas "How blithe the country! and how gay the "The fell Leviathan licentious plays, "And upon shipwreck'd Faith and sinking "Virtue preys?
"While Liberty secures and heightens ev'ry "boo
"To you, ye noble, opulent, and great! Awaken rom her trance of pensive wo "With friendly voice I call an honest zeal; By these fair flat ring words, she rais'd her head;"Upon your vital influence wait And bending on the knight her frowning brow," The health and sickness of the common weal: "Moek'st thou my sorrows, Fairy Son?" she said; The maladies you cause yourselves must heal. "Or is thy judgement by thy heart misled "In vain to the unthinking harden'd crowd To deem that certain which thy hopes suggest?" Will truth and reason make their just appeal, "To deem them full of life and lustihead + "In vain will sacred wisdom cry aloud, [blood. "And justice drench in vain her vengeful swordia
Whose cheeks in Hebe 's vivid tints are dress'd, And with joy's careless mien and dimpled "smiles impress'd!
With you must reformation first take place: "You are the head, the intellectual mind "Thy unsuspecting heart how nobly good "Of this vast body politic, whose base "I know, how sanguine in thy country's cause, "And vulgar limbs to drudgery consign'd, And mark'd thy virtue singly how it stood "All the rich stores of science have resign'd "Th' assaults of mighty custom, which o'erawes" To you, that, by the craftsman's various toil, "The faint and tim'rous mind, and oft withdraws" The sea-worn mariner and sweating hind, "From Reason's lore th' ambitious and the vain," In peace and affluence maintain'd, the while By the sweet lure of popular applause, "You for yourselves and them may dress the "mental soil.
Against their better knowledge to maintain "The lawless throne of Vice or Folly's childish "reign.
Bethink you then, my children! of the trust In you repos'd; ne let your heaven-born mind "Consume in pleasure or unactive rust, "But nobly rouse you to the task assign'd, "The godlike task, to teach and mend mankind! "Learn, that ye may instruct: to virtue lead "How vice and folly had o'erspread the land:"Yourselves the way; the herd will crowd be"And canst thou then, O Fairy Son! demand
"How vast his influence, how wide his sway, Thyself erewhile by proof didst understand, "And saw'st, as thro' his realms thou took'st "thy way,
"The reason of my wo? or hope to ease "And gather precepts from each worthy deed: "Thethrobbingsofmy heart with speeches bland," Example is a lesson that all men can read. "And words more apt my sorrows to increase," But if (to all or most I do not speak) "The once-dear names of wealth, and 'liberty," In vain and sensual habits now grown old "The strong Circæan charm you cannot break,
"Peace, wealth, and liberty that noblest boon," Nor reassume at will your native mould "Are blessings only to the wise and good; "To weak and vicious minds their worth un
"Yet envy not the state you could not hold, "And take compassion on the rising age; "In them redeem your errors manifold,
"And thence abus'd, but serve to furnish food" And by due discipline and nurture sage "For riot and debauch, and fire the blood "With high-spic'd luxury, whence strife,debate, "Ambition, envy, Faction's vip'rous brood,
"In virtue's lore betimes your docile sons engage. You chiefly who like me in secret mourn "The prevalence of custom lewd and vain,
Lustihead, strong health, vigor.
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