Eventful, ever-varying period,

There have up-grown new MEANS. The Past has served

To found the People's welfare; giving birth
To the Interpreters of Nature. Moved
By intellect to leave the beaten tracks,
These, dedicating all their leisure hours
To Knowledge, fathomed the ethereous depths
Of the stars' strata; made exact surveys
Of the still regions, warm and luminous,
The solar system moves in,-measuring all
Its planets, asteroids, moons, double rings,-
And to the gazing nations pale with fear
Demonstrated that the red comets range
Their orbits feeling the control of laws
Which, harmonizing, hold whatever roam
The universe in an eternal poise!

Their mind returning earthward, makes the Storm
Leave hold on dreaded lightnings, and disperse,
Weighs in just balance this thick ponderous globe,
From its disintegrated crust evolves

The final elements, and, finding, reads

Now legible the geologic roll,

Writ at creations' hours. Out of their hands Forth issues the steam-engine, and unites Most distant cities; o'er the ocean darts,

And makes the utmost isles and earth's ends form

One country's boundaries. They also shone
In eloquence; laid covert policy
Bare, open, prostrate; with an eagle eye
Watched the Mind's operations; often heard
The Muses' whisperings, and thousands charmed
To do all Charity's will. Needs there more
Enumeration? Filled with wonder, streamed
The flower of Europe into the lone haunts
Of honoured learning, and enlightened youths
Rose gilding the dark ages. More and more,

In numbers the instructed still increased,
When, out of all the studious multitude,
There separated seven great companies,
Associating to extend to all

These walks of science. Bands immortal, hail!
Brave, enterprising, wise, humane,

Above your fellows; yours are virtues raised
By highest culture, which absorbs all bad
Nature, and understandings and desires
More noble in their essence makes divine!

NOTE.

(1) The generality of cities are inhabited by such as both fight with one another about shadows, and raise sedition about governing, as if it were some mighty good. But the truth.

is in this manner.

In whatever city those who

are to govern, are the most adverse to undertake government, that city, of necessity, will be the best established, and the most free from sedition; and that city whose governors are of an opposite character, will be in a condition quite opposite.

The contest being who shall govern, such a war being domestic, and within them, it destroys both themselves and the rest of the city.

They

ought at least not to be fond of governing who enter on it, otherwise the rivals will fight about it.-Plat. de Rep. lib. 7, Spens' Transl.

II.

THE PROPOSITION.

Dedicated to the proceedings of the Association before described as having assembled, the Allegory assumes an historical form; and first, Bacon, after discoursing awhile in praise of Knowledge, and in their praise who communicate it liberally to their fellow-men, declares Knowledge to be of power to eradicate evil; speculates on the actual and discoverable existence of an Order of Minds infinitely surpassing the ordinary standard; and concludes his oration by moving the learned and more actively benevolent part of mankind to a great international enterprise, having for its primary objects the advancement of Civilization and the diffusion of Knowledge, by means of adequate institutions to be every where established.

WHO were first movers in this enterprise?
Establishing whose counsels had these men.
Arrested their swift progress through the world,
And broad high-way of life within the reach
Of honours, riches, power, had those forsook
Their country seats, their friends, and rural ease?
First, glorious Verulam, the grand design
To draw these corps together, and concert
Their arduous adventures, thus declared :-
O rest assured, (ye I address who know
The present are inducing better days,)

That after all the notable events

Man, covetous of honours, brings to pass
Have by his Understanding been assayed,
High Knowledge, Virtue's guide, will stand
confessed

The sole great work mankind has raised up; count
Those men felicitous who having reared it
Live in its shadow. By Immortals built
Their city is eternal. Who in it
Acquires an everlasting mansion? He
Whose workman-like hand but a small stone lays
Of all its lofty edifices! Vain

As transitory, vulgar triumphs scorned,
Make genius tributary to this work!

O speak out! we have filled your willing ears!
Then keep not knowledge in a tongueless cell
But waft it on your voices audible,

To all the nations! give it utterance

Till from your deep and full mouths its report Has gone forth to all understanding men! Perpetual are discoveries' records,

But mere inquiry never has enured

To any's glory. What crowns all results?
Delivery to mankind. So is esteemed
The office of instruction! Saving o'er
These our Oases, where the law stands guard
And virtues ripen in the noon-day sun