As reason, fancy, or opinion wrought,
[thought. Their various masks they play'd, and fed her penfive
" Alfe through the fields of Science had he stray'd
With eager search, and fent his piercing eye
Through each learn'd school, each philofophic fhade,
Where Truth and Virtue erst were deem'd to lie;
If haply the fair vagrants he 'mote spy,
Or hear the mufic of their charming lore:
But all unable there to fatisfy
His curious foul, he turn'd him to explore
The facred writ of Faith; to learn, believe, adore.
VII.
Thence foe profefs'd of Falfhood and Deceit,
Those fly artificers of tyranny,
k Aye holding up before uncertain feet
His faithful light, to Knowledge, Liberty,
Mankind he led, to Civil Policy,
And mild Religion's charitable law;
That fram'd by Mercy and Benignity
The perfecuting fword forbids to draw,
And free-created fouls with penal terrours awe.
'Ne with these glorious gifts elate and vain
Lock'd he his wisdom up in churlish pride;
Alfe, alfo, further. i Mote, might. Aye, ever. Ne, nor.
But, stooping from his height, would even deign
The feeble steps of Infancy to guide.
Eternal glory Him therefore betide!
Let every generous youth his praise proclaim! Who, wand'ring through the world's rude foreft wide, By him hath been y-taught his course to frame To Virtue's sweet abodes, and heav'n-afpiring Fame ! IX.
For this the FAIRY KNIGHT with anxious thought,
And fond paternal care his counsel pray'd;
And him of gentleft courtesy befought
His guidance to vouchfafe and friendly aid;
The while his tender offspring he convey'd,
Through devious paths to that fecure retreat;
Where fage PÆDîa, with each tuneful maid,
On a wide mount had fix'd her rural seat,
'Mid flow'ry gardens plac'd, untrod by vulgar feet.
X.
And now forth-pacing with his blooming heir,
And that fame virtuous Palmer them to guide;
Arm'd all to point, and on a courfer fair
Y-mounted high, in military pride,
His little train before he flow did ride.
Him eke behind a gentle Squire enfues,
With his young lord aye marching fide by side,
His counsellour and guard, in goodly "thews,
Who well had been brought up, and nurs❜d by every Muse.
XI.
Thus as their pleasing journey they pursued,
With chearful argument beguiling pain;
Ere long defcending from an hill they view'd
Beneath their eyes out-stretch'd a spacious plain,
That fruitful fhew'd, and apt for every grain,
For paftures, vines and flow'rs; while Nature fair
Sweet-fmiling all around with count'nance fain
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 season 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,
The sheep-fhorne down with barren" brakes o'ergrown;
The whiles the merry peasants sport and play,
All as the public evil were unknown,
Or every public care from every breast was flown.
Astonish'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 defcry
What towns and caftles therein were ' empight;
For towns him feem'd, and caftles he did spy,
As to th' horizon round he stretch'd his roaming eye.
XIV.
Nor long way had they travell'd, ere they came
To a wide ftream, that with tumultuous roar
Emongst rude rocks its winding courfe did frame.
Black was the wave and fordid, cover'd o'er
With angry foam, and stain'd with infants' gore.
Thereto along th' unlovely margin stood
A birchen grove that waving from the fhore,
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 distant far a forked mountain rofe;
In outward form presenting to the fight
That fam'd Parnassian hill, on whose fair brows
The Nine Aonian Sifters wont repose;
Lift'ning to fweet Caftalia's founding stream,
Which through the plains of Cirrha murm'ring flows.
But This to That compar'd mote justly feem
Ne fitting haunt for gods, ne worthy man's esteem.
XVI.
For this nor founded deep, nor fpredden wide,
Nor high up-rais'd above the level plain,
By toiling art through tedious years applied,
From various parts compil'd with studious pain,
Was 'erft up-thrown; if so 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 most curiously was "dight.
XVII.
In figur'd plots with leafy walls inclos'd,
By measure and by rule it was out-lay'd;
With fymmetry fo regular difpos'd,
That plot to plot ftill anfwer'd, fhade to fhade;
Each correspondent twain alike array'd
. Erft, formerly. Hight, called, named. " Dight, dreft.
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