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Such as a Pope in miniature has shown, "A Bathurst o'er the widening forest * spreads, "And fuch as form a Richmond, Chifwick, Stowe.

"Auguft, around, what Public Works I fee! 701 "Lo! ftately Streets; lo! Squares that court the breeze, "In fpite of those to whom pertains the care, 66 Ingulfing more than founded Roman ways. "Lo! ray'd from cities o'er the brighten'd land, 705 "Connecting fea to fea, the folid Road. "Lo! the proud Arch (no vile exactor's stand) "With easy sweep beftrides the chafing flood. "See! long Canals, and deepened Rivers join "Each part with each, and with the circling main "The whole enliven'd ifle. Lo! Ports expand, 711 "Free as the winds and waves,their fhelt'ring arms. "Lo! ftreaming comfort o'er the troubled deep, "On every pointed coast the Lighthouse tow'rs; "And, by the broad imperious Mole repell'd, 715 "Hark! how the baffled storm indignant roars.” As thick to view these Varied Wonders rose, Shook all my foul with transport; unaffur'd, The Vision broke, and on my waking eye Rush'd the still Ruins of dejected Rome. * Okely woods, near Cirencester.

720

AN ALLEGORICAL POEM.

IN TWO CANTOS.

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THIS Poem being writ in the manner of Spenfer, the obfolete words, and a fimplicity of diction in fome of the lines, which borders on the ludicrous, were necessary to make the imitation more perfect: and the style of that admirable poet, as well as the meafure in which he wrote, are, as it were, appropriated, by custom, to all allegorical poems writ in our language; juft as, in French, the ftyle of Marot, who lived under Frances I. has been used in tales and familiar epiftles, by the po liteft writers of the age of Louis XIV.

EXPLANATION

of the

OBSOLETE WORDS USED IN THIS POEM.

Archimage the chief, or Atween-between.

greatest, of magicians

or enchanters.

Apaid-paid.
Appal-affright.

Ay-always.

Bale-forrow, trouble,

misfortune.

Benempt-named.

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Caurus-the north-eaft Lad-for led.

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and fometimes it is Noyance-harm.

ufed for is called. See Prankt-coloured,adorn

Stanza vii.

ed gaily.

Perdie (Fr. par Dieu) an Tranfmew'd-transform

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N. B. The letter Y is frequently placed in the beginning of a word, by Spenfer, to lengthen it a fyllable, and en at the end of a word, for the fame reason, as withouten, caften, &c.

Yborn-born.

Yblent, or blent-blend

ed, mingled. Yclad-clad.

Yeleped-called, named.

Yfere-together.
Ymolten-melted.
Yode (preter tenfe of yede)

went.

THE CASTLE OF INDOLENCE.

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CANTO I.

The Cafle high of Indolence,

And its falfe luxury,

Where for a little time, alas !

We liv'd right jollily.

I.

MORTAL Man! who liveft here by toil,
Do not complain of this thy hard eftate;
That like an emmet thou must ever moil,
Is a fad fentence of an ancient date:

And, certes, there is for it reafon great;
For tho' fometimes it makes thee weep and wail,
And curfe thy ftar, and early drudge and late,
Withouten that would come an heavyer bale,
Loofe life, unruly paffions, and difcafes pale.

II.

In lowly dale, faft by a river's fide,

With woody hill o'er hill encompass'd round,
A most enchanting wizard did abide,

Than whom a fiend more fell is no where found.
It was, I ween, a lovely spot of ground;

And there a feafon atween June and May,
Halfprankt withfpring, with fummerhalfimbrown'd,
A liftless climate made, where, footh to fay,
No living wight could work, ne cared even for play.

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