XIV.

"For us the lark attunes his morning fong,
"For us the fpring depeints her ev'ry flow'r,
"To footh our fleep yon fountain purls along,
"And oaks to fhade us, twine into a bow'r,
"The penfive bard fits many a watchful hour,
"In ditty fweet, to carol forth our praise :
"While valour spends his days in dole and ftour,
"We, wiser we, undying trophies raise

"To ever-blooming blifs, ne reek what wisdom fays. XV.

"With sprightly notes we make the welkin ring, "In mazy daunce we tread the chequer'd ground, "To yielding nymphs transported shepherds fing, "Ne hard misfare emongst our train is found. "The fimple fwain, who looks with cark aftoun'd "Because his leman ill rewards his care,

Oh, let him ftond to all a lout renown'd,

"Ne gibing fcorn her twitting bords forbear;

"Are there not other nymphs lefs coy, and full as fair?" XVI.

At this the Squire wex'd pale, "Ne eath it is, "Moft courteous knight, he cry'd, far to remove "The thoughts of her in whom we place all blifs." Quoth Bon vivant, "What, then thou art in love?"

66 That

"That I am fo thefe many fingults prove," Return'd the Squire. L'Allegro then reply'd, "Thou'dft better wend to yonder willow grove, "Where fhoals of lovers hanging fide by fide, "Feed the vile carrion crows, and highten female pride.” XVII.

With that he braft into a scornful laugh,
And much abash'd appear'd our conftant Squire;
The others fportful the brisk vintage quaff.
While thus the springal. "Yes, I do afpire
"To love the fairest of the female quire.
"Three hundred virtuous damfels in this ifle
"I came to find." "Perdie, your odd defire,
66 Quoth Bon-vivant, will ask thee muchel toil;
"And thou shalt travel too full many a weary mile.
XVIII.

"'Tis not enough the conduct of the fair
"Is form'd by frowning virtue's ftri&test lecr ;
"The blatant-beaft does here in pieces tear
"The fame of thofe ybred in fchool fevere;
"His rankling tongue throughout the rolling year
"With baleful venom ev'ry thing confumes;
"Where beauty's fplendor gilds our northern sphere
"He flyly creeps, and to destruction dooms

"The honour of the fpring, and wisdom's early blooms.

XIX. "The

XIX.

"The brindled lyon in the lonely wood
"Hides his grim afpect from the fight of men ;
"The pardelis and libbard's spotted brood
"Refide contented in fequefter'd den ;
"Not fo the blatant-beast, he lives in ken
"Of the proud city or well-peopled town;
"Thence with detefted fury he will ren,

"Ne fpare the prelate's lawn, or monarch's crown : "All fares alike with him, for all he tumbleth down.

XX.

"What then avails it to be fair or wife?

"Or what avails it to be warlike knight ? "Where e'er the monster cafts his fi'ry eyes, "Each grace, each virtue fickens at the fight. "Then, goodly Squire, until the morning's light Quaff the thick darkness of the night away;

"And, when the morn fhall rife, in arms bedight "Proceed, and luck attend you on your way; Algates we wish in truth with us you'd ever stay." XXI.

The Squire agrees, but vows, when rifing morn
Shall gild the glitt'rand portals of the caft,
Himself he will in habergeon adorn,

And feek around the ifle the blatant-breast:

Mean while in buxom mirth they spend the feast.
Ill fares the mortal man too much who knows;
Oft shall he wish himself from thought releast ;
The fatal knowledge in his bofom glows,
And mars his golden reft, and murders foft repofe.
XXII.

Sir Chaunticleer now ey'd the rifing day,
And call'd dame Partlet from her vetchy bed;
Now wakeful Phofpher fpreads his gleamy ray,
And the pale moon conceal'd her filver head;
The cattle brouze the lawn with dew befpread,
While ev'ry bird from out the buskets flies.
Then to the field our lover iffued;

But fleep had feal'd l'Allegro's droufy eyes,
And Bon-vivant also in downy flumber lies.
XXIII.

Our Squire, withouten drad, purfu'd his way,
And look'd around to spy this monster fell,
And many a well conceited roundelay

He fung in honour of his Columbel :

Mote he, perchaunce, deftroy this spawn of hell,
How eafy were the task to him affign'd?

The lond of Fairy doth each lond excel;

View there the paragons of womankind;

View the bright virgins there, and leave thy heart behind.

XXIV. Ah

XXIV.

Ah! lever fhould'ft thou try the females there
Than thus unwife another course pursue;

There ev'ry nymph is innocent as fair:
Try what I here advance, you'll find it true.
Hard is our fate while bliss in hopes we few,
Some deadly fiend to blast our joy appears;
Contentment fweet, alas, is known to few.
Thus for a while the fun the welkin chears,

But foon he hides his head, and melts in dropping tears.
XXV.

Life is a scene of conteck and distress,

Ne is it longer than a winter's day;

And fhall we make our few enjoyments lefs?
Far from my cot, thou blatant-beast away.
No husband's noul will I with horns array,
Ne shall my tongue it's venom'd malice wreak
On tuneful bards, whom laurel crowns apay;
Ne will I 'gainst the comely matron speak,
Or draw one pearly drop down beauty's rofy cheek.
XXVI.

The Squire of dames rode on with muchel tine,
And, as he caft afkaunce his greedy look,
He faw empight beneath an auncient pine
A hoary fhepherd leaning on his crook;