Amid this verdant grove with folemn state,
On golden thrones of antique form reclin'd,
In mimick majefty Nine Virgins fate,
In features various, as unlike in mind:
Alfe boasted they themselves of heav'nly kind,
And to the sweet Parnaffian Nymphs allied;
Thence round their brows the Delphick bay they twin'd,
And matching with high names their apish pride,
O'er every learned fchool aye claim'd they to prefide.
XXII.
In antique garbs, for modern they difdain'd,
By Greek and Roman artists whilom made,
Of various woofs, and variously diftain'd
With tints of ev'ry hue, were they array'd;
And here and there ambitiously display'd
A purple fhred of some rich robe, prepared
Erft by the Mufes or th' Aonian Maid,
To deck great Tullius or the Mantuan Bard;
Which o'er each motley veft with uncouth fplendor glared. XXIII.
And well their outward vesture did express
The bent and habit of their inward mind,
Affecting Wisdom's antiquated dress,
And ufages by Time caft far behind.
Thence, to the charms of younger Science blind,
The cuftoms, laws, the learning, arts and phrase
Of their own countries they with scorn declin'd;
Ne facred Truth herself would they embrace,
Unwarranted, unknown in their fore-fathers' days.
XXIV.
Thus ever backward casting their survey;
To Rome's old ruins and the groves forlorn
Of elder Athens, which in profpect lay
Stretch'd out beneath the mountain, would they turn
Their bufy fearch, and o'er the rubbish mourn.
Then gathering up with fuperftitious care,
Each little fcrap, however foul or torn,
In grave harangues they boldly would declare,
This Ennius, Varro; This the Stagyrite did wear.
XXV.
Yet, under names of venerable found,
Wide o'er the world they stretch'd their aweful rod;
Through all the provinces of Learning own'd
For teachers of whate'er is wife and good.
Alfe from each region to their i drad abode
Came youth unnumber'd, crowding all to tafte
The fireams of Science; which united flow'd
Adown the mount, from nine rich fources caft;
And to the vale below in one rude torrent pafs'd.
O'er every fource, protectress of the stream,
One of those Virgin Sifters did prefide;
Who, dignifying with her noble name
Her proper flood, aye pour'd into the tide
The heady vapours of fcholaftick pride
Defpotical and abject, bold and blind,
Fierce in debate, and forward to decide ;
Vain love of praise, with adulation join'd,
And difingenuous fcorn, and impotence of mind.
XXVII.
Extending from the hill on every fide,
In circuit vaft a verdant valley spread;
Acrofs whofe uniform flat bofom glide
Ten thousand streams, in winding mazes led,
By various fluices from one common head;
A turbid mafs of waters, vaft, profound,
Hight of Philology the lake; and fed
By that rude torrent, which with roaring found
Came tumbling from the hill, and flow'd the level round.
XXVIII.
And every where this fpacious valley o'er,
Faft by each ftream was feen a numerous throng
Of beardless triplings to the birch-crown'd fhore,
By nurses, guardians, fathers dragg'd along :
Who helpless, meek, and innocent of wrong,
Were torn reluctant from the tender fide
Of their fond mothers, and by faitours ftrong,
By pow'r made infolent, and hard by pride,
Were driv'n with furious rage, and lash'd into the tide.
XXIX.
On the rude bank with trembling feet they flood,
And cafting round their oft-reverted eyes,
If haply they mote 'fcape the hated flood,
Fill'd all the plain with lamentable.cries;
But far away th' unheeding father flies,
Conftrain'd his ftrong compunctions to reprefs;
While close behind, affuming the disguise
Of nurturing care, and fmiling tenderness,
With fecret scourges arm'd thofe griefly faitours prefs,
XXX.
As on the steepy margin of a brook,
When the young fun with flowery Maia rides,
With innocent difmay a bleating flock
Crowd back, affrighted at the rolling tides:
The fhepherd-fwain at firft exhorting chides
Their feely fear; at length impatient grown,
With his rude crook he wounds their tender fides;
And all regardless of their piteous moan,
Into the dashing wave compels them furious down.
*Faitour, doer, from faire to do, monly used by Spenser in a bad fenfe.
and fait deed, com1 Seely, fimple.
XXXI. Thus
Thus urg'd by maft'ring Fear and dol'rous 1 Teen
Into the current plung'd that infant crowd.
Right piteous was the spectacle, I ween,
Of tender ftriplings ftain'd with tears and blood,
Perforce conflicting with the bitter flood;
And labouring to attain the diftant shore,
Where holding forth the gown of manhood flood
The firen Liberty, and ever-more
Sollicited their hearts with her inchanting lore.
XXXII.
Irksome and long the paffage was, perplex'd
With rugged rocks on which the raving tide
By fudden bursts of angry tempefts vex'd
Oft dafh'd the youth, whofe ftrength mote ill abide
With head up-
-lifted o'er the waves to ride.
Whence many wearied ere they had o'er-past
The middle ftream (for they in vain have tried)
Again return'd m aftounded and aghast;
Ne one regardful look would ever backward caft.
XXXIII.
Some, of a rugged, more enduring frame,
Their toilfome courfe with patient pain pursu'd;
And tho' with many a bruise and " muchel blame,
Eft hanging on the rocks, and eft embru'd
1 Teen, pain, grief. m Aftounded, aftonifh'd. Muchel, much.
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