At once to charm, instruct, and mend,
My guide, my pattern, and my friend!1

Such minstrel lesson to bestow
Be long thy pleasing task,—but, O!
No more by thy example teach,
-What few can practise, all can preach,-
With even patience to endure
Lingering disease and painful cure,

And boast affliction's pangs subdued

By mild and manly fortitude.
Enough, the lesson has been given:
Forbid the repetition, Heaven!

Come listen, then! for thou hast known,
And loved the Minstrel's varying tone,
Who, like his Border sires of old,
Waked a wild measure rude and bold,
Till Windsor's oaks, and Ascot plain,
With wonder heard the northern strain.2
Come listen bold in thy applause,
The Bard shall scorn pedantic laws;
And, as the ancient art could stain
Achievements on the storied pane,
Irregularly traced and plann'd,
But yet so glowing and so grand,—

1 Come then, my friend, my genius, come along,

Oh master of the poet and the song!"

Pope to Bollingbroke.

2 At Sunning-hill, Mr. Ellis's seat, near Windsor, part of the first two cantos of Marmion were written.

So shall he strive, in changeful hue,
Field, feast, and combat, to renew,

And loves, and arms, and harpers' glee,
And all the pomp of chivalry.

HE train has left the hills of Braid; The barrier guard have open made (So Lindesay bade) the palisade,

That closed the tented ground; Their men the warders backward drew, And carried pikes as they rode through,

Into its ample bound.

Fast ran the Scottish warriors there,

Upon the Southern band to stare.