Such were the pleafing triumphs of the sky,
For James his late nocturnal victory;

The pledge of his almighty Patron's love,
The fireworks which his angels made abovė.
I saw myself 2 the lambent eafy light
Gild the brown horror, and difpel the night:
The meffenger with speed the tidings bore ;
News, which three labouring nations did reftore;
But heav'n's own Nuntius was arriv'd before.

By this, the Hind had reach'd her lonely cell,
And vapours rofe, and dews unwholfom fell.
When the, by frequent obfervation wife,

As one who long on heaven had fix'd her eyes,
Difcern'd a change of weather in the skies.
The western borders were with crimson spread,
The moon defcending look'd all-flaming red;
She thought good manners bound her to invite
The ftranger dame to be her gueft that night.
'Tis true, coarfe diet, and a short repaft,
(She faid) were weak inducements to the tafte
Of one so nicely bred, and fo unus'd to fast:
But what plain fare her cottage could afford,
A hearty welcome at a homely board,
Was freely hers; and, to fupply the reft,
An honeft meaning, and an open breast:

Laft, with content of mind, the poor man's wealth,
A grace-cup to their common patron's health.
This fhe defir'd her to accept, and stay,
For fear the might be wilder'd in her way,
Because she wanted an unerring guide,
And then the dew-drops on her filken hide
Her tender conftitution did declare,
Too lady-like a long fatigue to bear,
And rough inclemencies of raw nocturnal air.

2 Poeta loquitur.

}

}

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But,

But most she fear'd that, travelling fo late,
Some evil-minded beafts might lie in wait,
And without witnefs wreak their hidden hate.
The Panther, though fhe lent a listening ear,
Had more of lion in her than to fear:
Yet wifely weighing, fince fhe had to deal
With many foes, their numbers might prevail,
Return'd her all the thanks fhe could afford;
And took her friendly hostess at her word:
Who entering firft her lowly roof, a shed
With hoary mofs, and winding ivy spread,
Honeft enough to hide an humble hermit's head,
Thus graciously bespoke her welcome guest:
So might these walls, with your fair presence bleft,
Become your dwelling-place of everlasting reft;
Not for a night, or quick revolving year,
Welcome an owner, not a fojourner.

This peaceful feat my poverty fecures;
War feldom enters but where wealth allures:
Nor yet despise it; for this poor abode
Has oft receiv'd, and yet receives a God;
A God victorious of a Stygian race

Here laid his facred limbs, and fanctify'd the place.
This mean retreat did mighty Pan contain:
Be emulous, of him, and pomp disdain,
And dare not to debase your foul to gain.
The filent stranger stood amaz'd to fee
Contempt of wealth, and wilful poverty:
And, tho' ill habits are not foon controul'd,
A while fufpended her defire of gold.
But civilly drew in her fharpen'd paws,

Not violating hospitable laws,

And pacify'd her tail, and lick'd her frothy jaws.
The Hind did firft her country cates provide;

Then couch'd herself securely by her fide.

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The

The THIRD PART.

UCH malice 3 mingled with a little wit,

M Perhaps, may cenfure this mysterious writ:

Because the mufe has peopled Caledon

With Panthers, Bears, and Wolves, and beafts
unknown,

As if we were not stock'd with monsters of our own.
Let Æfop anfwer, who has fet to view

Such kinds as Greece and Phrygia never knew;
And 4 mother Hubberd, in her homely drefs,
Has fharply blam'd a British Lioness ;

That queen, whofe feaft the factious rabble keep,
Expos'd obfcenely naked and afleep.
Led by thofe great examples, may not I
The wanted organs of their words supply?
If men transact like brutes, 'tis equal then
For brutes to claim the privilege of men.

Others our Hind of folly will indite,
To entertain a dangerous gueft by night.
Let thofe remember, that the cannot die
"Till rolling time is loft in round eternity;
Nor need fhe fear the Panther, tho' untam'd,
Because the 5 Lion's peace was now proclaim'd:
The wary favage would not give offence,
To forfeit the protection of her prince;
But watch'd the time her vengeance to complete,
When all her furry fons in frequent fenate met,
Mean-while fhe quench'd her fury at the flood,
And with a lenten fallad cool'd her blood.

3 Dryden, aware of the cenfures to which his fubject might expole him, here makes an apology for the contrivance of the poem. 4 This alludes to Mother Hubberd's tale, written by Spenfer. 5 Liberty of conscience, and toleration of all religions.

Their

Their commons, tho' but coarfe, were nothing fcant,
Nor did their minds an equal banquet want.

For now the Hind, whofe noble nature ftrove
T'express her plain fimplicity of love,
Did all the honours of her house fo well,
No sharp debates disturb'd the friendly meal.
She turn'd the talk, avoiding that extreme.
To common dangers paft, a fadly-pleafing theme;
Remembring every ftorm which tofs'd the ftate,
When both were objects of the public hate,
And dropt a tear betwixt for her own childrens fate.

Nor fail'd fhe then a full review to make

Of what the Panther fuffer'd for her fake:
Her loft esteem, her truth, her loyal care,

Her faith unfhaken 6 to an exil'd heir,

Her ftrength to endure, her courage to defy ;
Her choice of honourable infamy.

On thefe, prolixly thankful, fhe enlarg'd;
Then with acknowledgment herself the charg'd;
For friendship, of itself an holy tie,

Is made more facred by adverfity.

Now should they part, malicious tongues would fay,
They met like chance companions on the way,
Whom mutual fear of robbers had poffefs'd;
While danger lafted, kindness was profefs'd;
But that once o'er the short-liv'd union ends:
The road divides, and there divide the friends.
The Panther nodded when her speech was done,
And thank'd her coldly in a hollow tone:
But faid her gratitude had gone too far
For common offices of christian care.
If to the lawful heir fhe had been true,

She paid but Cæfar what was Cæfar's due.

6

to an exil'd beir,

}

The duke of York while oppos'd by the favourers and abettors of the bill of exclufion was obliged to retire from London.

I might, fhe added, with like praise defcribe
Your fuffering fons, and fo return your bribe:
But incenfe from my hands is poorly priz'd;
For gifts are fcorn'd where givers are defpis'd.
I ferv'd a turn, and then was caft away;
You, like the gaudy fly, your wings display,
And fip the sweets, and bafk in your great patron's day.
This heard, the matron was not flow to find
What fort of malady had seiz❜d her mind:
Difdain, with gnawing envy, fell defpight,
And canker'd malice stood in open fight:
Ambition, intereft, pride without controul,
And jealoufy, the jaundice of the foul;
Revenge, the bloody minifter of ill,
With all the lean tormentors of the will.
'Twas eafy now to guess from whence arofe
Her new-made union with her ancient foes,
Her forc'd civilities, her faint embrace,
Affected kindness with an alter'd face:
Yet durft fhe not too deeply probe the wound,
As hoping ftill the nobler parts were found :
Bat ftrove with anodynes to affwage the smart,.
And mildly thus her med'cine did impart.

Complaints of lovers help to eafe their pain;
It shows a reft of kindness to complain;
A friendship loth to quit its former hold;
And confcious merit may be justly bold.
But much more juft your jealoufy would fhew,
If other's good were injury to you:

Witness, ye heavens, how I rejoice to fee
Rewarded worth and rifing loyalty.
Your warrior offspring that upheld the crown,
The fcarlet Monour of your peaceful gown,
Are the moft pleafing objects I can find,
Charms to my fight, and cordials to my
When virtue fpooms before a profperous gale,
My heaving wifhes help to fill the fail;

mind: