Warm with the vig'rous conflict he appears,

And ev❜n in flumber feems to move the spheres.
But lo! the faithlefs page with ftealing tread
Advances to the champion's naked head;

With a fharp dagger wounds his bleeding breaft,

And steeps his eyelids in eternal reft:

Then cries, (and waves the steel that drops with gore) "The tyrant dies; oppreffion is no more."

* Now came an aged fire with trembling pace, Sunk were his eyes, and pale his ghaftly face; A ragged weed of dusky hue he wore,

And on his back a pond'rous coffer bore.

The queen with falt'ring fpeech he thus addreft: "O, fill with gold thy true adorer's cheft."

"Behold, faid fhe, and wav'd her pow'rful hand, "Where yon rich hills in glitt'ring order stand: "There load thy coffer, with the golden store; "Then bear it full away, and ask no more."

* Riches.

D

With

With eager steps he took his hafty way,

Where the bright coin in heaps unnumber'd lay;
There hung enamour'd o'er the gleaming spoil
Scoop'd the gay drofs, and bent beneath the toil.
But bitter was his anguish to behold

The coffer widen and its fides unfold:
And ev'ry time he heap'd the darling ore,
His greedy cheft grew larger than before;
Till spent with pain, and falling o'er his hoard,
With his sharp fteel his mad'ning breast he gor'd:
On the lov'd heap he caft his clofing eye,
Contented on a golden couch to die.

A ftripling, with the fair adventure pleas'd, Step'd forward, and the mafly coffer seiz'd: But with furprize he saw the stores decay, And all the long-fought treasures melt away; In winding streams the liquid metal roll'd, And through the palace ran a flood of gold.

* Next to the shrine advanc'd a rev'rend fage, Whofe beard was hoary with the froft of age; His few gray locks a fable fillet bound,

And his dark mantle flow'd along the ground:
Gráve was his port, yet show'd a bold neglect,
And fill'd the young beholder with respect;

Time's envious hand had plough'd his wrinkled face,

Yet on those wrinkles fat fuperiour grace;

Darted quick beams, and feem'd to pierce the sky.
At length with gentle voice and look ferene,
He wav'd his hand, and thus addrefs'd the queen :

"Twice forty winters tip my beard with snow,

"And age's chilling gufts around me blow :

"In early youth, by contemplation led,

"With high pursuits my flatter'd thoughts were fed;

"To nature first my labours were confin'd,

"And all her charms were open'd to my mind,

"Each flow'r that gliften'd in the morning dew,
"And ev'ry fhrub that in the foreft grew:
"From earth to heav'n I caft my wond'ring eyes,
"Saw funs unnumber'd sparkle in the skies,

"Mark'd the juft progrefs of each rolling sphere,
"Defcrib'd the feafons, and reform'd the year.
"At length fublimer ftudies I began,

" And fix'd my level'd telescope on man;

"Knew all his pow'rs, and all his paffions trac❜d, "What virtue rais'd him, and what vice debas'd: "But when I faw his knowledge fo confin'd,

"So vain his wifhes, and fo weak his mind, "His foul, a bright obfcurity at best,

"And rough with tempests his afflicted breast,

"His life, a flow'r ere ev'ning sure to fade,

"His highest joys, the fhadow of a shade; "To thy fair court I took my weary way, "Bewail my folly, and heav'n's laws obey, "Confefs my feeble mind for pray'rs unfit "And to my maker's will my foul submit:

"Great

"Great empress of yon orb that rolls below, "On me the last best gift of heav'n bestow.”

He fpake: a fudden cloud his fenfes stole, And thick'ning darkness swam o'er all his foul; His vital spark her earthly cell forfook,

And into air her fleeting progress took.

Now from the throng a deaf'ning found was heard,
And all at once their various pray'rs prefer'd;
The goddess, wearied with the noisy croud,
Thrice wav'd her filver wand, and spake aloud:
"Our ears no more with vain petitions tire,
"But take unheard whate'er you firft defire.",

She said: each wish'd, and what he wifh'd obtain'd;
And wild confufion in the palace reign'd.

But Maia, now grown senseless with delight,

Caft on an em'rald ring her roving fight;

And,