OWLS	IN	A	VILLAGE	177
	in	every	cottage	it	would	be	known	that	an	apple	had
	dropped.	On	some	days	the	sound	of	the	threshing-
	machine	would	be	heard	a	mile	or	two	away	;	in	that
	still	atmosphere	it	was	like	the	prolonged	hum	of
	some	large	fly	magnified	a	million	times.	A	musical
	sound,	buzzing	or	clear,	at	times	tremulous,	rising	or
	falling	at	intervals,	it	would	swell	and	fill	the	world,
	then	grow	faint	and	die	away.	This	is	one	of	the
	artificial	sounds	which,	like	distant	chimes,	harmonise
	with	rural	scenes.
	Towards	evening	the	children	were	all	at	play,
	their	shrill	cries	and	laughter	sounding	from	all	parts
	of	the	village.	Then,	when	the	sun	had	set	and	the
	landscape	grew	dim,	they	would	begin	to	call	to	one
	another	from	all	sides	in	imitation	of	the	wood	owl's
	hoot.	During	these	autumn	evenings	the	children
	at	this	spot	appeared	to	drop	naturally	into	the	owl's
	note,	just	as	in	spring	in	all	parts	of	England	they
	take	to	mimicking	the	cuckoo's	call.	Children	are
	like	birds	of	a	social	and	loquacious	disposition	in
	their	fondness	for	a	set	call,	a	penetrative	cry	or	note,
	by	means	of	which	they	can	converse	at	long	dis-
	tances.	But	they	have	no	settled	call	of	their	own,
	no	cry	as	distinctive	as	that	of	one	of	the	lower
	animals.	They	mimic	some	natural	sound.	In	the
	case	of	the	children	of	these	Midland	villages	it	is
	M


OF	EBENEZER	FOX.	219
	ing	any	directions	from	home	respecting	our
	future	operations.
	When	we	arrived	at	Bordeaux,	we	found
	in	the	harbor,	which	is	very	capacious,	five
	or	six	hundred	vessels,	bearing	the	flags	of
	various	nations,	among	which	our	stars	and
	stripes	held	a	conspicuous	place.	As	we
	had	but	little	work	to	perform	on	board	of
	the	ship,	much	of	our	time	was	spent	on
	shore.
	With	the	improvidence	characteristic	of
	sailors,	our	money	was	spent	freely	;	and	in
	a	few	days	almost	every	one	of	the	crew
	graced	his	pocket	with	a	watch,	from	which
	a	formidable	chain	was	suspended	;	and,	to
	complete	the	equipment,	adorned	his	head
	with	a	new	hat	trimmed	with	a	broad	band
	of	gold	lace.
	When	we	made	a	visit	on	shore,	we	were
	very	careful	to	return	to	the	ship	before
	dark,	partly	on	account	of	the	patrol	that
	paraded	the	streets	at	night,	but	principally
	in	consequence	of	the	danger	of	being	on	the
	river	after	dark.	The	current	of	the	Ga
	ronne	is	extremely	rapid.	With	the	help
	of	the	tide,	we	ascended	the	river	to	Bor-


DEFINITION	AND	l^HEORY	OF	POETRY.	417
	SUGGESTED	EXERCISES.
	The	members	of	the	class,	after	proper	investigation,	may	state
	extemporaneously	from	notes~	or	fully	in	writing,	why	Tennyson's	"	In
	Memoriam"	is	poetry;	Arnold's	"Thyrsis;"	Milton's	"Lycidas;"
	Mrs.	Browning's	"Aurora	Leigh."	The	accepted	touchstones	may
	further	be	applied	to	"	The	Knight's	Tale"	of	the	Canterbury	series.
	Is	Chaucer	lacking	in	seriousness	?	Test	"	The	Clerk's	Tale	of	Patient
	Griselda;"	Whittier's	"Snow-Bound;"	Tennyson's	"The	Lotos-
	Eaters"	and	"The	Day-Dream	;"	Goldsmith's	"The	Deserted	Vil-
	lage	;	"	Poe's	"	The	Raven	;	"	Bryant's	"	Thanatopsis,"	"	The	Crowded
	Street,"	"To	a	Waterfowl"	(see	Dr.	Alden's	"	Studies	in	Bryant")	;
	Holmes's	"Wind	Clouds	and	Star	Drifts,"	"	Homesick	in	Heaven;"
	Stoddard's	"	Hymn	to	the	Sea	;	"	Campbell's	"	Gertrude	of	Wyoming."
	When	the	thoughts	of	a	writer	reach	that	degree	of	imaginative
	pressure	at	which	prose	will	no	longer	contain	them,	nature	provides
	a	remedy	by	whirling	the	composer	into	verse.	Can	you	detect	a
	principle	in	Shakespeare's	shifting	from	prose	to	verse	and	from	verse
	to	prose	in	"Twelfth	Night,"	"	Romeo	and	Juliet,"	or	"Hamlet"	?
	Prose	is	especially	adapted	to	the	didactic,	the	practical,	the	matter	of
	fact,	the	stern.	Note	that	it	is	used	in	the	dialogues	of	servants	and
	in	light	conversation	generally.	Why	does	Falstaff	always	speak	in
	prose?	Why,	in	"	Julius	Caesar,"	does	Casca	use	prose,	while	Brutus
	and	Cassius	have	recourse	to	verse?	Why	does	scene	iii.	act	i	of
	"	The	Merchant	of	Venice,"	begin	with	prose,	and	rise	to	verse?
	Answer	Dr.	Walcot's	query,	"	What	had	Achilles	been	without
	his	Homer?	"	noting	the	power	of	verse	to	perpetuate.
	BOOKS	OF	REFERENCE.
	Aristotle's	"	Poetics	;	"	Masson's	"	Theories	of	Poetry,"	in	"	North
	British	Review,"	August,	1853;	Professor	C.	C.	Everett's	"Poetry,
	Comedy,	and	Duty;	"	Professor	A.	S.	Cook's	"	Touchstones	of	Poe-
	try"	and	"	The	Art	of	Poetry	;	"	E.	C.	Stedman's	papers	on	the	"	Na-
	ture	and	Elements	of	Poetry,"	in	"The	Century,"	1892;	Shairp's
	"	Poetic	Interpretation	of	Nature,"	"	Aspects	of	Poetry,"	"	The	Aim
	of	Poetry;"	Dr.	Holmes's	"Poetry:	A	Metrical	Essay;"	Professor
	Dowden	on	"	Poetical	Feeling	for	Nature,"	"Contemporary	Review,"
	ii.	535	;	Emerson	on	"	The	Poet"	and	on	"	Poetry	and	Imagination	;	"
	Bailey's	"	Festus	;"	Pater's	"	Appreciations	;"	Alfred	Austin's	"	Prince
	Lucifer,"	p.	vii.	;	Raymond's	"	Poetry	as	a	Representative	Art."
	QUACK.	RHET.	27


5*3
	H	U	D	I	B	R	A	S.
	Fart	HI-
	That	beaftly	rabble	that	came	down
	From	all	the	garrets	in	the	Town,
	And	flails,	and	fhopboards-	in	vafl	fwarms,
	With	new-chalk'd	bills,	and	nifty	arms,
	To	cry	the	Caufe-	up,	heretofore,
	And	bawl	the	Bifhops	out	of	door.
	And	new-drawn	up	in	greater	fhoals,
	To	roaft	and	broil	us	on	the	coals,
	And	all	the	Grandees	of	our	members
	Are	carbonading	on	the	embres	;
	Knights,	citizens,	and	burgeffes
	Hold	forth	by	rumps	-	of	pigs	and	geefe,
	That	ferve	for	characters	and	badges	;
	To	reprefent	their	perfonages	;
	Each	bonfire	is	a	funeral	pile,
	In	which	they	roaft,	and	fcorch,	and	broil,
	And	ev'ry	rtprefentative
	Have	vow'd	to	roait	and	broil	alive	;
	And	'tis	a	miracle	we	are	not
	Already	facrific'd	incarnate	;
	For	while	we	wrangle	here,	and	jar,
	We're	grilly'd	ail	at	Temple-bar	;
	Some,	on	the	fign-poft	of	an	ale-houfe,
	Hang	in	effigy,	on	the	gallows,
	Made	up	of	rags	to	perfonate
	RefpeSive	officers	of	ftate;
	'I	hat,	henceforth,	they	may	ftand	reputed,
	Profcrib'd	in	law,	and	executed,
	And,	while	the	Work	is	carrying	on,
	Be	ready	lifted	under	Dun	*.
	That	Tvorthy	patriot,	once	the	bellows,
	And	tinder-box,	of	all	his	fellows	;
	The	adUv'ft	member	ef	the	five,
	As	well	as	the	moft	primitive	;
	Who,	for	his	faithful	fervice	then,
	Is	chofen	for	a	fifth	agen	f	:
	(For	fince	the	State	has	made	a	quint
	Of	Generals,	he's	lifted	in't)
	This	worthy,	as	the	world	will	fay,
	Is	paid	in	fpecie	his	own	way	:
	For,	moulded	to	the	life,	in	clouts
	Th'	have	pick'd	from	dunghills	hereabouts,
	He's	mounted	on	a	hazel	bavin
	A	cropp'd	malignant	baker	gave	'em	;
	And	to	the	largeft	bonfire	riding,
	They've	roaftedCook	already',	and	Pride	in	;
	On	whom,	in	equipage	and	ftate,
	His	fcarecrow	fellow-members	wait,
	And	march	in	order,	two	and	two,
	As	at	thaiikfgivings	th'	us'd	to	do,
	Each	in	a	tatter'd	talifman,
	Like	vermine	in	effigy	flam.
	But	what's	more	dreadful	than	the	reft)
	Thofe	rumps	are	but	the	tail	o'	th'	Beaft,
	Set	up	by	Popifti	engineers,
	As	by	the	crackers	plainly	'ppears	;
	For	none	but	Jefuits	have	a	miflion
	To	preach	the	faith	with	ammunition,
	/
	*	Dun	was	the	public	executioner	at	that	time	;	and
	tlie	executioners	long	after	that	went	by	the	fame	name.
	f	Sir	Arthur	Hazleriy,	one	of	the	five	member*	of	the
	Houfe	of	Commons,	was	impeached	1641	--s.;	was	go
	vernor	of	Newcaltle	upon	Tyne,	had	theBiihop	of	Durham's
	lioufe,	park,	ami	manor	of	Aukland,	and	6500	/.	in	money
	given	him.	He	died	in	the	Tower	of	London	Jan.	b,	tifff.
	And	propagate	the	Church	with	powder	;
	Their	founder	was	a	blown	-up	foldier.
	Thefe	fp'ritual	pioneers	o'	th'	Whore's,
	That	have	the	charge	of	all	her	ftores,
	Since	firft	they	fail'd	in	their	defigns,
	To	take	in	heav'n	by	fpririging	mines,
	And	with	unanfwerable	barrels
	Of	gunpowder	difpute	their	quarrels,
	Now	take	a	courfe	more	practicable,
	By	laying	trains	to	fire	the	rabble,
	And	blow	us	up,	in	th'	open	ftreets,
	Difguis'd	in	rumps,	like	iambenites,
	More	like	to	ruin	and	confound,
	Than	all	their	doclrines	underground.
	Nor	have	they	chofen	rumps	amiis,
	For	iymbols	of	State-myfteries,
	Though	fome	fuppofe	'twas	but	to	fliew
	How	much	they	fcorn'd	the	Saints,	the	few,
	Who,	'caule	they're	wafted	to	the	ftumps,
	Are	reprefented	beft	>/	rumps.
	But	Jefuits	have	deeper	reaches
	In	all	their	politic	far-fetches,
	And	from	the	Coptic	prieft	Kircherus	*,
	Found	out	his	niyftic	way	to	jeer	us	:
	For	as	the	Egyptian	us'd	by	bees
	T'	exprcfs	their	antique	Ptolemies,
	And	by	their	ftings,	the	fwords	they	wore,
	Held	forth	authority	and	pow'r	;
	Becaufe	thefe	fubtle	animals
	Bear	all	their	int'refts	in	their	tails,
	But	when	they're	once	impatr'd	in	that,
	Arc	banifh'd	their	well	order'd	State,
	They	thought	all	governments	were	beft.
	By	hieroglyphic	rumps	expreft,
	For	as,	in	bodies	natural,
	The	rump's	the	fundamental	of	all,
	So	in	a	commonwealth,	or	realm,
	The	government	is	call'd	the	Helm,
	With	which,	like	velTels	under	fail,
	They're	turn'd	and	winded	by	the	tail;
	The	tail,	which	birds	and	fifties	fteer
	Their	courfcs	with	through	fca	and	air,
	To	whom	the	rudder	of	the	rump	is
	The	fame	thing	with	the	ftern	and	compafs.
	This	ftiews	how	perfectly	the	rump
	And	commonwealth	in	Nature	jump;
	For	as	a	fly,	that	goes	to	bed,
	Refts	with	his	tail	above	his	head,
	So,	in	this	mongrel	ftate	of	ours,
	The	rabble	are	the	fupreme	powers,
	That	hors'd	us	on	their	backs,	to	fhcw	us
	A	jadifh	trick	at	laft,	and	throw	us.
	The	learned	Rabbins	of	the	Jews
	Write,	there's	a	bone,	which	they	call	Lue&.
	I'	th'	rump	of	man,	of	fuch	a	virtue,
	No	force	in	nature	can	do	hurt	to	;
	And	therefore,	at	the	laft	great	day,
	All	th'	other	members	{ball,	they	fay,
	pring	out	of	this,	as	from	a	feed
	All	forts	of	vegetals	proceed	;
	From	whence	the	learned	fons	of	Art,
	Osfacrvm	juftly	ftyle	that	part	:
	*	Athanaflus	Kircher,	a	Jefuit,	hath	\vrpte	largely	0*
	the	Egyptian	myltical	learning.


PALAMON	AND	ARCITR
	ill
	At	his	approach	they	rais'd	a	rueful	cry,	[high,
	And	beat	their	breafts,	and	held	their	hands	on
	Creeping	and	crying,	till	they	feiz'd	at	laft
	His	courfer's	bridle,	and	his	feet	embrac'd.	[are,
	Tell	me,	faid	Thefeus,	what	and	whence	you
	And	why	this	funeral	pageant	you	prepare	?
	Is	this	the	welcome	of	my	worthy	deeds,
	To	meet	my	triumph	in	ill-omend	weeds	?
	Or	envy	you	my	praife,	and	would	deftroy
	With	grief	my	pleafures,	and	pollute	my	joy?
	Or	are	you	injur'd,	and	demand	relief	?
	Name	your	requeft,	and	I	will	eafe	your	grief.
	The	moft	in	years	of	all	the	mourning	train
	Began	(but	fwooned	firft	away	for	pain)	;
	Then	fcarce	recover'd	fpoke	:	nor	envy	we
	Thy	great	renown,	nor	grudge	thy	victory	;
	'Tis	thine,	O	king,	th'	afflicted	to	rcdrefs,
	And	fame	has	fill'd	the	world	with	thy	fuccefs	:
	We	wretched	women	fue	for	that	alone,
	Which	of	thy	guodnefs	is	refus'd	to	none	;
	Let	fall	fome	drops	of	pity	on	our	grief,
	If	what	we	beg	be	juft,	and	we	deferve	relief	:
	For	none	of	us,	who	now	thy	grace	implore,
	But	held	the	rank	of	fovereign	queen	before	;
	Till,	thanks	to	giddy	chance,	which	never	bears,
	That	mortal	blifs	fhould	laft	for	length	of	years,
	She	caft	us	headlong	from	our	high	eftate,
	And	here	in	hope	of	thy	return	we	wait	:
	And	long	have	waited	in	the	temple	nigh,
	Built	to	the	gracious	goddefs	Clemency.
	But	reverence	thou	the	power	whofe	name	it	bears,
	^Lelieve	th'	opprefs'd,	and	wipe	the	widow's	tears,
	I,	wretched	I,	have	other	fortune	feen,
	The	wife	of	Capaneus,	and	once	a	queen	:
	At	Thebes	he	fell	;	curft	be	the	fatal	day	!
	And	all	the	reft	thou	feeft	in	this	array,
	To	make	their	moan,	their	lords	in	battle	loft
	Before	that	town	befieg'd	by	our	confederate	hqft	:
	But	Creon,	old	and	impious,	who	commands
	The	Theban	city,	arid	ufurp's	the	lands,
	t^nies	the	rites	of	funeral	fires	to	thofe
	Whofe	breathlcfs	bodies	yet	he	calls	his	foes.
	TJnburn'd,	unbury'd,	on	a	heap	they	lie	;
	Such	is	their	fate,	and	fuch	his	tyranny	;
	No	friend	has	leave	to	bear	away	the	dead,
	But	with	their	iifelefs	limbs	his	hounds	are	fed	:
	At	this	{he	lhriek	?	d	aloud	;	the	mournful	train
	Echo'd	her	grief,	and,	groveling	on	the	plain,
	With	groans,	and	hands	upheld,	to	move	his	mind,
	Befought	hi&	pity	to	their	helplefs	kind	!
	The	prince	was	touch'd,	his	tears	began	to	flow,
	And,	as	his	tender	heart	would	break	in	two,
	Jie	figh'd	;	and	could	not	but	their	fate	deplore,
	So	wretched	now,	fo	fortunate	before.
	Then	lightly	from	his	lofty	fteed	he	flew,
	And	railing	one	by	one	the	fuppliant	crew,
	*Fo	comfort	each,	full	folemnly	he	fwore,	[bore,
	That	by	the	faith	which	knights	to	knighthood
	And	whate'er	elfe	to	chivalry	belongs,
	He	would	not	ceafe,	till	he	reveng'd	their	wrongs:
	Th.it	Greece	ihould	lee	perform'd	what	he	declar'd;
	And	cruel	Creon	find	his	juft	reward.
	He	faid	no	more,	but,	fhunning	all	delay,
	|lpde	on	;	nor	emcr'd	Athens	on	his	way	;
	But	left	his	fifter	and	his	queen	behind,
	And	wav'd	his	royal	banner	in	the	wind	:
	Where	in	an	argent	field	the'	god	of	war
	Was	drawn	triumphant	on	his	iron	car	;
	Red	was	his	fword,	and	fhield,	and	whole	attire.
	And	all	the	godhead	feem'd	to	glow	with	fire	;
	Ev'n	the	ground	glitter'd	where	the	ftandard	flevr,
	And	the	green	grafs	was	dy'd	to	fanguine	hue.
	High	on	his	pointed	lance	his	pennon	bore
	His	Cretan	fight,	the	conquer'd	Minotaure	:
	The	foldiers	(hout	around	with	generous	rage,
	And	in	that	victory	their	own	prefage.
	He	prais'd	their	ardour	;	inly	pleas'd	to	fee
	His	hoft	the	flower	of	Grecian	chivalry.
	All	day	he	march'd	;	and	all	th'	enfuing	night	j
	And	faw	the	city	with	returning	light.
	The	procefs	of	the	war	I	need	not	tell,
	How	Thefeus	conquer'd,	and	how	Creon	fell	:
	Or	after,	how	by	ftorm	the	walls	were	won,
	Or	how	the	victor	fack'd	and	burn'd	the	town	j
	How	to	the	ladies	he	reftor'd	again
	The	bodies	of	their	lords	in	battle	flain	:
	And	with	what	ancient	rites	they	were	interr'd	5
	All	thefe	to	fitter	times	fhall	be	deferr'd	:
	I	fpare	the	widows	tears,	their	woeful	cries,
	And	howling	at	their	hufbands	obfequies	;
	How	Thefeus	at	thefe	funerals	did	afiift,
	And	with	what	gifts	the	mourning	dames	difmifs'd.
	Thus	when	the	victor	chief	had	Creon	flain,
	And	conquer'd	Thebes,	he	pitch'd	upon	the	plau|
	His	mighty	camp,	and,	when	the	day	return'd,
	The	country	wafted,	and	the	hamlets	burn'd,
	And	left	the	pillagers,	to	rapine	bred,
	Without	control	to	ftrip	and	fpoil	the	dead.
	There,	in	a	heap	of	flain,	among	the	reft
	Two	youthful	knights	they	found	beneath	a	load
	opprefs'd
	Of	flaughter'd	foes,	whom	firft	to	death	they	fent.
	The	trophies	of	their	ftrength,	a	bloody	monu->
	*	ment.
	Both	fair,	and	both	of	royal	blood	they	feem'd,
	Whom	kinfmen	to	the	crown	the	heralds	tieem'd	;
	That	day	in	equal	arms	they	fought	for	fame	;
	Their	fwords,	their	ihields,	their	furcoats,	were
	the	fame.
	Clofe	by	each	other	laid,	they	prefs'd	the	ground,
	Their	manly	bofoms	pierc'd	with	many	a	griefly
	wound	;
	Nor	well	alive,	nor	wholly	dead	they	were,
	But	fome	faint	figns	of	feeble	life	appear	:
	The	wandering	breath	was	on	the	wing	to	part,
	Weak	was	the	pulfe,	and	hardly	heav'd	the	heart,
	Thefe	two	were	fifters'	fons	;	and	Arcite	one,
	Much	fam'd	in	fields,	with	valiant	Palamon.
	From	thefe	their	coftly	arms	the	fpoilers	rent,
	And	foftly	both	convey'd	to	Thefeus'	tent	:
	Whom	known	of	Ci	eon's	line,	and	cur'd	with	carc^
	He	to	his	city	fent	as	prifoners	of	the	war,
	Hopelels	of	ranfom,	and	condemn'd	to	lie
	In	durance,	doom'd	a	lingering	death	to	die.
	This	done,	he	march'd	away	with	warlike	found,	~\
	And	to	his	Athens	turn'd	with	laurels	crown'd,	f
	Where	happy	long	he	liv'd,	much	lov'd,	andi"
	more	renown'd.	j
	-	x


THE	WORKS	OF	DRYDEN.
	But	in	a	tower,	and	never	to	be	loos'd,
	The	woeful	captive	kinfmen	are	inclos'd	:
	Thus	year	by	year	they	pafs,	and	day	by	day,
	Till	once,	'twas	on	the	morn	of	cheerful	May,
	The	young	Emilia,	fairer	to	be	feen
	Than	the	fair	lily	on	the	flowery	green,
	More	frcfti	than	May	herfelf	in	bloflbms	new,
	Tor	with	the	rofy	colour	ftrove	her	hue,
	Wak'd,	a&	her	cuftom	was,	before	the	day,
	To	do	th'	obfervancc	due	to	fprightly	May	:
	For	fprightly	May	commands	our	youth	to	keep
	The	vigils	of	her	night,	and	breaks	their	fluggard
	fleep;
	Each	gentle	breaft	with	kindly	warmth	fhe	moves	;
	Infpires	new	flames,	revives	extinguifh'd	loves.
	In	this	remembrance	Emily	ere	day
	Arofe,	and	drefs'd	herfelf	in	rich	array	;
	Frefli	as	the	month,	and	as	the	morning	fair	;
	Adown	her	fhoulders	fell	her	length	of	hair	:
	A	ribband	did	the	braided	treffes	bind,
	The	reft	was	loofe,	and	wanton'd	in	the	wind	:
	Aurora	had	but	newly	chas'd	the	night,
	And	purpled	o'er	the	fky	with	blufhing	light,
	When	to	the	garden	walk	fhe	took	her	way,	"^
	To	fport	and	trip	along	in	cool	of	day,
	And	offer	maiden	vows	in	honour	of	the	May.	3
	At	every	turn,	fhe	made	a	little	(land,
	And	thruft	among	the	thorns	her	lily	hand
	To	draw	the	rofe,	and	every	rofe	fhe	drew
	fihe	(hook	the	ftalk,	and	brufh'd	away	the	dew	:
	Then	party-colour'd	flowers	of	white	and	red
	She	wove,	to	make	a	garland	for	her	head	:
	This	done,	fhe	fung	and	carol'd	out	fo	clear,
	That	men	and	angels	might	rejoice	to	hear	:
	Ev'n	wondering	Philomel	forgot	to	fing	;
	And	learn'd	from	her	to	welcome	in	the	fpring.
	The	tower,	of	which	before	was	mention	made,
	Within	whofe	keep	the	captive	knights	were	laid,
	Built	of	a	large	extent,	and	ftrong	withal,
	Was	one	partition	of	the	palace	wall	:
	The	garden	was	inclos'd	within	the	fquare,
	Where	young	Emilia	took	the	morning	air.
	It	happen'd	Palamon	the	prifoner	knight,
	Reftlefs	for	woe,	arofe	before	the	light,
	And	with	4iis	jayl-r's	leave	defir'd	to	breathe
	An	air	more	wholefome	than	the	damps	beneath.
	This	granted,	to	the	tower	he	took	his	way,
	Cheer'd	with	the	promife	of	a	glorious	day	:
	Then	caft	a	languifhing	regard	around,	">
	And	faw	with	hateful	eyes	the	temples	crown'd	>
	With	golden	fpircs,	and	all	the	hoftile	ground,	j
	He	figh'd,	and	turn'd	his	eyes,	becaufe	he	knew
	*Twas	but	a	larger	goal	he	had	in	view	:
	Then	look'd	below,	and	from	the	caftle's	height
	Beheld	a	nearer	and	more	plcafing	iight	:
	The	garden,	which	before	he	had	not	feen,	"l
	Jn	fpringr'g	new	livery	clad	of	white	and	green,/
	Frefh	flowers	in	wide	parterres,	and	fhady	walks	y
	between.	J
	This	vicw'd,	but	rot	enjoy'd,	with	arms	acrofs
	He	ftood,	reflecting	on	his	country's	lofs	;
	Himfclf	an	objeA	of	the	public	fcoir,
	And	often	wifh'd	he	ntvcr	had	been	born.
	At	laft,	for	fo	his	dcfiiny	requir'd,
	With	walking	giddy,	and	w*	thinking	tir'd,
	He	through	a	little	window	caft	his	fight,
	Though	thick	of	bars	that	gave	a	fcanty	light	:
	But	ev'n	that	glimmering	ferv'd	him	to	defcry
	Th'	inevitable	charms	of	Emily.	'
	Scarce	had	he	feen,but,feiz'd	with	fudden	fmart,
	Stung	to	the	quick,	he	felt	it	at	his	heart	;
	Struck	blind	with	over-powering	light	he	ftood,
	Then	ftarted	back	amaz'd,	and	cry'd	aloud.
	Young	Arcite	heard	;	and	up	he	ran	with	hafte,
	To	help	his	friend,	and	in	his	arms	cmbrac'd	;
	And	aflc'd	him	why	he	look'd	fo	deadly	wan,
	And	whence	and	how	his	change	of	cheer	began?
	Or	who	had	done	th'	offence	?	But	if,	(aid	he,
	Your	grief	alone	is	hard	captivity	;
	For	love	of	heaven,	with	patience	undergo
	A	curelefs	ifl,	fince	fate	will	have	it	fo	:
	So	ftood	our	horofcope	in	chains	to	lie,
	And	Saturn	in	the	dungeon	of	the	fky,
	Or	other	baleful	afpe,	rul'd	our	birth,
	When	all	the	friendly	liars	were	under	earth	:
	Whate'er	betides,	by	deftiny	'tis	done	;
	And	better	bear	like	men,	than	vainly	feck	to
	fhun.
	Nor	of	my	bonds,	faid	Palamon	again,
	Nor	of	unhappy	planets	I	complain	;
	But	when	my	mortal	anguifh	cans'	d	my	cry,
	That	moment	I	was	hurt	through	either	eye	;
	Pierc'd	with	a	random	fhaft,	I	faint	away,
	And	perifh	with	infenfible	decay	:
	A	glance	of	fome	new	goddcfs	gave	the	wound,
	Whom,	like	Acteon,	unaware	I	found.
	Look	how	fhe	walks	along	yon	fhady	fpace,	"J
	Not	Juno	moves	with	more	majeftic	grace;	C
	And	all	the	Cyprian	queen	is	in	her	face.	J
	If	thou	art	Venus	(for	thy	charms	corifeft
	That	face	was	form'd	in	heaven,	nor	art	thou	lefs;
	Difguis'd	in	habit,	undifguis'd	in	fhape)
	O	help	us	captives	from	our	chains	to	'fcape	%
	But	if	our	doom	be	paft	in	bonds	to	lie
	For	life,	and	in	a	loathfbme	dungeon	die,
	Then	be	thy	wrath	appeas't!	with	our	difgrace,
	And	fhew	compaflion	to	the	Theban	race,
	Opprefs'd	by	tyrant	power	\	While	yet	he	fpoke,
	Arcite	on	Emily	had	fix'd	his	look	;
	The	fatal	dart	a	ready	paflage	found,	V	N
	And	deep	within	his	heart	infit'd	the	wound	:
	So	that	if	Palamon	were	wounded	fore,
	Arcite	was	hurt	as	much	as	he,	or	more	:
	Then	from	his	inmoft	foul	he	figh'd,	and	faid,
	The	beauty	I	behold	has	ftruck	me	dead	:
	Unknowingly	fhe	ftrikes	;	and	kills	by	chance	;
	Poifon	is	in	her	eyes,	and	death	in	every	glance.
	O,	I	muft	aflc	;	nor	afk	alone,	but	move
	Her	mind	to	mercy,	or	muft	die	for	love.
	Thus	Arcite	:	and	thus	Palamon	replies,
	(Eager	his	tone,	and	ardent	were	his	eyes.)
	Speak'ft	thou	in	earoeft,	or	in	jefting	vein	?
	Jeftinp,	faid	Arcite,	fuitsbut	ill	with	pain.
	Jt	fuits	far	worfc	(faid	Palamon	again,
	And	bent	his	brows)	with	men	who	honour	weig
	Their	faith	to	break,	their	friendfhip	to	betray	;
	But	worft	with	thee,	of	noble	lineage	born,
	My	kinfman,	and	in	arms	my	brother	fworn.
	Have	we	not	plighted	each	our	holy	oath,
	That	one	fhould	be	the	coir.rr.on	good	of	bo$	;


m	IT.
	PALAMON	AND	ARCITE.
	217
	Forth	in	his	fiery	ftecd	betimes	he	rode,
	That	fcarcely	prints	the	turf	on	which	he	trod	:
	At	eafe	he	fcem'd,	and,	prancing	o'er	the	plains,
	Turn'd	only	to	the	grove	his	horfe's	reins,
	The	grove	I	nam'd	before	;	and,	lighted	there,
	A	woodbine	garland	fought	to	crown	his	hair	;
	Then	tnrn'd	his	face	againft	the	rifing	day,
	And	rais'd	his	voice	to	welcome	in	the	May.
	For	thee,	fweet	month,	the	groves	green	li-
	:	veries	wear,
	If	not	the	firft,	the	fairnft	of	the	year	:
	For	thee	the	Graces	lead	the	dancing	hours,.
	And	Nature's	ready	pencil	paints	the	flowers:
	When	thy	ftiort	reign	is	paft,	the	feverifh	fun
	The	fultry	tropic	fears,	and	moves	more	flowly	on.
	So	may	thy	tender	bloffoms	fear	no	blight,
	Nor	goats	with	venom'd	teeth	thy	tendrils	bite,
	As	thou	(halt	guide	my-wandering	feet	to	find
	The	fragrant	greens	I	feck	my	brows	to	bind.
	His	vows	addrefs'd,	within	the	grove	he'll
	ftray'd,	/
	Till	fate,	or	fortune,	near	the	place	convey'd	f
	His	fteps	where	fecret	Palamon	was	laiJ.	3
	Full	little	thought	of	him	the	gentle	knight,
	Who,	flying	death,	had	there	conceal'd	his
	flight,
	In	breaks	and	brambles	hid,	and	fhunning	mor
	tal	fight	:
	And	lefs	he	knew	him	for	his	hated	foe,
	But	fear'd	him	as	a	man	he	did	not	know,
	But	as	it	has	been	laid	of	ancient	years,
	That	fields	are	full	of	eyes,	and	woods	have	ears	;
	For	this	the	wife	are	ever	on	their	guard,
	For,	unforefeen,	they	fay,	is	unprepar'd.
	Uncautious	Arcite	thought	himfelf	alone,
	And	Itfs	than	all	fufpe&ed	Palamon,
	Who	listening	heard	him,	while	he	fearch'd	the
	grove,
	And	loudly	fung	his	roundelay	of	love	:
	But	on	the	fudden	ftopp'd,	and	filent	ftood,
	As	lovers	often	mufe,	and	change	their	mood	;
	Now	high	as	heaven,	and	then	as	low	as	hell	;
	Now	up,	now	down,	as	buckets	in	a	well	:
	For	Venus,	like	her	day,	will	change	her	cheer,
	And	feldom	ftnll	we	fee	a	Friday	clear.
	Thus	Arcite,	having	fung,	with	alter'd	hue
	Sunk	on	the	ground,	and	from	his	bofom	drew
	A	defperate	figh,	accufing	Heaven	and	Fate,
	And	angry	Juno's	unrelenting	hate.
	Curs'd	be	the	day	when	firft	I	did	appear;	-Y
	Let	it	be	blotted	from	the	kalendar.	/
	Left	it	pollute	the	month,	and	poifori	all	thcf
	year.	J
	Still	will	the	jealous	Qneen	purfuc	our	race	?
	Cadmus	is	dead,	the	Theban	city	was	:
	Yet	ceafes	not	her	hate	;	for	all	who	come
	From	Cadmus	are	involv'd	in	Cadmus'	doom.
	1	fuffer	for	my	blood	:	onjuft	decree	!
	That	punifties	another's	crime	in	me.
	In	mean	eftate	I	ferve	my	mortal	foe,
	The	man	who	caus'd	my	country's	overthrow.
	This	is	not	all	;	for	Juno,	to	my	fhame,	")
	Has	forc'd	me	to	foriake	my	former	name;	>
	Arcite	I	was,	Philoflratus	I	am.	S
	That	fide	of	heaven	is	all	my	enemy	:
	Mars	ruin'd	Thebes	:	his	mother	ruin'd	me.
	Of	all	the	royal	race	remains	but	one
	Befides	myfdf,	th'	unhappy	Palamon,
	Whom	Thefeus	holds	in	bonds,	and	will	not	free;
	Without	a	crime,	except	his	kin	to	me.
	Yet	thefe,	and	all	the	reft,	I	could	endure	;
	But	Love's	a	malady	without	a	cure	;	j
	Fierce	Love	has	pierc'd	me	with	his	fiery	dart,
	He	fires	within,	and	hilfes	at	my	heart.
	Your	eyes,	fair	Emily,	my	fate	purfue	;
	I	fuffer	for	the	reft,	I	die	for	you.
	Of	fuch	a	Goddefs	no	time	leaves	record,
	Who	burn'd	the	temple	where	fhe	was	ador'd	:
	And	let	it	burn,	I	never	will	complain,
	Pleas'd	with	my	fufferings,	if	you	knew	my	pain*
	At	this	a	fickly	qualm	his	heart	aflail'd,
	His	ears	rung	inward,	and	his	fenfes	fail'd.
	No	word	mifs'd	Palamon	of	all	he	fpoke,
	But	foon	to	deadly	pale	he	chang'd	his	look	:
	He	trembled	every	limb,	and	felt	a	fmarr,
	As	if	cold	fteel	had	glided	through	his	heart	;
	No	longer	ftaid,	but	ftarting	from	his	place,
	Difcover'd	ftood,	and	fhevv'd	his	hoftile	face	:
	Falfe	traitor	Arcite,	traitor	to	thy	blood,
	Bound	by	thy	fapred	oath	to	feek	my	good,
	Now	art	thou	found	forefworn,	for	Emily;
	And	dar'ft	attempt	her	love,	for	whom	I	die.
	So	haft	thou	cheated	Thefeus	with	a	wile,
	Againft	thy	vow,	returning	to	beguile
	Under	a	borrow'd	name,	as	falfe	to	me,
	So	falfe	thou	art	to	him	who	fet	thee	free	:
	But	reft	affur'd,	that	either	thou	fhalt	die,
	Or	elfe	renounce	thy	claim	in	Emily	:
	For,	though	unarm'd	I	am,	and	(free'd	by	chance)
	And	here	without	my	fword,	or	pointed	lance	:
	Hope	not,	bafe	man,	unqucftion'd	hence	to	go,
	For	I	am	Palamon,	thy	mortal	foe.
	.Arcite,	who	heard	his	tale,	and	knew	the	man,
	His	fword	unfheath'd,	and	fiercely	thus	began	:
	Now	by	the	Gods	who	govern	heaven	above,
	Wert,thou	not	weak	with	hunger,	mad	with	love,
	That	word	had	been	thy	laft,	or	in	this	grove
	This	hand	fhould	force	thee	to	renounce	thy	love
	The	furety	which	I	gave,	thee,	I	defy	:
	Fool,	not	to	know	that	love	endures	no	tie,
	And	Jove	but	laughs	at	lovers	perjury	.
	Know	I	will	ferve	the	fair	in	thy	defpight	;
	But	fince	thou	art	my	kinfman,	and	a	knight,
	Here,	have	my	faith,	to-morrow	in	this	grove
	Our	arms	ihall	plead	the	titles	of	our	love	:
	And	Heaven	fo	help	my	right,	as	I	alone
	Will	come,	and	keep	the	caufe	and	quarrel	both
	unknown	;
	With	arms	of	proof	both	for	myfelf	and	thee	;
	Choofe	thou	the	beft,	and	leave	the	worft	to	me.
	And,	that	at	better	eafe	thou	may'ft	abide,
	Bedding	and	clothes	I	will	this	night	provide,'
	And	needful	fuftenance,	that	thou	may'ft	be
	A	conqueft	better	won,	and	worthy	me.
	His	promife	Palamon	accepts;	but	pray'd,
	To	keep	it	better	than	the	firft	he	made.
	Thus	fair	they	parted	till	the	morrow's	dawrtj
	For	each	had	laid	his	plighted	faith	to	paw,
	Pij


THE	WORKS	OF	DRYDEN.
	But	on	the	c!uy	when	this	returning	fun
	To	the	fame	point	through	every	fign	has	run,
	Then	each	of	you	his	hundred	knights	(hall	bring,
	In	royal	lifts,	to	fight	before	the	king	;
	And	then	the	knight,	whom	fate	or	happy	chance
	Shall	with	his	friends	to	victory	advance,
	And	grace	his	arms	fo	far	inequal	fight,
	From	out	the	bars	to	force	his	oppofite,
	Or	kill,	or	make	him	recreant	on	the	plain,
	The	prize	of	valour	and	of	love	(hall	gain	;
	The	vanquifh'd	party	fhall	their	claim	reltafe,
	And	the	long	jars	conclude	in	lafting	peace.
	The	charge	be	mine	t'	adorn	the	chofen	ground,
	The	theatre	of	war,	for	champions	fo	rcnown'd	;
	And	take	the	patron's	place	of	either	knight,	~\
	With	eyes	impartial	to	behold	the	fight	;	'	/
	And	heaven	of	me	fo	judge	as	I	(hall	judge	f
	aright.	J
	If	both	are	fati-fied	with	this	accord,
	Swear	by	the	laws	of	knighthood	on	my	fword.
	Who	now	but	Falamon	exults	with	joy	?
	And	ravifh'd	Arcite	feems	to	touch	the	iky	:
	The	whole	aflembled	troop	was	pleas'	d	as	well,
	Extol	th*	award,	and	on	their	knees	they	fell	-
	To	blefs	the	gracious	king.	The	knights	with
	leave	[ceive	;
	Departing	from	the	place,	his	lad	commands	re-
	On	Emily	with	equal	ardour	look,
	And	from	her	eyes	their	infpiration	took.
	From	thence	to	Thebes'	old	walls	purfue	their	way,
	Each	to	provide	his	champions	for	the	day.
	It	might	be	deem'd	on	our	hiftorian's	part,
	Or	too	much	negligence,	or	want	of	art,
	If	he	forgot	the	vaft	magnificence
	Of	royal	Thefeu,	and	his	large	expence.
	He	firft	inclos'd	for	lifts	a	Itvcl	ground,
	The	whole	circumference	a	mile	around	;
	The	form	was	circular	;	and	all	without
	A	trench	was	lunk,	to	moat	the	place	about,
	"Within	an	amphitheatre	appear'd,
	Rais'd	in	degrees	;	to	fixty	paces	rear'd	:
	That	when	a	man	was	plac'd	in	one	degree,
	Height	was	allow'd	for	him	above	to	foe.
	taft	ward	was	built	a	gate	of	marble	white	;
	The	like	adorn'd	the	weftcrn	oppofite.
	A	nobler	object	than	this	fabric	was,
	Rome	never	faw	;	nor	of	fo	vaft	a	fpace	:
	For,	rich	with	fpoils	of	many	a	corquer'd	land,
	All	arts	and	artifts	Thefeus	could	command	;
	Who	fold	for	hire,	or	wrought	for	better	fame	;
	The	mafter-pairiters	and	the	carvers	came.	i
	So	rofe	within	the	compafs	of	the	year
	An	age's	work,	a	glorious	theatre.
	Then	o'er	its	eafterrt	gate	was	rais'	J	above
	A	temple,	facred	to	the	queen	of	love;
	An	altar	flood	below	:	on	either	hand	[wand.
	A	prieft	with	rofes	crown'd,	who	held	a	myrtle
	The	dome	of	Mars	was	on	the	gate	oppos'd,
	And	on	the	north	a	turret	was	inclos'd,
	Within	the	wall	of	alabafter	white,
	And	crimfon	coral	for	the	queen	of	night,
	Who	takes	in	fylvan	fports	her	chafte	delight.
	Within	thefc	oratories	might	you	fee
	Rich	carvings,	portraitures,	and	imagery	:
	Where	every	figure	to	the	life	exprcft
	The	godhead's	power	to	whom	it	was
	In	Venus'	temple	on	the	fides	were	ft	en
	The	broken	{lumbers	of	enamour'd	men,
	Prayers	that	even	fpoke,	and	pity	feem'd	to	call,
	And	iffuing	fighs	that	fmok'd	along	the	wall.
	Complaints,	and	hot	delires,	the	lover's	hell,
	And	fcalding	tears	that	wore	a	channel	where
	they	fell	:
	And	all	around	were	nuptial	bonds,	the	ties,
	Of	love's	afiurance,	and	a	train	of	lies,
	That,	made	in	luft,	conclude	in	perjurits.
	Beauty,	and	youth,	and	wealth,	and	luxury,
	And	fpfitely	hope,	and	fliort-enduring	joy	;
	And	forceries	to	raife	th'	infernal	powers,
	And	figils	fram'd	in	planetary	hours	:
	Expence,	and	after-thought,	and	idle	care,
	And	doubts	of	mbtely	hue,	and	dark	defpair	;
	Sufpicions,	arid	fantaftical	furmife,
	And	jealoufy	fuffus'd,	with	jaundice	in	her	eyes,
	Decolouring	all	(he	view'd,	in	tawny	drels'd	;
	Down-look'd.	and	with	a	cuckow	on	her	fift.
	Oppos'd	to	her,	on	t'	other	fide	advance
	The	coftly	feaft,	the	carol,	and	the	danee,
	Minftrels,	and	mufic,	poetry,	and	play,
	And	balls	by	night,	and	tournaments	by	day.
	AU	theie	were	painted	on	the	wall,	and	more	:
	With	acts	and	monuments	of	times	before	:
	And	others	added	by	prophetic	doom,
	And	lovers	yet	unborn,	and	loves	to	come	:
	For	there	th'	Idalian	mount,	and	Citheron,
	The	court	of	Venus	was	in	colours	drawn	:
	Before	the	palace	gate,	in	carelefs	drefs,
	And	loofe	array,	fat	portrefs	Idlenefs:
	There,	by	the	fount,	NarcifTus	pin'd	alone;	~)
	There	Samfon	was,	with	wifer	Solomon,
	And	all	the	mighty	names	by	Love	undone.	j
	Medea's	charms	were	there,	Circean	feafts,
	With	bowls	that	turn'd	enamour'd	youths	to
	beafts,
	Here	might	be	feen,	that	beauty,	wealth,	and	wit.
	And	prowefs,	to	the	power	of	love	fubmit	:
	The	fpreading	fnare	for	all	mankind	is	laid	;
	And	lovers	all	betray,	and	are	bctray'd.
	The	Goddefs'	felf	feme	noble	hand	had	wrought	;
	Smiling	(he	feem'd,	and	lull	of	pleating	thought	:
	from	ocean	a*	(he	firft	began	to	rife,
	And	fmooth'd	the	ruffled	feas	and	clear'd	the
	fides;
	She	trod	the	brine	all	bare	below	the	breaft,
	And	the	green	waves	but	ill	conceai'd	the	reft	;
	A.	lute	{he	held,	and	on	her	head	was	feen
	A	wreath	of	roles	red,	and	myrtles	green	;
	Her	turtles	fann'd	the	buxom	air	above	;
	And,	by	his	mother,	flood	an	infant	Love,
	With	wings	unfledg'd	;	his	eyes	were	banded
	His	hands	a	bow,	his	back	a	quiver	bore,
	Supply'd	with	arrows	bright	and	keen,	a	dead
	ly	ftore.
	But	in	the	dome	of	mighty	Mars	the	red
	With	different	figures	all	the	fides	were	fpread	;
	This	temple,	lefs	in	form,	with	equal	grace,
	Was	imitative	of	the	firft	in	Thrace	:
	-1


Book	II.
	PALAMON	AND	ARCITE.
	For	that	cold	region	was	the	lov'd	abode,
	And	ibvereign	manfion	of	the	warrior	gocl.
	The	landfcape	was	a	foreft	wide	and	bare;
	Where	neither	beaft,	nor	human	kind	repair	;
	The	fowl,	that	fcent	afar,	the	borders	lly,
	And	fhun	the	bitter	blaft,	and	wheel	about	the
	fky.
	A	cake	of	fcurf,	lies	baking	on	the	ground,
	And	prickly	ftubs,	inftead	of	trees,	are	found	;
	Or	woods	with	knots	and	knarts	deform'd	and
	Headlefs	the	moft,	and	hideons	to	behold	:	[old	:
	A	rattling	tempeft	through	the	branches	went,
	That	ftripp'd	them	bare,	and	one	fole	way	they
	bent.
	Heaven	froze	above,	fevere,	the	clouds	congeal,
	And	throtigh	the	cryftal	vault	appear'd	the	ftand-
	ing	hail,
	Such	was	the	face	-without	;	a	mountain	flood
	Threatening	from	high,	and	overlook'd	the	wood:
	Beneath	the	lovvring	brow,	and	on	a	bent,
	The	temple	ftood	of	Mars	armipotent	:
	The	frame	of	burnifh'd	fteel,	that	caft	a	glare
	From	far,	and	feem'd	to	thaw	the	freezing	air.
	A	ftrait	long	entry	to	the	temple	led,
	Blind	with	high	walls	;	and	horror	over	head	:
	Thence	ifiVd	fuch	a	blaft,	and	hollow	roar,
	As	threaten'd	from	the	hinge	to	heave	the	door	;
	In	through	that	door,	a	northern	light	there
	(hone	;
	'Twas	all	it	had,	for	windows	there	were	none,
	The	gate	was	adamant	;	eternal	frame	!
	Which,	hew'd	by	Mars	himfelf,	from	Indian
	quarries	came,
	The	labour	of	a	god;	and	all	along
	Tough	iron	plates	were	clench'd	to	make	it	ftrong.
	A	ton	about	was	every	pillar	there	;
	A	polifh'd	mirror	fhone	not	half	fo	clear.
	There	faw	I	how	the	fecret	felon	wrought	*}
	And	treafon	labouring	in	the	traitor's	thought	:	I
	And	midwife	Time	the	ripen'd	plot	to	murder	f
	brought.	j
	There	the	red	anger	dar'd	the	pallid	fear;
	Next	ftood	hypocrify,	with	holy	leer	;
	Soft	Imiling,	and	demurely	looking	oown,
	But	hid	the	dagger	underneath	the	gown	:
	Th'	sflaflinating	wife,	the	household	fiend	;
	And	far	the	blackeft	there,	the	traitor-friend.
	On	t'	other	fide	there	ftood	deftru&ion	bare;
	Unpunifh'd	rapine,	and	a	wafte	of	war.
	Conteft,	with	fharpen'd	knives,	in	cloifters	drawn,
	Ar.d	all	with	blood	befpread	the	holy	lawn.
	Loud	menaces	were	heard,	and	foul	difgrace,
	And	bawling	infamy,	in	language	bafc
	Till	fenfe	was	loft	in	found,	and	filence
	place.
	The	flayer	of	himfelf	yet	faw	I	there,
	The	gore	congeal'd	was	clotted	in	his	hair	:
	With	eyes	half	clos'd,	and	gaping	mouth	he	lay,
	And	grim,	as	when	he	breath'd	his	fulleu	loul
	away.
	In	midft	of	all	the	dome,	misfortune	fate,
	And	gloomy	difcontent,	and	fell	debate,
	And	madnefs	laughing	in	his	ireful	mood	;
	And	arm'd	complaint	on	theft	;	and	cries	of	blood,
	awn.
	fgrace,	-)
	fe;	C
	:	fled	the	f
	There	was	the	murder'd	corpfe,	in	covert	laid,
	And	violent	dearh	in	thoufand	fhapes	difplay'd	:
	T	he	city	to	the	foldicr's	rage	refign'd	:
	Succefslefs	wars,	and	poverty	behind	:
	Ships	burnt	in	fight,	or	forc'd	on	rocky	fhores,
	And	the	rafh	hunter	ftrangled	by	the	boars	:
	The	new-born	babe	by	mirfes	overlaid	;
	And	the	cook	cnught	within	the	raging	fire	he
	All	ills	of	Mars's	nature,	flame	and	fteel	;	[made,
	The	gafping	charioteer,	beneath	the	wheel
	Of	his	own	car	;	the	ruin'd	houfc	that	falls
	And	intercepts	her	lord	betwixt	the	walls	;
	The	whole	divifion	that	to	Mars	pertains,
	All	trades	of	death	that	deal	in	fteel	for	gains,
	Were	there,	the	butcher,	armourer,	and	fmith,
	Who	forges	fharpen'd	faulchions,	or	the	fcythe.
	The	fcarlet	conqueft	on	a	tower	was	plac'd,
	With	fhouts,	and	foldiers	acclamations	grac'd	:
	A	pointed	fword	hung	threatening	o'er	his	head.
	Suftain'd	but	by	a	(lender	twine	of	thread.
	There	faw	I	Mars'	s	ides,	the	capitol,
	The	feer	in	vain	foretelling	Casfar's	fall	;
	The	laft	triumvirs,	and	the	wars	they	move,
	And	Antony,	who	loft	the	world	for	love.
	Thefe,	and	a	thoufand	more,	the	fane	adorn	;
	Their	fates	were	painted	e'er	the	men	were	born,
	All	copied	from	the	heavens,	and	ruling	force
	Of	the	red	ftar,	in	his	revolving	courfe.
	The	form	of	Mars	high	on	a	chariot	ftood,
	All	fheath'd	in	arms,	and	gruffly	look'd	the	God	:
	Two	geomantic	figures	were	difplay'd
	Above	his	head,	a	warrior	and	a	maid	;
	One	when	diredt,	and	one	when	retrograde.
	Tir'd	with	deformities	of	death,	I	hafte
	To	the	third	temple	of	Diana	chafte.
	A	fylvan	fcene	with	various	greens	was	drawn,
	Shades	on	the	fides,	and	on	the	midft	a	lawn	:
	The	filver	Cynthia,	with	her	nymphs	around,
	Purfu'd	the	flying	deer,	the	woods	with	horns
	refound	:
	Califto	there	ftood	manifeft	of	fhame,
	And,	turn'd	a	bear,	the	northern	ftar	became	:
	Her	fon	was	next,	and	by	peculiar	grace
	In	the	cold	circle	held	the	fecond	place	:
	The	ftag	Aclcon	in	the	ftream	ha:l	fpy'd
	The	naked	huntrefs,	and,	for	feeing	dy'd	:
	His	hounds,	unknowing	of	his	change,	purfue
	The	chace,	and	their	miftaken	mafter	flew.
	IVncian	Daphne	too	was	there	to	fee,
	Apollo's	love	before,	and	now	his	tree	:
	Th'	adjoining	fane	th'	aflembled	Greeks	exprefa'd,
	And	hunting	of	the	Caledonian	beaft.
	Oenides*	valour,	and	his	envy'd	prize	;
	The	fatal	power	of	Atalanta's	eyes	;
	Diana's	vengeance	on	the	victor	(hewn,
	The	murdrefs	mother	;	and	confuming	fon	;
	The	Volfcian	queen	extended	on	the	plain	;
	The	treafon	punifli'd,	and	the	traitor	flain.
	The	reft	were	various	huntings,	well	defign'd,
	And	favage	beafts	deftroy'd,	of	every	kind.
	The	graceful	goddefs	was	array'd	in	green	;	-\
	About	her	feet	were	little	beagles	feen,	/
	That	watch'd	with	upward	eyes	the	motions	of	Q
	their	queen.	J
	P	iiij
	I


THE	WORKS	OF	DRYDEtt.
	The	tourney	is	allow'd	but	one	career,
	Of	the	tough	afh,	with	the	{harp-grinded	fpear,
	But	knights	unhors'd	may	rife	from	off	the	plain,
	And	fight	on	foot	their	honour	to	regain	;
	Nor,	if	at	mifchief	taken,	on	the	ground
	Be	flain,	but	prifoners	to	the	pillar	bound,
	At	either	barrier	plac'd	;	nor	(captives	made)
	Be	freed,	or	arm'd	anew	the	fight	invade.
	The	chief	of	either	fide,	bereft	of	life,
	Or	yielded	to	his	foe,	concludes	the	ftrife.
	Thus	dooms	the	lord	:	now	valiant	knights	and
	young
	Fight	each	his	fill	with	fwords	and	maces	long.
	The	herald	ends	:	the	vaulted	firmament
	With	loud	acclaims	and	vaft	applaufe	is	rent	:
	Heaven	guard	a	prince	fo	gracious	and	fo	good,
	So	juft,	and	yet	fo	provident	of	blood	!
	This	was	the	general	cry.	The	trumpets	found,
	And	warlike	fymphony	is	heard	around.
	The	marching	troops	through	Athens	take	their
	way.
	The	great	earl-marfhal	orders	their	array.
	The	fair	from	high	the	paffing	pomp	behold	;
	A	rain	of	flowers	is	from	the	windows	roll'd.
	The	cafements	are	with	golden	tiffue	fpread,
	And	horfes	hoofs,	for	earth,	on	lilken	tapeftry
	tread	;
	The	king	goes	midmoft,	and	the	rivals	ride
	In	equal	rank,	and	clofe	his	either	fide.
	Next	after	thefe,	there	rode	the	royal	wife,
	With	Emily,	the	caufe	and	the	reward	of	ftrife.
	The	following	cavalcade,	by	three	and	three,
	Proceed	by	titles	marfhal'd	in	degree.
	Thus	through	the	fouthern	gate	they	take	their
	way,	v^,S.
	And	at	the	lift	arriv'd	e'er	prime	of	day.
	There,	parting	from	the	king,	the	chiefs	divide,
	And,	wheeling	Eaft	and	Weft,	before	their	many
	ride.
	Th'	Athenian	monarch	mounts	his	throne	on	high,
	And	after	him	the	queen	and	Emily	:
	Next	thefe	the	kindred	of	the	crown	are	grac'd
	With	nearer	feats,	and	lords	by	ladies	plac'd,
	Scarce	were	they	feated,	when	with	clamours	loud
	In	rufh'd	at	once	a	rude	promifcuous	crowd	:
	The	guards	and	then	each	other	overbear,
	And	in	a	moment	throng	the	fpacious	theatre.
	Now	chang'd	the	jarring	noife	to	whifpers	low,
	A*	winds	forfaking	feas	more	foftly	blow	;
	When	at	the	weftern	gate,	on	which	the	car
	Is	plac'd	aloft,	that	bears	the	God	of	war,
	Proud	Arcite	entering	arm'd	before	his	train,
	Stops	at	the	barrier,	and	divides	the	plain.
	Red	was	his	banner,	and	difplay'd	abroad
	The	bloody	colours	of	his	patron	God.
	At	that	felf-momcnt	enter*	Palamon
	The	gate	of	Venus,	and	the	rifing-fun	;
	Wav'd	by	the	wanton	winds,	his	banner	flies,
	All	maiden	white,	and	fhares	the	people's	eyes.
	From	Eaft	to	Weft,	look	all	the	world	around,
	Two	troops	fo	match'd	were	never	to	be	found	:
	Such	bodies	built	for	ftrength,	of	equal	age,
	In	ftature	fix'd	;	fo	proud	an	equipage	:
	The	niceft	eye	could	no	diftin&ion	make,
	Where	lay	th'	advantage,	or	what	fide	to	take,
	Thus	rang'd,	the	herald	for	the	laft	proclaims
	A	filence,	while	they	anfwer'd	to	their	names	:
	For	fo	the	king	decreed,	to	fhun	the	care,
	The	fraud	of	mufters	falfe,	the	common	bane	of
	war.
	The	tale	was	juft,	and	then	the	gates	were	clos'd	;
	And	chief	to	chief,	and	troop	to	troop	oppos'd.
	The	heralds	laft	retir'd,	and	loudly	cry'd,
	The	fortune	of	the	field	be	fairly	try'd.
	At	this,	the	challenger	with	fierce	defy	"y
	Kis	trumpet	founds	;	the	challeng'd	makes	reply	:
	With	clangor	rings	the	field,	refounds	the	vault-	T
	ed	fky.	3
	Their	vizors	clos'd,	their	lances	in	the	reft,
	Or	at	the	helmet	pointed,	or	the	creft	;
	They	vanifli	from	the	barrier,	fpeed	the	race,
	And	fpurring	fee	decreafe	the	middle	fpace.
	A	cloud	of	fmoke	envelops	cither	hoft.
	And	all	at	once	the	combatants	are	loft	:
	Darkling	they	join	advcrfe,	and	(hock	unfeen,
	Couriers	with	courfers	juftling,	men	with	men	:
	As.	labouring	in	eclipfe,	a	while	they	ftay,
	Till	the	next	blaft	of	wind	reftores	the	day.
	They	look	anew	:	the	beauteous	form	of	fight
	Is	chang'd,	and	war	appears	a	grizly	figRt.
	Two	troops	in	fair	array	one	moment	fhow'd,
	The	next,	a	field	with	fallen	bodies	ftrow'd	:
	Not	half	the	number	in	their	feats	are	found	;
	But	men	and	fteeds	lie	groveling	on	the	ground.
	The	points	of	fpears	are	ftuck	within	the	fliield,
	The	fteeds	without	their	riders	fcour	the	field.
	The	knights	unhors'd,	on	foot	renew	the	fight	;
	The	glittering	faulchions	caft	a	gleaming	light	:
	Hauberks	and	helms	are	hewd	with	many	z
	wound	:	[ground.
	Out	fpins	the	dreaming	blood,	and	dies	the
	The	mighty	maces	with	fuch	hafte	defcend,
	They	break	the	bones,	and	make	the	folid	armour
	bend.
	This	thrufts	amid	the	throng	with	furious	force	;
	Down	goes,	at	once,	the	horfcman	and	the	horfe	:
	That	courfer	ftumbles	on	the	fallen	deed,
	And	floundering	throws	the	rider	o'er	his	head.
	One	rolls	along,	a	foot-ball	to	his	foes	;
	One	with	a	broken	truncheon	deals	his	blows.
	This	halting,	this	difabled	with	his	wound,
	In	triumph	led,	is	to	the	pillar	bound,
	Where	by	the	king's	award	he	muft	abide	:
	There	goes	a	captive	led	on	t'	other	fide.
	By	fits	they	ceafe	;	and,	leaning	on	the	lance,
	Take	breath	a	while,	and	to	new	fight	advance.
	Full	oft	the	rivals	met,	and	neither	fpar'd
	His	utmoft	force,	and	each	forgot	to	ward.
	The	head	of	this	was	to	the	faddle	bent,
	The	other	backward	to	the	crupper	fent	:
	Both	were	by	turns	unhors'd	;	the	jealous	blows
	Fall	thick	and	heavy,	when	on	foot	they	clofe.
	So	deep	their	faulchions	bite,	that	every	ftroke
	Pierc'd	to	the	quick	;	and	equal	wounds	they	gave
	and	took.
	Borne	far	af	under	by	the	tides	of	men,
	Like	adamant	and	fteel	they	meet	again.
	So	when	a	tyger	fucks	the	bullock's	blood,
	A	famifb'd	lion	iffuing	from	the	wood
	Roars	lordly	fierce,	and	challenges/	the	food,
	I


in.
	PALAMON	AND	ARCITE.
	Each	claims	pofleffion,	neither	will	obey,
	But	both	their	paws	are	faften'd	on	the	prey	;
	They	bite,	they	tear	,	and	while	in	vain	they	ftrive,
	The	fwains	come	arm'd	between,	and	both	to
	diftance	drive.
	At	length,	as	fate	foredoom'd,	and	all	things	tend
	By	courfe	of	time	to	their	appointed	end	;
	S	when	the	fun	to	Wtft	was	far	declin'd,
	And	both	afrefh	in	mortal	battle	join'd,
	The	ftrong	Emetrius	came	in	Arcite's	aid,
	And	Palamon	with	odds	was	overlaid	:
	For,	turning	fhort,	he	ftruck	with	all	his	might
	Full	on	the	helmet	of	th'	unwary	knight.
	Deep	was	the	wound	;	he	ftagger'd	with	the
	blow,
	And	turn'd	him	to	his	unexpected	foe	;
	Whom	with	fuch	force	he	ftrutk,	he	fell'd	him
	down,
	And	cleft	the	circle	of	his	golden	crown.
	But	Arcite's	men,	who	now	prevail'd	in	fight,
	Twice	ten	at	once	furround	the	fingle	knight	:
	D'erpower'd,	at	length,	they	force	him	to	the
	ground,
	[Jnyielded	as	he	was,	and	to	the	pillar	bound	;
	And	king	Lycurgus,	while	he	fought	in	vain
	His	friend	to	free,	v/as	tumbled	on	the	plain.
	Who	now	laments	but	Palamon,	compell'd
	o	more	to	try	the	fortune	of	the	field	!
	And,	worfe	than	death,	to	view	with	hateful	eyes
	H	s	rival's	conqueft,	and	renounce	the	prize!
	The	royal	judge	on	his	tribunal	plac'd,
	Who	had	beheld	the	fight	from	firft	to	laft,
	Bad	ceafe	the	war;	pronouncing	from	on	high,
	Arcite	of	Thebes	had	won	the	beauteous	Emily
	The	found	of	trumpets	to	the	voice	reply'd,
	And	round	the	royal	lifts	the	heralds	cry	:
	Arcite	of	Thebes	has	won	the	beauteous
	The	people	rend	the	flcies	with	vaft	applaufe	;
	All	own	the	chief,	when	fortune	owns	the	caufe.
	Arcite	is	own'd	ev'n	by	the	Gods	above,
	And	conquering	Mars	infults	the	Queen	of	Love.
	lo	laugh'd	he,	when	the	rightful	Titan	fail'd,
	And	Jove's	ufurping	arms	in	heaven	prevail'd.
	Laugh'd	all	the	powers	who	favour	tyranny	;
	And	.all	the	{landing	army	of	the	iky.
	But	Venus	with	dejected	eyes	appears,
	And	weeping	on	the	lifts	diftill'd	her	tears;
	Her	will	refus'd,	which	grieves	a	woman	moft,
	And,	in	her	champion	foil'd,	the	caufe	of	Love
	is	loft.
	fill	Saturn	faid,	Fair	daughter,	now	be	ftill,
	The	bluftering	fool	has	fatisfy'd	his	will	;
	4is	boon	is	given	;	his	knight	has	gain'd	the	day,
	But	loft	the	prize,	th'	arrears	are	yet	to	pay.
	Thy	hour	is	come,	and	mine	the	care	fhall	be
	To	pleafe	thy	knight,	and	fet	thy	promife	free.
	Now	while	the	heralds	run	the	lifts	around,
	And	Arcite,	Arcite,	heaven	and	earth	refomid	;
	A	miracle	(nor	lefs	it	could	be	call'd)
	Their	joy	with	unexpected	forrow	pall'd.
	The	victor	knight	had	laid	his	helm	afide,
	Part	for	his	eafe,	the	greater	part	for	pride	;
	Bare-headed,	popularly	low	he	bow'd,
	And	paid	the	falutations	of	the	crowd.
	o	j-iiiuy*
	y'4,	7
	r'd,	{
	bride.	3
	Then	fpurring	at	full	fpeed,	ran	endlong	on
	Where	Thefcus	fate	on	his	imperial	throne	;
	Furious	he	drove,	and	upward	caft	his	eye.
	Where	next	the	queen	was	plac'd	his	Emily
	Then	paffing	to	the	lad	die-bow	he	bent	:
	A	fweet	regard	the	gracious	virgin	lent
	(For	women,	to	the	brave	an	eafy	prey,
	Still	follow	Fortune	where	(he	leads	the	way)	:
	Juft.	then,	from	earth	fprung	out	a	flaming	fire,
	By	Pluto	fent,	at	Saturn's	bad	defire	:
	The	ftartling	fteed	was	feiz'd	with	fudden	fright,
	And,	bounding,	o'er	the	pommel	caft	the	knight	;
	Forward	he	flew,	and,	pitching	on	his	head,
	He	quiver'd	with	his	feet,	and	lay	for	dead.
	Black	was	his	countenance	in	a	little	fpace,
	For	all	the	blood	was	gather'd	in	his	face.
	Help	was	at	hand	:	they	rear'd	him	from	the
	ground,
	And	from	his	cumbrous	arms	his	limbs	unbound	;
	Then	lanc'd	a	vein,	and	watch'd	returning	breath	;
	It	came,	but	clogg'd	with	fymptoms	of	his	death.
	The	faddle-bow	the	noble	parts	had	preft,
	AH	bruis'd	and	mortify	'd	his	manly	breaft.
	Him	ftill	entranc'd,	and	in	a	litter	laid,
	They	bore	from	field,	and	to	his	bed	convey'd,
	At	length	he	wak'd,	and,	with	a	feeble	cry,
	The	word	he	firft	pronounc'd	was	Emily.
	Mean	time	the	king,	though	inwardly	He
	mourn'd,
	In	pomp	triumphant	to	the	town	return'd.
	Attended	by	the	chiefs	who	fought	the	field
	(Now	friendly	mix'd,	and	in	one	troop	compell'd).
	Compos'd	his	looks	to	counterfeited	cheer,
	And	bade	them	not	for	Arcite's	life	to	fear.
	But	that	which	gladded	all	the	warrior-train,
	Though	moft	were	forely	wounded,	none	were
	flain.
	The	furgeons	foon	defpoil'd	them	of	their	arms,
	And	fome	with	lalves	they	cure,	and	iome	with
	charms	;
	Foment	the	bruifes,	and	the	pains	affuagc,
	And	heal	their	inward	hurts	with	fovereign
	draughts	of	fage.
	The	king	in	perfon	vifits	all	around,
	Comforts	the	fick,	congratulates	the	found	;
	Honours	the	princely	chiefs,	rewards	the	reft,
	And	holds	for	thrice	three	days	a	royal	feaft.
	None	wa?	difgracM	;	for	falling	is	no	Ihame	;
	And	cowardice	alone	is	lofs	of	fame.
	The	venturous	knight	is	from	the	faddle	thrown	;
	But	'tis	the	fault	of	fortune,	not	his	own,
	If	crowds	and	palms	the	conquering	fide	adorn.
	The	victor	under	better	ftars	was	born	:
	The	brave	man	feeks	not	popular	applaufe,
	Nor	over-power'd	with	arms	deferts	his	caufe	;
	Unfham'd,	though	foil'd,	he	does	the	beft	he
	can	;
	Force	is	of	brutes,	but	honour	is	of	man.
	Thus	Thefeus	fmil'd	on	all	with	equal	grace	;
	And	each	was	Jet	according	to	his	place.
	With	eafe	were	reconciFd	the	differing	parts,
	For	envy	never	dwells	in	noble	hearts.
	At	length	they	took	their	leave,	the	time	expir'd	;
	Well	pleas'd,	and	to	their	feveral	homes	retir'd.


Sock	777.
	PALAMON	AND	ARCITE.
	Thefeus	himfelf,	who	fhould	have	chcer'd	the
	grief
	Of	others,	wanted	now	the	fame	relief.
	Old	Egeus	only	could	revive	his	fon,
	Who	various	changes	of	the	world	had	known,
	And	ftrange	viciflltudcs	of	human	fate,
	Still	altering,	never	in	a	fteady	ftate	;
	Good	after	ill,	and	after	pain	delight	;
	Alternate,	like	the	fcenes	of	day	and	night	;
	Since	every	man	who	lives	is	born	to	die,
	And	none	can	boaft	fincere	felicity,
	With	equal	mind	what	happens	let	us	bear,
	Nor	joy	nor	grieve	too	much	for	things	beyond
	our	care.
	Like	pilgrims	to	th'	appointed	place	we	tend	;
	The	world	's	an	inn,	and	death	the	journey's	end.
	Ev'n	kings	but	play	;	and	when	their	part	is	done,
	Some	other,	worfe	or	better,	mount	the	throne.
	With	worlds	like	thefe	the	crowd	was	fatisfy'd,
	And	fo	they	would	have	been,	had	Thefeus	dy'd.
	But	he,	their	king,	was	labouring	in	his	mind,
	A	fitting	place	for	funeral	pomps	to	find,
	Which	were	in	honour	of	the	dead	defign'd.
	And,	after	long	debate,	at	laft	he	found
	(As	love	itfelf	had	mark'd	the	fpot	of	ground)
	That	grove	for	ever	green,	that	confcious	land,
	Where	he	with	Palamon	fought	hand	to	hand	:
	That	where	he	fed	his	amorous	defires
	With	foft	complaints,	and	felt	his	hotteft	fires,
	There	other	flames	might	wafte	his	earthly	part,
	And	burn	his	limbs,	where	love	had	burn'd	his
	,	heart.
	This	once	refolv'd,	the	peafants	were	enjoin'd
	Sere-wood,	and	firs,	and	dodder'd	oaks	to	find.
	With	founding	axes	to	the	grove	they	go,
	Fell,	fplit,	and	lay	the	fuel	on	a	row,
	Vulcanian	food	:	a	bier	is	next	prepar'd,
	On	which	the	lifelefs	body	fhould	be	rear'd,
	Cover'd	with	cloth	of	gold,	on	which	was	laid
	The	corpfe	of	Arcite,	in	like	robes	array'd.
	White	gloves	were	on	his	hands,	and	on	his	head
	A	wreath	of	laurel,	mix'd	with	myrtle	fpread.
	A	fword	keen-edg'd	within	his	right	he	held,
	The	warlike	emblem	of	the	conquer'd	field	:
	Bare	was	his	manly	vifage	on	the	bier	:
	Alenac'd	his	countenance	;	even	in	death	fevere.
	Then	to	the	palace-hall	they	bore	the	knight,
	To	lie	in	folemn	ftatc,	a	public	fight.
	Groans,	cries,	and	bowlings	fill	the	crowded	place,
	And	unaffected	forrow	fat	on	every	face.
	Sad	Palamon	above	the	reft	appears,
	In	fable	garments,	dew'd	with	gufhing	tears	:
	His	auburn	locks	on	either	fhoulder	fiow'd,
	Which	to	the	funeral	of	his	friend	he	vow'd	:
	But	Emily,	as	chief,	was	next	his	fide,
	A	virgin-widow,	and	a	mourning	bride.
	And,	that	the	princely	obfequies	might	be
	Perform'd	according	to	his	high	degree,
	The	fteed,	that	bore	him	living	to	the	fight,	~l
	Was	trapp'd	with	polifh'd	fteel,	all	fhining/
	bright,
	And	cover'd	with	th'	atchievements	of	the	knight,	J
	The	riders	rode	abreaft,	and	one	his	fhield,
	His	lance	of	cornel-wood	another	held	j
	VOL.	VI.
	The	third	his	bow,	and,	glorious	to	behold,
	The	coftly	quiver,	all	of	burnifh'd	gold.
	The	nobleft	of	the	Grecians	next	appear,
	And,	weeping,	on	their	fhoulders	bore	the	bier;
	With	fober	pace	they	march'd,	and	often	ftaid,
	And	through	the	mafter-ftreet	the	corps	convey'd.
	The	houfes	to	their	tops	with	black	were	fpread,
	And	ev'n	the	pavements	were	v	ith	mourning	hid.
	The	right	fide	of	the	pall	old	Egeus	kept,
	And	on	the	left	the	royal	Thefeus	wept	;
	Each	bore	a	golden	bowl	of	work	divine,
	With	honey	fill'd,	and	milk,	and	mix'd	with	ruddy
	wine.
	Then	Palamon,	the	kinfman	of	the	flain,
	And	after	him	appear'd	th'	illuftrious	train.
	To	grace	the	pomp,	came	Emily	the	bright,
	With	cover'd	fire	the	funeral	pile	to	light.
	With	high	devotion	was	the	fervice	made,
	And	all	the	rites	of	pagan	honour	paid	:
	So	lofty	was	the	pile,	a	Parthian	bow,
	With	vigour	drawn,	muft	fend	the	fhaft	below.	|
	The	bottom	was	full	twenty	fathom	broad,
	With	crackling	ftraw	beneath	in	due	proportion
	ftrow'd.
	The	fabric	feem'd	a	wood	of	rifing	green,
	With	fulphur	and	bitumen	eaft	between,
	To	feed	the	fhmes	:	the	trees	were	unclious	fir,-j
	And	mountain	afh,	the	mother	of	the	fpear	;	C
	The	mourner	yew	and	builder	oak	were	there	:	j
	The	beech,	the	fwimming	alder,	and	the	plane,	~>
	Hard	box,	and	linden	of	a	fofter	grain,	/
	And	laurels,	which	the	gods	for	conquering	f
	chiefs	ordain.	J
	How	they	were	rank'd,	fhall	reft	untold	by	me,
	With	namelefs	nymphs	that	liv'd	in	every	tree	;
	Nor	how	the	dryads,	or	the	woodland	train,
	Difherited,	ran	howling	on	the	plain	:
	Nor	how	the	birds	to	foreign	feats	repair'd,
	Or	beafts,that	bolted	out,	and	faw	the	foreft	bar'd	:
	Nor	how	the	ground,	now	clear'd,	with	ghaftly
	fright
	Beheld	the	fudden	fun,	a	ftranger	to	the	ligkt.
	The	ftraw,	as	firft	I	faid,	was	laid	below	;
	Of	chips	and	fere-wood	was	the	fecond	row	;
	Thq	third	of	greens,	and	timber	newly	fell'd	;
	The	fourth	high	ftage	the	fragrant	odours	held,
	And	pearis,	and	precious	ftones,	and	rich	array	;
	In	midft	of	which,	embalm'd,	the	body	lay.
	The	fervice	fung,	the	maid	with	mourning	eyes
	The	ftubble	fir'd	;	the	fmouldering	flames	arifc	s
	This	office	done,	fhe	funk	upon	the	ground	;
	But	what	fhe	fpoke,	recaver'd	from	her	fwoon,
	I	want	the	wit	in	moving	words	to	drefs	;
	But	by	themfelves	the	tender	fex	may	guefs.
	While	the	devouring	fire	was	burning	faft,
	Rich	jewels	in	the	flame	the	wealthy	caft;	[threw,
	And	Ibme	their	(hie	ids,	and	fome	their	lances
	And	gave	their	warrior's	ghoft	a	warrior's	due.
	Full	bowls	of	wine,	of	honey,	milk,	and	blood,	*^
	Were	pour'd	upon	the	pile	of	burning	wood,	t
	And	hiffing	flames	receive,	and	hungry	lick	the	f
	food.	3,
	Then	thrice	the	mounted	fquadrons	ride	around
	The	fire	;	and	Arcite's	name	they	thrice	refound;


THE	FLOWER	AND	THE	LEAF.
	Both	eyes	and	ears	receiv'd	a	like	delight,
	Enchanting	mufic,	and	a	charming	fight.
	On	Philomel	I	fix'd	my	whole	defire	;
	And	liiten'd	for	the	queen	of	all	the	quire	;
	Fain	would	I	hear	her	heavenly	voice	to	(ing	;
	And	wanted	yet	an	omen	to	the	fpring.
	Attending	long	in	vain,	I	took	the	way,
	Which	through	a	path	but	fcarcely	printed	lay	;
	In	narrow	mazes	oft	it	feem'd	to	meet,
	And	look'd	as	lightly	prefs'd	by	fairy	feet.
	Wandering	I	walk'd	alone,	for	ftill	methought
	To	fome	ftrange	end	fo	ftrange	a	path	was
	wrought	:
	At	laft	it	led	me	where	an	arbour	ftood,
	The	facred	receptacle	of	the	wood	:	[green,
	This	place	unmark'd,	though	oft	I	walk'd	the
	In	all	my	progrefs	I	had	never	feen	:
	And,	feiz'd	at	once	with	wonder	and	delight,
	Gaz'd	all	around	me,	new	to	the	tranfporting
	fight.
	'Twas	bench'd	with	turf,	and	goodly	to	be	feen,
	The	thick	young	grafs	arofe	in	frefher	green	:
	The	mound	was	newly	made,	no	fight	could	pafs
	Betwixt	the	nice	partitions	of	the	grafs	;
	The	well-united	fods	fo	clofcly	lay	;
	And	all	around	the	{hades	defended	it	from	day	:
	For	fycamores	with	eglantine	were	fpread,
	A	hedge	about	the	fides,	a	covering	over	head.
	And	fo	the	fragrant	brier	was	wove	between,
	The	fycamorc	and	flowers	were	mix'd	with
	green,
	That	nature	feem'd	to	Vary	the	delight	;
	And	fatisfy'd	at	once	the	fmell	and	fight.
	The	mafter	workman	of	the	bower	was	known
	Through	fairy-lands,	and	built	for	Oberon	;
	Who	twining	leaves	with	fuch	proportion	drew,
	They	rofe	by	meafure,	and	by	rule	they	grew	;
	No	mortal	tongue	can	half	the	beauty	tell	:
	For	none	but	hands	divine	could	work	fo	well.
	Both	roof	and	fides	were	like	a	parlour	made,
	A	foft	receff,	and	a	cool	fummer	(hade	;
	The	hedge	was	fet	fo	thick,	no	foreign	eye
	The	perfons	plac'd	within	it	could	efpy	:
	But	all	that	pafs'd	without,	with	eafe	was	feen,
	As	if	nor	fence	nor	tree	was	plac'd	between.
	'Twas	border	'd	with	a	field	;	arid	fome	was	plain
	With	grafs,	and	fome	was	fow'd	with	rifing	grain.
	That	(now	the	dew	with	fpangles	deck'd	the
	ground)
	A	fweeter	fpot	of	earth	was	never	found.
	I	look'd	and	look'd,	and	ftill	with	new	delight	;
	Such	joy	my	foul,	fuch	pleafures	fill'd	my	fight	:
	And	the	frefh	eglantine	exhal'd	a	breath,
	Whofe	odours	were	of	power	to	raife	from	death.
	Nor	fullen	difcontent,	nor	anxious	care,
	Ev'n	though	brought	thither,	could	inhabit	there	:
	But	thence	they	fled	as	from	their	mortal	foe	;
	Jor	this	fweet	place	could	only	pleafure	know.
	Thus	as	I	mus'd,	T	caft	afide	my	eye,
	And	faw	a	medlar-tree	was	planted	nigh.
	The	fpreading	branches	made	a	goodly	(how,
	And	full	of	opening	blooms	was	every	bough	:
	A	goldfinch	there	I	faw	with	gawdy	pride
	Of	painted	plumes,	that	hopp'd	from	fide	to	fide,
	Still	pecking	as	(he	pafs'd	;	and	ftill	(he	drew
	The	fweets	from	every	flower,	and	fuck'd	the
	dew:
	Suffic'd	at	length,	(he	warbled	in	her	throat,
	And	tun'd	her	voice	to	many	a	merry	note,
	But	indiftind:,	and	neither	fweet	nor	clear,
	Yet	fuch	as	footh'd	my	foul,	and	pleas'd	my	ear.
	Her	fhort	performance	was	no	fooner	try'd,
	When	(he	I	fought,	the	nightingale,	reply'd	:
	So	fweet,	fo	(hrill,	fo	varioufly	(he	fung,
	That	the	grove	echoed,	and	the	valleys	rung	:
	And	I	fo	ravifh'd	with	her	heavenly	note,
	I	ftood	intranc'd,	and	had	no	room	for	thought,
	But,	all	o'er-power'd	with	ecftacy	of	blifs,
	Was	in	a	pleafing	dream	of	paradife	;
	At	length	I	wak'd,	and,	looking	round	the	bower,
	Search'd	every	tree,	and	pry'd	on	every	flower,
	If	any	where	by	chance	I	might	efpy,
	The	rural	poet	of	the	melody	:
	For	ftill	methought	(he	fung	not	far	away	:
	At	laft	I	found	her	on	a	laurel	fpray.
	Clofe	by	my	fide	(he	far,	and	fair	in	fighf,
	Full	in	a	line	againft	her	oppofite	;
	Where	ftood	with	eglantine	the	laurel	twin'd	;
	And	both	their	native	fweets	were	well	conjoin'd.
	On	the	green	bank	I	fat,	and	liften'd	long
	(Sitting	was	more	convenient	for	the	fong)	:
	Nor	till	her	lay	was	ended	could	I	move,
	But	wifh'd	to	dwell	for	ever	in	the	grove.
	Only	methought	the	time	too	fwiftly	pafs'd,
	And	every	note	I	fear'd	wuld	fie	the	laft.
	My	fight,	and	fmell,	and	hearing,	were	employ'd,
	And	all	three	fenfes	in	full	guft	enjoy	'd.
	And	what	alone	did	all	the	reft	furpafs,
	The	fweet	poffeffion	of	the	fairy	place	;
	Single,	and	confcious	to	myfelf	alone
	Of	pleafures	to	th'	excluded	world	unknown	:
	Pleafures	which	no	where	elfe	were	to	be	found,
	And	ail	Elyfium	in	a	fpot	of	ground.
	Thus	while	I	fat	intent	to	fee	and	hear,
	And	drew	perfumes	of	more	than	vital	air,
	All	fuddenly	I	heard	th'	approaching	found
	Of	vocal	mufic,	on	th'inchanted	ground	:
	An	hoft	of	faints	it	feem'd,	fo	full	the	quire	;	~)
	As	if	the	blefs'd	above	did	all	confpire
	To	join	their	voices,	and	negle<5t	the	lyre.	^
	At	length	there	iffucd	from	the	grove	behind
	A	fair	affembly	of	the	female	kind	:
	A	train	lefs	fair,	as	ancient	fathers	tell,
	Seduc'd	the	fons	of	heaven	to	rebel.
	.1	pafs	their	form,	and	every	charming	grace,
	Lefs	than	an	angel	would	their	worth	debafe	:
	But	their	attire,	like	liveries	of	a	kind
	All	rich	and	rare,	is	frefli	within	my	mind.
	In	velvet	white	as	fnow	the	troop	was	gown'd,
	The	feams	with	fparkling	emeralds	fet	around	:
	Their	hoods	and	fleeves	the	fame	;	and	purflcd	o'er
	With	diamonds,	pearls,	and	all	the	mining	(tore
	Of	eaftern	pomp	:	their	long	descending	train,
	With	rubies	edg'd,	and	fappbires,	fwept	the	plain:
	High	on	their	heads,	with	j	ewels	richly	fet,,
	Each	lady	wore	a	radiant	coronet.
	Beneath	the	circles,	all	the	quire	was	grac'd
	With	chaplet*	green	on	their	fair	foreheads	plac'd.


454
	THE	WORKS	OF	DRY	DEN.
	Of	laurel	fame,	of	woodbine	many	more	;
	And	wreaths	of	Agnus	caftus	others	bore	:
	Thcfe	laft,	who	with	thofe	virgin	crowns	were
	drefs'd,
	Appear'd	in	higher	honour	than	the	reft.
	They	danc'd	around	:	but	in	the	midft	wasfeen*^
	A	lady	of	a	more	majeftic	mien	;	t
	By	ftature	and	by	beauty	mark'd	their	fove-	f
	reign	queen.	3
	She	in	the	midft	began	with	fober	grace	;
	Her	fervant's	eyes	were	fix'd	upon	her	face,
	And,	as	(he	mov'd	or	turn'd,	her	motions	view'd,
	Her	meafures	kept,	and	ftep	by	ftep	purfued.
	3Vtethought	(he	trod	the	ground	with	greater
	grace,
	With	more	of	godhead	fhining	in	her	face	;
	And	as	in	beauty	flie	furpafs'd	the	quire,
	So,	nobler	than	the	reft,	was	her	attire.
	A	crown	of	ruddy	gold	inclos'd	her	brow,
	Plain	without	pomp,	and	rich	without	a	(how	:
	A	branch	of	Agnus	caftus	in	her	hand
	She	bore	aloft	(her	fceptre	of	command)	:
	Admir'd,	ador'd	by	all	the	circling	crowd,
	For	wherefoe'er	(he	turn'd	her	face,	they	bow'd	:
	And	as	(lie	danc'd,	a	roundelay	(he	fung,
	In	honour	of	the	laurel,	ever	young	:
	She	rais'd	her	voice	on	high,	and	fung	fo	clear,	~\
	The	fawns	came	fcadding	from	the	groves	to	/
	hear	:	f
	And	all	the	bending	foreft	lent	an	ear.	J
	At	every	clofe	fhe	made,	th'	attending	throng
	Reply'd,	and	bore	the	burden	of	the	fong	:
	So	juft,	fo	fmall,	yet	in	fo	fweet	a	note,
	It	feem'd	the	mufic	melted	in	the	throat.
	Thus	dancing	on,	and	finging	as	they	danc'd,
	They	to	the	middle	of	the	mead	advanc'd,
	Till	round	my	arbour	a	new	ring	they	made,
	And	footed	it	about	the	fecret	(hade.
	O'erjoy'd	to	fee	the	jolly	troop	fo	near,
	Jiut	(bmewhat	aw'd,	I	(hook	with	holy	fear;
	"Yet	not	fo	much,	but	that	I	noted	well	j..
	Who	did	the	ir.oft	in	long	or	dance	excel.
	Not	long	I	had	obferv'd,	when	from	afar
	1	heard	a	fudden	fymphony	of	war;
	The	neighing	courfers,	and	the	foldiers	cry,
	And	founding	trumps	that	feem'd	to	tear	the	(ky:
	I	fuw	foon	after	this,	behind	the	grove
	From	whence	the	ladies	did	in	order	move,
	Come	iffuing	our	in	arms	a	warrior	train,
	That	like	a	deluge	pour'd	upon	the	plain	:
	On	barbed	deeds	they	rode	in	proud	array,
	Thick	as	the	college	of	the	bees	in	May,
	When	fwarming	o'er	the	duflcy	fields	they	fly,
	New	to	the	flowers,	and	intercept	the	(ky.
	So	fierce	they	drove,	their	couriers	were	fo	fleet,
	That	the	turf	trembled	underneath	their	feet.	'
	To	tell	their	coftly	furniture	were	long,
	The	fummer's	day	would	eiid	before	the	fong	:
	To	purchafe	but	the	tenth	ol	all	their	(lore,
	"Would	make	the	mighty	Perfian	monarch	poor.
	Yet	what	I	can,	I	will;	before	the	reft
	The	trumpets	iiTued	in	white	mantles	drefs'd	:
	A	numerous	trorp,	and	all	tin	ir	heads	around	~\
	With	chaplcts	green	of	cerrial-oak	were	crown'd.	>
	Aud	at	each	trumpet	was	a	banner	bound;	j
	Which	waving	in	the	wind	difplay'd	at	large
	Their	mafter's	coat	of	arms,	and	knightly	charge.
	Broad	were	the	banners,	and	of	fnowy	hue,
	A	purer	web	the	(ilk-worm	never	drew.
	The	chief	about	their	necks	the	fcutclieons	wore,
	With	orient	pearls	and	jewels	powder'd	o'er	:
	Broad	were	their	collars	too,	and	every	one
	Was	fet	about	with	many	a	coftly	ftone.
	Next	thefe	of	kings	at	arms	a	goodly	train
	In	proud	array	came	prancing	o'er	the	plain	:
	Their	cloaks	were	cloth	of	filver	mix'd	with	gold,
	Acd	garlands	green	around	their	temples	roll'd	:
	Rich	crowns	were	on	their	royal	fcutcheons	plac'd,
	With	fapphires,	diamonds,	and	with	rubies	grac'd	:
	And	as	the	trumpets	their	appearance	made,
	So	thefe	in	habits	were	alike	array'd	;
	But	with	a	pace	more	fober,	and	more	flow	;
	And	twenty,	rank	in	rank,	they	rode	a	row.
	The	purfuivants	came	next,	in	number	more	;
	And	like	the	heralds	each	his	(cutcheon	bore	:
	Clad	in	white	velvet	all	their	troop	they	led,
	With	each	an	oaken	chaplet	on	his	head.
	Nine	royal	knights	in	equal	rank	fucceed,
	Each	warrior	mounted	on	a	fiery	deed	;
	In	golden	armour	glories	to	behold	;
	The	rivets	of	their	arms	were	nail'd	with	gold.
	Their	furcoats	of	white	ermin	fur	were	made,
	With	cloth	of	gold	between,	that	caft	a	glittering
	(hade	;
	The	trappings	of	their	deeds	were	of	the	fame	;
	The	golden	fringe	ev'n	fet	the	ground	on	flame,
	And	drew	a	precious	trail	:	a	crown	divine
	Of	laurel	did	about	their	temples	twine.
	Three	henchmen	were	lor	every	knight	affign'd,
	All	in	rich	livery	clad,	and	of	a	kind	:
	White	velvet,	but	unfliorn,	for	cloaks	they	wore,
	And	each	within	his	hand	a	truncheon	bore	;
	The	foremoft	held	a	helm	of	rate	device	;
	A	prince's	ranlbm	would	not	pay	the	p^jce.
	The	fecond	bore	the	buckler	of	his	knight,
	The	third	of	cornel-wood	a	fpear	uprij
	Headed	with	piercing	fteel,	and	poliuY
	I	,ike	to	their	lords	their	equipage	was	feen,
	And	all	their	foreheads	crown'd	with	garlands
	green.	[fhield,
	And	aiter	thefe	came,	arm'd	with	fpear	and
	An	h"d	fo	great,	as	cover'd	all	the	field,
	And	all	their	foreheads,	like	the	knights	before,
	With	laurels	ever	green	were	fliaded	o'er,
	Or	<>ak,	or	other	leaves	of	lading	"kind,
	Tenacious	of	the	ftem,	and	firm	agatnft	the	wind.
	Some	in	their	hand?,	befide	the	lance	and	fhield,
	The	boughs	of	woodbine	or	of	hawthorn	held,
	Or	branches	for	their	myftic	emblems	took,
	Of	palm,	of	laurel,	or	of	cerrial	oak.	;	.j,-:^	5
	Thus	marching	to	the	trumpet's	lofty	found,	"\
	Drawn	in	two	lines	adverfc	they	wheel'd	(
	around,	C
	And	in	the	middle	meadow	took	their	ground.	)
	Among	themfelves	the	turney	they	divide,
	In	equal	fquadrons	rang'd	on	either	fide.
	Then	turu'd	their	horles	heads,	and	man	to	man,
	And	deed	to	ftccd'oppos'd,	the	jufts	began.
	They	lightly	fet	their	lances	in	the	reft,
	And,	at	the	fign,	agaihft	each	other	jpreiVd	:
	ight,	^
	ght,
	i'd	bright.	3


THE	FLOWER	AND	THE	LEAF.
	They	met.	I	fitting	at	my	eafe	beheld
	The	mix'd	events,	and	fortunes	of	the	field.
	Some	broke	their	ipears,	fome	tumbled	horfe	and
	man,
	And	round	the	field	the	lightened	courfersran.
	An	hour	and	more,	like	tides,	in	equal	fway
	They	rufli'd,	and	won	by	turns,	and	loft	the	day	:
	At	length	the	nine	(who	ftill	together	held)
	Their	fainting	foes	to	fliameful	fight	compell'd,
	And	with	refiftlefs	force	o'er-rari	the	field.
	Thus,	to	their	fame,	when	finifn'd	was	the	fight,
	The	victors	from	their	lofty	fteeds	alight	:
	Like	them	difmounted	all	the	warlike	train,
	And	two	by	two	proceeded	o'er	the	plain	:
	Till	to	the	fair	aiiembly	they	advanc'd,
	Who	near	the	fecret	arbour	fung	and	danc'd.
	The	ladies	left	their	meafures	at	the	fight,	"1
	To	meet	the	chiefs	returning	from	the	fight,	I
	And	each	with	open	arms	embrac'd	her	chofen	f
	knight.	J
	Amid	the	plain	a	fpreading	laurel	ftoed,
	The	grace	and	ornamrent	of	all	the	wood	:
	That	pleafing	{hade	they	fought,	-a	foft	retreat
	From	fudden	April	fliowers,	a	fhelter	from	the
	heat:
	Her	leafy	armsjwith	fuch	extent	were	fpread,
	So	near	the	clouds	was	her	afpiring	head,
	That	hofts	of	birds,	that	wing	the	liquid	air,
	Perch'd	in	the	houghs,	had	nightly	lodging	there:
	And	flocks	of	ftieep	beneath	the	{hade	from	far
	Might	hear	the	rattling	haiJ	r	and	wintery	war;
	From	Heaven's	inclemency	here	found	retreat,
	Enjoy	'd	the	cool,	and	fliunn'd	the	fcorching	heat	:
	A	hundred	knights	might	there	at	eafe	abide	;
	And	every	knight	a	lady	by	his	fide	:
	The	trunk	itfelf	fuch	odours	did	bequeath,
	That	a	Moluccan	breeze	to	thefe	was	common
	breath.
	The	lords	and	ladies	here,	approaching,	paid
	Their	homage,	with	a	low	obeifance	made	:
	And	feem'd	to	venerate	the	facred	ihaclci
	Thefe	rites	perform'd,	their	pleafures	they	purfue,
	With	fong	of	love,	and	mix	with	pleafures	new	;
	Around	the	holy	tree	their	dance	they	frame,
	And	every	champion	leads	his	chofen	dame.
	I	caft	my	fight	upon	the	farther	field,
	And	a	frefti	object	of	delight	beheld	:
	For	from	the	region	of	the	Weft	I	heard
	New	mufic	found,	and	a	new	rroop	appear'd	;
	Of	knights,	and.ladies	mix'd,	a	jolly	band,
	But	all	on	foot	they	march'd,	and	hand	in	hand.
	The	ladies	drefs'd	in	rich	fymars	were	feen	^
	Of	Florence	fattin,	fiower'd	with	white	andf
	green,	T
	And	for	a	{hade	betwixt	the	bloomy	gridelin.	j-
	The	borders	of	their	petticoats	below
	Were	guarded	thick	with	rubies	on	a	row;
	And	every	damfel	wore	upon	her	head
	Of	flowers	a	garland	blended	white	and	red.
	Attir'd	in	mantles	all	the	knights	were	feen,
	That	gratify'd	the	view	with	cheerful	green	:
	Their	chaplcts	of	their	ladies	colours	were,
	Compos'd	of	white	and	red,	to	Ikade	their	Ihining
	hair.
	Before	the	merry	troop	the	minftrels	play'd	;
	All	m	their	matter's	liveries	were	array'd,
	And	clad	in	green,	and	on	their	temples	wore
	The	chaplsts	white	and	red	their	ladies	bore.
	Their	inftruments	were	various	in	their	kind,
	Some^or	the	bow,	and	fome	for	breathing	wind	:
	The	fawtry,	pipe,	and	hautboy's	noify	band,
	And	the	foft	lute	trembling	beneath	the	touching
	hand.
	A	tuft	of	daifies	on	a	flowery	lay
	They	faw,	and	thitherward	they	bent	their	way	j
	To	this	both	knights	and	dames	their	homage
	made,
	And	due	obeifance	to	the	daify	paid.
	And	then	the	band	of	flutes	began	to	play,
	To	which	a	lady	fung	a	virelay	:
	And	ftill	at	every	clofe	{he	would	repeat
	The	burden	of	the	fong,	"	The	daify	is	fo	fweet."
	The	daify	is	fo	fweet,	when	{he	begun,
	The	troop	of	knights	and	dames	continued	on.
	The	concert	and	the	voice	fo	chatm'd	my	ear,
	And-foof.h'd	my	foul,	that	it	was	heaven	to	hear.
	But	foon	their	pleafure	pafs'd	:	at	noon	of	day^
	The	fun	with	fultry	beams	began	to	play	r
	Not	fcirius	fhoots	a	fiercer	flame	from	high,
	When	with	his	poifonous	breath	he	blafts	the	ftcy:
	Then	droop'd	the	fading	flowers	(their	beauty	"y
	fled)
	And	clos'd	their	fickly	eyes,	and	hnng	the	head;	.C
	And,	rivel'd	up	with	heat,	lay	dying	in	their	bed.j>
	The	ladies	gafp'd,	and	fcarcely	could	refpire	;
	The	breath	they	drew,	jpo	longer	air,	but	fire	j
	The	fainty	knights	were	fcorch'd	;	and	knew	not!
	where
	To	run	for	fhelter,	for	no	fhade	was	near	;
	And	after	this	the	gathering	clouds	amain
	Pour'd	down	a	ftorm	of	rattling	hail	and	rain	:
	And	lightning	flafli'd	betwixt	:	the	field	an<i
	flowers,
	Burnt	up	before,	were	buried	in	the	fhowers.
	The	ladies	and	the	knights,	no	flicker	nigh,
	Bare	to	,the	weather	and	the	wintery	iky,
	Were	dropping	wet.,	difconfolate,	and	wan,
	And	through	their	thin	array	receiv'd	the	rain	;
	While	thofe	in	white	protected	by	the	tree	[free.
	Saw	pafs	in	vain	th'	aflault,	and	flood	from	danger
	But	as	companion	mov'd	their	gentle	minds,
	When	ceas'd	the	ftorrn,	and	fileat	were	the	winds,
	Diipleas'd	at	what,	not	fuffering,	they	had	feen,
	They	went	to	cheer	the	faction	of	the	green	:
	The	queen	in	white	array,	before	her	band,
	Saluting,	took	her	rival	by	the	hand	;
	So	did	the	knights	and	dames,	with	courtly	grace,
	And	with	behaviour	fweet	their	foes	embrace,
	Then	thus	the	queen	with	laurel	on	her	brow,	%
	Fair	fifter,	I	have	fufler'd	in	your	woe;
	Nor	fliall	be	wanting	aught	within	my	power.
	For	your	relief	in	my	refrefhing	bower.
	That	other	anfwer'd	with	a	lowly	look,
	And	foon	the	gracious	invitation	took	:
	For	ill	at	eafe	both	{he	and	all	her	train
	The	fcorching	fun	had	borne,	and	beating	rain.
	Like	courtcfy	was	us'd	by	all	in	white,	[knight,
	;	Each	dame	a	dame	receiv'd,	and	every	knight	a


THE	WORKS	OF	DRYDEN.
	The	laurel	champions	with	their	fwords	invade
	The	neighbouring	forefts,	where	the	jufts	were
	made,
	And	ferewood	from	the	rotten	hedges	took,
	And	feeds	of	latent	fire	from	flincs	provoke	:
	A	cheerful	blaze	arofe,	and	by	the	fire	[attire
	They	warm'd	their	frozen	feet,	and	dry'd	their	wet
	Refrcm'd	with	heat,	the	ladies	fought	around
	For	virtuous	herbs,	which	gather'd	from	the	ground
	They	fqueez'd	the	juice,	and	cooling	ointment
	made,	[(kins	they	laid	:
	Which	on	their	fun-burnt	cheeks,	and	their	chap't
	Then	fought	green	falads,	which	they	bade	themeat,
	A	fovereign	remedy	for	inward	hear.
	The	lady	of	the	leaf	ordain'd	a	feaft,
	And	made	the	lady	of	the	flower	her	gueft	:
	When	lo,	a	bower	afcended	on	the	plain,	[train.
	With	fudden	feats	ordain'd,	and	large	for	either
	This	bower	was	near	my	pleafant	arbour	plac'd,
	That	I	could	hear	and	fee	whatever	pafs'd	:
	The	ladies	fat	with	each	a	knight	between,
	Diftinguifli'd	by	their	colours,	white	and	green	;
	fhe	vanquifh'd	party	with	the	victors	join'd,
	Nor	wanted	fweet	difcourfe,	the	banquet	of	the
	mind.
	Moan	time	the	minftrels	play'd	on	either	fide,
	Vain	of	their	art,	and	for	the	maftery	vy'd	:
	The	fweet	contention	lafted	for	an	hour,
	And	reach'd	my	fecret	arbour	from	the	bower.
	The	fun	was	fet	;	and	Vefper,	to	fupply
	H	:	s	abfent	beams,	had	lighted	up	the	(ky	:
	When	Philomel	officious	all	the	day
	To	fing	the	fervice	of	th'	enfuing	May,
	Fled	from	her	laurel	(hade,	and	wing'd	her	flight
	Directly	to	the	queen	array'd	in	white	:
	And	hopping	fat	familiar	on	her	hand,
	A	new	mufician,	and	increas'd	the	band.
	The	goldfinch,	who,	to	fhun	the	fcalding	heat,
	Had	chang'd	the	medlar	for	a	fafer	feat,
	And	hid	in	bufhes	'fcap'd	the	bitter	(hower,
	Now	perch'd	upon	the	lady	of	the	flower	;
	And	either	fongfter	holding	out	their	throats,
	And	folding	up	their	wings,	renew'd	their	notes	:
	As	if	all	day,	preluding	to	the	fight,
	They	only	had	rchears'd,	to	fing	by	night	:
	The	banquet	ended,	and	the	battle	done,
	They	danc'd	by	ftar-light	and	the	friendly	moon	:
	And	when	they	were	to	part,	the	laureat	queen
	Supply'd	with	fteeds	the	lady	of	the	green,
	Her	and	her	train	conducting	on	the	way,
	The	moon	to	follow,	and	avoid	the	day.
	This	when	I	faw,	inquifitive	to	know
	The	fecret	moral	of	the	myftic	(hew,
	1	ftarted	from	my	(hade,	in	hopes	to	find
	Some	nymph	to	fatisfy	my	longing	mind	:
	And	as	my	fair	adventure	fell,	I	found
	A	lady	all	in	white,	with	laurel	crown'd,
	Who	clos'd	the	rear,	and	foftly	pac'd	along,
	Repeating	to	herfelf	the	former	fong.
	With	due	rcfpect	my	body	I	inclin'd,
	As	to	fome	being	of	fuperior	kind,
	And	made	my	court	according	to	the	day,
	Wifliing	her	queen	and	her	a	happy	May.
	Great	thanks,	my	daughter,	with	a	gracious	bow,
	She	faid	;	and	1,	who	much	defir'd	to	know
	Of	whence	(he	was,	yet	fearful	how	to	break
	My	mind,	adventur'd	humbly	thus	to	fpeak	:
	Madam,	might	I	prefume	and	not	offend,
	So	may	the	ftars	and	mining	moon	attend
	Your	nightly	fports,	as	you	vouchfafe	to	tell	"J
	What	nymphs	they	were	who	mortal	forms/
	excel,	t	[fo	well,	f
	And	what	the	knights	who	fought	in	lifted	fields	J
	To	this	the	dame	reply'd	:	Fair	daughter,	know,
	That	what	you	(aw	was	all	a	fairy	(how	:
	And	all	thofe	airy	(hapes	you	now	behold,
	Were	human	bodies	once,	and	cloth'd	with	earthly
	mold,
	Our	fouls,	not	yet	prepar'd	for	upper	light,
	Till	doomfday	wander	in	the	(hades	of	night	;
	This	only	holiday	of	all	the	year,
	We	privileg'd	in	funfhine	may	appear	:
	With	fongs	and	dance	we	celebrate	the	day,	-
	And	with	due	honours	ulher	in	the	May.
	At	other	times	we	reign	by	night	alone,
	And	pofting	through	the	(kies	purfue	the	moon	:
	But	when	the	morn	arifes,	none	are	found	;
	For	cruel	Demogorgon	walks	the	round,
	And	if	he	finds	a	fairy	lag	in	light,
	He	drives	the	wretch	before,	and	lames	into
	night.
	All	courteous	are	by	kind	;	and	ever	proud
	With	friendly	offices	to	help	the	good.
	In	every	land	we	have	a	larger	fpace
	Than	what	is	known	to	you	of	mortal	race	:
	Where	we	with	green	adorn	our	fairy	bowers,
	And	ev'n	this	grove,	unfeen	before,	is	ours.
	Know	farther	;	every	lady	cloth'd	in	white,
	And,	crown'd	with	oak	and	laurel	every	knight,
	Are	fervantfc	to	the	leaf,	by	liveries	known
	Of	innocence	;	and	I	myfelf	am	one.
	Saw	you	not	her	fo	graceful	to	behold
	In	white	attire,	and	crown'd	with	radiant	gold	?
	The	fovereign	lady	of	our	land	is	(he,
	Diana	call'd,	the	queen	of	chaftity	:
	And,	for	the	fpotljefs	name	of	maid	(He	bears,
	That	Agnus	caftus	in	her	hand	appears	;
	And	all	her	train,	with	leafy	chaplets	crown'd,
	Were	for	unblam'd	virginity	renown'd	;
	But	thofe	the	chief	and	higheft	in	command
	Who	bear	thofe	holy	branches	in	their	hand	:
	The	knights	adorn'd	with	laurel	crowns	are"}
	they,	/
	Whom	death	nor	danger	never	could	difmay,	C
	Victorious	names,	who	made	the	world	obey	:	j
	Who,	while	they	liv'd,	in	deeds	of	arms	excell'd,
	And	after	death	for	deities	were	held.
	But	thofe,	who	wear	the	woodbine	on	their	brow,
	Were	knights	of	love,	who	never	broke	their	vow	;
	Firm	to	their	plighted	faith,	and	ever	free
	From	fears,	and	fickle	chance,	and	jealoufy.
	The	lords	and	ladies,	who	the	woodbine	bear,
	As	true	as	Triftram	and	Ifotta	were.
	But	what	are	thofe,	faid	I,	th'	unconquer'd	nine,
	Who	crown'd	with	laurel-	wreaths	in	golden	ar
	mour	(hine	?
	And	who	the	knights	in	green,	and	what	the	train
	Of	ladies	drefs'd	with	daifies	on	the	plain	?
	Why	both	the	bands	in	worftup	difagrec,
	And	fome	adore	the	flower,	and	fome	the	tree	?


THE	FLOWER	AND	THE	LEAF,
	ftill
	Jufl	is	your	futt,	fair	daughter,	faid	the	dame	:
	Thofe	laurel'd	chiefs	were	men	of	mighty	fame	;
	Nine	worthies	were	they	call'd	of	different	rites,
	Three	Jews,	three	Pagans,	and	three	Chriftian
	knights.
	Thefe,	as	you	fee,	ride	forcmoft	in	the	field,
	As	they	the	foremo^	rank	of	honour	held,
	And	all	in	deeds	of	chivafry	excell'd	:
	Their	temples	wieath'd	with	leaves,	that
	renew	;
	For	deathlefs	laurel	is	the	vigor's	due	t
	Who	bear	the	bows	were	knights	in	Arthur's	reign,
	Twelve	they,	and	twelve	the	peers	of	Charlemain	:
	For	bows	the	ftrength	of	brawny	arms	imply,
	Emblems	of	valour	and	of	vi&ory.
	Behold	an	order	yet	of	newer	date,
	Doubling	their	number,	equal	in	their	(late	;
	Our	England's	ornament,	the	crown's	defence,
	In	battle	bratfe,	protectors	of	their	prince	:
	Unchang'd	by	fortune,	to	their	fovereign	true,
	For	which	their	manly	legs	are	bound	with	blue.
	Thefe,	of	the	garter	call'd,	of	faith	unftain'd,	"^
	In	fighting	fields	the	laurel	have	obrain'd,
	Arid	well	repaid	the	honours	which	thcygam'd.	j
	The	laurel	wreaths	were	firft	by	Cx'far	worn,
	And	ftill	they	Caefar's	fucceffors	adorn	:
	One	leaf	of	this	is	immortality,
	And	more	of	worth	than	all	the	world	can	"buy.
	One	doubt	remains,	faid	I,	the	dames	in	green,
	What	were	their	qualities,	and	who	their	queen	?
	Flora	commands,	faid	fhe,	thofe	nymphs	and
	knights,
	Who	liv'd	in	flothful	eafe	ard	loofc	delights	;
	Who	never	ads	of	honour	durfl	purfue,
	The	men	inglorious	knights,	the	ladies	all	untrue	:
	Who,	nurs'd	in	idlenefs,	and	train'd	in	courts,
	Pafs'd	all	their	precious	hours	in	plays	and	fports,
	Till	death	behind	came	flalking	on,	unfeen,
	And	wither'd	(like	the	ftorm)	the	frefhnefs	of
	their	green,
	Thefe,	and	their	mates,	cejoy	their	prefcnt	hour,
	And	therefore	pay	rhdr	homage	to	the	flower.
	But	knights	in	knightly	deeds	fhouM	perfevere.
	And	ftill	continue	what	at	firil	they	w.-re	;
	Continue,	and	proceed	in	honour's	fair	career
	N-">	room	for	cowardice,	or	dull	delay;
	From	good	to	better	they	fhould	urge	their	way.
	:i
	For	this	with	golden	fpurs	the	chiefs	are	grac'd,
	With	pointed	rowels	arm'd	to	mend	their	hafte	;
	For	this	with	lafting	leaves	their	brows	are")
	bound	;	/
	Forlanrrlisthe	fign	of	labour	crown'd,	[ground;^"
	Which	bears	the	bitter	blaft,	nor	fhaken	falls	to	j
	From	winter	winds	it	fuffers	no	decay,
	For	ever	frefh	and	fair,	and	every	month	is	May.
	Ev'n	when	the	vital	fap	retreats	below,
	Ev'n	when	the	hoary	head	is	hid	in	fnow	;
	The	life	is	in	the	leaf,	and	ftill	between
	The	fits	of	falling	(now	appears	the	ftreaky	green.
	Not	fo	the	flower,	which	lafts	for	little	fpace,
	A	fhort-liv'd	good,	and	an	uncertain	grace	;
	This	way	and	that	the	feeble	ftem	is	driven,
	Weak	to	ftiftain	the	ftorms	and	injuries	of	heaven.
	Prepp'.i	by	the	fprir.g,	it	lifts	aloft	the	head,
	But	of	a	fickly	beauty,	foon	to	fried	;
	In	fummer	living,	and	in	winter	dead.
	For	things	of	tender	kind,	for	pleafure	made,
	Shoot,	up	with	fwift	increafe,	and	fudden,are	de	.
	cay'd,
	With	humble	words,	the	wifc-ft	I	could	frame,
	And	proffcr'd	fervice,	I	repaid	the	dame	;
	That,	of	her	grace,	fhe	gave	her	maid	to	know
	The	fecret	meaning	of	this	moral	fhow.
	And	flic,	to	prove	what	profit	I	had	made
	Of	myftic	truth,	in	fables	firft	convey'd,
	Demanded	till	the	next	returning	May,
	Whether	the	leaf	or	flower	I	would	obey	?
	I	chofe	the	leaf;	fhe	fmil'd	with	fober	cheer,
	And	wifh'd	me	fair	adventure	for	the	year,
	And	gave	me	charms	and	figils,	for	defence
	Againft	ill	tongues	that	fcandal	innocence	:
	But	I,	faid	fhe,	my	fellows	muft	purfue,
	Already	paft	the	plain,	and	out	of	view.
	We	parted	thus;	I	homeward	-	Iped	my	\vay,	""}
	Bewilder'd	in	the	wood	till	dawn	of	day:	L
	And	met	the	merry	crew	who	danc'd	about	the	"
	May.	J*
	Then	late	refrcfli'd	with	fleep,	I	rofe	to	write
	The	vifiornry	vigils	of	the	nij>ht	:
	Elufh,	as	thou	may'ft,	my	little	book,	wirh	fhame,
	Nor	hope	with	homely	verfe	t;>	purchafe	fame	;
	For	fuch	my	Maker	chofe	:	and	fo	defign'd
	Thy	fimplc	ftyle	to	fuit	thy	lov.'ly	kind.
	VOL.	VI.
	R


THE	WIFE	OF	BATH'S	TALE.
	It	happen'	J,	as	he	rode,	a	damfel	gay
	In	rulfet	robes	to	market	took	her	way	:
	.Soon	on	the	girl	he	cafl	an	amorous	eye,
	So	ftraight	(he	walk'd,	and	on	her	pafterns
	high	:
	If	feeing	her	behind	he	lik'd	her	pace,
	Now	turning	{hort,	he	better	likes	her	face.
	He	lights	in	hafte,	and,	full	of	youthful	fire,
	By	force	accomplifli'd	his	obfcene	defire	:
	This	done,	away	he	rode,	not	unefpy'd,
	For	f	warming	at	his	back	the	country	cry'd	:
	And	once	in	view	they	never	loft	the	fight,
	But	feiz'd,	and	pinion'd	brought	to	court	the
	knight.
	Then	courts	of	kings	were	held	in	high	re
	nown,
	Ere	made	the	common	brothels	of	the	town	:
	T^ere,	virgins	honourable	vows	receiv'd,
	But	chafte	as	maids	in	monafteries	liv'd	:
	The	king	himfelf,	to	nuptial	ties	a	Have,
	No	bad	example	to	his	poets	gave	:
	And	they,	not	bad,	but	in	a	vicious	age,
	Had	not,	to	pleafe	the	prince,	debauch'd	the	ftage.
	Now	what	fhould	Arthur	do	.	p	He	lov'd	the
	knight,
	But	fovereign	monarchs	are	the	fource	of	right	:
	Mov'd	by	the	damfel's	tears	and	common	cry,
	He	doom'd	the	brutal	ravifher	to	die.
	But	fair	Geneura	rofe	in	his	defence,
	And	pray'd	fo	hard	for	mercy	from	the	prince,
	That	to	his	queen	the	king	th'	offender	gave,
	And	left	it	in	her	power	to	kiil	or	fave	:
	This	gracious	act	the	ladies	all	approve,
	Who	thought	it	much	a	man	fhould	die	for
	love	;
	And	with	their	miflrefs	join'd	in	clofe	debate	-\
	(Covering	their	kindnefs	with	diflemblcd/
	hate),	f
	If	not	to	free	him,	to	prolong	his	fate.	j
	At	laft	agreed	they	call'd	him	by	confent
	Before	the	queen	and	female	parliament.
	And	the	fair	fpeaker	riling	from	the	chair,
	Did	thus	the	judgment	of	the	houfe	declare.
	Sir	knight,	though	I	have	afkM	thy	life,	yet
	ftill
	Thy	deftiny	depends	upon	my	will	:
	Nor	halt	thou	other	furety	than	the	grace
	Not	due	to	thee	from	our	offended	race,
	But	as	our	kind	is	of	a	fofter	mold,
	And	cannot	blood	without	a	figh	behold,
	I	grant	thee	life	;	referving	dill	the	power
	To	take	the	forfeit	when	I	fee	my	hour	:
	Unlefs	thy	anfwer	to	my	next	demand
	Shall	fet	thee	free	from	our	avenging	hand.
	The	queilion,	whofe	folutioa	I	require,
	Is,	What	the	fex	of	women	moft	defire	?
	lu	this	difpute	thy	judges	are	at	ftrife	;
	Beware	;	for	on	thy	wit	depends	thy	life.
	Yet	(left,	furpris'd,	unknowing	what	to	fay,
	Thou	damn	thyfelf)	we	give	thee	farther	day	:
	A	year	is	thine	to	wander	at	thy	will	;
	And	learu	from	others,	if	thou	-want'ft	the	fkill.
	But,	not	to	hold	our	proffer	turn'd	in	fcorn,
	Good	furetics	will	we	have	for	thy	return	;
	That	at	the	time	prefix'd	thou	(halt	obey,
	And	at	thy	pledge's	peril	keep	thy	day.
	Woe	vsras	the	knight	at	this	fevere	com
	mand	;
	But	well	he	knew	'twas	bootlefs	to	withftand	:
	The	terms	accepted	as	the	fair	ordain,
	He	put	in	bail	for	his	return	again,
	And	promis'd	anfwer	at	the	day	affign'd,
	The	bed,	with	heaven's	aififtance,	he	could
	find.
	His	leave	thus	taken,	on	his	way	he	went
	With	heavy	heart,	and	full	of	difcontent,
	Mifdoubtins;	much,	and	fearful	of	th'	event.
	'	Twas	hard	the	tru'.h	of	fuch	a	point	to	find,
	As	was	not	yet	agreed	among	the	kind.
	Thus	on	he	went	;	ftill	anxious	more	and	more,
	Alk'd	all	he	met,	and	knock'd	at	every	door	;
	Inquired	of	men	;	but	made	his	chief	requeft
	To	learn	from	womeu	what	they	lov'd	the
	beft.
	They	anfwer'd	each	according	to	her	mind
	To	pleafe	herfelf,	not	all	the	female	kind.
	One	was	for	wealth,	another	was	for	place	:
	Crones,	old	and	ugly,	wifh'd	a	better	face.
	The	widow's	wifh	was	oftentimes	to	wed	;
	The	wanton	maids	were	all	for	fport	a-bed.
	Some	faid	the	fex	were	pleas'	d	with	handfotne
	lies,
	And	fome	grofs	flattery	lov'd	without	difguife	:
	Truth	is,	fays	one,	he	feldom	fails	to	win
	Who	flauers	well	;	for	that's	our	darling	fin	;
	But	long	attendance,	and	a	duteous	mind,
	Will	work	ev'n	with	the	wifeft	of	the	kind.
	One	thought	the	fex's	prime	felicity
	Was	from	the	bonds	of	wedlock	to	be	free	:
	Their	pleafures,	hours,	and	adions,	all	their
	own,
	And	uncontrol'd	to	give	account	to	none.
	Some	wifh	a	hufband	fool	;	but	fuch	are	curfl-,
	For	fools	perverfe	of	hufbands	are	the	vvorft	:
	All	women	would	be	counted	chafte	and	wife,
	Nor	fhould	our	fpoufes	fee,	but	with	our	eyes	;
	For	fools	will	prate	;	and	though	they	want	the
	wit
	To	find	clofe	faults,	yet	open	blots	will	hit	:
	1	hough	better	for	their	eafe	to	hold	their
	tongue,
	For	woman-kind	was	never	in	the	wrong.
	So	nojfe	enfues,	and	quarrels	laft	for	life;
	The	wife	abhors	the	fool,	the	fool	the	wife.
	And	fome	men	fay	that	great	delight	have	we,
	To	be	for	truth	extoll'd,	and	fecrecy	:
	And	conftant	in	one	purpofe	ftill	to	dwell	;
	And	not	our	hufbands	counfels	to	reveal.
	But	that's	a	fable	:	for	our	fex	is	frail,
	Inventing	rather	than	not	tell	a	tale.
	Like	leaky	fieves	no	fecrets	we	can	hold	:
	Witnefs	the	famous	tale	that	Ovid	told.
	Midas	the	king,	as	in	his	book	appear?,
	By	Phoebus	was	endow'd	with	afs's	ears,
	Which	under	his	long	locks	he	well	conceal'd,
	(As	monarchs	vices	muft	not	be	reveal'd)
	For	fear	the	people	have	them	in	the	wind,
	Who	long	ago	were	neither	dumb	nor	blind	:
	R	ij


THE	WORKS	OF	DRYDEN.
	Love	rioted	fccure,	and,	long	enjoy'd,
	Was	ever	eager,	and	was	never	cloy'd.
	But	as	extremes	are	fhort,	of	ill	and	good,
	And	tides	at	higheft	mark	regorge	their	flood	;
	So	fate,	that	could	no	more	improve	their	joy,
	Took	a	malicious	pleafure	to	deftroy.
	Tancred,	who	fondly	lov'd,	and	whofe	delight
	Was	plac'd	in	his	fair	daughter's	daily	fight,
	Of	cuftom,	when	his	ftatc	affairs	were	done,
	Would	pafs	his	pleafing	hours	vrith	her	alone	;
	And,	as	a	father's	privilege	allow'd,
	Without	attendance	of	th	officious	crowd.
	It	happen'd	once,	that	when	in	heat	of	"day
	He	try'd	to	fleep,	as	was	his	ufual	way,
	The	balmy	flumber	fled	his	wakeful	eyes,
	And	forc'd	him,	in	his	own	defpite,	to	rife	:
	Of	flecp	forfaken,	to	relieve	his	care,
	He	fought	the	converfation	of	the	fair;
	But	with	her	train	of	damfels	fhe	was	gone,
	In	fhady	walks	the	fcorching	heat	to	fhun	:
	He	would	not	violate	that	fweet	recefs,
	And	found	befides	a	welcome	heavincfs,
	That	feiz'd	his	eyes	;	and	flumber,	which	forgot
	When	call'd	before	to	come,	now	came	unfought.
	From	light	retired,	behind	his	daughter's	bed,
	He	for	approaching	fleep	compos'd	his	head	;
	A	chair	was	ready	for	that	ufe	defign'd,
	So	quilted,	that	he	lay	at	cafe	reclin'd	;
	The	curtains	clofely	drawn,	the	light	to	fcreen,
	As	if	he	had	contriv'd	to	lie	unfeen	:
	Thus	covcr'd	with	an	artificial	night,
	Sleep	did	his	office	foon,	and	feal'd	his	fight.
	With	heaven	averfe	in	this	ill-omen'd	hour
	Was	Guifcard	furnmon'd	to	the	fecret	bower,
	And	the	fair	nymph,	with	expectation	fir'd,
	From	her	attending	damfels	was	retir'd	:
	Tor,	true	to	love,	fhe	meafur'd	time	fo	right,
	As	not	to	mifs	one	moment	of	delight.
	The	garden,	feated	on	the	level	floor,
	She	left	behind,	and,	locking	every	door,
	Thought	all	fccure	;	but	little	did	fhe	know,
	Blind	to	her	fate,	(he	(	had	inclos'd	her	foe.
	Attending	Guifcard,	in	his	leathern	frock,
	Stood	ready,	with	his	thrice-repeated	knock	:
	Thrice	with	a	doleful	found	the	jarring	grate
	Rung	deaf	and	hollow,	and	prefag'd	their	fate.
	The	door	unlock'd,	to	known	delight	they	hafte,
	And,	panting	in	each	other's	arms	embrac'd,
	Rvlh	to	the	confcious	bed,	a	mutual	freight,
	And	heedlcfs	prcfs	it	with	their	wonted	weight.
	The	fudden	bound	awak'd	the	fleeping	firo,
	And	fhcw'd	a	fight	no	parent	can	defire;
	His	opening	eyes	at	once	with	odious	view
	The	love	difcovci'd,	and	the	lover	knew	:
	He	would	have	cry'd;	but	hoping	that	he	dreamt,
	Amazement	ty'd	his	tocguc,	and	ftopp'd	th'	at
	tempt.
	Th'	enfuing	moment	all	the	truth	dcclar'd,	~\
	But	now	he	flood	c^Ucdcd,	and	prepar'd,	/
	*or	malice	and	revenge	had	put	him	on	hisl"
	guard.	J
	|	like	a	lion,	that	unheeded	lay,	)
	>iflembling	ilccp,	and	watchful	to	betray,
	>N	ith	inward	rage	UK	meditates	his	j.r;	s	.	3
	The	thoughtlefs	pair,	indulging	their	defires;
	Alternate,	kindled,	and	then	quench'd	their	fires;
	Nor	thinking	in	the	(hades	of	death	they	play'd,"^
	Full	of	themfelves,	themfelves	alone	furvey'd,	>
	And,	too	fecure,	were	by	themfelves	betray'd.	j
	Long	time	diffolv'd	in	pleafure	thus	they	lay,
	Till	nature	could	no	more	fuffice	their	play	;
	Then	rofe	the	youth,	and	through	the	cave	again
	Return'd	;	the	princefs	mingled	with	her	train.
	Refolv'd	his	unripe	vengeance	to	defer,
	The	royal	fpy,	when	now	the	coaft	was	clear,
	Sought	not	the	garden,	but	retir'd	unfeen,
	To	brood	in	fecret	on	his	gather'd	fplecn,
	And	methodize	revenge	:	to	death	he	griev'd	;
	And,	but	he	faw	the	crime,	had	fcarcc	believ'd.
	Th'	appointment	for	th'	enfuing	night	he	heard;"
	And	therefore	in	the	cavern	had	prepar'd
	Two	brawny	yoemen	of	his	trufty	guard.
	Scarce	had	unwary	Guifcard	fet	his	foot
	Within	the	foremoft	entrance	of	the	grot,
	When	thefe	in	fecret	ambufh	ready	lay;
	And	rufhing	on	the	fudden	feiz'd	the	prey	:
	Encumbtr'd	with	hie	frock,	without	defence,	}
	An	eafy	prize,	they	led	the	prifoner	thence,
	And,	as	commanded,	brought	before	the	prince,	j
	The	gloomy	fire,	too	fenfible	of	wrong,
	To	vent	his	rage	in	words,	reftrain'd	his	tongue,
	And	only	faid,	Thus	fervants	are	preferr'd,
	And,	trufted,	thus	their	fovereigns	they	reward.
	Had	1	not	fcen,	had	not	thefe	eyes	rcceiv'd
	Too	clear	a	proof,	I	could	not	have	believ'd.
	He	paus'd,	and	chok'd	the	reft.	The	youth,
	who	faw
	His	forfeit	life	abandon'd	to	the	law,
	The	judge	th'	accufer,	and	th'	offence	to	him
	Who	had	both	power	and	will	t'	avenge	the
	crime,
	No	vain	defence	prepar'd	;	but	thus	reply'd	:
	The	faults	of	love	by	love	are	juftify'd	:
	With	unrefifted	might	the	monarch	reigns,	>
	He	levels	mountains,	and	he	raifes	plains	;
	And,	not	regarding	difference	of	degree^
	Abas'd	your	daughter,	and	exalted	me.
	This	bold	return	with	feeming	patience	heard^
	The	prifoner	was	remitted	to	the	guard.
	The	fullcn	tyrant	flept	not	all	the	night,
	But,	lonely	Walking	by	a	winking	light,
	Sobb'd,	wept,	and	groan'd,	and	beat	his	wither'd
	breaft,
	But	would	not	violate	his	daughter's	reft	;
	Who	long	expecting	lay,	for	blifs	prepar'd,
	Liftening	for	noife,	and	griev'd	that	none	flic
	heard	;
	Oft	rofe,	and	oft	in	vain	employ	'd	the	key,
	And	oft	accus'd	her	lover	of	delay	;	[away.
	And	pafs'd	the	tedious	hours	in	anxious	thoughts
	The	morrow	came	;	and	at	his	ufual	hour
	Old	Tancred	vifited	his	daughter's	bower	;
	Her	cheek	(for	fuch	his	cuflom	was)	he	kifs'd,
	Then	blefs'd	her	kneeling,	and	her	maids	dUhiiiVd,
	The	royal	dignity	thus	far	maintain'd,
	Now	left	in	private,	he	no	longer	feign'd	;
	But	all	at	once	his	grief	and	rage	appcar'd,
	And	floods	cf	tears	ran	trickling	djwa'hii	beard.,


74
	He	would	have
	guefl,
	liv'd
	THE	WORKS
	more	free	;	but	many	a
	mortal
	Who	could	forfake	the	friend,	purfued	the	feaft.
	It	hapt	one	morning:,	as	his	fancy	led,
	Before	his	ufual	hour	he	left	his	bed	;
	To	walk	within	a	lonely	lawn,	thn	ftood
	On	every	fide	furrounded	by	a	wood	:
	Alone	he	walk'd,	to	pleafe	his	penfive	mind,
	And	fought	the	deepeft	folitude	to	find	;
	'Twas	in	a	grove	of	fpreading	pines	he	ftray'd;*^
	The	winds	within	the	quivering	branches/
	play'd,	\
	And	dancing	trees	a	mournful	mufic	made.	J
	The	place	iifelf	was	fuiting	to	his	care,
	Uncouth	and	favage,	as	the	cruel	fair.
	Jie	wandcr'd	on,	unknowing	where	he	went,
	Loft	in	the	wood,	and	all	6n	love	intent	:
	The	day	already	half	his	race	had	run,	~)
	And	fummon'd	him	to	due	repaft	at	noon,	>
	But	love	could	feel	no	hunger	but	his	own.	j
	Whilft	liftening	to	the	murmuring	leaves	he
	flood,
	More	than	a	mile	immers'd	within	the	wood,
	At	once	the	wind	was	laid	;	the	whifpering
	found
	V	r	as	dumb	;	a	rifing	earthquake	rock'd	the
	ground	;
	\Vith	deeper	brown	the	grove	was	overfpread	;
	A.fuddcn	horrr	feiz'd	his	giddy	head,
	And	his	ears	tinkled,	and	his	colour	fled,
	Nature	was	in	alarm	;	fome	danger	nigh
	tfcern'd	threaten'd,	though	unfeen	to
	eye.
	Unus'd	to	fear,	he	fummon'd	all	his	foul,
	And	flood	collected	in	himfelf,	and	whole	;
	Not	long	:	for	loon	a	whirlwind	rofe	around,
	And	from	afar	he	heard	a	fcreaming	found,
	A	of	a	dame	diftrelb'd,	who	cry'd	for	aid,
	And	fill'd	with	loud	laments	the	fccret	(hade.
	A	thicket	clofe	befide	the	grove	there	ftood,
	With	briers	and	brambles	chok'd,	and	dwarfifh
	wood	;
	From	thence	the	noife,	which	now,	approaching
	near,
	With	more	diftinguifh'd	notes	invades	his	ear	;
	He	raik'd	his	head,	and	faw	a	beauteous	maid,
	With	hair	difhevcl'd,	ifluing	through	the	fhade;
	Stripp'd	of	her	clothes,	and	ev'n	thofc	parts
	reveal'd,
	Which	modcft	nature	keeps	from	fight	conceal'd.
	Her	face,	her	hands,	her	naked	limbs	were	torn,
	With	pafling	through	the"	brakes,	and	prickly
	thorn	;
	Two	maftifls	gaunt	and	grim	her	flight	purfu'd,
	And	oft	their	fafteu'd	fangs	in	blood	imbru'd	:
	Oft	they	came	up,	and	pinch'd	her	tender	fide,
	jtfercy,	O	mercy,	heaven	!	fhe	ran,	and	cry'd	;
	Whcu	heaven	was	nam'd,	they	locs'd	their	hold
	again,
	Then	fprang	flic	forth,	they	follow'd	her	amain.
	Not	far	behind,	a	knight	of	fwarthy	face,
	High	on	a	coal-black	fteed	purfu'd	the	chace	;
	With	flafhing	flames	his	ardent	eyes	Were	fill'd,
	And	in	his	hand	a	i.akcd	fword	he	held	:
	OF	DRYDEN.
	He	cheer'd	the	dogs	to	follow	her	who	fled,
	And	vow'd	revenue	on	her	devoted	head.
	As	Theodore	was	born	of	noble	kind,
	The	brutal	action	rous'd	his	manly	mind	;
	Mov'd	with	unworthy	ufage	of	the	maid,
	He,	though	unarm'd,	refolv'd	to	give	her	aid.
	A	fapline	pine	he	wrench'd	from	out	the	ground,
	The	readied	weapon	that	his	fury	found.
	Thus	furniuYd	for	offence,	he	crofs'd	the	way
	Betwixt	the	gracelefs	villain	and	his	prey.
	The	knight	came	thundering	on,	but,	from
	afar,
	Thus	in	imperious	tone	farbad	the	war:
	Ceafe.	Theodore,	to	proffer	vain	relief,
	Nor	flop	the	vengeance	of	fo	juft	a	grief	;
	But	give	me	leave	to	feize	my	deflin'd	prey,
	And	let	eternal	juftice	take	the	way	:
	I	but	revenge	my	fate,	difdain'd,	betray'd,
	And	fuffering	death	for	this	ungrateful	maid.
	He	faid,	at	once	difmounting	from	the	fteed	;
	For	now	the	hell-hounds	with	fuperior	fpecd
	Had	reach'd	the	dame,	and,	fattening	on	her
	fide,
	The	ground	with	ifluing	flreams	of	purple	dy'd,
	Stood	Theodore	furpris'd	in	deadly	fright,
	With	chattering	teeth,	and	brift	ling	hair	upright	;
	Yet	arm'd	with	inborn	worth,	Whate'er,	laid
	'	'he,	'
	Thou	art,	who	know'fl	me	better	than	I	thee	;
	Or	prove	thy	rightful	caufe,	or	be	defy'd	;
	The	fpe&re,	fiercely	ftaring,	thus	reply'd	:
	Know,	Theodore,	thy	anceftry	I	claim,
	And	Guido	Cavalcanti	was	my	name.
	One	common	fire	our	fathers	did	beget,
	My	name	and	ftory	fome	remember	yet	:
	Thee,	then	a	boy,	within	my	arms	J	laid,
	When	for	my	fins	I	lov'd	this	haughty	maid	;
	Not	lefs	ador'd	in	life,	nor	ferv'd	by	me,
	Than	proud	Honoria	now	is	lov'd	by	thee.
	What	did	I	not	her	flubborn	heart	to	gain	?
	But	all	my	vows	were	anfwer'd	with	difdain
	bhe	fccrn'd	my	forrowa,	and	defpis't
	v	pain.	'
	Long	time	I	dragg'd	my	days	in	fruitlefs	care	;
	Then,	loathing	life,	and	plung'd	in	deep	dc-
	fpair,
	To	finifh	my	unhappy	life,	I	fell
	On	this	fharp	fword,	and	now	am	damn'd	in	hell.
	Short	was	her	joy	;	for	foon	th'	infulting	maid
	By	heaven's	decree	in	this	cold	grave	was	laid.
	And	as	in	unrepented	fin	fhe	dy'd,
	Doom'd	to	the	fame	bad	place	is	punifh'd	for
	her	pride	:
	Becaufe	fhe	dcem'd	I	well	deferv'd	to	die,
	And	made	a	merit	of	her	cruelty.
	There,	then,	we	met	;	both	try'd,	and	both	were
	caft,
	And	this	irrevocable	fentence	pafs'd	;
	That	fhe,	whom	I	fo	long	purfu'd	in	vain,
	Should	fufier	from	my	hands	a	lingering	pain	;
	Renew'd	to	'life	that	fhe	might	daily	die,
	I	daily	doom'd	to	follow,	ihe	to	fly	;
	No	more	a	lover,	but	a	mortal	foe,
	I	fcek	her	life	(for	love	i	none	below}	:
	[ICC.
	jain	?	-\
	lifdain:	/
	Ms'd	my"