With each bright Virtue that adorns the mind! O bid the Muses, thine harmonious train, Who by thy aid érst humaniz'd mankind, Inspire, direct, and moralize the strain, That doth effay to teach thy treasures how to gain! And thou, whose pious and maternal care, The substitute of heavenly Providence, With tenderest love my orphan life did rear, And train me up to manly strength and sense; With mildest awe, and virtuous influence, Directing my unpractis'd wayward feet To the smooth walks of Truth and Innocence; Where Happiness heart-felt, Contentment sweet, Philofophy divine, aye hold their blest retreat.

Thou, most belov'd, most honour'd, most rever'd!
Accept this verse, to thy large merit due!
And blame me not, if, by each tye endear'd,
Of nature, gratitude, and friendship true,
The whiles this moral thesis I purfue,
And trace the plan of goodly * Nurture o'er,
I bring thy modest virtues into view;
And proudly boast that from thy precious store,
Which erst enrich'd my heart, I drew this sacred lore.

And thus, I ween, thus shall I best repay
The valued gifts, thy careful love bestow'd;
If, imitating thee, well as I may,
I labour to diffuse th' important good,

* Nurture, Education.

Till

Till this great truth by all be understood, "That all the pious duties which we owe, "Our parents, friends, our country and our God; "The feeds of every virtue here below,

" From difcipline alone, and early culture, grow."

CANTO

A

R

I.

G U M E NT.

The Knight, as to * Pædia's house

He his young fon conveys,
Is ftaid by Custom; with him fights,
And his vain pride disdays.

A

I.

Gentle Knight there was, whose noble deeds O'er Fairy land by Fame were blazon'd rounda For warlike enterprize, and sage † areeds Among the chief alike was he renown'd; Whence with the marks of highest honours crown'd By Gloriana, in domestic peace, That port, to which the wife are ever bound, He anchor'd was, and chang'd the tossing seas Of bustling busy life, for calm sequester'd ease.

II. There

* Pædia is a Greek word, fignifying education. † Areeds, counfels.

Π.

There in domestic virtue rich and great
As erst in public, 'mid his wide domain,
Long in primæval patriarchal state,
The lord, the judge, the father of the plain,
He dwelt; and with him, in the golden chain
Of wedded faith y-link'd, a matron sage
Aye dwelt; sweet partner of his joy and pain,
Sweet charmer of his youth, friend of his age,
Skill'd to improve his bliss, his sorrows to afsuage.

:

III.

From this fair union, not of fordid gain,
But merit fimilar and mutual love,

True source of lineal virtue, sprung a train
Of youths and virgins; like the beauteous grove,
Which round the temple of Olympick Jove,
Begirt with youthful bloom the * parent tree,
The facred olive; whence old Elis wave

Her verdant crowns of peaceful victory,

The † guerdons of bold strength and swift activity.

IV.

So round their noble parents goodly rofe
These generous scyons: they with watchful care
Still, as the swelling passions 'gan disclofe
The buds of future virtues, did prepare

With

* Parent tree, the facred olive.) This tree grew in the Altis, or facred grove of Olympick Jupiter at Olympia, having, as the Eleans pretended, been originally planted there by Hercules. It was esteemed sacred, and from that were taken the Olympick crowns. † Guerdons, rewards.

:

1

:

1

With prudent culture the young shoots to rear :
And aye in this endearing pious toil

They by a * palmer fage instructed were,

Who from deep thought and studious search erewhile Had learnt to mend the heart, and till the human foil.

V.

For by celestial Wisdom whilom led

Through all th' apartments of th' immortal mind, He view'd the secret stores, and mark'd the † sted To judgment, wit, and memory affign'd; And how fenfation and reflection join'd To fill with images her darksome grotte, Where, variously disjointed or combin'd, As reason, fancy, or opinion wrought, Their various masks they play'd, and fed her penfive

thought.

VI.

‡ Alfe through the fields of Science had he stray'd
With eager fearch, and fent his piercing eye
Through each learn'd school, each philosophic shade,
Where Truth and Virtue erst were deem'd to lie;
If haply the fair vagrants he § mote spy,
Or hear the music of their charming lore :
But all unable there to fatisfy

His curious foul, he turn'd him to explore
The facred writ of Faith; to learn, believe, adore.

VII. Thence

* Palmer, pilgrim. The person here signified is Mr.

Locke, characterized by his works.

+ Sted, place, station.

‡ Alfe, also, further.

§ Mote, might.

VII.

Thence foe profess'd of Falshood and Deceit,

Those fly artificers of tyranny,

* Aye holding up before uncertain feet
His faithful light to Knowledge, Liberty,
Mankind he led, to civil policy,
And mild Religion's charitable law;
That, fram'd by Mercy and Benignity
The perfecuting sword forbids to draw,
And free-created fouls with penal terrours awe.

VIII.

+ Ne with the glorious gifts elate and vain
Lock'd he his wifdom up in churlish pride;
But, stooping from his height, would even deign
The feeble steps of Infancy to guide.
Eternal glory him therefore betide,

Let every generous youth his praise proclaim;
Who, wandering through the world's rude foreft

wide,

By him hath been y-taught his course to frame To Virtue's sweet abodes, and heaven-afpiring Fame!

IX.

For this the Fairy Knight with anxious thought,
And fond paternal care, his counsel pray'd;
And him of gentlest courtesy befought

His guidance to vouchsafe and friendly aid;

The

* Aye, ever.

† Ne, nor.