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Each various region's various wealth explore,

'Or bring the son of David's vaunted store;

'Or all combin'd; unmatch'd would still remain
The mighty treasures of our sovereign's reign.
< With time coeval, the vast heaps appear
Still undiminish'd, each succeeding year.
'Three lovely nymphs attend upon her state:

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'What tongue of man their beauty shall relate? Oh, far less charming in the Idalian grove, The sister graces, and the queen of love :

'Or rather here the graces learn to please,

'And golden Venus borrows charms from these.

'Such is their power, their magic smiles dispense

'Fair forms, sweet sounds, whatever sooths the sense;

'Whatever curious, useful, or refin'd,

Instructs, illumines, and, delights the mind,

'But come, thyself the royal court behold;

'The queen decrees a tournament to hold.

i The Fine Arts, Learning, and Good-breeding.

< Four days consum'd in banquet and in fight,

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The fifth is destin'd to the nuptial rite.'

Soon Paladour assents, the tale has fir'd

His soul, and boundless thirst of fame inspir'd.

Proceeds meanwhile the stranger to relate

What evils vex, what dangers threat the state.

'Here envy lurks, there force and vengeance storm, And there ambition lifts his giant form;

But now, restrain'd by that victorious arm, 'No clouds of war the tranquil land alarm; < The tumults of the troubled ocean cease, And sleeps the tempest in reluctant peace.'

But still the guardian fairy, hov'ring near,

Watch'd o'er her fav'rite knight with ceaseless care;

The sacred shield to noble Cadwall's hands

She gave, and thus to willing ears commands;

• Haste, mount thy steed, and grasp th' enchanted blade,

The sorcerer's towers with instant force invade.

'Ev'n now, ev'n now, our fell malicious foes

• With snares th' unconscious Paladour enclose:

"But his lov'd head I will myself protect,

'Their spells unravel, and their charms detect.

" And well I trust Morgana's arts shall fail, ' And truth and virtue against hell prevail.'

No need to tell with what a gracious air,

The queen to Paladour gave welcome fair.
Four times shrill clarions, with the dawning day,

Rous'd noble knights their prowess to display.

Four times victorious, in the martial game,

Brave Paladour triumphant notes proclaim.

Four evenings saw th' illustrious train prolong
The feast, and Paladour the theme of song.

Now the fifth morning rose, and smil'd so fair,

So fragrant and so pure the gentle air,

It seem'd that, with auspicious influence sweet,
Those nuptials nature's self-design'd to greet,
And when, the throng'd spectators all dispos'd
In order due, the tumult was compos'd;'

The bright Morgana in her royal place,

Shone with such modest, yet majestic grace,

The gazing crowd stood fix'd in fond amaze,

And ev'ry rapturous voice breaks forth in praise.

Rich gifts, from many a tributary king,

Ambassadors in solemn order bring,

By heralds led. Each, in his master's name,
Harangues in turn the fair imperial dame :

Then to the bridegroom, where he sits in state,
They turn, and his great actions celebrate :

But chief they hail him fortune's fav'rite care,
Blest with a gift, more excellent and rare
Than ever mortal yet from heav'n obtain❜d,
Than poets fabling fancy ever feign'd.

As when some stately stream its current leads

Through ancient groves, and flow'r-bespangled meads,

If on the bank a cliff with stately brow,

Breasting the wave, surveys the plain below,

The master there, to spread through time his praise,

Some fair and stately dome decrees to raise :
But, through the soil the moisture making way,
Shakes the high mound with unperceiv'd decay;

While, ev'ry hour, the never-ceasing tide

Beneath some fragment severs from the side,

Till many a gaping fissure rends the wall,

And the whole fabric totters to its fall.

So Paladour drinks in at ev'ry vein,

Through ev'ry sense, the heart-corrupting bane.
Now wealth and pomp allure his fond desire;

Now love of praise and emulation fire;

And, as the queen in all her charms appears,
Dark envy stings, and jealous fury tears.
Malignant passions! whose detested pow'r
Blots from his mind Melissa's tranquil bow'r.
And, scarce restrain'd by decent sense of right,
He burns with fierce impatience for the fight :
From arms my rival's proud pretensions flow,
As just my claim, who never fear'd a foe.'

The native subjects next their homage pay;

Successive they approach in meet array,

Marshall'd with care. Great lords their offerings bear,

And warlike troops in glitt'ring arms appear.

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