360

Great idol of mankind! we neither claim
The praife of merit, nor aspire to fame!
But safe in deferts from th'applause of men,
Would die unheard of, as we liv'd unseen.
'Tis all we beg thee, to conceal from fight
Those acts of goodness, which themselves requite.
O let us ftill the secret joy partake,

To follow virtue e'en for virtue's sake.

365

And live there men, who flight immortal fame? Who then with incense shall adore our name? But, mortals! know, 'tis still our greatest pride To blaze those virtues, which the good would hide. Rife! Muses, rise! add all your tuneful breath, 370 These must not fleep in darkness and in death. She said: in air the trembling music floats, And on the winds triumphant swell the notes; So foft, tho' high, so loud, and yet so clear, Ev'n lift'ning Angels lean from heav'n to hear: 375 To furthest shores th'Ambrofial spirit flies, Sweet to the world, and grateful to the skies.

IMITATIONS.

(Quoth fhe) thou Eolus, I hote,
And ring these folkes workes by rote,
That all the world may of it heare!
And he can blow their loos so cleare,
In his golden clarioune,
Through the world went the foune,
All fo kindly, and eke so soft,
That their fame was blown aloft.

1

Next these a youthful train their vows exprefs'd, With feathers crown'd, with gay embroid'ry dress'd: Hither, they cry'd, direct your eyes, and fee

380

385

• The men of pleasure, dress, and gallantry;
Ours is the place at banquets, balls, and plays,
Sprightly our nights, polite are all our days;
Courts we frequent, where 'tis our pleasing care
To pay due vifits, and address the fair:
In fact, 'tis true, no nymph we could perfuade,
But still in fancy vanquish'd ev'ry maid;
Of unknown Duchesses lewd tales we tell,
Yet, would the world believe us, all were well.
The joy let others have, and we the name,
And what we want in pleasure, grant in fame.
The Queen affents, the trumpet rends the skies,
And at each blast a Lady's honour dies.

390

Pleas'd with the strange success, vast numbers prest Around the shrine, and made the same request: 395 What you (the cry'd) unlearn'd in arts to please, Slaves to yourselves, and ev'n fatigu'd with ease,

IMITATIONS.

VER. 378. Next these a youthful train, etc.] The Reader night compare these twenty-eight lines following, which contain he same matter, with eighty-four of Chaucer, beginning thus:

Who lose a length of undeserving days,
Would you ufurp the lover's dear-bought praise ?
To juft contempt, ye vain pretenders, fall,
The people's fable, and the scorn of all.

400

Straight the black clarion sends a horrid found, Loud laughs burst out, and bitter scoffs fly round, Whispers are heard, with taunts reviling loud, And scornful hisses run thro' all the croud.

405

411

Last, those who boast of mighty mischiefs done, Enslave their country, or ufurp a throne; Or who their glory's dire foundation lay'd On sov'reigns ruin'd, or on friends betray'd; Calm, thinking villains, whom no faith could fix, Of crooked counsels and dark politics; Of these a gloomy tribe furround the throne, And beg to make th'immortal treasons known. The trumpet roars, long flaky flames expire, With sparks, that seem'd to fet the world on fire. 415 At the dread found, pale mortals stood aghaft, And startled nature trembled with the blaft.

This having heard and feen, some pow'r unknown Strait chang'd the scene, and snatch'd me from the

throne.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 406. Laft, those who boast of mighty, etc.]
Tho came another companye,

That had y-done the treachery, etc. P.

VER. 418. This having beard and feen, etc.] The Scene here changes from the temple of Fame to that of Rumour, which is almost entirely Chaucer's. The particulars follow.

Before my view appear'd a structure fair,
Its fite uncertain, if in earth or air;
With rapid motion turn'd the manfion round;
With ceaseless noise the ringing walls resound;
Not less in number were the spacious doors,

420

Than leaves on trees, or fands upon the shores; 425 Which still unfolded stand, by night, by day, Pervious to winds, and open ev'ry way.

IMITATIONS.

Tho faw I stonde in a valey,
Under the castle fast by
A house, that Domus Dedali
That Labyrinthus cleped is,
Nas made fo wonderly, I wis,
Ne half so queintly y-wrought;
And evermo as swift as thought,
This queint house about went,
That never more it still stent -
And eke this house hath of entrees
As many as leaves are on trees,
In fummer, when they ben grene;
And in the roof yet men may fene,
A thousand hoels and well mo
To letten the foune out go;
And by day in every tide
Ben all the doors open wide,

And by night each one unshet;

No porter is there one to let,

No manner tydings in to pace:

Ne never rest is in that place. P.

As flames by nature to the skies afcend,
As weighty bodies to the centre tend,

As to the fea returning rivers roll,

430

And the touch'd needle trembles to the pole;

Hither, as to their proper place, arife

All various founds from earth, and feas, and skies,

Or fpoke aloud, or whisper'd in the ear;

Nor ever filence, reft, or peace is here.

435

As on the smooth expanfe of crystal lakes
The finking stone at first a circle makes;
The trembling furface by the motion stirr'd,
Spreads in a fecond circle, then a third;

Wide, and more wide, the floating rings advance,440
Fill all the wat'ry plain, and to the margin dance:
Thus ev'ry voice and found, when first they break,
On neighb'ring air a soft impression make;
Another ambient circle then they move;
That, in its turn, impels the next above;
Thro' undulating air the founds are fent,
And fpread o'er all the fluid element.

There various news I heard of love and ftrife, Of peace and war, health, fickness, death and life,

IMITATIONS.

445

VER. 428. As flames by nature to the, etc.] This thought is transferred hither out of the third book of Fame, where it takes up no less than one hundred and twenty verses, beginning thus, Geffray, thou wotteft well this, etc. P.

VER. 448. There various news I beard, etc.]
Of werres, of peace, of marriages,
Of reft, of labour, of voyages,