And horizontal dials on the ground

In living box by cunning artists trac'd ;
And gallies trim, on no long voyage bound,
But by their roots there ever anchor'd fast,

*All were their bellying fails out-spread to every blast.

XX.

O'er all appear'd the mountain's forked brows

With terraffes on terraffes up-thrown;

And all along arrang'd in order'd rows,
"And visto's`broad, the velvet slopes adown
The ever-verdant trees of Daphne shone.
But, aliens to the clime, and brought of old
From Latian plains, and Grecian Helicon,

They shrunk and languish'd in a foreign mold,
By changeful Summers ftarv'd, and pinch'd by Win-

ter's cold.

XXI.

Amid this verdant grove with folemn state,
On golden thrones of antique form reclin’d,
In mimic majesty Nine Virgins fate,

In features various, as unlike in mind:
Alfe boafted they themselves of heavenly kind,
And to the sweet Parnaffian Nymphs allied;
Thence round their brows the Delphic bay they twin'd
And matching with high names their apifh pride,
O'er every learned school aye claim'd they to preside.
XXII. In

U 2

All, ufed frequently by the old English Poets for although.

XXII.

In antique garbs (for modern they disdain'd)
By Greek and Roman artists* whilom made,
Of various woofs, and variously distain'd
With tints of every hue, were they array'd;
And here and there ambitiously display'd
A purple shred of some rich robe, prepar'd
Erft by the Mufes or th' Aonian Maid,

To deck great. Tullius or the Mantuan Bard; Which o'er each motley veft with uncouth fplendor

glar'd.

XXIII.

And well their outward vesture did express
The bent and habit of their inward mind,
Affecting Wifdom's antiquated dress,
And ufages by time caft far behind.

Thence, to the charms of younger science blind, The customs, laws, the learning, arts and phrafe Of their own countries they with fcorn declin'd; Ne facred truth herself would they embrace, Unwarranted, unknown in their fore-fathers' days. XXIV.

Thus ever backward casting their furvey;
To Rome's old ruins and the groves forlorn
Of elder Athens, which in prospect lay

Stretch'd out beneath the mountain, would they turn

Whilom, formerly.

Their

Their busy search, and o'er the rubbish mourn.
Then, gathering up with fuperftitious care
Each little fcrap, however foul or torn,

In grave harangues they boldly would declare,
This Ennius, Varro; This the Stagirite did wear.

XXV.

Yet, under names of venerable found,

While o'er the world they ftretch'd their awful rod; Through all the provinces of Learning own'd For teachers of whate'er is wife and good. Alfe from each region to their * drad abode Came youth unnumber'd, crowding all to taste The ftreams of Science; which united flow'd Adown the mount, from nine rich fources caft; And to the vale below in one rude torrent pafs'd.

XXVI.

O'er every fource, protectrefs of the stream,
One of thofe Virgin Sifters did prefide;
Who, dignifying with her noble name
Her proper flood, aye pour'd into the tide
The heady vapours of fcholaftic pride
Defpotical and abject, bold and blind,
Fierce in debate, and forward to decide;
Vain love of praise, with adulation join'd,
And disingenuous fcorn, and impotence of mind.

U 3

* Drad, dreadful.

XXVII. Ex

XXVII.

Extending from the hill on every side,
In circuit vaft a verdant valley spread;
Across whofe uniform flat bosom glide
Ten thoufand ftreams, in winding mazes led,
By various fluices from one common head;
A turbid mass of waters, vast, profound,
Hight of Philology the lake; and fed

By that rude torrent, which with roaring found Came tumbling from the hill, and flow'd the level round.

XXVIII.

And every where this fpacious valley o'er,
Faft by each ftream was feen a numerous throng
Of beardless striplings to the birch-crown'd shore,
By nurfes, guardians, fathers, dragg'd along:
Who, helpless, meek, and innocent of wrong,
Were torn reluctant from the tender fide

Of their fond mothers, and by * faitours strong,
By power made infolent, and hard by pride,

Were driven with furious rage, and lash'd into the tide.

XXIX.

On the rude bank with trembling feet they ftood,
And, cafting round their oft-reverted eyes,

If haply they mote 'fcape the hated flood,
Fill'd all the plain with lamentable cries;

But

*Faitour, doer, from faire, to do, and fait, ded,

commonly used by Spenfer in a bad fenfe.

But far away th' unheeding father flies, Conftrain'd his ftrong compunctions to reprefs; While close behind, affuming the disguise Of nurturing care, and finiling tenderness, With fecret fcourges arm'd, thofe griefly faitours prefs.

XXX.

As on the fteepy margin of a brook,

When the young fun with flowery Maia rides :
With innocent difmay a bleating flock

Crowd back, affrighted at the rolling tides:
The shepherd-fwain at first exhorting chides
Their * feely fear; at length impatient grown,
With his rude crook he wounds their tender fides;
And, all regardless of their piteous moan,
Into the dashing wave compels them furious down.

XXXI.

Thus urg'd by mastering fear and dolorous † teen
Into the current plung'd that infant crowd.
Right piteous was the fpectacle, I ween,

Of tender ftriplings ftain'd with tears and blood,
Perforce conflicting with the bitter flood;

And labouring to attain the distant shore,
Where holding forth the gown of manhood food
The fyren Liberty, and ever-more

Solicited their hearts with her inchanting lore.

U 4

XXXII. Irk

* Seely, fimple.

Teen, pain, grief.