INSCRIBED TO LADY LANGHAM, Widow of Sir JOHN LANGHAM, Baronet.

"Unum ftudium verè liberale eft, quod liberum facit. "Hoc fapientiæ ftudium eft, fublime, forte, mag"nanimum: cætera pufilla & puerilia funt.- Plus "fcire velle quàm fit fatis intemperantiæ genus eft. Quid, quòd ifta liberalium artium confectatio "moleftos, verbofos, intempeftivos, fibi placentes "facit, & ideo non dicentes neceffaria, quia fupervacua didicerunt." SEN. Ep. 88.

66

GOODLY difcipline! from heaven y-fprong! Parent of Science, queen of Arts refin'd! To whom the Graces, and the Nine belong : O bid thofe Graces, in fair chorus join'd

With

With each bright Virtue that adorns the mind! O bid the Mufes, thine harmonious train, Who by thy aid erst humaniz'd mankind, Inspire, direct, and moralize the strain, That doth effay to teach thy treasures how to gain ! And thou, whofe pious and maternal care, The substitute of heavenly Providence, With tendereft love my orphan life did rear, And train me up to manly strength and sense; With mildeft awe, and virtuous influence, Directing my unpractis'd wayward feet

To the fmooth walks of Truth and Innocence; Where Happinefs heart-felt, Contentment fweet, Philosophy divine, aye hold their blest retreat.

Thou, most belov'd, moft honour'd, moft rever'd!

Accept this verfe, 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 thefis I purfue,
And trace the plan of goodly * Nurture o'er,

I bring thy modeft virtues into view;

And proudly boaft that from thy precious flore, Which erft enrich'd my heart, I drew this facred lore.

And thus, I ween, thus fhall I beft repay
The valued gifts, thy careful love beftow'd;
If, imitating thee, well as may,

I labour to diffufe 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 I.

AR GU M E. N T.

The Knight, as to * Pædîa's houfe
He his young fon conveys,

Is ftaid by Cuftom; with him fights,,
And his vain pride disdays..

A

I..

Gentle Knight there was, whofe noble deeds
O'er Fairy land by Fame were blazon'd round:

For warlike enterprize, and fage † 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 toffing feas
Of bustling bufy life, for calm fequefter'd eafe.

II. There

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

II.

There in domeftic virtue rich and great
As erft 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 fage
Aye dwelt; fweet partner of his joy and pain,
Sweet charmer of his youth, friend of his age,
Skill'd to improve his blifs, his forrows to affuage.
III.

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

True fource of lineal virtue, fprung 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 wove
Her verdant crowns of peaceful victory,

The † guerdons of bold strength and swift activity.
IV.

So round their noble parents goodly rofe

These generous fcyons: they with watchful care
Still, as the fwelling paffions 'gan difclofe
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 efteemed facred, and from that were taken the Olympick crowns. + Guerdons, rewards.

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

They by a palmer fage inftructed were,

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

For by celeftial 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 sensation and reflection join'd
To fill with images her darkfome 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 search, and fent his piercing eye Through each learn'd school, each philofophic fhade, Where Truth and Virtue erft were deem'd to lie; If haply the fair vagrants he § mote spy, Or hear the mufic 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 perfon here fignified is Mr. Locke, characterized by his works.

Sted, place, station.
Mote, might.

Alfe, alfo, further.