Hither, they cry'd, direct your eyes, and fee And what we want in pleasure, grant in fame. 380 385 390 Pleas'd with the strange success, vaft numbers prest Around the fhrine, and made the same request: What you (fhe cry'd) unlearn'd in arts to please, Slaves to yourselves, and ev'n fatigu'd with ease, Who lose a length of undeferving days, Would you ufurp the lover's dear-bought praise ? To just contempt, ye vain pretenders, fall, The people's fable, and the scorn of all. IMITATIONS. 400 might compare thefe twenty-eight lines following, which contain the fame matter, with eighty-four of Chaucer, beginning thus: Tho came the fixth companye, And gan fafte to Fame cry, etc. being too prolix to be here inferted. P. Straight the black clarion sends a horrid found, 405 Laft, 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,410 Of crooked counfels 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 fparks, that feem'd to set the world on fire.415 At the dread found, pale mortals stood aghaft, And ftartled nature trembled with the blast. This having heard and seen, some pow'r unknown Strait chang'd the scene, and fnatch'd me from the throne. IMITATIONS. VER. 406. Laft, those who boast of mighty etc.] That had y-done the treachery, etc. P. VER.418. This having heard 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. Tho faw I ftonde in a valey, Under the caftle faft by Before my view appear'd a structure fair, With rapid motion turn'd the mansion round; 420 Than leaves on trees, or fands upon the shores; 425 Which still unfolded ftand, by night, by day, Pervious to winds, and open ev'ry way. As flames by nature to the skies afcend, As weighty bodies to the centre tend, IMITATIONS. A That Labyrinthus cleped is, P. 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. As to the fea returning rivers roll, 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, Nor ever filence, reft, or peace is here. 430 435 As on the smooth expanse of crystal lakes Wide, and more wide, the floating rings advance, 440 There various news I heard of love and strife, Of peace and war, health, fickness, death, and life, IMITATIONS. VER. 448. There various news I heard etc.] 445 Of lofs and gain, of famine and of store, Of fires and plagues, and stars with blazing hair, Above, below, without, within, around, Of divers tranfmutations Of eftates and eke of regions, Of folke as I faw roame about, Or elfe he told it openly Right thus, and faid, Knowft not thou That is betide to night now? No, quoth he, tell me what? And then he told him this ynd that, etc, Went every tiding fro mouth to mouth, As fire is wont to quicken and go is. P. 450 455 |