Thence, to the charms of younger Science blind, The cuftoms, laws, the learning, arts and phrase Of their own countries they with scorn declin'd; Ne facred Truth herself would they embrace, Unwarranted, unknown in their fore-fathers' days. XXIV.

Thus ever backward cafting their furvey;

To Rome's old ruins and the groves forlorn
Of elder Athens, which in profpect lay

Stretch'd out beneath the mountain, would they turn
Their busy search, and o'er the rubbish mourn.
Then gathering up with fuperftitious care,

Each little scrap, however foul or torn,

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

Yet, under names of venerable found,

Wide o'er the world they stretch'd their aweful rod;
Through all the provinces of Learning own'd

For teachers of whate'er is wife and good.
Alfe from each region to their 1 drad abode
Came youth unnumber'd, crowding all to tafte
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 pass'd.

i Dread, dreadful.

XXVI. O'er

B 3

XXVI.

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

Extending from the hill on every fide,
In circuit vaft a verdant valley spread;
Acrofs whofe uniform flat bofom glide
Ten thousand streams, in winding mazes led,
By various fluices from one common head;
A turbid mass of waters, vaft, 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 stream was feen a numerous throng
Of beardless ftriplings to the birch-crown'd fhore,
By nurfes, guardians, fathers dragg'd along:

Who

Who helpless, meek, and innocent of wrong,
Were torn reluctant from the tender fide
Of their fond mothers, and by k faitours strong,
By pow'r made infolent, and hard by pride,

Were driv❜n with furious rage, and lafh'd into the tide.
XXIX.

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

If haply they mote 'scape the hated flood,
Fill'd all the plain with lamentable cries ;
But far away th' unheeding father flies,
Conftrain'd his ftrong compunctions to reprefs;
While clofe behind, affuming the disguife

Of nurturing care, and fmiling tenderness,
With fecret fcourges arm'd thofe griefly faitours prefs.

XXX.

As on the steepy 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.

k Faitour, doer, from faire to do, and fait deed, commonly used by Spenser in a bad sense.

B 4

1 Seely, fimple.

XXXI. Thus

XXXI.

Thus urg'd by maft'ring Fear and dol'rous 1 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 stood
The firen Liberty, and ever-more

Sollicited their hearts with her inchanting lore.

XXXII.

Irkfome and long the paffage was, perplex'd
With rugged rocks on which the raving tide
By fudden bursts of angry tempefts vex'd

Oft dash'd the youth, whose strength mote ill abide
With head up-lifted o'er the waves to ride.
Whence many wearied ere they had o'er-paft
The middle ftream (for they in vain have tried)
Again return'd m aftounded and aghast;

Ne one regardful look would ever backward caft.
XXXIII.

Some, of a rugged, more enduring frame,
Their toilfome course with patient pain purfu'd ;
And tho' with many a bruise and ʼn muchel blame,
Eft hanging on the rocks, and eft embru'd

Teen, pain,grief. m Astounded,astonish'd. » Muchel, much.

Deep

Deep in the muddy stream, with hearts fubdu'd
And quail'd by labour, gain'd the shore at last,
But in life's practick • lear unskill'd and rude,
Forth to that forked bill they filent pac'd;

Where hid in ftudious fhades their fruitless hours they waste.
XXXIV.

Others of rich and noble lineage bred,

Though with the crowd to pass the flood constrain'd, Yet o'er the crags with fond indulgence led By hireling guides and in all depths sustain❜d, Skimm'd lightly o'er the tide, undipt, unstain'd, Save with the fprinkling of the wat❜ry spray : And aye their proud prerogative maintain'd, Of ignorance and ease and wanton play, Soft harbingers of vice, and præmature decay. XXXV.

A few, alas, how few! by heav'n's high will With fubtile spirits endow'd and finews strong, p Albe fore q mated by the tempefts fhrill,

P

That bellow'd fierce and rife the rocks among, By their own native vigour borne along Cut briskly through the waves; and forces new Gathering from toil, and ardor from the throng Of rival youths, outstript the labouring crew, And to the true Parnaffe, and heav'n-thron'd glory flew.

r

• Lear, learning.

9 Mated, amaz'd, fcared.

P Albe, although.
Parnase, Parnaffus.

XXXVI. Dire