St. Mark's incrusted walls and lustrous gold, So stood the Church, a Bible lifted high "He shall return," with strength and power endowed To raise the humble and lay low the proud. But Venice hearkened not: at her right hand A glorious Bible stood; yet she allowed Transgression from His law and mild command, And sinning found in sin her peace for ever banned. What though the East has lavished all her skill Though Fancy's richest hues the pages fill Its language is forgotten: men aspire Not to regard the lesson of its lore, But to be dressed in vain and tricked attire, To enter Pleasure's portals, or the door It is alone and desolate amid A crowded city, that will never know Its beauty and its teaching, lying hid From their dull hearts and eyes, although they go Before its gates for ever to and fro. Revels and tragedies have passed away Forgotten; idle masquers still below Pursue their heedless path, though day by day Those solemn domes are witness to the paltry play. The madness of the World assembles there, Stands silent unregarded, and the cry, "St. Mark and Liberty," the ancient boast Of glorious Venice, is a memory, That wakes no echo, dies itself almost St. Mark's behest unheeded and all freedom lost. "Doctrina sed vim promovet insitam." CONSIDERANTI mihi diversas erudiendi pueros rationes, illud in mentem occurrit, e veteribus aliquem, si de caelo post tot saecula delabi in has terras posset, miraturum esse suas litteras iam in tanto honore haberi ut cum puerilis disciplinae elementa sint, tum maturae nonnunquam aetati mentis prope solum pabulum suppeditent. Quanquam enim Theognis ille Cyrnum suum versibus appellans ita loquitur: μελήσεις ἄφθιτον ἀνθρώποις αἰὲν ἔχων ὄνομα et ille alter de se eodem modo vaticinatur : : Non omnis moriar, multaque pars mei Vitabit Libitinam vix, opinor, re vera finxissent extremis in Britannis olim fore ut carmina Graeca et Latina a pueris decantarentur. Igitur non est mirandum quod sunt hodie qui pueros ita instituentibus succenseant, quia meliorem ex recentioribus artibus studiisque erudiendae iuventutis rationem quam quae tam longe exquisitae sint inveniri posse arbitrantur. Hi enim affirmant totum hoc lumen antiquorum doctrinae quum in Anglia primum emicuisset, oculos novo et antea incognito fulgore ita strinxisse, ut nostri modo omni omisso servitium alienae linguae libenter acceperint, nec senserint si nimia vetustatis admiratione caperentur, periculum. fore ne artes a recentibus magis expolitas et perfectas negligerent: quod commune est omnibus vitium a Tacito memoratum, ut dum |