LVIII.

As he thus fpake, th' enchaunter half asham'd
Wift not what fitting answer to devife,

Als was his caitive heart well-nigh inflam'd,
By that fame knight fo virtuous, brave, and wife,
That long he doubts him farther to entice.
But he was harden'd and remorfelefs grown,
Through practice old of villainy and vice;
So to his former wiles he turns him foon,
As in another place hereafter fhall be shown.

EDUCA

EDUCATION.

A PO E

M:

Written in Imitation of the Style and Manner of

SPENSER'S FAIRY QUEEN.

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 fu60 pervacua didicerunt." SEN. Ep. 88.

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,
Infpire, 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 tenderest love my orphan life did rear,
And train me up to manly ftrength and sense;
With mildest awe, and virtuous influence,
Directing my unpractis'd wayward feet

To the smooth walks of Truth and Innocence; Where Happiness heart-felt, Contentment sweet, Philofophy divine, aye hold their bleft retreat.

Thou, most belov'd, most honour'd, most 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 modest virtues into view;

And proudly boast that from thy precious ftore, Which erst enrich'd my heart, I drew this facred lore. And thus, I ween, thus fhall I beft repay

The valued gifts, thy careful love bestow'd;
If, imitating thee, well as I may,

I labour to diffuse 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

ARG U M E N T.

The Knight, as to

Pædîa's house

He his young fon conveys,

Is ftaid by Cuftom; with him fights,

A

And his vain pride disdays.

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'ď 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 cafe.

II. There

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

II.

There in domestic 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, sprung 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 ftrength and fwift activity.
IV.

So round their noble parents goodly rofe
These generous fcyons: they with watchful care
Still, as the fwelling passions 'gan disclose
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 esteemed facred, and from that were taken the Olympick crowns. + Guerdons, rewards.