Eftfoons aftonifh'd at th' alarming found, The fignal of diftrefs and hoftile wrong, Confusedly trooping from all quarters round, Came pouring o'er the plain a numerous throng Of every fex and order, old and young; The vaffals of great Custom's wide domain, Who to his lore inur'd by usage long,
His every fummons heard with pleasure fain, And felt his every wound with fympathetick pain. LII.
They, when their bleeding king they did behold, And faw an armed KNIGHT him standing near, Attended by that Palmer fage and bold;
Whofe vent'rous fearch of devious Truth while-ear Spread through the realms of Learning horrors drear, Y-feized were at first with terrors great;
And in their boding hearts began to fear,
Diffention factious, controverfial hate,
And innovations ftrange in CUSTOM's peaceful state.
But when they faw the KNIGHT his fauchion fheathe,
And climbing to his steed march thence away, With all his hoftile train, they gan to breathe With freer fpirit, and with aspect gay
Soon chaced the gathering clouds of black affray. Alfe their great monarch, cheared with the view Of myriads, who confefs'd his fovran fway, His ruffled pride began to plume anew ;
And on his bugle clear a strain of triumph blew. LIV.
There-at the multitude, that stood around, Sent up at once a univerfal roar
Of boisterous joy: the fudden-bursting found, Like the explosion of a warlike store
Of nitrous grain, th' afflicted * welkin tore.
Then turning towards the KNIGHT, with scoffings lewd, Heart-piercing infults, and revilings fore,
Loud bursts of laughter vain, and hiffes rude,
As through the throng he pass'd, his parting steps pursued. LV.
Alfe from that forked hill the boasted seat Of ftudious Peace, and mild Philofophy, Indignant murmurs mote be heard to threat, Muftering their rage; eke baleful Infamy, Rouz'd from her den of base obscurity By thofe fame Maidens Nine, began to found Her brazen trump of black'ning obloquy;
While Satire, with dark clouds encompaft round,
Sharp, fecret arrows shot, and aim'd his back to wound.
But the brave FAIRY KNIGHT no whit dismay'd Held on his peaceful journey o'er the plain; With curious eye obferving, as he stray'd Through the wide provinces of CUSTOM's reign, What mote afresh admonish him remain Fast by his virtuous purpose; all around
So many objects mov'd his juft difdain;
Him seem'd that nothing serious, nothing found In city, village, bow'r, or caftle mote be found.
In village, city, caftle, bow'r and hall, Each sex, each age, each order and degree, To vice and idle sport abandon'd all, Kept one perpetual general jubilee.
Ne fuffered ought disturb their merry glee; Ne fenfe of private lofs, ne publick woes, Restraint of law, Religion's drad decree, Intestine defolation, foreign foes,
Nor heav'n's tempeftuous threats, nor earth's convulfive
But chiefly they whom Heav'n's disposing hand Had feated high on Fortune's upper stage; And plac'd within their call the facred band That waits on Nurture and Inftruction fage,
If haply their wife * hefts mote them engage
To climb through knowledge to more noble praise; And as they mount, enlighten every age
With the bright influence of fair Virtue's rays;
Which from the aweful heights of Grandeur brighter blaze.
They, O perverfe and base ingratitude!
'Defpifing the great ends of Providence,
For which above their mates they were endued With wealth, authority, and eminence,
To the low fervices of brutal sense
- Abused the means of pleasures more refin'd, Of knowledge, virtue, and beneficence;
And fettering on her throne th' immortal mind, The guidance of her realm to paffions wild refign'd. LX.
Hence thoughtless, shameless, reckless, spiritless, Nought worthy of their kind did they affay; But or benumb'd with palfied Idleness In meerly living loiter'd life away. Or by false taste of pleasure led aftray, For-ever wand'ring in the fenfual bow'rs Of feverish Debauch, and luftful Play, Spent on ignoble toils their active pow'rs, And with untimely blafts difeas'd their vernal hours.
*Hefts, behefts, precepts, commands.
Ev'n they, to whom kind Nature did accord A frame more delicate, and purer mind, Though the foul brothel and the wine-ftain'd board Of beaftly Comus loathing they declin'd, Yet their foft hearts to idle joys refign'd; Like painted infects, through the fummer-air With random flight aye ranging unconfin'd; And tafting every flower and blossom fair, Withouten any choice, withouten any care. LXII.
For choice them needed none, who only fought With vain amusements to beguile the day; And wherefore fhould they take or care or thought, Whom Nature prompts, and Fortune calls to play? "Lords of the earth, be happy as ye may! So learn'd, fo taught the leaders of mankind; Th'unreasoning vulgar willingly obey,
And leaving toil and poverty behind,
Ran forth by different ways the blissful boon to find. LXIII.
Nor tedious was the search; for every where, As nigh great CUSTOM's royal tow'rs the KNIGHT Pafs'd through th' adjoining hamlets, mote he hear The merry voice of feftival Delight
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