In fpring time, when the fun with Taurus rides,
Poure forth thir populous youth about the hive
In clusters; they among fresh dews and flowers
Flie to and fro, or on the fmoothed plank,
The fuburb of thir ftraw-built cittadel,

New rub'd with baume, expatiate and confer
Thir ftate affairs. So thick the aerie crowd 775
Swarm'd and were ftraitn'd; till the signal giv'n,
Behold a wonder! they but now who seemd
In bigness to furpafs earths giant fons

Now lefs then finalleft dwarfs, in narrow room
Throng numberlefs, like the Pigmean race
Beyond the Indian mount, or faerie elves,
Whofe midnight revels, by a forrest side
Or fountein fome belated peasant fees,

Or dreams he fees, while over head the moon

Sits arbitrefs, and nearer to the earth

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785

Wheels her pale course, they on thir mirth and

dance

Intent, with jocond mufic charm his ear;

At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds.
Thus incorporeal fpirits to fmallest forms
Reduc'd thir fhapes immenfe, and were at large,
Though without number ftill amidst the hall
Of that infernal court. But far within,
And in thir own dimenfions like themselves,
The great feraphic lords and cherubim

In close recefs and fecret conclave fat,
A thousand demy-gods on golden feats,
Frequent and full. After fhort filence then
And fummons read, the great confult began.

795

"HUDIBRAS,

IN THREE PARTS,

WRITTEN IN THE TIME OF

THE LATE WARS."

BY SAMUEL BUTLER, ESQ.*

THE THIRD PART.

THE ARGUMENT OF

THE THIRD CANTO.

The knight and Squire's prodigious flight
To quit th' inchanted bow'r by night :
He plods to turn his amorous fuit
T'a plea in law, and profecute :
Repairs to counfel. to advise
'Bout managing the enterprife ;
But firft refolves to try by letter,

And one more fair address, to get her.

CANTO III.

WHO would believe what ftrange bugbears

Mankind creates itfelf, of fears,

the chief

*See Vol. I. page 54. The first part of this poem, defign whereof is a fatire "against thofe incendiaries of church and ftate, who, in the late rebellion, under pretence

That fpring, like fern, that infect weed,

Equivocally, without feed,

And have no poffible foundation,

But meerly in th' imagination;

And yet can do more dreadful feats

S

Than hags, with all their imps and teats;
Make more bewitch and haunt themselves,
Than all their nurseries of elves?
For fear does things fo like a witch,
'Tis hard t' unriddle which is which;
Sets up communities of fenfes,
To chop and change intelligences;
As Roficrucian virtuofo's

Can fee with ears, and hear with noses;
And when they neither fee nor hear,
Have more than both supply'd by fear;
That makes 'em in the dark fee vifions,
And hag themfelves with apparitions;
And when their eyes difcover least,
Difcern the fubtleft objects beft:
Do things, not contrary, alone,
To th' courfe of nature, but its own;

The courage

of the bravest daunt,

And turn pultroons as valiant:

For men as refolute appear

With too much, as too little fear;

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20

25

of religion, murder'd the best of kings, to introduce the worst of governments," was published in 1663; the fecond in the following year; the third in 1678.

And when they're out of hopes of flying

Will run away from death by dying:

Or turn again to stand it out;

And those they fled, like lions, rout.

30

The knight, who now began to find Th' had left the enemy behind,

And faw no farther harm remain,

But feeble weariness and pain;
Perceiv'd, by lofing of their way,

Th' had gain'd th' advantage of the day;

And by declining of the road,

165

They had, by chance, their rere made good; 170

He ventur'd to difmifs his fear,

That parting's wont to rant and tear,

And give the defperat'ft attack

To danger ftill behind its back.

For, having paus'd to recollect,

And on his pal fuccefs reflect,
T'examine and confider why,

And whence, and how, he came to fly,
And when no devil had appear'd,

175

What elfe, it could be faid, he fear'd;

180

V. 164. He has been rescued by Ralpho, bis squire, from the widows boufe, where he had suffered a severe drubbing and a terrible fright, from a crew of factitious dæmons.