In outward form prefenting to the fight
That fam'd Parnaffian hill, on whofe fair brows
The Nine Aonian Sifters wont repose;

Lift'ning to sweet Caftalia's founding stream,
Which through the plains of Cirrha murm'ring flows.
But This to That compar'd mote justly seem
Ne fitting haunt for gods, ne worthy man's efteem.
XVI.

For this nor founded deep, nor fpredden wide,
Nor high up-rais'd above the level plain,
By toiling art through tedious years applied,
From various parts compil'd with ftudious pain,
Was erft up-thrown; if fo it mote attain,
Like that poetic mountain, to be ' hight
The noble feat of Learning's goodly train.
Thereto, the more to captivate the fight,
It like a garden fair most curiously was "dight.
XVII.

In figur'd plots with leafy walls inclos'd,
By measure and by rule it was out-lay'd;
With symmetry fo regular difpos'd,

That plot to plot still answer'd, fhade to fhade;
Each correspondent twain alike array'd

u

Erft, formerly. Hight, called, named.

" Dight, dreft.

With

With like embellishments of plants and flow'rs, Of statues, vases, spouting founts, that play'd Through fhells of Tritons their afcending fhow'rs, And labyrinths involv'd and trelice-woven bow'rs. XVIII.

There likewife mote be seen on every fide The yew obedient to the planter's will, And shapely box of all their branching pride Ungently fhorne, and with prepofterous skill To various beafts and birds of fundry quill Transform'd, and human shapes of monftrous fize; Huge as that giant-race, who, hill on hill High-heaping, fought with impious vain emprize, Despite of thund'ring Jove, to scale the steepy skies. XIX.

W

Alfe other wonders of the fportive shears
Fair Nature mif-adorning there were found;
Globes, fpiral columns, pyramids and piers
With spouting urns and budding statues crown'd;
And horizontal dials on the ground

In living box by cunning artists trac'd;

And gallies trim, on no long voyage bound,

But by their roots there ever anchor'd fast,

* All were their bellying fails out-fpread to every blast.

W

Emprize, enterprize, attempt.

x All, ufed frequently by the old English poets for although.

XX.

O'er all appear'd the mountain's forked brows
With terraffes on terraffes up-thrown;

And all along arrang'd in order'd rows,
And vifto's broad, the velvet flopes adown
The ever-verdant trees of Daphne fhone.
But aliens to the clime, and brought of old
From Latian plains, and Grecian Helicon,

They shrunk and languish'd in a foreign mold,

By changeful fummers ftarv'd, and pinch'd by winter's

XXI.

Amid this verdant grove with folemn ftate,

On golden thrones of antique form reclin❜d,
In mimic majefty Nine Virgins fate,

In features various, as unlike in mind:

[cold.

Alfe boasted they themfelves of heav'nly kind, And to the sweet Parnaffian Nymphs allied; Thence round their brows the Delphic bay they twin'd, And matching with high names their apish pride, O'er every learned school aye claim'd they to prefide. XXII.

In antique garbs, for modern they disdain'd,

By Greek and Roman artifts whilom made,
Of various woofs, and variously distain'd
With tints of every hue, were they array'd;

Whilom, formerly.

And

And here and there ambitiously display'd

A purple shred of fome rich robe, prepared
Erft by the Muses or th' Aonian Maid,

To deck great Tullius or the Mantuan Bard;

Which o'er each motley veft with uncouth fplendor

XXIII.

And well their outward vefture did express

The bent and habit of their inward mind,
Affecting Wisdom's antiquated dress,
And ufages by Time caft far behind.

[glared.

Thence, to the charms of younger Science blind, The customs, 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 survey;
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,

XXV.

Yet, under names of venerable found,

While 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 drad abode
Came youth unnumber'd, crowding all to taste
The Streams of Science; which united flow'd
Adown the mount, from nine rich fources caft;
And to the vale below in one rude torrent pafs'd.
XXVI.

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

Extending from the hill on every fide,
In circuit vast a verdant valley spread;
Acrofs whofe uniform flat bofom glide
Ten thousand streams, in winding mazes led,

2 Drad, dreadful.

By