Soon chaced the gathering clouds of black affray,
Alfe their great monarch, cheared with the view

Of myriads, who confefs his fov'ran sway,
His ruffled pride began to plume anew;
And on his bugle clear a strain of triumph blew.
LIV.

There-at the multitude, that ftood around,
Sent up at once a universal roar

Of boisterous joy: the fudden-bursting sound,
Like the explosion of a warlike store

Of nitrous grain, th' afflicted welkin tore.

Then turning towards the KNIGHT,with fcoffings lewd, Heart-piercing insults, and revilings fore,

Loud bursts of laughter vain, and hiffes rude,

As through the throng he pass'd, his parting steps pur

LV.

Alfe from that forked bill the boasted seat
Of studious Peace and mild Philosophy,
Indignant murmurs mote be heard to threat,
Mustering their rage; eke baleful Infamy,
Rouz'd from her den of bafe obfcurity

By those same Maidens Nine, began to found
Her brazen trump of black'ning obloquy :

[fued.

While Satire, with dark clouds encompast round, Sharp, fecret arrows fhot, and aim'd his back to wound.

a

• Welkin, sky.

LVI. But

LVI.

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 just disdain;

Him seem'd that nothing serious, nothing found
In city, village, bow'r, or castle mote be found.
LVII.

In village, city, caftle, bow'r and hall,
Each fex, each age, each order and degree,
To vice and idle fport abandon'd all,
Kept one perpetual general jubilee.
Ne fuffer'd aught, disturb their merry glee;
Ne sense of private lofs, ne public woes,
Restraint of law, Religion's drad decree,
Intestine defolation, foreign foes,

Nor heav'n's tempeftuous threats, nor earth's convulfive

LVIII.

[throws.

But chiefly they whom Heav'n's difpofing 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 happy 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

LIX.

They, O perverse and base ingratitude!

Defpifing the great ends of Providence,

[blaze.

For which above their mates they were endued
With wealth, authority, and eminence,

To the low fervices of brutal fenfe

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, fhameless, reckless, fpiritlefs,

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 lustful Play,
Spent on ignoble toils their active pow'rs,

And with untimely blafts difeas'd their vernal hours.
b Hefts, behefts, precepts, commands.

LXI. Ev'n

LXI.

Ev'n they, to whom kind Nature did accord
A frame more delicate, and purer mind,
Though the foul brothel and the wine-stain'd board
Of beastly Comus loathing they declin❜d,
Yet their soft hearts to idle joys refign'd;
Like painted infects, through the fummer-air
With random flight aye ranging unconfin'd;
And tasting every flower and bloffom 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 should 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, so 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 fearch; for every where,

As nigh great CUSTOM's royal tow'rs the KNIGHT

Pass'd through th' adjoining hamlets, 'mote he hear The merry voice of festival Delight

Saluting the return of morning bright
With matin-revels, by the mid-day hours
Scarce ended; and again with dewy night,

In cover'd theatres, or leafy bow'rs

Offering her evening-vows to Pleafure's joyous pow'rs. LXIV.

And ever on the way mote he efpy

Men, women, children, a promifcuous throng
Of rich, poor, wife and fimple, low and high,
By land, by water, paffing aye along
With mummers, antics, mufic, dance and fong,
To Pleafure's numerous temples, that befide
The glistening streams, or tufted groves among,
To every idle foot stood open wide,

And every gay defire with various joys fupplied.

LXV.

For there each heart with diverfe charms to move,
The fly inchantress summoned all her train :
Alluring Venus, queen of vagrant love,
The boon companion Bacchus loud and vain,
And tricking Hermes, god of fraudful gain,
Who, when blind Fortune throws, directs the die,
And Phebus tuning his foft Lydian strain

To wanton motions, and the lover's figh,

And thought-beguiling fhew, and masking revelry. LXVI. Un