So on he passed, till he comen hath For stones and rubbish, that did choak its tide, For the rich spoil of all the continents, All these and many more that may not here be told. Aloft on this strange basis was ypight', Thereto herself a pompous title bore, For she was vain of her great auncestry, But vainer still of that prodigious store Of arts and learning, which she vaunts to lie In the rich archives of her treasury. These she to strangers oftentimes would show, With grave demean and solemn vanity, Then proudly claim as to her merit due, The venerable praise and title of Vertù. Vertù she was yclept 4, and held her court With outward shows of pomp and majesty, To which natheless few others did resort, But men of base and vulgar industry. Or such perdy as of them cozen'd be, Mimes, fidlers, pipers, eunuchs squeaking fine, Painters and builders, sons of masonry, Who well could measure with the rule and line, For long, to visit her once-honour'd seat And load their bosom with the sacred store, Forthy to her a numerous train doth long Of ushers in her court well practised, Who aye about the moneyed stranger throng, Offering, with shows of courteous bountihed7, Him through the rich apartments all to lead, And show him all the wonders of her state, Whose names and price they wisely can areed, And tell of coins of old and modern date, And pictures false and true right well discriminate. Als are they named after him, whose tongue Shook the dictator in his curule chair, And, thundering through the Roman senate, rung His bold Philippics in Antonius' ear; Which when the Fairy heard, he sigh'd full dear, And, casting round his quick discerning eye, At every deal 9 he dropt a manly tear, As he the stately buildings mote descry, Baths, theatres, and fanes, in mouldering fragments lie. "And, oh! imperial city!" then he said, "How art thou tumbled from thine Alpine throne! Whereon, like Jove on high Olympus' head, Thou sittedst erst unequal'd and alone, And madest through the world thy greatness known: While from the western isles, to Indus' shore, From seven-mouth'd Nilus, to the frozen Don, Thy dradded bolts the strong-pounc'd eagle bore, And taught the nations round thy fasces to adore. "And doth among thy reliques nought remain, No little portion of that haughty spright, Which made thee whilom scorn soft Pleasure's chain, And in free Virtue place thy chief delight, Whereby through ages shone thy glory bright? And is there nought remaining to confound Those who, regardless of thy woeful plight, With idle wonder view thy ruins round, And without thought survey thy memorable wound? "Arise, thou genuine Cicero, and declare That all these mighty ruins scatter'd wide The sepulchres of Roman virtue were, And trophies vast of luxury and pride, Those fell diseases whereof Rome erst dy'd. And do you then with vile mechanic thought Your course, ye sons of Fairy, hither guide, That ye those gay refinements may be taught, Which Liberty's fair lond to shame and thraldom brought? "Let Rome those vassal arts now meanly boast, Which to her vanquish'd thralls she erst resign'd; Ye who enjoy that freedom she has lost, That great prerogative of human-kind, Close to your hearts the precious jewel bind, And learn the rich possession to maintain, Learn virtue, justice, constancy of mind, Not to be mov'd by fear or pleasure's train; Be these your arts, ye brave; these only are humane." As he thus spake, th' enchaunter half-asham'd Wist not what fitting answer to devise, Als was his caitive heart well-nigh inflam'd, By that same knight so virtuous, brave, and wise, That long he doubts him farther to entice. But he was hardea'd and remorseless grown, Through practice old of villainy and vice; So to his former wiles he turns him soon, As in another place hereafter shall be shown. O GOODLY Discipline! from Heaven y-sprong! Parent of Science, queen of arts retin'd! To whom the Graces and the Nine belong: O! bid those Graces, in fair chorus join'd With each bright virtue that adorns the mind! O bid the Muses, thine harmonious train, Who by thy aid erst humaniz'd mankind, Inspire, direct, and moralize the strain, That doth essay to teach thy treasures how to gain! And thou, whose pious and maternal care, The substitute of heavenly Providence, With tenderest love my orphan life did rear, And train me up to masly strength 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, Philosophy divine, aye hold their blest retreat. Thou, most belov'd, most honour'd, most rever'd! And thus, I ween, thus shall I best repay I labour to diffuse th' important good, CANTO I ARGUMENT. The knight, as to Pædia's 2 house Is staid by Custom; with him fights, A GENTLE knight there was, whose noble deeds That port, to which the wise are ever bound, From this fair union, not of sordid gain, 1 Education. 2 Pædia is a Greek word, signifying education. 3 Counsels. 4 Parent tree, the sacred olive.] This tree grew in the Altis, or sacred grove of Olympic Jupiter at Olympia, having, as the Eleans pretended, been originally planted there by Hercules. It was esteemed sacred, and from that were taken the Olympic crowns. EDUCATION. Her verdant crowns of peaceful victory, So round their noble parents goodly rose Alse 4 through the fields of Science had he stray'd Where Truth and Virtue erst were deem'd to lie; His curious soul, he turn'd him to explore The sacred writ of Faith: to learn, believe, adore. Thence foe profess'd of Falsehood and Deceit, And free-created souls with penal terrours awe. Ne7 with the glorious gifts elate and vain Let every generous youth his praise proclaim; By him hath been y-taught his course to frame For this the Fairy knight with anxious thought, And now forth-pacing with his blooming heir, His little train before he slow did ride. Who well had been brought up, and nurs'd by every Thus as their pleasing journey they pursu'd, Or every public care from every breast was flown. And so deform'd; with wonder and delight Nor long way had they travell'd, ere-they came And with its bitter juice empoison'd all the flood. Right on the centre of the vale empight, But this to that compar'd mote justly seem The noble seat of Learning's goodly train. Amid this verdant grove with solemn state, And matching with high names their apish pride, O'er every learned school aye claim'd they to preside. In antique garbs (for modern they disdain'd) And well their outward vesture did express [turn Affecting Wisdom's antiquated dress, And usages by time cast far behind. 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 sacred Truth herself would they embrace, Unwarranted, unknown in their forefathers' days. Thus ever backward casting their survey To Rome's old ruins and the groves forlorn Of elder Athens, which in prospect lay Stretch'd out beneath the mountain, would they Their busy search, and o'er the rubbish mourn. Then, gathering up with superstitious care Each little scrap, however foul or torn, In grave harangues they boldly would declare, This Ennius, Varro; this the Stagyrite did wear. Yet, under names of venerable sound, [rod; While o'er the world they stretch'd their awful Through all the provinces of Learning own'd For teachers of whate'er is wise and good. Alse from each region to their drad 5 abode Came youth unnumber'd crowding all to taste The streams of Science; which united flow'd Adown the mount, from nine rich sources cast; And to the vale below in one rude torrent pass'd. O'er every source, protectress of the stream, One of those virgin sisters did preside; Who, dignifying with her noble name Her proper flood, aye pour'd into the tide The heady vapours of scholastic pride Despotical and abject, bold and blind, Fierce in debate, and forward to decide; Vain love of praise, with adulation join'd, And disingenuous scorn and impotence of mind. Extending from the hill on every side, In circuit vast a verdant valley spread, Across whose uniform flat bosom glide Ten thousand streams, in winding mazes led, By various sluices from one common head; A turbid mass of waters, vast, profound, Hight, of Philology the Lake; and fed By that rude torrent, which with roaring sound Came tumbling from the hill, and flow'd the level round. And every where this spacious valley o'er, Fast by each stream was seen a numerous throng Of beardless striplings, to the birch-crown'd shore, By nurses, guardians, fathers, dragg'd along: Who, helpless, meek, and innocent of wrong, Were torn reluctant from the tender side Of their fond mothers, and by faitours strong, By power made insolent, and hard by pride, Were driven with furious rage, and lash'd into the tide. 6 On the rude bank with trembling feet they stood, And, casting round their oft-reverted eyes, If haply they mote 'scape the hated flood, Fill'd all the plain with lamentable cries; But far away th' unheeding father flies, Constrain'd his strong compunctions to repress; While close behind, assuming the disguise Of nurturing care, and smiling tenderness, With secret scourges arm'd, those griesly faitours press. 5 Dreadful. 6 Faitour, doer, from faire, to do, and fait, deed; commonly used by Spenser in a bad sense, As on the steepy margin of a brook, When the young Sun with flowery Maia rides ; With innocent dismay a bleating flock Crowd back, affrighted at the rolling tides: The shepherd-swain at first exhorting chides Their seely fear; at length impatient grown, With his ru de crook he wounds their tender sides; And, all regardless of their piteous moan, Into the dashing wave compels them furious down. Thus urg'd by mastering fear and dolorous teen 2 Into the current plung'd that infant crowd. Right piteous was the spectacle, I ween, Of tender striplings stain'd with tears and blood, Perforce conflicting with the bitter flood; And labouring to attain the distant shore, Where, holding forth the gown of manhood, stood The syren Liberty, and evermore Solicited their hearts with her enchanting lore. Irksome and long the passage was, perplex'd' With rugged rocks, on which the raving tide, By sudden bursts of angry tempests vext, [abide Oft dash'd the youth, whose strength mote ill With head-uplifted o'er the waves to ride. Whence many wearied ere they had o'erpast The middle stream (for they in vain have tried) Again return'd astounded 3 and aghast; Ne one regardful look would ever backward cast. Some, of a rugged, more enduring frame, Their toilsome course with patient pain pursued; And, though with many a bruise and muchel blame, Eft hanging on the rocks, and eft embrued Deep in the muddy stream, with hearts subdued And quail'd by labour, gain'd the shore at last, But in life's practic lear 5 unskill'd and rude, Forth in that forked hill they silent pac'd; Where hid in studious shades their fruitless hours they waste. Others, of rich and noble lineage bred, [strain'd, Though with the crowd to pass the flood conYet o'er the crags with fond indulgence led By hireling guides and in all depths sustain'd, Skimm'd lightly o'er the tide, undipt, unstain'd, Save with the sprinkling of the watery spray, And aye their proud prerogative maintain'd, Of ignorance and ease, and wanton play, Soft harbingers of vice, and premature decay. A few, alas, how few! by Heaven's high will With subtle spirits endow'd and sinews strong, Albe sore mated 7 by the tempests shrill, That bellow'd fierce and rife the rocks among, By their own native vigour borne along Cut briskly through the waves; and, forces new Gathering from toil, and ardour from the throng Of rival youths, outstript the labouring crew, And to the true Parnasse and heaven-throng'd glory flew. 8 Of all the various speeches that while-ere 10 Much was the knight empassion'd at the scene, Then turns his ready steed, and on his journey hies. [hear !" But laws and kingdoms wont he oft create, And oft'times over both erect his throne, [own. While senates, priests and kings his sovran" sceptre Custom he hight; and aye in every land Usurp'd dominion with despotic sway O'er all he holds; and to his high command Constrains even stubborn Nature to obey; Whom dispossessing oft, he doth assay To govern in her right: and with a pace So soft and gentle doth he win his way, That she unwares is caught in his embrace, And, though deflower'd and thrall'd, nought feels her foul disgrace. For nurturing, even from their tenderest age, Protector, therefore, of that forked hill, He deemed was; and aye with rites divine, |