It chanc't the noble master of the dome

Still made his house the wand'ring ftranger's home:
Yet ftill the kindnefs, from a thirft of praife, 51
Prov'd the vain flourish of expenfive ease.

The pair arrive: the liv'ry'd fervants wait;
Their lord receives them at the pompous gate.
The table groans with coftly piles of food,
And all is more than hofpitably good.

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Then led to rest, the day's long toil they drown: Deep funk in fleep, and filk, and heaps of down.

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At length 'tis morn, and at the dawn of day, Along the wide canals the Zephyrs play : Fresh o'er the gay parterres the breezes creep, And shake the neighb'ring wood to banish sleep. Up rife the guests, obedient to the call:

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An early banquet deck'd the fplendid hall;
Rich luscious wine a golden goblet grac't,
Which the kind mafter forc'd the guests to taste.
Then, pleas'd and thankful, from the porch they go;
And, but the landlord, none had cause of woe;
His cup was vanish'd; for in fecret guise
The younger gueft purloin'd the glittering prize.
As one who 'fpys a ferpent in his way,
Gliftning and basking in the fummer ray,
Disorder'd stops to fhun the danger near,

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Then walks with faintnefs on, and looks with fear; So feem'd the fire; when far upon the road, 75 The fhining spoil his wiley partner show'd.

H

He stopp'd with filence, walk'd with trembling heart,
And much he wish'd, but durst not ask to part:
Murm'ring he lifts his eyes, and thinks it hard,
That generous actions meet a base reward.

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While thus they pass, the fun his glory shrouds,
The changing skies hang out their fable clouds ;
A found in air prefag'd approaching rain,
And beafts to covert fcud across the plain.
Warn'd by the figns, the wand'ring pair retreat,
To feek for shelter at a neighb'ring feat.
"Twas built with turrets, on a rifing ground,
And strong, and large, and unimprov❜d around;
Its owner's temper, tim'rous and fevere,
Unkind and griping, caus'd a desert there.
As near the Mifer's heavy doors they drew,
Fierce rifing gufts with fudden fury blew ;
The nimble lightning mix'd with show'rs began,
And o'er their heads loud-rolling thunder ran.
Here long they knock, but knock or call in vain,
Driv'n by the wind, and battered by the rain.
At length fome pity warm'd the master's breast,
('Twas then his threshold first receiv'd a guest);
Slow creaking turns the door with jealous care,
And half he welcomes in the shivering pair; 100
One frugal faggot lights the naked walls,
And nature's fervor thro' their limbs recals :
Bread of the courseft fort, with eager wine,
(Each hardly granted) ferv'd them both to dine;

And when the tempeft first appear'd to cease, 105 A ready warning bid them part in peace.

With ftill remark the pond'ring Hermit view'd, In one so rich, a life so poor and rude; And why should such (within himself he cry'd,) Lock the loft wealth a thousand want befide? 110 But what new marks of wonder foon took place, In ev'ry fettling feature of his face, When from his veft the young companion bore That cup, the generous landlord own'd before, And paid profufely with the precious bowl The ftinted kindness of this churlish foul

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But now the clouds in airy tumult fly; The fun emerging opes an ażure sky; A fresher green the fmelling leaves display, And, glittʼring as they tremble, cheer the day: The weather courts them from the poor retreat, And the glad mafter bolts the wary gate.

While hence they walk, the Pilgrim's bofom wrought

With all the travel of uncertain thought;
His partner's acts without their cause appear, 125
'Twas there a vice, and seem'd a madness here:
Detefting that, and pitying this, he goes,

Loft and confounded with the various shows.

Now night's dim fhades again involve the fky," Again the wand'rers want a place to lye, Again they fearch, and find a lodging nigh,

The foil improv'd around, the mansion neat,
And neither poorly low, nor idly great:

It seem'd to speak its master's turn of mind,
Content, and not for praise, but virtue, kind. 135.
Hither the walkers turn with weary feet,
Then blefs the manfion, and the master greet:
Their greeting fair bestow'd, with modest guise,
The courteous master hears, and thus replies:

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Without a vain, without a yielding heart, 140 To him who gives us all, I yield a part; From him you come, for him accept you here, A frank and fober, more than coftly cheer: He spoke, and bid the welcome table spread, Then talk'd of virtue till the time of bed, When the grave houshold round his hall repair, Warn'd by a bell, and close the hours with pray'r. At length the world, renew'd by calm repose, Was ftrong for toil; the dappled morn arose; Before the pilgrims part, the younger crept, 150 Near the clos'd cradle where an infant flept, And writh'd his neck: the landlord's little pride, O ftrange return! grew black, and gasp'd, and dy'd. Horrour of horrours! what! his only fon!

How look'd our Hermit when the fact was done? Not hell, tho' hell's black jaws in funder part, And breathe blue fire, cou'd more affault his heart.

Confus'd, and ftruck with filence at the deed, He flies, but trembling fails to fly with speed.

His fteps the youth purfues; the country lay 160
Perplex'd with roads, a fervant show'd the way:
A river cross'd the path; the paffage o'er
Was nice to find; the fervant trod before;
Long arms of oaks an open bridge supply'd,
And deep the waves beneath the bending glide.
The youth, who seem'd to watch a time to fin,
Approach'd the carelefs guide, and thruft him in;
Plunging he falls, and rifing lifts his head,
Then flashing turns, and finks among the dead.
Wild, fparkling rage inflames the father's eyes,
He bursts the bands of fear, and madly cries,
Detefted wretch-But fcarce his fpeech began,
When the strange partner feem'd no longer man: .
His youthful face grew more ferenely sweet;
His robe turn'd white, and flow'd upon his feet;
Fair rounds of radiant points invest his hair; 176
Celestial odours breathe thro' purpled air;
And wings, whofe colours glitter'd on the day,
Wide at his back their gradual plumes display.
The form etherial bursts upon his fight,
And moves in all the majefty of light.

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Though loud at first the pilgrim's paffion grew, Sudden he gaz'd, and wist not what to do; Surprize in fecret chains his words fufpends, And in a calm his fettling temper ends. But filence here the beauteous Angel broke (The voice of mufic ravish'd as he spoke).

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