Fierce as a startled adder, swell'd, and said, Speak'st thou of Syrian Princes? traitor base! Mine, Goddess! mine is all the horned race. 376 True, he had wit to make their value rise; From foolish Greeks to steal them, was as wise; More glorious yet, from barb'rous hands to keep, When Sallee rovers chas'd him on the deep. 380 Then taught by Hermes, and divinely bold, Down his own throat he risk'd the Grecian gold, Receiv'd each demigod, with pious care, Deep in his entrails—I rever'd them there, I bought them, shrowded in that living shrine, 385 And, at their second birth, they issue mine. ' Witness great Ammon! by whose horns I swore, To prove me, 390 The Goddess smiling seem'd to give consent; So back to Pollio hand in hand they went. IMITATIONS. .383. Receiv'd each demigod.] Emissumque ima de sede Typhoca terrae "Coelibus fecisse metum; cunctosque dedisse. 396 Orid. Then thick as locusts black'ning all the ground, A tribe, with weeds and shells fantastic crown'd, Each with some wondrous gift approach'd the Pow't, A nest, a toad, a fungus, or a flow'r. 400 But far the foremost, two, with earnest zeal, And aspect ardent, to the throne appeal. The first thus open'd: Hear thy suppliant's call, Great Queen, and common mother of us all! Fair from its humble bed I rear'd this flow'r, 405 Suckl'd, and cheer'd, with air, and sun, and show's, Soft on the paper ruff its leaves I spread, Bright with the gilded button tipt its head. Then thron'd in glass, and nam'd it Caroline: Each maid cry'd, Charming! and each youth Divine! Did Nature's pencil ever blend such rays, Such vary'd light in one promiscuous blaze? Now prostrate! dead! behold that Caroline: No maid cries charming! and no youth divine! And lo the wretch whose vile, whose insect last Laid this gay daughter of the Spring in dust, 416 411 IMITATIONS. .405, &c. Fair from its humble bed, &c...nam'd it Caro line! Each maid cry'd, Charming! and each youth Divine! Now prostrate! dead! behold that Caroline: No maid cries charming! and no youth divine!] These verses are translated from Catullus, Epith. 'Ut fios in septis secretus nascitur hortis, 'Quam mulcet aurae, firmat Sol, educat imber Multi illum pueri, multae optavere puellae: Idem quum tenui carptus defloruit ungui, Nulli illum pueri, nullae optávere puellae,' &c 2 425 Oh punish him, or to th' Elysian shades IMITATIONS. 431 .421. Of all th' enamel'd race.] The Poet seems to have an eye to Spencer, Muiopotmos. 0.427, 428. Of all the race of silver-winged flies Which do possess the empire of the air.' fted, I followed, &c.] .I started back; It started back; but pleas'd I soon return'd; "Pleas'd it returil'd as soon.' P Milt. 445 But hear a mother when she recommends REMARKS. 450 455 v. 452... Wilkins' wings.] One of the first projectors of the Royal Society, who, among many enlarged and useful notions, entertained the extravagant hope of a possibility to fly to the moon; which has put some volatile geniuses upon making wings for that purpose. VARIATIONS. 0.441. The common soul, &c.] In the first edit, thus A drowzy watchman in the land of Ned. 460 465 Be that my task (replies a gloomy clerk, 3worn foe to myst'ry, yet divinely dark; Whose pious hope aspires to see the day When moral evidence shall quite decay, And damns implicit faith, and holy lies, Prompt to impose, and fond to dogmatize :) Let others creep by timid steps, and slow, On plain experience lay foundations low, By common sense to common knowledge bred, And last, to Nature's cause through Nature led. All-seeing in thy mists, we want no guide, Mother of arrogance, and source of pride! We nobly take the high Priory road, And reason downward, till we doubt of God: Make Nature still encroach upon his plan, And shove him off as far as e'er we can: Thrust some mechanic cause into his place, Or bind in matter, or diffuse in space: Or, at one bound o'er-leaping all his laws, Make God Man's Image, Man the final Cause; Find Virtue local, all Relation scorn, 470 475 See all in Self, and but for self be born: 480 Of nought so doubtful as of Soul and Will. Or that bright image to our fancy draw, |