LI.

Eftfoons aftonish'd at th' alarming found,
The fignal of distress and hoftile wrong,
Confusedly trooping from all quarters round,
Came pouring o'er the plain a numerous throng
Of
every fex and order, old and young,;

The vaffals of great CUSTOM's wide domain,
Who to his lore inur'd by ufage long,

His every fummons heard with pleasure fain,
And felt his every wound with fympathetic pain.
LII.

They, when their bleeding king they did behold,
And faw an armed KNIGHT him standing near,
Attended by that Palmer fage and bold;

Whose vent'rous fearch of devious Truth while-ere
Spread through the realms of Learning horrors drear,
Y-feized were at firft with terrors great;

And in their boding hearts began to fear,
Diffention factious, controverfial hate,

And innovations strange in CUSTOM's peaceful state.
LIII.

But when they faw the KNIGHT his fauchion fhèathe,
And climbing to his steed march thence away,
With all his hoftile train, they 'gan to breathe
With freer fpirit, and with afpect gay
C 4

Soon

1

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 stood around,

Sent

up at once a univerfal roar

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

Of nitrous grain, th' afflicted welkin tore.

Then turning towards the KNIGHT,with scoffings lewd, Heart-piercing infults, 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 ftudious Peace and mild Philofophy,
Indignant murmurs mote be heard to threat,
Mustering their rage; eke baleful Infamy,
Rouz'd from her den of base obscurity

[fued.

By thofe fame Maidens Nine, began to found Her brazen trump of black'ning obloquy : While Satire, with dark clouds encompast round, Sharp, fecret arrows fhot, and aim'd his back to wound.

* 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 purpofe; all around
So many objects mov'd his just disdain ;

Him feem'd that nothing ferious, nothing found
In city, village, bow'r, or caftle mote be found.
LVII.

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

If happy their wife hefts mote them engage

To climb through knowledge to more nóble 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 perverfe and base ingratitude!

Defpifing the great ends of Providence,

[blaze.

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

1

To the low fervices of brutal sense

Abused the means of pleafures more refin'd,
Of knowledge, virtue, and beneficence;

And fettering on her throne th' immortal mind,

The guidance of her realm to paffions wild resign'd. LX.

Hence thoughtless, fhameless, reckless, fpiritless,

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 sensual bow'rs
Of feverish Debauch, and luftful Play,
Spent on ignoble toils their active pow'rs,

And with untimely blasts 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-ftain'd board
Of beaftly Comus loathing they declin'd,
Yet their foft hearts to idle joys refign'd;
Like painted infects, through the summer-air
With random flight aye ranging unconfin'd;
And tafting every flower and bloffom fair,
Withouten any choice, withouten any care.
LXII.

For choice them needed none, who only fought
With vain amufements 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, fo taught the leaders of mankind;
Th' unreafoning 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

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