XXI.

Amid this verdant grove with folemn state,

On golden thrones of antique form reclin'd,
In mimick majefty Nine Virgins fate,

In features various, as unlike in mind:

Alfe boafted they themselves of heav'nly kind,
And to the sweet Parnaffian Nymphs allied;

Thence round their brows the Delphick bay they twin'd,
And matching with high names their apish pride,
O'er every learned School aye claim'd they to prefide.
XXII.

In antique garbs, for modern they difdain'd,
By Greek and Roman artists 1 whilom made,
Of various woofs, and variously distain'd
With tints of ev'ry hue, were they array'd;
And here and there ambitiously display'd
A purple fhred of fome rich robe, prepared
Erft by the Muses or th' Aonian Maid,

To deck great Tullius or the Mantuan Bard;

Which o'er each motley veft with uncouth fplendor glared. XXIII.

And well their outward vesture did exprefs

The bent and habit of their inward mind,
Affecting Wisdom's antiquated drefs,
And ufages by Time caft far behind.

Whilom, formerly.

Thence,

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 facred Truth herself would they embrace, Unwarranted, unknown in their fore-fathers' days. XXIV.

Thus ever backward cafting their survey;

To Rome's old ruins and the

groves

forlorn

Of elder Athens, which in profpect lay

Stretch'd out beneath the mountain, would they turn

Their busy search, and o'er the rubbish mourn.

Then gathering up with fuperftitious care,

Each little scrap, however foul or torn,

In grave harangues they boldly would declare, This Ennius, Varro; This the Stagyrite did wear. XXV.

Yet, under names of venerable found,

While o'er the world they stretch'd their aweful rod;
Through all the provinces of Learning own'd

For teachers of whate'er is wife and good.
Alfe from each region to their drad abode
Came youth unnumber'd, crowding all to tafte
The freams of Science; which united flow'd
Adown the mount, from nine rich sources caft;
And to the vale below in one rude torrent pass'd.

i Drad, dreadful.

XXVI. O'er

B 3

XXVI.

O'er every fource, protectrefs of the ftream,
One of thofe Virgin Sifters did prefide;
Who, dignifying with her noble name
Her proper flood, are pour'd into the tide
The heady vapours of fcholaftick pride
Defpotical and abject, bold and blind,
Fierce in debate, and forward to decide;
Vain love of praife, with adulation join'd,
And difingenuous fcorn, and impotence of mind.
XXVII.

Extending from the hill on every fide,
In circuit vaft a verdant valley spread;
Acrofs whofe uniform flat bofom glide
Ten thousand ftreams, in winding mazes led,
By various fluices from one common head;
A turbid mafs of waters, vaft, profound,
Hight of Philology the lake; and fed

By that rude torrent, which with roaring found
Came tumbling from the hill, and flow'd the level round.
XXVIII.

And every where this fpacious valley o'er,

Faft by each stream was feen a numerous throng
Of beardlefs ftriplings to the birch-crown'd fhore,
By nurfes, guardians, fathers dragg'd along:

Who

Who helpless, meek, and innocent of wrong,
Were torn reluctant from the tender fide

Of their fond mothers, and by k faitours ftrong,
By pow'r made infolent, and hard by pride,

Were driv❜n with furious rage, and lash'd into the tide.
XXIX.

On the rude bank with trembling feet they flood,
And cafting round their oft-reverted eyes,

If haply they mote 'fcape the hated flood,
Fill'd all the plain with lamentable cries
But far away th' unheeding father flies,
Conftrain'd his strong compunctions to reprefs;
While close behind, affuming the disguise

Of nurturing care, and fmiling tenderness,
With fecret fcourges arm'd thofe griefly faitours prefs.
XXX.

As on the steepy margin of a brook,

When the young fun with flowery Maia rides,

With innocent difmay a bleating flock

Crowd back, affrighted at the rolling tides:
The shepherd-fwain at firft exhorting chides
Their 1 feely fear; at length impatient grown,
With his rude crook he wounds their tender fides;
And all regardless of their piteous moan,

Into the dashing wave compels them furious down.

* Faitour, doer, from faire to do, and fait deed, commonly used by Spenfer in a bad fenfe.

B 4

1 Seely, fimple.

XXXI. Thus

XXXI.

Thus urg'd by maft'ring Fear and dol'rous 1 Teen
Into the current plung'd that infant crowd.
Right piteous was the spectacle, I ween,

Of tender striplings ftain'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 food
The firen Liberty, and ever-more

Sollicited their hearts with her inchanting lore.
XXXII.

Irkfome and long the paffage was, perplex'd
With rugged rocks on which the raving tide
By fudden bursts of angry tempests vex'd

Oft dafh'd the youth, whofe ftrength mote ill abide
With head up-lifted o'er the waves to ride.
Whence many wearied ere they had o'er-paft
The middle stream (for they in vain have tried)
Again return'd m aftounded and aghaft;

Ne one regardful look would ever backward caft.
XXXIII.

Some, of a rugged, more enduring frame,
Their toilfome course with patient pain purfu'd;
And tho' with many a bruise and " muchel blame,
Eft hanging on the rocks, and eft embru'd

1 Teen, pain, grief. Aftounded, aftonish'd. " Muchel, much.

Deep