And thus, I ween, thus fhall I best repay
The valued gifts, thy careful love bestow'd;
If imitating THEE, well as I may,
I labour to diffufe th' important good,
"Till this great truth by all be understood;
"That all the pious duties which we owe,
"Our parents, friends, our country and our God;
"The feeds of every virtue here below,
From Difcipline alone, and early Culture grow."

A

CANTO I.

ARGU M E N T.

The Knight, as to bРÆDîA's house
He his young Son conveys,
Is flaid by CUSTOM; with him fights,

And his vain pride difmays.

I.

Gentle KNIGHT there was, whofe noble deeds

O'er Fairy Land by Fame were blazon'd round: For warlike enterprize, and fage areeds

c

Emong the chief alike was he renown'd;

b Pædîa is a Greek word, fignifying Education. Areeds, counfels,

Whence

Whence with the marks of highest honours crown'd
By GLORIANA, in domeftic peace,

That port to which the wife are ever bound,
He anchor'd was, and chang'd the toffing feas
Of bustling bufy life, for calm fequefter'd ease.
II.

There in domeftic virtue rich and great
As erft in public, 'mid his wide domain,
Long in primæval patriarchal state,

The lord, the judge, the father of the plain,
He dwelt; and with him, in the golden chain
Of wedded faith y-link'd, a matron fage
Aye dwelt; fweet partner of his joy and pain,
Sweet charmer of his youth, friend of his age,
Skill'd to improve his blifs, his forrows to affuage.
III.

From this fair union, not of fordid gain,

But merit fimilar and mutual love,

True fource of lineal virtue, fprung a train
Of youths and virgins; like the beauteous grove,
Which round the temple of Olympic Jove,

d

Begirt with youthful bloom the parent tree,

The facred olive; whence old Elis wove

Parent tree, the facred olive.] This tree grew in the Altis, or facred grove of Olympick Jupiter at Olympia, having, as the Eleans pretended, been originally planted there by Hercules. It was esteemed facred, and from that were taken the Olympic crowns. See Paufanias. Eliac. and the Differtation on the Olympic games,

Aer

Her verdant crowns of peaceful victory,

The guerdons of bold ftrength, and swift activity.
IV.

So round their noble parents goodly rofe

These generous fcyons: they with watchful care
Still, as the fwelling paffions 'gan difclofe
The buds of future virtues, did prepare
With prudent culture the young fhoots to rear:
And aye in this endearing pious toil

They by af Palmer fage inftructed were,

Who from deep thought and ftudious fearch erewhile Had learnt to mend the heart, and till the human foil.

V.

For by cœleftial Wisdom whilom led

Through all th' apartments of th' immortal mind,
He view'd the fecret ftores, and mark'd the & fted
To judgment, wit, and memory affign'd;

And how fenfation and reflection join'd
To fill with images her darkfome grotte,
Where variously disjointed or combin'd,
As reason, fancy, or opinion wrought,

Their various masks they play'd, and fed her penfive thought.

• Guerdons, rewards.

f Palmer, pilgrim. The Perfon bere fignified is Mr. Locke, characterized by his works.

Sted, place, ftation.

VI. Alfe

VI.

Alfe through the fields of Science had he stray'd
With eager search, and fent his piercing eye
Through each learn'd school, each philofophic shade;
Where Truth and Virtue erft were deem'd to lie;
If haply the fair vagrants he mote spy,
Or hear the mufic of their charming lore:
But all unable there to fatisfy

His curious foul, he turn'd him to explore

The facred writ of Faith; to learn, believe, adore.
VII.

Thence foe profefs'd of Falfhood and Deceit;
Thofe fly artificers of tyranny,

k Aye holding up before uncertain feet
His faithful light, to Knowledge, Liberty,
Mankind he led, to Civil Policy,
And mild Religion's charitable law;
That fram'd by Mercy and Benignity
The perfecuting fword forbids to draw,
And free-created fouls with penal terrors awe.

VIII.

1 Ne with thefe glorious gifts elate and vain
Lock'd he his wifdom up in churlish pride;
But, ftooping from his height, would even deign
The feeble steps of Infancy to guide.

Eternal glory Him therefore betide!

Let every generous youth bis praise proclaim! Who, wand'ring through the world's rude foreft wide, By him hath been y-taught his courfe to frame To Virtue's fweet abodes, and heav'n-afpiring Fame!

IX.

For this the FAIRY KNIGHT with anxious thought,
And fond paternal care his counsel pray'd;
And him of gentleft courtesy befought
His guidance to vouchsafe and friendly aid;
The while his tender offspring he convey'd,
Through devious paths to that fecure retreat ;
Where fage PÆDÎA, with each tuneful maid,
On a wide mount had fix'd her rural feat,
'Mid flow'ry gardens plac'd, untrod by vulgar feet.
X.

And now forth-pacing with his blooming heir,
And that fame virtuous Palmer them to guide ;
Arm'd all to point, and on a courfer fair
Y-mounted high, in military pride,

His little train before he flow did ride.

m

Him eke behind a gentle Squire enfues,

With his young lord aye marching fide by fide,

His counsellour and guard, in goodly thews,

Who well had been brought up, and nurs'd by every Muse.

Enfues, follows.

A Thews, manners.

XI. Thus