Directing my unpractis'd wayward feet
To the fmooth walks of Truth and Innocence,
Where Happiness heartfelt, Contentment sweet,
Philofophy divine, aye hold their blest retreat;
Thou, most belov'd, most honour'd, moft rever'd!
Accept this Verfe, to thy large merit due!
And blame me not if by each tie endear'd
Of nature, gratitude, and friendship true,
The whiles this moral thcfis I pursue,
And trace the plan of goodly nurture* o'er,
And proudly beaft that from thy precious ftore, Which erft enrich'd my heart, I drew this facred lore.
And thus, I ween, thus fhall I beft repay
The valu'd gifts thy careful love beflow'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 ev'ry virtue here below,
"From difcipline alone and early culture grow." 36
The Argument.
The Knight as to Pædia's houfe
He his young fon conveys
Is laid by Cuftom, with him fights,
And his vain pride difdays.
A Gentle knight there was whofe noble deeds
O'er Fairyland by Fame were blazon'd round;
For warlike enterprize and fage areeds†
Among the chief alike was he renown'd,
Whence with the marks of highest honours crown'd 5
By Gloriana, in domeftick peace,
That port to which the wife are ever bound,
He anchor'd was, and chang'd the toffing feas
Of buftling bufy life for calm fequefter'd cafe.
There in domeftick virtue rich and great,
As crft in publick, 'mid his wide domain
Long in primeval patriarchal state
The lord, the judge, the father, of the plain
He dwelt; and with him in the golden chain
Of wedded faith ylink'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!
* Pædia is a Greek word fignifying education.
† Areeds, counfels.
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 Olympick Jove
Begirt with youthful bloom the parent tree
The facred olive, whence old Elis wove
Her verdant crowns of peaceful victory,
The guerdons of bold strength and swift activity.
So round their noble parents goodly rofe
Thefe gen'rous fcions; 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 a palmer fage | inftructed were,
Who from deep thought and ftudious fearch erewhile Had learnt to mend the heart and till the human foil.
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 efteemed facred, and from that were taken the Olympick crowns.
Palmer, pilgrim. The perfon here fignified is Mr. Locke, characterized by his works.
For by celeftial Wisdom whilom led
Thro' 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 varioufly disjointed or combin'd
As reason, fancy, or opinion, wrought, [thought.
Their various mafks they play'd, and fed her pensive
Alst thro' the fields of Science had he stray'd 46
With eager fearch, and fent his piercing eye
'Thro' each learn'd school, each philofophick shade,
Where Truth and Virtue erft were deem'd to lie,
If haply the fair vagrants he mote ‡ spy,
Or hear the mufick 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.
Thence foe profess'd of Falsehood and Deceit,
Those fly artificers of Tyranny,
$ Aye || holding up before uncertain feet
His faithful light to knowledge, Liberty,
Mankind he led to civil policy,
* Sted, place, station.
Aye, ever.
Als, alfo, further. Mote, might
And mild Religion's charitable law,
That fram'd by Mercy and Benignity
The perfecuting sword forbids to draw,
And free-created fouls with penal terrours awe.
Ne* with the 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 ev'ry gen'rous youth his praise proclaim
Who wand'ring thro' the world's rude forest wide
By him hath been ytaught his course to frame
To Virtue's fweet abodes and heav'n-afpiring Fame!
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
Thro' devious paths to that secure retreat
Where fage Pædia with each tuneful maid
On a wide mount had fix'd her rural feat,
'Mid flow'ry gardens plac'd, untrod by vulgar feet.
And now forth-pacing with his blooming heir,
And that fame virtuous palmer them to guide,
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