real throne,

O thou, whose glory fills the
And all ye deathless powers! pro.e.t my son!
Grant him, like me, to purchase just renown,
To guard the Trojans, to defend the crown,
Against his country's foes the war to wage,
And rise the Hector of the future age!
So when triumphant from successful toils,
Of heroes slain he bears the reeking spoils,
Whole hosts may hail him with deserv'd acclaim,
And say, this chief transcends his father's fame:
While pleas'd amidst the general shouts of Troy,
His mother's conscious heart o'erflows with joy.
He spoke, and fondly gazing on her charms,
Restor❜d the pleasing burden to her arms;
Soft on her fragrant breast the babe she laid,
Hush'd to repose, and with a smile survey'd.
The troubled pleasure soon chastis'd by fear,
She mingled with the smile a tender tear.
The soften'd chief with kind compassion view',"
And dry'd the falling drops, and thus pursu'd :
Andromache my soul's far better part,
Why with untimely sorrows heaves thy heart?
No hostile hand can antedate my doom,
Till fate condemns me to the silent tomb.
Fix'd is the term to all the race of earth,
And such the hard condition of our birth;'
No force can then resist, no flight can save,
All sink alike, the fearful and the brave.
No more-but hasten to thy tasks at home,
There guide the spindle, and direct the loom,
Me glory summons to the martial scene,
The field of combat is the sphere for men.
Where heroes war, the foremost place I claim,
The first in danger, as the first in fame.

Thus having said, the glorious chief resumes
His towery helmet, black with shading plumes,
His princess parts with a prophetic sigh,
Unwilling parts, and oft reverts her eye,
That stream'd at every look: then moving slow,
Sought her own palace, and indulg'd her wo.

There while her tears deplor'd the godlike man,
Through all her train the soft infection ran,
The pious maids their mingled sorrows shed,
And mourn'd the living Hector, as the dead.

POPE'S HOMER.

CHAPTER XXII.

THE PROGRESS OF DISCONTENT.

WHEN now mature in classic knowledge,
The joyful youth is sent to college,
His father comes, a vicar plain,
At Oxford bred-in Anna's reign,
And thus in form of humble suitor
Bowing accosts a rev'rend tutor:

Sir, I'm a Glo'stershire divine,
"And this my eldest son of nine;
"My wife's ambition and my own
"Was that this child should wear a gown:
"I'll warrant that his good behaviour
"Will justify your future favour:
"And for his parts, to tell the truth,

My son's a very forward youth;

"Has Horace all by heart-you'd wonder

"And mouths out Homer's Greek like thunder.
"If you'd examine-and admit him,

A scholarship wou'd nicely fit him:

� That he succeeds 'tis ten to one;
"Your vote and interest, Sir"'Tis done.
Our pupil's hopes, though twice defeated,
Are with a scholarship completed.
A scholarship but half maintains,
And college rules are heavy chains:
In garret dark he smokes and puns,
A prey to discipline and duns;
And now intent on new designs,
Sighs for a fellowship--and fines.

When nine full tedions winters past,
That utmost wish is crown'd at last:
But the rich prize no sooner got,
Again be quarrels with his lot:
"These fellowships are pretty things,
"We live indeed like petty kings:

"But who can bear to waste his whole age
"Amid the dulness of a college,
"Debarr'd the common joys of life,
"And that prime bliss-a loving wife ! ·
"O! what's a table richly spread,
"Without a woman at its head!

Would some snug benefice but fall, "Ye feasts, ye dinners! farewell all! "To offices I'd bid adieu,

"Of dean, vice præs.-of bursar too;
"Come, joys, that rural quiet yields,
"Come, tithes, and house, and fruitful fields!"
Too fond of liberty and ease
A patron's vanity to please,

Long time he watches, and by stealth,
Each frail incumbent's doubtful health;
At length-and in his fortieth year,
A living drops-two hundred clear!
With breast elate beyond expression,
He hurries down to take possession,
With rapture views the sweet retreat-
"What a convenient house! how neat?
186 For fuel here's sufficient wood:

"Pray God the cellars may be good!
"The garden-that must be new plann'd-
"Shall these old-fashion'd yew-trees stand?
"O'er yonder vacant plot shall rise
"The flow'ry shrub of thousand dies:-
"Yon wall that feels the southern ray,

.66

Shall blush with ruddy fruitage gay; "While thick beneath its aspect warm, "O'er well-rang'd hives the bees shall swarm, "From which, ere long, of golden gleam "Metheglin's luscious juice shall stream:

"This awkward hut o'ergrown with ivy, 'We'll alter to a modern privy;

Up yon green slope, of hazels trim, "An avenue so cool and dim, “Shall to an arbour, at the end, "In spite of gout, entice a friend. My predecessor lov'd devotion"But of a garden had no notion."

Continuing this fantastic farce on, He now commences country parson. To make his character entire, He weds a cousin of the squire ; Not over-weighty in the purse, But many doctors have done worse: And though she boasts no charms divine. Yet she can carve, and make birch wine. Thus fix'd, content he taps his barrel, Exhorts his neighbours not to quarrel: Finds his church-wardens have discerning Both in good liquor and good learning: With tithes his barns replete he sees, And chuckles o'er his surplice fees; Studies to find out latent dues, And regulates the state of pews; Rides a sleek mare with purple housing, To share the monthly club's carousing; Of Oxford's pranks facetious tells, And-but on Sundays-hears no bells; Sends presents of his choicest fruit, And prunes himself each sapless shoot; Plants cauliflow'rs, and boasts to rear The earliest melons of the year; Thinks alteration charming work is, Keeps Bantam cocks, and feeds his turkeys; Builds in his copse a favourite bench, And stores the pond with carp and tench. But ah! too soon his thoughtless breast

By cares domestic is opprest;

And a third butcher's bill and brewing
Threaten inevitable ruin;

For children fresh expenses yet,
And Dickey now for school is fit.
86 Why did I sell my college life

(He cries) for benefice and wife?
"Return ye days! when endless pleasure
"I found in reading, or in leisure!
"When calm around the common room
"I puff'd my daily pipe's perfume;
"Rode for a stomach, and inspected,
"At annual bottlings, corks selected :
"And din'd untax'd, untroubled, under
"The portrait of our pious founder!
"When impositions were supply'd
"To light my pipe-or sooth my pride-
"No cares were then for forward peas,
"A yearly longing wife to please:

My thoughts no christ'ning dinner crost,
"No children cry'd for butter'd toast;
"And every night I went to bed,
"Without a modus in my head!"

Oh! trifling head, and fickle heart;
Chagrin'd at whatsoe'er thou art;
A dupe to follies yet untry'd,

And sick of pleasures, scarce enjoy'd!

Each prize possess'd, thy transport ceases,

And in pursuit alone it pleases.

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE MODERN RAKE'S PROGRESS.

THE young Tobias was his father's joy;
He train'd him, as he thought, to deeds of praise,
He taught him virtue, and he taught him truth,
And sent him early to a public school.
Here às it seem'd (but he had none to blame)
Virtue forsook him, and habitual vice
Grew in her stead. He laugh'd at honesty,

E

WARTON.