With equal rays immortal Tully fhone, The Roman Roftra deck'd the Conful's throne: Gath'ring his flowing robe, he seem'd to stand 240 In act to speak, and graceful stretch'd his hand. Behind, Rome's Genius waits with Civic crowns, And the great Father of his country owns. 250 These maffy columns in a circle rise, O'er which a pompous dome invades the skies: Scarce to the top I ftretch'd my aking fight, 246 So large it spread, and fwell'd to fuch a height. Full in the midft proud Fame's imperial feat With jewels blaz'd, magnificently great; The vivid em'ralds there revive the eye, The flaming, rubies fhew their fanguine dye, Bright azure rays from lively fapphires stream, And lucid amber cafts a golden gleam. With various-colour'd light the pavement shone, And all on fire appear'd the glowing throne ; 255 The dome's high arch reflects the mingled blaze, And forms a rainbow of alternate rays. When on the Goddess first I caft my fight, Scarce feem'd her stature of a cubit's height; But fwell'd to larger fize, the more I gaz'd, 260 Till to the roof her tow'ring front she rais'd. IMITATIONS. VER. 259. Scarce feem'd her ftature, etc.] Methought that he was fo lite, 265 With her, the Temple ev'ry moment grew, ears. Beneath, in order rang'd, the tuneful Nine 270 (Her virgin handmaids) ftill attend the fhrine: With eyes on Fame for ever fix'd, they fing; For Fame they raife the voice, and tune the ftring; With time's first birth began the heav'nly lays, And laft, eternal, thro' the length of days. 275 IMITATIONS. Was longer than fhe feemed be; But thus foon in a while fhe, Herself tho wonderly straight, That with her feet the the earth reight, And with her head fhe touchyd heaven. P. VER. 270. Beneath, in order rang'd, etc.] I heard about her throne y-fung Around thefe wonders as I caft a look, 285 IMITATIONS. VER. 276. Around thefe wonders, etc.] Of all kind of conditions, etc.-P. 1 Their pleas were diff'rent, their request the same; Unlike fucceffes equal merits found. 295 Thus her blind fifter, fickle Fortune, reigns, And, undifcerning, fcatters crowns and chains. First at the shrine the Learned world appear, And to the Goddess thus prefer their pray'r. 299 Long have we fought t'inftruct and please mankind, With ftudies pale, with midnight vigils blind; But thank'd by few, rewarded yet by none, We here appeal to thy fuperior throne: On wit and learning the juft prize bestow, For Fame is all we must expect below, 305 The Goddefs heard, and bade the Mufes raife The golden Trumpet of eternal Praise: From pole to pole the winds diffuse the found, That fills the circuit of the world around; Not all at once, as thunder breaks the cloud; 319 The notes at firft were rather fweet than loud: IMITATIONS. VER. 294, Some fhe difgrac'd, etc.] And fome of them the granted fone, By juft degrees they ev'ry moment rife, Which still grew fweeter as they wider fpread; 315 Lefs fragrant scents th' unfolding rofe exhales, Or fpices breathing in Arabian gales. 320 Next these the good and just, an awful train, Thus on their knees addrefs the facred fane. Since living virtue is with envy curs'd, And the best men are treated like the worst, Do thou, juft Goddess, call our merits forth, And give each deed th' exact intrinfic worth. IMITATIONS. VER. 318. the good and juft, etc.] I grant, quoth she, for now we lift |