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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,
That the length of a cubite

265

With her, the Temple ev'ry moment grew,
And ampler Vista's open'd to my view:
Upward the columns fhoot, the roofs afcend,
And arches widen, and long ifles extend.
Such was her form as ancient bards have told,
Wings raise her arms, and wings her feet infold
A thousand busy tongues the Goddess bears,
And thousand open eyes, and thousand list'ning

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

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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
That all the palays walls rung
So fung the mighty Mufe, the
That cleped is Calliope,
And her feven fifters eke.-P.

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Around thefe wonders as I caft a look,
The trumpet founded, and the temple shook,
And all the nations, fummon'd at the call,
From diff'rent quarters fill the crouded hall : 279
Of various tongues the mingled founds were heard;
In various garbs promifcuous throngs appear'd;
Thick as the bees, that with the fpring renew
Their flow'ry toils, and fip the fragrant dew,
When the wing'd colonies first tempt the sky,
O'er dusky fields and shaded waters fly,
Or fettling, seize the sweets the blossoms yield,
And a low murmur runs along the field.
Millions of fuppliant crouds the shrine attend,
And all degrees before the Goddess bend;
The poor, the rich, the valiant, and the sage, 290
And boasting youth, and narrative old-age.

285

IMITATIONS.

VER. 276. Around thefe wonders, etc.]
I heard a noise approchen blive,
That far'd as bees done in a hive,
Against her time of out flying;
Right fuch a manere murmuring,
For all the world it feemed me.
Tho gan I look about and fee
That there came entring into th' hall,
A right great company withal;
And that of fundry regions,

Of all kind of conditions, etc.-P.

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Their pleas were diff'rent, their request the same;
For good and bad alike are fond of Fame.
Some the difgrac'd, and fome with honours
crown'd;

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,
And fome the warned well and fair,
And fome the granted the contrair
Right as her fifter dame Fortune
Is wont to ferve in commune. P.

By juft degrees they ev'ry moment rife,
Fill the wide earth, and gain upon the skies.
At ev'ry breath were balmy odours fhed,

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.]
Tho came the third companye,
And gan up to the dees to hye,
And down on knees they fell anone,
And faiden: We been everichone
Folke that han full truely
Deferved Fame right-fully,
And prayen you it might be knowe
Right as it is, and forth blowe.

I grant, quoth she, for now we lift
That your good works fhall be wift.
And yet ye fhall have better loos,
Right in despite of all your foos,
Than worthy is, and that anone.
Let now (quoth fhe) thy trump gone-
And certes all the breath that went
Out of his trump's mouth smel'd
As men a pot of baume held
Among a basket full of rofes- P.

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