The rock's high fummit, in the temple's fhade,
Nor heat could melt, nor beating ftorms invade.
Their names, infcrib'd unnumber'd ages paft,
From time's first birth, with time itself shall laft:
Thefe, ever new, nor subject to decays,
Spread, and grow brighter, with the length of days.

The temple shakes: the founding gates unfold;
Wide vaults appear, and roofs of fretted gold,
Rais'd on a thousand pillars, wreath'd around
With laurel-foliage, and with eagles crown'd.
The maily columns in a circle rife,

O'er which a pompous dome invades the skies:
Scarce to the top I ftretch my aching fight,
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, ftream;
And lucid amber cafts a golden gleam.
With various-colour'd light the pavement fhone;
And, all on fire, appear'd the glowing throne:
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 ftature of a cubit's height;
But, fwell'd to larger fize, the more I gaz'd,
Till, to the roof, her towering front the rais'd.
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,
A thousand open eyes, and lift'ning ears.
Beneath, in order rang'd, the tuneful nine
(Her virgin handmaids) still attend the shrine:

With eyes on Fame for ever fix'd, they fing;
For Fame they raise the voice, and tune the ftring:
With time's firft birth, began the heavenly lays,
And laft eternal, through the length of days.
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 different quarters, fill the spacious hall.
Of various tongues, the mingled founds were heard ;
In various garbs, promifcuous throngs appear'd:
Millions of fuppliant crowds the shrine attend,
And all degrees before the goddefs bend;
The poor, the rich, the valiant, and the fage,
And boafting youth, and narrative old age.

FIRST at the fhrine, the learned world appear, And, to the goddefs, thus prefer their prayerLong have we fought t' inftruct and pleafe 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 muft expect below."The goddess heard; and bade the mufes raise The golden trumpet of eternal praife. From pole to pole the winds diffuse the found, And fill the circuit of the world around: Not all at once, as thunder breaks the cloud; The notes, at first, were rather fweet than loud : By juft degrees, they every moment rife; Spread round the earth, and gain upon the fkies.

NEXT thefe, the good and juft, 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 goddefs! call our merits forth,
"And give each deed th' exact intrinfic worth."
"Not with bare justice shall your acts be crown'd,
"(Said Fame) but high above defert renown'd :
"Let fuller notes th' applauding world amaze,
"And the loud clarion labour in your praife."

A troop came next, who crowns and armour wore; And proud defiance in their looks they bore"For thee (they cry'd) amidst alarms and ftrife, "We fail'd, in tempefts, down the ftream of life; "For thee, whole nations fill'd with fire and blood, "And fwam to empire through the purple flood. "Thofe ills, we dar'd, thy infpiration own; "What virtue feem'd, was done for thee alone.". "Ambitious fools! (the queen reply'd and frown'd) "Be all your deeds in dark oblivion drown'd: "There, fleep forgot, with mighty tyrants gone; "Your statues moulder'd, and your names unknown."A fudden cloud ftraight fnatch'd them from my fight, And each majestic phantom funk in night.

THEN came the fmalleft tribe I yet had feen : Plain was their drefs, and modeft was their mien"Great idol of mankind! we neither claim "The praise of merit, nor aspire to fame ; "But, fafe in deferts, from th'applause of men, "Would die unheard-of, as we liv'd unseen. “'Tis all we beg thee, to conceal from fight, "Those acts of goodness, which themselves requite. "O! let us, ftill, the fecret joy partake, "To follow virtue, ev'n for virtue's fake.""And live there men, who flight immortal fame ? "Who, then, with incenfe fhall adore our name? "But, mortals, know, 'tis ftill our greatest pride, "To blaze thofe virtues, which the good would hide.

"Rife, muses! rife! add all your tuneful breath!
"Thefe muft not sleep in darkness, and in death.”
She faid-In air the trembling mufic floats,
And on the winds triumphant fwell the notes;
So foft, tho' high; fo loud, and yet fo clear;
Ev'n lift'ning angels lean from heav'n to hear:
To fartheft fhores th' ambrofial spirit flies,
Sweet to the world, and grateful to the skies.

WHILE thus I ftood, intent to fee and hear, One came, methought, and whifper'd in my ear"What could thus high thy rash ambition raise? "Art thou, fond youth, I a candidate for praife?"'Tis true, faid I, not void of hopes I came ; For, who fo fond, as youthful bards, of fame? But, if the purchase cost so dear a price, As foothing folly, or exalting vice;

And, if the mufe muft flatter lawless sway;
And follow ftill, where fortune leads the way;
Or, if no bafis bear my rifing name,

But the fall'n ruins of another's fame;

Then, teach me, Heav'n! to fcorn the guilty bays;
Drive from my
breaft that wretched luft of praife.
Unblemish'd let me live, or die unknown-
O! grant me honest fame-or grant me none.

SEC

SECTION II.

LESSON I.

ODE ON THE BIRTH-DAY OF LORD HAY, NOW EARL OF ERROL.

A MUSE, unkill'd in venal praife,

Unftain'd with flattery's art;

Who loves fimplicity of lays,
Breath'd ardent from the heart;
While gratitude and joy inspire,
Refumes the long-unpractis'd lyre,
To hail, O HAY! thy natal morn.
No gaudy wreath of flowers fhe weaves,
But twines with oak the laurel-leaves,
Thy cradle to adorn.

For, not on beds of gaudy flowers
Thine ancestors reclin'd,

Where floth diffolves, and fpléen devours,

All energy of mind :

To hurl the dart, to ride the car,

To ftem the deluges of war,

And