Sec. Bro. 'Tis most true That musing Meditation most affects The pensive secrecy of desert cell, Far from the cheerful haunt of men and herds, For who would rob a hermit of his weeds, 390 His few books, or his beads, or maple dish, Laden with blooming gold, had need the guard To save her blossoms, and defend her fruit, You may as well spread out the unsunned heaps And tell me it is safe, as bid me hope I fear the dread events that dog them both, Eld. Bro. I do not, brother, Infer as if I thought my sister's state 400 Secure without all doubt or controversy; Yet, where an equal poise of hope and fear 410 That I incline to hope rather than fear, My sister is not so defenceless left As you imagine; she has a hidden strength, Sec. Bro. What hidden strength, Unless the strength of Heaven, if you mean that? Eld. Bro. I mean that too, but yet a hidden strength, Which, if Heaven gave it, may be termed her own. 'Tis chastity, my brother, chastity: She that has that is clad in complete steel, And, like a quivered nymph with arrows keen, Yea, there where very desolation dwells, By grots and caverns shagged with horrid shades, Be it not done in pride, or in presumption. Blue meagre hag, or stubborn unlaid ghost, To testify the arms of chastity? Hence had the huntress Dian her dread bow, Feared her stern frown, and she was queen o' the woods. That wise Minerva wore, unconquered virgin, Wherewith she freezed her foes to congealed stone, 420 430 440 But rigid looks of chaste austerity, 450 And noble grace that dashed brute violence So dear to Heaven is saintly chastity Tell her of things that no gross ear can hear ; 460 And turns it by degrees to the soul's essence, Such are those thick and gloomy shadows damp 470 Lingering and sitting by a new-made grave, To a degenerate and degraded state. Sec. Bro. How charming is divine Philosophy! And a perpetual feast of nectared sweets, Where no crude surfeit reigns. Eld. Bro. List! list! I hear 480 Some far-off hallo break the silent air. Sec. Bro. Methought so too; what should it be? Eld. Bro. For certain, Either some one, like us, night-foundered here, Or else some neighbour woodman, or, at worst, Some roving robber calling to his fellows. Sec. Bro. Heaven keep my sister! Again, again, and near! Best draw, and stand upon our guard. Eld. Bro. I'll hallo. If he be friendly, he comes well: if not, The ATTENDANT SPIRIT, habited like a shepherd. 490 That hallo I should know. What are you? speak. And sweetened every musk-rose of the dale. How camest thou here, good swain? Hath any ram Spir. O my loved master's heir, and his next joy, I came not here on such a trivial toy As a strayed ewe, or to pursue the stealth Of pilfering wolf; not all the fleecy wealth That doth enrich these downs is worth a thought To this my errand, and the care it brought. But, oh! my virgin Lady, where is she? 500 How chance she is not in your company? Eld. Bro. To tell thee sadly, Shepherd, without blame Or our neglect, we lost her as we came. Spir. Ay me unhappy! then my fears are true. 510 Eld. Bro. What fears, good Thyrsis? Prithee briefly shew. Spir. I'll tell ye. 'Tis not vain or fabulous (Though so esteemed by shallow ignorance) What the sage poets, taught by the heavenly Muse, Of dire Chimeras and enchanted isles, And rifted rocks whose entrance leads to Hell; · Within the navel of this hideous wood, By sly enticement gives his baneful cup, With many murmurs mixed, whose pleasing poison Doing abhorred rites to Hecate In their obscurèd haunts of inmost bowers. I sat me down to watch upon a bank 520 530 540 |