The Lyon and fierce Tyger glar'd aloof.
But now an aged Man, in rural Weeds,

Following, as feem'd, the Quest of fome fray Ew,
Or wither'd Sticks to gather; which might ferve
Against a Winter's Day, when Winds blow keen,
To warm him wet returned from Field at Eve,
He faw approach; who first, with curious Eye
Perus'd him, then with Words thus utter'd spake,
Sir, What ill Chance has brought thee to this Place,
So far from Path or Road of Men, who pass
In Troop or Caravan? For fingle none

Durft ever, who return'd, and dropt not here

His Carcass, pin'd with Hunger and with Drought.
I ask the rather, and the more admire;

For that to me thou seem'ft the Man, whom late

Our new baptizing Prophet at the Ford

Of Jordan honour'd fo, and called thee SON

of GOD; I saw and heard: For we fometimes Who dwell this wilde, conftrain'd by Want, come forth To Town or Village nigh, (nigheft is far)

Where ought we hear, and curious are to hear

What happens new; Fame also finds us out.

To whom the SON of GOD, who brought me hither
Will bring me hence, no other Guide I feek.

By Miracle he may, replied the Swain,
What other Way I fee not; for we here
Live on tough Roots and Stubs, to Thirft inur'd
More than the Camel, and to drink go far,
When to myeh Mifery and Hardship born:
But, if thou be the SON of GOD, command
That out of thefe hard Stones be made the Bread
So shalt thou fave thyself, and us relieve
With Food; whereof we, wretched, feldom tafte.
He ended, and the SON of GOD replied,
Think'st thou fuch Force in Bread? Is it not written

(For

[60]

(For I difcern thee other than thou feem'ft) &c.
Whom thus answer'd th' arch Fiend now undisguis'd,
'Tis true, I am that Spirit unfortunate, &c,

WE muft obferve, That, in all this Story, we have no Intimation from the Poet, that Satan was concealed under this Appearance; which adds to our Pleasure, by an agreeable Surprise upon the Discovery. In the firft Book of the Æneid, Æneas being driven by a Storm upon an unknown Coast, and going in Company with Achates to take a Survey of the Country, is met in a thick Wood by a Lady, in the Habit of a Huntress: She enquires at them, if they had feen two Sisters of her's, in a like Dress, employed in the Chace. Eneas addreffes her as Diana, or one of her Nymphs, and begs the would tell him the Name and State of the Country the Tempests had thrown him upon. She declines his Compliment, informs him, she was no Goddess, but only a Tyrian Maid, gives an Account of the Place, and a full Relation of Dido's History and Settlement there. IN RETURN, Eneas acquaints her with his Story, and particularly the Lofs of great Part of his Fleet in the late

Storm.

Storm. Upon which, fhe affures him, from an Omen which appeared to them, that his Ships were fafe, bids him expect a kind Reception from the Queen; and then turning to go away, Æneas difcovers her to be his Mother, the Goddefs of Love. If VIRGIL had not informed us of her being Venus, till this Time, and in this Manner, it would have had an agreeable Effect in surprising the Reader, as much as fhe did Æneas but his Conduct has been quite the Reverse, for, in the Beginning of the Story, he lets the Reader into the Secret, and takes Care, every now and then, to re-mind him.

Cui mater media fex tulit obvia fylva, &c.

HOWEVER this Piece of Art HOMER feems as much to be a Stranger to, as VIRThere's also a fine Inftance of it, in the Discovery of Uriel, in the 3d Book of Paradife Loft.

How artful is his Excufe for coming into our SAVIOUR'S Prefence.

Hard are the Ways of Truth, and rough to walk,
Smooth on the Tongue difcourfed, pleafing to th' Ear,
And tuneable as Sylvan Pipe or Song;

What Wonder then if I delight to hear

Her Dictates from thy Mouth? Moft Men admire
Virtue, who follow not her Love: Permit me

Το

To hear thee when I come (fince no Man comes)
And talk at least, tho' I defpair to attain.
Thy Father, who is holy, wife and pure,
Suffers the Hypocrite or Atheous Prieft
To tread his facred Courts, and minifter
About his Altar, handling holy Things,
Praying or vowing, and vouchfaf'd his Voice
To Balaam reprobate, a Prophet yet

Infpir'd; difdain nat fuch Access to me.

THE firft Book concludes with the fol

Into thin Air diffus'd: For now began

Night with her fullen Wings to double-shade

The Defart, Fowls in their Clay-nefts were couch'd;
And now wild Beafts came forth the Woods to roam.

I SHALL only recommend the Defcription of the Entertainment set before our SAV IOUR in the next Book; that of the Parthian Army in the Third; the fine Map of Italy, the glorious View of Rome, far excelling the noblest Descriptions the Roman Wits ever gave of their Capital; and that of Athens in the Fourth.

FINI S.

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