And all who told it added fomething new, 4701 And all who heard it, made enlargements too, In ev'ry ear it spread, on every tongue it grew. Thus flying east and west, and north and south, News travell'd with increase from mouth to mouth. So from a spark, that kindled first by chance, 475 With gath'ring force the quick'ning flames ad

vance;

Till to the clouds their curling heads afpire,
And tow'rs and temples fink in floods of fire.

When thus ripe lies are to perfection sprung,
Full grown, and fit to grace a mortal tongue, 480
Thro' thousand vents, impatient, forth they flow,
And rush in millions on the world below.
Fame fits aloft, and points them out their course,
Their date determines, and prescribes their force :
Some to remain, and fome to perish foon; 485
Or wane and wax alternate like the moon.
Around, a thousand winged wonders fly,
Born by the trumpet's blast, and scatter'd thro'
the sky.

There, at one paffage, oft you might survey, A lie and truth contending for the way; 490

IMITATIONS.

VER. 489. There, at one paffage, etc.]
And fometime I faw there at once,
VOL. II.

G

And long 'twas doubtful, both fo closely pent,
Which first should iffue thro' the narrow vent:
At last agreed, together out they fly,
Infeparable now, the truth and lie;
The strict companions are for ever join'd, 495
And this or that unmix'd, no mortal e'er fhall find,

While thus I ftood, intent to fee and hear, One came, methought, and whisper'd in my ear: What could thus high thy rafh ambition raise ? Art thou, fond youth, a candidate for praise? 500

"Tis true, faid I, not void of hopes I came, For who fo fond as youthful bards of Fame? But few, alas! the cafual bleffing boast, So hard to gain, fo eafy to be lost. How vain that second life in others breath, 505 Th' eftate which wits inherit after death!

NOTES.

VER. 497. While thus I ftood, etc.] The hint is taken from a paffage in another part of the third book, but here more naturally made the conclufion, with the addition of a Moral, to the whole. In Chaucer, he only answers " he came to see the place;" and the book ends abruptly, with his being furprized at the fight of a Man of great Authority, and awaking in a fright. P.

IMITATIONS.

A lefing and a fad footh faw

That gonnen at adventure draw
Out of a window forth to pace-

And no map, be he ever fo wrothe,
Shall have one of these two, but bothe, etc. P.

Eafe, health, and life, for this they must refign,
(Unsure the tenure, but how vaft the fine!)
The great man's curfe, without the gains, endure,
Be envy'd, wretched, and be flatter'd, poor; 510
All luckless wits their enemies profest,
And all fuccessful, jealous friends at beft.
Nor Fame I flight, nor for her favours call;
She comes unlook'd for, if fhe comes at all.
But if the purchase cost so dear a price,
As foothing Folly, or exalting Vice:
Oh! if the Muse must flatter lawless fway,
And follow still where fortune leads the way;
Or if no bafis bear my rifing name,

515

But the fall'n ruins of another's fame ;
520
Then teach me, heav'n! to scorn the guilty bays,
Drive from my breast that wretched luft of praise;
Unblemish'd let me live, or die unknown;
Oh! grant an honeft fame, or grant me none !

JANUARY and MAY:

OR THE

MERCHANT'S TALE.

FROM

CHAUCER.