And all who told it added fomething new, 470 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 increafe 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 aspire, 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, There, at one paffage, oft you might furvey, A lie and truth contending for the way; 490 And long 'twas doubtful, both so 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 rash 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 casual bleffing boast, So hard to gain, so easy 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 anfwers" he came to fee 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 Shall have one of these two, but bothe, etc. P. Ease, health, and life, for this they must refign, And all successful, jealous friends at best. 515 Oh! if the Muse must flatter lawless sway, And follow still where fortune leads the way; Or if no bafis bear my rifing name, But the fall'n ruins of another's fame; 520 Then teach me, heav'n! to scorn the guilty bays, 1 |