Through all the wondering train amazement ran,
Silent they gaz'd, and thought him more than man,
Phyleus and Hercules (the day far spent)
Left the rich paftures, and to Elis went;
The footpath firft, which tow'rd the city lay,
Led from the falls, but narrow was the way;
Through vineyards next it paft, and gloomy glades,
Hard to diftinguish in the greenwood fhades.
The devious way as noble Phyleus led,

To his right fhoulder he inclin'd his head,
And flowly marching through the verdant grove,
Thus mild befpoke the progeny of Jove;

By your laft bold achievement it appears,

"Great chief, your fame long fince has reach'd my ears.
For here arriv'd a youthful Argive fwain,
From Helicé that borders on the main,
Who for a truth among th' Epëans told,
That late he faw a Grecian, brave and bold,
'Slay a fell lion, fell to husbandmen,

That in the Nemean forest made his den :
Whether the chief from facred Argos came,
'Or proud Mycené, or Tirynthé claim
'His birth, I heard not; yet he trac'd his line,
If true my tale, from Perfeus the divine.
'No Greek but you could fuch a toil fuftain ;
'I reafon from that mighty monfter flain,
'A perilous encounter! whofe rough hide
'Protects your shoulders, and adorns your fide.
Say then, if you are he, the Grecian bold,

"Of whom the Argive's wonderous tale was told :

Say, what dread weapon drank the monster's blood,
And how he wander'd to the Nemean wood.
For not in Greece fuch favages are found,
No beafts thus huge infeft Achaian ground;
She breeds the ravenous wolf, the bear, the boar.
'Pernicious monsters! but she breeds no more..
'Some wonder'd at accounts fo ftrange and new,
Thought the Greek boaftful, and his tale untrue.'
Thus Phyleus fpoke, and as the path grew wide,
He walk'd attentive by the hero's fide,
To hear diftinct the toil-fuftaining man,
Who thus, obfequious to the prince, began:
"Son of Augeas, what of me you heard

"Is ftrictly true, nor has the ftranger err'd,
"But fince you wish to know, my tongue fhall tell,
"From whence the monfter came, and how he fell :

Though many Greeks have mention'd this affair, "None can the truth with certainty declare.

Q3

""Tis

"Tis thought fome god, by vengeful anger fway'd,
"Sent this fore plague for facrifice unpaid,
"To punish the Phoroneans; like a flood
"He delug'd the Pifeans fields with blood;
"The Bembinaans, miferable men,

"Felt his chief rage, the neighbours to his den..
"The hardy talk, this hideous beast to kill,
"Euryftheus first enjoin'd me to fulfil,

"But hop'd me flain; on the bold conflict bent,
"Arm'd to the field with bow and darts I went :
"A folid club of rude wild olive made,

"Rough in its rugged rind, my right hand sway'd ;
"On Helicon's fair hill the tree I found,

"And with the roots I wrench'd it from the ground.
"When the close covert I approach'd, where lay
"The lordly lion, lurking for his prey,

"I bent my bow, firm fix'd the ftring, and ftrait
"Notch'd on the nerve the meffenger of fate :
"Then circumfpect I pry'd with curious eye,
"Firft, unobferv'd, the ravenous beaft to fpy.
"Now mid-day reign'd; I neither could explore
"His paw's broad print, nor hear his hideous roar,
Nor labouring ruftic find, nor fhepherd-fwain,
"Nor cowherd tending cattle on the plain,
"To point the lion's lair: fear chill'd them all,
"And kept the herds and herdfmen in the stall.
"I fearch'd the groves, and faw my foe at length;
"Then was the moment to exert my ftrength.
"Long ere dim evening clos'd he fought his den,
"Gorg'd with the flesh of cattle and of men;
"With flaughter ftain'd his fqualid mane appear'd,
"Stern was his face, his cheft with blood befmear'd.
"And with his pliant tongue he lick'd his gory beard,
"Mid fhady fhrubs I hid myfelf with care,
"Expecting he might iffue from his lair.
"Full at his flank I fent a fhaft, in vain,

The harmless shaft rebounded on the plain.

"Stunn'd at the fhock, from earth the favage rais'd
"His tawny head, and all around him gaz'd;
"Wondering from whence the feather'dvengeance flew,
" He gnash'd his horrid teeth, tremendous to the view.
"Vex'd that the first had unavailing fled:
"A fecond arrow from the nerve I fped;
"In his broad cheft, the manfion of his heart,
"I launch'd the fhaft with ineffectual art;
"His hair, his hide, the feather'd' death repel:
"Before his feet it innocently fell.

"Enrag'd, once more I try'd my bow to draw,
"Then firft his foe, the furious monfter faw:

He

"He lafh'd his fturdy fides with ftern delight, "And rifing in his rage prepar'd for fight. "With inftant ire his mane erected grew, "His hair look'd horrid, of a brindled hue; "Circling his back, he feem'd in fact to bound, "And like a bow he bent his body round; "As when the fig-tree skilful wheelers take "For rolling chariots rapid wheels to make "The fellies firft, in fires that gently glow, "Gradual they heat, and like a circle bow; "Awhile in curves the pliant timber ftands. "Then fprings at once elaftic from their hands. "On me thus from afar, his foe to wound, "Sprung the fell lion with impetuous bound. "My left hand held my darts direct before, "Around my breaft a thick trong garb I wore ; "My right, club-guarded, dealt a deadly blow "Full on the temples of the rushing foe: "So hard his fkall, that, with the sturdy ftroke, "My knotted club of rough wild-olive broke: Yet, ere I clos'd, his favage fury fled,

"With trembling legs he ftood, and nodding head; "The forceful onfet had contus'd his brain, "Dim mifts obfcur'd his eyes, and agonizing pain. "This I perceiv'd; and now, an eafy prey,

I threw my arrows and my bow away,

"And, ere the beaft recover'd of his wound, "Seiz'd his thick neck, and pinn'd him to the ground; "With all my might on his broad back I preft, "Left his fell claws fhould tear my adverfe breaft ; "Then mounting, 'clofe my legs in his I twin'd, "And with my feet fecur'd his paws behind; "My thighs I guarded, and with all my ftrength "Heav'd him from earth, and held him at arm's length, "And ftrangled thus the felleft of the fell; "His mighty foul defcending funk to hell. "The conqueft gain'd, freth doubts my mind divide, How fhall I ftrip the monfter's fhaggy hide? "Hard task! for the tough fkin repell'd the dint "Of pointed wood, keen fteel, or sharpeft flint: "Some god infpir'd me, ftanding ftill in paufe, "To flay the lion with the lion's claws,

"This I accomplish'd, and the fpoil now yields "A firm fecurity in fighting fields:

"Thus, Phyleus, was the Nemean monfter flain, "The terror of the foreft and the plain,

"That flocks and herds devour'd, and many a village

fwan."

The flory of Godiva. From Edge-bill, a poem. By Richard Jaga. A. M.

WHE

N Edward, laft of Egbert's royal race,
O'er fev'n united realms the fceptre fway'd,
Earl Leofric, with truft of fov'reign pow'r,
The fubject Mercians ruled. His lofty ftate
The lovelieft of her fex! in inward grace
Moft lovely; wife, beneficent, and good,
The fair Godiva fhar'd. A noble dame,
Of Thorold's ancient line! But pageant pomp
Charm'd not her faintly mind like virtuous deeds,
And tender feeling for another's woe.

Such gentle paffions in his lofty breaft

He cherish'd not; but with defpotic fway,
Controll'd his vaffal tribes, and from their toil'
His luxury maintain'd. Godiva faw

Their plaintive looks; with grief fhe faw thy arts,
O Coventry! by tyrant laws deprefs'd;
And urg'd her haughty lord, by every plea
That works on gen'rous minds, with patriot rule,
And charter'd freedom, to retrieve thy weal.
Thus pleaded the, but pleaded all in vain!
Deaf was her lord; and, with a stern rebuke,
He will'd her ne'er again, by fuch requeft,
To touch his honour, or his rights invade.
What could fhe do? Muft his fevere command
Check the ftrong pleadings of benevolence?
Muft public love to matrimonial rules
Of lordly empire, and obedience meek,
Perhaps by man too partially explain'd!
Give way? For once Godiva dar'd to think
It might not be; and, amiably perverfe!

Her fuit renew'd. Bold was the adventrous deed
Yet not more bold than fair! if pitiful

Be fair, and charity, that knows no bounds.

What haft thou then to fear from wrath inflam'd
With fenfe of blackeft guilt? Rebellion, join'd
With female weaknefs, and officious zeal!
So Leofric might call the virtuous deed;

Perhaps might punish as befitted deed

So call'd, if love reftrain'd not. Yet, though love
O'er anger triumph'd, and imperious rule,

Not o'er his pride; which better to maintain,
His answer thus he artfully return'd.

Why will the partner of my royal state,
Forbidden, ftill her wild petition urge;

* Edward the Confeffor.

Think not my breaft is fteel'd against the touch
Of fweet humanity. Think not I hear
Regardless thy request. If piety,

Or other motive, with miftaken zeal,

Call'd to thy aid, pierc'd not my ftubborn frame,
Yet to the pleader's worth, and modeft charms,
Would my fond love no trivial boon impart,
But pomp and fame forbid. That vaffalage,
Which, thoughtlefs, thou would't tempt me to diffolve,
Exalts our fplendour, and augments my pow'r.
With tender bofoms form'd, and yielding hearts,
Your fex foon melts at fights of vulgar woe;
Heedlefs how glory fires the manly breaft
With love of high pre-eminence. This flame,
In female minds, with weaker fury glows,
Oppofing lefs the fpecious arguments
For milder regimen, and public weal.
But plant fome gentler paffion in its room,
Some virtuous inftinct fuited to your make.
As glory is to ours, like it requir'd
A ranfom for the vulgars vaffal ftate,
Then would the ftrong contention foon evince
How falfely now thou judgeft of my mind,
And juftify my conduct. Thou art fair,
And chafte as fair; with niceft fenfe of fhame,
And fanctity of thought, Thy bofom thou
Did'ft ne'er expofe to fhamelefs dalliance
Of wanton eyes; nor-ill-concealing it
Beneath the treach'rous cov'ring, tempt afide
The fecret glance, with meditated fraud.
Go now, and lay thy modeft garments by,
In naked beauty mount thy milk-white fteed,
And through the streets, in face of open day,
And gazing flaves, their fair deliv'rer ride:
Then will I own thy pity was fincere,
Applaud thy virtue, and confirm thy fuit.
But if thou lik'ft not fuch ungentle terms.
And public fpirit yields to private fhame,
Think then that Leofric, like thee, can feel,
Like thee, may pity, while he feems fevere,
And urge thy fuit no more. His fpeech he clos'd,
And, with ftrange oaths, confirm'd the deep refolve.
Again, within Godiva's anxious breaft

New tumults rofe. At length her female fears
Gave way, and fweet humanity prevail'd.
Reluctant, but refolv'd, the matchless fair

Gives all her naked beauty to the fun:

Then mounts her milk-white fteed, and thro' the streets,
Rides fearless; her dishevell'd hair a veil!

That