9 2

THE TEMPLE OF FAME.

As flames by nature to the fkies afcend,

As weighty bodies to the centre tend,

As to the fea returning rivers roll, 43o

And the touch’d needle trembles to the pole;Hither, as to their proper place, arifeAll various founds from earth, and feas, and fkies,Or fpokc aloud, or whifper’d in the ear;

Nor ever filence, reft, or peace is here. 435As on the fmooth cxpanfe of cryftal lakesThe finking flone at firft a circle makes;

The trembling furface by the motion flirr’d,Spreads in a fecond circle, then a third; 43g

Wide, and more wide, the floating rings advance,Fill all the wat’ry plain, and to the margin dance:Thus ev’ry voice and found, when firft they break,On neighb’ring air a foft impreflion make;Another ambient circle then they move;

That, in its turn, impels the next above; 44 ^Through undulating air their founds are fent,And fpread o’er all the fluid element.

There various news I heard of love and ftrife,Of peace and war, health, ficknefs, death, and life,

IMITATIONS.

Vfr. 428. As flames by nature to the , etc.] This thought is trani-ferr’d hither out of the third book of Fame, where it takes up nolefs than one hundred and twenty verfcs, beginning thus:

/ “ Geffrey, thou wotteft well this," etc, P.

Y£R. 448, Xhtre various news I tuari , etc.]

“ Of werres, of peace, of marriages,

Of reft, of labour, of voyages,

** Of abode, of dethe, and of life,