Page:The Rosciad - Churchill (1761, 2nd edition).djvu/12

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
8
THE ROSCIAD.
Each judge was true and steady to his trust,As Mansfield wise, and as old Foster just. 160
In the first seat, in robe of various dyes,A noble wildness flashing from his eyes,Sat Shakespear.———In one hand a wand he bore,For mighty wonders fam'd in days of yore;The other held a globe, which to his will 165Obedient turn'd, and own'd the master's skill:Things of the noblest kind his genius drew,And look'd through Nature at a single view:A loose he gave to his unbounded soul,And taught new lands to rise, new seas to roll; 170Call'd into being scenes unknown before,And, passing Nature's bounds, was something more.
Next Johnson sat,———in ancient learning train'd,His rigid judgment Fancy's flights restrain'd,Correctly prun'd each wild luxuriant thought, 175Mark'd out her course,nor spar'd a glorious fault.The Book of Man he read with nicest art,And ransack'd all the secrets of the heart;Exerted Penetration's utmost force,And trac'd each passion to its proper source. 180Then, strongly mark'd, in liveliest colours drew,And brought each foible forth to public view.

The

This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.