Page:Homer's Battle of the Frogs and Mice - Parnell (1717).djvu/29

 Such was the Court when arriv'd; but before he enter'd Alexandria, he spent a Night in the Temple of Isis, to enquire of the Success of his Undertaking; not that he doubted the Worth of his Works, but his late Misfortune had instructed him, that others might be ignorant of it. Having therefore perform'd the accustom'd Sacrifice, and compos'd himself to rest upon the Hide, he had a Vision which foretold of his future Fame.

He found himself sitting under the Shade of a dark Yew, which was cover'd with Hellebore and Hemlock, and near the Mouth of a Cave, where fate a Monster, pale, wasted, surrounded with Snakes, fost'ring a Cockatrice in her Bosom; and cursing the Sun, for making the Work of the Deities appear in its Beauty. The Sight of this bred Fear in him; when she suddenly turning her sunk Eyes, put on a hideous Kind of a loving Grin, in which he discover'd a Resemblance to some of his own Features. Then turning up her Snakes, and interlacing them in the Form of a Turbant to give him less Disgust, she thus address'd herself: "Go on, my Son, in whom I am renew'd, and prosper in thy brave Undertakings on Mankind: Assert their Wit to be Dulness; prove their Sense to be Folly; know Truth only when it is on thy own Side; and acknowledge Learning at no other Time to be useful. Spare not an Author of any Rank or Size; let not thy Tongue or Pen know Pity; make the living feel