Page:The Pleasures of Imagination - Akenside (1744).djvu/92

78 Whom fancy chills with visionary fears, Or bends to servile tameness with conceits Of shame, of evil, or of base defect, Fantastic and delusive. Here the slave Who droops abash'd when sullen pomp surveys His humbler habit: here the trembling wretch Unnerv'd and frose with terror's icy bolts, Spent in weak wailings, drown'd in shameful tears, At every dream of danger: here subdued By frontless laughter and the hardy scorn Of old, unfeeling vice, the abject soul Who blushing half resigns the candid praise Of temperance and honour; half disowns A freeman's hatred of tyrannic pride; And hears with sickly smiles the venal mouth With foulest licence mock the patriot's name.


 * Last of the motley bands on whom the pow'r

Of gay derision bends her hostile aim, Is that where shameful ignorance presides. Beneath her sordid banners, lo! they march, Like blind and lame. Whate'er their doubtful hands Attempt, confusion straight appears behind, And troubles all the work. Thro' many a maze, Perplex'd they struggle, changing every path, O'erturning every purpose; then at last Sit