POETRY. 921 



From thousand different tongues, a mighty hun* 

 Assaults my ears ; loud as the distant roar 

 Of tumbling torrents ; or as in some mart 

 Of public note, for traffic far renown'd. 

 Where Jew with Grecian, Turk with African, 

 Assembled, in one general peal unite, 

 Of dreadful jargon. — Straight on wooden bench 

 I take my seat, and con, with studious care, 

 Th' appointed tasks ; o'er many a puzzling page 

 Poring intent, and sage Athenian bard, 

 With dialect, and mood, and tense, perplcx'd, 

 Ai^d conjugations varied without end. 



When lo ! with haughty stride (in size like him 

 Who erst extended on the burning lake 

 Lay floating many a rood) his sullen brow 

 With low'ring frowns and fearful glooms o'ercast, 

 Enters the pedagogue ; — terrific sight ! 

 An ample nine-fold peruke, spread immense. 

 Luxuriant waving down his shoulders, plays ; 

 His hand a bunch of limber twig sustains, 

 Call'd by the vulgar Birch ; Tartarean root, 

 Whose rankling points, in blackest poison dipp'd, 

 Inflict a mortal pain ; and, where they 'light, 

 A ghastly furrow leave. Scar'd at the sight, 

 The bustling multitude, with anxious hearts, 

 Their stations seek. — A solemn pause ensues ; 

 As when of old, the monarch of the floods, 

 'Midst raging hurricanes, and battling waves, 

 Shaking the dreadful trident, rear'd aloft 

 His awful brow,— sudden the furious winds 

 Were hush'd in peace, the billows cease their rage ; — 

 Or when (if mighty themes like these allow 

 A humble metaphor) the sportive race 

 Of nibbling heroes, bent on wanton play, 

 Beneath the shelter of some well-stor'd barn, 

 In many an airy circle wheel around ; 

 Some eye perchance, in private nook conceal'd. 

 Beholds Grimalkin ; instant they disperse, 

 In headlong flight, each to his secret cell, 

 If haply he may 'scape impending fate. 



Thus ceas'd the general clamor, all remain 

 In silent terror wrapt, and thought profound. 



Meanwhile, the pedagogue, throughout the dome, 

 His fiery eyehalis, like two blazing stars, 

 Tortcntous rolls, ou some Hnthiokiug wretch 



