“’Twas thus in pity I beheld your state, Abject, forlorn, without one cheering ray; A very mole, as blind, with sluggish gait, That seemed to burrow on your plodding way; A cold existence, dragging through the day; Which led me thus some pastime search for you, Creation of my brain that sometimes stray, And doth its airy pageantry pursue, Till Fiction’s ideal dream starts into life anew. XXXIII. “And tho’ I would your leaden thoughts engage, And thro’ their darken’d cell some light infuse, To lead the spirit to th’ illumed page Of Fancy’s scroll, immortal to amuse; For you unroll its mysteries to peruse Like that of Herculanean hidden found, Yet without guidance sooth to wander loose My rule forbids; your flight Pegasian bound, Nor too adventurous be to soar the deep profound. XXXIV. “One have I chosen as your trusty guide, The dear companion of my lonely hours; Whose converse soothe like waters heard to glide, Gurgling melodious ’mong Aonian flowers; He will conduct you to my pleasant bowers, And thread the windings of my loved retreat As with a silken clue; whose playful powers With bland discourse your ravished ear shall greet, That ye, ymolten, will hang on his words, I weet.” XXXV. With that, Dan Fantasy, with beck’ning smile That caught the twinkling eye of gifted bard, Who left his darling pastime to beguile The fleeting hours (his unalloyed reward), To give attendance and bestow regard, As his right honoured lord would have him show; In troth he felt it was a boon conferr’d He would not slight or willingly forego, But do his best to please, and all his art bestow. XXXVI. Clad in a costume loose, half _negligée_, In flowing robe like scribe he did appear; His forehead high o’ergraced with fadeless bay, While stray wild locks did ’neath his bonnet peer, Which he unconscious seemed to careless wear; His thoughts engaged seen in his dark fixed eye, That dwelt enraptured on the ideal near Creations of the mind that flitted by, Whom he dismiss’d anon, to lead the company. XXXVII. Led by the bard the press fast followed close, Whose voices heard to marvel as they went, Wond’ring the winding passages he chose, As tho’ he would the building circumvent; Marshalling the way as one on purpose bent Softly descending on an inclined plane, ’Mid glimmering light, and mute astonishment, Until a high-arched doorway straight they gain, At which they waiting stood admittance to obtain. XXXVIII.