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Tethys herself has fear'd to see me driven "Down headlong from the precipice of heaven. "Befides, confider what impetuous force "Turns ftars and planets in a different course : "I fteer against their motions; nor am I "Borne back by all the current of the sky. "But how could you refift the orbs that roll "In adverse whirls, and ftem the rapid pole? "But you perhaps may hope for pleasing woods, "And ftately domes, and cities fill'd with Gods; "While through a thousand snares your progress lies, "Where forms of starry monsters stock the skies: "For, fhould you hit the doubtful way aright, "The Bull with stooping horns stands oppofite; "Next him the bright Hæmonian Bow is ftrung; "And next, the Lion's grinning visage hung: "The Scorpion's claws here clasp a wide extent, "And here the Crab's in leffer clafps are bent. "Nor would you find it easy to compose "The mettled steeds, when from their noftrils flows "The scorching fire, that in their entrails glows. "Ev'n I their head-strong fury scarce restrain, "When they grow warm and reftiff to the rein. "Let not my fon a fatal gift require,

"But, O! in time, recal your rash desire ; "You afk a gift that may your parent tell,

"Let these my fears your parentage reveal ; "And learn a father from a father's care; "Look on my face; or, if my heart lay bare, "Could you but look, you'd read the father there.

"Choofe

* Choose out a gift from feas, or earth, or skies,

For open to your wish all nature lies, "Only decline this one unequal task, "For 'tis a mischief, not a gift, you ask; "You ask a real mischief, Phaeton :

"Nay hang not thus about my neck, my fon : "I grant your wish, and Styx has heard my voice, "Choose what you will, but make a wifer choice." Thus did the God th' unwary youth advise; But he ftill longs to travel through the skies. When the fond father (for in vain he pleads) At length to the Vulcanian chariot leads.

A golden axle did the work uphold,

Gold was the beam, the wheels were orb'd with gold.
The spokes in rows of filver pleas'd the fight,
The feat with party-colour'd gems was bright;
Apollo fhin'd amid the glare of light.

The youth with fecret joy the work furveys;
When now the morn difclos'd her purple rays;
The ftars were fled; for Lucifer had chac'd
The ftars away, and fled himself at last.
Soon as the father faw the rofy morn,

And the moon shining with a blunter horn,
He bid the nimble hours without delay
Bring forth the steeds; the nimble hours obey:
From their full racks the generous steeds retire,
Dropping ambrofial foams, and fnorting fire.
Still anxious for his fon, the God of day,
To make him proof against the burning ray,
His temples with celeftial ointment wet,
Of fovereign virtue to repel the heat;

Then

Then fix'd the beamy circle on his head,
And fetch'd a deep fore-boding figh, and said.
"Take this at least, this laft advice, my fon :
“Keep a stiff rein, and move but gently on :
"The courfers of themfelves will run too fast,
"Your art must be to moderate their hafte.
"Drive them not on directly through the skies,
"But where the Zodiac's winding circle lies,
"Along the midmoft Zone; but fally forth
"Nor to the diftant fouth, nor ftormy north.
"The horfes' hoofs a beaten track will show,
"But neither mount too high, nor fink too low,
"That no new fires or heaven or earth infeft;
"Keep the mid-way, the middle way is beft.

“Nor, where in radiant folds the Serpent twines,
"Direct your courfe, nor where the Altar fhines.
"Shun both extremes; the rest let fortune guide,
"And better for thee than thyself provide!
"See, while I fpeak, the fhades disperse away,
"Aurora gives the promise of a day;

“I'm call'd, nor can I make a longer stay.
"Snatch up the reins; or still th' attempt forfake,
"And not my chariot, but my counsel take,
"While yet fecurely on the earth you stand;
"Nor touch the horses with too rafh a hand,
"Let me alone to light the world, while you

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Enjoy thofe beams which you may fafely view."
He spoke in vain; the youth with active heat
And sprightly vigour vaults into the feat;
And joys to hold the reins, and fondly gives
Thofe thanks his father with remorfe receives.

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Mean

Mean while the restless horfes neigh'd aloud,
Breathing out fire, and pawing where they stood.
Tethys, not knowing what had paft, gave way,
And all the waste of heaven before them lay.
They fpring together out, and fwiftly bear
The flying youth through clouds and yielding air;
With wingy fpeed outftrip the eastern wind,
And leave the breezes of the morn behind.

The youth was light, nor could he fill the feat,
Or poife the chariot with its wonted weight:
But as at fea th' unbalaft vessel rides,

Caft to and fro, the fports of winds and tides;
So in the bounding chariot tofs'd on high,
The youth is hurry'd headlong through the sky.
Soon as the fteeds perceive it, they forfake
Their ftated courfe, and leave the beaten track.
The youth was in a maze, nor did he know
Which way to turn the reins, or where to go;
Nor would the horfes, had he known, obey.
Then the Seven Stars first felt Apollo's ray,
And wish'd to dip in the forbidden sea.
The folded Serpent next the frozen pole,
Stiff and benumb'd before, began to roll,

And rag'd with inward heat, and threaten'd war,
And shot a redder light from every star;

Nay, and 'tis faid, Boötes too, that fain

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Thou wouldst have fled, though cumber'd with thy wain.
Th' unhappy youth then, bending down his head,
Saw earth and ocean far beneath him fpread :
His colour chang'd, he startled at the fight,
And his eyes darken'd by too great a light.

Now

Now could he with the fiery fteeds untry'd,
His birth obfcure, and his request deny'd:
Now would he Merops for his father own,
And quit his boasted kindred to the Sun.

So fares the pilot, when his ship is toft
In troubled feas, and all its fteerage loft;
He gives her to the winds, and in defpair
Seeks his last refuge in the Gods and prayer.
What could he do? His eyes, if backward caft,
Find a long path he had already past;

If forward, still a longer path they find:
Both he compares, and measures in his mind;
And fometimes cafts an eye upon the east,
And fometimes looks on the forbidden west.
The horses' names he knew not in the fright:
Nor would he loofethe reins, nor could he hold them tight:
Now all the horrors of the heavens he fpies,

And monftrous fhadows of prodigious size,

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That, deck'd with stars, lie fcatter'd o'er the fkies.
There is a place above, where Scorpio bent
In tail and arms furrounds a vaft extent;
In a wide circuit of the heavens he fhines,
And fills the fpace of two celeftial figns.
Soon as the youth beheld him, vex'd with heat,
Brandifh his fting, and in his poison fweat,
Half dead with fudden fear he dropt the reins;
The horfes felt them loofe upon their manes,
And, flying out through all the plains above,
Ran uncontrol'd where e'er their fury drove ;
Rush'd on the stars, and through a pathless way,
Of unknown regions hurry'd on the day.
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