The
EDUCATION
of
ACHILLES
.
By
Mr.
BEDINGFIELD
.
I.
AH
me
!
is
all
our
pleasure
mix'd
with
woe
!
Is
there
on
earth
no
happiness
sincere
?
Must
e'en
this
bitter
stream
of
sorrow
flow
From
joy's
domestick
spring
,
our
children
dear
?
How
oft
did
Thetis
drop
the
silver
tear
,
When
with
fond
eyes
she
view'd
her
darling
boy
!
How
oft
her
breast
heav'd
with
presaging
fear
,
Lest
vice's
secret
canker
should
annoy
Fair
virtue's
op'ning
bud
,
and
all
her
hopes
destroy
!
II
.
At
length
,
so
Nereus
had
her
rightly
taught
,
That
doubtful
cares
might
eat
her
heart
no
more
,
Her
imp
in
prattling
infancy
she
brought
To
the
fam'd
Centaur
,
on
mount
Pelion
hoar
,
Hight
Chiron
,
whom
to
Saturn
Phyl'ra
bore
;
Chiron
,
whose
wisdom
flourish'd
'bove
his
peers
,
In
ev'ry
goodly
thew
,
and
virtuous
lore
,
To
principle
his
yet
untainted
years
;
The
seed
that's
early
sown
,
the
fairest
harvest
bears
.
III
.
Far
in
the
covert
of
a
bushy
wood
,
Where
aged
trees
their
star-proof
branches
spread
,
A
grott
,
with
grey
moss
ever
dropping
stood
;
Ne
costly
gems
the
sparkling
roof
display'd
,
Ne
crystal
squares
the
pavement
rich
inlaid
,
But
o'er
the
pebbles
,
clear
with
glassy
shine
,
A
limpid
stream
in
soothing
murmurs
stray'd
,
And
all
around
the
flow'ring
eglantine
Its
balmy
tendrils
spread
in
many
a
wanton
twine
.
IV
.
A
lowly
habitation
,
well
I
ween
,
Yet
sacred
made
by
men
of
mickle
fame
,
Who
there
in
precepts
wise
had
lesson'd
been
;
Chaste
Peleus
,
consort
of
the
sea-born
dame
,
Sage
Aesculape
,
who
cou'd
the
vital
flame
(
Blest
leach
!
)
relumine
by
his
healing
skill
;
And
Jason
,
who
,
his
father's
crown
to
claim
,
Descended
dreadful
from
the
craggy
hill
,
And
with
his
portence
stern
did
false
usurper
thrill
.
V.
Fast
by
the
cave
a
damsel
was
ypight
,
Afraid
from
earth
her
blushing
looks
to
rear
,
Lest
aught
indecent
shou'd
offend
her
sight
,
Lest
aught
indecent
shou'd
offend
her
ear
;
Yet
wou'd
she
sometime
deign
at
sober
chear
Softly
to
smile
,
but
ever
held
it
shame
The
mirth
of
foul-mouth'd
ribaldry
to
bear
,
A
cautious
nymph
,
and
MODESTY
her
name
.
Ah
!
who
but
churlish
carle
would
hurt
so
pure
a
dame
?
VI
.
With
her
sate
TEMPERANCE
,
companion
meet
,
Plucking
from
tree-en
bough
her
simple
food
,
And
pointing
to
an
urn
beside
her
feet
,
Fill'd
with
the
crystal
of
the
wholesome
flood
:
With
her
was
seen
,
of
grave
and
aweful
mood
,
Hoary
FIDELITY
,
a
matron
staid
;
And
sweet
BENEVOLENCE
,
who
smiling
stood
,
Whilst
at
her
breast
two
fondling
infants
play'd
,
And
turtles
,
billing
soft
,
coo'd
thro'
the
echoing
glade
.
VII
.
On
t'other
side
,
of
bold
and
open
air
,
Was
a
fair
personage
hight
EXERCISE
;
Reclin'd
he
seem'd
upon
his
rough
boar-spear
,
As
late
surceas'd
from
hardy
enterprize
;
(
For
Sloth
inglorious
did
he
aye
despise
)
Fresh
glow'd
his
cheek
with
health's
vermilion
dye
,
On
his
sleek
brow
the
swelling
sweat-drops
rise
,
And
oft
around
he
darts
his
glowing
eye
To
view
his
well-breath'd
hounds
,
full
jolly
company
.
VIII
.
Not
far
away
was
sage
EXPERIENCE
plac'd
,
With
care-knit
brow
,
fix'd
looks
,
and
sober
plight
,
Who
weighing
well
the
present
with
the
past
,
Of
every
accident
cou'd
read
aright
.
With
him
was
rev'rend
CONTEMPLATION
pight
,
Bow-bent
with
eld
,
his
beard
of
snowy
hue
,
Yet
age's
hand
mote
not
empare
the
sight
,
Still
with
sharp
ken
the
eagle
he'd
pursue
,
As
thro'
the
buxom
air
to
heav'n's
bright
bow'rs
she
flew
.
IX
.
Here
the
fond
parent
left
her
darling
care
,
Yet
softly
breath'd
a
sigh
as
she
withdrew
;
Here
the
young
hero
,
ev'n
from
tender
year
,
Eftsoons
imbib'd
Instruction's
hony'd
dew
,
(
For
well
to
file
his
tongue
,
sage
Chiron
knew
)
And
learnt
to
discipline
his
life
aright
;
To
pay
to
pow'rs
supreme
a
reverence
due
,
Chief
to
Saturnian
Jove
,
whose
dreaded
might
Wings
thro'
disparted
clouds
the
bik'ring
light'ning's
flight
.
X.
Aye
was
the
stripling
wont
,
ere
morning
fair
Had
rear'd
o'er
eastern
waves
her
rosy
tede
,
To
grasp
with
tender
hand
the
pointed
spear
,
And
beat
the
thicket
where
the
boar's
fell
breed
Enshrouded
lay
,
or
lion's
tawny
seed
.
Oft
wou'd
great
Dian
,
with
her
woody
train
,
Stop
in
mid
chace
to
wonder
at
his
speed
,
Whilst
up
the
hill's
rough
side
she
saw
him
strain
,
Or
sweep
with
winged
feet
along
the
level
plain
.
XI
.
And
when
dun
shades
had
blent
the
day's
bright
eye
,
Upon
his
shoulders
,
with
slow
stagg'ring
pace
,
He
brought
the
prey
his
hand
had
done
to
die
,
Whilst
blood
with
dust
besprent
did
foul
disgrace
The
goodly
features
of
his
glowing
face
.
When
as
the
sage
beheld
on
grassy
soil
Each
panting
corse
,
whilst
life
did
well
apace
,
The
panther
of
his
spotted
pride
he'd
spoil
,
To
deck
his
foster
son
:
fit
need
of
daring
toil
.
XII
.
And
ever
and
anon
the
godlike
sire
,
To
temper
stern
behests
with
pleasaunce
gay
,
Would
touch
(
for
well
he
cou'd
)
the
silver
lyre
;
So
sweetly
ravish'd
each
enchanting
lay
,
That
Pan
,
in
scornful
wise
,
wou'd
fling
away
His
rustick
pipe
,
and
e'en
the
sacred
train
Wou'd
leave
their
lov'd
Parnass'
in
trim
array
,
And
thought
their
own
Apollo
once
again
Charm'd
his
attentive
flock
,
a
simple
shepherd
swain
.
XIII
.
And
ever
and
anon
of
worthies
old
,
Whose
praise
Fame's
trump
thro'
earth's
wide
hounds
had
spread
,
To
fire
his
mind
to
brave
exploits
,
he
told
;
Pirithous
,
known
for
prowest
hardy-head
;
Theseus
,
whose
wrath
the
dire
Procrustes
fled
;
And
Hercules
,
whom
trembling
Lerna
fear'd
,
When
Hydra
fell
,
in
loathsome
marshes
bred
,
In
vain
against
the
son
of
Jove
uprear'd
Head
sprouting
under
head
,
by
thrillant
faulchion
shear'd
.
XIV
.
The
stern-brow'd
boy
in
mute
attention
stood
,
To
hear
the
sage
relate
each
great
emprise
;
Then
strode
along
the
cave
in
haughtier
mood
,
Whilst
varying
passions
in
his
bosom
rise
,
And
lightning-beams
flash
from
his
glowing
eyes
.
Ev'n
now
he
scorns
the
prey
the
defarts
yield
,
Ev'n
now
(
as
hope
the
future
scene
supplies
)
He
shakes
the
terror
of
his
heav'n-form'd
shield
,
And
braves
th'
indignant
flood
,
and
thunders
o'er
the
field
.