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Show [ z6 } 3 2 5 Whe n, wondrous to relate, he thus began, (An Owl in figure, but in voice a. Man:) I come, no vulgar vifion of the mght, The Gods direCt my emblematic flight. In my fage form thy rev' rend Self appears~ 330 Thy vain Purfuit the vaniili'd Moufe declare~. This [aid, the feather'd Omen feeks the fktes: And, infl:ant, downy Jleep forfook my eyes. I deem' d the Phantom by the t God defign' 4, t s •t.r" To !hake the fl:ea~y purpo[e of my 11"\ind . .335 Now have thy words rp.y vaiJtl fufpicion easl~~ Confirm'd my foul, and ev'ry. doubt appeas d. But whither next the heav'n-taught courfe to fl:eer, Nor Omens point, nor frie~dly Sh_ades declare. And L. 326. Atz Owl ill Figure, but in Voice a .Man.] See Ody.ff. B. xix.l. 64•• In Form an Eagle, but in Voice a Man. But whither next &c.) The Gmnqn, Cridcs have totally mifu~~~ ll:!ci t1~? Palfage, in imagini~g that Sc_ribltrl!.s Jhou!~ bs h~re at a l9fs for a j~c\ ' I I ' [ '1.7 J And now, alas I in thefe unhallow' d days, 340 No learned Priefl: the Sacrifice difplays: InfpeB:s the ViCtim with prophetic eyes, Or reads the vagrant Lefi'ons of the ikies. Nor £1.cred Oracles afford their aid; Dumb is the Pytbian and Cumtean maid. 345 0! had we liv'd in that aufpicious age, When roam'd the Trojan Chief and Grecian Sage, D 2 Some ject worthy his Curiolity. It is his Religion only that makes him thus doubtful, being unwilling to engage in any frefh Enterprize, without fame Sign from Heaven to approve, or Oracle to direct the Undertaking. This will be manifeft on the Perufal of the Poem, whereby it will appear, that he has been already given to expect an Oracle in this very Country. ------To Egypt's facred coaft repair, There fhall a furer Oracle declare Thy deftin'd Courfe------ B. 4· What elfe lhould prevent his profecuting the original Intention of a Voyage to Jamaica to fee an Earthquake. See the Beginning of his Narration, B. ii. And alfo Mem. of Scrib. L. 339· And now, alas! &c.] Thus Lucan himftlf complain~, lib. v. Pharfa/, ----------Non ul!o f.ecu!a dono Nojlra carent majore Deiim quam Delphica ftdes ff<..uodjiluit .---------- Of all the Wants with which this Age is curft, The Delphic Silence furely is the worft. RowE's Lucan, |