No More Learning

Thus elegantly translated by Pope:--

_As when the moon, refulgent lamp of night,
O'er heaven's clear azure spreads her sacred light,
When not a breath disturbs the deep serene,
And not a cloud o'ercasts the solemn scene;
Around her throne the vivid planets roll,
And stars unnumber'd gild the glowing pole,
O'er the dark trees a yellower verdure shed,
And tip with silver every mountain's head;
Then shine the vales, the rocks in prospect rise,
A flood of glory bursts from all the skies:
The conscious swains, rejoicing in the sight,
Eye the blue vault, and bless the useful light. _


[96] The Turks, or Osmanli Turcomans. --_Ed. _

[97] Constantinople.

[98] _Straight as he spoke. _--The description of the armoury, and
account which Vasco de Gama gives of his religion, consists, in the
original, of thirty-two lines, which M. Castera has reduced into the
following sentence: _Leur Governeur fait differentes questions au
Capitaine, qui pour le satisfaire lui explique en peu des mots la
Religion que les Portugais suivent, l'usage des armes dont ils se
servent dans la guerre, et le dessein qui les amene. _

[99] _i. e. _, helmets.

[100] Coats of mail.

[101] _When Gama's lips Messiah's name confess'd. _--This, and the reason
of the Moor's hate, is entirely omitted by Castera. The original is, the
Moor conceived hatred, "knowing they were followers of the truth which
the Son of David taught. " Thus rendered by Fanshaw:--

_Knowing they follow that unerring light,
The Son of David holds out in his Book.
_

Zacocia (governor of Mozambique) made no doubt but our people were of
some Mohammedan country. The mutual exchange of good offices between our
people and these islanders promised a long continuance of friendship,
but it proved otherwise. No sooner did Zacocia understand they were
Christians, than all his kindness was turned into the most bitter
hatred; he began to meditate their ruin, and sought to destroy the
fleet. --OSORIO, Bp. of Sylves, Hist. of the Portug. Discov.

[102] Bacchus, god of wine.

[103] _Whom nine long months his father's thigh conceal'd. _--Bacchus was
nourished during his infancy in a cave of mount Meros, which in Greek
signifies a _thigh_. Hence the fable.

[104] Alexander the Great, who on visiting the temple of Jupiter Ammon,
was hailed as son of that deity by his priests. --_Ed. _

[105] Bacchus.

[106] _His form divine he cloth'd in human shape_--

_Alecto torvam faciem et furialia membra
Exuit: in vultus sese transformat aniles,
Et frontem obscaenum rugis arat. _

VIR.