LXXII. This said, his powerful wand he waved anew: Sweet love their looks a gentle radiance lends, In which they bade each lenient aid be nigh, LXXIII. It was a worthy edifying sight, And gives to human kind peculiar grace, To see kind hands attending day and night, With tender ministry, from place to place. Some prop the head; some, from the pallid face Wipe off the faint cold dews weak Nature sheds; Some reach the healing draught: the whilst, to chase The fear supreme, around their soften'd beds, Some holy man by prayer all opening heaven dispreds. LXXIV. Attended by a glad acclaiming train, Of those he rescu'd had from gaping hell, To see the helpless wretches that remain'd, LXXV. But ah! their scorned day of grace was past: Before them stretch'd, bare, comfortless, and vast; There nor trim field, nor lively culture smiled; Through which they floundering toil'd with painful care, Whilst Phoebus smote them sore, and fired the cloudless air. LXXVI. Then, varying to a joyless land of bogs, Or else the ground by piercing Caurus sear'd, Gaunt Beggary and Scorn, with many hell-hounds moe. LXXVII. The first was with base dunghill rags yclad, Tainting the gale, in which they flutter'd light; His hollow eyne shook forth a sickly light; Meantime foul scurf and blotches him defile; And dogs, where-e'er he went, still barked all the while. LXXVIII. The other was a fell despiteful fiend: Hell holds none worse in baleful bower below: With nose up-turn'd, he always made a show Was cold, and keen, like blast from boreal snow: Such were the twain that off drove this ungodly fry. LXXIX. Even so through Brentford town, a town of mud, The filthy beasts, that never chew the cud, |