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cGoo^k
r.oDjilf .,:
C O M XJ Sj_
A MASK, ^
BY JOHN MILTON.
PnESINTED *I LPDCOW CAiTLI, l634,
BEFORE JOHN, EARL OF BRWGEWATER»
THEN PRESIDENT OF WALES.
PtIINTED rkOM THE TZXT Or
THE REV. HENRY JOHN TODD, A. M. F. A. S.
WITB SBLBCTED AMD OKICINAL
ANECDOTES AND ANNOTATIONS,
Ki^Tapikal, Bxplaiuttvy, CriliaU atid Dramatic.
With Splendid EmbellisIuneDti,
TVSUSttED BY MATHEWS AND LEIGH, STRAND. .
, Goot^l>j
cGoo^k^
DEDICATION. •
TO TBI KItHIT HONOnRtBLI
JOHN LORD VISCOUNT BBACLY,'
Sen ami Har Appottmt ia
the birl of bridsewater, &c.
My Lord,
This Poem, which received its first
occasioQ of bird] from yourself and others of your noble
family, mad much honour from your own person in the
perfiinnBnce, now retaras astun to make a finall dedi-
catioD of itself to you. Although not openly acknow-
ledged by the author, ' yet it is a legitimate off-spring,
^e lovely, and so much desired, that the often copying
of it hath tired my pen to give my sererall friends satis-
fiidion, and brought me to a necessity of producing it to
the pnblike view ; and now to offer it up in alt rightful!
devotian to those fmr hopes, and rare endowments of your
much promising youth, which give a full aBsuraoce, to
•11 thai know you, of a future excellence. Livei sweet
liord, to be the honour of your name, and receive this as
your own, from the hands of him, who hath by many
£ivouTB been long obliged to your most honoured pa-
rents, and as in tnis representation your attendant Thyr-
4U, SO now in all reall expression.
Your talthfuU and most humble Servant,
H. LA WES.
■ Tki> IB the DedicBtioi
to which tbe folloiriaiF m
Edapie,
" Bht» .' 7M< r>;h
■' f erdilw— .-
ThU nMto ii MieMelr chonn, whether we caulder it u beinc
spoken b} (he author hinuelf, or by the editor. If b; the (onatTf
wemomiiig.IiuppMe, iithia: / hne.^givmg ioag telhitpubli-
<Qiim,Ut inllurtrtMh^piMic ctiuun m littt tarl^ iltttoau itf m*
*<jsnire. Ir we iiqipaM H tocomefroai tbe«di(«r,the applicslion
is not rery differeut ; oaly ta,fiorittu we louat then give an encoiui.
utic seue. Tbe cbricc of meh a motto, so fur &ora vnlgHr in it'
■elf, and in ito applicUioa, wu worihy BftltoD. Butfo.
* Tte First SrottNr te tbe Haik.
The Copif oftf Inciter written hy Sir Hevkv Woottoit
to the AHtkur, «pon the/oliowing Poetit.
FnmthtCollalgt, IMtXSth of April, l638.*
SIK.
It -woA a special favour, when you lately be-
ttowed upou me here the first ta»te of your acquaintance,
though no longer than to make me know that I wanted
more time to value it, aud to eajoy it rightly; and in
truth, if I could then have imagined your tiirther stay in
these parts, which I understood aftemardH by Mr. H,^
1 would have been bold, in our vulg;ar phrase, to mend
my draught, [for jou left me wiih an extreme thirst,)
and to hovie begged j'our tonversation again, joyntly
Kith your said learned friend, at a poor meai'ortwo, that
we might have banded together som good authora of the
ancient time : among which I observed yon to have been
familiar.
Since your going, yqu .hare chu'ged me with Dew
obligations, both for a very kinde letter from you dated
tiie sixth of this month, and for a dainty .peece of enter-
tainment which cametherwith. Wherein I should much
comtnendthe Tragical part, if the Lyrical did not ravish
me with a certain Dbrique delicacy in your songs and
odee; wheruntp I must plainly confess to have seen yet
nothing parallel in our language: Ipsa juollilies. Buti
must not omit to tell you, that I now onely owe you
thanks for intimating unto me (how modestly soever) the
true arUticcr. For the work itself I had viewed som good
while before with singular delight, having received rt
from our commo^ irieud Mr. R. ° in the very close of the ~
*- jfprM, iSss.l Milton hmi eommnnicRled to Sir Henry his de-
nfn ofieeiu;! foreign conntries, and had aent him hia JHojIi. He
Kt vut OD his travels soira after the receipt of this ktKr. ToDB.
I Mt. ff.] John Hales. ^
• Mr. R.] I believe " Mr. R.' to be John Jtoux, Bodky's libruisn.
*■ Tke lattR. " is unqueelionabty IXonMi Bandolph, thej^t. ^
Ute R's Poems, printtNl at Oxford, wherunttt it is added
(as I DOW luppos^ thut the accessory might help out the
priocipal, Rccordiog to the art of stationers, and to leare
the reader Con lu bvcea dolce.
Now, Sir, concerning your travels wherin I may cha-
let) ge a little more privilede;e of discoura with rou; I
suppose you will not blanch Paris in your way ; therfore
I have been bold" to trouble you with a few lines to Mr.
M.B.^ whom]-ou shall easily find attending the young
Lord S. ' as his governour ; and you may surely receive
-from hiro good directions for the shaping of your iarihef
journey into Italy, where he did reside by my choicesom
time for the king, after mine own recess from Venice. *
1 should think that your best line will be thorow the
whole length of France to Marseilles, and thence hy sea
to Genoa, whence the passage into Tuscany is us diurnal
as a Gravesend barge : I hasten, as you do,' to Florence,
or Siena, the rather to tell you a short story from the
interest you'have giveii me in your safety.
At Siena I was tabled in the house of one Alberto
Scipioni, au old Roman courtier, in dangerous titaeK,
having bin steward to the Duca de Pagliano, who with
ttit his family were strangled, save this onely man that
escaped by foresightof the tempest: with him I had often
much chat of those affairs ; into which he took pleasare
to look back from his native harbour; and at my depar-
ture toward Rome (wliich had been the center ofhi»
esperience,) 1 had wonn oonfideiice enough to beg his
advice, how [ might carry myself securely tliere, without
oifence of others, or of mine own conscience. Signer
Arrigo mio, (sayes he,) Ipejiiieri ttretii, et Uvuoscioko,
will go safely over the whole wprld ; of which Delphiua
oracle (for so I have found it) your judgement doth need
no commentary ; tmd tberforc (Sir) I will commit you
'Wr.W.B.] Mr Mid..dBr»nlh»^it. a.I.npp«,e., rfrt„„
p. S46, Mr Michael Branlh*ait, heretofore Hi> Mneatie'i Aient
Id Vcdu:(, « gcntlemui gf approved confidence and mneo-ity."
' Ton*.
* ^f 1 Ti'tonqfLord R™bb( Scvdamore, then the pnflirt.
|l«h«.a^ratP>ri., b, who.e notic Mil.«n «s ho„„„r,5,^«d
by whom be vu iDlroduccd Ivanitiuj, Iben ruidine ul ParlB iIm.
. a« tUtalnister of Sweden. * T»bS
8 PaELlMIHARV
with it to the best of sll s«c1irities, God's dew love*
.rnnainm^
your friend m much at connnmnd
as any of longer date,
Henkt Woottok.*
postscript.
Sir,
I hace expressly tatl thii My feat'boy ta
prevent your departure viithout ton* acknoviiedgme*! from
, we of the receipt of your obliging letter, having myse{f
through torn bittaeM, Ilenow not how, neglected the or-
dinary eomveyance. In any pari where I thail vKdehtand
you fired, X shall be glad aad diligent, to entertain jrew
with home-novelties: even for tome fomentation of our
friendship, too soon interrupted in the eradle.
VRELIAIINARY QBBERVATIDNS.
>F LVDI.OW ouniE,
aijirtt nyrimnied.
THIS Castle was built by Rmr dc II ..„
related to Willian the Conqaeror. The date of iti cKCtiMi ii fixed
by Mt. Wartw u the y«ar 1 1 IS. By oAtrM it b Mid to k>v« bee*
vnctad before llm CoMfHcal, and Ua (laMler to hwe bccN Edric
Sytnlicus, Earl rf (auewifaMry, whom Bonr da MoBtgoBcrf wai
aeat by tWe Conqueror iota tM Harchci of Walci la tabdaci and
vith irbose eitvte* in Salop ke wai afterward! rewarded. Bat the
trstimonies of ruiaoa writrmtnipitlie fbaadation oftbit Hructurc
to Rogerda MaatsowMrri «o«i after Oe C«B^«at.
1'lie aoa of thia nobleman did not long: enjoy it, a* h« died in the
prime of lilc. The grandion, Robert de Belcime, Eafl of Shrcw»-
bury, fbrfctted it to Henry I. by harisf joined (he pwty of Sobert
Dekeef 'N«noa>dy afoinat thatkiaB.
acceaaioD of Stepheb; bowcrcr, the gormmw betaajwd hjo tn»t, !■
joining; the Empress Maud. Stephen belief^ it ; in which en((e»-
vour to i^ain poneuion of hia (brtreu aome writera asaert that he
* Thia tetter appeared Aiwt ia the edittoD «f i6«S. IknowBet
wky It W4( ivppiesaed, and by Miltm himaelf. In Aat af 167S>
OBSEBVATIONS/ 9
■n'cceeded, others that he failed. Tbe mnst generally receired
optaioA JB, thattbe governor, repenting of hia buencas, sad wiihing
to oLtaia the king^ fbrgiveoEsa, propoaed a npitalfitiaii Bdvan-
tBgeona to tbe guriloii, tii which Stephen, deapairing of ninuiiig
tbe cUtle by arroi, readily accejed. Henr^ II. prrsentcd it to hii
fcrourite. Folk .FiU-Warine, Or de Dinan, to whom ancceeded
Joccas de IKnanj between whom and Hugh de Mortimer, Lord of
Wiginore, anch ditaeotiotiB arose, as at lenitb occasioned theseiaure
of Mortimer, and bis conGncmeiit in one of tbe towers of the castle,
wbtch to tbia day ia called Mortimer's Tower i from wbich he wai
not liberated till he had pkid an immenie ran^m. This tower i>
now inhabited, aUd used as a fives-codrt.
II was again belon^ngto the Crown in tbe Bih year of KingJobn,
who bestowed It on Philip de Albani, from whom it deacended lo
the lAcies of Ireland, the laat of which family, Walte;- de Lacey,
dying without iaiue male, left the castle to his grand- daughtn'
Maud, the wife of Peter de Geneva, or Jeoerillc, a Poicte*in, of
the House of Lorrain, from whose posterity it passed by a dlngb-
ter to the Mortimers, and from tbem hereditarily to the Croirn.
Id the reign of Henry III, it was taken by Simon deMoatfbrt, Cari
of Leicester, tbe ambitions leader of the confederate barons, who,
about the year 1!63, are said to have taken possession of all the
royal castles and fortresses. Of Ludlow Cajltle, in almost two suc-
ceeding centuries, nothing is recorded.
In the thirteenth year of Henry TI. it was in the poBsession of
Richard Duke of Vork, who there drew ap his declaration of af-
ifeeted allegiance to the king, pretendilig that the army of ten thon-
■snd men, which be bad raised in tbe Marches of Walea, was " ibr
the publick weale of the realme." The erent of this commotion
between the Royalists and Yorkists, the defeat of Richard's per-
fidious attempt, ia well known. Tbe castle of Ladlow, says Hall,
** was apoyled," The kine's troops seized on whatever was valoable
lilt; and, according to thessme chronicler, hither " tbe king sent
the DnchessofYork, with her two yonnger sons,, to be kept in ward,
with the DuCbeas of Buckingham, her slater, where she continued
k certain space."
Tbe Castle was aooo aflerwards put into tbe possesilion of Edward,
I>uke of York, afterwards King Edward 17, who at that time rer
aided in tbe neigbbonring castle of Wigmore, and who, inorderto
rcenge tbe death of his lather, had collected some troops in tbe
Msrcfaea, and bad attachrai tbe garrison to his canae. On his ac-
cession to the throne, the csatle was repaired by bim, and a few
yean after was made Tke Cjare of bis aon, tbe Prince of Wales ; nbo
"waa sent hither by him, as Hsil relatea, "(or justice to be doen in
tbe Harchea of Wales, to the end that by the authoritie of hia pre-
sence, tbe wild Welahmenne and evill disposed pers6nacs should
tefraine from their accustomed morthers, and outrages." Sir
Henry Sidney some years afterwards, observed, that, since tbe
establiahment of the Lord President and Conacil, tbe whole coun-
try of Wales had tieen brought from their disobedient and barbarons
ipcivility, to a civil and obedient condition ; and the bordering Eof-
lish counties bad been freed from those spoila and felonies, wiOh
■which the Welch, before this institution, had annoyed them. See
"Hdney Sute-Papers, Vol.1, p. 1. On the death of Edward, his
'ddeat Ntt was here Ant proclyli^ed king by the name of Edvard V
F»»4W««KK ,
miM, iBDi\DiuauM(WWi »iF;»cngmi leiimty wan ocsem
■pan hli mftrriue jiiflt .Cf(^rlne ,of ^n^pm ; an ereot ttuU m
fOoafoUnrH, irnfaiiiUie^^^e r*^, ib^ t^e^utimely fudl^'^'^iM
dntkof that (iCcampfiidhls4#i<Bf^'
' The Ca»tl« |>5^ vfni l»of A^,4« P*We of tJw Frif«e ofiyiJ^,
MiiwKcd to tbe friivlMtDJy, mviwtte liiibitt^pff M«ojirtRl&|t
kn depntie*, the !>«» f rfiifle^ of Wajc* , wjio *el4 in it fta
ooDrt of Ibe Hpfcl^. Jt ir^ji^dtttcrcfore kiir^y Jwe }ic«n •f)»'.
MMcd, Ibat its aXvmnAt^^otp *t>o^ld h*»e •iiS«rF4 9^^ V
Powel, Ihe Welch >U!lanM, iw not Rcl^Ud tl^at << ^ Pmdj
9>diw;, whe waa made Lsr4 ^eudcBt 1111564, repaiK^uvMltl^
afLmdkmt, ^c^tathAC^to towtfjrifhi* tkcMwccliM, tmg
tojTtnt ihMta, aa^ <IUV^ tbt to fit^^nut, fn^ .• fw^ fcJQK
Uiue." S«a Ur. W«rtaB> ^wW <f^t. ». Mh vWe lie uoUa D-
Powell'a Hilt. 9f.C;»qMJ,*^|k INK). 4t». ».401. ^IrB-SiAi^
lio««Titr, waa mmlf hftirmifatt w tlM lecoad npr vf ^ia^be%
«hic|k WW \m 1959. $«e Siaoo Plate P*p«ra, Tol.;. Ifleinairajirft-
flxed, ^. t6. Sir HCTty'^pwB jynty to tbi' iM*)! w>nc ip h>v^
Mitkn)ailyrceoi4«<IInrXA«n:h)iK('t t» tif pww cfllW "Tlw
Worthinea rf WaW* *U(. I«b4. 1579- TVrfwpter i» ji^t;i^
" Tfc dytfa ■/ A«*o«r W wm* >f I* rdrteti Hat « Sir «hi]{
built Bwnjr tSu^Wp iq>4l>'ejfWr wl vwineiie.'' ^^° W
mtmt Wbrmatioa we teani fbc fvUfwiM |>trfic|i]fj*i--'',0*cr ji
cblnw.cMePaatb «Np|)it in/JkpW.^lvJ>«i> i»St. Atfiif^f
p«*«jfom»tic«a(l}e''£*wp«ni(iWttiifljiid,cp.(ljf»«rei" flnut
jrtiich " (IT ftnw*iii .cpljijua nfumiiiie Juiun, W cUefbr iMbJepuii "
«. ... .._ : « ihaiiir " — ^- ■'■-■ — >--:—» --J «>-
vh^Bt, b«)r)t toctrje iffojnu » ttie aa;.^ 9tUe, rWfi> KWUf
lmiMi|g){ad«t)>alM»Tca4ieat beafdIcloitM WW' It^ liMe Ml**
goodtjr FU]k|>b|e iindcriw«h t^ jwir wfor, ^ ra(i49ii:p4 » J»U
tower, oellM JHortjmcr'B Tok v, toJtef^ tbjs mfVV^titc^ijt jj^
the voe i W? He r«pf yre4 ■ fcyre rt>vai^ wider tif (wjvt j>,«?>4<;i #
th,e MW eBMnt w"4P''»'w«. h«I w* *«<«|t wi^ i^nt ib^^mr
yard, a>d built a taMt nrare condit wiiDiD the ui(ie;r poHr^ : fpfi
■l]l^B«yebuilitiap.0-"r tbej^ta l^r)^v^.^)4n^ (iphM A"™
and caTamcment ttierc) madp W v*!^ Wt If |m koo^ot vf tbf
QnccD, tai tfv'v (tf tbe CmOf- Tfieie |ie in ^ iCHl)' ^' *^r^
BlM.e act pift iDir Lord Eark a/ W»r»ii+'« 4rt(i,ct,UJe B^rl tffiv ■
t>i^ Uu^rl,e of Worcester, ^£axleof Pea^n>)w.#ii^^ir Am
tjie.ijiaiiito. Pndieqlberiycfre the«iifieaaf qfa^t'^iMta fful
' EfoathK^lta, two nd Lyiwi iwd l^o oflcl^ ty»M, IVifwe Mtsr^f.
^t the end oftbcdynliigctiBaliitr, t^ijere i» a prelje d^ice ^w ibf
faedj^hogbrakcthechByne, aadcaDtefrtwlceriui^tfiLaidlop. "Mlf
detice i( probably tmidluaioDto Sir tlenn's twi|iArijtf l)fanwV-fl'
vhieb two ;)0rcu;niiei were the.creat. Sir I^ii^ Si^ntiy-^V*^ fttV*
Wany aalnt^iv r«ul^ti«a« to W !»f4e in the ta^ gee Sl#(7
»ate l»ap«r«, «,!. i. ». 1*3 41^ p. Wft |i> Fbic)i ||i¥ aWtd ttf
yr^t iBDia ofaioaey |be h^ n^cnoed, )na tb|C (B^e^tiBblf (^Uh
UDce be had exerted in the ^"f^f'f'y of hi* office.
'^ In 1616, thecrs«tiDni^Priiy;eChvle'(*ftn>'udi^f|C)!Mvto
I.) I«fl<e ^Mlncipjility flfWrtei, 8«d ^ai^fl^ pt <^«tf!''»,*« P^ft*
hv«tpdhnpwUh "ncpnmmiqiipHGc^f^. ^f bfic|ipf .iffif #«!»<)-
Corftit, NH ^, *bm tit UMl (imaseiHttf^tiptiiV
tMMHrefLiiArir'. jHlliEnl)«M(i<'l hiy«l>««i;id%ibe^C^ita
Oiti Fhi^ Mng » P>t« « tUt at ¥MU (U*nb, wu' ture ipfeildidt*
tittMi tbiau/miia M Ut UAriury. Biit **<>m6, and fattL
■M ynin, *iifr fMJfl', mJ AfUndc piiAhnt^,' *eV«' »<>« mo.
Munltb it I'al'nnlKni^iWllitkUki iAb, in bis ffifU fiVM
IftHet-iUidKlOAtinif. tMcMIe wuttUnrdt <h1irere4aBUi
Ait^UitoifiDJainL HM.
AM'^MMMcrfliW^Mlit atfnWb'df Uie cai(1c ■
'^"-—--■■^ -^'^i^ tfiit>r --■"'"— '^ ■' -'
tUMH «r rae ptj- - --■■ >
7s!ia.
««««. tmtbe^U'.. ,
ti«siA<tet« w«^ (UiflidtiDttett lit iMS. ^tn tblat period iti decay
comneiltwl: It htfr MUe bMa fradialW'flJrippcd of ili cimaaf
iUditlUUeoiUB|a«ut>. flo' IMjAr iahibU^ b* itB imV« gBu-
<Bafi< i^ HW WM bilf il«|lt« ;' •nd liezlect bu ^Kowind
MittdW. »lV''iriltiV«t«al^att tbUdoble'euUeifinthenn
MriteiWtfefdceijr, wlwit*ca«qttidlMrraad^r^ fbat tlie' procnt
UbriiUiJt«f»<tA^flfe«>ftdftUdiBMriab. AU tlA Sue conrtiL
tte n(}at a^pMiliMtit bUU, UdMiiffisof sld^ lieopqiwidabaii-
AiMd, aD'aMtaie'tfr ttleittMttl^rdWn.'' Ton^ diro«KB l^i^t Br^
Mb, quoted^ by GroM, Art. £uaota CAtlt. Set abo tW remark-
abU huAiiMM Mated % Mi'. HadgeD M lii> Jcceimt iif Ae' Com^
^.9^ neaVjMiatmMtofatoVenior, Orateirudof (Be caitle, it
All at pMSMt' dllCbntliiWed. Buller enjoyed the (tewa>dslitp,
•ftMiMvIiKtlififV all w«li'u anboniiursblepM^ rtilatbeprio-
cipditv-couVt eSMM. iHd, lb ad apal^m^ot orer Ibc (atewav sT
m eanfe, be ft ttSd to h»v^ writteh h[B ininilsble Bndlbrs^: Tha
Ijbetllad'beeiifeerenTf tdtu. IZorl'cf Cirbe^, who ni Lonf Pro-
jUeufof IfUA'i aadtrho, in the treat reBellion, had afford'ed ■■
■ninna ta the excelleBt Jerem; Taylor.
IB the BcrioitBt of E^dtbW £safle, fieSxtS to ^ck'i Anti^iilfiea,
riubnibed M 1771, whMh inuRt' hSTc been «rltlea nai)}' ^eara
Mo*t, It U tUd ** Mad; of tlie lajtl aparfmenU are jet entire;
and the (Mrd, with tbe Velvet hangui^ and some itf the' fliruitore
arc ritill piVserved." And" GmM, in his AntioaitiA, jiubtishei)
■bbnt the tame line, eMimeti«g ftoU t&e Tour anrntft Gtnt'BrC-
tain what be pronouncei a veiy joat and accnrate account of tb»
diJHI^ repreaentj the ebapel baViiig abdnduce oT cut* of artM
upon the panoela, avd the hall decorated with the tame oraameMa,
logEther w^lB huMt, >pean, flrdocbi, and old amibilr: Of ttieae
curiooa qipendagei to tlw gnodeor at both, little peihapa ii now
known. Of tbe chapel, a circular bnildiDg withia tbeianer court it
aow all that remains. Over bctcthI of tbe ■t^e.^iaora, bowerer,
ai« still the SFiQ« of <hieen BliiabetS, ^nd- 1^ £arl af P^broke.
Over the inner gate of the castje, are also some remains of the anna
«f theSidiwy&rot^, with an inscriptioii deUothif the date of tbe
Qoeen'f reign, and of Sir Henr; SidUeyl residence, la iMi, toftB-
(har wHbtbc bllowins wvrdi, Bmdatiu gratis fc}«A«ni JofMN
12 PRELIHlSAay
No reuoD hu been uiigneJ for Ihii remcAable ■ddraw. P t r h qw
Sir Henr; Sidney pligbt iatenil it aa an alliuioii to iU predeceiEOr*,'
w^o bad mfiered Oie stately fabrick to decav ; SB a . meniorial alia,
•rhich no Buccenor might behoLI without detcrminiag to »Toid it* '
Spplicalioa: "Noane iFaAU domi;m mcluet, ae qaam Vockh elIt
CliT, nonne PARIETEB coNiciOi.!" Cic.proCalia. Sect. as.
Mr. poTiBtoQ, »f tbe Nursery, neiir Qawestry, irbo Tisited the
caetle in 1768, bas acquainted me, that the Boons of the great
CaaDcil Chamber irere then pretty entire, aa waa the itair-case.
The CD'ered steps leailiii|r to the chapel were remaining',
bat the cofenng of the chapel wa> fallen: yet tbe arms vf
some of tbe Lords Pmideals, painted au the walls, were visible.
Id the (Teat Conpcil Chamber was inscribed on the wall & sentence
from I. Sam. xii. 3. All of vliich are now wholl; cone. The pcreoo,
who ihowed this gentleman the cnstle, ioformecfhiin (bat, by tra.
dition, tbe Jlfoil^Connuwaaperfannedin theCouneirChamber.
The situation pf the castle ia deii^tAil, and romantick. It il
boitt in the north-west angle of the town upon a rock, csmoiBuding
an entenaive and beaulifulprospett uorlbward. On the west it n
■haded by a lofty bill, and wasbed by tbe river. It la strongly en-
vironed by walls of immeose height and thickoeas, and fortified
with round and square tower* at irregular diitances. The walls are
(aid by Grose to have formerly been a mile in compais ; bat Leland
in that measure includes those of tbe tonii. Tbe iDterior apart-
nents were defended on one side by a deep ditch, cut onl of tbe
rock ; OD the other, by an almost inaccessible precipice overlooking
*the ralc-oF Corve. Tbe caalle was divided into two separate part* :
tbe castle, properly speaking, in which were the palace and lodgings;
and the green, or outwork, which Dr. Slukely supposes to have
been called tjie Barbican. See his Itinerary, Iter. iv. p. 70. The
green takes in a large coBipass of ground, ^a which were fbe conrt
pfjudicature and records, the stables, garden, bowling-green, aai
other offices. In the fiout of the cKStle, a apacioos plain or lawn
Ibrmerly extended two miles. In 177a, a pablick walk round the
castle was planted with trees, and laid out with much tssle, by
tbemnnificenceor (heCouiitesaof Powis. See Mr. Hodge's ffis/.
The exterior appearance of this ancient edifice bespeaks, in some
degree, whattt once has been. Its mutilated towers and walls sUU
afford sn idea of the strength and beanty, which so noble a spo-
cimen of Norman architecture formerly displayed. But at tbe sam^
time, it is a tnclancboly monument, exhibiting the irreparable ef-
fects of pillage and dilapidatiou. ToDl>.
THE EARL OF BRIDGEWATER,
JOHN EGERTON, EARL OF BRIDGEWATER,
Before whom Comsi waa presented, waa the lecond eon of tbat
great lawyer and statesman. Sir Thomas ^erton. Lord Keeper of
the great seal to Queen Elizabeth, and hafi High Cfaancellar (^f
0BBBKyAT10H». 1^
E«)uid vader.Sii)E')>BUB.I. who created bim BvonorEllcsmere,
a^TucDunt SracUey.
Some of his earlier days were ..pent, at were tboK of ha elder
biother ThomsB, ia the em^iloyineDt of a military life. In isgg, he
■L-i-red, with his brother, uoder .the Earl nf Esiex, agaiasl Ihe
rebels in Ireland, when he was knighted, bb hi a h rather hud bteu
before, Bt the taking of Cales, under the same commander. Sir
Thomas EgeitOD diedat Dublin CbbHb in September 1509, leaving
three daughters by Elizabeth bis' wife, daughter of ThonaB V eua-
blee, of Kindeitoo, io the county of Chester, Esquire.
Sir John Ef crton soon afterwards married Lady Frances Stanley,
Mcoiid daughter and co-heir of the Earl of Derby, whose' widow the
Lord Keeper Egertou, his father, married in October, iQoO,
At the coroaation of King James I. lie was made one of (he
KoighisoftheBslh.
After Ihe death ofhia fatherio March, 1617, he was almost im^
mediately aidvaqted to the earldom of Brjdgewater; which Ihe tiing
had intended to bestow upon the chancellor himself, and which
now, in reverence to his memory, he bestowed upon his son. In
the same year he was nominate^ one " of His Majestie's Couu-
cellors" to William, LordComptou, who was then promoledto the '
Presidentship of Wales and the Marches.
From 1635 to 1631 we find hira nominated in various comniissioni
of publick importance. And in l631 he was promoted to the presi-
denUhip of Wiles and the Marches. T* his acquisition of this
honourable pott the Mask of Cobhu owes its foundation. He had
I»t>bably been long acquainted with MlKon, who had before writteu
Arcades for (he Conntess of Derby. « I have been informed firom ■
manuscript of OMyc," s^jb Mr. Warlon, " that Lord Bridgewater
b«ing appointed Lord President of Wales, entered upon hii official
residence at Ludlow Caslle with gr«at solemnity. On this occasion
itie was attended by a large concourse of the neighboaring nobility
■sd gentry. Among the rest came his children; in particular,
JUrd Brackley, Mr.Thomaa Egerton, and Lady Alice,
" to attend their father's stale,
" And new-cntruited icepter."— —
They had been on a viffit at a house of their relations, the Egerlbn
'bmily, in H erebrdshire ; and in passing through Haywood Forest
were benighted, and the Lady Alice was even lost for a shc-ii time.
This acciifent, which la the end was attended with uo bad conse-
quences, fomiBbcd the subject of a Mask for a Michaelmas festivity.
uid produced Comus. ' Lord Bridgewaler was appointed [rather, as
I apprehend, installed] Lord President, May is, i633. When the
erileus adventure in Haywood forest happened, if true, cannot now
told. It must have been soon after. The Mask was acted at
Michaelmaa 1034." Sir John Hawkins has also obseived, that this
elegant poem is founded on a real story ; his account of which,
though less particular, agrcta with that of Oldys. Hist, of MuBick,
,vol.iv. p. 5«. Lawes, in his De^cation to Lonf Bract/;jr, prrbap*
alludes to the accident, in stating that the " poem received its jfri(
oerasfan iff iitth jram Loiielf, and others of his noble family^'
The Earl continued to be employed in performing the comnuads
iftfWs njal mastar, to whom he was a faithful and an active sr
, rani, tiU Ibe Civil War had unhappily begun ; jiod he lired Id
■ooB ■ttcmnih, tbraedreadfal ettdiMem ot ■ kUg^oiii dMMe4
r'lwt ttieir, the morder of it! king, lad tk« o*eTtlU«« ititt di*-
itioo.
He died en the fourth of DricemlMr, 16*9. His oS;^)rlR|! wtr4
four (OD^ and elerea daugbten j bat tbfM of hi* doii, aint abW
Ihree of bia daughters, lu irell as hii toDDtMi, £ed IMore hin,
nil chuactcr asordi ■ luoit eseraplary Object of InuUfiNi (A Mea
•frank, wealth, and talent ■■ "Hcwa* endoircd'f witti iacomn-
rablc parti, both natural aid acquired, » Ibat baCh art and uatura
did (ccmtnitrire which ahould contribute most t«i>ardi'thawafcUi|^
him a mint arcoapliihed genfleniaii ; he had an aelin bodj, u4
a Tigorooi Hnil ; bij deportment waa n-acefiil, hh disMuraa otceL
leut, whether extemporary or prcBte^tated. Mri6ai or JDCuIaTf id
that he aeldom apuke, hut he did etlher ioa^ct or defi|hf CHarn
that heard him ; he «■■ a protound icbolar, an able stateimali, *aA
a food chritlian j be «ai a dutifiil vm to his mother the chnrcK of
Eoi^d infaer penecntloD, ai veil ai in her great ^kndoar) ■
loyal subject tohlicbrereignin tboaeworiA of timca, when it was
aCconuled tiMnon not to be a traitor. As be lived 70 jtaii a pat
temoftirta^ lo he died as example of patieuccaDd piety.", Hiii .
taamiaf baa been caosldEred by Mr. Warton aa a fivtuaata rircn«>
becanae it enabled at leaat one peraoo of tl>e aadieoM, anii
c chief, t» uMbntand the puny Inrned alluioaa in C«iinu;
.Todd.
JOHN, LO&DVJISCOUNTBItACKL£r,
Wlu rmfirmtd H* Pari 4tf tht XUer Bnlker,
The (bird, but ddert aarnTii^ -aon of the noUeman abare-men.
tioned, lacceedad tothecarldott of Bridgewater. Re had baep
XinUd Cntto* Botulamni of the county of Salop, firou u
: he waa dlaplaeed by OUver Cromwell, and to which b>
restored in May, 1660. In l&ta be married Qiiabedi, dau^t^
of William, then Earl, aud aftenrarda Harqai* and Duke of Now^
castle. In the troubhMone timca whicli ftMowcd, he appean M
Lave been la dfligeraf < ■pt lw a iuauL Fbr, in Ml Cbanten'i Boak
of Medilationa, p. 919, it" J Pmttftr kr Haitaad,' written nador
anch an apprebension. fHde Gentleman's Hafauoe, Tol.tia, ft.
(163.)
After the restoration of King Charles II. the abilffies of Ibis Eart
were parttcalarly noticed. In l663 he was appointed, with the Lord
Chancellor and the Bishop of London, to muun the confWcaoe of
the two Bouse* of Parliament opon the Bill for llniAwmlty.
On the 14th of May, 1663, be waa chosen High Steward of the
TJoiTersity of Oxford, having oa the same day been nteviodsl*
created M. A. Reg. Comoe. U-iv. Oisn. The gratificatioa *h{ofa
this hononrable appoiutment must have afforded bim, was, how-
ever, suddenly iuterrupted. On the 19th of June, 1663, be had
' I challenge from the Earl of Hiddteae^ which be ac-
. lie the dupntc, tbcy were Mnrally oidered intn £•■•
tod;; tb« Eul of Hid«eMX to tlic Tower, and the E>rl oTBrldKC-
ifM«rtclbG»K«f the fla4 Kod. Hia afiectiooUe Lady went
willk hiBi, ' aad med in child^hed, in tlie if me bouse Where he was
coDfi|iei^ cfi Ibe 141b. On the 13th, be vu ordered to bii own
Kouae ip BwUcan, atill a priwnwr. nt two Lords were afterwirda
MpriDttBded, and tbe Earl of ITiddlaaes wM directed to wake an
a fU cf U Om Eari of BridfrwiOer.
He kad*isaawi sad three (bmghtcn by hia lady, "In whom (aa
(ho iaaeriptloD m be^ mo— an t ralatM) all l^e aoMnpluhneDta
Ite laacHptioa od hi* nuMmmeBl teMifiei hia gtekt affection he,
"Uateidf loving andintirelf beloved wife, who w^ all hia worldlj
' Sir Baitj Chuncy, «ho «aa wall acqnaiated witfa thii Earl, re-
iMa t^ (bDowing puticulars of )iiiii IdUb Iliitwf of Kertfbrdahtre :
*'He wa^ KperuBofmiddliag stature, »iiiewh»t corpulent, with
-ingputicularsof ttimtiiUBlIiitarf of Kertfbrdatltre:
— - ..-^ „ ^_rUBafmiddl4ag stature, aoniewliM corpulent, with
fala^lialr, BronndTiaue, aoiodeitBndeTaTe upecl, a iweet ana
_. __i . beiia.Ie •
p ipaaa nt ceuntenaacc, and a conelf preaencc. He wia a learaed
Ba% dctiffated mneh in Ua tlbmy, and allppr«d tree accea* to all
wba liadany t anBtiM wHhlunt. Blapietv, demtioBin all act* (^
rel^ion, ml firmnc** ta tha ainUldnd cfcinwh vt &igland, wen
Toy cxemplnry : afd ha had all other aMOBpliib«enta af rirtae
nndgoodneu. He *«a var; te^pcrau in eating and drialiing ; bat
remarhaUe for fasapltallty to hia nci^boara, rtwrity to &e poor,
•Bdlibenlity tastranfen. . Ha w*w«o«nplai*an« In company, mafce
^arioelyj fat ahray* Teiy pettiwewtly } vantnwiohiiwofd, bilh-
nt to hb friend, loyal to Ua frinee, waiy in cannai l, atrlel In hia
work*, to which be watn tU>«ral paii«a, I mnM not omK U aeleet
IhatTalDabletfeaaarypfaacRiedtTitidim, PoU^ Sgk^mi IMtieiwm,
THE IfOVOURAU^B THfMAM BSHtTON,
Wlieptffi mm titht Pari qf the Sttvai Bnllitr,
fraatbefimrthKHi, and d<#d untnamed at the an of twenty-three.
Mit ^Drtndt, which, tocether with that of iheLady Alice, 1*, In
-*- rtbcDuk "~ ■■
j «i«lW U» , |«eB* to haK been paintod'befoa be wa* tlienty. He
hf a na imf^ii^ cnnmrnanra, faU of rcmaAaUe ajtraaaion.
Wt «Mcr bratker. f.«rd BncUer, oTwheaD' the pictnre ia at BridM-
d Ckiwt, appniB aba to fane powefaed Utc
CMit thon-not ten uc ofn gentle pair
Thafrlbm thj^ Hardawi are > ConiM, v. 936-
Am. 'TVelrpm'waaiiwre Aanhamaaaa ttaejalood:
I«ld(i|ftr»«MrrTMan
Ig niELIMINARV
Of some gay creatareB of the element.
That in the mlosra of the rainbow live,
And pla; i'tfae plighted cloada. I wax sir-ltmck,
Aad, as I pait, I worshipt r. 398,
Neither ia the beauty of the Lady in Comia over-rated ; for perhapa
B more pleuing face has rarelj exerciiedthc poet's skill. Todd.
THE LADY ALICE EGERTON,
If Aa perftrmid tht Pari ^ lie Ijulg,
Wai the eleventh danghter, and at that time not more thin thirteen
jean old. Lord BTsckley wa« only twelve, f
About 1653 she became third couuteas of Richard, Earl of Car-
bery in Ireland, and Baron Vaughaa in England, Hbo lived at
Golden Grove, in Caerm^rtbenahire; a nobleman, who has en-
deared bia name to all the wise end good, by hia patronage of Jeremy
Taylor, aad of tbe poel Butler [see above p. 11.] The celebrated
Mrs. Phillips (or, as she was 'called, _ Ihe matchUa Oriada,) ad-
dressed a Poem to haiy Alice, on her coming into Wales. In H.
Lawea'a " Select Ayres and Dialogues for the Theorbo," Stc. pub-
lisbed 1669, there is a Song addressed to her from her husband ;
tbe two last stanzas of which Mr. Warton cites as excelleat, io tbe
affected and witty style of the times.
" When first I view'd tbee, 1 did spy
" Thy aoul stutd beckouii^ in tbineeye;
" My heart knew what it meant,
'" Andatitsfiratkisawcnl; . ■
" Two balls of wax so mn,
" When meMed into one ;
" Hix'd now with thine my heart now lies, '
" As nuich Lore's riddle aa (by priie.
' Yet now 'tis mine tbe .
" Because 'tis thine, than 'twas before,
" DnlA will unriddle this:
" For, when thou'rt call'd to bliss,
** He need not throw at me bis dart,
" 'Canse piercif^Tbine hekills My heart."
She died witbant issue. Todd.
■ Tbe reader who seeks for minntc information, nay read a fine
character af this lady, in a funeral senqon, amoi^ the aertnona of
thatpioBS, learned, and loyat prelate, bishop Taylor, whom Loiid
Carbery reneronsly harboured in his house at Golden Grave, during
the rebellion. W1.I.TON.
t* His brother Thomas waa still younger. Hence, intbedla-
logBC between Camus and the Lady, v. asg.
Can. Were they of manly prime, or youthial Uwnn ?
Ladg, As smooth as Hebe their vn/aior'd lips. -Warton-
ACCOUNT OF HENRT LAWE^
Tkr Cootpowr qf lAr Mvntk.
Qenrj Lawei, vbo performed the combined cliaractert of (Ec
ISpirit and the shepherd TIii/tfU, wai Ihe md of Tboma* Lavei, a
Ticar-choral of Saliaburv Cathedral. He wai perbapi at first a
Fhoir-boy of that church. With hU brother William he wai edu-
cated in moaick uoder Gioranni Coperario, (auppoaed by Fenton in
his notes oa Waller to be aA Italian, but really an Engliibman under
the plain name of Jobn CooperJ at tbe ex pence of Edward Earl of
Hertford, [n January, ]6-25, he was appointed Piitoler, or Epii-
toler, •ofthe royal chapel j in November following he became one
oflhegentlemenoflbe choir of that chapel; and- looo afterward*,
ckrk of the cheque, antt one of the court- muaiciani to Kiog
Charles the Flral.
Lawei, in the Attendant Spirit, Bang the last air in Comiu, Or
»ll the ly);ieal part to the end, from r. 958. He appears to ha*e
been well acquainted with the best poela, and the moBt respectable
und popular of the nobility, of his time. To say nothing here of
Milton, he uet to muaick a)l the Lyrichg in Waller's Poema, Grat
Iiiiblisbed in 164s, among which is au Ode addreised to Lawes, by
WslJer, full of high compliments. Me composed also the 5os£i and
a Maaijue, in the Foem! uf Thomas Carew — and Tatiooi other pieces
written by Cartwright, Lovelace, &c. He published " Ayrei hnd
Xhatogutifor one, two and three voyces, &c. Loud. l6s3.'" fbl. Thejr
are dedicated to Lady Vaughan and Carbery, who had acted the £sdw
inCamu, and to her sister Mary, Lady Herbert.of Cherbury. Both-
had been bia acholavsiu muaick, and " excelled (asLawea asserts in
the Dedication) mast ladies, especially in Vocall Musick, wherein
yon were so absolute, that jou gave life and honour to all 1 set and
taught you ; and that with more VnderBtauding, than > new Gene'
ration pretending to Ski], (1 dare say) are capable of." For a com-
poaitloD to one ofthe aira of Cartwiigbt'a Ariadne, which gained ex-
cessive and unuGual applause, Lawea is said to be the first who io-
troduced the Italian atyle of musirk into England. In the preface
be says, he had formerly composed airs to Italian and Spanish words:
and, allowing the Italians to l)e the chief masters ofthe musical art,
concludes that England baa produced aa able muaiciaBa as any
country of Europe, and canaures die prevailing fondness lor Italian
wordd. He campused likewise " Select Ayrei and UiaUguiia to sing
to the Theori>o-lnte, or BasB-rioi:" — Psalms, in conjunction with
his brother William, to which Milton's TAirlfoith Sanntl is prefixed :
** Harrs, vluie Ivne/vl," &c,: — And Tunes to Sandy's admirable
Pomp^raje of the Psalms, first published in 1638 : With a variety of
•ther works which caniKit here be enumerated. His aeventy-Mcond
'|isalm was once the tune of the chimes of St. Lawrence Jewry.
Cromwell's usurpation put an end to Maaks and Music t and
Lawes, being dispoiaessed of all his appointmeDts, by men who de-
■pised and disconri^d tbe elf^ncies and ornamenla of lilie, chiefly
employed that gloomy period in teaching a few young ladies to sing
and play on tbe lute. Yet be waa still greatly riapeeted j for before
the troubles began, hia irreproachable life, ingenuous deportment
t Deacon; end it
WaKTOX
Is PBBtlHINABT
enduing manaen, ■■<! liberul coBDecdonfl, bKdaBtonly eitabliilied
bia ch^cler, bni reised evra the credit of bit profeadon. Wood
■ayl, that his oiMt beneficeot friends, during hU *nffcrian (or tbe
rflyal csobc, in tbe rebclUon and aflFrwards, wprc the ladiM Alicm
aad Mary, the Eail of Brid);ew&t^r'E daoghten beftir«-nieutian«).
But In 1660 heirs* rcMorcil to bis places and practire j aadbadlbe
faappiucH to eompoK th« coroDation anthem tar Iheexdcd rooDBrdi.
He died in 166a, and wm hnriedin Weitminttcr Abbey.
Of all the tutitiioniei paid to his merit by hii contemporailea,
Miltoa'i commeodation, in the thirteenth Bomut, and in Mine (if
the ipeecbeiia Cmms, must be eateemed the moif hoDourable. And
Milton'a praiie is likely to be fimnded on truth. Milton «ai ii«
•pecioin or ocTMio^al flatterer ; and, at the ssnie time, wh> a skil-
fol perfnrtnerontheorgan, anda judfe of masick. And it appears
Erobable, iLal, eventhroughont the rebellion, he had continued bia
iendahip for Lawei; for loag after tbe kiiit ""•' mtored, be added
Ibe SoMiet to lama in tbe new edition of bu poenu, printed nndeT
fail own direetion. In 1673, Nor faaa our autbor only rompllioeated
Lawes'i excellenclea lb mniick. For in Comat, baring said that
Thynia with bia tifi mp; Bad maolh-^ttiti mug, eonid mMI the
muring windt, and bufb the iaanng wooili, he adds, v. 8S, " unr of
Uvafitith." Andhe joins hiauorM with bia rtiU, 6oan. xiii, t, 5.
In 1784, (saya Ur. Worttn,) in tbe houae of Mr. Elderton, an
attorney al Saliibary, I aaw an original portrait of Henry Lawe* oa
board, marked with hia name, and "iEtat. loEeSG, l6a6" Tbia
is now in tbe blabop'i palace at Saliabnry. II la rol ill-painted ; tbe
fhce and rulT in tolerable prcaervation ; tbe drapery, a cloak, much
iqJDred. Another in the musid-achool at Oxford j nndouhtedly
placad there before the rebellian, and not long after the inatitntion
" itachool, in i6a6, by bia Mend Dr. WiUism Hen"
ID of tbe royal chapel.
Henry's bratber, WiUiim, a composer of considerable enhietiee,
traakilledlDieifl.it tbeale^oTCbeater; and it la said that tbe
iing wore a prirate moomingfbr bia death. There are two bnlky
manuacript volume* of bis works in score, ftr Tarious Instrument^
in th« moalc school at Qxfbfd.
THE OKIGINAL UVSICE TO COAIUS,
4»d Ikt gwnml CImneitr rf tU CtmpaiUiait.
pMk SMerta, that Milton wrote Cooks at the reqaesl of Lawei,
vbo promised to set il to masick. Most probably^ this Msak, while
in prqjectian, was tbe occasion of tbeir acquaintance, and Brft
brongbt them together. Lawea was iiow a domeatiek, for a time at
least, in Lord Bridgewater's fauiily ; for it is aaid of '/Myrni, lii
C^Ko*, r. «5.
"That te tkeaaroisaaftbiahoaaebelaBgt," ia.
And, aave have seen, he tanghl the Earl's daughters to siny ; to one
of whom, the Lady .iliM, the Sony (o Ecio was allotted. And Mil-
ton was a neigbbnnr of tbe family. Jtta well known, that Lawea'h
Moaick to (iomna was never printed. Bat by a nanuacriptiD bin
. own hand-writing it appears, that the three aonp, Sueet Echo, Sa-
triaaFair, miBaci SkqiherdiBaol, with the lyrical Epilogne, "To
$it 0cttai MMI / JIf," were the whole of the or^nal Unsical coup**
QB&ERTATIOM6. IS
drama. SirJohaHBwkiiiifaMpruit«dIjnrca>Saaf
ntauettM^io, wiib ike -mot**, Hisi. Mm. Vol.ir, p.sa. Soltulh.
^mcy. Ooa ia nrpiited that mote miuick woa uat introduced in
this perferonwce, eapecially ai Lawes misbt bure giTen fnitker
proon «f the rciieBl (kill ^d pTaficicncf of his fair icbolar. Aa
their ia leu mnalch, >o tlia« U )«■ machiDery, in CoaiDS, than ia
any other mask. The inbriuick fracea of il*eiq«i*ita poelrjr <■■■-
dained aMiitance.
Witkant a Tigoroai adherence Is couDterpoint, but with mofc
talte and t^lin; than the pedantiy of tbEOretick hariDDny couU
coaficT, Lawei CDniDBaicaled to veiK an original and enpreiaiTe
' anelad)'. He oiceeded bi» predeceMors and coalempararin id a
patbotaad KMiBiait, aiinplicity and propriety, no articalatiaii
and intelligiUlitj, which to natarall; adapt themielTea to the wocdi
«f the poet. Hence, aaya out author, fioiiR. xiif. 7,
" To after Bfe thou abajt be writ the nan
'* That with inineth air could Aamoar heat oar trapte."
IThichUDe* Htaud thu» in tbe manuscript 1
" Ts after age thou ihalt be writ the man
" That didat reform ths art."
And, JD Comul, Milton pruaea hii '
aong." r. »6. Oua of hiaexcelleacie
of the accenta of Ihe muaick to tlte quanlitiei of the rene. At ia
the SiHinel just quoted, t. 1. aeq.
" Harrj whose tanefui and wtlt-meamred aoag
" Fint taught oar £nt(ti>h mnaick bow to tpai
*• VFarda with jaat nute and accent, not to acaa.
" With Hidas-cara, committing ihort and long."
Waller jnini with Hilton in sayiag, that atbet conpoaera admit
the poel'a aeCae but^ntly and diTrdy, like the raya through a charcfa
wiadow of painted glaai ; while his taTourite lAwet
" coald trulf boaat
« That uot a n/UahU it l»1.
And this U what Milton means, when be aaya in the Somel no oftea
cited, " Thou henour'at rerte" v, g. In vocal execution be made
bit own tubaerrient tb the poel'a u-t. Id his tanes to Sandy't
Pudait, hia obeerrauce of the rythmua and eyllubick accent, an e».
tential requisite of tocbI compoaition, la very alriking and percep-
tible; and hia ttraina are joyous, plaintive, or suppljotory, ac-
cording to tbe sentimenl of the etanza. These Psalois are for ona
■inger. The solo was now coming into vogue; and Lawei's talent
principHlly coniialed ia nouga for a aingle voice ; and here his eacet-
lenciea above-mentioned might be applied with the beat effect. The
Song ta Eclto in Caua was for a aingte voice, where the compoaeir
waa not only infereated in exerting all his skill, but bad at the same
time the means of ahowing it to advantage ; for he was the precep-
tor of the lady who anng it, and conaequeatly moat he well ac-
ijuainted with her peculiar powera and cbHracteristlcal seQiUa, Ttie .
poetaaya, that tbia aoug " roae like a ateam of ricb-oiBtilled per-
fiimea, and stole upon tlut air,' &c. r. 555. Here seems to ba an al-
luiion to i.aweB's neui manner ; although the lady's voice is perbapa
the mora immediate object of the compliment fcrbapa thia aer
Ci
to raBtlMlNAKV ~
■wants embelliabniento, aotl bu too mneb limiiliciff for maierU
criticki, and a modem audiep«. But it ia the opiaion <^ one vh<HD
I BbooM b« proud to Dame, and tu wbich I agree, Ibat wete-Mra.
Siddaos to act the Lady in Cemui, and sing [hia rery dinpic air,
vbcD erery word woold be heard nilb a proper arcent and pathelick
IntDoatioa, lhe«lTecl would be truly theatrical.* Dr. Buraey isudirit-
liog to allow that Laves had much address io adaption the acceDtairf
Ifae muBick and the qnaDlitiea of the Terse. He obaerTes that in IhU
. Sang lo Eelio, a fHVDnrable opporlaBity was Bu^atedto the muaiciati
for iDstrutn'en tat iterations, of whii:h he laade no use t and that, as the
words bave no sec on) pan i meat hut a drj bass, tfac notes were but iH
calculated to ataJifn Ectio, howerercatfrfnu, and to invite ber logicf
en oRfluer. Ilitl. Mtu, It is certain, that the werdi and subject i^
tbifl exquisite soog, affsrd many tempting capabiUties for the tricks
of a modem composer The bass of this aoog has been very skil-
ftitty altered or imprOTed, and the melody modernized, by the late
Mr. Mbbod, the poet, wlio also encouraged an4 patronised a re-
pubticattoo of Lawes's Psalm lunes to Sandy's Parapiraar, with
variations b;; the ingenlona Mr. Matthew Camidge, of York Cathe-
dral. From the 'judkions preface to that work, written by Mr.
Mason, many of these criticiama on Lawes's mnsical style are
adopted. WAaTON.
Besides tbe musick fbr the neonire, between verses 144 and 145,
and the 9o/l ntiuicit prescribed before verse 6S9, we are told after
IISOB Bg'the yiahs-Jnngfd btmk^ iM.r And before vef se 966 it is
said " thii teconi lOKg presents them to tbeir father and mother."
So that Ibongh no more of the original musick ia to be found, than
that said to subsist in the colnposer'B own hand-writing, yet more
' Kenu to have been produced, even by Milton's own direction.
BtlRSKT. {Hkt.Mu!.)
Mr. Warton baa not noticed the division of the fytical Epilagtte
into Ilea compositioDB. These compositioni were originally naCon-
" Bected ; for the drama appears to have opened with the former, he.
ginning " From the Heavtes,'^ instead of " To Ihi ixran," as it closed
with the latter, " Woio wj Imlc is tmoothlg done," Having been in-
formed by the Reverend Mr. Egerton, that Dr. Philip Hayes ttas in
poBsession of the musick of C oinu in Lawes's own hand-writinj, I
wrote to the Doctpr, and was favoured with an answer, dated Feb.
8. 1797, from which I have extracted the following account, relating
to the original manuscript :
" Heury Liwea has written before the Songs in Comas, TU 5
SuRgt> folUiwinge wae sell far a Maike presented at Ludlo Cutle,
bmre the Earle of Bridgewater, Lord President of the Marches.
October 1634.
Ut Sob je.
Wher,
ad. SKttt Eccho.
9d; Sabri/najaifre.
*(A. \ Back Shtpp^di Back. ,
3d part. ( Noble Lord aod IJtdy irigbl.
OBSERTATIOHS. SI
' " tlUVrngt'. Nmamsta^a—tMUydtM,
- " No Biich MDg mppears, as Th the Ocnn nixi I ^g. Ihatvont
<rf the ftitennediate itntnanftilal jtrains are rec«*er«ble. I have none
af tkcm in the muiaacript before me." ToB».
OBIGIN OF dOMTJS.
In Ttetchei^ Fatkfid SiipiWnfeu, u Arudua canedy, rcccn%
publiaheil, Millon found nuny tovclm of piitnnl and sapenti-
tioua inufBiy, cODfCDial with hn (nrn tonoeiiliont. Many of tho^
yetvitb the hi^icBt impMrremCnti, be lias traiwferrcd into Cotmr}
together trlth the general call and colonrinj of the piece. He
cstiAed akri from tht brick rhymea «f Fletcher, that I>vifW
Micn^, VrMh vhieh Sir Hcivy WottBo was to much Heli^hted ih
tbe soofi. of Miltop'i drama. Fletcher'a coavity vaa coktiy
tcecned the litit right af Iti pMAtrHianee. Bat It had anple
-ir ^ ^uj Indiipulable mark of Milton^
. Kpprobalion. It was afterwards repnsented ai a BiaA at CMnrt,
befOTC the king and queen on twelfth-aight, in 1633. I know not
JDdeed, if this was any recommendaUoQ to MillsD^v who, i> the
FarmBm iMt, apeaba coatemptuoiiBly of theie interludes, which
had I)een>anwB^ the thief dlieriions of Kn elegant aid IHWral
monarch. B.,tT. 767. . 1 ,
; i"caurt-alhODra,"
" Hia'd daiiee, and wfintod niaSk, or midnight MU &<'"
And in his Reaig md riag Wag lo ^fslaituh a free CommemieaUk,
trrittCK In iCM, on fie lnfagD«u«u;i» and dm/ftrs iff rmdmitlli^
iiKgihp, and with a view to conntctact the notiout htanoHT 1^ Tetarn^
tug la Bandage, be aHyf, "a king mtist be adored *> n demigotL
with a disaolnte and haa^hty court about him, of raat expcnce and
hmury; Matt) and Retell, to the dcbaurhinf oiir piiipe gentry,
both male and female, not in their paathitei only, &c." Pt. W. i.
590. I believe the whole compliment was paid to Ibe genitiR ik
Fletcher. Bat in the mean tiuK ilihonldba remembfered, that
Hilton had nol yat coiitnKtcd an aversion to courts and court-
nmnaements ; and that, in L'Aliegra, tnaslti are among his plea-
Bures. Hor cooldhe aawdiaapprsveaf atpeciea^ entertainment,
to which as a writer tut waa giving eKOurageaieot. Tbu Royal
Masks, however, did not, like Caaiua, alwayg abound with Flatonick
Tecommendationsoflhe doctrine of cbastity.
' The ingenious and accurate Mr. Reed baa pointed oat a ruda
(mtlihe, from which Milton aeema partly to have sketched the plan
of tbe fiible of Comm. Set Biograph. Dramal. it. p. ««1. It is as
•Id play, with thi« title, " The old Wim Tale, a pleasant conceited
comedle, plaied by tbe Qufeeiie|s, M^jaaties player*. Written by
G. P. [j. e. George Peale :] Printed at London by John Danler, and
are to be sold by Ralph HanCocke and John Hardie, 1595." In
quarto. This very scarce and cnrious piei-e exhibits, among other
psratlet incidenti, two Brothera wandering in quest of their Sister,
whom an enchanter had imprisoned. This magioianhad laarned
hia art from his mother Meioe, as Comas had been ihstrucled bv
kta nMhtr Circe. The brdtfaers call ont on the lady's Dane, asd
Mehn Rpliea. Tbe eocbinter bad given her a potion which mis
K
PRELIHIIfART
lods the ponn of icuwi, and luperiiidaot* oblifion of herielK
he brother* afterwardii meet with an old Man, who ia aUo abjlled
lia wagick, Bud, by lislening to bis lootbsayioga, they recofer their
loct 6i*Ur, But Dot 'till the eochaDter'a wrealh had been ton)
from hii hewl, his award wreated from bia baud, a glass brokeo and
a ligbt extiognisbed. The naniea of some of the characten, si
Saerspaat, Choiebns, and othera, are taVen from the Orlanda
Furioso. The history of Meroe a witch, may be «e«n in "The
at Bookea of the Golden Asae, eoBlaiaing the Iffetainorphoai^ of
Ijacim Apukiue, interlaced with sundry pleasant an^ delectabk
Tatea, &c. translated out of L&tin into English by William Adlinf-
tm, Land. 1566." See Chap. iii. " Hon Socrates in bia retume
from Hacedony to Lariaaa waa spoyled and roI(bed, and how he fHl
acquainted with one Meroe a witch," And Cbap. iv. "How Meroe
the witch turned divers pereoni ioto miserable beast* " Of this
liDok there irere other editioos, in IS7I, 1596, 1600, and l6g3.
All in (inarto, and the black letter. The translator was of Unirer-
sity College. See also ApuUiui iu the original. A MerO« is dkd-
tioued by Ausonius, Epig. xii.
Peele'a Play opens thus :
Anticbe, Frolleke, and Fantaalicke, three adrentnTen, are IM^
iu R wood, in the night. They agree to sing the old sang,
" Three merrie men, and three merrie men,
" And three merrie men he wee ;
« I in the wood, and thou on the ground,
*< Ami Jacke rieeps in the tree."t .
They hear a dog, and fanry tbemaelTCa to be near lame village. A
cottager appears, with a hintern : on which Ftolicke say*, " I
perceive the glimryng of a gloworme, a candle, or a catseye,
&e." They intreatc bim to shew the way : atherwiae, tbey say,
*' wee are like to wander among the owlets and faobgohlin* of the
fbTCsC," Ha invites Ibem to hia cottage ; and orders his wife to lay
a cr^ in the fire, to roast for lambes-wool, &c." Tbey sing
" When as the rie reach to the-chia,
" And chopchtirU, chopchtrtU, rip* within ;
" Strawberries awimming in the creame,
" And school e-boyes playing in the alreame, Sec."
At length, to pass the time trimly, it is proposed that the wife
shall tell " a merry winters," Or, " an old winea winters tale," of
which Bort of stories she is not without a score. She begins. There
was a king, or duke, wbo had a most beautiful daughter, and ahe
«rBB stolen away by a necromancer, who turning himself into a
dragon, carried her in bis mouth to his castle. The king
■ent oot all bis men to find his daughter ; " at last, all the
king's men went out so long, that hir Two Brothers went to seeke
fair." Immediately the two Brothera, enter, and speako.
t This old BaUad is alluded to in Twelfth Nigil, A.ii.S.iii. Sir
Toby says, " my Ladj's a Catalan, we are poUliciaas, Ualv<dio^ k
'ej a Rimsejr, aod « (&■« merry men be tee." W*Knx.
OMBBTATIom. S3
"iBr. T^DtlmcchilkiecUflilof Albion,
" We an uriaed nmr with tedious teile, &e.
" To seeke onr Sitter, &c." ' ■
■A BootbiBjei' enters, with whom they converse kboatlhe hwtladf.
*' Soetlu. Ws» she fayre ? a Br. Tbe fojrest for white ■ud (he
rurest for redde, as the blood of tbe de«e or the driuen inowe, JIig."
Id tbeiT search Echo replies to thtit call. Tbey find too late that
their aiiter is under tbe captivity of avicked magician, and that she
had tasted bis cnp of obliTiou, In the close, after the wreath is. torn
from the ma^cian's head, and he is disarmed and killed, b; a Spirit
in the shape und character of a beautiful page of fifteen years aid,
•lie still remains subject to the magician's enchantment. Butinn
•nbseijueDt scene Ibe Spirit enters, and declares, that the Sister ca»-
IMt be deliTered but by a lady, who is ueitber maid, wife, nor widow.
The Spirit blovs a ifW)[ical bom, and the Lady appean; abe dis-
solves the charm, by breaking; a |;laju, and extin|;uiBhing a li|ht, as i
have before recited. A curtain i9 withdrawu, and the Sitter is se«a
seated and asleep. She is diteocbanted and restored to her sensn, ^
tiuTing been s poken to Ihr ict, She then rejoins her two brothers, j
-with whom sbe returns home; and Ibe 6oy..!ipirit vanishes under tba. ,
fnrth. The DuagiciaQ is here^ called 'I inchanter vile," as in Conui^
T. 907. .
Ttiere is anotbsr circnmrtance in this play, taken from tbe old
English Agaieiui. It ii where the Old Afon every sight is trantfivmed
by our magician into a bear, recoivering in tbe day'time his natural
Among tbe mairy feats of magic in this play, a bride newly mar-
ried gains a marn age-portion by dipping a pitcher into a well. A*
■he dips, thereis a voice .-
" Fairs maidea, white and red,
** Combe me amoothe, and stroke my bead,
" And tbou shall baue some cockell bread !
" Gently dippe, but Dot too deepe,
" For feare thou make the golden beard to weepe 1
" Faire maiden, white and redde,
" Combe me tmootbe, and stroke my bead :
" And every haire a shesue shall be,
" And every sheane a golden tree 1"
ITith this Btagc-direction, " A head coma apJiUl iffgoU ; ilit eamit
il rata her lap."
I must not omit, that Shakspeare seems also to have had an eye on
Ibis play. It is iri tbe scene where " Tii frarueif-nea enltr irilh it
Song." Again, " Enter the HaroHf-iimi tinging tritJS women in l*«r
Ana^t." Frollcke says, " Who have we here, oar amouroot llatutsi*
atarres '." JSsy ting,
" Loe, here we coiae a reaping, a reaping,
" To reape oar barvest-fruite ;
" And thus we passe the yeare so Wng,
** And never be we mute."
Compare the Mask in the Tmperi, A, iv. S.I. where IrifMys,
' Yooaua-bamlsickleDiea, of August weary.
si ' -PRELIMINAItV
" Make hgly-day : your rye-str«ir bats patAn, ^
" Aad AcM tnib nymphs eacoonUr ercry one ^
" Ib comtiy (bbtlnj."
^Vfacrc Ti' tfaii itage-dircrtion, " Enler crrlain reopen, propttli/
ImUted: (i^jvin vitk tkt nymrlu in a grae^fiil danet." Tke Tmftit
firmed villi m Much credibility, a> that lie oBDceiTcil the i'
iMt, fr«w Kaiag; > nqiatct; at f taraace, written by AodrMfti • Wl»-
rcBlix in 1SI7> <ntUled J&»«.
In tke mcaa lime it must be aanfenad, that MUton'* magkiaB,
Camna, wicli hia cup and »aod, i* ullimately teituded on the fable af
Circe. I'he e&cti af both characlen are mach the aame. Tlwy
arcbathtabevppoKdat fintailli tarceatwl violence. Circe iaaub-
^edby IbeviiMeaof thohcib Holy, which MercurjgimtqUiy*'
am, and C«waa, by lb* pUat llBiinoiv4wliicli the Spirit girca to tha
TwBNtbcM. AbwrttUyaar i*~'3,« MaAcalle4th«£mn-Un-
}ji JMufWiwrittoa bv WiUiuofrowne, •alhn- of AttdwaV Pa*sa/r,
ma prcatnted by the atndantl of tbc Inoor Tempie. JthaabeeK
l*tety pnotad flwn a mmuiaeript ia the library of etnaawlfoUne;'
but I baTc been informed, thai a fev ct^ies were printed aoon pneir
the prMwataboB. It «aa farmed aa lh« doiy of Ciroe, aai pcrbapa
mMt hcv« laggeited aome few biats le Mittaa, .
. . Tli»|teiiia af the facal poeli 1* oftea deteriaiBed, if not directed,
by circumplBDce BDd accident. It is natural, that even no original:
u vTtler >■ BCilteo thodld have beenbiaiacd by tbcraigaiDg poetry
<4thed*y,by tho cAmpoEition n»Ht .in fuhion, and by lutuccts re-
cent brongbt forward^ but aooa giviDg way to othera, aad alma^
ae aoon totHlly neglected aad Ciirpiltca. WiniOK.
Doctor Newlon bad alao obaerved, llut Hilton fhrloed theplan of
romsi very much upon the epinode of Circe ia the Odyaaeyi And
Dr Jofanaon, in hia life of Milton, iisja, that the fiction is derived
from Homek''a Clrre. Ifot a learaed and inf eaioui aanetato* on the
iji>«a/'(AeBMiti«ofopiDien,Bot«ith»tuuliBglhe great biographer's
BHettiOD, that " it ia ntber taken from the Cmmu of Er^/dur Fuiea-
KW, in n^ich, under the ficlioDC^ ndr«Mi|ttiecb«T«ctMaof COHUS
and hia attendant! are dellne«od, and tkie^letiibla oftcnw^sls ex-
u«ed mid reprobated. This little tritct wu pablished at Leutwn
inieil.Biidalterwards at OiforS in 1684, the very year in which
SSUUnCi CiMnu,wa* written." Note signed H, iu Johnson's Lives fjf
UePottifVol. i. p. 13«,edit. iTaOiB.iidp- 193, edil. 179:*'
In BfKunlcf M Mb Arabian Nig/iti EnlertaiiuHmlii by RlCEARi^
BoLB,L. L.B. Lond. 1797, thig <^iservatioB has been confirmed by
varioui extracts from Pute anus's work.
" Hilton certainly read this performance with snch Attention, ■■
led, perhapo impercqitibly, to imitatien.— HiaComaa
OBeri to every weary traveller
His orient liqaor is nxhrystnl glass.
OBSSBTATIONS. S5
frodneeitlteTalaptaoiM encbsnter. IntettaCOWlS, han IgKoiSjm
atipahu, itigredilur : tt fuid alfiwt pompara tiplieare .' Hort tHavitn-
atoa Vtris tdorts^ amnemqae ^rum purpvmm fpoFgeiont- Antrefn Gr^
iia,DeliciK, Leporo, cetiraque fiilarifalia illicei s^a^antur : Vtltiptm-
ttm RilM, Ttau^e. Cum Satatilale loror Ebritiai erat, crine Jlaiit, m-
brntu AWora tulla : inatiu Ihi/rmm gnotieiiat ; ac bteeiter totvm Ban-
vlmm expToimt, [f. SO, ed. aapr.] These figurative perMiu^cS
rqfal to our miuds,
Meuuwhile welcome Joy, and Feait,
Miduight Sbout, and Rerelry,
Tipsy Dauce, &nd Jaltity.
In theiBincBpeEch our |iaet evidently haaiu riev a lively Anacrv-
Aiilk Ode, whicb tbe Camus eX Put«aDiu likewiie addreues to bis
, dmsipaledvotarieB," Ko\c's Remarkr, ice. pp; 233, 334.
The lines, which Mr. HoJe hu estracted from thia Ode, are fiva
as " reaemblancea which caa kaB^I^ Wconaidered accidental ;" audi
he addf>, " whoever rhooEea to compare farther the poetical ai)ilr««
ofComatia each anllnr, wiltGnd a siuilaripiril Bud- cange>1iB]itf
(>f tbooghl, tfaMieh the Dutch Muse inpointofcbattity is very infe-
rior to the Britisb." Remaika, &c. p. asfi.t
Milton, howevrr, in his imitations of Pnleanua, haa iBttxvov^
many new aDnaions and refined sentimenli. Piiteanua, it most faa
aclinowled|;ed, is sprightly BB well SB poio^But. But in ^A Ctetaiw*
sfaBll searcb in vain fbr the delicacy of e:(pTes8ion and vigour of faun,
wbichwefiad in the Coma of Milton. From lhe-jildecencte« bIMIb'
Puteanas the reader will turn away with diegust; but to Xlie jollitiea'
in Hilton be can listen " unreproved," because, as Dr. Johnson has
observed, bia " invitations to pleatiire are so general, that they «■-
rite no distinct imaget of uorrnpt owjoynient, and take no dangerous
bold on the fancy.
Tlialate ingeniaus Mr. IIead>ey, in the Supplenent tvhis 5e[ad
BtmUia ufAncint Engllih Parlr'j, 1737,'>lirects the reader of Milton^
Coinus to tlie ChntCi Victotit of Giles Fletcher ; in which the storj
of Circe is introduced. . loBA.
a resemblances are pointed oat by-Mr. T»dd In bia e<
cGoo^k
THE PERSONS.
The Attendant Spirit, afterwards tti tke haHt o^Thyrus.
ComuB, vnthhit Crete.
The Udy.
Fint Brother.
Second Brother.
Sabrina, the Nymph.
The chief Pergons* vho presented, nere
- The tord Brackley.
'Mr. Thomas Egerton, his Brother.
Tit tody Alice Egerton.
l;, GOO^k
COMUS-
The first Scene diicovers a wild Wood.
The AtUndant Spirit desceDcIs or enters.
Befork the etany threshold of Jove's covrt
My maosion is, where those immortal shapes
Orbright aerial spirits live inspher'd
In regions mild of calm and serene air
Above the smoke and stir of this dim spot, S
Which men call Earth ; and, with low-thougbted care
Confin'd and pester'd in this pin-fold here,
Strive to keep up a frail and feverish being, '
Unmindful of the crowji that Virtue gives.
After tbis mortal change, to her t-ue servants, 1(
Amongst the enthroa'd gods on sunted seats.
TeiK 7.— y«rt*r'if| Ptriet'd is cnmdtd. Its), pala, a crowd 01
T. U,—tAe eiilhToa-dfod!.'\ •Fenton readi Ih' enthroned. Wvc-
Mn wosld prefer this lamer t^xprt^sion, " the godu entbroa'd." Dr.
Newtaa ii «ilh Fenton. Mr. Todd rontenda for the old reading.
How ID admirer of Ml tton could htsllateone moment !b BilODi>hii^(.
Baidea the collocalion, which is very poetical, sod quite Miltonic^
the accent i« deii^edly placed on the first syJlable, intlinm'd. Ban
we not had already t^rne.' — and, further on, there is;iifrp/rj:'((, and
other initancei without end. It ii one of the leadiug- charscteris-
tici of hii veraificalian. L,
Milton-a BlIuEion in Ihia line u •criptural. So, id G. Fletcher^
CIriil'a Fietorie, Part iii. si. si.
98 C0M1!».
Yet some there be, that by due steps aspire
To lay their just hands on that goldeu key.
That opes the palace of Eternity :
To euch my errand. is ; aiitli but for SL'ch, 15
] would not soiL these pure ambroitial weeds
IVith the rank vapours of thwsrn-worn uioutd.
But to my task. Neptune, besides the sway
Of every jalt flotkl, and eadi ebbm<^ stream,
'J'ook in by lot 'twixt high aud nether Jove, 20
Imperial rule of all the sea-girt isles.
That, like to /ich and various gems, inlay
The unadorped bosom of the deep :
Which he, to trace Ms tributary gods.
By course cnmmitiito several govemn^ent, 2S
And gives them leave to wear their Mppbire crowns,
Aod wield their little tridents: but this Isle,
The greatest aud the best pf all the main*
He quarters to his bine-halr'd deitiet ;
And all this tract that frDUt£ the falliag sun 30
lA noble Peer of mickle trust and power
Has in his charge, .with teifiper'd awe to guide
An old and haughty nation, proud in arms :
Where his fair ofiapring, nurs'd in princely lore.
Set Sm. IT. 4. . Hence tlie Faithful are denoniiDated by ecclesiMti-
cslwritet^tbeSUNePONOUf Christ, S«e ElaiKT <Mt. &icr2, vol,
£. uB. Todd.
T. i6.— r»niU*D(m1,&c.] Bui, in the ParailiM £o*t, an Angd
(Kts »ilh Adam, B. v. 43G. This, bowerer, wt» betikre the fall «f
car first parent - >nd, us the Angel GibiTel cDudeiceiiciato feast wJtk
Adam, v'hile jet unpolluted, owl inhii primceral gtale of iDUDCence ;
to iHii' ipoaTdian Spirit would not liare toiled tlie purUy of hi* aiabro>
■isl iotie> with the Doisanie exhalatiooa .ef this sio-carnipted earth,
^Dtloasaiil those distiii^ish«d mortals, who, by adue progrcaiia
Tirtne, aspire to reach Uic golden key which opem the palace of
Fteniity. WaUOm.
V.ag. — He qmiTlerr,'] Ihatis, Neptona: with which name be bo-
ra tbe king, aa ■onr^ipi of the fimr Maa; for from ^ke Bntiik
'Dii«ODly,CbiaDoUlp«er.4eriT<shisaBth<>fity. . WakTOH.
OOMUS,
Are coining to rttend tboir biker's atete,
And new-^trusted scepter : bttt their w«f
Lies throng the perplex'tl paths of tUe irtwa need.
The nodding horrour of whoae fihady brttwi
Threats the foc)Orn and wandering pasaengw ;
And here their tender age might satier peril.
But that by qnick command from swtan Jove
I was dispatch'd for their delience uid gukfd :
And listen why ; for I will tell yon n«w
What never yet was heard iji tale or Hmgt ■
From old or madem batd, io halt at bowee.
Bacchtts, that fint frvm «at the parole grape
' T.gg.— TtattMliIi'Bf ilom«r,lkc.] CmtpBreTsno's&ebMHedfo-
real, Gitr. Lib. c. xilL at. 9.
" S«r^ aon luiq^e i Ic chrittiuge tcsde
" Tra wlitarie vbIU slta forests,
" Foltiuima di jiiontt Bsticlie, AsmnA,
" Clu tpargand'ogiii intimo tatraJiMttta."
And PetTBTch't sonnet, compoaed ai he paaed tbroagti the forest of
Ardenneiiiahiainy to AvignOD : Sob. 143. Parte prima, edit- Load,
1796, Tol. i. p. 1*7
T.U.'-^iDdtuKe^uA;; &c.] Hance, Od. Ili.i. a.
* FsVelelidiraig ; carmina uan prtus
« Audita—
" VirginibiupueriHqaecaDto." RiCHiansoR.
V. 44.— IfAaf NtMr get, &c.] The poel inllniutes, that the stOTf
•r foUeof hisMaak, waBnew uul nnborfowed: altbaiigh diataiitly
founded on aucient poetical hittory. The alliuion is to the aocient
aukle tt MUrtainiBg a spleadid aMemblf , by lAarias or reciting taht,
Wakimk.
' V.A^.—hallerimoer.} That is, lUendly, in Aall Or diMti«r. Tbe
two words are often (hns joined in the old metrival romances. AbA
thUH in Spenser's AttrofUl,
" Merrily niasking both in htxrt tmi iaU. 'VFae.TOK.
V. lE^-Bocthua, iic.] Though Uilton builds hi* fsUe on dassM^.
Vsythol^y, yet bis materials of magidk h«r«aMr« the air of eocbanl-i
■_ .i_ ^_.ii WMipwaw"
Cn»h'cl the sveet poiMn of misueed wine,
After the Tuscan mBrinera transform'd,
Coasdng the T^rhene shore, as the wind* listed.
On CiTce'B isUnd fell : (Who knotrg notCircer
The daughter of the Sun, whose charmed cup
Whoever tasted, loathit upright shape,
And downward fell into a fpt>veling swine ?)
This Tfympb, that gaz'd upon Ijis cluBtering locks
With ivy-berries wreath'd, and his blithe youth,
HKdby him, ere he parted thence, a BOD
Mnch like his father, but his mother more.
Whom therefore t]ie brought up, and Comus nain'd :
Vi^lio, ripe and frolick of hiB full-grown age,
B4>^S the Celtick and Iberian fields.
At last betakes him to this ominouH wood ;
And, in thick shelter of black shades imbower'd,
Excels his mother at her mighty art,
OSering to ererr weary traveller
T. *B.-~4fier lilt Ttaem moHnert trmffim'd] This itory is alluded
to in Homer'i fine hymn to Baccbus ; the punwhrnroU he inflicted
ott the TjrrhcDe plrates,-l>y trmiuriirQiiDg them into Tuians snimala,
«re the sutijects of that beautiliil Frieze an the Lanlrni of DemoHhC'
Dei, so accnntely and elegantly deacribed by Hr. Stoart id fail Alt-
Ujsitia qfAthtM, vol. i. p. S3. Da. J. WAarpH.
See tfae &ble in Qrid, Melam. iii. 660, e( seq. Waktom.
V. SO.— On Cim-t iilmd JUl .- (^IFho iiiow at CIrct • Itc.] U ■■
tlM'O'O'^iB inSp^Dter, SlABin't/<(o,c. i. It. 1.
" Id Ida^b Vale, (wbo knon ant Ida's valbO Toon.
T. SBi — ComiM itam'd.] Cnqw i« the gpd of drnokenneu, " deas
tewnlentiEE," Gronov. Tkexait. toI. vjii. 1408, and preBideg over re,
vellingi and nightly dances, *■ camesBantiuDi, nocturnarumque sair
tatinnam Conmrn fniaae prB^dem," ibid. vol. ix. 174. And in the
TiMeaiui Jt PkiicttTattptT XyEmtiry l6l5, hit name ia deriTCd frnm
■v^»^iti, which the aDDOtstorconiiden of the aame import " eooi-
' nevaUatioiMr, lire, AniMr et inn d'aatnot." p-10. ToDD.
6o.-^tUMi<mi ntHa»JUib.l FrsDceudSpals, - THrn.
oosn». )1
ttis orient liquor in a chryBtel glus, 6S
To quench the drouth of Phcebnij which, u they tatte,'
(For most do tute throng fbnd int^nperate thirst,)
Soon as the potion works, their human conntenanee,
^ The express resenabUnce of the Gods, i« chang'd
Into some hrutish form of wolf, or be&r, Tfr
Or ounce, or tiger, hog, or bearded goat.
All other parts remaining as they were ;
And they, so perfect is their tniseiy.
Not once perceive their foul disfigurenient.
But boast thenrselves more comely than before; 7$
And all ttieir friends and native biMne forget.
To roll with pleasure in a sensual stye,
,Tii«t«fore when any, favour'd of high Jore,
Chances to pass throi^ this adventurous gUdCf
3wift aa the sparkle of a ^ancing staf flO
I shoot from heaven, to g^ve bim safe codti^,
As now I do : Sut first I must put off
V.ejr~fFermiuijolaH€,ttc.) tbm Vlyuca, tskiag tbe
cop from Circe, Or. Mt. xiV. 376.
-" Acdpimni sacra dats pomla dntrl,
** QiuE BJinalarni/ifJlMiitwliaasiBiiisorf.'' Waktox.
V. 75.— Bat ioofl iloueAm, &c.] HcMiistalf sIHidM tadutflaa
Mttire in ■ dialogua <if nularch, 0pp. Tom. ii. Frsncttf. fbl. 168O,
p. 9SS, wberc lome of Ufysaei'i compwiion*, diipsted vitb the
vices aad vanities nt hDswa l>fe,r«fiMC to ba rcatoiad by Ctrce
into the shape of men. . Dn. J. WAaioifi
V. ao.— ifiiFf/t SI lit ipaMt, kc.] There are few Goer coupsriMMM
thstlieiDMimallBcampaM. Tbe angel Michael thni deicendi io
TasM, SitUa ckdei, be. n. 6a. Hilton hat repeated tbe tlK>B(ht in
P(ir.Zoit,B.ir.fiSS.
*' Thithn came Uriel, ^idlag Ihraagfa the even
" On B aan-beani, twift as a tluelBigtIaT
" Id Antumn thwsrtii the ni^ht, wben wfirtTt St'd
" Impress the ur, Itc."
Whm the additional ar csBMqnentitl'FircnnutancM heighten and
illutrale the ibooting star, and tfaercHtre contribute (a conver a
■traHfer image of Ibe descent of Uriel. B« Ibe poet there ipcak* :
■nd,inthit sddToa of tfaeS^rlt, aaj stUauetive dlgresiriiMi of tb'
kind, woald h^v* ta«B imfif^ tai wttlipwlilftct. WkSf
IS
13iCM ray sky-robea >pn out of ftis' <««a^
Awd Mw Idw woedi and kkMMB of a Hraa
Thatito-theseirkc oCthiihanBe bdoiiKi^ 89
Who^ watb hiB«oft pipsi end •nuMtfa-dittiwl mb;*
Well luews- to stitl tbs wild wmda vhon tbay raart
^d huah the waving uooda; nor of less fiutfai
And in thie office.«f tui laoaiitBiii watch
Likeliest, and oearMt b> t^ presrat aid 90
Of this occANOD. But I bear the troad
Of hateful step*; I Bmat be vieMleaa BOW,
CoHUB atteri, vith.a ekarumtg-rnd m om ka*i, his glait
in the other; with him a rent of motutera, headed lUce
nmdry torta of «d*U beastt, 9m( otherwiie like men and
wometif (Mr tipp^/Ml glietermg ; they eome tn making
« riototu and uitrubf noi»e, aith tonket iit Ikvir hmtdi.
The star, that bids the shepherd fold.
Now the top of heaven doth hold ;, , ,
Andthegilded^earof d^ 95
!£& glowing axle doth allay
In ths-stc^ Atlaaticsteaftin ;
And the slope sun his upward beam
' SbMts agaiiHt tha dask; p«l«k
Fticing toward' the other goal lOO
T> g6. — glowing axle,} Tlic " ^vmug aaW
•Imi of Fetrafc^ CiipL t, F. i
" Come '1 ml Tolge le ii^Santmalt rtieli,
" P«r4MliMB0aU»iuUc.'' T*oa,
. V. loo.r—Pmiagflic.i tn clIawnB to th« »fm wwUyhow cw p la j wd
% Ihe Pmhnirt, Pi. xt<. s, '^ TiU tmaan. triji»yww aiw««A auf^^
«kwii^baitdr^>wsUk ■•»•»»« WW la rmstMSt" NawTOX.
Of his chamber in the Eut.
Meanwhile welcome Joy, and Feast,
Midnixlit Shout, and Revelry,
Tipsy Dnnca, and Jollity.
Braid your lockii with rosy twine.
Dropping odours, dropping w-ine.
Kiijonr DOH is gone to bed.
And Advice with scrupulous head.
Strict Age and sour SeVentj,
With their grave sawe, in elumbcr lie.
Wie, that are of purer lire,
Initate the starry quire.
Who, in their nightly watchful ^heres.
Lead in swift round the months and yean.
The sounds and ssas, with all their finny drove.
Now to the moon in navenng morriae move ;
And, on the tawny sands and shelves.
Trip the pert faeries and the dapper elves.
By dimpled brook and fountmn brim,
The Wood-Nympha, deck'd with daines trim,
Their merry wakes and pastimes keep ;
What hath night to do with sleep ?
Night hath better sweelu to prove ;
Venus now wakes, and wakens Love.
Come, let us our rights begin ; .
'Tis only day-light that makes sin.
Which these dun shades will ne'er report.^
Hail, Goddess of nocturnal sport.
V. l»9.—Daii-vtil'd Cotglto .'} Thegaddessqfwatiloimea. See Le-
laod-B AdTsnt. ^d Necess. of ChrLaUsn RcrclkUoo, vol. i. p. 173»
6ro. Dr. MentonobBerrei, ihnt, " the was origiually « ■truin|>«t,
and b«d atidoight wcriice* ilAtbenSikndMtherdbreTcrjr properly
' wid to be da'i-neird." Hcrriteiwere termed C<tfiMta,aiid her priesta
I Btiptai. See Juvenal iSa(. ii. v. gi. Aliltan raaluH her ilie cuDpa-
I aiiiui of HacBte, the patronni of eDChantmeDte, to whom Camus and
I bis cr«ir, v. S31^ " da aUiMTcd lUea :" b« ayMciici reqwif iog li*
rtil nfikal iarkntn avCr which Hecate pr; udcd.
S* COMUSi
Dark-ral'd Cotjtto ! to wbsin the secret Same
Of midnight torchei bums ; mysterious dame, li(t
That ne'er art call'd, but nheo the dragon nomb
Of Stygian darknesa speta her thickeot gloom.
And makes one blot of all the air ;
Stay thy cloudy ebou chair.
Wherein thou rid'st with Hecat', and befriend 135
Us thy vow'd priests, till utmost end
Of all thy dues be tjone, and none tett out ;
Ere the blabbing eastern scout.
The nice morn, on the Indian steep
From her rabin'd loop-bole peep, 140
And to the tell-tale sun descry
Our CODCeal'd solemnity,'-'
C<Hne, knit hands, and beat the ground
In « light fantastic round.
The MeasukE'
Break off, break off, I feel the different pace 145
T. i39.-~Spelt for ipili. It iawi used b; Spenier, DraytaOjUi
. 8.1.
TODD.
II.] A finely cbocen ejntbel, expre»u% st onoe
V. U3. The plate in D-Emhrj's Ti^ltamc de Fiiloalrale, l6l5,re.
vrMentti part of Comi'i crew with knit bsadii, daiicin; in & round.
It la a midiiigbt scene : Bt > table several are feaBting: a band of
- imuitc in a gutlcrjr, CmuiJ i> ia the front, with a torch u one bond,
'and ■ ipeac in tbe other : lie appean to be intoxicated. Tontt.
T. tM. A datict it hirt be|^n, called the AfAunre ; which the
■laficlan ilmoit at wmb brenks off, on perceivin); the approach of
mmt thaittfiUng,frvlo a tagacity appropriated to bii character.
WiRTOH.
• So Hecate, ia Stachctb, annoDBcea the apprMCh of lamtt/iaig
COMDS..
Of some chaite footing near about thia ground. ,
Bud to your ahrouda, within these brakes aud trees |
Our number may atFright : Some rii^a sure
(For BO I can disttaguieh by mine art)
Benighted in these woods. Now to my charms, 1
And to my wily trains ; 1 -ibaU ere long
Be well-stock'd with as iair a herd as graz'd
About my mother Cirqe. Thus I hurl -
My dazzling spells into the spangy air.
Of powerto cheat the eye with blear illusion, 1
And give it false presentments, lest the place
And my quaint habita breed astonish tnent,
And put the damsel to suspicious flight ;
Which must not be, for that's against my course :
I, under fair pretence of friendly ends, 1
And well-plac'd words of glozing courtesy
Baited with reasons not unplausible.
Wind me into the easy-hearted man,
And hug him into snares. When once her eye
Hath met the virtue of this magic dust, ]
I shall appear some harmless villager, '
Whom thrift keeps up about his country gear.
But here she comes ; I fairly step aside,
Aud hearken, if I may, her business here.
V. 1*7. tinmii,} Rescues, faarboara, hiding-pkca, &c.
■ V- l6t. -minting:] nattering, deceitful.
V. I6s. — mapc (hjJ.] This refers to a prcvioni
iler'rfspells," *. 154. ButpauK' ■ " ""-
uFFSent reusing. Whea a poe'
•troy hi) origiral train of thought. Waktom.
y. les.T-^rij.l That is, •«/»». , , C.Ol)';!?'*'
' The Lady enters.
This way the ntnu wu, if Driae ear be troe, 1>70
My best guide now : Methcmg;ht it was the itoanc)
Of riot sad ill-matiag'd merrioient,
Such as the jocund flutei or gamesome pipe,
. Stirs up among the lOoae auletter'd hinds ;
When for their teeming flocks, and granges fait, VJi
In wantoa dance they praise the bonnteuus Pan,
And thank the gods amiss, 1 shoold be loth
To meet the rudeness, and awill'd insolence
Of such late wassailers ; yet O ! where else
Shall I inform my uUacqumnted feet LIO
In the blind masea of this tangled wood.'
My Brothers, when they saw me wearied out
With this long way, resulring here to lodge
Under the spreadipg favour of theae ptaea,
Stept, as they said, to the next thicket side, 1-85
To bring me berries, or such cooling fruit
As the kind hospitable woods provide.
They left me then, when the grey^ooded Even,
Like a sad votarivt in palaier'g weed,
" FAiasirf t^tg." were tiro Tarda whicti went t^cether, Rl^lfy.,
iog gi*tljf. Tke corpse of Richard tbe Second was conveyed in 4 lit-
ter QiroBgh London, " FiilRE aadiqftlg.'' Froioart, P. ii. cb. S49.
fV^RTSm.
" SofcWl F*ni. BglMkmdliUU.' Barret's Alvesrie, I S30.
T. 17B.— itDtfr^l " SaSn iBBolence " is intbriatei insolence.
V, 18(1. — Volariil.] A volariat u one who bad made a relig^ooH VOW,
here, perhaps, for a jiilgrinia^, being in palmer's toetds. Leland says,
lliai Els, Countess of Waiwicli, was baried in Oseney Abbey, her
image in " the liabitc of a viKC«f, lliat ie, ahuo, /itn. vol. ii. Ig.
W*RTOH.
C0MU3. 37
tboee from the hindmost wheels of Phtebus' wain. 190
But where they are, and why they came not back.
Is now the labour of my thoughts ; 'tis likeliest
They had eng^d their wandering steps too far ;
And envious darkness, ere they could return.
Had stole tliem from me : else, O thievish Night, IgS
Why should'st thou, but for some felonious ead,
]n thy dark lantern thus close up the starsi
That Nature hung in Heaven, and fill'd their lamps
With everlasting oil, to give due light
To the misled and lonely traveller? 200
This is the place, as well as I may guest,
Whence even now the tumult of loud mirth .
Was rife, and perfect in my Hsteniog ear ;,
Yet nought but single darkuess da 1 find.
What might this he} A thousand fontasies fUS
Begin to thrOng into my memory,
. Of calling shapes, «nd beckoning shadows dire,
And aery tongues, that syllable men's names
On sands, and shores, and desart wildernesses. .
These thoughts may startle well, but not astound, SIO
The virtuous mind, that ever wftlks attended
By a strong siding champion, Censcieoce.-i»
O welcome pure-ey'd Faith, white-handed Hope,
Thou hovering Angel, girt with gold«rn wings,
And thou, unblemish'd form of Chastity 1 $15
X see ye visibly, ^ad now believe
That He, the Supreme Good, to whom all things ill
Are but as slavish oflicers of vengeance.
Would send a glistering guardian, if need were.
To keep my life aad honour unassail'd. SSO
'tPolsM. S. xU. p. 198,
" Himself B^aJiiHrpoMe,ia hHml) nu<«f dad.", Todd,
S8 COJtUS.
y^^t I deceiT'd, or did a ubie cloud
Turn forth her silTn lining oa the ni^t ?
I did not err, there does s sable cloud
Turn forth her siWer lining on the night;
And casts a gleam orer thia tufted grove : US
^ cannot h^loo to m^ brothers, but
Such noise as 1 can majce to be heard fertheit
I'll venture ; for my new-enlivea'd spirito
ProiDiit me ; aad they, perhaps, are not &r off.
Sons.
Sweet Echtfrsweateatnyinph, that UrVt uaseoB £SQ
Within th; BfiTf shell
By alow Meander's ntargeot gfeen.
And in the violet-emhroider'd vale.
Where the loTO-lDm oightinf^ls
If ightljr to thee her sad song moumetii well ) $39
Cantt thou not tell aae of a gentle pair
That Idcest thy MarciiBUB are ?
Oi if thou have
i£d ttdu in some Battery cave,
Tell me but ahere, MO
Sweet queen of pariy, dauf^iter trfthe iphew*
T. S91.— TTsi 7 i(w>ur<<. Ice.] Tlwfe Uim u« toroed lik« t^t
^fTfe of Ovid, Fait. lib. v. S<S.
" Fillar? an arma sonuit ? dod fiillimvr i anna BOHabant."
See alM ante on Eltg. y. 5> Tbc iq>«litiaD, amiiii ^in f:be caa-
Tictioa and coiifidenee of an nnaccuBioR conscience, ia ioimitably
bcBDtiful. Wbea all succour scemi to be loM, Henveii aiiexp«ct-
edlv pMsenW Aeiilver liniiiK of a laUe dond to tbe virtnoiu.
' "^ Wartor.
V.aai. — aerythell} Some of tbc editon had vritteD crll. Bdt
I>r. Hard layi, " Ibe trne reading U certaiuly iheil ; attanxat, ■■
Vr VTarbitrtaa obserrei, the *art*», whid>, in aaotbcr place, be
calh the koiiou! nnmdof CyntbU'8 Beat, OA Naiin. «. JO, ThM is,
^ io^w circBBiftTeTiee of the bcaveiu."
V- S41. Hilton Iu» given her a mack iwblajr aai sore poetical
' So may'st tbou be tmnstated to the slcies.
And giv« reBouniliDg grace to all Heav'ns hanriODlAi
CoHUB. Can any mortal mixtureof earth's mould
Breathe Buch divine enchanting ravishment ? !i
Sure something* holy lodget in that breast,
And with theM raptures movefl the vocal air ^
To testify his hidden residence.
Hov sweetly did they float upon the wings-
Of Silence, through' the empty-raulted nightt 2
At every fall, smoothing the raven-down
Of darkness, till it smil'd I I have <^ heard
My mother, Circe, with the Syrens three.
Amidst the fiowery>kirtled ?faiades.
•rifiHl than sDy of tlie Mcirat mylktdogistK I . ,,
«we her flnt cxUtence to the reTerberation of the muiic of &•
fpkeret; in cooMquclinof ohlcll behsdjart befiit^'cillled the hofi-'
son her «*ry (Ml. And from the godi (like other cekitial beiap of
tbc cI«Mic>l order) ibe cune dawn to men. ^taavaTOR.
The goddeu Echo <ru of peculiar •errice in thtT rauhinar «f iT
Huik, ftod therefore often introduced. Milloa baa here tued ber
■inch more rBtinnBlly than ma>t of bitlirather inasV-wrlteri. Bhtf
U lavaked in a 100^, but DM wit)iaa( the oinal trick* «f nrpririag
the andlence by itnuige aiid unexpected repelilions of aouita^ (m
Browne'i Inntr Ten^ Mmqiig. 5h< oftea uprars lai JoiuUd's maaUC
This frcqnenl iattodotnion, bMrtmi', of Earn in' ftg u i aik a'of bis
tiBW, aeena to be rldlRlkAeveiiliy JbMoa' UuiMfltfCMtiKa'f lU-
re&,*t.8.i. '■ ,
*c«faptU
, j^ jMI as th«ft«tt Mytr
are conplinMiitedfhr their benrt;and'el<%«lM« of figure. Akd'afr'
lenrardt, the atniM that "nriflrcrcMk^fiMnUnuferdU'rilit^Mtrt,'"
ars brMi(ht hodw, and fh«nd to be tUe^vtfiM " ^ mgniut iaKa^J
fa^,** T. s64, where the rcslaBdMinBted clraracttM«ftli«a^«ike!(*
are Uended. WAVtetT-
r; or.
« COMUS.
Culling^ their poteut herbs and baleful drugs ;
Who aa they sung, would take the prison'd soul,
Aod lap it in Elysium : Scylla wept.
And chid her barking waves into attention,
And fell Char^bdi* mnrmur'd soft applause :
Yet they in pleasing slumber lilll'd the eenae,
And ii) sweet madness robb'd it of itself;
But such a sacred and home-felt delight.
Such sober certainty of waking bliss,
I Devef heard 'till now. — I'll speak to her.
And she shall be roy qaeen.— Hwl,- foreign wonder !
Wiom certwn tliese rough shades did neverbreed.
Unless the goddess that in rural sbrine
.Dwell'st here with Pan, or Sylvan ; by blest song
Forbidding every bleak ankiodly fog
To tOQch the prosperous growth of this tall wood.
Lad. Nay, gentle shepherd, ill is lost that praise,
That'is address'd to unattending ears ;
Ifot any boast of skill, biit extreme stiift
T, 357, — ScgUaaeptfSa:.'] Siliui Italicua, of a Sicilian shepherd
tiiiiiD|;hilree(|,BeU. Pub. xir. 467.
" Scyltei tacnere canes, itetit atra Chsrybdis." Wartom.
V.sOl.—Andin n^eet tnadnesi, &cj Compare Shakapeare, Ifin-
((f'jra/c,A.uidS,ult.
. " Halcemetatliio]! HI twenty Jean together;
" No leltUd tamt of the vord can match
« ntpUanniiftAatmadnta.
v. 970. — Comna'i AUdna to the l^dj, froia v. 36s, to the end of
this line, i>in avery floe high alile of clunieal gallantry. As Cicero
■ayi of ..Plato's language, that . if Jnpiter vera to speak Greek, he .
would speak as Plato has written ; so we may Ba.y of (bis lan|[uage of,
MiltOD, that if Jupiter were to speak EngliBh,he would exprasi blm-
•elf in tbismanoer. The passage ia exceeding beautiful in ev«ry re-
•pejpt; bu| all readera of lasle will acknowledge, that Ibettyle of it .
. ia tuach raised by the expresaiou Uniea Ihe g<Silea, an elliptical ex-
preeaiop, uunsu&l in our language, tbongh eommoD enough in Gieek
'nd Latin. But if we were (o fill it npaud say, UnlmtluMbteat Oo4-
i\ bow flat and taiipid would it make tbs CDtnposition,camp«rcd
liwbat itia. Laxo Hohsosq*.
How to regain my serer'd company,
Compell'd me to anake the courteous Echo
To give me answer from her mossy couch. 275
Com. What chance, good lady, hath bereft youthui?
Lad. Dim darkness, und this leafy labyrinth.
Com. Could that divifle you from near-usherijig guides?
Z^d, They left me weary oa a grassy turf.
Com. By falshood, or discourtesy, of why ? ' 2B0
Xtfrf. To seek i' the valley some <My»l friendly spring.
Com. And left your fair titde all lyiguarded, Lady f
■ Lad. They were but twain, and pnrpoe'd quick return-
Com. Perhaps forestalling iiigl^t prevented them.
Lad. How easy ray misfortuQe is to hit ! 265
Com. Imports their loss, beside tbe present need ?
Lad. No less than if 1 should my Brothers lose.
, Com. Were rfiey of manly prime or youthful bloom ?
Ijod. As smooth as Hebe's their unrazor'd lips, 890
Com. Two such I saw, tyhat time the labour'd ox
"Id his loose traces from the iurrow came.
And th« »i*ink'd hed^er at hi« supper sat ;
I saw them under a green mantling vine.
That cranU along the aide of yon small hill, 29^
V, 976. Jcc.] Here !■ an imiUtioa of those icenea ia the Greek
tragediea, ff liere the dialogue proceed! by qneslion and unaner, ■
■iogle verse being allotted to each. The Greeks, doubtless, foDod &
frace in Ihiasort of dUlogae. As it was nne of the cbaracteriilio
•f the Greek drama, it wtfs natnral enOBgh for onr youDg poel, pa>-
•ianately fond of the Greek tia|:ediea, (• affect this pcculi^-ity Bat '
he judged better in his riper years ; there being no iiutaoce of Ihii
dialogue, I think, ip hia SiuntDa.i^onuf<*. HuBJ).
V. asg.— rsMBti'liUvaUcy.] Here Mr. Sympson obmrred wilk
me, that tbia is a diSctent rrasoa &oni whal siie bad asaigood before,, J
V. isfi. "To bring loe berries, &c," Tbey isight have left her »&
both accoDDta.. NaWTOu. .
.— suint'd ie^tr.] Ths nsinii'd htigrr't mpptr is fram na- . . |
" ' " " "" " poetry, aluioDj*' '
tore. And A«j^«r, aword new iq poetry, alUiough of
hvt a good effect. Swink'df ia tindt/atiguedj
Btamk ii the UB|Biie of Chancer and ^e&sei
*» coMtrs.
IHacking ripe clustera from the tender iIkkjIji ;
Tbdr port was more than human, as they etood ;
T took it for a faery vision
Of leme gay creatures of the element,
That in the coloura of the rainbow live, . 3D0
Aad play i* the plighted clonds. I was aw-itnu^i
And, Bs Ipast, I wonhipt; if those yon seek,
R were a journey like the path to heaven,
To help yoa find them.
Lad. Gmtle Villager,
What readiest way would bring me to that place t 3M
Com. Due west it rises from this shrubby point.
Lad. To find out that, good shepherd, I eupposei
In such a scant allowance of itaMightt
Would orer^task the best land-pilot's art.
Without the sure guess of well-practis'd feet. 3W) '
Com. 1 know each lane, and every alley greeb, '
X>ipgle, or busby dell of this wild wood.
V. ODl-^ptighttd.] The luMreorMiltdn'ibrilllmntiaiiftrjW half
obscured, irbile piigkttd remsins nnoqilaiiied. We arc to under-
■Uod tbc braided or cnibroider'd cloadf : in vhkU certain airy or
etementol beings are meat poetically aappOBed to iport, thut pn»
duclog a variety of trnniieataad daziliog colours, ai onr author •*}*
oflbeaaa.Piir. ZMf. B.ir. 596,
V.3li— Dingle, tec ] Tb la word is atill in nK, and slniiSes a
valley twtweea two ateep hilli. A iouni, the aeuae at which in thia
nauge haa never been explained with precision, properl; atgaiUa
bere, S vinditif , dee^ and narrow valley, with a rinilet at the bot-
tota. In the present instance, the deenvitiea an iDtenpened with
trees ami hnabea. Thk sort of valley Comaa knew (hinKM^'oM^.
He knew ioth the eppeiiie lidee or ridges, and had conaequently tra-
Tcrsed the intenaediate apace. Such sitBatlona have no other
name hi (be West of England at tHia day. Boriy fa t»Mtv. M' rather
teiy- Aa^n the Xhigini, A. iv. S. L
" My iofty acres, and my nulniii*(f down." t .OO'jk'
COM us. «
And every Iraiky bourn from side to side.
My dtuly walks and ancieat neighbourhood.
And if your ttrey kttendaDce be yet lodg'd, 3 IS
Or ahrood wilhiu these hmits, I shall know .
Ere morrow wake, or the low-roosted lark
From her thatch'd pallet rouse ; if otherwise,
I can conduct you, Lady, toa low
But loyal cottage, where you may<Jtke safe 549
Till further quest.
t^ad. Shepherd, I take thy word
Aud trust thy honest ofier'd courtesy.
Which oft U sooner found in lowly Hheds
With smoaky roftera, than in tap'stry halls
In courts of princes, where it first was nam'd, ^$
4nd yet is most pretended : In a place
Less warranted than this, or less secure,
I cuinot be, that I should fear to change it.—
£ye me, blest Prondeucej ^od square my trial
To my proportion'd strepgth, — Shepherd, lead on. 830
Enter the Two Brothers.
EL Br. Unmuffle, ye ftint stars ; and thou, fiiir mooUf
That wont'st to love the traveUet's benison,
Sti^p thy pale visage through an anlber dond.
And di(inl)erit Chaos, that reigns here
In double night of darkness and of shades;
Or, if your intluence be quite damm'd upj
WbcK uuhniM is DMd in Matrsst. It ii the urns wsrd in Firtt
P. Hitn, IV. A. *, 8 i.
" Hot bloodily the rqh begin* to peer
*< Above joD btik^ hill V Wartoh.
V. 334. — £iiiihmt Chaet.'i This exprmioo shunld be aiiiniad-
verted apoa, u hyperbolical Hid Inwiast, and a-kln U Itmt in
SfrUltrxt. " Mow wy beard.' D». J. VtAKfoK.
C,K.;,k
M COMtTS.
With black naarping mists, some gentle taper.
Though a iilsh-randle franithe wickerhole
Ofeoineclay babiUtiOn, vUit Us " ■ ■
With thy long-levell'dnileof streaming light; ' )*0
And thou Bhalt be our star of Arcady, - '' .
Or Tynan Cynosure. '
Sec. Br. "Or if our eyes • ■ ' "
Be ban-'d that happiitms, might we tut hear * '
The folded flocks penn'd in ttieir wattled cotes,
Orsodn(t4«fpast<A-HTreedwith oaten stops, ' 94>
Or*1iigtlefrom the lodge, or village cock
Connt the iU|;ht iratches t« his feathery denies,
'Twould be some solace yet, some little cheering.
In this close dungeon of innumeroua boughs.
Bnt,0 thatbaples8virgl'n,our'lostSister! ' - 359'
Where may she Wander now, whither betake her
From the chill dew, among rUtle burs and thistles \
Perhaps some cold bank is'her bolster how.
Or 'gainst the rugged bark of some broad elm'
Leans Iver uDpillow'd headrfraught with sad fears. 355
What, if in wild amazement and aflVigbt ?
Or, while we speak, within the direfbl giasp
Of ■arage'fannger, or'bf «liva^ heat ?
EL Br, Peace', brotli'et; be not over-e^c^iaite
■ Toca£tthe.&6hiaa of nncertainevils: 360'
For grant they be so, white they rest unknown,
What need a nan' forestall his date of grief,
V. 341. — A.rcadf/ — ryrun Cynnisrc.] Our gTMtCr or leaMT bear-
iSar. CaliMo, the duugktertif LycusBkbg of jln-oifia, viib clisnfifed'
iato the greater bear, called alto Helice, hdJ ber aon ArfU iota th«.
leaser, e^ed atio Cgntaura, b; obiiernn|- of which the Tj/riuni aud
SidoiuaiiB-ateereii tbeir canrs^ as tlKGrecisD tnarlaendM by th«
■iOKx. -See U'id, Fatt. iii. 107, aBcl Val: Flaccua, itrgon. i. 17-
Newtoh.
■ V.su.~'TU:fiiiUd-A»lt,ke.'] SeeHorBce,£^. ii, «5-
' ''llutdea^AGUsUfcralibnsla.ta'ai^iu.'' ToDD.'
OOHCS.
And mn to meat what h« woold moat uind I
Or if they be but fiilse alarms of fear.
Ho* bitter is nich self-delusion !
I d* not thialc my Sister to to anA,
Or so unpriacipled in Virtue's book,
And the aneet peace that goodoew bosoms evcfi
A» that the single vaot of light and ooise
(^ot being- in danger, as I trust she is not,)
Could stir the constant mood of her calm ttwugbts.
And put them into misbecoming plight.
Virtue conld see to do what Virtue would
By her own radiant light, though sun and moon
Were in the flat sTksunk, And Wisdom'sself
Oft seeks to sweet retired solitude;
Where, with her best nurse, Contemplation,
She plumes her feathers, and lets grow her wipgs.
That in the various bustle of resort . .
Were all-to ruffled, and sometimes impair'd.
He, that has light within his own clear "breast.
May sit i' the center, and enjoy bright day :
But he, that bidets a dark soul and foul thoughts*
Benighted walks under the mid-day ran ;
Him^lf is his own dungeon.
iee. Br. 'Tis most true.
That muung Meditation most affects
The penuye secrecy of desut cell,
Far Irom the cheerful haunt of men and herdi^
And sits as safe as in a senate-faouse ;
For who would rob a hermit of his weeds.
His few books, or his beads, or maple 6iab,
Qr do his gray hors any violence ?
T. 376-.^ Mail.] Fm- die Mw: oaeoMMn «■* «r Mt,
Bswie citH Bale'* Eiaaiaae^ of A- Aikev, p. a*. " Hath l
iriochc'nede of helpc irb* laUti M sodie • nii|«on !" S« ■
jMkl, 11. IS. " n it sbsU the GeMika iwi," Wai
4fi COiSVS.
But Bcaatf, Tike the fair Hesperian tni *
Laden with blooming gold, had need the guard
Of dr^on-watch with unenchanted eye, 3^9
To save her UossoniB, and defend her fruit.
From the rash hand nf bold Incontinence.
You mayaswetl spread out the unsunu'd heaps
Of miien' treasure by an outlaw's den,
And tell me it is safe, as bid me hope 400
Danger will wink on Opportunity,
And let a single helpless mmden pass
Uninjar'd in this wild surrounding waste.
Of night, or loneliness, it recks me not;
I fiear the dread eveats that dog them both, 40$
Lett some ill-greeting touch attempt the person
Of our unowned Sister.
El. Br. 1 do not. Brother,
I^lfeT) as if I thought my Sister's state
. SiecnrCf without all doubt or controversy ;
Yet, where'an equal poise of hope and fear 410
Does arbitrate t^e event, my nature is
That I incline to hope, rather than fear.
And gladly banish squint suspicion.
My Sister is not so defenceless left
As yon imagine ; she has a bidden strength, 4I5
Which you remember not.
Sec. Br. What hidden strength.
Unless the strength of ft eaven, ifyou mean that I
SI- Br. I mean that too, but yet a hidden strengtb.
Which, if Heaven gave it, may be tertn'd her own:
'Tis Chastity,' my Brother, Chastity : ' 42t>
She, that has that, is clad in complete steel ;
KMA, Hke a quiver'd Kymph with arrows keeq»
V. 3SS — in>N«AifiMI «n«.] l%st is, whkh Mmtoi bt ndhsifeA
Here U nioie flattery ; W tiul a l sly Mok M WM jtisdr dae, aad
vbicb DO poet in Bimilv circnnutanceB could mist the oppartDDity,
ar nlbvr thetnnptatMi, af psyhis. WuiTolf .
V. 422.— ^ttiver'il Nymph.l I make no doobt bat MUun, lo fUk
COMOS. ^
May trace hug« forests^ nnd nnharbour'd heatbq,
lalkmouB hills, and aaody perilous nilds ;
Where, through the sacred raya of Chastity, 425
Mo savage fierce, baadit«, or racnuitaiiteer.
Will dare to soil her virgin purity :
Yes there, where very Deaolatioa dwells.
By grots and caverns sha^'d with horrid shttdea,
She may pass on with unblench'd majesty, 410
Be it not done in pride, or in presumption.
Some say, no evil thing that walks by mgitX
Jn fog M fire, by lake or mooriah fen,
Blue meaner hag, or stubborn unlaid gho6t
pauage,hadbise;eap«a Spapwfr'l B'^'lafciwtiouclMuruter, armi,
wd manner of life, perfectly c*rr«apo«4 Tith tbU deicription. What
makes it the more certain i«, that Spenaer intended under that per-
•oflage to lepreieal thtTirtucof Ciotfify, Thvek.
T. 4S4.— /K/uxHBtiUb.] HarMe,Od.L.m. 90.
" Iufwut tctpitios, AnoccFsunia." Newton.
T. 4M-p-milach'd.i UnUiitded, UKwAonded.
V. OS.— no rvil Iking, &c.] MUtMi bare hul hii ej'e •■
/iiiSliepirdtii,A.i. He hu boriowed the HAtiqunt, twt
improred the dictiso.
'-— — " I have heard, (my nother toU it tat,
" AndDowJdobfllieveit,)ifI][|!w
" My virgin floHrer uncropt, pure, diMt«, aod (til,
" No goblin, wood-god, fairy, elfc, or fiend,
" Ss^rr, or other power that bauotf the grovo,
" Sliill hurt my boily, or by vain iiliuioa
" Draw we to voider after idle fln»)
" Or voiCBi c^ling me, *c." NkWTOV.
• Tbe£<]ijy,v.307,makesmentionofcaU>R^5Aij>«. L.
T. 434. — iluhbom unlatd gioil
ITatirtalcthiimagict chain, alfiu^tlme.'] Aa u-daid giott
WUsniongtheaiortvexatiaugplBgnetof the world of splilta. It is
MMt of the evil* deprecated at Fidele'a gme, ia CgstMime, A.if.S. it.
!r barm thee, \
" NnrnawitchcniAcbkrmthe«,\
" G*w( UKlaid forbear tWe !" \
The inetapfaoric^ expreMion a beautiful, o{\rtaltiiig Ait ma£ii
That breftks hia magick chains «t CBifeii time* '493
Na goblin, or swart fa«ry of the mine,
•Mw.ftr "betot nffimtl to wander abrari :" and berr,t«o,Ac
■npcntiliMlifroiBSbakq>caK,lf. LMir, A.iii. S.iv. "ThUii Oie
Ibid ieml Flibberticibbet i he bepita at Curfn:, uhI walk* UUI the
in! tfKk." CvMpare tiM Catwr%bl, in hb ptay ol the OrJiaaj,
wberc Matt the anliqaan liap an •Maong, A. li. S. i. p. 36. cAt.
ifiet. He vUhe* tbat the houae may remaiD free from wicked
a^ti,
- ■' From Cnrfew time
" To the next prime."
Rm a pewt, hi the Tn^uf, mt«kei tboae elves, among athen, that
TCjoice la hear the aofavn Cnifinr." A. v. 8. i. That ia, tbr; iqoioe
at the aaaitd of the Curfew, becaaae at the cloie of day uiaouBeed
by the Cnrfnr, they are permitted to leaTc their aereni] conflne.
neati, aod be at latfe till coA-crmtins. Sea Macteik, A. ii. 8. iiL
" G<K>d tbtnga of day begia to droop and drowie,
** While night'a biact agtutt to their prey do took." WAktOK.
f. t^—aicvt Jaerf qftU nmM.'] Ih the Gothick ayatem of {Mea-
Matokfy, mlnca were aapposed to be inhabited by varionH surti of
nirita. See Olaw HapiBa'a Chapter Ot Mttatlicu DgmBtUMt, Hitt.
Gnl. SvCenfrisiiai, ri. x. In an old traaalalioa of Laratema Be Sptc-
trit tt Ltimiritut, it tbe fcllowinc paaaaee ; " Pionen or dinen tar
Theae waadcr Tp aad downe in canea and nudermininn^ . ___
ta bcMorre-UiCMHelTCa la all kinde of labor; aa, to dig(« after lbs
' veia^toearrie tOfetkerthc oare,topBlit i]itobaakett«,aodtotani
the irinding wbeete to draw it rp, when Id rery deed tbey do nothing
, teiae, ftc."— -" Of Ghtata and Spintti walhin; by night, ^." Limd.
,' IS73. Bl, Lett. <^. XTi. p. 73. And hence we ace wliy Af llton fivea
j Ait apeciea of Fairy a awarthy or darif comptxion. GeorKina Acrl-
cola. Id hia Irart Dt SailvmiMW ^lUiiaiifi^, relalei among other
wondcra of tbe aaoe aort, tbat theae Spirlta aometimea aaanme the
noatterribleBlulptai aad ttat one of tbem, ia a care or pit ia Ger-
many, kilk^ twelve miuen with his peattlential brevth. Ad cale.
Dt Re AfeteH. p. S3B. Basil. 168I, M. Draytan peraonifiea the peak
In Dtfbyihin, which be makcaa witch ^Ifal hi metaHnigy. PatfM.
,S.KXVii.Toi.iii.p.ll76-
'* The Sprite* that haunt the minea abe ihould correct and tame,
« And hood them aa die liat, itc." W*>tov.
See alio Polgolh. S. in. ed. 1693, p. 6s. Kcyaler, in hia TVavel*,
apeaking of Idria in Germany, aayl, " Aa the inhabitiatB of all mine
town! have their itoriea of goblint, so are the people hpre stron;^
pomened with a notion of Ench apparitiona that banat the minea.'*
Vol. iii. p. 377. In certain lilver and lead mines in Wales, DOthing
ii more commOD, it ia pretended, than tbeae aubttwranean apirttn,
wbo are called hucktri, and who goodnalnredly poiat out wheare
'lete ia a rich veinl They aie lepreienled aa little atatured, Bn4
Hath hurtfiiL pown o'er trae Virpnity.
Do ye believe me yet, or ahdl I cbU
Antiquity from the old schooli of Greece
To testify the artna of ChMtity? 410
- Hence had the hontreaB Dion her dread bow.
Fair rilvei^hafted queen, for ever chaite.
Wherewith she tain'd the brinded lioDesa,
And spotted mountain-pud, but set at nought .
The frivdons bolt of Cupid ; godi* and^men 413
' Fc&r'd her atem frowu, andBhewasqueeoo'tbevooda.
"What was that snaky-headed Goi^on shield.
That wise Minerva wore, unconquer'd virgin.
Wherewith she freez'd her foes to congeal'd stone,
Sat rigid looks of chaste austerity, 450
And soble grace, that dash'd brute violence
' With sadden adoration and blank awe?
So dear to HeavMi is saintly Chastity.
That, when a »oul is found sincerely so,
A thousand liveried Ang«ts lackey her, 455
t. itmg. vol. 6s, p- SSg. The goUm is clMaedwUb the
-jmrg iif thttmntuj mclabonde wrilcr on tfae ralgcct. Sec Wicna
itei^ir«tgdiIhEn«nan,lib.L-csp. as, edit.Buil. isas.
T. 441. Hnm,&c.] MUton, lbiK7,toak thehint oftliii bontt-
fol mylkolanc*! interprctMiaB from a iialafu^ of Laciui bctwist
. Vca<u«iHlCiipid,«lHEm the mothN asking Iwrwiikaw, after Inriuf
, aUa^fied aH tfae other deities, be cane to (pen Wnerva and Diaaa,
Cwfid npKt», tktX TBI woMtlMtaiii'd til Jtrctlf at kim,tmd/iigJUtit'd
. Uk atanli lii Onrgui Basi aUdt tht aiore apon ieTttm*i,tiat t*
AtM ntt meddle mtiktr— mad that as ts Diaaa, M<«Mt abtaft *•
Bit^o$td n hmtiitg, lAot bt naM iw( iMch ka. Thvbb.
V. 450— Af r^Idott, jtc.l SigHloeianfet to the noiy Ivcki,
. aad neblt grace to tlkc beaatihit &ce, as GorgoD i* repteicDled on
ancieut g;ei]u, WaaauKToa.
T. 455— J thinuand, &ej A psssaf^ in St. Ambrose, OB Virght,
B)%ht bave *a;g;ei^ this temark. " Ne^iue murnin ai pro raiit Am-
■ geli miitant qucE Aufclonim moribos railitatii. Werttur'tanm prmr
- (i^wm Caslitn virgiaalis, qaonun vitam neretar. Et quid phmbii*
exeoiur laiuiein Cutitatia > Caitilia eniia Aogtbujaeit." Amhro*.
' ._ Too».
30 COHUi.
Driving far off each diing of sin aad guilt i
Aitti, in clear dream aadieleBiii'viiioiii
Tell her of thlngv that no grooa ear caa hear ;
THl oft canvene with heareDly habitants
Bt'gin to catt a beam on the outvard ahape^ 4SO
The unpolluted temple of tJx mittd.
And turns it by degree* to the Boat's eaaence.
Till all be made immortal ; But when Lnat,
By unchaste looki, loose geiturca, and fbul'talkt
But mo(t by lewd and laviih act of wn, 465
F.KB.—TeUkir^iliiiigi,Lc.]. Soabo in Jreu^, t. 73 :
After tkc bcneiil; tune, wbioli none eta hew
Of hnman mmld, with gnu Kn^rged ear.
Thi* di^D^ue betvcen tbe Two Brutbnv, ia in anirsMe pMtnt
hetmen tact «ad fhUoaopti;. The jonagn dmn his •numeaii
tuna comiDon apfirebcauos, ind the obrioai ^ipearance of thiugi :
the elder procecda on ■ profbunder kneirledge, and argiin from sb.
•Uacled pruicipln. Ha« tbe diffierMec of their agn is foiptiiy
made BabMirimt to a cootntst of chancier. Bat ttda iligbt variety
mnitbatE bees inaaAcicot tokeep (0 prolix Kui kwncd • diipu-
tation alive noa the it^e. It nast bare langniihoi, however
adOnwdwilb the fiureet floiren ofeloqaence. Tbe whole dialo^e,
which indeed it little more than a solitary ilecUmatiiMi in Uank rene,
^ -wtheai ' - . . - .-
The nBie tMtian of bndi/'i werlcmr mf t» tftrit Milton aflovvd* lu-
iMiactd bilfl bis Par. Lrsl, B. *. 469, Ik. vbicb ii there, I thlrii,
Ualdetownieol!iettHiB,aahe«we»tinJy stlibeftjr to have chaeett
a atert ratiOBat tyitem, and aa it is alM put into (be maatfa of an
ArahWftel. Bm in this plaee it bUs In so well wHb Uh poet's de-
uga, givn sucb force and BtTen|;tb to this enea«M«Hi 00 Chutit;,
•nd canies in it snrh a dignity of Mntiment, that, hmrever repn^
not it (uy be to our philowplncal ideas, it eannot aiis itrihlng BDd
dslightuig every virtuoys and utteHti^t rcMltr. Tavaa.
V.464.— Bya»:far(«/oo*i,&c.] " He [Chri»t] cenenres an ua-
tiatlt ttoi ts be tin adaltery ali-eady committed ; aaotjier time be
pasiei over actual wlultery with less reproof than for an unehattt
ioat.' ItivMce. B. ii. c. i. Hillon's Pr. W. i. 1B4. See also, p 304.
Hilton therefore in the eapreiaiou here noted, alludes to our Saviour,
-" •St BAEnnN FTNAIKA wili ri inieTMHSAI aiiis."
: ^. 8. Matii. v. as. Wuixox.
coMvs. n
Lets in defllement to the innard parta.
The toul grows clotted by coDtBgioD.'
Iinbodiea, and imbrutes, till she quite loM
The divine property of her firtt being.
Siieh are tboae thirk ntid gloftnty aheuloffs dttmp, VO
Oft seen in charnel vaults and itepulchtes
Lingering, and aitting by a new mmda gravs.
As loth to leave the body that it lor'd.
And link'd itself by carnal sensHality
To a degetMnte and degraded itate. 1ff$
See. Br. How chartning ia divine Philosophy !
Tfot hanh, and crabbed, as dull fiwls eappose,
But musical as is Apollo's lute,
And a perpetual feast of neclnr'tl sweets.
Where no crude surfeit retgns.
El. Br. List, list ; I hear MO
Some far-off halloo break the silent airJ
See. Br. Methought so too i what ahotdd it be f
EL Br. For certain
Either some one like us nighf-foander'd here,
Or else some neighbour woodman, or, at worst.
SoAie roving robber calling te bis fellows, 4m
Sec. Br, Heaven keep my'SiaCer! Again, aig[wii,
and near t.
Sestdnw, asd stand upon oar gsard..
El. Br. I'll halloo:
If he be friendly, he cornea well ; if not.
Defence is a good cause, and Heaven be for ua.
[Enter the Attendant Spirit, habiud Mea Shtfherd.\
That halloo I shoakl know ; what are you i apeak; 439
T.4TS,— AfcrttsiMM, Itc.) Sm 9i^ Kenctaw Kicl^ia QlwMo-
f I'mi •• IMie^a Meffici, Mh edtt, p. 397. ** Sanli thai f t> oal «f
Acir bMlKB with s^cttSB to lb«N sbjecti thej leave btbind thaB,
(wkMwtiBlty ii ■• long u they ean rdish tbcfB)da relaiaalil^
even in theii' sepnallon, a byu and a langDiahing towards them ;
wUtb b tk rOMoS why Mcb tcrtcae aeuU appearc alUaat >■ m-
B Mt«l W» and chamel-honwt." See also Dr. Hcary Man's /iiuh»
laUtj ^Ikt Sovi. B. U. di- V^- And compare Uomer'i U. xrll. s.' '
« couvs.
Ccfbe not too ntnr, yoo &II on iron italMa clae.
Spir. WbatvoiceUtlMtf mf young Lord ? tpeak
■gmin.
See. Br. O BrothM-* 'tis my fiith«r*8 ehci^rd, nire. ,
Et.Br. Thy»i>^ Whose Mtful Btraioa have irfl
The huddling brook to hear hie madrigal, 495
And sweetea'd evety iBO^roae of the d«Le ?
How cam'st thoa here, good nraia ?, 'hath any rem
Stipt from the fold, or yoang Icid lost his dam.
Or atraggliogwefher the pent flock forsook i
How could'st thou find this dark sequester'd nook i 5W
Syir. O my lov'd master's heir, and his next joy,
I came not here on aneha triml toy
As a st^y'd ewe, or to parsue the stealth
Of pilfering wolf; not all the fleecy wealth,
That doth enrich these downs', ir worth a thought 503
To this my errand, and the care it brought,
Bat, O my virgin Lady, where is she ?
How ehance she is not ia yonr company ?
Et. Br. To tell thee sadly. Shepherd, without blame.
Or our neglect, we lost her as we came. 510
Spir. Ay me unhappy ! then my fean are true.
T*9*'-3V»»' WhoM artful tinAa, fcc] A cmapUmeDt to
Law, wfcs peiiOMIed the Sf irit. W« Lms juM Mcfc BBolber sboTCi
T. Bo. Bat tkii being ipokea by auollier, cornea wUk better gnee
■nd pTOprietj. Wakcom-
The eneomlnia here is clasaicsl : Campare Rot, (M. I. xU. s.
" Arte mletBt rmpidn manatttn
" ftumiaMm lapmt, ttUraqtt vetttn ;"
Ai abore, at -r. •^ Well kwnn te mUU (At wiU vMi, Tonto.
tS.~maAigsl.J TheModr^ wuB>pecki<irBasic«le4
C0HD8. «9
Spir. Tl\ teil ye ; 'tis nM vain or &buloDt,
(Though so esteem'd by aballow iffoonincet)
What the sage poets, taoght by the heavenly MuM( iU
Storied of old in high ivmortal verse, '
Of dire chimerast and enchaated isle))
jlnd nfted rocks whose entrance leads to Hell :
For such there be, bnt unbelief is blind.
Within the navel of this hideous wood> 5S0
Immur'd io cypress shades a sorcerer dwells.
Of Bacchus and of Circe bora, great ComiUi
Defp skill'd in all his mother's witcheries;
And here to every thirsty muidever
By sly enticement gives his baneful cap, 5$5
With many murmurs mix'd, whose pleaung poison
The visage quite transforms of bin that drinki.
And the inglorious lik,eness of a beast
Fixes iostead, anmoulding reason's mintage
Character'd in the iiice: Thii have I learnt SJO
Tending my flocks hard by i' the hilly croft%
That brow this bottom^glade ; whence nigfat by night
He and his monstrous rout are heard to howl,
Like stabled wolves, or tigers at their prey.
chantnl cup, the ekarm of muiy bartarmu ■oiBtHlifMe words «M
■alcnaixed, to 4nickeB and itrengtlicD Iti opc^tion. WdRBuaTO*.
FeAspi fiom Statins, oftbepBtnniesi of iiis(iciau,7^(S, ix. 793 :
— "Csatosqae
See olsD Tsno, (f tke siKbutei; GFtcr. Id. C «UL St <.
f NelfcTchio scciAo,
>' iBSgida Hecaten MlaUdbiii ont.**
Doing aUiwrad rites to Hec»te
In their obecurwt hadot* ^ iomast bawera.
y«t h»v« titej BMfty btdtfl, and gmiteful apelto.
To ioTeigle and invite the unifary*»enBe
or them that pus unweetin^bytbewaj.
This evening lale, hy then the chewing floeb
Had ta'en their aupper on the Mmnry herb
Of knot grav dvw-besprent, and were infold,
1 nt me dom to watch upon a bank
With ivy canopied, and interwove
With flaunting boney-mickle, and began.
Wrapt in a pleanng fit of melancholy,
To meditate my raral tttnsttehy.
Till hacf had her fill t bat, >ere a doie.
The wonted ntr was tip amidst the woods,
And fill'd the air with barbarons dimonance;
At wluch I c«M*d, aid listen'd them a while,
m an nrnunal atop of sndden silence
Gave res[ritc to the drowsy frighted steedSf
That draw the litter of ctow^urtaio'd Sle^ ;
T. 5«a. iaa lay tH j: Hem-U^MM.
■ V. 548. *mm fiigiltij NevtM pnCHr•''dto«•T^>l•d^ac-
c•>1liag to Ike CsHbii^ nmuaif^ Mr. Bswle lapMcs tba
pt^mitm^^tKtiffim^td, thai ii, cfaugcd or lowMnth drowiU
ptw. The latter reutiuf it aterely wajecUiral ; and it i( ratker
doubted, whether Hiiton prefRred *' droway^gAlnJ," tbal i*, the
, Jrmatg ateeds «i Higbt, lAta were ^fHgtM bb tnto ocosTon, at the
{ iartmut dutvniact of f^mms's noctBrml reretry «r " dTOiity-,fii^t-
I W" as witsiMd Vr this ptu«s« ia JC. flcMji ri. P.it. Air. S.I.
•• AodMwtond-hawHaKWBtsesanNMitheiUss- - ■
<* That drag the tragichmthDahBlj Mi^
We admit with Wartan th^ " drov By- flighted" is a harsh eomhina-
ti*a,bDtil ii'mtenjuihle, and miieh hi the poet^ itOe ; while th«
«th*>'*ea4ia^4a ^1 and prouic. ^ L..
T.ss*. — d att frfnin'd Slt^-I P^hap* from. ShakBpeare, ATke-
: At last aBoft«nd MlmiD-bTesthiog sound tSS
Kmc like ftateHin of rich distill'd j^erfumn.
And stole npoa the air, thAt «ven Silence
Waa took ere she wu wan, and wish'd ihe might
Dmy her nature, and be never ner«)
Still to be so ditploc'dt I wm all ear, , SSO
}t.»A took in Btiaing that might cr«ate a n«l
Under the ribi of Death : but O I ere Itfi^^
Too well I did perceive it was the vflice
.or my nMMt bonour'd Ladj'i ]r«ur dear Sister>
Amaz'd I Btoodi harrow'd with gfief «9d feaiv SiSi
And, O poor haftleaa cighlJHg&l*, tbongbt l.
How sweet tfaott MDg'M* hsw Hear the deadljrBQaiy! .
Then down the lavna 1 ran. with headlong ba^,,
Throuj^h paths and ti^mii^p •ften tr«d by 4af» '
Till) guided by mine ear» I faaad ibe fiUea, 970
Wtiere thattdamti'd wiaard, hid in sly diaguiwj
(For 80 by certain sign* I knew>) had met
Already, ere my best iitMd osuld pravoit*
The aidless innocent Lodyi hie wish'd prey 1
Who g^ly atik'd if he had aeaq such tm^ iTi
Sapposing him soue netghbour vili^er.
Longer I durst pot stay, but aoMt I guew'd
Ye were the two the meant ; with th&t I fl|;tf nog
Into swift flight, till I b«d Smai jTen b«rai
But further know I nut.
. . '"aadwiafctd tbcaaw atuae
" Tli« curtund ilcep." TatkM.
T-MB^-tTihlcrfAiriii, be] TIic gennBl iusge ef nftHnf fe Md
by tttrmony is a^atD ftomSh^ipeBre, tratthe particalarn~ ~*~ '"*
^letvre in Akiit's fimtrieras, where s 10111111 the firnrftof aB-faiflmt
n rcfM'ewnted witlun (he rib* «f a ActetM, bi bt ill fn»aa. TfcU
cuiioaa pictareupreEentedbyQuu'ln. WABBvaTON. .
The pictan alliided ta, is net lakeB ft«m Atciar* EoiUmm, hM
&«m Herman Hhro'k Pia Umi'dsria ) and h the Viiltb. Siuj>tri»m rvmm
Mwntit. The i*t\ raae of ibe viiih. chap. oT Samomi 1> the HMtto
toil. " O wretched ttaa thai I a«! w!uidlBll<)eliTerttt>Mt«M
itdtqfllMietlkr Tm»t
Ha ,- I
» COMCS.
See. Br, O ntgbt, and shades 1 5*0
How an ye join'd witli Hell in triple knot
Agunit the nnarm'd weakness of one virgiiit
Alone, and helplen ! Is this the confidence
Yoa gave me. Brother i
EL Br. Yes, and keep it still ;
Lean on it »fe1y ; not a period 5BS
Shall be unaud for me : Against the threats
Of malice, or of sorcery, or that power
Which erring men call Chance, this 1 hold firm,—
Virtue may be asaaii'd, hot never hurt,
Soipris'd by nnjntt force, but not enthntll'd ; S90
Ym, even that, which mischief meant most harm.
Shall, in the happy trial, prove most glory ;
But evil on itaelf shall bt^k recoil.
And mix no mwe with goodnesa ; when at last
Oolher'd like scnni, and settled to itself, S9S
It shall be in eternal restless change .
Sdf^fied, and self-eonsomed : If this ^1,
The piltar'd firmament is rottenness.
And earth's base built on stnbble.— But come, let's en.
Against the opposing will and arm of Heaven 60O
May never this juft sword be lifted up ;
But for that damn'd magidon, let him be g^rt
With all the griily lagions that tnx^
Under the sooty flag of Acbenm^
V. su^Ya, end Iteep it ttiU, &c.] Thii eonfickiice of the Eldir
Bntitr in flmmr of the ftiul efficacy of virtue, holds forth a verj
h^atniiiof philoM>pli7,deli*ei«4'iiiu high itrsma ofeloqueaee
and poetry. Wartox,
T. S^-Srifi/aiimdMf-tannmed.] ThiiiioBfeuvanderfiilly fine.
II if takcB from the cotyectarei of •■troBooiert coDCCTniag the daA
■poti, which from tiiaetotine^>pesrantbeiar&oe*fUie Baa's ho*
dy, snd after a while diiiypear again; whiA they snp y sar la be tfcs
■CDn of th>t fiery nutter, wh«oli fint bnedi it, aitf then hmhs
thtsu^ and conaumes it. . W&awfUmi.
Harpies and Hydraa, or mVi the montbxnu fomta 1
Tffixt Africa and Ind, I'll find liim out.
And force bim to return his parchaae back)
Or drag him by the curls to a foul death,
CDTs'd as his life.
Spir. AItu I good venturous Youth,
I Jove thy courage yet,'«nd bold emprise ; <
But here thjr svord can do thee little stead ;
Far other arms and other weapoas must
Be those) that quell the might of hellish charms:
He with his bare wand can unthread thy joints,/
Aud crumble all thy kitten's.
Ei. Br. Why pr'ythee, Shepherd, i
How durst thou then thyself approach so aenr^
As to malce this relation ?
Spir, Care, and utmost shins,
Hov to secure the lady from aurprinal,
Brought to my mind a certain shepherd lad.
Of small regard to see to, yet well skill'd
In every virtuous plant, and heating herb,
That spreads her verdant leaf to the morning ray :
He lov*d me well, and oft wonld beg me ung ;
Which wheu I did, he on the tender grass
Would sit, and hearkeA even to ecstasy.
And in requital ope his leathern icrtp.
And show me simples ttf a thousand names,
Telling their Btrange and vigorous faculties :
Amongst the rest a small unsightly root,
fiut of divina effect, be cnll'd me out ;
T. 6ao. — MH (•,] Aa aid ei^«nion,ai inBimt'iifiEamc, itaa.
" Fsire to wc to, i. c. pM>dli« to behtU." See also, £tti. uiji; is,
**All«ft^^priaGM to Jokt t»." ToBD.
Tb* leaf vA8 dsrkisb, and bad piicUat W H>
Sutia another country, asjie said,
Bon: a bright golden Sower, bnt not in thi> toil :
Unknown, and like eBteem'd. and the dull iwain
Treads on it daily with his clouted sboon : 633
And yet more med'cinal ia it than that Moly,
That Hermes once to wise Uljttes gar« j
H^ call'd it HEemony, and gave it me,
V.6sa.] TUt 1^ bw been tboDf bt cempt, or at iMit iBae»rat%
byBiuhop Hurd, and he and othen ban f^opoKd altemliou, bat
vilbont imprDreniPDt or necvnily. ]( hu alao cdLed ftirtb thr*
■traiifC Bod indeteusible obaerralioD trom Wartaa : " Milton, DOt-
wlthitBDdiqg Iiu aingnlar ikill in musick, appeari to havp had A
«er^ bod ear; audit ii hard'toeayon what piinciplefaemoilalated
lualtncs! I" So Steeveu often tboaght of Shakapaare, when tha
Kont if ear wa« Ibe comnientatar's and not the poel's dcficiencjr. It
la clear beyond alt dispatation, tbat ahenETcr the meaanre W Shalt-
■peare or Hilisa appeara " ron^ or rrdnudant" such ru^jcdnew or
icdandaDCy wai intentions). Thene great msste rs of melodf were
awareof tbeadrontagc to be derired traia occaiional inegultaritiel
talhairTeraei. L.
T. 635.— ebafeif itooii ] To the Jpnaaase allefcd bj Dr. NewHiB
bom Shakapeare, K. He». VI. P. ii. A. it. S. iii. SDOtber abunid ba
added itam GymMint, A. ir. B. ii. i^icli not only exbibita; but cM'
laiaa a commeut on, the pbraie in ijBeallan,
" IlboBght bealept,aBdput
'" Hy dented hTogaatrom bS iB^ tKtt, wbaae rudeoeia
" Aoiwer'd my alepa to* laad."
C^ffare tbiu and nairow platn oT irtn affixed witk bob-nailat*
the soles of the abacs bf ruallcka. Theae made loo much noiie. Tk«
vord trofwii i> Ktili uaed for ihets amoDg tbe peasaatij of Ireland-
' WaMtOV.
The CKpregaion occnra in Hie pr^lentvenianafnar Bible: Jotkim,
ix. 9. So tke Uenfardshire Proverb, in Draylou'« PoljM, S. niii.
" Tht dab aai chujtetl iluion." ToDii.
T. 636.— MMy.] Drayton intradnces a shepherd " faia aondry
■iniplf* Borlii^," wba, uioay other rare plaata, praducta Moly,
Mut. Ebp. tfymfh. T. T«L it. p. 1489,
" Here ia my Melg of much fame,
" In magicks ofleu uaed."
It is net agreed, wbctber Milton'* Hanooy is a real or poetical
C.lK.;ik
COMUS^ *9
And bade me keep it as of sovran use
'Gainst all enchuitiiMnts, mildew blast, or damp, 64t
Or ghastlf furies' apparition.
I purs'd it up, but little reckoning madej
Till now that this extremity compell'd ;
But now I find it true ; foi by this means
I knew the foul envhanter tbeu^h di^ub'dt - 645
Enter'd the very lime-twigs of his spells,
Aod yet caioe^: If you h«we this about you,
(As I will give you when we go) J»u may
Boldly asuuU the necromaiictir'ii hall ;
Where if t)e be, with dauntless hardihood, 6$9
And brandlsh'd blade, rush on hira ; break his glassf
Avd shed thf losciouB liquor on the ground)
But seise his wand ; though he and his curs'd crew
Fierce sign of battle niake, and menace high.
Or like the B«na of Vulcan vouut smoke, CSt
Yet will they saou retire, if be but shrink.
£1. Br. Tbyrsis, lead on apace, I'll follow thee;
And some good Ang^l bear a ahiald before us.
The Seme ehanget to a stately palace, set out with «Z1
manner of delieiousntis : so/I mtuick, tables spread
teitk all dainties. Comus appears with kis rabble,
andthelMiytelin anenehanledch^r,towhQvilie^trt
. .its giau, wAiei skv puts by, and goes dout tQ rist.
" llle domum Ctrces, et, ad iosldioti vocttui
" Bocula, cnnuteii) *ir^ mnlt^ere capjllos
" Rcppulit, et ttricto pKcidatn detemitt tur."
Bee Honer. Oiyti. x. a94. 3i\. Bui MIKan, in his allosioDs to
CiKe** story, bu follBwed Orid mote tbui Haner. TVakton.
, V. 65i. nt im i imekt^ AHudins to Cicni. Vii^ il, Jgn. viji. asa.
' " FaacibiM iiifMtCD],AmBM, mirabUe dictD,
- «&««(." .
COHlfl.
IfBjr, hUy, sit ; if I but ware this wud,
Yoot nenm aic all chwa'd up in Blabutar, ' 66q
And yon a sbttne, or, as Dsphne «ru,
Boot-bonnd that Ded Ap^Io.
Zod. Fool, lio nut boaat ;
Tfion canit not touch the freedom of my mind
With all thy channa, altbongh thii corporal rind
Thou ha*t immanaclcd, while Heaven sees good. £65
Com. Why are yon Yex'd, Lady ? Why do you irown ?
' Here dwell no frowns nor anger ; from these gates
Sanow flies far: SeCi here be all the pleasures,
Tlut fancy can b^et on youthful thoughts.
When the fresh blood grows lively, and returns 670
Bfisk as the April buds in primrose-season.
And first, behold this cordial julep here,
ftmt flames and dances in his crystal bounds.
With spirittf of balm and fragrant syrops mix'd :
Kot that Nepenthes, which the wife of Thone ' 675
In Egypt gave to Jove-bom Helena,
la of mcb power to stir up joy as this.
To life so friendly, or so cool to thirst.
M^hy should you be so cruel to yourself.
iulIla(jtHi>4p»^, throwi r«oM>ou*d Into the middle betsnst
Ac satcccdent sad the relatire, a trtgn^tioD allogether unnmal in
•urlw^sge, but vbkh must be allowed Hmth to vary snilnitetbe
atjit; Uid,» the CDOUeclJoa U not lo reinote ai to make the lan-
Ksge obtntr*, I thinic it may not onl; be tolented bat pruted.
li* wa; af Tailing tbe ilile ii a figore very ninal botb in Greek
and Latin. Loan HoinHiBno,
V. 67B.-*Wq>n!(*M.] Tli* sutlior of the lively and Inrned fjipBiy
li trac, tkcy aie opiala for pieainre sB over the Zcnont ; Mt by tfaa
haat BccwiDtB of iJieai, they had them «rigiull) fi«si Sgfpt; bat
lia ^Htltn appears pliialy to be a pradnctioo vf the cMalry, aal a
coMvm which can be traced tnm Hoaer to Ai^xstaa^ rnga, and
< titeBcetotheace preccdipf oar own." . Da.J, WaKkov.
COMUS, "
Atid to those dainty limbB, wbtcb Nature leaf CSD
For geatle usage and aott derK'ft<;y ?
But you iDvert Ute coveaauts of her trustt
And harshly deal) lik« an ill borrower.
With that which yoarecelv'd on other teran ; i
Scorning the uaexenipt couditioo^ 6U)
By which all mortal frailty must subsiBt*
Refreshment after toil, ease after [taiD,
That have been tii'd all day without repaat)
And timely rest have wanted ; but, fair Vir^Ot
TbitfwiU restore all soon.
Lad. 'Twill not, false trutor 1 698
'Twill not restore tb« truth and honesty.
That ^ou hast hanish'd from thy tongue with lies.
Was this the cottage, and tbe safe abode,
Thou told'st me of ? What grim aspects are these, .
These uglyheaded monsters i Mercy guard mc 1 691
Hence with thy brew'd enchantments, foul decaver 1
Hast thou hetray'd my credulous inuoceuc« ,
With vieor'd falsbood and base forgery ?
And wuuld'st thou seek again to trap me here . .
' With lickerish baits, fit to ensnare a brute ? 700
Were it a draugltt for Juno when she banquets,
I would not taste thy treosonttus offer ; none
But such as are good men can give good things [ «
And that, which is not good, it not delicious -
To a well-govern'd and wise appetite. ?05
Coim, O foolishness of men ! that lend th^ ears
To -thoae budgfe doctors of the Stoick fur,
' T. flgS.-^-irRii'cf aciamtnteitlii Uagleal pottos*, brewed Or com-
pounded of iniiaiitBtory berbs and poiaooaiu drug*.. Sbak*peu«'i
cauldtooii tbraeedeiKihalomeatftntotuiMhtifdad. WAmn>M.
nt MiltoQ bu b(H^«*'d ^rvw BitfC
KsHS yip aiifif }wf Stwnr in i^u. KbW»»K.
M COMUS.
And fftcb their precept* from the Cfniek tab,
FniiiiDg the leau and hUow sbntinence.
Wherefore did Nuture ponr her boatitiei forth Tit
With BDch a full and unwithdntwing hand.
Covering the earth irith odours, fruitt, and fl»cka,
'RiroDgiag the' aeas with apairn ionamer^e.
But all to please and tote the cnriouB taste?
And «et to work millioDi of Bpioning wormt, 7\$
That in th^r green shops weare the stnootb-htur'd «illt.
To deck her soni ; aad, that no corner might
Be vacant of her plenty, in her own loins
She hutch'd the all-worshipt ore, and precious gemSf
To store her children with : If «U the world ri6
Should in a pet of temperance feed on pulse,
Drink the clear nrentn, and nothing wear hut frieK,
The All-giver would be unthnnk'd, would be unpraia'd.
Not half hi> riches known, and yet despis'd ;
And we should serve him as a grudging master* 7ii
As a pentirions niggard of his wealth ;
And Uve like Nature's bastards, not her sods,
Whowonldbeqnitesiircharg'dwidi her own weight, '
And strangled with her waste fertility';
The earth cumber'd, and the wing'i) ur dark with
plumes, 7S9
The herds would orer-multitude their lordB,
The sea o'erfraught would swell, and the unsought
djamoads
ear tlw fc«*» f>f tbc StniA pbil«Mi(ihy,
rnaineat of Ibe icholuitic hsbit.
T. 739;— n« MO, Lc.) Dr. WBrbarloD, and Dr. Newton remark,
that thin aad the four MIotId^ UoM are enceeding childiiih. Vtr-
bapa dn; arc not i uui aiti t aat irith tfte character of tkc " wily"
■pcakar j sad raigbt be intended to expou thai iMtenlatiolu aopbis'
•7,h7«MAalMd«aw*lif<Mrallr'«n«rte4. T*D».
couus, P?
Would M> enblaze the forehead of the deepi,
And M bewtud with itan, thatthej below
Would grow iDiiT*d to light, and come at lait 735
To gaze npoD the sun with sbameleaa hrows.
List, Lady ; be not coy, sad be not coKo'd
With that same vaunted name, Virginity,
Beauty is Nature's coin, amst not be hoarded,
^atmnst be cnnent; vad the good thereof 74Q
ConRati in mutual and partaken bliss^
Unnwnry in the eojoyineat of itself;
If you let dip time, like a neglected rose
Jt withers <m the stalk with languish'd head.
Beanty is NatureVbragi and must be shown 745
In courts, at feasts, and high solemnities,
Wherfrmost may wonder at the workmanship ;
It is for homely featuKS to keep home,
Thtf had their name thence ; coarse complexions.
And cheeks of sorry grain, will serve to ply 75Q
The sampler, and to tease the huswife's wool.
What need a vermil-tinctur'd lip for that.
Love-darting eyes,or tresses like the Mom i ■
There was another meaniag in these- gifts;
Tbink what, and be adris'd ; you are but young yet. 7^5
2,01^ I had nut thought to hare aulock'd my lips
In this ttnhallow'd air, but that this juggler
Would think to charm iny judgment, as mine eyes,
V. 7M, J g ra i n.'] Onan is techolesl, in the siIb of dyinf and imsti
nf,lir celeur. " Sky-tinctnr'd grain." Par. Lett. B.r.^BS. Agsin,
the " gral* •THarrs,*' B. li. b49. Id tbe luncseiise la ttPaa. v.aa,
" In «il>e otAnktmt ynus." ■
Ttate sbo is technical, trota tiic ■■me art, to comb, unnrel, and
sBHwlk tke iT«ol. Wakton.
na.tedricslwOTdftiafc,ap^tedla«lMfa,o'saNia«B0tfDraB*,
^pd's SimnelMi
" Hor now ofchttttt with TjrlaagTaint enroITd.'* ToDD.
fi4 COM US.
Obtntding BAk rules pTank'd in reason's garb.
I bate irheit Vice can bolt her arguments ,
And Virtue hai no tougue to check her pride. —
Impostor ! do not char^ moat innocent Nature,
Ai if she would her children should be rietons
With her abnpdanf e ; she, good cateress,
Meana her provision only to the good,
That lire according to her sober taws.
And holy dictate of spare Temperance :
If every just man, that now pines with want,
Had bat a moderate and beseeming share
Of that which lewdly-pimper'd Lntury
Now heaps upon some fevr with vast excess,
Nature's full blessings would be well dispeas'd
Ib nnsuperfluous even proportion.
And she no whit encumber'd with her store;
^nd then the Giver would he better thank'd.
His praise due paid : For swinish Gluttony
Ne'er looks to Heaven amidst his gorgeous feast.
But withbeifitted base ingratitude
Cr^s, and blaspbeiuea his Feeder. Shall I go cm ^
Or have 1 said enough ? To him that dares
Arm his profane tongue with contemptuons words
Agwtist the sun-clad Power of Chaittrty,
Fato would I something say, yet to wbat end ?
Thou bust nor ear, nor soul, lo apprehend
The qublinie. riotion, aud bigb mystery.
V. 760.— tsJf.] Pr, Kewton defines th« word talt " to OoBt;" a*
■re bid before " Cnpid's ball, and Jauiiii derivcB it from B«JiA«
imeia -" Dr. Jobown, " to tbirt tat, or Iknta raK prreipUmay" Tovo.
■ r«r^t bdta, cfae A W tMlfta', &c.'f
i coaros. »
That mint be ntt«rM to unfold the tsge
And Mrioua doctrine of Virginity;
And thoa art worthy thbt thou sKould'at not knoir
More happiness than this thy present lot.
Enjoy your dear wit, and gay rhetoricic, 79a
That hath so well been taught her dazzling Fence i
Thou art not fit to hear thyself ooovinc'd ;
Yet, should 1 try, the uncontrolled worth
Of this pure cause would Icindle my rapt spirits
To such a flame of sAcred vehemence, 7^
That dumb things would be mov'd to sympathize.
And the brute Earth would lend her nerres, and shake.
Till all thy roagick Btructures, rear'd so high,
Were sfaatter'd into heaps o'er thy false head.
Com. She fables not ; I feel that I do fear 800
Her words set off by some superiour power;
And though not mortal, yet a cold shudderiug dew
QipH mc all o'er, as when the wrath of Jove
Speakg thunder, aud the chains of Erebus,
To some of Saturn's crew. I must dissemble, 805
And try her yet more strongly; — Come, no more ;
This is piere moral babble, aud direct '
Against the canon-laws of our foundation ;
man, un wo affectrd with their fnrct, that's cold ■hnddering dew, Sa
Here U the nublcat pau^yrick ou tbe power of lirtiie, adorned witb
the lablinwit imugerjr. It is extorted from the ineiith of a mapciao
and a preteruatnral being, «ho, althungh actuallj poaieaaed of hia
prey, (eda all the terroora of hnnuui u«ture at the bold rebuke r>f !>•
■iocciice, and ahoddera with a sacUcD Dold awcat like a fnilty man.
Wabton.
y. lOB . eimw u-iaiiM } Caum-laai, a joke ! WaHbuiton.
Here ia a r>dicale on eatatriiafamcula, and the eauoa-lair now
^eadj enconraged by the Charcb. Perhaps, ou the eanona of tb«
Charch, now rigidly eDlafCed,and at which Milton frequently glaiKe*
^ his prau tract*. Vt,*T-
6» COHUS. '
I must not n-affer thii ; fti. 'tia (rat )««■
And aetttingi oFa mel^nelioly blo«d : 810
Bntthi* will cure all fttraight ; ooeaip of tbia
Will bathe the 4roopiDg >pirit> in delight,
Bcjrond the blisB t^ dream*. Be tuinef and ttute,—
Tkt Brothers ruth i» toilA ttoord* draait, lOfeA his gtast
ouf of kit hand, tutd break it against the ground; hit
roul make rign o/retittatice, but are all driven in, 7^
AtteodaDt Spirit comet in.
SriRiT.
' What, have you let the faW enchanter 'scape ?
O ye mistook, ye should hare snatch'd his wand, 819
And bcKind him fast ; without his rod revers'd,
And backward mutters of dissevering power.
We cannot free the Lady that sits here
In atony fetters fix'd, tind motionless :
Yetstay, be not disturb'd ; now I bethink me, 8S0
Some other means I have which may be ns'd,
; T. «15.— ^ ft nulMt, Itcl They are direetod bcfon (a miat C«-
ntuf* wand, t. 6s3. Ajul Ait <rai from the Fberu Qutm*, wbett
' ffirGnyoD brCBki the CharmiBE Slaffe of Meuarc's porter, a« ke
UkeviM oTerthroart hi* bovl, ii. sii, tg. B«t fron «hkt pwtwntar
prmw of diKBchotitiiicol, BDcient or modeni, did Milton take Ok
notioa of rcTeraiug Comu*'* wand or rod ? It <ru f/om a pawage of
Orid, th* gTfut ritnaliat of claHical aomryihefare cited, wbore the
coBipanioQi of Ulywea an teitored to Aeir boman ahifiM, M«<a%
si*. 900.
" pomtiaiai^Tw cayat emBtrim rtrbef tiirgtf
" VerlMtae dicoiitardktii cmtmia verbiB."
Br*iic*M>n'iM>H(!r*,tbe *• nrhu Jietit tmHrntia teTtm," wt art ^
findcrttaDd, that the cbaratitg word*, or verMK, at firat we4, wen
to be idt repeated Itttheardi, ta daitroy what karl been doac.
The dreBinataiiOB in the lexl of the bratbera forgettins to mim
and rerarae flie w ag idaB'* rod, while hy cantraat it heigbtesa the
fnpcrtear intelligeDCe of the Attendant Spirit, sffordB the opportn-
aity of introdneiui: tbe fictiou of raiaioK Sabrlna ; which, excloaire
«f ita poetical ornamenta, i* recomineiided by a local propriety, and
wn peealiarly iatereMiBif to tbt audience, bb the Se*«rB ia tli« fa^
^•Darireraf thanetghbourkaod. WanXOH. ,
T. OSlO Dr. Johaaoa reprobate* Uu* l"'g n^nliem. M be stjlM
COMUS. 9f
Which once of Melibtem old I learnt,
the sooth€iit aheiiherd that e'er ptp'd on plainik
There i» a gentle Nymph not far from hence.
That with rouist curb sways the smuoth Severs stream* iti
Sabiina is her name, a virgin pure;
Whikm she was the daughter of Locrtne,
That had the scepter from his father Brute.
Stit, guiltiest damsel, flying the mad pursuit
Of her enraj^ed Btepdame Gutuidolen, 930.
Commended her fur innocence to the flood.
That staid her flight n ith his cross-flowing course.
The Water-Nymphs, that in the bottom play'd.
Held up their pearled wrists, and took her in.
Bearing her Mraiglit to aged Nereus' hall ; 83$
Who, piteous of her woes, rear'd her lank htad.
And gave her to bit daughters to imbathe
In nectar'd lavers, strew'd with asphodel ;
And through the porch and inlet of each sense
Droptin ambrosial oils, till she reviv'd, 840
And underwent a quick immortal change,
MadeGoddessoftbe river: still she retMDs
Her maiden gentleness, and oft at eve
Visits the herds along the twilight meadows*
Helping all urchin blasts, and ill-luck signs 84)
That the shrewd meddling elfe delights to make.
Which she widi precious vial'd liquours heals;
it, aboat Solwiiiki which, he says, ** It of no uw beciuie it itfalK,
sad tbertliir* uasaitable to ngead being." By the pueiicjil t«iiJ«r,
Ikia Gctioa in comidered at Irue. Id codhouu acusr, the rel»tur it
not tnt: >ad «by may pot w iniKgisBry beio^, evcu of.B,aood cba-
lacter, deUver. an ima^Qary Isle ? Wbrre n the moriii imftnpritty.
«f sn iDDOCCBt iuvcDtiOQi especially wheii lulrodyved for s virtnou*
purpose ? ts [Hietry false am rations are often more useful tlun,
trne. SonCtbin^, Bud somrlhijig preterCialursI, and consequeutly
ftlw, bat therefore more poetical, was ncceisary fur tbe fi esent <tis-
T. 893.— «w<tetl.] The trtietl, /ail^lUil. Soati ia frWA. In.
itth ia ndttd. And tberefore wbst tbJi auothtst ifa*|iherd teaches
BUy be depended upon. N ewtoji .'
For which the ihtfpherdi at their fisstivali
Cand bergoodnew loud in rustick lays,
And thrAw tweet garland wreaths lato her str*am 850
Ofpansiei, piQlu, and gaudydaffodils.
And, aa the old swain laid, she can unlock
The clasping charm, and thaw the numiaiDg spell)
If she be right iurok'd in warbled song ;
For toaidenbood she loves, and will be swift 85J
To aid a vii^n, such as was herself,
Id hard-besettiogneed: this will I tiy.
And add the power of some adjuring verse,
8D!(G.
Sabrina fur.
Listen where thou art sitting b60-
Voder the glassy, cool, tranilucent wave.
In twisted braids of lilliei knitting
The loose train of thy amber-dropping hair ;
LJsten for dear honour's sake,
Godden of the ulver lake, 86S
T. ass,] Ssbrtea^ fldiuloui biitvry mftjr be seen in tbe immv
fir Magiitralei noder the Lenend of the LadaSBbraa, in Dmyton'l
PalyaVtum, Speuur't Faerie Qiunu, AlbiOQ'n Englaud, oar Autbor't
Hiitorr of btriand, Hordyng'i Ckmuck, and in ui aid Enybab bsl-
Ud 811 tke Bol^rect.
Tbe part of the fable of Cenuu, wbicb may be called tbe i>uM-
dUatinmft ii crideDtly founded on FletclKr'a Faitlifitl Shepkerdai.
Vhe mond of botli dramai i» the triumph of cliaitity. Tbii \u bot^
bflBaily braarht about by the aame aort of macbiaery.
Sabrina, a Tfrfbi aod a king's dBiigbteT,»aicanvi.TtedintDKri*cr-
■jBpb, that ber honour might be preserved inviolate. Still she pre-
•errcs ber iKaHeK-geHtlmsi ; ana every evening via:ta the cattle
among her tviln[ht meadswii, to heal the mi ecfaiefs inflicted by elfish
ma^dc. For thia sbe was praised by tbe shepherds. She protects
virfin'B in diatress. Sbe is noiv solemnly called, to deliver a virgin
tmpriiaDed in thespell of a detestable sorcerei;. She rises at (be lo-
Tocation, and leaving her car on an osiered rugby bank, hastem to
Itetp enmared chaalitji. She sprinkles, on the breast of j captive maid,
^eciauB drops sdected from her pnre fountain. She touches tbrice
the tip of tlie lady's finger, and thrice her mby lip, wild chaitte
{talmsminsf imd coii; as also tbe cuvenomcd chair, snueared with
tenacious gums. Tbe c'
*• tbe boirer of Amphiti
Otteni and nrc
Uaten, aod appear to lu.
Id mme of great Oceaaiu;
3x the eaith-ahakiDg Neptnne'g mace.
And Tethjs' gr^TC niajesiick poqe, £?(>
By hoaiy Nereus* wrinkled look,
And the Carpathian wigard's hook.
By scaly Triton's winding shell,
Ai)d old 8ooth-«aying Glauciu' spi^ll,
By Leucothea's lovely hands, . 875
And her son that rules the strands,
V- fli9-^-fin^ Ommw.] In the nwdiw f'tiM Spirit'* s4ivatiw» In
tk* Kft-4eili«i, it will tw cufivis to oburrt ^ow the poet !>*■ <Iut^
^itbed Ihcw by tbe epitJietR knd attribut**, vhicb ye iiwifned t*
4acfc of Uint >B tiw best clwuck utW*. Qrwl Qcwn*, m in H*-
•M n«<V' 80- *A«Mrft u ^v«>. Vitwn^.
T. s6g.] Neptniw ii niuall)' oiled tartk-ihakiitg in Greek.
*E>M<r^iiif , IL xii. S7, and 'Eioo-ixBm'i " >*- I>- ' N^wwr.
V. •70.] Jitky, the vife of Oecaniu, and mother of the Gods,
'IMSy well be inppoud to bave a grvoe majetticpact : Heaiod ealla her
««T>iB llfivf, 'A* DOMniW* 7(t^(, Theog. WS. NlwlVlt.
T. 879.] 7^ CarvHian lB»aTd ia ProJaif, who had a care at Cor-
paiiat, an island in the Mediterranean, and waa a vtionf or pTopbet,
•a alB9 Neptune's shepherd ; and as sach boie a Asdit. See Vbgilt
fowy. iT. 3?7. NnwTOW.
^^Oridfilfet. zi. Bsg, ■* CinpiMAMiMtfei.'' Tans.
T. (73,] THtoa was Neptone'a tiumpetcr, and was scoJy, «a all
these (orta of creatures are ; " aquamis nioda hiipldo corpore, etiaa
~ia hnmansm effl|iem habent." Plin. lib. ix. tscl. iv. Hi* leimJmg
" is psrticniarly described in Orid, Mtl. i. 333. Mawro*-
.] OUufctu was an excellent fisher or diver, and to ■
m» bnn
Aetiisp.
J"*" - <, , ,
Eds; and Nicsndersgiys that Apellohinueif lesTWl tAcsrt qf f"'
^Hin from Glaucui. See Attieoicaa hb. vii. cap. IS. And Enrl-
pidcB, drttt. 3G3, ciJIb him the seaman's profitl, ta.6 irterpreter of
nereua ; and Apollon. Rhodins, Argmaat. 1310, Kins hin tba aasM
kppellalfiM. NawToa:
T. S7f ,] Ina, ^pg ftoin the ra^ of her bnsbaad Athamaa, who
WBs ftirinssty msd,tbew herself Cram the top of a rock into the sea,
with ^fonJIMiiMrta in htr arms. Neptvae, at Ihs hilerccsrtn of
70 COHVS.
Bf Thfltia' tiiuel-alipper'd tett^
And the MMig* of Syren* tweet.
By dead Partbenope's dear tomb,
Aqd Ur Ligeia'i golden comb,
Whereirith ihe rita on diamood rocka,
Sleeking her loft alluring tocka ;
By all the nymphs that nightly dance
Upon thy itreama with wily glance.
Rue, riie, and heare thy rosy head.
From thy coral>paren bed,
LoKwtiAi to lier, ■nd to him Palmman. See (Md. Met. Ir. S98. Siie,
beiog Lntothea, or the mkitf gaddta, ma; well he lapfoaed to havt
lone/y harfi, vhicb I pmume the poet mentioni in oppoiitioB to
Thetii'/«t ' >nd her K>n nUi the ttrandt, hovbig the eomuiBil of
the port!, and therefore called in Latin Pertaaaau. StB Orid, FaM.
Tl. 5ts. Nbwtom.
' V. tTJ-—l»>»^-^Pff'^fitt.'iThe poet meant tbii aa a jwrapbrSM sf
iymtirtix o* ntver-ftettd, the niual epilbet of Thttit m Homer.
Nbwtok.
and aiiiging upon ibc coaal.
Saodji aaya, that the fiUralaoi meloitT of the Syren* hai a topo-
fraphical allBiion. " For Arcbippni telU of a, certaine Bay, cuo-
tractcd vithiii winding strei^ti and broken cliffei, wbirh. In the
ainging of tiie vinde* and beating of the billoWea, rntort a deJIgbt-
fidl hannoof , alluring thoM who wl bf to approach ; when forth-
with, throirue afainst the rocki by the wauei, and iwallowed i|i vio-
lent eddyes, Ik" Sandys'* OwTi Mtlam. B. V. p. 197. edit.
(637. I do not at preaent recollect any Archippna, except the xM
comick Greek poet; who ha* a fetr fragnKiil* in SlohKn*. Whoever
he be, SwDaerlia* exactly described the leat and allegory ofthe £y-
;«ai in the isme manner. See Jlwr. Qa. U. xii.ao. WaXtom.
V. 879-] Partliem^ and Ugat ware two of the Syren*. Parthe.
■ope** teni watat Naple*, which va* therefore called PartAenope.
Ptim. lib, iii. Sect, ii, Silina Ital. xii. 33. IJgiv ia aba the uain« of
■ Sea-Nyniph in Virgil, Oeotg. n. 336 ; and the poet draw* her in the
■ttilude iu which iperia^diarereprefented. See Orid. Slel. ir. 310,
of Salmaqii . Newton.
One of the employBcnli af the Nymph Salnacis In Orid, ia to
comb har hair. But that ftction ia here heightened with the bril'
liancy of romance. Ligea'acomb is of gold, audsbesitaen diauunj
inM±», There were new aUureioeitU for the vawary. Waktox.
And bridle in thy headlong wave.
Till thou our ■ummous answer'd hare,
listen, and save.
Sabkina ritet, attended hy Watet-Ifymphs, and lingt.
By the rushy-fiinged bank, 990
Where grows the willow, tmd the osier dank.
My sliding chariot stays,
tliick set with agate, and the azurn sheen
Of turkis blue, and emerald green.
That in the channel strays; 895
Whilst from off the waters fleet
Thus I set my printlese feet
O'er die cowslip's relvet head.
That bends not as I tread ;
Gentle Swain, at thy request, 900
I am here.
Sp, Goddess dear,
We implore thy powerful hand
T« undo the charmed band
Qf true rirpn here distrest, 905
Tlirongh the foT(>e, and through the wile.
Of Unblest enchanter file.
StAr. Shepherd, 'tis my office best
To help ensnared chastity :
Brightest Lady, look on me ; 910
Thus I sprinkle on thy breast
V- S%^—Lutat, md hh,] The repetition of the prayer, t. s66
and Bsg, iu the inTocatioa of Sahrinai, It itmllar U Ilmt of AMhjT'
Ini'« Choral ia the inrocatiOD of Dsrhu's shsde, Pirtf , t. 666 ud
6JA- TsTStt.
Coo^^k
Drops, th&t from niy fobnUia piiH!
I have kept, of prec'iooa cure ;
Thrice upon thy finger's tip,
Thric« upon thj rubied lip : 914
Next t]ua maible venom'd seat,
Soiear'd with gnmi oF glutinoot bcM*
I tonch with chaAe palms mwst and c«ld :—
Now the spell hath lost his hold ;
And I must haatet Cre DMrning boar, 919
To wait in Am[^itrite's bewei.
Ssbriaa dtKtndi, and the Lady riaei Mii tff her seal,
Sp. Virgin, daughter of Lodritie
Sprung pf old AnchiKs' liile.
May thy brimmed waves for dlls
Their fhll tribute never mis* "983
V. gi9.— Drnpi, kc,'] Tbis ccTcmaitr M^^wb the UwiMIt practice
of luatntian by drop* of water. Virr. Mn. xi. aSO. " He tbrtn
■MBtowd hi* conpuiioD with (itire waUr-"
" Spargea* rort leri."
Aad Orid, Mtl. IT. «79-
" Santii loibratlt aqaii Tbannutlu bis." iTAWKhi.
V.914.— 7ViM,&eO Compare Sha][lt>eBre,MA.N.ZV. A. lt.S.-vL
— -*• Upon AhM ey«* I tbrwr
** All the power thiaeliBnudotfa owe, Ice."
Bat Hilton, in moil of the circnmstuices of diwoltiax Uiii «huia,
it appareDlly to be tnced in vuriduB pastacei in the Faithfiil SAtf.
htnku. WkktVN.
T. ^33 —old JncUtea' Jiw.] For Locrine «» tbe Mn of Bnitua,
wfao ma the Km of SilTina, Silvio* of AKnnins, Aicanini of jEneai,
XneaMotAnchita, SteKMab't tJiMiiKynfSaglaiid,S.'u Vkwxok.
V. 935-1 The tonenU ftoB tbe Wtkb uovnl
-Ae8e*ero on Binddeotoa prodipona height. 1 .
{hey fill her motten cTgital mlh mud. Her stream, whieb of llwlf is
clear, ii then ducoloured and maddf. Thepoet adrertt tofbe'kBoiirn
nature propertin-af the rifer. Here i* ■■ echo to a eao^M in Joa-
MM'* Muk at Hig^Me, i&M. Fronbt,^^^. i6i6,p. 8«S.
" W nreeta mi feoerall iliding rilh,
** That ibreaiiM Erooii tspa of llwse leMe hilli, kc," Waktom.
OOMtJS. ts
From a tbodtaud petty tilts.
That tumble down the snowy hills :
Summer drouth, or singed air.
Never scorch thy tresses fair,
Nor wet October's torrent flood gJO
Thy molten crystal fill widi mod;
May thy billoirB roll ashore
Viie beryl and the goldtm ore;
May thy lofty head be crotm'd
With many a tower and terracti round, $39
And here and there thy banks upon
With g^roves of myrrh and cinnsmon.
T' 9Sa—Htag tkf bUUim, Ac] Thii li MuMriile m a wMt. Airi
jc^s wne inrcl; out of place iMncif tiie dCcwmtiMni of lUhriBB's
chario^ ou tbe lappotitioD that the; were the natural prodactioaa of
bej stream. The wish n eqoally iAai and iomflnr), nat her bads
■hoiUil be covered with pores of synlk and ciiuiMBaD. A wiali, COB-
fomaUe to tbt real itate of thinga, to Eoglbb aeaaoua and Engliik
IntUity, would have been more pleiMmc, ■■ iem nnHtiirri. Yet ««
But iwt too lerercl; try pMtay by tnith B*d Niiitp. Waktom.
r. 934.— M^%At/lylbarf,«M!.] So, of 4be imyctW psltuM af
AtIB*>P«r. Ser. B. ir, S«.
■^ Voiai^^oBi far
uto and trrrace*."
^d wiHi Ui* idea from hia vicinity to Windior-
IW* *^Te oddren 'of pstitnde to Sabrina, wm lafieMed la Mr
•HtbK by that of Amoiet to Ike riter-godin Fletchet-a^V<^ «1^
Atrddi, A. iii. 8. i. vol. iii. p. 1*7. Bat (fae form and nhject, ratbw
than the imagery, w copied. Hilton !■ aore inblime and learaed,
I^tclurmot^ natural and eaay. WAk»x,
T.gM.] Tbe couatrnction of tbcu two lines is a little difficnkj
tochnrn her bead with tower* li true imagery; but tr ' "~
In T. go6, bttuki is tbe. nominatiTe case, aa kadwas la the last
Tenebatoae. TheseiiBeandayntuiof (he wbuleis, Mkj Ijttj Imid
be enw'dnnatd aioul with towcn and tsnaeaa, and here ud thaw
[may] thy isnif [be crmm'd] ujwa with groves, &G. Evwr^vMra 9>»
ai ix6i*i' The phrase isQreek, Cuunm.
7* C0UV6.
Cmd^i LuLf I while Heaveii lendi us grace.
Let UH fly thii curaed placet
Lot the lorcerer u> entice 94I)
With some other nen device.
Not ■ nasite or needless sound,
Till we come to holier ground ;
I shall be four bithfal guide
Through tlus gloomy covert wide, 945
And not many fnrloags thence
Is your fother'i residence.
Where this eight are met in state
Many a fiiend to gratulate
His wish'd presence ; aud beside 950
All the swains, that there aUde,
With jigs and rural dance resort;
We shall catch them at thdr sport,'
And our ludden coming there
Will double all their mirth and cfaere; 955
Come, let us haste, the stars grow high.
But night sits monarch yet in the mid sky.
Tht Scau changes, preiaitii^ LwUmo town and the Pre-
ndenfs cattle; then come m Cotmtrtf Dancert, after
them the Attendant Spirit, with the Tko Brothers, md
(Ac Lady.
SoHo.
Sp. Back, Shepherds, back; enough yonr play,
Till next sttD-shine holiday :
Here be, without duck or nod, 96O
Other trippings to be trod
T. 960.— ^Kcl or md.] By Auk or nod, we sre lo nndentsnd the
sffectatitm of obeiunce. So, io Sing Sitiard III. A, 1. S. lit.
" Duck with Fteoch noii and apiafa coaiteiT.''
Again, in Lear, A. ii. S. ii
" Tbso twenl* lilly duclang obtervnU*,
" TlMi stretch their dnttM nicriy,"
C3.ifKi:,'C00t^l>J
COMUS, 75
Of lighter toes, aod luch court guise
As Mercury did first deviie.
With the miucing Dryadea,
On the lawna, and on the leaa. ~ 965
Thit leeomd iwg pretmU thai to tMir Father lutd Mother.
If oble Lord, and hadj bright,
I have brought ye new delight;
Here behold lo goodly grown
Three fiair branchet of yonr own ;
Hesren hath timely tried their youth, 9^0
Their futh, their patiencei and their truth)
And lent them here through hard aaaay>
With a crown of deathleu praiw.
Compare Midt. N. Dr. A. Hi. S. }.
" Ned to him, tint, and do him coartniM." WAETotf.
By dackt and iu4, onr inthor allnde* to the conatn people'* «iik-
vard mj of dBDoing. Aod, the two Brotheri aod the Lady beinf
Bair to dance, he dracribet tbeir elegant way of mniog by tnppiugt,
UghttT Isa, BMTt gviie, &c. He follows ShaI(apeare,who malwt Ariel
tdl Pnwpero, that hii Hatken,
" Before yon can uy, come and go,
" Aod breathe twice, and cry ao, ao,
** Each one, lnppi»g on kii toe,
" Wilt be here witb mop aod mow."
And Oberon command* hia Fairiea,
" Erery elf, and biry apTite, .
" Hop as light a» bird from briar,
« And this ditly after me
" Siog] and danc« it trippingbi.''
The Dryads were nood-Nymphs. Bnt here the Ladies, wbo ap-
peared OB this occasion at the conrt of the-lord president of the
■DHrcfaes, are very elegantly termed Dryadts. Indeed the prophet
COmpUinB of the Jewish women for mineing as they go, iMOiak iii. ]6.
Bnt onr %utbor naei that word, only to exprcai the nratwii of Ibor
fait- Pbok.
TVippts; and trad, as Mr. Warton obsenva, are lechnieal tenna.
See L'Jlltgro,r. 33. And Chancer, MUUr't T1U4, *. aao.
« Id twenty manir contb be trip and daaan."
Google
To triumph in victorious dtnce
O'er senaaal Folly and Intempenpoe. Q/j
7%« DMcet [being} auU, the Sprit e^bgvhes.
Sp. To the ocean now I Qy,
Ab4 thoM liappf eliraet Hat lie
Where day never shuts hia eyci
Up in the broad field* of the sky :
There I suck the liquid sir ^1f
All Bmidat the gardeni fair
QF Heapenu, and hii daughters three
Tliat nng about th« golden tree :
V. 97«— r<> He ocean, kc.] Thii tpeecL is eridentlir a psrapTiriM:
OB Arieri Soog ID the Tempett, A. v. S. I.
" When lit bee mda, tkirt mcH." WAttavmnt.
Pindar in hii aecondOlympick, and Homer in hiiftiartkOdTMCf,
dncribe ■ happy ialaod at tbt ttf rcBiit* W Ac aoraa, or rather
I«" - .
Attn of aaliqait;, fron Speaser'* gardena ^ Adaaia " fcaa|^ wUk
pleainraa nwnlfold," hoB Uw satBC gardcDa ia Maiina'a VAdmitf
Ariosto'i garden of Paradiic, Taua'a f a r dan at AcBid*, and Spaa.
ler'a boweT of Bliiae. Tbe garden af £deu if abaolutelj Hiltan*i
pwn creation. Waktoh.
T. 979.— Mxuf ijieUi.] It niB^ be doabted wfaethjer fron) nrgU,
** Aem in camiM talis" Xn. ti. SSS. For at flrat he had writteu
]iJamieldii,irithaiiother idea: A JR«i(stcnt ofrcrdBto. Wabtoi.
T. 9§l.l The daoghlent of HcBpenii the brother ef Atlat, flrat
mentioned in Miltan'i muiaBcript u their ftlher, had nnlena or or-
chard! which prodnced apples of gold. Spenaer muea them the
danghtrrs of AtlBB, Faer. Qu. ii. vil. 64. See Ovid, iMflas. h. 6s6.
An4AnoUodi)r. £U'. L. ii. f ii. But irhat ancient fWer cdebratea
these daniiels for their akill ia sin|;ing ? Appolloniua Rhodioa, w>
sntboT whom Hiltan taught to hi) icooUn, Arggn. ir. I3g6.
Earipidaa, Hilten'a fsvaarita trag>e)[ poet, ai Mr. DwuWi W
•baarred, cetdbrata the daugbten of Heapcra* Mdcr O^ litk tf
'TMXHAES KOPAI, Herf.Fw.T.a93. Seealat»Hippoljftna,v.750.
Todd.
V. g»3.—gti^ inw.] Maaj ray thrit the app^ft of Allaf '■ BWt'lf
were of gold : Oyid is Ifae only nncient writer that aaji the trtti won
orgold,at«iBt.iT.036. frijLTex.
COMUS. 77
Along tlie criip«d oliadH and bowers -
Revels the spnice and jocund Spring ; 9S^
The Graces, and the Toay-bosom'd Houn,
Thither all their bounties bring ;
There eternal Summer dwells
And West-Winds, with musky wing,
About the cedar'n alleys fling 990
Nard and Cassia's balmy smells.
Iris there with humid bow
Waters the odorous banksi that blow
Flowers of more mingled hew
Than her pnrSed scarf can shew ; '99S
And drenches with Elysian dew
(List, mortals, if your ears be true,)
Beds of hyacinth aod roses,
Wh«% young Adonis oft reposes,
' T. 993,} AJimr i« here uHiraly OMd, u in B. tuid Fletcbei'i laetr't
PTvpm,A.n. S. i ▼«!.▼. p. 3SD.
" The wind that blom the ApriUjIonwi not softer."
Tlat ia, " nukei the eowers blow." So, in Jtrauo'i Muk at BiKb-
gsU,1604.
" FDrtbeie,FaTaiiiaihereihallibir
" J(ewj(oiB»ri, which yow Bhall see to grow." WaETOM.
V.99S.] fVMli fringed, or embroidered. Vi.Fm^fU.
Thus io Pint PlMnHH. P. ii.
" I wai ware of > woman warthlyich clotbed,
" J's^fiMwith pelure the fineat npon erlha."
Aod is Chancer, Maufi Pnlague.
" I aee hii a\entpa^Ud st the hande
" WitbgTyB,audtbatthefines[intbeIande.''
St» also Speoaer, Faer. Qa. i, ii. 19. and Ii. iii. a6. ToDD.
V 997.— ifyow eari he (me.] Intimating that this Sang, which fbl.
Ivwi, of Adwit, and Cb^ and Piyche, is not for the profane, bnt
oaljUir utUpargtdtari. See Upton's jpenMT, Notei on B. iii. C. Ti.
So the Enchanter, abore, at T. 7S4, has " nrither eor nor ml to
apprehend" lablimc myiterln. His tar no leis Ibui hia imU, vaa
iapni«, onporgad, sod Bsprepared. Wakton.
l;, GOOt^l>J
78 coves,
WaxiDg well of hiB deep woond IWM
In slumber soft, and onthe grtmnd
Sadly tits the Assyrian queen i
But far above in spangled theen
Celestial Cupid, her fatii'd tan, adraneM,
Holds his dear Psyche sweet entraac'd, I40S
After her Traodering labours longy
Till free consent the Gods among
Make her Ins eternal bride,
Asd from her fair unspotted side
Two blissful twins are to be bom, lOlO
Youth and Joy ; so Jove hath sworn.
But now my task is smoothly done,
1 can fly, or 1 can run
Quickly to the green earth's end.
Where the bow'd nelkia slow doth bend ; (015
T l^M.—Jayridm fuva.l Vrtnt ia Ctrikd the Ait^riim ftn.wn,
beoDM ihe wai first worsfaipped by tbe AujtUbi. See I'miwdmb,
Auk. lib. i, cap. kiv. Kewton.
V. 1010] Utmdimblntly Millon'i ■Hmlon at large, is b*™ t*
SpenaPr'* allegDrical f[urdvn uf Ailouia, Focr. Qa. iii. vl. 46. a^q. Bat
at the uDie lime, bis mytbology ban • vefcreuce to Sjienao'a Himne
^£«<<, where Lottit bigaeil to dwell " in a paradiie uf all deligbl,"
vilh Hebe, or youlh, and the rest of the darlinga of VcnDS, who sport
with bii cbHiihMr Plewuve. For thefobl* anil illegon orCupid and
Psyche, He Falgentias, iii. 6. And Apaleiifi for Psyche'i wandtrtHg:
lataurt long. Wartoit^
y.\tns— am nowmsitisk it iniitUsi<mi.\ So awl^pcBn's Pros-
pero, in the f^ilogoe to tbe Tempet,
" Now my chaniM are all o'erthromi, &c"
And thus the Salyr, ie Flctcber'a Faithftl Sheplerit)', who bears
the character of uur Attendant Spiiit, when bin office or commiSHioB
ti flnished, diapUys hit power mid aetiFity, proBiiing any fart&er
aerricAt, S. nlL p. 195. WiRron.
V.W\t.-~Tktgrtt»*arll'ttni.} Cape dc Terd iilca. SynpsOm;
v. lOIS —Where lie tmj'd wttkm tlaio doth iend.] A curve wbick
beads, or desceiuls j/oicju, /rom its great atttp. Bending bas tbe
^me sense, of Dover cliff. In K, Lear, A. iv. S. 1.
" There ii a cliff whose high tfidiaiJiBg beii
" LAOkafaarfvllyan theesiifioad^scp."
Goot^l>j
COMVfi*
AttA. from th«BCe can roar as soon
To the cornera of the moon.
MoftatSf thst wonid fnnow me,
Love Virtae ; sbe afone is free :
She Oil teach ye how to clime
Higher thaa the epbery ebitue;
Or if Virtue feeble were.
Heaven itself would stoop to her.
A*d, « the fuf ilAJ Si ,
itaa <* ieajij^ tuIe," t*. 39,
SylTCSter, u Mr DuiwterobiKrmii,kajtbe"keimti'«S«iD'rfiTirJUf,'*
The phivsc nay have tiriginatcil frfmi Putili* ciU*. ^ t Boa Iby
AeOLfUjO Lor<l^" wliicli Saodjii [liiiB jib rap li rases :
" GtSM God, Btsopp (rom the ieadhig «kiiM."
"V. \021.—The'phfTiicfiimf.'] C*iww, llal, Cima. Trtfie m« r-fffme
iu tbecuDimunseiiBe, b^f^JCofii. T. raS. ncmay dO so hen, but t%«a
fhe expressioD a lictatious, I Eoppirie for the nAt of Uie rhyme,
HUKD.
ThKiphtTy chltiK it the munel qfihe tfheret A* JQ Uachju'i i)utii«
Knighl, )60B, Recd-B Vid Plagt, vol. ir. 4«7-
" U»asa»savera«theeAi>irfof^Aer«," WiKToW.
V. losa] The Moral of this pofm is vPr; £aely MiniiDed np in
tbe aiK coQclnding lines. The thought, contained in the ttta lail,
nii°:hl probably be ca|;geElcd ia our aothor by a yaBsage in the
Taite nf Ceba, where Patieoce aiiil PerBever«nce are repreacnted
Moopiiig »iid atretchiag out their haoda to help up those vho are en-
(feaTooriog lo climb the eraggy bill of Virtue, and yel are too feeble
to csceuii of themaelvea. TavER.
Had IhiB lp»med nod ingenieus Ci'iliek daly reflected on the
joflyiuiiidaf Milloa' sioit »ilb the love of aacred sonf.' and aooftea
and so BDblimely employed on lopicks of religion, he mij(ht readily
h»ve found a ButQect, to whkh the Pof I obyiously and divinely at-
fudes in tlieee C(tii<^luduig lines, witbout fetching Uie tbnught from
the Tablr 'if Cedes.
In the preceding remarli, I am conTtnccd BTr, Thyer had no ill io-
tentioi): bst, by overlooking so clear and pointed an sllusion In a
Babject, calculated to kindle that lively glow in the buaom of eiery
Chriallan vhich the Poet intended to excile.snd by referring it to au
image in a profane author, he may, beside stifling the sublime effect
BO happily produced, aHard a handle to iome, in these ' evil days,'
who are willia|E to make the religion of Socrates and Cebcs (or that
af Nature) supersede the religion of Christ.
The Moral qf Ihe poem it, indeed, reryjfirWjmsnaerf op m lAt tixam't
ttaiing Una; in which, to wind up one of the most elegant prodQC'|
to COMUS,
tiMw of "Ut nnlai, ■ Ibe Focfi eye, io a flue phreniy rollipg,' tbnw
op It* lut gluKC to Heareu, in rapt conlemplatioa qf tbat ilupeo-
dom Mj'itcry, vbenby Be, the loftj theme of- PanAte Regained,
■tv^inf trom above all beii-bt,' bowed tbeIleaT«ia,aiid caoM down
ttn Earth, to atone ai Man fbr the Sim of Ura, tottteogtbea feeble
Virtue b; the influence of tui Grace, and to tewh bei to aacend fait
thnme. Egektok.
T^ kit Hoe had been written tbu« bf Milton ;
" Hesnni itaelf wonid hoa to ker-"
Be alteitd toB toil«#p, became the latter void ei^iaei greater
COodeKenaion. So, in bia Odt « iit Poaun, be appliea, to Ihe Sod
«fGodvben be took our mtBre upon faim, the pbraae "tlOBpiHghim
MfBl bend." Tbw Craahaw aa;>. Poems, ei. Fana, |65S, p. is, that
Cbriafa
" aH-embracing birth
" Lift* earth to beavcD, ' "*" "
The AltcDdaDt Spirit, it may be added, openi the poem with «
' ■—''— of the reward wbich Virtue pramiBe*," after this mortal
ke aeiTBDts ;" Tlie poem, therefDre, may be eDD«ide»4
d, with the eolemn and ink
TOBB,
l;,GOOt^l>J
THE BEAUTIES AND THE FAULTS
C O M U S.
JN tbe peculiar diipoaitioD of (he alory, the iwceliKn of tb*
■BOiben, the juitneM of the repression, nod the rooral it t»che^
there it nothing ntnot in auy language like tbe Mask of Comufl.
Milton's JuTcnile Poenu ore to no otherwise, than as lUey wen
written in hii yoang«r jeanj for their difnitjr uu) excdknce tfaej
are sufficient In have set him imon; tbe moat celebrated of the
poet*, CTca of tiie wieientB themselves: his Haik and Lycidas ars
pcrbtqis superior to all in tbeir seTerai kinds. Rich«kdso«.
Comus is written very macb in imitation of Sliskspeare'a Tempest,
and tbe fcitbful ShepherdeES of Fletcher; aod though one oF Iba
ffivt, is yet one of ibe moit l)esntifal »f HiltDn'n compositions.
Mitlou seems in this poem to hate imitated Shakapesre's manner
more than in any other of hli works; and it was vvry natural for a
young author, preparing a piece for the »tap?,.to propoee to himself
for a pattern the moat celebrated master of Engl itb dramatic poetry.
Tbyek^
Milton has here more professedly imitated the manner ot Shak.
■peare ia his fairy acenes, than in any other of hia works : and hii
poem ii mncb the belter for it, not only fur the beauty, variety, and
novelty of bi* images, bnt for a brighter rein of poetry, and an eaae
anddelicacy of expression very auperior fur bis natural manner.
If this Haak bad been revised by Millon, when hii ear and jadr>
■KDt were perfectly formed, it bad been the most exquisite of u)
his poems. As it is, there are some pnerilitir* in it, and many
inacfufaciesof eipretaioo'and versification. The two editions of
bis Poems are of i64S aod 1673. In 164s be was, as he wouU
Ibink, belter emplnyed. Jn 1673 he would condemn himself tbr
kaviog writteo such a thing- as a Mash, especially for a great lord,
and a sort of viceroy. HuRD.
The greatest of Milton's juvenile performances is the Mask of
Cbmui, in wluch may very plainly he discovered the dawn or twi-
light of Paradise Lost. Milton appears to have formed very early
thatsyatcm of diction, aud modeof verse, which his maturer jadg-
nenl approved, and from h bicb be never endeavound nm" deaired t*
ikrotc.
1;, Goot^l>j
<S BEAUTIES AKD FAULTS
Nor deci Comaa afford onl; a «ppc[iii«n of hit laDgsi)^} lit
nhibili likewise bia pawer of dcfcriptiua wnl bis rigonr of *euti-
uicnl, employed iu the praiie and defence of virtue, A work dhm
truly pkMical is rarely fsuiidj alluiioQi, iiDMIci, and ik>chptiT«
rpilneti, embetliih ilnioBt erery period with lariih decaratiaa. Ai
a aeriea of liara, tbertfore, it may be coiutdered ai worthy of all
tlie admitstion wilh which Ibe vatariea have received it.
Ai ■ drama it is deficient. The aetiuii ii not probable. A maugni,
in those pari* whei'e Bupeinatnral InterveDtioD is admitted, muit
indeed be giren up to all the lrejki< of luiBjfinstian ; but, w for ■■
Ihe uction is merely human, it ouoht to he reaionable, whicb can
bardly be said of the conduct of ihe tno brothrn, who, when tbeir
tiater sinks with fatipie in a pathlcBS nilderuess, waiidef both away
lOjCelbcr in aeareh of berriea too far to Bnd their way back, and
leare a helpleu lady ti> «]l Ihe fadnen and danger of aolilnde:.
Tbii' TiOBCTf r IB a defect overhulanccd by it* conveBienee.
. What deierres more reprehension ia, tbat the pniogae apafentiH
tbe wild wood by the Attendaat SpirH in addremed ta the auili*!!**)
a mode of communication ao contrary lo the nature of dramolie re-
preBeotalion, I hut no precrdenli cib lapport it.
The diiCMirse of the Spirit ii toot long ; aa objeetixt that nurf k*
■i^ite ts almaat all the followia; apeecbea^ ihey b«r« aat Uf
apri^tlinrsa €if ■ dialognc aainati^ri by leeipncal cooteialioiv tti*!
*eem rather declamaitiwM dehheratetj: eonpoaed, aad fa ti ia a llj
lapaalad^oo a moral qaeatiso. The amlitorthiirefi^ liatena as to a
|«Iue,»ithoiLt paaaioD, uithoat anxiety
TliS aoDi; of Camus haa airliiesii aud jollity ; but, vbat nay re-
■ouMeiid Milton'a moral as well oM hie piielry, Ihe invlta(iotta to ;
pleasdre are au geucral, that tbey excite no diBtiitcl inagea of ',
corrupt enjoyme^it, and take no dau^rons hoM on ifae Ancy.
Tbe fotlo»iag goli.loqaies of Cumua aud the Lady are eleEant, baft
l«lioiif. The EOng muat owe much fo tbe voice, if it e»«r CB«
delight. At last tbe Brnthtra enter, with too mnch traw)«il)ity^
and when Ihey have feared ItsI their alater abould be in danger, and
boped that abe is not ia ^^ag^r, tbe el^er nidies a apaicii in
pmiae of cbaility, uid the younger ftods kaow'tiw i^ tm to bo a
Bhifesopber.
Then dnaenda the Spirit in fiimi of a. aheplicrd^ awt th« Be*.
ther, inittead of beiof in haste I* a^ )i« ke^. praitea bia U^Sbifi
•fidinqu r« hisbuaineui iutbatplace. It ki remmkahle, that at
Ibki interviFw tba Brother is talten with a sbert tit of rh^imiDg.
lite Spirit idotaa that tbe Liuly i« in the po«er of Coniud; the
Baothcr moralizes agaitij aud Uie Spirit malics a long narration .
•r no use, l>ecaM< it t» (alae, uul thetefoie uuuiitolile to a good
Ikediapnta between the Lady and Como" ™ the most animated!
■tod affectii^ soene of Ibe dvama, and wanta nothing knt ■ briaker
jetijavcation of objections aud re|)lics to invite attertion, aad de- (
t the whole, the li[iir«a are tto bo;d, and tba I
OF COMtfS. t$
gMf* (•• Ia>nrUn( for dialof^oe. ft i< s tfrUu tn-Ac (pic «ty1c,
iBel^SDUy iplBadid, and tadia«ly itutracHve. Joiii<«o«.
Miltaa'i Coinui is, I think, one of the Qdnt )ir<)duc(ioua iit ^
Bodem timeai and J don't know «hethei' la admire' Dimt the'
poetry of it, drtbe philoeophy, wbUh is oF tli« nobleEt kind. The'
■Bisect of il I like better thsu that oC the Pamdise LoHt, which, 1
Ihhik, il not hiioiaii eiioagh to touch the rammoii ft'c-Ungs of ha-
■■iiuity,a>puctry aught ladoj the Divine Pei-son^EB he has introduc-
ed are of too high a kind to act any part in poetry, and the scene sf
tite action it, for the greater psirt, quite ont of nature. But the sab.
ject af the Comng ia a fine isjthologtcat tale, marrellous eitoug^-
aa all poetical aabjecti tboald be, but at the same time Vunua."
He begins hii pirce in llie manner of Euripides, and the desceod-
iug Spirit that prolognisei, makes the finest and grandest opening nS
any theatrical piece Ihut I know, ancient iir inodem. Tlie conduct
«f the piece is aiisveralile to the bi-glnning, and the versihcBtios '
of il ia finely varied by short and long verses, hlanli and rhyming, J
and the iwectest snngs that ever were composcil; nor d» I kaoir '
any thing in Eng'ish poetry comnarahle to it in this respect, eKcept
Drjden'a Ode on St. Cecilia, which, for the length of the piece, ha*
all the variety of verilGcutitni that can n ell be imueinnl. Aa t*
Ote style of Camus, it is mor^ elevated, I Ibisk, thaii that of any oF
his writings, and Bu much above what is u-ritlcn at present, that I
am inclined to make the saine dislinctlDn in the English iRnguage,
Ast Homer made of the Greek in his tiaie ; and to say, that AIjI'
toD^s languid i> the lBngili>« of the gods ; whereas wa af ttiia a^e
■peak and write the language of mere mortal men.
If Ike Comus was to t>e properly represented, with all the deco-
rations which it requitei, of machinery, scenery, di'Css, music, au4
■lanciag, it would be the finest exliibitiun that ever whs Keen ai>oa
anif Biodcrn atagt. But I am afraid, with all these, the priaci(id
part would be ttiil wonliugi I mean players that could wield tba
laosuage of Milton, and pronounce those fine pciiods of hid, bj
which fachas contrived to give his poetry tlie beauty of the fitiest
prose compositiuii, and without which there can be nothing great
ernablein cumpoaiiion df any ki{td. Or if we could find playcn
who bad breatli and organs [toe these, as well aa other tiaiiga,
begin to fall lu this generation), and sense and taste enough, projiei^
ly to proDouDce such periods, 1 douht it would not be easy tu find
an audience that could relish them, or perliaiie tliey would not huva
AllCTitioD and compreheuaion snf&cieol to connect the aenae of
tkem, being accustomed to that trim, spruce, ahnrl cut of a style,
which Tacitus, and his modern imitatora, French and English, hava
Bade fashionable. Lord Monboddoi
If I might veatore to place Milton's works according (a thair it-
greet of poetic ejiccllence, it abould be ptrhaps in the fallowiDf
■M^r: Paradise Lost, Comas, Samao^i Agoniatcii, Lycidas, I.'AtlegrOi
II PeoaerosD. Dr. J. WAmmH.
We nreat not read Comus with an eye to the stage, oi' with the
Mipectation of dramatic propriety. Under thii restriction the abaur-
dity of the Spirit speaking lo aa audienee in a mlitary fiireit at
nidnight, and the want of reciprocation in tke dlnlogae, are ovfT'
looked. Comua ia a Suite of spetcbcs, not interesting by disciimi-
9* BEAUTIES AMD PAULTS
■aUan of ctnu'iicter; not covreyiaf a vuicty of iBcldoU^ BSrf
nadnaUy, exciting corinily; but perpetually BttnctisK ■tlention
iy lubliine BCDliroent, by fiuwifu] iuiu^ery of the richest TeUi,by ui
exuberance or'fktOT.ique dcBcripliau, pqetiwl &Ilnsion, ^ai orna'
BKBtitl eiLpreBiDii. nhile it widely departs from tlie p^tesque
UMDialiiBorthe ilaak ooif in ftibiou, itdifca not nearly approach to
tbe Dituial couitilution of u rfgnlar play. There ia a chastity in
Ihe nppliraliou mdconilact uf the luarhinery; aad Sabnna is intro-
dacFd uith inncb addrtes, sfier the Srothen had imprudently auft
fered the encbaDtmrut of Comui to take effect. This is the first
time the alU L'l|;lish Mss'it aas in aume degree reduced to the priu-
dpieg and form of a rslianal composition ; yet still it could not but
tetBiu iDuie of its arbittaiy peculiarities. 'The pMl had here pro-
perly no more tu do with the pathos of tragedy, thnn the character
of comedy : nor dn I kuow Ibat be watt conliDed to the usual model
of theati'icd iuterlocution. A great critic obserres, that the 4i>pute
betireeii the Laily and Comus is tbe most animated sod affecti&g
Jcene of the piece, Pei'ba|ii sonie other sceaea, either conslaEiDg
only of a soliloquy, oi of three or foor speeches only, bave afforded
more true pleasure. The winie critic thinks, Ibat in all the moral
dialogoe, altbougb the languufce is poetical, and the seatimeiiti
(^neroBB, Fomt-thmg is still wantiii^ to nllure attention. Bnl surely.
Id such piosHges, aentiments so genciaus, and language so poetic^,
are anflicieut to roDiw all our feelings. .For this reaann 1 cunitat
■dtnit liis pOi^ttiun, that Comus is a drama tediously iostrucCivc.
And if, aa ke aayi, to these elbical diacusBioni the auditor liltess,
as to a lecture, without paasion, vithaut anxiety, yef he liatens with
elevation and delight. The action is said to he Improbable, because
tbe Brulliei's, when their tlsler sinks with fatigue ia a patblfess wil-
deruna, wTuider both avay together in search of berriea, too far tn
find their way bocV, and leave a helpleia lady to all the an^ueu and
danger of solitude. But here is no desertion, or neglect oi the lady.
The BTDthbra le^^vc their aister Under a spreading pine in tbe forest,
fiiiiilin" for refreshment; th<7y go to procure. b.erriea or some other
fruit for her immediate relief, and, with great probahilityj loae th^r
way in goii^c or relnming. To say uothing of the poet's art, in
making this very natural nod simple accident to be productive of
the dlitrei.1 which forms the fitlurchusineiB and complication of the
fable. It is certaloly a fault, that the Bralhera, altbuurh with >ome
Indicntlous'of anxiety, ihonld enter with so much traBi|iiil1ityi when
their sister is lost, and at leisure pronoUBCe philosophical panegyrics
on the mysteries of virginity. But we must not foo serupuHiosly
■tlend to tbe exigencies of Mtoqtion, nor auStr ourselves to suppose
that a-e ore reading a play, which Milton did not mean to wtite.
Theie splendid iiijertlona will please, independently of tbe story,
from which however they result; and tbeir elegance aOd mbfimity
willovcrbalance their want of place: In a Greek tragedy, neh sen-
timental harrangnea, arising irom the subject, would hare been givea
or a jKiem, I am of opiniu, UMt i>ur aulhor ia here Mriy inferior ta
hii own Paradiic Lost. ' YfAtens.
i;,'^b0gl>J
eOMUS. 89
icct potn gf tb«t nUiEH temf. Wakuibld.
Pcrhapa the cvndaci sad coflTsn«tMa af tba Brathrrt bu« oat Iw
altogether iodefentibte. Thej twra lort tkeb VKjr In • fercit mt
night, and are in " tbc vamt of %btBod Muaa." It would aow b*
il»iig«iiiin Ibr then to rwB abODt an ankmiri) wllderacM ) and, if
they ibonid aeparate, in arder to wck tbair liftcT, they Bi|ht Ioh
each othet. Id Ihi ■ncerlaiBtj of what wai tbeir beat ^u, thay
thercAirc natarally wait, exptcliag to htar perhapa thf erj of -tMr
bat aieter, or hhim doih to whi«h thtg would hara^Kiacted tb«f
ktep*. The jounger Brother aniaaaly CKprCHea tul Hf iihianitni
fiir hii liiUr The Elder, in re^, tnuti that ihe ia a»tia liaiUMj
and, inrtead or.giring my to thoac fean, whiak the Yaaaftv,
repeats, expltiaCca on the alreHgtboTchaatity: bj tha illutntionsC
whieh uwumeat he conlideutly maintaiBa the bope of tbeii aialai^
aafety, while he beguile* the perplexity of their own aitnation.
It bu been obw-red, thai Camsa ia not eakalated to ihine itt
theatric (aifalbilkB fbr ihoae veiy realou wblcb coutitntc >t*
caKotial and apeciftc nerit. Tbe Putor Fido of GMrisi, whidt
aka rarWwi the reader, ootild not aaeceed apoa the ataga. It ia
aoSclent, that Camaa ditplayt the ti-vc ioarcea of poetical deU|^
■ad moral inMrnctlon, in iti ehanning inagcry, in its original co».
ceplioiii, In it* labliiDe dictien, in iu Tirlaoua sentioienta. TIa frw
iaaccnraeiea wiigh but a« diut in the balaace agalaat it« psatftt
mait. And, in ahnrt (if 1 may be allowed reapectfnlly to differ
from th* high aathority of a preceding note), I am of opinion, that
Ibis puUral draon iibMhfrtwwfblty ■p)eDdid,aad<tefightfnUytn-.
■tractin, ToDlh
With Sbakipeare the whole, with exception to aome mde oa Mto t a
or aiiggegtioni of tbe atory, ia tbe immediate emaaation of hli bwd
mind : but Milton'a erudition ptobibited bin from tbia extreme
originalit] , and wa« perpetnallyiapplyinghlm with thonglrta, which
■ontd aomet'imeit obtain the preftroice from hla judgment, and woold
aometimct be mittaken fbr ber own property by his imention. Ori-
ginaj, however, he U ; and uf all the toni of aong inferior in thh re-
qnliite of geoiui only to Sbaiapeare. Neither of tbeae wonderAil
men waaso ftr pririleged aborB hia specie* a* to poiaeal other dkmii
ofacqniring knowledge than throngh Ibe inlet* of tbe lenaei, and tfafl
tnbaeqaent operationiDfthe miod on tbia 1! ret man of ideqa. Tbe
moat exulted of hnman inlelligeuces caanot Ihnn one mepta] {Aan-
taam anoomponndedof tbii viaibleworld. Neither Shakapeare tne
Hilton couldconceiT* a sixth corporBl Koae, or a cfealare abaototely
distinct from tbe iuhabiten of this world. A Caliban, or sB Ariel^
a deril, or an angel, are only aereral anuositlooa and medMcationa
of onr aniBal crMHon ; and hearen and hell can be bailt wftb nOtb<
ing more than o«r larreBlrial elemenfs tiewly arraagcd and tarjotisly'
<^ubiiied. The distinction, theretnre, between one hnman intcltf
^uceand another mnat he occaiioned adlely by the Afferent degree*
ofcleame**, A»r«e, andqnicknesa, witli which It perceives, retain^
ani conUnei. On the rapcriority h)-tb«ae laent^ ftcnities It wauld
a6 COHDS.
be difiFolt to daci^e between th'oae extrsordliiaTy' toeo, who an Ibv
imnKdiUft lutgertf of oar remsrk: for, ifire are utoniibed at thai
power, irbicb, frain > ain|Ie iiMt, u it were, could collect (nfficient
lUteriBb for the cofutmction uf ■ world of hii own, wc caaimt fW
witlniit wonder it thai proud nagniGcence of iutellect, which nub-
IBS, "^^ "X*^ mi^ty riTCr, throngb extemled Ukea, and receiviof
inio it! boaoni th« eoBtribatory waten of ■ thoutand n-gions, pr^
■crrei iti coarae, ib oane, and it* character, entire. With MilloD,
(Vom wkate*ermilietbeoreBiBy«rigiaa]lybe derived, tbecoiu iunei
ftom hi* owa miDt with his owd ibh^e and aupcncription, aad pain*
nta CBireney with a value peculiar to itaelf. To speak »ccuratelf ,
th«Mnd«f Shakapeareconid pot create ; and that of Milton invent.
edwilheqaal, or nearly equal, power and effect. Ifwe admit, in
^cTeoipeat, or the HidsniniBer's Night's Dream, a higher flight
•f the inTentire facalty, we must allow a ten intFrmpled slrelcb of
it ■■ the Comus: ill this poem there may be wnnething, which might'
hare been eorrteled by the reviling judgment of Iti author ; but ita
crron in thought and language, are so ftw aud trivial that they maat
be regarded ai the inequality <rfthe plumage, and natal the dcprcs-
■ion or the nnsteaditiesi of the Wing. The most aplmdid reaultB of
^abspeare'i portry are still urged, and separated by bodk iater-
poeing defect : but the poetry of the Comus may be contemplated ••
■ lerie* of gem* atrung oo golden wire, where the sparkle ihovls
Along the line with scarcely the ioterrention of oneopake ipot.
SVMHOMS.
- nieadininble commentary of Mr. Warton npos Comus had di>-
plsyed its excellencies with so much power, and uafblded its obecbte:
allurioas with so sure a penetration, that but little Rmained to ane.
ceeding annotators, encept indeed, as they extended their own read-
ing, to &iKy or find thai the amazing industry of Itlilton had anti-
cipated their sludiei. The great mistake of these gentlemen, who,
with M. Fuseli, seem to imagine that to invent is only to find, ia
that they treat Comus as though the great puet had not couceiveid it
on mparlicuUir occasion, as though it bad not been written upon the
tpuT of that occasinn, but that on the contrary all antiquity, and all
modern latinity, every old wife's (ak, aud every pastoral dramti
bad been elaborately plundered ^or plot, incident, character, senti-
ment and expression, and that this exuberant production of genius
in its prime, was a pedantic compilation of cold, deliberate plaei^-
isms. It is high lime to assure our minute critics, that when a hero
is conceived to be the sob of Bacchus and of Circe, *' Joy and feast,
tipsy dance and jointy" will attend him without the suggestion of ■
Dutch trifier, and that dancers are apt to " kalt bands and beat t&»
ground," untaught by Futeano*. Let us desist from sach coki.
ments as lead the reader to undervalue the power of genius, and sink
the ardour of his reverence into a foolish wonder at the extent at k
poet's reading and memory.
ComuB has been rendered popular upon our st^e by music ofgreal
sweetoesi, and sometimes by rccitaliun of great beauty. . But ao
little did the powers of Milton bend to the exigencies of the stage,
that hehasthronn the sublimett passages of the drama iutoipeeches
' too long for utterance, or dialogues too heavy to be endured. — Tba
phltoBopher and the poet are equally ambitious to display all Ibe
reverie* af viaionuy b^Uilude, «ad all the amplifications •£' (ot-
COM ITS.- - 87,
mn hiiMery— the potm it Hie trin»p* of thought mi Uni^aagfl i -.
Huioa hM but little Bcope in such a design Something to be siire
nay be eaaght from tyeo a hanisd delwery of such matter, and
•umething may be added by tbe art of the actor, and the deiten tj of
the TDBChiDiat, and (that ndicnlotiit<jptc sf eulogy) the JiieniUjF of
tbe Manager ; bnt" Ae cimet ia tbe proper •eat of in influence-
CemuB to be reaHy eochanting, ron»t like the Mme be " strictly
meditated." Wheo an actor ri»e» capable of anch atody, and curtea
the (ruita of it to the gtagf^rBpregeotation, he leams, like Bendeb-
MM BD iniprpiBion of roloptuoos hilarity, perroisim blaDdiibment,
keeii raillerj- and maKterlj sophistry, which hutfcf hii JBdnneot the
public would oeTerhaTE received from tbe theatre, and which only
the few could fully discover in tbe poem. B.
THE REPRESENTATION.
Itdoniurt appear that tbe maaque of f^mna was e*eT acted, ex-
crpt at Lodlow Castle, till 1738, more than a centnry after its ori-
riiial performunce. It was then brought on the Drury Lane atage
by Dr.-Dalton, who rendered it rtiucb more fit f<w the stage by the;
btroduction of many additiotud songa, moat of them Hilton's owSf
of part of the Alh«n> of the aame antbor, and other paauges from
hia different worta, so that he rather restored Milton to bimaelf,
than altered him. The music was supplied by Dr, Ame, who e»-
tubli ihed bia reputation as a lyric and dramatic composer, by the
admirable manner in which he act this masque. He introduced in
ilaUsht, airy, original, and pleaiing melody, wbolly diiTereDlfrom
that of Furcell or Handel, whom all English compours bad hi-
therto either pillaged or imitated.
Who waa tbe original actor of Comns baa not been aBcertaioed ;
probably a domestic of tbe Bridj^water fiuully. The firat knowa
perftmuer of tUs charaetei was
Mr. QUIN
who obtaiiMdverygreatrcputatianinit, One nf the critica of hi*
time, gires this character of bim : — " Tbe Tery langu^e of Milton
tfemA CautriTed tor the voice of Mr. QuM, and the V«ce of Mr.
Quia, while he ia speaking it, seemi formed on porpoic tor tht IsB.
gaage of Milton, tnComua, through the whole part, be is iome>
thing more than manj tbe dtity be represents, dwells about bim in
every attitude, and iu the prouonncing every period; with what
a, auperipr greatness does be introduce himself to us by his mmner
of delivering thegloriousliDei that openhis part!
The star that trids the shepherd Md,
l^Ow tbe top of heaven dotb hold,
And the gilded car of day
His glowing axle doth allay
III tiie stetrp Atlantic stream,
While tbe slope ann bis upward beam
Sioots Bguittt tUe dnaky pole,
Paciof lawM the other gaal
Of hia chamber in tbe «wt ;
Hean- time welcome js7 and feut.
l;, GOOt^l>J
AaA trifh wbat A^inity, mftcr Ibe M>ng (tat U peribrnied' hare,
dec* lie go «»,
TPe ttut ate of porct irs
Iiai1>(f the (Urrir tboir,
Who ia their oigbtly vttcMdl ipherM
Lead in atrift duice the montfaa and yew.
The KUDdB, tbe ■«■«) aud all ihtix Gnnj dro*«,
Wov ■■> the moon in wavViaf inorrice iuoto;
While on the tawney laodi aud ilieivea
Trip the pert fairiei, and the dapper elvea.
Hii iBTOcation to Cotytto, irkich gucceeda this, i« detirerett vith
CqBatladfmeDt viththereit. When mes invoke the ifinnty, tbey
■re to do it with the nCnKiat hnmility and soe ; hut the player, here,
rcmcnbenthat ho la only addretainf an e^nalj hinitcif a ^eity,
•■d the itaagiiiary beiar ha addrawe*, no mar«. 'Tia Iheretbre
a pecnliarmark of hii jtidgateat, aawehaTeobaerTed,aota hlemish
tn nil playing-, aa aomc have ai^poaed, thai he hare keeps no alt
the dignity 1^ had lat nt irith, and in the aainc apirit iu whiclL he
^ad liefore (poke, contiauu^
Of Stygian darkoeaB apitaher thickeat giM
And makes one blot of all the air.
Stay thy cloudy riwn chair,
Wheraia tfaoa rid'at with Htcatt, and befriend '
Ui, tbyro>'dpriaU,tiHatnaatead
Of all thy daea be done, and naoe left out.
Ere the IwbldiDg eaatem acput.
The nice morn on the Indian steep.
From her cabin'd loop-hole peep,
And to the tell-tale lun deicry
Out conceat'd aolemnity.
' ThemanaerinwhiehhemiAeslove to the lady, taofa)!
Aereat. He ii pairionatdy fbnd of her j but then he c
■Hit with Bnpplieatioiia, but with pnnniaea ;> he give* her r«
comfAying with bim, rather than intreatiea to do ao ; and '
claioia the title of hein^ the gresteat sentcBce, and moat nobly pi
nonncedof any on the Ekgliib theatre, it ia that threat of Conmi to
the lady, where, on her offering to get up to ieare him, be tella
bw,
Nay, lady, ait — if I bntvs*ellrii wand.
Your nerrei are all bannd np in slahaiter.
And you a itatne : or, a* Ci^iitiM vaa,
Itoot-bonnd, »bo flad A/Mr.
. COoj^k
" No Bu erer did, or pnilwbly ever will, plaj (he part of Piiimii
with Ibe lucceu that Mr. Quin has done : notirithataiiiliDs that hii
person aod age «rc *ery improper for the repreaeDtatioD of a fay,
yoaog, and wantoa sod of revels^ the majesty of hia voice, and toe
pomp Bod dignity which he haa been able to give to the declarstioo*
of that deity, charm and astonish '^i, and help in a great meaenre ta
lieep op the illuGton. The poet intended representing Iheltbaraeter
Mr.Qaifi play! in this inasqae,not as a man bat aomething greater."
Hendenon we hare already Bpolien of Aftar him, the late JoHX
Pauibk waannqacstionably thebest ComuBoToDr lime. Thelaa.
Sige of Hilton loioetimea required a master of elocutioD. — but be
ked the character admirably, and the crayon of Rnssel very lately
£ laced him again iully'befbre ai. Comn>, like Hacl>eth, ia over' '
■aded with the itage nibble, and nngert; the moat unmeaning of
oar dmaatie prowertiea, and to be atunned with their discord would
be an iBinfferable calamity, were it not that a beautiful face wid
form aometime* escuses the unstudied careleaanew of the one sex,
and att<HMi for the illiterate and awkward brutality of the other.
The Lady was performed in 1733 by Mrs. Cibber. The Brother*
by Mr. Hilward and Mr. Cibber ; First Spirit by Mr. Mills ; Second
Spirit by Mr. Hill ; Euphrosyne by Mn. Clive; Sabrina by Mn.
Arne. Attendant Spirits, Mr. Beard, &e.
Enphroayne, a character introdlicedby Dr. Dalton, hai aereral ^
flne Mmgs to execute, and ii, therefore, gcnct^ly aiiigned to ■ capi-
MISS CATLET,
Of wkMnn a portrait in thii character accompaniei onr edition of
tite HuquBgWai eitrenftely popular in the part, 'and ii supposed to
be the best represcntatrre of Enphiwyne which the stage has fnr-
1;, Goo^k
cGoo^k