MANOAH. Sad, but thou know'st to Israelites not saddest 1560. The desolation of a hostile city. MESSENGER. Feed on that first, there may in grief be surfeit. Relate by whom. MANOAH. MESSENGER. By Samson. MANOAH. That still lessens The sorrow, and converts it nigh to joy. MESSENGER. Ah Manoah, I refrain, too suddenly Suspense in news is torture, speak them out. Take then the worst in brief, Samson is dead. MANOAH. The worst indeed, O all my hope's defeated To free him hence! but death who sets all free Hath paid his ransom now and full discharge. What windy joy this day had I conceiv'd Hopeful of his delivery, which now proves Abortive as the first-born bloom of spring 1576. Abortive as the first-born bloom of spring &c.] As Mr. Thyer says, this similitude is to be admired for its remarkable 1565 1570 1575 justness and propriety. One cannot possibly imagine a more exact and perfect image of the dawning hope which Manoah Nipt with the lagging rear of winter's frost! 1580 What glorious hand gave Samson his death's wound? MESSENGER. Unwounded of his enemies he fell. MANOAH. Wearied with slaughter then or how? explain. By his own hands. MESSENGER. MANOAH. Self-violence? what cause Brought him so soon at variance with himself Among his foes? MESSENGER. had conceived from the favourable answer he had met with from some of the Philistian lords, and of its being so suddenly extinguished by this return of ill fortune, than that of the early bloom, which the warmth of a few fine days frequently pushes forward in the spring, and then it is cut off by an unexpected return of winterly weather. As Mr. Warburton observes, this beautiful passage seems to be taken from Shakespeare, Henry VIII. act iii. sc. 6. This is the state of man; to-day he puts forth The tender leaves of hopes, to morrow blossoms, And bears his blushing honours thick upon him; The third day comes a frost, a killing frost; 1585 And when he thinks, good easy man, full surely His greatness is a ripening, nips his root; And then he falls, as I do. Upon which Mr. Warburton remarks, that as spring-frosts are not injurious to the roots of fruittrees, he should imagine the poet wrote shoot, that is, the tender shoot on which are the young leaves and blossoms. The com parison, as well as expression of nips, is juster too in this reading. Shakespeare has the same thought in Love's Labour Lost. Byron is like an envious sneaping frost That bites the first-born infants of the spring. See Warburton's Shakespeare, `vol. v. p. 413. At once both to destroy and be destroy'd; O lastly over-strong against thyself! A dreadful way thou took'st to thy revenge. Eye-witness of what first or last was done, Relation more particular and distinct. : MESSENGER. Occasions drew me early to this city, And as the gates I ́enter'd with sun-rise, The morning trumpets festival proclaim'd 1590 1595 1600 Through each high street: little I had dispatch'd, 1596. Occasions drew me early &c.] As I observed before, that Milton had with great art excited the reader's attention to this grand event, so here he is no less careful to gratify it by the relation. It is circumstantial, as the importance of it required, but not so as to be tedious or too long to delay our expectation. It would be found difficult, I believe, to retrench one article without making it defective, or to add one which should not appear redundant. The picture of Samson in particular with head inclined and eyes fixed, as if he was addressing himself to that God who had given him such a measure of strength, and was summing up all his force and resolution, has a very fine effect upon the imagination. Milton is no less happy in the sublimity of his description of this grand exploit, than judicious in the choice of the circumstances preceding it. The poetry rises as the subject becomes more interesting, and one may without rant or extravagance say, that the poet seems to exert no less force of genius in describing than Samson does strength of body in executing. Thyer. Not to be absent at that spectacle. The building was a spacious theatre 1605 Half-round on two main pillars vaulted high, With seats where all the lords and each degree The other side was open, where the throng On banks and scaffolds under sky might stand; 1610 The feast and noon grew high, and sacrifice Had fill'd their hearts with mirth, high cheer, and wine, In their state livery clad; before him pipes 1604. absent at that spectacle] The language would be more correct, if it was absent from that spectacle. 1605. The building was a spa cious theatre Half-round on two main pillars vaulted high, &c.] Milton has finely accounted for this dreadful catastrophe, and has with great judgment obviated the common objection. It is commonly asked, how so great a building, containing so many thousands of people, could rest upon two pillars so near placed together: and to this it is answered, that instances are not wanting of far more large and capacious buildings than this, that have been supported only by one pillar. Particularly, Pliny in the fifteenth chapter of the thirty-sixth book of his natural 1615 history, mentions two theatres built by one C. Curio, who lived in Julius Cæsar's time; e each of which was supported only by one pillar, or pin, or hinge, though very many thousands of people did sit in it together. See Poole's Annotations. Mr. Thyer further adds, that Dr. Shaw in his travels observing upon the eastern method of building says, that the place where they exhibit their diversions at this day is an advanced cloister, made in the fashion of a large penthouse, supported only by one or two contiguous pillars in the front, or else at the centre, and that upon a supposition therefore that in the house of Dagon, there was a cloistered structure of this kind, the pulling down the front or centre pillars only which supported it, would be attended with Archers, and slingers, cataphracts and spears. At length for intermission sake they led him I mean to show you of my strength, yet greater; the like catastrophe that happened to the Philistines. See Shaw's travels, p. 283. 1620 1625 1630 1635 1640 1645 1619. cataphracts] Men or horses completely armed, from καταφρασσω armis munio. |