Under the shady roof

Of branching elm far-proof.

And in the fame poem.

And heal the harme of thwarting thunder blue,
Or what the cross dire-looking planet smites.

Where dire-looking is from the aftrological term, malign afpect.

B. i. c. i. f. xv.

Of the young ones of ERROR.

Into her mouth they crept, and fudaine all were gone.

This circumstance is not purely the poet's invention. It is reported of adders by many naturalists. This I mention, to fhew that Milton, who is fuppofed, in his SIN AND DEATH, to have copied the like thought from this paffage of Spenser, might borrow it from nature herself.

B. i. c. i. f. xvi.

For light fhe hated as the deadlie bale.

Bale is here used literally for poison, it's genuine fignification.

B. i. c. i. f. xviii.

Some circumstances in the Red-croffe Knight's

combat

combat with ERROUR, are drawn from St. George's combat with the serpent, in the Black Castle *,

B. i. c. i. f. xlv.

And made a lady of that other spright,
And fram'd of liquid ayre her tender parts.

Thus a falfe Florimel is made of fnow, animated with a fpright, 3. 8. 5. Pope obferves that our author drew the idea of his falfe Florimel, from that paffage in the iliad, where Apollo raises a phantom in the shape of Æneas †, and from the fictitious Turnus of Virgil. But he probably borrowed it more immediately from romance, in which magicians are frequently feigned to dress up fome wicked spirit with a counterfeit fimilitude, to facilitate their purposes of deception. Thus, in the Seven Champions §, "The magician caused by his art, a spirit in the "likeness of a lady, of a marvellous and fair beauty, "to look through an iron grate, who seemed to "lean her faire face upon her white hand very pen"fively, and diftilled from her crystal eyes great ❝abundance of tears, &c."

This is a capital machine of romance, and has accordingly been often applied by Cervantes, with infinite humour. The firm belief, that his inveterate perfecutor the magician, changed the appearance of every object of his adventures, is the ground-work of all Don Quixote's abfurdities. Even Sancho detects this foible of his deluded mafter, and palms an awkward country wench upon him for his angelic Dulcinea. It is remarkable, there is fcarce a humourous circumftance in that inimitable piece of burlefque, but what is founded on this notion.

B. i. c. i. f. xlv.

Her all in white he clad, and over it

Caft a black stole, most like to feeme for Una fit.

Here is the first discovery of the name of the lady that accompanied the red-croffe knight. Our author's refidence in Ireland furnished him with the name UNA, or Oonah. Lloyd obferves, that it is there a common woman's name*. He might at the same time intend to denote by UNA, fingular and unpa» ralleled excellence.

B. i. c. ii. f. xi.

In mightie arms he was yclad anon,

* Archæol.

And

And filver fhield; upon his coward brest
A bloudie crofs; and on his craven crest

A bunch of haires, &c.

Thus Archimago difguifes himself in the accoutrements of the red-croffe knight, who, as we were be fore told, was

And Phoebus, fresh as bridegroome to his mate,
Came dauncing forth, fhaking his dewy hair.

f. 2.

Spenfer, as Dr. Jortin obferves, plainly alluded to this text in the Pfalms, " In them hath he fet a ta"bernacle for the fun; which cometh forth as a "bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a "giant to run his courfe *." But our author has ftrangely inverted the circumftances. The pfalmift alludes to the jewish custom of the bridegroom being conducted from his chamber at midnight, with folemn

* Pfal. 19, 5.

pomp,

pomp, and preceded by a numerous train of torches. This is the illuftration of the admirable Dr. Jackson, a theologist in the reign of James I. and without it the comparison is of no force or propriety. The idea which our author would convey is, that Phoebus came forth fresh and vigorous as a bridegroom, repairing to his bride.

The circumftance of Phoebus "came dauncing "forth," seems to have been copied by Milton, in his elegant Song on May Morning.

Now the bright morning-ftar, dayes harbinger,
Comes dancing from the east.

But probably Milton drew it from an old poem, called, the Cuckow, by * R. Niccols, 1607, who fpeaking of the east, says,

From whence the daies bright king came dancing out.

Especially as Milton has two thoughts and expreffions in that fong, which are likewife literally found in the CUCKOW.

Milton calls the morning ftar

Day's harbinger..

*The fame who wrote an addition to the MIRROR of MAGISTRATES, 1610, as I have hinted above.

Niccols