Dum canit Assyrios divum prolixus amores ; 15 11. Dum canit Assyrios divum the Humoristi are said, in Maprolixus amores;] The allusion is rino's epitaph, to have been the to Marino's poem 1l Adone, chief contributors. prolix enough if we consider its Tasso was buried, isi 1595, in subject; and in other respects the church of the monastery of spun out to an unwarrantable Saint Onufrius at Rome; and length. Marino's poem, called his remains were covered, by his Strage de gli Innocenti, was pub own desire, only with a plain lished in 1633, about four years stone. Cardinal.Cynthio, whom before Milton visited Italy. To he made his heir, soon afterthis poem Milton is supposed to wards proposed to build a have been indebted in Paradise splendid tomb to his memory; Lost. Mr. Hayley thinks it there but the design never was carried fore very remarkable, that our into execution. Manso, to whom author should not here have he bequeathed only his picture, mentioned this poem of Marino, and to whom he had committed as well as his Ādone. The ob- some directions about his funeral, servation at first sight is perti- coming from Naples to Rome nent and just. But it should be about 1605, and finding pot so remembered, that Milton did not much as his name inscribed on begin his Paradise Lost till many the stone under which he was years after this Epistle was writ- laid, offered to erect a suitable ten, and therefore such a poem monument, but was not percould now be no object. Milton mitted. However, he procured thought it sufficient to character- this simple but expressive inize Marino by his great and po- scription to be engraved on the pular work only, omitting his stone, Torquati Tassi ossa. At other and less conspicuous per- length the monument which now formances. See Kippis's Biogr. appears, was given by Cardinal Brit . iv. p. 341. From what is Beyilaqua, of an illustrious fahere said, however, it may be mily of Ferrara. inferred, that Milton could be For a more particular account no stranger to the Strage, and of the very singular attentions must have seen it at an early and honours which Marino reperiod of his life. ceived from Manso, the reader is ļ6. Vidimus arridentem operoso referred to the Italian Life of ex ære poetam.] Marino's monu- Marino, by F. Ferrari, published ment at Naples, erected by at Venice in 1633, 4to. At the Manso. But the Academy of end of Marino's Strage de gli 20 Nec satis hoc visum est in utrumque, et nec pia vessant 25 cygnos 30 Credimus obscuras noctis sensisse per umbras, Qua Thamesis late puris argenteus urniş Innocenti, and other poems. See Ionia, is little connected with p. 68, 82, 89, 90. Marino died either of them. E. at Naples in 1625, aged fifty- 28. Quæ nuper gelida, &c.] six. Aninsinuation, that cold climatęs 22. -Mycalen qui natus ad al- are unfriendly to genius. As in tam, &c.] Herodotus, who wrote Par. Lost, b. ix. 44. the Life of Homer. He was a -Or cold native of Caria, where Mycale is Climate, or years damp my intended a mountain. It is among wing, &c. famous hills that blazed in Phae- See note on El. v. 6. ton's conflagration, Ovid, Metam. 30. Nos etiam in nostro moduii. 223. The allusion is happy, lantes flumine cygnos, &c.] We as it draws with it an implicit northern men are not so uncomparison between Tasso and poetical a race. have Homer. the melodious swan on 22. I have corrected the note Thames, &c. on this verse after Bp. Mant in 32. Qua Thamesis, &c.] Spenhis Life of Warton. It is, how- Hurd. ever, doubtful whether the lonic This very probable supposition Life of Homer was written by may be further illustrated. SpenHerodotus; it is often ascribed ser was born in London, before to Dionysius of Halicarnassus. described as the “ Urbs reflua Mycale, which is on the coast of quam Thamesis alluit unda." Even we our ser. 36 Oceani glaucos perfundit gurgite crines: Sed neque nos genus incultum, nec inutile Phoebo, 40 45 El. i. 9. And he is properly The poetical character of the ranked with Chaucer. And the Druids is attested by Cæsar, Bell. allusion may be to Spenser's Gall. vi. 4. “ Magnum numerum Epithalamium of Thames, a long “ versuum ediscere dicuntur.” Episode in the Fairy Queen, iv. 43. Heroum laudes, imitandaxi. 8. See also his Prothalamium. que gesta canebant ;] See almost 34. Quin et in has quondam per- the same verse Ad Patrem, v. 46. 'venit Tityrus oras.] Like me too, 45. -Graic de more puellæ,] Chaucer travelled into Italy. In Ovid, Metam. ii. 711. Spenser's Pastorals, Chaucer is Illa forte die castæ de more puellæ, constantly called Tityrus. &c. 38. Nos etiam colimus Phoe 46. Our author converts the bum, &c.] He avails himself of three Hyperborean Nymphs who a notion supported by Selden on sent fruits to Apollo in Delos, the Polyolbion, that Apollo was into British goddesses. See Calworshipped in Britain. See his limachus, Hymn. Del. v. 292. notes on Songs, viii. ix. Selden Ουσις τε, Λοξωσε, και ευαιων Εκαέργη, supposes also, that the British Druids invoked Apollo. See the Ougariges Bogsao, &c. next note. And Spanheim on Milton here calls Callimachus's Callimachus, vol. ii. 492. seq. Loxo, Corineis, from Corineus, a 41. Misimus, et leclas Druidum Cornish giant. Some writers de gente choreas.] He insinuates, hold, that Britain, or rather that that our British Druids were . part of it called Scotland, was poets. As in Lycidas, v. 53. che fertile region of the HyperWhere your old Bards the famous borei. Druids lie. 50 Fatidicamque Upin, cum flavicoma Hecaërge, Fortunate senex, ergo quacunque per orbem rorum, 60 55 52. Tu quoque in ora frequens Εν δομοις γενεσθαι, , venies, plausumque virorum,] So Δοχμιαν δια κλιτύων. . Propertius, as Mr. Bowle ob- Βοσκημασι σοισι συριζων Ποιμνιτας υμεναιους. serves, iii. ix. 32. Συν δ' εποιμαίνοντο χαρα μελε. . Venies tu quoque in ora virum. ' ων βαλιαι τι λυγκες, Εβα δε, λιπουσ’ ΟθρυThis association of immortality ος ναπαν, λεοντων is happily inferred. A δαφοινος ιλα 56. At non' sponte doinum ta- Εχορευσε δ' αμφι σαν κιθαραν men, &c.] Apollo, being driven Φοιβε, ποικιλοθριξ Νεβρος, υψικομων περαν from heaven, kept the cattle of Βαινουσ' ελαταν σφυρη κουφω, king Admetus in Thessaly, who Χαιρoυσ' ευφρονι μολπα. also entertained Hercules. This 57. See Ovid, Fast. ii. 239. was in the neighbourhood of the river Peneus, and of mount Pe Cynthius Admeti vaccas pavisse Phelion, inhabited by Chiron. It has never been observed, that And Epist. Heroid. Ep. v. 151. Pheretiades occurs the whole context is a manifest more than imitation of a sublime Chorus once in Ovid. From Homer, Il. in the Alcestis of Milton's fa ii. 763. xxiii. 376. vourite Greek dramatist, Euripi- ronis in antrum,] Chiron's cavern 60. Nobile mansueti cessit Chides, v. 581. seq. was ennobled by the visits and Σε τοι και ο Πυθιος education of sages' and 'heroes. Ευλυρας Απολλων Ηξιωσι ναιειν" Chiron is styled mansuetus, beΕτλη δε σοισι μηλονoμας cause, although one of the CenVOL. IV. réas, &c. Bb 65 Irriguos inter saltus, frondosaque tecta, prope sub ilice nigra, Diis dilecte senex, te Jupiter æquus oportet 70 v. taurs, and the inhabitant of a Apollo was unwillingly forced cave in a mountain, he excelled into the service of Admetus by in learning, wisdom, and the Jupiter, for having killed the most humane virtues. See a Cyclopes, Alcest. v. 6. Thus, beautiful Poem in Dodsley's Mis. 56. cellanies, by the late Mr. Beding At non sponte domum tamen idem, field, called the Education of &c. Achilles. Mr. Steevens adds, The very circumstance which “ The most endearing instance introduces this fine compliment « of the mansuetude of Chiron, and digression. " will be found in his behaviour " when the Argo sailed near the The bank of the river Peneus, 65. Tum neque ripa suo, &c.] " coast on which he lived. He just mentioned. came down to the very margin 66. nutat Trachinia rupes,] ~ of the sea, bringing his wife Mount Eta, connected with the “ with the young Achilles in her mountains, Pelion in which was arms, that he might shew the Chiron's cave, and Othrys men« child to his father Peleus who tioned in the passage just cited “ was proceeding on the voyage from Euripides. See Ovid, “ with the other Argonauts. Metan), vii. 353. But with no Apollon. Rhod. lib. v. 553. impropriety, Milton might here « Πηλείδης Αχιλησ φιλω δειδισκετο πα- mean Pelion by the Trachinian rock; which, with the rest, bad 64. Exilii duros lenibat voce immunia pondera silvas, and which labores.] Ovid and Callimachus Homer calls aLVOQualow, frondosay, that he soothed the anxieties sum. Its Orni are also twice of love, not of banishment, with mentioned by V. Flaccus, Argon. his music. But Milton uniformly b. i. 406. and b. ii. 6. follows Euripides, who says that 72. Atlantisque nepos;] See тр.” ز |