Or let my lamp, at midnight hour, What worlds, or what vast regions, hold But, O sad Virgin, that thy power Such notes as, warbled to the string, Drew iron tears down Pluto's cheek And made Hell grant what Love did seek Or call up him that left half told, The story of Cambuscan bold, 110 88. Hermes Trismegistus. The great Egyptian philosopher who flourished, it is supposed, near the time of Moses. 99. The ancient tragedians drew the subjects of their principal dramas from the history of the kings of Thebes, &c. 104. Museus, a celebrated ancient poet. 109. An allusion to a tale which Chaucer left unfinished. Spenser endeavoured to complete it. Fae. Qu. B. 4. Can. 2. St. 32. U Thus, Night, oft see me in thy pale career, Till civil-suited Morn appear, Not trick'd and frounced as she was wont With the Attic boy to hunt, But kercheft in a comely cloud, While rocking winds are piping loud, Or usher'd with a shower still, When the gust hath blown his fill, 123 130 135 Where the rude axe with heaved stroke 140 Above, about, or underneath, Sent by some Spirit to mortals good, 155 160 In service high, and anthems clear, As may with sweetness, through mine ear, 165 And bring all Heav'n before mine eyes. And may at last my weary age Find out the peaceful hermitage, The hairy gown and mossy cell, Where I may sit and rightly spell These pleasures, Melancholy, give 170 175 ARCADES. Part of an Entertainment* presented to the Countess Dowager of Derby, at Harefield, by some noble persons of her family, who appear on the scene in pastoral habit, moving toward the seat of state, with this song. 1. SONG. Look Nymphs, and Shepherds look, What sudden blaze of majesty Is that which we from hence descry, This, this is she 5 To whom our vows and wishes bend; Fame, that, her high worth to raise, We may justly now accuse Less than half we find exprest, Envy bid conceal the rest. 10 This fragment is called a mask in Milton's manuscript, and it is supposed to have been completed by other hands. There was a connexion by marriage between the Countess of Derby and the Earl of Bridgewater, before whom Comus was performed. The Arcades in a chronological arrangement ought to precede the latter. Mark what radiant state she spreads, Sitting like a Goddess bright, In the centre of her light. Might she the wise Latona be, 20 Or the tower'd Cybele, Mother of a hundred gods; Juno dares not give her odds; Who hath thought this clime had held A deity so unparallel'd? 25 As they come forward the Genius of the wood appears and turning towards them, speaks. Gen. Stay, gentle Swains, for tho' in this disguise, I see bright honour sparkle through your eyes; Of famous Arcady ye are, and sprung Of that renowned flood, so often sung, Divine Alpheus, who by secret sluice 30 Stole under seas to meet his Arethuse; And ye, the breathing roses of the wood, Fair silver-buskin'd Nymphs, as great and good, 35 To the great mistress of yon princely shrine, And lead ye where ye may more near behold 40 45 30. Alpheus, a river of Arcadia, which runs for some way under the sea, and rises again with the fountain Arethuse, near Syracuse in Sicily. And from the boughs brush off the evil dew, 50 55 With puissant words, and murmurs made to bless; 61 And sing to those that hold the vital shears, 65 On which the fate of gods and men is wound. 70 75 80 And so attend ye toward her glittering state; |