V. Per certo i bei vostr'occhi, Donna mia Esser non puo che non sian lo mio sole Si mi percuoton forte, come ei suole Per l'arene di Libia chi s'invia, Mentre uu caldo vapor (we senti pria) Da quel lato si spinge ove mi duole, Che forse an anti nelle lor parole Chiaman sospir, io non so che si sia : Parte rinchiusa, e turbida si cela Scosso mi il petto, e poi u’uscendo poco Quivi d'attorno o s'agghiaccia, o s'ingiela : Tutte le notti a me suol far piovose VI. GIOVANB piano, e semplicetto amante Poi che fuggir me stesso in dubbio sono, Madonna a voi del mio cuor l'humil dono 5 Tanto del forse, e d'invidia sicuro, Di timori, e speranze al popol use 10 Quanto d'ingegno, e d'alto valor vago, E di cetta sonora, e delle muse : Sol troverete in tal parte men duro VII. ON BIS BEING ARRIVED TO TAB AGR OF TWENTY-THRER. How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth, Stolen on his wing my three-and-twentieth year! My hasting days fly on with full career, Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth, 5 That I to manhood am arrived so near, And inward ripeness doth much less appear, Yet be it less or more, or soon or slow, 10 All is, if I have grace to use it so, VIII. WHEN THE ASSAULT WAS INTENDED 1 TO THE CITY. Captain or Colonel, or Knight in arms, Whose chance on these defenceless doors may seize, If deed of honour did thee ever please, That call fame on such gentle acts as these, And he can spread thy name o'er lands and seas, Lift not thy spear against the Muses' bower: 10 The house of Pindarus, when temple' and tower Went to the ground : and the repeated air Of sad Electra's poet had the power LADY, that in the prime of earliest youth Wisely hath shunn’d the broad way and the green, And with those few art eninently seen, 8 * Emathian conqueror; Alexander, who spared the house of Pindar when he destroyed Thebes.-Electra's poet; Euripides, some lines in whose tragedy saved Athens from being totally de stroyed by Lysander. Chosen thou hast ; and they that overween, And at thy growing virtues fret their splecu, To fill thy odorous lamp with deeds of light, And hope that reaps not shame. Therefore be sure Thou, when the bridegroom with his feastful friends Passes to bliss at the mid hour of night, Hast gain'd thy entrance, Virgin wise and pure. X. TO THE LADY MARGARET LEY. DAUGHTER to that good Earl, once president Of England's council, and her treasury, Who lived in both, unstain'd with gold or fee, And left them both, more in himself content, Till sad the breaking of that Parliament* 5 Broke him, as that dishonest victory At Chæronea, fatal to liberty, Kill'd with report that old man eloquent. Though later born than to have known the days Wherein your father flourish'd, yet by you, Madam, methinks I see him living yet; So well your words his noble virtues praise, That all both judge you to relate them true, And to possess them, honour'd Margaret. XI. ON THE DETRACTION WHICH FOLLOWED UPON MY WRITING CERTAIN TREATISES. A BOOK was writ of late cali'd Tetrachordon, And woven close, both matter, form and style; The subject new; it walk'd the town a while, Numbering good intellects; now seldom pored on. Cries the stall-reader, Bless us! what a word op 5 # The parliament here mentioned was dissolved March 10, 1628. The victory was that gained by Philip of Macedon over the Athenians: and the old man was Isocrates, who died with grief when the tidings were brought to him of the event. + The treatise on divorce, which Milton wrote, is here alluded to. The persons mentioned were some rigid presbyterians, who took offence, and very justly, at some of the opinions started. A title-page is this l and some in file Stand spelling false, while one might walk to Mile. End-Green. Why is it harder, Sirs, than Gordon, Colkitto, or Macdonnel, or Galasp " 9 Those rugged names to our like mouths grow sleek, That would have made Quintilian stare and gasp. Thy age, like ours, O Soul of Sir John Cheek, Hated not learning worse than toad or asp, When thou taught'st Cambridge, and King Edward, Greek. XII. I did but prompt the age to quit their clogs HARRY, whose tuneful and well-measured song * Mr. Lawes was one of the King's musicians, and an intimate friend of Milton. He is supposed to have been frequently alluded to in the Comus and Arcades of our author. Thou honour'st verse, and verse must lend her wing To honour thee, the priest of Phoebus' quire, 10 That tun'st their happiest lines in hymn or story. Dante shall give Fame leave to set thee higher XIV. ON THE RELIGIOUS MEMORY OF MS. CATHARINE THOMSON, MY CHRISTIAN FRIEND, DECEASED 16 Dec. 1646. When faith and love, which parted from thee never, Had ripen'd thy just soul to dwell with God, Meekly thou didst resign this earthly load Of death, call'd life; which us from life doth sever. Thy works and alms and all thy good endeavour 5 Stay'd not behind, nor in the grave were trod, But as faith pointed with ber golden rod, Follow'd thee up to joy and bliss for ever. Love led them on, and Faith who knew them best Thy hand-maids, clad them o'er with purple beams And azure wings, that up they flew so drest, 11 And spake the truth of thee on glorious themes Before the Judge, who thenceforth bid thee rest And drink thy fill of pure immortal streams. XV. TO THE LORD GENERAL PAIRFAX. FAIRFAX, whose name in arms through Europe rings, Filling each mouth with envy or with praise, And all her jealous monarchs with amaze, And rumours loud that daunt remotest kings, Thy firm unshaken virtue ever brings 5 Victory home, though new rebellions raise Their Hydra heads, and the false North displays Her broken league to imp their serpent wings. O yet a nobler task awaits thy hand, (For what can war, but endless war still breed?) 10 Till truth and right from violence be freed, And public faith clear'd from the shameful brand Of public fraud. In vain doth Valour bleed, While Avarice and Rapine share the land. |
