El. B. By hoarie Nereus wrinoled looke, Now my taske is smoothly done, I can flye, or I can run 2 Bro. By scalie Tritons windinge shell, Quickly to the earthe's greene end, And from thence can soare as sooue To the corners of the Moone. 2 Bro. By Thetis tinsel-slipper'd feete, Mortalls, that would follow me, Love vertue; she alone is free: She can teach you how to clyme Higher than the sphearie chime ! Heven it selfe would stoope to her. * Dem. By all the nimphes of nightly daunce, Vpon thy streames with wilie glaunce, | The Epilogue, in this manuscript, has not the thirty-six preceding lines, which are in the From thy corall paven bed, printed copies. Twenty of them, however, as And bridle in thy headlonge wave, we have seen, open the drama. Like the Till thou our summons answered have, Cambridge manuscript, this manuscript does Listen, and save. not exhibit what, in the printed copies, relates to Adonis, and to Cupid and Psyche. The four The invocations, assigned to the Brothers in the charming verses also, which follow v. 983 in preceding lines, are recited by the Spirit alone the printed copy, are not in the manuscript. in all other copies of the poem. It is probable, TODD. that at Ludlow Castle, this part of the poem was sung; the four first lines perhaps as a trio; the rest by each performer separately. SONNETS. Ver. 893. Thick set with agate, and the azur'd sheepe. Shakespeare has the “azır'd vault,” Tempest, TO THE NIGHTINGALE. Never too late, 1616, P. ii. p. 46. But Milton's own word is azurn. See the Note on Com. | O NIGHTINGALE, that on yon bloomy spray v. 893. Warblest at eve, when all the woods are still ; Ver. 897. Thus I rest my printles feete . Thou with fresh bope the lover's heart dost fill, Ore the couslips head. While the jolly Hours lead on propitious May. Ver. 907. Of vnblest inchaunters vile, Thy liquid notes that close the eye of day, Ver. 911. Thus I sprinkle on this brest, Pirst heard before the shallow cuckoo's bill, Now timely sing, ere the rude bird of hate Foretel my hopeless doom in some grove nigh; Dem. I sbal be your faithfull guide As thou from year to year hast sung too late Through this gloomie covert wide, &c. For my relief, yet hadst no reason why :. Ver. 951. All the swaynes that neere abide, Whether the Muse, or Love,call thee his mate, With jiggs and rural daunce resorte; Both them I serve, and of their train am I. Wee shall catch them at this sporte, &c. II. El. B. Come, let vs hast, the starrs are high, But night sitts monarch vet in the Donna leggiadra, il cui bel nome honora · mid skye, L'herbosa val di Rheno, e il nobil varco; The Spirit again is the sole speaker of the nine Bene è colui d'ogni valore scarco teen preceding lines in the printed copy. Qual tuo spirto gentil non innamora; STAGE-DIRECTION. “ The Sceane changes, then / Che dolcemente mostra si di fuora is presented Ludlowe towne, anil the Presi. De sui atti soayi giamai parco, dent's Castle; then come in Countrie daunces Ei don', che son d'amor saette ed arco, and the like, &c. towards the end of these sports La onde l'alta tua virtu s'infiora. the demon with the 2 brothers and the ladye Quando tu vaga parli, o lieta canti come in." Then Che mover possa duro alpestre legno, Guardi ciascun a gli occhi, ed a gli orecek " The Spiritt singes,” L'entrata, chi di te si trouva jodegno; Gratia sola di su gli vaglia, inanti Che'l disio amoraso al cuor s'invecchi, Qual in colle aspro, al imbrunir di sera Che mal si spande a disusata spera Faor di sua natia alma primavera, | L'hebbi fedele, intrepido, costante, Cosi Amor meco insù la lingua snella De pensieri leggiadro, accorto, duono; Desta il fior novo di strania favella, Quando rugge il gran mondo, e scocca il tuono," Mentre io di te, vezzosamente altera, S'arma di se, e d'intero diamante : Canto, dal mio buon popol non inteso Tanto del forse, e d'invidia sicuro, E'l bel Tarigi cangio col bel Arno. Di tiinori, e speranze, al popol use, Amor lo volse, ed io a l'altrui peso Quanto d'ingegno, e d'alto valor vago, Seppi ch' Amor cosa mai volse indarno. E di cetta sonora, e delle muse : Deh! foss'il mio cuor lento e'l duro seno Sol troverete in tal parte men duro, A chi pianta dal ciel si buon terreno. Ove Amor mise l'insanabil ago. VII. ON HIS BEING ARRİVED TO THE AGE OP 23. RIDOnsi donne e giovani amorosi How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth, M'accostandosi attorno, e perche scrivi, Stol'n on his wing my three and twentieth year Perche tu scrivi in lingua ignota e straga My hasting days fly on with full career, Verseggiando d' amor, e come tosi? But my late spring no bud or blossom shew'th. Dinne, se la tua speme sia mai vana, Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth, E de pensieri lo miglior t'arrivi; That I to manhood am arriv'd so near; Cosi mi van burlando, altri rivi And inward ripeness doth much less appear, Altri lidi t'aspettan, ed altre onde That some more timely-happy spirits endu'th. Nelle cui verdi sponde Yet be it less or more, or soon or slow, Spuntati ad hor, ad hor a la tua chioma It shall be still in strictest measure even L'immortal guiderdon d' eterne frondi To that same lot, however mean or high, Perche alle spalle tue soverchia soma ? Toward which Time leads me, and the Will of Canzon dirotti, e tu per me rispondi All is, if I hare grace to use it so, (Heaven : Dice mia Donna, e'l suo dir, é il mio cuore As ever in my great Task-Master's eye. Questa e lingua di cui si vanta Amore. VIII. WHEN THE ASSAULT WAS INTENDED TO THE CITY. Diodati, e te'l dirò con maraviglia, Quel ritroso io ch'amor spreggiar soléa Gia caddi, ov'huom dabben talhor s'impiglia. M'abbaglian sì, ma sotto nova idea Portamenti alti honesti, e nelle ciglia Parole adorne di lingua piu d'una, E'l cantar che di mezzo l'hemispero E degli occhi suoi auventa si gran fuoco CAPTAIN, or colonel, or knight in arms, (seize, Whose chance on these defenceless doors may That call fame on such gentle acts as these, seas, The great Emathian conqueror bid spare The house of Pindarus, when temple and tower Of sad Electra's poet had the power Per certo i bei vostr'occhi, Donna mia Esser non puo che non sian lo mio sole Per l'arene di Libia chi s'invia, Da quel lato si spinge ove mi duole, Chiaman sospir; io non so che si sia: Scosso mi il petto, e poi n'uscendo poco Quivi d' attorno o s'agghiaccia, o singiela; Tutte le potti a me suol far piovose . TO A VIRTUOUS YOUNG LADY. Wisely hast shunn'd the broad way and the That labour up the hill of heavenly truth, Chosen thou hast; and they that overween, No anger find in thee, but pity and ruth. To fill thy odorous lamp with deeds of light, And hope that reaps not shame. Therefore be sure [friends Thou, when the bridegroom with his feastful Passes to bliss at the mid hour of night, VI. GIovane piano, e semplicette amante Poi che fuggir me stesso in dubbio sono, pure. X. XII. L' ON THE SAME. I did but prompt the age to quit their clogs DAUGHTER to that good earl, once president By the known rules of ancient liberty, Of England's council and her treasury, 1 When straight a barbarous noise environs me Who liv'd in both, unstain'd with gold or fee, Of owls and cuckoos, asses, apes, and dogs: And left them both, more in himself content, | As when those binds that were transformd to Till sad the breaking of that parliament frogs Broke him, as that dishonest victory Rail'd at Latona's twin-born progeny, At Chæronea, fatal to liberty, Which after held the Sun and Moon in fee. Kill'd with report that old man eloquent. But this is got by casting pearl to bogs; Though later born than to have known the days, I That bawl for freedom in their senseless mood, Wherein your father flourish'd, yet by you, And still revolt when truth would set then Madam, methinks, I see him living yet ; free. So well your words his noble virtues praise, Licence they mean when they cry Liberty ; That all both judge you to relate them trve, For who loves that, must first be wise and good; And to possess them, honourd Margaret. But from that mark how far they rove we see, For all this waste of wealth, and loos of blood. XIII. TO MR. H. LAWES ON THE PUBLISRING IN AIRS. With Midas ears, committing short and long; Cries the stall-reader, Bless us! what a word on Thy worth and skill exempts thee from the A title page is this! and some in file throng, Stand spelling false, while one might walk to With praise enough for Envy to look wan; Mile (Gordon, To after age thou shalt be writ the man, Evd Green. Why is it harder, sirs, than That with smooth air could'st humour best our Colkitto, or Macdonnel, or Galasp? tongue. [wing Those rugged names to our like mouths grow Thou honour'st verse, and verse must lend ber sleek, [gasp. ! To honour thee, the priest of Phebus' quire, That would have made Quintilian stare and That tun'st their bappiest lines in hymn or Thy age, like ours, O soul of sir John Cheek, story.. Hated not learning worse than toad or asp, | Dante shall give Fame leave to set thee higber • When thou taught'st Cambridge, and king Than his Casella, whom he woo'd to sing Edward, Greek. Met in the milder shades of Purgatory. Ver. 1. Daughter to that good earl,] She was XIV. the daughter of sir James Ley, whose singular ON THE RELIGIOUS MEMORY OF MRS. CATHElearning and abilities raised him through all the RINE THOMSON', my Christian friend, great posts of the law, till he came to be made deceased 16 Decemb. 1646. earl of Malborough, and lord higà treasurer, and lord president of the council to king James When Faith and Love, which parted from thee 1. He died in an advanced age; and Milton at- 1 never, tributes his death to the breaking of the parlia- Had ripen'd thy just soul to dwell with God, ment, and it is true that the parliament was Meekly thou didst resign this earthly load issolved the 10th of March 1628-9, and he died | Of death, call'd life, which us from Life doth on the 14th of the same month. He left seve sever. ral sons and daughters; and the lady Margaret was married to captain Hobson of the Isle of of whom Milton calls,a Serving-man turned Solo Wight. It appears from the accounts of Mil- licitor! Our author's divorce was on Platonic ton's life, that in 1643 he used frequently to vi-l principles. He held, that disagreement of mind sit this lady and her husband; about which was a better cause of separation than adultery or time we may suppose this sonnet to have been frigidity. Here was a fair opening for the laughcomposed. ers. This and the following Sonnet were written Ver. 1. A book was writ of late call'd Tetrachor. soon after 1645. For this doctrine Milton was don,] This elaborate discussion, unworthy in summoned before the Lords. But they not apmany respects of Milton, and in which much proving his accusers, the presbyterian clergy, or acuteness of argument, and comprehension of thinking the business too speculative, he was reading, were idly thrown away, was received quickly dismissed. On this occasion Milton with cuptempt, or rather ridicule, as we learn commenced hostilities against the Presbytefrom Howel's Letters. A better proof that it rians. was treated with neglect, is, that it was attacked 'Mrs. Catherine Thomson,] I find in the acby two nameless and obscure writers ouly; one counts of Milton's life, that, when he was first Thy works, and alms, and all thy good endea- | Whether to settle peace, or to unfold vour, 1 The drift of hollow states hard to be spellid; Staid not behind, nor in the grave were trod; Then to advise how war may, best upheld, But, as Faith pointed with her golden rod, Move by her two main nerves, iron and gold, Follow'd thee up to joy and bliss for ever. In all her equipage : besides to know Love led them on, and Faith, who knew them best Both spiritual power and civil, what each Thy hand-maids, clad them o'er with purple means, beams What severs each, thou hast learn'd, which few And azure wings, that up they flew so drest, have done: And spake the truth of thee on glorious themes | The bounds of either sword to thee we owe: Before the Judge; who thenceforth bid thee Therefore on thy firm hand religion leans rest, In peace, and reckons thee her eldest son. And drink thy fill of pure immortal streams. XVIII. ON THE LATE MASSACRE IN PIEMONT. bones Fairfax, whose name in arms through Europe Lie scatter'd on the Alpine mountains co'd; rings, Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old, Filling each mouth with envy or with praise, When all our fathers worshipt stocks and • And all her jealous monarchs with amaze stones, And rumours loud, that daunt remotest kings; | Forget not: in thy book record their groans Thy firm unshaken virtue ever brings Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold Victory home, though new rebellions raise Slain by the bloody Piemontese that rull'd Their Hydra hcads, and the false North dis Mother with infant down the rocks. The plays moans Her broken league to imp their serpent-wings. The vales redoubled to the hills, and they O yet a nobler task awaits thy hand, To Heaven. Their martyr'd blood and ashes (For what can war, but endless war still breed?) | SOW Till truth and right from violence be freed, O'er all the Italian fields, where still doth swa; And public faith cleard from the shameful brand The triple tyrant ; that from these may grow of public fraud. In vain doth valour bleed, | A hundred fold, who, having learn'd thy way, While avarice and rapine share the land. Early may fly the Babylonian woe. XIX. • ON HIS BLINDNESS, When I consider how my light is spent Not of war only, but detractions rude, Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide, Guided by faith and matchless fortitude, And that one talent which is death to bide, To peace and truth thy glorious way hast Lodg’d with me useless, though my soul more plough'd, And on the neck of crowned fortune proud To serve therewith my Maker, and present. Hast rear's God's trophies, and his work pur My true account, lest he, returning, chide; sued, [imbrued, “ Doth God exact day-labour, light denied ?" While Darwen stream, with blood of Scots I fondly ask: but Patience, to prevent And Dunbar field resounds thy praises loud, | That murmur, soon replies, “God doth not need And Worcester's laureat wreath. Yet much re “Either man's work, or his own gifts; who mains best To conquer still; peace hath her victories Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best : his No less renown'd than war: new foes arise state Threatening to bind our souls with secular chains: Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed, Help us to save free conscience from the paw And post o'er land and ocean without rest; Of hireling wolves, whose gospel is their maw. They also serve who only stand and wait.” XVII. XX. bent TO SIR AENRY VANE, THE YOUNGER. TO MR. LAWRENCE. VANE, young in years, but in sage counsel old, | LAWRENCE, of virtuous father virtuous son, Than whom a better senator ne'er held Now that the fields are dank, and ways are The helm of Rorne, when gowns, not arms, re mire, The fierce Epirot and the African bold; [pellid Where shall we sometimes meet, and by the fire Help waste a sullen day, what may be won made Latin secretary, he lodged at one Thomson's next door to the Bull-head tavern at Char Ver. 1. Lawrence, of virtuous father virtuous ing-Cross. This Mrs. Thomson was in all pro- son, &c.] The virtuous father Henry Lawrence, bability one of that family. NEWTON, was member for Herefordshire in the Little Par taint From the hard season gaining? Time will run | Right onward. What supports me, dost thou ask? On smoother, till Favonius re-inspire The conscience, friend, to have lost them The frozen Earth, and clothe in fresh attire I overplied The lily and rose, that neither sow'd nor spun. In liberty's defence, my noble task, What neat repast shall feast us, light and choice, of which all Europe rings from side to side, Of Attic taste, with wine, whence we may This thought might lead me through the rise world's vain mask To hear the lute well touch'd, or artful voice | Content though blind, had I no better guide. Warble immortal notes and Tuscan air? He who of those delights can judge, and spare XXIII. ON HIS DECEASED WIFE. METHOUGHT I saw my late espoused saint Brought to me, like Alcestis, from the grave, TO CYRIACK SKINNER', Whom Jove's great son to her glad husband gave, (faint. CYRIACK, whose grandsire, on the royal bench Rescu'd from death by force, though pale and Of British Themis, with no mean applause Mine, as whom wash'd from spot of child-Dea Pronounc'd, and in his volumes taught, our laws, Purification in the old Law did save, Which others at their bar so often wrench; And such, as yet once more I trust to have To day deep thoughts resolve with me to drench Full sight of her in Heaven without restraint, In mirth that, after, no repenting draws; Came vested all in white, pure as her mind: Let Euclid rest, and Archimedes pause, Her face was veil'd; yet to my fancied sight And what the Swede intends, and what the Love, sweetness, goodness, in her person shin'd French. So clear, as in no face with more delight. To measure life learn thou betimes, and know But O, as to embrace me she inclin'd, Toward solid good what leads the nearest I wak'd; she fled; and day brought back my way; night, For other things mild Heaven a time ordains, And disapproves that care, though wise in show, That with superfluous burden loads the day, FROM THE CAMBRIDGE MS. Sonn. vii. Title. “On his dore when the Citty expected on CYRIACK, this three years day these eyes, though assault.” Then, as at present; with an addition clear of the date 1642, afterwards expunged. To outward view, of blemish or of spot, Ver. 3. If ever deed of honour did thee please. Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot ; As in the edit. 1645. The present reading oC. Nor to their idle orbs doth sight appear curs first in the edit. 1673. Of Sun, or Moon, or star, throughout the year, This sonnet is written in a female hand. Only Or man, or woman. Yet I argue not the title, now prefix'd to it, is written by Milton Against Heaven's hand or will, nor bate a jot Of heart or hope ; but still bear up and steer liainent which began in 1653, and was active in! Title. “ To a Lady." setting the protectorate of Cromwell. In con Ver. 7. And at thy blooming vertue fret their sequence of his services, he was made president spleen. of Cromwell's council; where he appears to have Ver. 13. Opens the dore of blissę that hour of signed many severe and arbitrary decrees, not night, only against the royalists, but the Brownists, All in Milton's own hand-writing. fifth-monarchy men, and other sectarists. He continued high in favour with Richard Cromwell. SonN. X. Henry Lawrence, the virtuous son, is the author of a work entitled Of our Communion and Title, as printed in this edition. Warre with Angels, &c. Printed Anno Dom. 1646. 49, 139 pages. Sonn. xi. The dedication is “To my Most deare and Most honoured Mother, the Title, as printed in this edition. lady Lawrence.” He is perhaps the same Ver. 1. I writt a book of late callid Tetrao Henry Lawrence, who printed A Vindication chordon, of the Scriptures and Christian Ordinances, And weav'd it close, both matter, form, 1649. Lond. 4o. . and style : Son of William Skipner, esq. and grandson of It went off well about the town awbile, sir Vincent Skinner ; and his mother was Bridget, Numbering good wils, but now is sel. one of the daughters of the famous sir Edward dom por'd op. Coke, lord chief justice of the King's Bench. Ver. 10. Those barbarous names, |