Other trippings to be trod Of lighter toes, and such court guise With the mincing Dryades, On the lawns, and on the leas. 965 This second Song presents them to their Father and Mother. Noble Lord, and Lady bright, Heav'n hath timely tried their youth, 970 Their faith, their patience, and their truth, And sent them here through hard assays With a crown of deathless praise, To triumph in victorious dance O'er sensual folly, and intemperance. The dances ended, the SPIRIT epiloguises. SP. To the ocean now I fly, And those happy climes that lie Up in the broad fields of the sky: All amidst the gardens fair 975 980 972 hard] Milton is fond of this expression. P. L. iv. 932. 'from hard assays.' P. Reg. i. 264. iv. 478. Todd. 979 broad] MS. 'plain fields.' Fairfax, B. viii. st. 57. O'er the broad fields of heaven's bright wildernesse.' Warton and Todd. Of Hesperus, and his daughters three There eternal Summer dwells, And west-winds, with musky wing, 985 990 Nard and cassia's balmy smells. Iris there with humid bow Waters the odorous banks, that blow Flowers of more mingled hue Than her purfled scarf can show, 995 And drenches with Elysian dew (List mortals, if your ears be true) Beds of hyacinth and roses, reposes, Where young Adonis oft 1000 988 There] Milton's own edition, 1673, reads 'That there, but in the errata directs That' to be omitted; so it is by Tickell and Fenton, but silently readopted by Newton. Warton. 989 musky] See Cowley's Silva. p, 56, and Love's Riddle, The musky kisses of the west wind.' p. 93. 1002 Assyrian] Tickel and Fenton read the Cyprian Queen.' Holds his dear Psyche sweet intranc'd, Youth and Joy; so Jove hath sworn. But now my task is smoothly done, I can fly, or I can run Quickly to the green earth's end, 1025 1010 Where the bow'd welkin slow doth bend, 1015 And from thence can soar as soon To the corners of the moon. Mortals, that would follow me, Love Virtue, she alone is free, She can teach ye how to climb Higher than the sphery chime: Or, if Virtue feeble were, Heav'n itself would stoop to her. 1020 1017 corners] Macbeth, a. 3. s. 5. Upon the corner of the moon.' Warton. 1021 sphery] 'sphery chime' is the chime or music of the spheres. Mids. N. Dream, act ii. sc. 7, Hermia's sphery eyne.' Machin's Dumbe Knight, (Reed's Old Pl. iv. 447), 'It was as silver as the chime of spheres.' Herrick's Hesp. p. 116, Fall down from those thy chiming spheres.' Warton and Todd. 1023 stoop] 'bow.' MS. LYCIDAS. In this Monody, the author bewails a learned friend, unfortunately drowned in his passage from Chester on the Irish seas, 1637; and by occasion foretells the ruin of our corrupted clergy, then in their height. YET Once more, O ye laurels, and once more I come to pluck your berries harsh and crude, Shatter your leaves before the mellowing year. 5 Compels me to disturb your season due: For Lycidas is dead, dead ere his prime, 2 myrtles brown] Hor. Od. i. 25. 17. myrto.' Warton. 10 'Pulla magis atque dead] 'Phillisides is dead.' Past. Ægl. on Sir P. Sidney's death, by L. B. v. 8 (Todd's Spenser, viii. 76), and v. 71. 'Sweet bowres of myrtel twigs, and lawrel faire.' 10 Who] Neget quis carmina Gallo.' Virg. Ecl. x. 3. Peck. 12 watery] See Theod. Prodrom. Dos. et Rhod. Am. p. 254, ed. Gaulm. Unwept, and welter to the parching wind, Begin then, Sisters of the sacred well, So may some gentle Muse With lucky words favour my destin'd urn, 15 20 And bid fair peace be to my sable shroud. We drove a field, and both together heard 14 melodious] Cleveland's Obsequy on Mr. King, ‘I like not tears in tune.' Todd. E qui Calliopea alquanto surga,' Dante 'Gentle Muse-he passes." See Jortin's Tracts, 23 nurs'd] Compare Past. Ægl. on Sir P. Sidney's death, by L. B. ver. 85. Through many a hill and dale, &c.' 26 opening] Middleton's Game at Chess. Like a pearl, Dropp'd from the opening eyelids of the morn.' And Crashaw's Translation of Marino, The lids of day.' 29 Batt'ning] Drayton's Ecl. ix. Warton, Todd. Their battening flocks on grassie leas to hold.' Warton. |