In public, and with him we have conversed; Lay on his Providence; he will not fail, Nor will withdraw him now, nor will recall, 55 Mock us with his blest sight, then snatch him hence; Soon shall we see our Hope, our Joy, return. 60 Thus they out of their plaints new hopes resume, To find whom at the first they found unsought: But to his mother Mary, when she saw Others return'd from baptism, not her son, Nor left at Jordan tidings of him none, Within her breast though calm, her breast though Motherly cares and fears got head, and raised [pure, Some troubled thoughts, which she in sighs thus clad: 66 70 Could be obtain'd to shelter him or me From the bleak air; a stable was our warmth, A manger his: yet soon enforced to fly 75 Thence into Egypt, till the murd'rous king 80 85 I look'd for some great change; to honour m Spoken against, that through my very soul 90 A sword shall pierce: this is my favour'd lot, 9. Nazareth was in Galilee, a despised part of the country; hence John i. 46. Afflicted I may be, it seems, and blest; I will not argue that, nor will repine: But where delays he now? some great intent 95 Conceals him: when twelve years he scarce had seen, I lost him, but so found, as well I saw He could not lose himself; but went about His father's business; what he meant I mused, Since understand much more his absence now 100 My heart hath been a store-house long of things 105 110 His end of being on earth, and mission high: For Satan with sly preface to return 11 Had left him vacant, and with speed was gone Up to the middle region of thick air, Where all his potentates in council sat; There without sign of boast, or sign of joy, Solicitous and blank, he thus began: 120 Princes, Heav'n's ancient Sons, ethereal Thrones, Demonian Spirits now, from th' element Each of his reign allotted, rightlier call'd Powers of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth beneath, So may we hold our place and these mild seats 125 Without new trouble; such an enemy Is risen to invade s, who no less Threatens than our expulsion down to Hell; 103. The character o. Mary, though it can be hardly considered as described. is finely touched. The allusion here is to Luke ii. 19. 31. 122. It was the opinion of the ancients, that every elemen, as well as every corner of the earth hd its peculiar demons. The same opinion appears to have been upheld during the middle ages, and Milton, it is supposed, borrowed many of his notions from the strange and inystical works which were formerly written on the subject. I, as I undertook, and with the vote Consenting in full frequence was impower'd, Have found him, view'd him, tasted him, but find Far other labour to be undergone Than when I dealt with Adam, first of men, 120 Though Adam by his wife's allurement fell, 135 If he be man by mother's side at least, With more than human gifts from Heav'n adorn'd, Perfections absolute, graces divine, And amplitude of mind to greatest deeds; 140 Of like succeeding here; I summon ali 145 Thought none my equal, now be over-match'd. So spake th' old Serpent doubting, and from all With clamour was assured their utmost aid At his command; when from amidst them rose Belial, the dissolutest spirit that fell, The sensualest, and, after Asmodai, The fleshliest incubus, and thus advised: 150 Set women in his eye, and in his walk, 155 160 165 Draw out with credulous desire, and lead At will the manliest, resolutest breast, As the magnetic hardest iron draws. Women, when nothing else, beguiled the heart 168. Magnetic; the adjective for the substantive, as in Of wisest Solomon, and made him build, 170 Thou thyself doat'dst on womankind, admiring 175 Cast wanton eyes on the daughters of men, 180 And coupled with them, and begot a race. Have we not seen, or by relation heard, In courts and regal chambers how thou lurk'st, In wood or grove by mossy fountain side, In valley or green meadow, to way-lay 185 Some beauty rare, Calisto, Clymene, Daphne, or Semele, Antiopa, Or Amymone, Syrinx, many more Too long, then lay'st thy 'scapes on names adored, Apollo, Neptune, Jupiter, or Pan, 190 Satyr, or Faun, or Sylvan? But these haunts Delight not all; among the sons of men, How many have with a smile made small account Of Beauty and her lures, easily scorn'd All her assaults, on worthier things intent? 195 A youth, how all the beauties of the East He slightly view'd, and slightly overpass'd; How he surnamed of Africa dismiss'd In his prime youth the fair Iberian maid. 200 For Solomon, he lived at ease, and full Of honour, wealth, high fare, aim'd not beyond Higher design than to enjoy his state; Thence to the bait of women lay exposed: But he whom we attempt is wiser far 205 Than Solomon, of more exalted mind, 178. Milton here appears to favour the common notion of the angels having united with the daughters of men, but he expresses a contrary opinion, Par. Lost, xi. 621. 196. Alexander the Great, born at Pella, in Macedonia; his conduct towards the wife and daughters of Darius was distinguished for continency:--as was Scipio's, surnamed Africanus, on a similar occasion. Made and set wholly on th' accomplishment Or turn to reverent awe; for Beauty stands Led captive; cease to' admire, and all her plumes 21J 215 220 225 230 Is to be found, in the wide wilderness: The rest commit to me, I shall let pass No advantage, and his strength as oft assay. He ceased, and heard their grant in loud acclaim; Then forthwith to him takes a chosen band 236 Of spirits likest to himself in guile To be at hand, and at his beck appear, If cause were to unfold some active scene Of various persons, each to know his part, 240 Then to the desert takes with these his flight; 246 Nor tasted, nor had appetite; that fast 244. An inaccuracy has been pointed out in this line, as our Saviour did not now first hunger. |