manuscript by the rev. Francis Henry Egerton, I printed it entire in 1798.

I then supposed it to be one of the many copies written before the mask was published, by Henry Lawes, who, on his editing it in 1637, complained in his dedication to lord Brackley, that "the often copying it had tired his pen :" or, at least, to be a transcript of his copy. And I am still of the same opinion.

I mentioned that, at the bottom of the titlepage to this manuscript, the second earl of Bridgewater, who had performed the part of the Elder Brother, has written" Author Io: Milton." This, in my opinion, may be considered as no slight testimony, that the manuscript presents the original form of this drama. The mask was acted in 1634, and was first published by Lawes in 1637, at which time it had certainly been corrected, although it was not then openly acknowledged', by its author. The alterations and additions, therefore, which the printed poem exhibits, might not have been made till long after the representation; perhaps, not till Lawes had expressed his determination to publish it. The coincidence of Lawes's Original Music with certain peculiarities in this manuscript, which I have already stated in the Account of HENRY LAWES, may also favour this supposition.

Most of the various readings in this manuscript agree with Milton's original readings in the Cambridge manuscript; a few are peculiar to itself.

Since I published the edition of Comus in 1798, I have examined the latter; and have found a closer agreement between the two manuscripts than I had reason, from the collations of that at Cambridge by Dr. Newton and Mr. Warton, to have supposed.

This manuscript resembles Milton's also in the circumstance of beginning most of the verses with small letters.

The poem opens with the following twenty lines, which in all other copies, hitherto known to the public, form part of the Spirit's epilogue. STAGE-DIRECTION. "The first sceane discovers a wild wood, then a guardian spiritt or dæmon descendes or enters."

From the heavens now I flye,
And those happy clymes that lye
Where daye never shutts his eye,
Vp in the broad field of the skye.
There I suck the liquid ayre
All amidst the gardens fayre

Of Hesperus, and his daughters three
That singe about the goulden tree.
There eternall summer dwells,

And west wyndes, with muskye winge,
About the Cederne allyes flinge
Nard and cassia's balmie smells.
Iris there with humid bowe
Waters the odorous bankes, that blowe
Flowers of more mingled hew
Then her purfled scarfe can shew,
Yellowe, watchett, greene, and blew,
And drenches oft with manna dew
Beds of hyacinth and roses,
Where many a cherub soft reposes.

'See Lawes' Dedication.

grapes.

Which therefore she brought up, and

Comus nam'd.

Ver. 58. Ver. 83. STAGE-DIRECTION after v. 92. "Comus enters with a charminge rod in one hand and a glass of liquor in the other; with him a route of monsters like men and women but headed like wild beasts, &c."

These my skye webs, spun out of Iris wooffe.

Ver. 99. Shoots against the Northerne pole. Ver. 123. Night has better sweets to prove. STAGE-DIRECTION after v. 144. "The Measure in a wild, rude, and wanton antic :" And after v. 147, they all scatter." This waye the noise was,

Ver. 170.

66

be true.

if my eare

Ver. 191. The three beautiful lines, preceding this verse in the printed copies, are wanting in this MS. Ver. 195. Had stolne them from me. The remaining hemistich, and the thirty following lines, which the other copies exhibit, are not in this MS.

But where they are, and whye they come not back.

Ver. 229. Prompt me, and they perhaps are not farr hence.

Ver. 241. Sweete queene of parlie, daughter to the sphere.

Ver. 243. And hould a counterpoinle to all heav'n's harmonies.

STAGE-DIRECTION after v. 243. "Comus looks in and speakes."

Ver. 252. Of darkness till she smil❜d! Ver. 256. Whoe, when they sung, would take the prison'd soule,

Ver. 270.

To touch the prosperinge growth of this tall wood.

Ver. 297. Their porte was more than humane as they stood,

So this line is pointed in the manuscript. Compare note on Com. v. 297.

Ver. 300. That in the cooleness of the raynebow

Ver. 398. You may as well spreade out the un-
sum'd heapes
[den.
Of misers treasures by an outlawes
And tell me it is safe, as bid me hope
Dainger will winke at opportunitie,
And she a single helpless maiden passe
Vninjur'd in this wide surrounding

wast.

Ver. 409. Secure, without all doubt or question,

no:

I could be willing, though now i'th darke, to trie

[ruffian

A tough encounter with the shaggies! That lurks by hedge or lane of this dead circuit,

[suer To have her by my side, though I were She might be free from perill where she is, But, where an equal poise of hope and feare, &c.

Ver. 115. As you imagine, brother; she has a hidden strength.

Ver. 426. Noe salvage, feirce bandite, or mountaneere.

In the manuscript a comma is placed both after salvage and feirce: the former may be retained; and we might read fierce bandite, instead of savage fierce in the printed copies. And thus Pope, Essay on Man, Ep. iv. v. 41. No bandit fierce, no tyrant mad with pride. Ver. 428. Yea even, where very desolac" on dwells

By grots and caverns shag'd with horrid shades,

And yawninge denns,where glaringemonsters house..

Ver. 432. Naye more, noe evill thinge that walks by night.

Ver. 437. Has hurtefull power ore true virginitie:

Doe you beleeve me yet, &c. Ver. 448. The wise Minerva wore, vnconquer'd virgin.

Ver. 460. Begins to cast a beam on th' outward shape.

Ver. 465. And most by lewde lascivious act of sin. Ver. 472. Hoveringe, and sitting by a new made grave.

STAGE DIRECTION after v. 489." He hallowes and is answered, the guardian dæmon comes in, habited like a shepheard."

Ver. 497. How cam'st here, good shepheard? hath any ram, &c.

Ver. 513. He tell you, tis not vain or fabulous. Ver. 555. At last a sweele and solemne breathinge sound,

Rose like the softe steame of distill'd perfumes,

And stole vpon the aire.

I

These variations present this charming passage,
think, with as strong effect as the other copies.
Ver. 563. Too well I might perceive &c.
Ver. 581. How are you joyn'd with Hell in triple

knott.

The transcriber's eye here perhaps hastily passed from emblaze to with starrs, which, in the printed copies, the succeeding line presents. Com. v. 733, 734. The next nineteen lines in the printed copies, after browes, viz. from v. 736, to v. 756, are not in this MS.

Ver. 758. Would thinke to charme my judgment, as my eyes.

Ver. 772. Ver. 777.

Nature's full blessinge would be well dispenst.

Ne'er looks to Heav'n amidst his gorgeous feasts.

But with besotted base ingratitude Crams, and blaspheames his feeder. After feeder the following lines in the printed copies, viz. from v. 779, to v. 806, are not in this MS.

Ver. 810. And setlinge of a melancholy bloud. "The brothers STAGE-DIRECTION after v. 813.

rushe in with swords drawne, wrest his glasse of liquor out of his hand, and brake it against the ground; his rowte make signe of resistance, but are all driven in, the Demon is to come in with the brothers."

Ver. 814. What, have yee let the false enchaunter scape?

Ver. 821. Some other meanes I have that may be vsed.

Ver. 828. Whoe had the scepter from his father Brute.

Ver. 847. is wanting in this MS.

STAGE-DIRECTION after v. 866. "The verse to singe or not."

Ver. 867. Listen, and appear to vs,

In name of greate Oceanus,

By th' Earth-shakinge Neptune's mace,
And Tethis grave majestick pace,

El. B. By hoarie Nereus wrincled looke,
And the Carpathian wizards hooke,

2 Bro. By scalie Tritons windinge shell, And ould sooth-saying Glaucus spell, El. B. By Lewcotheas lovely hands,

And her sonne that rules the strands, 2 Bro. By Thetis tinsel-slipper'd feete, And the songs of Sirens sweete, El. B. By dead Farthenopes deare tombe, And fayer Ligeas golden combe,

Wherewith she sitts on diamond rocks, Sleekinge her soft allureinge locks, Dem. By all the nimphes of nightly daunce, Vpon thy streames with wilie glaunce, Rise, rise, and heave thy rosie head, From thy corall paven bed, And bridle in thy headlonge ware, Till thou our summons answered have. Listen, and save.

The invocations, assigned to the Brothers in the preceding lines, are recited by the Spirit alone in all other copies of the poem. It is probable, 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.

Ver. 893. Thick set with agate, and the azur'd sheene.

Shakespeare has the "azur'd vault," Tempest, A. v. S. i. And Greene, the "azur'd skye." Never too late, 1616, P. ii. p. 46. But Milton's own word is azurn. See the Note on Com. v. 893.

Ver. 897. Thus I rest my printles feete
Ore the couslips head.

Ver. 907. Of vnblest inchaunters vile,
Ver. 911. Thus I sprinkle on this brest.
STAGE-DIRECTION after v. 937. 66
Ver. 938. El. Br. Come, Sister, while Heav'n

lends vs grace,

Songe ends."

Let vs fly this cursed place, &c.
Dem. I shal be your faithfull guide

Through this gloomie covert wide, &c. Ver. 951. All the swaynes that neere abide, With jiggs and rural daunce resorte; Wee shall catch them at this sporte, &c.

El. B. Come, let vs hast, the starrs are high, But night sitts monarch yet in the mid skye, The Spirit again is the sole speaker of the nineteen preceding lines in the printed copy. STAGE-DIRECTION. The Sceane changes, then is presented Ludlowe towne, and the President's Castle; then come in Countrie daunces and the like, &c. towards the end of these sperts the demon with the 2 brothers and the ladye come in." Then

"The Spiritt singes."

Back, shepheards, back, &c. Then "2 Songe presents them to their father and mother."

Noble Lord, and Lady bright, &c. STAGE-DIRECTION after v. 975. "They dance, the daunces al ended, the Dæmon singes or sayes."

Now my taske is smoothly done,
I can flye, or I can run

Quickly to the earthe's greene end,
Where the bow'd welkin slow doeth bend,
And from thence can soare as sooue
To the corners of the Moone.

Mortalls, that would follow me,
Love vertue; she alone is free:
She can teach you how to clyme
Higher than the sphearie chime!
Or if vertue feeble were,

Heven it selfe would stoope to her.

The Epilogue, in this manuscript, has not the thirty-six preceding lines, which are in the printed copies. Twenty of them, however, as we have scen, open the drama. Like the Cambridge manuscript, this manuscript does not exhibit what, in the printed copies, relates to Adonis, and to Cupid and Psyche. The four charming verses also, which follow v. 983 in the printed copy, are not in the manuscript. TODD,

SONNETS. I.

TO THE NIGHTINGALE. NIGHTINGALE, that on yon bloomy spray Warblest at eve, when all the woods are still; Thou with fresh hope the lover's heart dost fill, While the jolly Hours lead on propitious May. Thy liquid notes that close the eye of day, First heard before the shallow cuckoo's bill, Portend success in love; O, if Jove's will Have link'd that amorous power to thy soft lay, Now timely sing, ere the rude bird of hate

Foretel my hopeless doom in some grove nigh; As thou from year to year hast sung too late For my relief, yet hadst no reason why:

Whether the Muse, or Love,call thee his mate,
Both them I serve, and of their train am I,

II.

DONNA leggiadra, il cui tel nome honora
L'herbosa val di Rheno, e il nobil varco;
Bene è colui d'ogni valore scarco
Qual tuo spirto gentil non innamora ;
Che dolcemente mostra si di fuora

De sui atti soavi giamai parco,

Ei don', che son d'amor saette ed arco, La onde l'alta tua virtu s'infiora. Quando tu våga parli, o lieta canti

Che mover possa duro alpestre legno, Guardi ciascun a gli occhi, ed a gli orecch L'entrata, chi di te si trouva indegno; Gratia sola di su gli vaglia, inanti Che'l disio amoroso al cuor s'invecchi.

III.

QUAL in colle aspro, al imbrunir di sera
L'avezza giovinetta pastorella
Va bagnando l'herbetta strana e bella
Che mal si spande a disusata spera

RIDONSI donne e giovani amorosi

M' accostandosi attorno, e perche scrivi,
Perche tu scrivi in lingua ignota e strana
Verseggiando d' amor, e come t'osi?
Dinne, se la tua speme sia mai vana,
E de pensieri lo miglior t'arrivi;
Cosi mi van burlando, altri rivi
Altri lidi t'aspettan, ed altre onde
Nelle cui verdi sponde

Spuntati ad hor, ad hor a la tua chioma
L'immortal guiderdon d' eterne frondi
Perche alle spalle tue soverchia soma?

Canzon dirotti, e tu per me rispondi
Dice mia Donna, e'l suo dir, é il mio cuore
Questa e lingua di cui si vanta Amore.

IV.

DIODATI, e te'l dirò con maraviglia,

Quel ritroso io ch'amor spreggiar soléa
E de suoi lacci spesso mi ridéa

Gia caddi, ov'huom dabben talhor s'impiglia.
Ne treccie d'oro, ne guancia vermiglia
M'abbaglian sì, ma sotto nova idea
Pellegrina bellezza che'l cuor bea,
Portamenti alti honesti, e nelle ciglia
Quel sereno fulgor d'amabil nero,

Parole adorne di lingua piu d'una,
E'l cantar che di mezzo l'hemispero
Traviar ben puo la faticosa Luna,

E degli occhi suoi auventa si gran fuoco
Che l'incerar gli orecchi mi fia poco.

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 un caldo vapor (ne sentì pria)

Da quel lato si spinge ove mi duole,
Che forse amanti nelle lor parole
Chiaman sospir; io non so che si sia:
Parte rinchiusa, e turbida si cela

Scosso mi il petto, e poi n'uscendo poco Quivi d' attorno o s'agghiaccia, o s'ingiela; Ma quanto a gli occhi giunge a trovar loco Tutte le notti a me suol far piovose Finche mia Alba rivien colma di rose.

VI.

GIOVANE piano, e semplicette amante

Poi che fuggir me stesso in dubbio sono,' Madonna a voi del mio cuor l'humil dono Farò divoto; io certo a prove tante,

L'hebbi fedele, intrepido, costante,

De pensieri leggiadro, accorto, e buono ; Quando rugge il gran mondo, e scocca il tuono, S'arma di se, c d'intero diamante:

Tanto del forse, e d' invidia sicuro,

Di timori, e speranze, al popol use,
Quanto d'ingegno, e d'alto valor vago,
E di cetta sonora, e delle muse :
Sol troverete in tal parte men duro,
Ove Amor mise l'insanabil ago.

VII.

ON HIS BEING ARRIVED TO THE AGE OF 23.

How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth,
Stol'n on his wing my three and twentieth year
My hasting days fly on with full career,
But my late spring no bud or blossom shew'th.
Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth,
That I to manhood am arriv'd so near;

And inward ripeness doth much less appear, That some more timely happy spirits endu'th. Yet be it less or more, or soon or slow,

It shall be still in strictest measure even To that same lot, however mean or high, Toward which Time leads me, and the Will of All is, if I have grace to use it so, [Heaven: As ever in my great Task-Master's eye.

VIII.

WHEN THE ASSAULT WAS INTENDED TO THE CITY

CAPTAIN, or colonel, or knight in arms, [seize, Whose chance on these defenceless doors may If deed of honour did thee ever please, [harms. Guard them, and him within protect from He can requite thee; for he knows the charms That call fame on such gentle acts as these, And he can spread thy name o'er lands and

seas,

Whatever clime the Sun's bright circle warms. Lift not thy spear against the Muses bower:

The great Emathian conqueror bid spare The house of Pindarus, when temple and tower Went to the ground: and the repeated air Of sad Electra's poet had the power

To save the Athenian walls from ruin bare.

IX.

TO A VIRTUOUS YOUNG LADY.

LADY, that in the prime of earliest youth [green,
Wisely hast shunn'd the broad way and the
And with those few art eminently seen,
That labour up the hill of heavenly truth,
The better part with Mary and with Ruth
Chosen thou hast; and they that overween,
And at thy growing virtues fret their spleen,
No anger find in thee, but pity and ruth.
Thy care is fix'd, and zealously attends

To fill thy odorous lamp with deeds of light, And hope that reaps not shame. Therefore be [friends

sure

Thou, when the bridegroom with his feastful
Passes to bliss at the mid hour of night,
Hast gain'd thy entrance, Virgin wise and

pure.