ELDER BROTHER. Yes, and keep it ftill, Lean on it fafely; not a period Shall be unfaid for me: against the threats Of malice or of forcery, or that power Which erring men call Chance, this I hold firm, Surpris'd by unjuft force, but not inthrall'd; 585 Yea even that which mischief meant most harm, And mix no more with goodness, when at last It shall be in eternal reftlefs change Self-fed, and felf-confumed: if this fail, The pillar'd firmament is rottennefs, 590 595 And earth's bafe built on ftubble. But come let's on. Against th' oppofing will and arm of Heaven concerning the power of virtue. Thyer. 597. Self-fed, and felf-confumed:] This image is wonderfully fine. It is taken from the conjectures of aftronomers concerning the dark fpots, which from time to time appear on the furface of the fun's 600 May body, and after a while difappear again, which they fuppofe to be the fcum of that fiery matter, which first breeds it, and then breaks thro' and confumes it. Warburton. 598. The pillar'd firmament] See Paradife Regain'd, IV. 455. and the note there. 605. — or May never this just sword be lifted up; But for that damn'd magician, let him be girt Under the footy flag of Acheron, Harpyes and Hydra's, or all the monftrous forms 604 And Shakespear in Macbeth, A&t 1. Till he unfeam'd him from the I know Mr. Warburton reads here - from the nape to th' chops, but if any alteration were neceffary, and fupports it very ingeniouily; I fhould rather read Till he unfeam'd him from the chops to th' nave. Nay Shakespear carries it so far as to make Coriolanus cleave men down SPIRIT. Alas! good ventrous Youth, I love thy courage yet, and bold emprise; Be thofe that quell the might of hellish charms: down from head to foot. Coriolanus, A& 2. Sc. 6. -his fword, (death's ftamp) Where it did mark, it took from face to foot. But notwithstanding thefe inftances, Or drag him by the curls to a 610. and bold emprife ;] See the fame, Paradife Loft, XI. 642. Spenfer ufes the word, Faery Queen, B. 2. Cant. St. 3. .35. 610 290. Taffo, Cant. 15. St. 49. Richardfen. Before the poet had corrected this line, he had written, But here thy feel can do thee 614. He with his bare wand can And crumble all thy finews.] He had written at first, He with his bare wand can une ELDER BROTHER. Why prethee, Shepherd, How durft thou then thyfelf approach fo near, As to make this relation? SPIRIT. Care and utmost shifts 615 620 How to fecure the Lady from furprifal, He lov'd me well, and oft would beg me fing, 625 630 The leaf was darkish, and had prickles on it, But in another country, as he faid, Bore a bright golden flow'r, but not in this foil: and Mr. Warburton propofes to read light efteem'd: and Mr. Seward in Note 25 upon the Faithful Shepherdefs has very ingenioufly reformed the whole paffage thus. But in another country, as he Bore a bright golden flow'r, but The middle verfe indeed hath a re- Bore a bright golden flow'r, but in this foil Unknown and like efteem'd; or to leave out the monofyllable Unknown, but, to avoid its recurring in two lines together, But in another country, as he faid, Bore a bright golden flow'r, not in this foil: Unknown, and like efteem'd,&c. But then on the other hand it must be faid, that fuch redundant or hypercatalectic verfes fometimes occur in Milton. We had one a little before, ver. 605. Harpyes, and Hydra's, or all the monftrous forms. And for like efteem'd I think it may be defended without any alteration. Unknown and like esteem'd, that is Unknown and unefteem'd. Unknown and efteem'd accordingly. 635-- clouted L 2 |