By his old sire, to his embraces runs, Hasting to pay his tribute to the sea, Like mortal life to meet eternity. Though with those streams he no remembrance hold, And then destroys it with too fond a stay, Like mothers which their infants overlay ; Nor with a sudden and impetuous wave, Like profuse kings, resumes the wealth he gave. No unexpected inundations spoil The mower's hopes, nor mock the ploughman's toil, But Godlike his unwearied bounty flows; First loves to do, then loves the good he does. But free and common as the sea or wind. Brings home to us, and makes both Indies ours: So that to us no thing, no place is strange, O, could I flow like thee, and make thy stream Though deep yet clear, though gentle yet not dull, Strong without rage, without o'erflowing full. But his proud head the airy mountain hides This scene had some bold Greek or British bard Beheld of old, what stories had we heard Of fairies, satyrs, and the nymphs their dames, Their feasts, their revels, and their amorous flames! 'Tis still the same, although their airy shape All but a quick poetic sight escape. L'ALLEGRO. BY JOHN MILTON. [JOHN MILTON, a younger son of a scrivener who had amassed a considerable fortune by his profession, was born in Bread Street, London, on the 9th of December, 1608. At an early age he was sent to St. Paul's School, where he made great progress, and at sixteen he entered Christ's College, Cambridge; after seven years' residence, he took a degree of M.A. (in the year 1632). Milton then retired to his father's house at Horton, in Buckinghamshire, where he wrote "L'Allegro,” "Il Penseroso," "Comus," and other of his shorter poems; afterwards he travelled in Italy for about fifteen months, whence he returned to take a part in the great political struggle which was then convulsing England. For many years, during which he gained his living as a schoolmaster, he strongly advocated the republican cause, and after the death of King Charles he was appointed Latin Secretary to the Council of State. At the Restoration, Milton retired into private life; and it was then, in his old age, when he had become totally blind, that he wrote his immortal poems, "Paradise Lost" and "Paradise Regained.” John Milton was married three times: first, in 1643, to Mary Powell, the daughter of a Royalist gentleman; this proved an unfortunate marriage. Six years after her death he was united to Catherine, the daughter of Captain Woodcock, a rigid sectarian, with whom he lived most happily for twelve months, when, to his great grief, she died. is of her that he speaks in one of his sonnets as his "late espoused saint." In 1660 he married Elizabeth Minshull (the daughter of a Cheshire gentleman), who proved an excellent wife, and who soothed his sorrows with exemplary care. John Milton died on Sunday, the 8th of November, 1674, and was buried in the chancel of St. Giles's Church, Cripplegate. In 1737, a monument was erected to his memory in Westminster Abbey.] HENCE, loathed Melancholy, Of Cerberus and blackest Midnight born, It 'Mongst horrid shapes, and shrieks, and sights unholy; Find out some uncouth cell, Where brooding Darkness spreads his jealous wings, And the night-raven sings; There under ebon shades, and low-brow'd rocks, As ragged as thy locks, In dark Cimmerian desert ever dwell. But come, thou goddess fair and free, In heaven yclept Euphrosyne, To ivy-crown'd Bacchus bore; Or whether (as some sages sing) The frolic wind that breathes the spring, Zephyr, with Aurora playing, As he met her once a-Maying, There on beds of violets blue, And fresh-blown roses wash'd in dew, Fill'd her with thee, a daughter fair, So buxom, blithe, and debonair. Haste thee, nymph, and bring with thee Jest, and youthful Jollity, Quips, and cranks, and wanton wiles, Nods, and becks, and wreathèd smiles, Such as hang on Hebe's cheek, Sport that wrinkled Care derides, E E |