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On whose fresh lap the swart star sparely looks,
Throw hither all your quaint enamell'd eyes,
That on the green turf suck the honied showers,
And purple all the ground with vernal flowers. 141
Bring the rathe primrose that forsaken dies,
The tufted crow-toe, and pale jessamine,
The white pink, and the pansy freakt with jet,
The glowing violet,

The musk-rose, and the well-attir'd woodbine,
With cowslips wan that hang the pensive head,
And every flower that sad embroidery wears:
Bid amaranthus all his beauty shed,

And daffodillies fill their cups with tears,

To strew the laureate hearse where Lycid lies.
For so to interpose a little ease,

145

150

Let our frail thoughts dally with false surmise.
Ay me! Whilst thee the shores and sounding seas
Wash far away, where'er thy bones are hurl'd, 155
Whether beyond the stormy Hebrides,
Where thou perhaps under the whelming tide
Visit'st the bottom of the monstrous world;
Or whether thou, to our moist vows denied,
Sleep'st by the fable of Bellerus old,

188 swart] See Warton's note on this word.

168 dally] Gayton's Chartæ Scriptæ, p. 21.

'When our fond thoughts are wearied with the sports
O th' earth, we dally in the watry coasts.'

160

158 monstrous] The sea, the world of monsters. Hor. Od. I. 8. 18. Virg. Æn. vi. 729.

'Quæ marmoreo fert monstra sub æquore pontus.'

Warton.

Where the great vision of the guarded mount Looks toward Namancos and Bayona's hold; Look homeward Angel now, and melt with ruth, And, O ye dolphins, waft the hapless youth.

166

Weep no more, woful Shepherds, weep no more,
For Lycidas your sorrow is not dead,
Sunk though he be beneath the watery floor;
So sinks the day-star in the ocean bed,
And yet anon repairs his drooping head,

And tricks his beams, and with new spangled ore
Flames in the forehead of the morning sky. 171
So Lycidas sunk low, but mounted high,
Thro' the dear might of him that walk'd the waves,
Where other groves, and other streams along,
With nectar pure his oozy locks he laves,
And hears the unexpressive nuptial song,

In the blest kingdoms meek of joy and love.

175

167 watery floor] Dante Purg. ii. 15. 'Sovra 'l suol marino.' Davison's Poet. Rhapsodie, p. 78.

169 repairs] Lidgate's Troy, p. 13, Long ere Titan 'gan make his repaire.' Browne's Brit. Past. p. 88, 'Breathes to the sullen night a soft repayre.' See Fletcher's Christ's Victory, ii. 12; and the Adamus Exul Grotii, p. 28, 35; and Marino's Slaugh. of the Innoc. p. 45. 'His light immortal doth repair.' And Lucret. v. 732.

171 forehead] 'Oft seen in forehead of the frowning skies.' Sylvest. Du Bartas, p. 25. 177 blest] Past Egl. on Sir P. Sidney's death, by L. E. ver. 135.

'Phillisides is dead! O happie sprite,

That now in heaven with blessed soules doest bide,
Looke down awhile from where thou sitst above,' &c.

There entertain him all the saints above,
In solemn troops, and sweet societies,
That sing, and singing in their glory move,
And wipe the tears for ever from his eyes.
Now, Lycidas, the shepherds weep no more;
Henceforth thou art the Genius of the shore,
In thy large recompense, and shalt be good
To all that wander in that perilous flood.

180

185

Thus sang the uncouth swain to th' oaks and

rills,

While the still morn went out with sandals gray
He touch'd the tender stops of various quills,
With eager thought warbling his Doric lay;
And now the sun had stretch'd out all the hills,
And now was dropt into the western bay;
At last he rose, and twitch'd his mantle blue,
To-morrow to fresh woods, and pastures new.

191

190 See Past. Egl. on Sir P. Sidney's death, by L. B.

ver. 159.

'The sun,

lo! hastned hath his face to steep

In western waves; and th' aire with stormy showres,
Warnes us to drive homewards our silly sheep:
Lycon, lett's rise

198 To-morrow] Fletcher's P. Island, c. vi. s. 77.

'To-morrow shall ye feast in pastures new.'

Warton.

L'ALLEGRO.

HENCE, loathed Melancholy,

Of Cerberus and blackest Midnight born!

In Stygian cave forlorn,

'Mongst horrid shapes, and shrieks, and sights Find out some uncouth cell,

[unholy,

Where brooding Darkness spreads his jealous And the night-raven sings;

[wings,

There under ebon shades, and low-brow'd rocks,

As ragged as thy locks,

In dark Cimmerian desert ever dwell.

10

But come thou Goddess fair and free,

In heav'n y-clep'd Euphrosyne,
And by men, heart-easing Mirth,
Whom lovely Venus at a birth,
With two sister Graces more,
To ivy-crowned Bacchus bore;
Or whether (as some sager sing)

The frolic wind that breathes the spring,

15

1 Hence] Compare Marston's Scourge of Villanie, b. iii.

s. 10. (ed. 1598.) 'Sleepe grim reproof,' &c. Warton.

·

5 uncouth] Searcht out the uncouth cell of thy abode.' Val. Welshman, 1615, act iv. s. 6. Todd.

10 Cimmerian] Miltoni Prolus. :'Dignus qui Cimmeriis occlusus tenebris longam et perosam vitam transigat. Warton. 15 two] Meat and Drink, the two sisters of Mirth. Warbur

ton.

Zephyr with Aurora playing,
As he met her once a Maying;
There on beds of violets blue,

And fresh-blown roses washt in dew,
Fill'd her with thee, a daughter fair,

So buxom, blithe, and debonair.

20

Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee

25

Jest, and youthful Jollity,

Quips, and Cranks, and wanton Wiles,

Nods, and Becks, and wreathed Smiles,

Such as hang on Hebe's cheek,
And love to live in dimple sleek;
Sport that wrinkled Care derides,
And Laughter holding both his sides.
Come, and trip it as ye go,
On the light fantastic toe;

And in thy right hand lead with thee
The mountain nymph, sweet Liberty;
And if I give thee honour due,
Mirth, admit me of thy crew,

To live with her, and live with thee,

22 wash'd] Shakesp. Tam. of Shrew, act ii. sc. 1.
'As morning roses newly wash'd with dew.'

Bowle.

24 buxom 'To make one blithe, buxome, and deboneer.'

Randolph Aristippus, p. 310, ed. 1662. Todd.

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90

26

28 Nods] With becks, and nods, and smiles againe.' Burton's An. of Melanch. p. 449 (ed. 1628). Warton.

38 Come] Shakes. Tempest, act iv. sc. 1.

Come and go,

Each one tripping on his toe.' Newton.

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