Drowey flighted steeds.

Ver. 553. Ver. 555. At last a softe and solemn breathing sound

Rose like the softe steame of distill'd perfumes.

So he had at first written these lines in the former of which softe is altered to still, then to sweet, and lastly re-admitted; but in the latter softe is erased, and the line is completed thus: Rose like the steam of slow distill'd perfumes.

But slow is altered to rich. Possibly Gray had noticed this very curious passage in Milton's manuscript; for, in his Progress of Poesy, he calls the Æolian lyre

"Parent of sweet and solemn breathing

airs :"

for before, Comus's first speech was uninterrupt. edly continued thus,

"Root-bound, that fled Apollo. Why do you frown?" Ver. 669. That youth and fancie can beget, When the briske blood growes lively.In the former line it was also written" can invent ;" and in the latter " blood returnes." Ver. 678. To life so friendly, and so coole to thirst. [ing Poor ladie thon hast need of some refreshWhy should you, &c.-

After v. 697, the nine lines now standing were introduced instead of "Poore ladie, &c." a above.

Ver. 687. That hast been tired all day.
Ver. 689. Heere fair virgin.

Ver. 695. Ongly-headed monsters.
Ver. 696. Hence with thy hel-brew'd opiate.
Then foule-bru'd, then brew'd enchantments.
Ver. 698. With visor'd falshood and base for
geries.

Ver. 712.

Ver. 707. To those budge doctors of the Stoic gowne. Covering the earth with odours and with fruites, [numerable, Cramming the seas with spawne inThe fields with cattell, and the aire with fowle,

Ver. 717. To adorn her sons→→

But deck is the first reading, then adorn, then

availe.

Little stead is here crossed, and marked for readmission, as praise in v. 176.

Ver. 721. Should in a pet of temperance feed

on fetches.

joynts,

Which Mercury to wise Ulysses gave. Ver. 640. 'Gainst all inchantments, mildew blast, or damp.

So this line is pointed in the MS. Ver. 648. As I will give you as we go, [or, on the way] you may,

Ver. 657.

Boldly assault the necromantik hall;
Where if he be, with suddaine violence
And brandisht blade rush on him,
break his glasse,
[ground,
And poure the lushious potion on the
And seize his wand.

I follow thee,
And good heaven cast his best regard

upon us. Ex. After v. 658, Stage DirectioN. "The scene changes to a stately palace, set out with all manner of deliciousness: tables spread with all dainties. Comus is discovered with his rabble: and the lady set in an inchanted chaire. She offers

to rise."

Ver. 661. And you a statue fiat, as Daphne

was.

Ver. 662. Fool, thou art over-proud, do not boast.

This whole speech of the Lady, and the first verse of the next of Comus, were added in the margin:

away.

And settlings of a melancholy blood;

But this, &c.

After v. 813. STAGE-DIRECTION. "The brothers
rush in, strike his glasse down: the [monsters,
then] shapes make as though they would resist, but
are all driven in. Dæmon enters with them."
Ver. 814. What have you let the false enchan-
ter pass?

Ver. 816. Without his art reverst.
Ver. 818. We cannot free the lady that remains.
And, here sits.

Ver. 821. There is another way that may be us'd.

Ver. 826. Sabrina is her name, a goddess chaste. Then erased; then virgin before goddess, and pure after chaste.

Ver. 829. She, guilti se damsel, flying the mad persuite.

Ver. 831,

To the streame.

But first "the flood." Ver. 834. Held up thire white wrists and receav'd her in,

And bore her straite to aged Nereus

hall.

Ver. 845. Helping all urchin blasts, and ill-luck signes [lights to leave; That the shrewd meddling elfe deAnd often takes our cattel with strange pinches. Which she, &c.

Temperance is a marginal reading. · Patience had been first written and erased; and is restored by the line drawn underneath it, as at praise, v. 176. It is also again written over temperance erased in the margin.

Ver. 973. To a crowne of deathlesse bays. After v. 975, STAGE-DIRECTION "The Dæmon sings or says."

Ver. 976. These concluding lyrics are twice written in pp. 28, 29, of the MS. the first are crossed.

Ver. 979. Up in the plaine fields. Ver. 982. Of Atlas and his daughters three. Hesperus is written over Atlas, and neeces over daughters: but daughters are distinguished by the line underneath, although it had been erased; which is not the case with Atlas. See Mr. Whiter's acute remark on this circumstance, Specimen &c. as above, p. 133. Ver. 983. After "the goulden tree," he had written, but crossed,

Where grows the high-borne gold upon

his native tree.

layes.

And lovely, from lively.

Ver. 851. Of pansies, and of bonnie daffadils. Ver. 853. Each clasping charme, and secret hold

ing spell.

Ver. 857. In honour'd virtue's cause: this will I trie.

And in the margin " In hard distressed need."
Then follows, "And adde the power of some
strong verse." Adjuring is a marginal correction.
Ver. 860. Listen, virgin, where thou sit'st.
Before v. 867, is written, "To be said."
Ver. 879. By dead Parthenope's dear tomb, &c.
This and the three following lines are crossed.
Ver. 895. That my rich wheeles inlayes.
Ver. 910. Vertuous ladie, look on me.
Ver. 921. To waite on Amphitrite in her bowre.
Ver. 924. May thy crystal waves for this.
Ver. 927. That tumble downe from snowie hills.
Ver. 948. Where this night are come in state.
Ver. 951. All the swains that near abide.
Ver. 956. Come let us haste, the stars are high.
But night reignes monarch yet in the
mid skie.

STAGE-DIRECTIONS. "Exeunt.-The scene changes, and then is presented Ludlow town, and the president's castle: then enter country dances and such like gambols, &c. At these sports the Damon, with the two Brothers and the Lady, enters. The dæmon sings."

Ver. 962. Of nimbler toes, and courtly guise,
Such as Hermes did devise.

In the former line "such neat guise," had also been written.

This is in the first copy of the Lyrics. In the second,

Then her purfled scarf can shew,
Yellow watchet, greene, and blew,
And drenches oft with manna [then
Sabaan] dew

Beds of hyacinth and roses,

Where many a cherub soft reposes.

But Yellow, watchet, greene, and blew," is crossed in the second copy. What relates to Adonis, and to Cupid and Psyche, was afterwards added.

Ver. 1012. Now my message [or buisnesse] well is done.

Ver. 1014. Farre beyond the earth's end,
Where the welkin low doth bend.
He had also written "the welkin cleere." And
"the earth's greene end."

Ver. 1023. Heav'n itselfe would bow to her.
The following readings, which have occurred in
this manuscript, will he found in Lawes's edi-
tion of Comus in 1637. They were altered in
Milton's own edition of 1645.

VARIOUS READINGS OF THE MASK OF COMUS, BELONGING TO THE DUKE OF BRIDGWATER. Having been favoured with the use of this K k

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 damon

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.

1 See Lawes's Dedication.

These my skye webs, spun out of Iris

wooffe.

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."

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."

Ver. 170. This waye the noise was, if my eare be true.

Ver. 191. But where they are, and whye they come not back.

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.

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

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 desolacon 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 virgi

nitie: 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. Ile 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.

After v. 631, the six lines which follow in the printed copy are not in this MS. Ver. 647. Thirsis, lead on apace, I followe thee.

In the STAGE-DIRECTION after v. 658, soft music is not mentioned in this MS.

Ver. 678. To life soe friendly, or soe coole ‹ to' thirst;

Poore ladie, thou hast need of some refreshinge,

That has been tired aldaye without repast,

A timely rest hast wanted. heere, fayre virgin,

This will restore all soone. After v. 696, the four lines which follow in the printed copy are not in this MS.

Ver. 709. Praisinge the leane and shallow Absti

The transcriber's eye here perhaps hastily passed from emblaze to with starrs, which, in the printed copies, the succeeding line presents. See 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. STAGE-DIRECTION after v. 813. "The brothers

rushe in with swords drawne, wrest his glasse of liquor out of his hand, and brake it agaiust 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.

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

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,

Iu 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 Parthenopes 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 wave, 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. "Songe ends."
Ver. 938. El. Br. Come, Sister, while Heav'n
lends vs grace,

Let vs fly this cursed place, &c.
Dem. I shal be your faithfuli 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 Presi. dent's Castle; then come in Countrie daunces and the like, &c. towards the end of these sports 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 daunce, 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 soone
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 thirtysix preceding lines, which are in the printed copies. Twenty of them, however, as we have seen, 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 Haye 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 bel 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 vaga 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 serą
L'avezza giovinetta pastorella
Va bagnando l'herbetta strana e bella
Che mal si spande a disusata spera