EXPLAINED

POETRY

FOR

USE

THE

YOUNG

OF

PEOPLE.

BY

R, L. EDGEWORTH,

NEW

ESQ.

EDITION,

Eontron

:
t

PRINTED

FOR

R.
ST.

AND

HUNTER

PAUL'S

BALDWIN,

(successor
CHURCH-

YARD

CRADOCK,

PATERNOSTER-

1821.

ROW.

to

J.

JOHNSON),

AND

JOY,

T.

C.

HANSARD,
Printer,

Peterborough

Court,

Fleet

Street.

PREFACE

EXPERIENCE
of

author
children
which
that

taste,

has

the

following

seldom

thus, instead

they acquire

distinct

to

ideas,
sounds

destitute

of

learn
of

which

or

the

by

of

which

meaning.

that

habit

they

poetry
and

rote,

forming

the

the

pages,

understand

they early

words

convinced

of

poetic
ing
repeat-

affix

no

admiring

dious
melo-

to

them

are

IV

PREFACE.

The
the

pleasurethat
allusions

remote

receive from

we

metaphoric

or

language of poetry depends,

great degree,upon
which

we

pass

the

over

termed
of in-

ideas,and seize the

the

of

much

author

in
difficulty

elisions of
It
process
it

it is

supplying

the
tion.
dic-

and

is

laborious

and

to

even

them

when

they perform
of the

pleasure

duringthe operation. Surely

doing

young

people injustice,

force fine poetry upon

they can

find

poetic thought

much
successfully,

escapes

to

ing
mean-

but children

with
rapidity
number

in

possiblytaste

them

before

its excellence;

PREFACE.

for thus

rob them

we

them

defraud

of

of present, and

future

Beside the hazard

with

of

them
disgusting

ducing
poetry, there is danger of inservile

imitation,and

their minds
choice

or

copiersof

abounds

copyists,who,

set

want

of

of

ideas.

with

of the

words,
the

Probably this

of thought,and
originality

this perpetual
sameness
in

The

varying

changeseternally
upon

same

may

out
with-

discrimination.

merelythe arrangement
the

of habituati

admire

to

world of literaturenow

run

pleasure.

some

of

arise from

measure

veneration which

is
a

expression,

the

earlyimpressed

PREFACE.

VI

upon

the mind

for certain standards

veneration

excellence

of

which

reason,

student

made

observations

poetry, will

rather than

to

children

discover

upon

natural sentiments,

that the sublime

whatever

by

expressions,

livelypicturesof reality.They

and

that

"c

is usuallyexcited

uncommon

by

analyze

attends to the

by

soon

their admiration
and

how

Whoever

combine.

quaint

out
imitate, with-

and

him
instructing
or

independent

disposesthe young

admire

to

of

theyare

or

hear

rity,
is veiled in obscu-

inclined

to venerate

if it

is obscure,

as

sublime.

Not

were

only

cessarily
ne-

chil-

PREFACE.

poets themselves,

dren, but

this mistake.

to

that the

the age

languageof

in Dry den,
expressions
made

for his

list of them

tice, such

says,
never

he

was

lete
certain obso-

pleasedwith

much

is

and

clined
in-

are

Gray

languageof poetry ;

the
so

Vll

he

that

own

prac

museful mopings,

as

"

roundelay of love, irefulmood,

"

furbishedfor

the

whether

truly poetic,we
that
can

no

become

these

may

"

dered
dod-

stopping to
ornaments

be

safelyassert,

merely by using them,

one,

become

"

Without

oaks.
examine

field, -foiled

"

poet

lackeys do

in
gentlemen by strutting

not

the

PREFACE.

Vlll

of their masters.

clothes

cast

however,

seems,

with

The

with another.

Churchyard,
College, the

Eton

his poetry,

esteemed

the

aid
it

make

ruthless
To

means

attention

not

equal to
king!
a

"

'

executed

his

and
most

Ode

or

most

be
be

those circumstances

of

nerall
ge-

Hymn

to

require

to

seem

on

simple

his

and

try
Coun-

phraseology to
Ruin

the

seize

Song

thee,

of Odin.

poetictaste, very

must

must

have

Elegy in

uncouth

of

form

to

planned

perhaps the

are

Adversitydoes

have

to

taste, and

one

Gray

ent
differ-

employed.
early directed
in nature,

The
to

which

PREFACE.

IX

ideas
capableof exciting

are

the sublime
books

as

mind

to

beautiful

or

assist in

may

obtained

from

sentences

of true

awakening the
Perhaps

Testament.

the

poetry should be

Many

prose.

short

poetry have been

Many

lected
se-

Old

the

from

children

for

books

to

and to such

observation.

firstintroduction

either of

in

be found

may

of natural history.

White

of

Selbourne

describes the various

of birds in the
"

Swallows
of the

manner:
following

sweep

ground

themselves
distinguish
the

over

and

the
water,

flight
"

face
sur-

and

lutions',
by quick evo-

darts along
king-fisher

PREFACE.

like

arrow

an

rise
sky-larks

and

wood-

as
they sing;
perpendicularly

larks

hang poisedin

Compare

these

with

Windsor

in

the

Pope's epithets

"

"

"c.

"

It is obvious
of observation

writer with
with

ous
clamor-

mounting lark/3

that the

bits
ha-

same

suppliedthe

and
description,

prose

the poet

epithets.

From
sentences

simple epithetsand
we

may

finished passages,

"

the

The

"
"

the

"

"

lapwing,"

air/3 "c.

Forest:

whirringpheasant/'

fall

proceed
such

from

Mrs.

The

glorioussun

as

Barbauld's

to

single
more

the following,

Hymns

is set

in

"

the

PREFACE.

west

which
"

nightdew falls,and

the

ed
fold up their colour-

flowers

The

hang

the air,

cool."

sultry,becomes

was

leaves
and

XI

they

fold themselves

their heads

on

up,

slender

the

stalk,""c.
The

hymns

sublime
are

happily

comprehension
harmonious
without

Many

in

there

to

the

of children; and their

the ear,

languagecharms

beautiful

passages,

be found

Improvement
the

suited

cheatingthe understanding.

youth, may
the

these

in

images

measured
is much

proper

in Watts

of the Mind

prose

of

"

for

On

;" and
Fenelon

eloquence, which

PREFACE.

Xll

people can

young

before
the

with

advantage.

for

old

they are

read

There

and

taste

whole

of

hend
compre-

enough
Telemachus

his

is still wanting a

mythology

children, that might laythe

for

to

poetic taste,

dation
foun-

without

vice
shockingdecency,or inculcating
and

folly. Lord
"

Abbe

Tressan,

Chesterfield,the
Madame

and

MOD-

signy, have compiledpleasingworks

on

this

put

they

subject,that

into the
have

from

might

borrowed

poetry.
be

hands

be

may

of children
no

with

but

ornaments

Surely such

enriched

safely

proper

work

pas-

Xlll

PREFACE.

the

from

sages

best translations of

and Ovid,
Virgil,

Homer,

from

exquisitegems

the

from

poets, and

of the French

some

the

Botanic

pupils have

obtained

in

Garden.
When

our

gy,
generalknowledge of mytholo-

some

acquiredthe

and have
of

then
them
In

taste

for

it will
poeticlanguage,

be the proper time

to

our

rudiments

introduce

to

classical poets.

education, however,

the affairs of life,

the

yieldto
consider

the

but
possible,

merelywhat
rather what

in all

rightmust

expedient;and

not

as

we

often
must

is the best

is the

most

PREFACE.

XIV

in the existing
circumstances.
feasible,

It is

not

to

be

can

to

nor

be

supposed, that

of

into

the

have

what

the
a

certain

rents,
pa-

the

early

too

children, should

of

strengthof

the

same

It is therefore

mind

age

people
rote

in schools and

both
long prevail,
"

are

probable,that

quantityof poetry by

privatefamilies.

to

ignorant of

pupils appear
of

tice
prac-

of

of teaching
practice
young

will
in

hands

others

taught.

convinced

puttingfine poetry

sufficient

let their

usual

expected that

it be

although
error

mediate
im-

prevailedupon

change their

can

ceptors
pre-

With

this belief,

PREFACE.

the author
few

young

has endeavoured

render

readers.
have

who

in
prepossessions

to

to
intelligible

popular poems

Those

and

XV

II Penseroso

long-establishe

favour of L'

may

Allegro

perhapsdeem

it

cise
to critispeciesof literary
sacrilege,
and

any part of these poems,

turn

with

disgust from

will

detailed

the

of lines,which
explanation
must

by

be

kindred
have

understood
intuitively
souls.

they suppose

Where

sions
expres-

rightto
prescriptive

be

admired, it will perhapsbe thought

superfluous,if
to

examine

the

not
reason

presumptuous,

why

we

ad-

PREFACE.

XVI

the

But

mire.

following

"

addressed

those

to

prejudices
himself

from

learned,
for

by

the

being

the

useful.

the

the

humble

rary
lite-

shields

indignation

to

are

no

author

reader

ambition

with

have

who

professing

unlearned

any

content

pages

of

write

to

only
out
with-

and,

shine,

the

he

hope

is

of

INTRODUCTION,

OUNG

readers

which

with

have

given

of

wish

to

preceptor

pupil's
he

mind

Letters

in

and

second

Botanic

It

Mr.

of

in

second

in

Gray's

Answers,

West's

first

the

between

the

poetry,

remarks

Criticism,

interlude

cantos

and

prose

his

part

of

the

Garden.

is

the

written

in

by

learner,
verse

being

the

for

sufficient

inform

prose

the

in

determine

of

in

and

If, hovv-

poetry.

excellent

some

West,

to

also

to

rately
accu-

definitions

various

of

Elements

Kaimes's

Lord

limits

the

refer

may

and

been

the

made

be

not

acquainted

"ver,

need

that
and

divided

present
poetry

that

verse

into

to

purpose
is

generally

differs

from

lines, each

of

XVlll

INTRODUCTION.

which

contains

certain number

of

bles.
sylla-

which

Heroic metre,

is the most

consists of lines of ten

works

Milton's

but

metre;
in blank
Soft

verse

the

as

Where

bask

writes in

rhyme, and

sunny

is

seen

this

Milton

banks

to creep,

the

simplesheep." POPE.
"

of these lines consists of ten

Each

in

"

\vilyfox
on

kind,

syllables.Pope's and

chieflywritten

are

Pope

usual

syllables;
")

and

of each of

the last words

and*'

sheep,"rhyme

say, resemble
11

Ye

From

each

to each

Till the

sun

creep,"

other ; that is to

that

rise

now

steaming1lake,dusky

or

"

other in sound.

mists and exhalations

hill

them,

or

gray,

paintsyour fleecyskirts

with

g-old."
MILTON.

Each

of these

lines also consists often

but

though they are not

from
easily distinguishthem

in

lables;
syl-

rhyme, we

prose.

The

difference consists in the choice of the words,

and

in

their

arrangement, as

may

be

per-

INTRODUCTION.

ceived

by readingthe
The

verse

that the

will know

; for

newspaper

lake,
with

or

present
or

understanding

conveyedin
in

used

words
in

historyor

for prose

that

Ye

"
"

rise from

now

tions
exhala-

goldyour fleecyskirts."

All

not

are

verses

syllables;some
in

written

in lines of ten

written

in

are

in twelve ; indeed

few

some

poetry of
to

fourteen ; and

mind

to

be

informed

consult

publishedsome
of the Circle

ask

parts of

some

the

advantage.

with lines

syllablesfrom

if the reader

of Sciences.

he

which

was

the fourth volume

years ago,

friend

have

he
particularly,

more

pretty littlebook

book

eight,and

meet

we

of

number

every

three

may

steaming
sun
paints

dusky hill,tillthe

or

gray

at

instance,the following
passage

mists

and

the

is

sense

be mistaken

cannot

and

those

different from

theyare

order

an

will feel that the cadence

ear

is unlike

sound

in

words

same

that in which

different from

placed.

XIX

He
to

may

ever,
should, how-

point

out

consult

what

with

INTRODUCTION.

XX

is

In

poetry words

to

say,

in
when

we

to

mean

not

are

they are
the

usual

say

the

say

that the

of

This mode

to

not

used

is made

sun

if

which

do

of

the word

not

gold.

trope

capable of

exactly belong

another

substances

attributed

is suited

which
adjective

joinedto

inanimate

they were

qualitiesare

an

do

we

ly
the best writers indiscriminate-

when

not

example,

golden sun,"

"

figure,when
as

for

manner

actly
ex-

or
speakingis called figurative,

being used by
described,

understood

be

speakingin figuresor tropes

with

literally
; that

in

to

action

thing

any

to

it, or

to

one

word

this

manner

sentence,

are

when

is

of

speaking,or writing,is called figurative,

in
of the mind are
probably because qualities
this

changed

manner

into

ideal

figuresor

persons.

The

words

truth here
he

to

because

Truth

that has

truth

merely

means

spoke with

speak

the voice
is here

voice.

are

what

of Truth

prose
is true
is

the
but

figurative,

as
represented

person

INTRODUCTION.

or
together,

sentence,

fright." In

line,

this

and

have

well

described

rhetorick

Blackvvell,which

There

"

between
a

uses

means

one

thingand

and
a

another

another

irony. When

When

them,

instead

thing

one

he says

When

almost

:-"

relation

and

he says

synecdoche. When

means

occasion

that in all of

another

from

readers,but

young

somethingdifferent.

are

necessary

therefore says

and

means

as

strange word

or
foreign

metonymy.

means

quote

generalanalogy

one,

proper

and

it is

I do not

all tropes, and

man

of

is

sorts,

all of which

be referred to upon

that it may

every

figurative.

followingpassage

got by heart by my

be

to

confessed

of various

are

names,
particular

in the

tive
figura-

only

not

word, but all the sentiments, are

Figuresof

be

may

tremblingGrove

The

"

as,

whole

several words

but

onlya singleword,

Not

its

XXI

the
one

same,

thing

mutually depending, it is
he says one
thing and

opposite
he says

one

or

contrary, it is an

thing and

means

INTRODUCTION.

XX11

another

like

continued

it, it

often

metaphor

at

first

boldness

of

sound

shocking,

impropriety,

and

be

it

is

to

little

imagined

catachresis."

harsh

to

an

and

hyperbole;
a

metaphor

becomes

carried

an

seems

may

repeated,

is

it

metaphor.

and

allegory.

degree

is

carry

great
when
and

some

CONTENTS

of

Explanation

The

Youth

and

the

sopher
Philo1

Elegy,

supposed
Country

to

be

written

in

Churchyard,

by
11

Gray

Milton's

Collins1

The

L1

Allegro

51

//

Penseroso

87

Ode

Speeches
and

the

to

"

of Henry

Chief

138

Fear

Justice

the

"

Fifth
159

POETRY

"

YOUTH

THE

"

EXPLAINED.

AND

GRECIAN

Whom

philosophic

Plato's

Had

By

form'd

for
and

precept

Would
To

often
curb

guiding
the

rare,

care

the

means

"

wheel

virtue's

example

boast

the

his

view.

than
the
of

"

care

guide
More

the

"

view,

too,

curbing
wheel

nobler

matchless

steed, and

Nobler
what

care

talents

philosopher.

"

of

youth,

Philosophic
of

PHILOSOPHER."

THE

skill
the

wheel.

noble
the

What

youth's

than

steed

or

wheel?
chariot

or

THE

YOUTH

carriage it

does

"

the

to

whole

With

lude
alparticularly

not

wheel

it

the

means

carriage.

And

"*

AND

as

pass'dthe gazingthrong

he

graceful
ease,

and smack'd

the

thong,

lection
cola crowd,
or
Throng-*-means
of people.
like philosophic
Graceful ease,
"

care,

does

not

but
graceful,
he moved

"

The

Was

that

mean

that the

made

him

idiot wonder

wonder.

here converted

was

with which

ease

appear

graceful.

they express'd

praiseand transport to

Idiot

ease

"

The

into

an

his breast.

word

idiot is

adjective,for

idiotic wonder.

"

At

lengthquitevain

His master

what

he needs would

his art could

do,

show

His

master

Plato

was

"

that the
youth saw
in drivinga chariot

his

To

bade

showed
the

excited
of

the

others, he

equallydelight

his slaves the chariot lead

sacred

Academus'

The

who

the absolute
for

masters

that

war

dominion

life,and

were

of their

governed

were

bv the fear of blows, like

were

they

is,

bought

sometimes

in

captives taken
under

slaves

sometimes

were

sold, and

shade,

had

Grecians

people who
and

as

master.

And

"

had

it would

thoughtthat

and

skill he

admiration

and

wonder

PHILOSOPHER.

THE

our

cattle.

"/

Sacred
sacred

shade

grove

Academus

"

which

"

was

is the shade

of the

demus.
Aca-

surrounded

the

name

of

the

THE

YOUTH

where

place

Plato

from

AND

which

phy
taught philoso-

Academy

name

is

derived.
The

"

The

confess'd

tremblinggrove

wood-nymphs

Here

the

started

trees

at

and

are

also

the

unaccustomed

chariot and

'*

The

And

The

poet

drop

muses

grov7e,
of

terrified

be

to

the learned

"

are

shades

of

at

the

listen to the

Plato

and

lyre,

retire.

supposed by

the

this sacred
divine

are

with disgust
from
retiring

of the

sion
pas-

wood-nymphs

frequentunseen
to

human

appearance

their inmost

to

sight,

horses.

muses

to

the

supposed

fright,

and
personified,

are

the
representedas feeling
of fear

the

its

phy
philoso-

as
represented

the intrusion

youthfulcharioteer.

PHILOSOPHER.

1HE

with forward

the youth

Howe'er

"

air

Bows

the sage, and

to

resounds, the

The

lash

The

chariot marks

However

the

notwithstanding
have

youth must
who
philosophers

hear

Plato

that

seen,

assembled

shocked

were

spring;
ring,
rolling

that the
the

car

coursers

means,

"

the

mounts

at

to

this

intrusion.

The

lash

boy

cracks

the

means

"

whip.

When

whip, it is the

his

lash

that resounds.
chariot
rolling

The

ring.
'*

And

And

This is a metonymy.
crowds
gath'ring

shouts, pursue him

Crowds
this

roiling

the

not

"

',
"

that

with eager eyes

at
collecting

were

sight,pursued

him

looks, and with shouts

Hejlies
"

he flies.

as

does

not
B

of
mean

with

their

applause.
that he

flew, but
literally
fast

as

to the

goal return'd,
burn'd,

nobler thirst his bosom

With

The

sometimes

goal
"

here, the placefrom

racer

sets

thirst.

"

ambition

the

over

Burned.

to

chosen

and

fire

"

And

The

now

again.

with

thirst is

both thirst

as

with

water

metaphor.

along tli'indented

self-same track

Indented"

burn

quenched

this is a double

actly
passing ex-

track

metaphor,

are

burned

the nobler

execute

same

To

"

well

"

the

which

His bosom

difficult task of

more

it

out.

Nobler

or

as

means,

does

with

almost

that he went

if he flew.

as

Triumphant

AND

YOUTH

THE

he

marks

means
literally

plain,
agtin ;
the

im-

press ion of teeth upon

means
generally

for

PHILOSOPHER.

THE

any

but
thing,

any

ever
impressionwhat-

instance, it here

the

means

wheels

the

impression of

it

in

the

dust.
The

self-sametrack.
feat for

wheels

of his

Pursues

Nor

ever

charioteer

chajiot so

the
repeatedly

"

ficult
dif-

direct the

to
to

as

the nice

care

deviates from

"

was

describe

circle.

same

with

To deviate

It

"

the line.

go out of the

to

means

design,

way,
"

Amazement

The
Ev'n
And

The

seiz'd the

youths with
bearded

crowd,
circling

emulation

sages

glow'd.

hail'd the

boy,

with joy.
nil, but Plato, g;iz'd

feats of this

lighted
youth equallyde-

the old and young

"

the

youths

THE

he

AND

YOUTH

inspiredwith emulation,

desire
does

not

mean

envy.

Bearded.

Men

"

whose

and

revered

thoughtto

were

account

on

Sage
"

of

grown

long

Grecians

did

than

is therefore called

men

others,

experience.

wise

means

old

as

"

be wiser

their

old,

were

were

the

time

shave) were

not

who

beards

that

(forat

Emulation

equal or excel.

to

that is,a

wise

sasre

person

these also

"

"

congratulated,or
his

success

For

"

With

he, deep-judging sage,

is

sentence

it would

he the sage who

an

him, upon

all but Plato

pain the triumphs of

This
prose

hailed

be

beheld

the field ;

transposed;

placed thus

"

in

For

judged of thingswith

unprejudiced eye

(not

dazzled

THE

with

outward

Thejield
"

ran

and

the

means

the

when

And

And

who

elated with

are

blush.

course

race.

or

drew

elated

means

"

the field

nigh,

hope had caughthis

flush'd with

Flushed

which

plainon

the charioteer

the

pain.

triumphs of

the victories of the

are

"

appearances)beheld
the field with

triumphsof
he

PHILOSOPHER.

eye,

persons

apt to

are

success

"

unhappy youth, he cried,

;
Expect no praisefrom me (and sigh'd)
"Alas!

With

I survey
indignation

Such

skill and

The
On

time

judgment

away.

profuselysquander'dthere

vulgararts,

If well

thrown

beneath

thy

care,

employed (atless expense),

Had

taught thee honour, virtue,

And

rais'd thee from

To

govern

men,

mid

coachman's

^uide the

sense,

fate,
state."

10

THE

sighed.

And

"C.

YOUTH,

These

words

"

are

not

that

the

spoke

Plato's

of

part

philosopher
it

judging

Plato

his

away

it means,

sighed
wise

see

he

as

and

deepof such

youth

throw

acquirements

time.
means

"

of

expense

time

trouble.
The

thee

last
than

in

Thee

"

the

two

more

is

it should

you,

pupil,
poem

take

will

pupil

word

the

to

or

Expense
and

the

grieved

talents

rare

speech

are

that

the

of

notice
lines

pointed

rhymes

frequently

the

before

word

poetical
be

the

out

in this

inaccurate.

to

tle
lit-

11

"ELEGY
SUPPOSED

TO

WRITTEN

BE

I.V

YARD."

CHURCH

COUNTRY
BY

GRAY.

is

THIS

that

poems

proper

This

we

and

it is therefore

pieceto begin with.

poem

the

is called

cause
Elegy,beit is melancholy,

subjectof

an

of

It describes the appearance

churchyardon
and
arose

in the mind

before him.

summers

the

expresses

he reflected upon
saw

popular

most

all
of; it pleases

know

all ages

ranks and
a

of the

one

try
couning,
even-

thoughtsthat

of the

poet, when

the

objectswhich

He

marks

he

the hour,

of
by mentioning the tolling

uie

cur-

GRAY'S

tew

or

the

eveningbell

"

of the

return

his cattle from

ploughman and

their

work, and the approach of darkness.

1.
4"

The

tolls the knell of

curfew

wind

The

lowingherd

The

ploughman homeward

slowly o'er

leaves the world

And

"

the lea,

plodshis
darkness

to

weary

and

to

way,
rne.

Duke

William

When

The curfew.

partingday,

"/

of

conquered England,

Normandy

about

obligedall the

ago, he
to

their houses

at

eighto'clock

vent

them
form

to

from

that hour

This

and

bell
to warn

out

their fires

evening,topre-

assemblingin the night

againsthis

was

therefore
the

fires.*

Cover

circumstance

is denied

historyof England.

fifty
years
peopleto retire

put

in the

schemes
A

their

and

hundred

seven

ment.
governrung

peopleto
in

cover

is

French

by Andrews,

at

in

his

-13

ELEGY.

eouvre

and

"

fire in French

feu,
by leavingout

couvre-feu,which
of

some

the

letters

church

becomes

corfeu

curfew.

or

KnelL
death

"

of any

called

person

"

of
tolling

be considered
of the

Wind.

"

without
it is said to
a

the

it is sometimes

ing.
depart-

instead of
curfew

wind

turns

means

When

in

sharp

then

the departure

properly
road

different

corners

dying.

may

is not

tions
direc-

(angles),

wind, though it does

circle,or

It is here

from

warning of
day.

as

To

but
straight,

form

the

round.

move

at

departingthis life

used

sometimes

The

Shortened

words

The
are

bell rung

passingbell.

Parting.

to

is

move

said the

not

quiteround.
herd wind; we

GRAY'S

14

should

say in

the herd
means

herd

cattle in

the

and

the

raises the idea of

well have

as

number.
it would
with

the

at

in the

"

pupilmay

the

herd

there

as

are

the idea of

number
singular

drove.

An

ask

why

winds

been used
The
not

to

ber
pluralnum-

pluralraises

scattered herd

not

but

the

herd,it is allowable

the verb wind

use

because

winds,

one

many

conversation,

common

ing
observ-

might

in the singular

is omitted

sound

cause
be-

agreeably

beginningof

the next

word, slowly.
Lea.

"

but
the

same

Ground

that is covered
as

lay.

division of the poem

to

that is

The

ed,
plough-

not

with

next

grass,

stanza

continues

to

or

scribe
de-

evening,the landscapebegins
for want of light.
The air
disappear

lo

ELEGY.

quiet,nothingbut

is stillor

of the beetle and

the

the hum
the

of
tinkling

heard.

sheepbells are

2.
"

fades the

Now

the

glimmeringlandscapeon

sight,
And

all the air

where

Save

solemn

the

beetle

stillness holds,
wheels

his

droning

flight,
And

lull
drowsytinklings

The
to

landscapeor

prospect is said
shine

"glimmer ;" that is,to

Solemn.

awful

once

Observe,

word

air which

Droning

means

what

pened
hap-

year.

that it is

holds

faintly.

solemn

solemn

holds the air,and

which

that

The

"

it originally
meant
but

"

the distant folds ;

solemn

ness
still-

not

the

stillness.
his

beetle wheels

is,fliesin circles.

"

;
flight

Droning1

GRAY'S

16

noise like that made

called

by

largebee

drone.

Drowsy tinklings.One sheep in

"

flock has

usuallya

bell tied round

neck, by the sound of which

of the flock is called, and

When

the

bell lie down

necks
to

the bells

the rest

carry the
their

they move

slowlyand seldom,

his

kept together.

sheep that
rest,

to

which

gives
interrupted

faint and

sound.
Fold
made

or

"

pen

frames

at

here
in

their

inclose

night.
to

the

wood,
farmers

flocks

word

The

express

of

which

hurdles, in

sometimes

sheep

little inclosure

of moveable

called

used

"

fold

the flocks

fold, and

of
is

tained
con-

the fold

not

lings
itself;for, though the drowsy tinkmay

be said

to

lull

or

put

to

17

ELEGY.

sleepthe flocks,it would

in prose

verb

conversation

common

fold is sometimes

word

The

nonsense

a
sheep-penor
lulling

talk of

or

be

to

"

fold.

used

"foldhis flock,"means

shut his flock up in

to

as

to

fold.

3.
"Save

that from

yonderivy-mantledtower,

complain
moping owl does to the moon
her secret bower,
Of such as wand'ring
near
Molest her ancient solitary
reign.

The

Save

"

except.

is a
Mantle
Ivy-mantledtower.
robe or covering. The poet describes
of ivy,
the tower as havinga covering
"

to

show

that it was
owls

an

old tower,

frequentruined

cause
be-

towers.

Besides, as poetry is a kind of painting

in words,

covered

with

the tower
describing
ivy,makes it more
c

as

like

GRAY'S

IS

My

will

readers

young

that in these

observe,

adjectives,

the

stanzas

been

stance.
circum-

additional

this

without

have

it would

picture than

glimmering,
solemn, droning,distant, and ivy-

parting,lowing,weary,
mantled, would
in

Adjectives

prose.

add

to

manner,

to,

used

in

descriptionscontained
to

which

this

in

limit, the

to

or

used

been

have

not

stantive
sub-

the

they are annexed,

and
epithets;
upon
proprietyof these epithetsmuch
the beauty of poetry depends.

are

called

prose, but few

in poetry
ed too

they should

closely,and
V

appear

epithetsare

be

of
In
and

r-

they should

superfluous.
are

not

used

the

never

When

two

joined together,as,

thets
epiivy-

19

ELEGY.
"

called

mantled, they are

compound

epithets.
is
Moping. To mope,
stupified
by melancholy: an
"

to

seem

owl

has

this appearance,
because
which
at

bear much

cannot

nightthe
formed

in the time,
especially
dayit nearlyshuts its eyes,

owl opens

light;

but

its eyes, which

twilight
which
that light
(perhapstwainlight,
is between
day and night) An owl
is very far from beinga stupidbird.
are

so

as

to

in

see

The

ancients considered

Minerva;

bird

her favourite

wisdom,
most

owl

or

in

her

Minerva

is
art

as

she

warlike

this

it is

the
patronised

character.

opposed to Mars,
againstmere

fa-

goddessof

is doubtful

of war,

probablethat

the

as

but whether

vouriteof
were

it

as

force.

For
ploying
em-

To

GRAY'S

20

an
surprise

by night was

enemy

counted
ac-

highlybrave and meritorious ;

and as the owl generally
catches its
prey by night,it might therefore be
considered as an emblem
of military
stratagem.
Doctor

Darwin

Female

on

owl

says, in his

Education, p. 99,

bends

both his eyes upon

which

he observes

and

perpetually
turninghis head
thing he inspects,appears
greaterattention

acquiredthe

to

objectswith

is with

which

to

one

eye

the

meant,

the object

by
to
to

thus
the
have

it,and has thence

birds,I believe,look
eye
nearest

theyattend

Does
here

the

The

"

of the bird of wisdom.

name

All other
at

Essay

moon

that

only ;

but it

the

object

to/'

complain. It his
"

the

complaining

21

ELEGY,

of the owl

notes

the moon,

to

to

seem

there is no

as

Dogs
the
"

Nor

is

supposed to

howl

at

the silent moon,"

watchful

dogs bark

line of

Dryden's.

I'd rather

"

Than

Molest

be

such

her

at

dog,

Roman."
ancient

disturb her from

and
"

bay the

seems

habitation

moon,

SHAKESPEARE.

solitary
reign
"

her accustomed

owl, by residing
long in

ruin,

not

tered
lit-

moon.

"

The

are

companions.

also

are

herself.

of the owl

notes

call her

the owl

address

might be supposedto
to

other striking

which

generalobject,to
Probablythe

be addressed

seat.
an

old

acquirea rightto

her

by long possession.I

will

to

attempt here

to

explainhow

men

acquirea rightto property by long

undisturbed possession.

22

i;

KAY'S

4.
"

Beneatrj those rugged elms, that yew

tree's

shade

the turf in many

heaves

Where

mould'

ring

heap,
in his

Each

cell for

narrow

By using

present at the

in prose,

to

same

in

one

moon

Do

not

not

you

That

Gray

tempted
at-

description

his letters from

West,

! There

hear

see
are

as

if he

them.

"There
for you

stars

flowers?

orange

buildingyonder is the
;

were

the fountain ? Do

the

smell

St. Isidore

has

pointsout objectsto

could

you

the reader

of

his friend Mr.

present and

make

kind of

he

Italy,when

the
those,'5

scene.

the

sleep.

"

word

the

poet endeavours

of

laid,

rude forefathers of the hamlet

The

is

ever

and

that

convent

eminence

ELEGY.

with the cypress

it, the top of

turf. Sayingthat
heaps,is prose

that it rises,or

Rude

the

"

turf is raised in

is the

pinesupon

Quirinal.'**

mount

the

Heaves

and

trees

to

seems

rise of itself,

languageof poetry.
forefathersof the
it

sleep. Rude;
"

saying

hamlet

properly

means

rough, rustic, unpolished. Sleep;

"

death.

Sleep in

compared

to

Death

is

frequently

sleep.
5.

**

The

The

breezy call
swallow

of

morn,
incense-breathing

from
twitt'ring

her

straw-built

shed,
The

cock's

shrill clarion,or

the echoing;horn,
o

No

shall

more

rouse

them

from

their

bed.

Gray's Letters,Vol.

I. p. 89, Let. 21.

lowly

GRAY'S

24

Breezy
"The

call

wind

in

J$

'
'

to

whisper, "c.

to

murmur,

the call of the breeze.

"

Incense-breathing.

Another

"

com-

"

of

applied

which

looks
on

it were
to

breathe

the
sweet

to

and

Cock's

Echoing

appliedto
who

air

be

frosty
ing
morn-

is supposed

perfume,

sweet

morning

in

or

person

and

may

as

morning,

It is here

breath,

mouth,

like smoke,

cold

weather.
at

the

from

properly

the

of

speaking

issues

which

seen

in

is therefore

and

perfume,

is the smoke

Incense

pound epithet.

cause
be-

usually

is

refreshing.
shrill

clarion^

horn"of

"

or

pet.
trum-

the huntsman.

ELEGY.

6.
"

For them

no

h
blazing

the

more

bii; I,
Or

busy

housewife

children

No

climb

Or

run

ply her eveningcare :

to lisptheir sire's return,

his knees, the envied

kiss

the wife,

means
Housewife properly
"

who

takes

of the house

care

means

wiHconSdlt'a

it sometimes

carefu]
thrifty,

It is hoped that

our

share.

to

person.

readers

young

for the
dictionary,

of such words

theydo

as

not

ing
mean-

clearly

understand.
7.
"

Oft did the harvest to their sickle

Their furrow oft the stubborn

jocund did theydrive

How

bow'd

How

stroke !

These
the

glebehas
their

sturdy

"*

three last stanzas

ohject of

broke

their teama-field

beneath

the woods

yield,

the poem,
D

point out
which

is to

26

GRAY'S
i

show
and

that death levels all distinctions,

that the

in this

poor,

who

were

churchyard,had

all the

of
pains,and pleasures

The

poet says,
beneath

and

the

ings,
feel-

the rich.

yard,
yonder church-

the shade

of those elms

trees, the earth,raised in

yew

heaps

In

"

buried

those graves,

over

places where

pointsout

the former

tants
inhabi-

of the

villagesleep in death.
The
morning breeze, that smells
sweetly,the swallow chirpingat the
eaves

of their thatched

crowing

of the

cock,

horn, shall
them

from

cottages, the

againrouse

never

their bed.

the huntsman's

or

No

cheerful

"

fireshall be

nor
againlighted,
supper
preparedfor them by their careful and

fond

wives

who

have been

; nor

shall their

playingon

children,

the green,

27

ELEGY.

home

run

to

tell that

they

their

see

their work/'

from
fathers returning

8.

homely joys,and destinyobscure;

Their
Nor

grandeurhear

The

short and

with

"

those

persons

who

those

who

fond

persons
and
to

are

of

derision
"

of each

to express

ambitious,and

are

grandeur; such

here called upon

Annals.

and

ambition,'

despisetheir inferiors,

often

listen to the

without

smile,

of the poor.

here used

grandeur" are
are

disdainful

simple annals

words

The
"

their useful toil,

mock

ambition

Let not

"

annals

"

or

Annal
year,

period: here

by

the poet,

of the

poor'*

contempt.
tory
properlya hiscular
duringany partiis

it

means

tory.
his-

GRAY'S

28

9.
"

The

And

boast of
all that

Await

The

heraldry,the

beauty,all that

pomp

of power,

wealth

e'er gave,

alike th* inevitable hour

pathsof glorylead
We

Heraldry.
"

readers' to
for
word

consult
an

arms

much

to

room

but

The

to

the grave.

request our

young

Chambers^

tionary
Dic-

under
explanation,
it would

take

up

the
too

explainit here.

Tli inevitable hour

death, which

cannot

the

"

of

hour

be avoided.

paths of glory.
"

Life

is frequently

representedin poetry, and

moral

the

writings,as
different

journey;

pursuitsof

and

mankind

metaphoricallycalled roads, or
paths,or walks, or ways ; as, the

are

road

to

preferment,the path

the walks

of the

of

nour,
ho-

righteous,and

29

ELEGY.

of man,

the ways

all familiar

sometimes

and

as
represented
of misery, a

stream

are

lifeis also
An

voyage.
of

sea

pressions
ex-

ocean

troubles,the

favour, the fountain

of

of

the
honours, the tide of prosperity,
of

current

the ebb
affairs,

of favour

of fortune, are

or

that

figurative
sions
expresemployed
continually

are

and

by orators

poets.
10.

Nor

"

you,

ye

proud, impute

these the

to

fault,
If

mem'ry

Where

o'er their tomb

through the
fretted

The

means

raise,
trophies

long-drawn aisle

and

vault,

anthem
pealing-

Impute

no

to

those

swells the

these the

These

who

have

over

their

earth raised
D

praise.

fault.

poor persons

only a heap of

of

note

"

GRAY'S

30

graves,

instead

of monuments

with

inscriptions.Look

pompous

for trophies
and
dictionary

Pealing.
"

This

word

in the

anthem.

appears

ticularl
par-

because, thoughit
poetical,
is to be found

has

been

not

epithetfor an
to

in Milton

and

used

commonly
A

organ.

Pope, it
as

der,
pealof thun-

ringa pealof bells,are

expressions.
succession

properlya

an

peal,

mon
commeans

of loud sounds.

11.
Can

"

Back

storied urn,
to

or

its mansion

animated

call the

bust,

fleetingbreath ?
O

Can
Or

Honour's

voice

sooth
flattery

the

provoke the
dull, cold

Storied,-"embossed
some
representing
as

silent dust

of Death

ear

with

historyof

the Barberini

vase

figures,

the deceased,
is sup-

31

ELEGY.

posed

be.

to

See

"

the

Botanic

bust

so

Garden.
Animated
carved

bust.
to

as

"

well

animated

appear

or

alive.

Provoke,
not

to

offend, enrage

mean

call

to

means

line, does

in the fourth

"

but

it

forth,to call back again

life.

The

whole

though

the eleventh

reasoningof
do

followingverses

it, but
Had
stanzas

to

the

the

place
been

of

rupts
itself,inter-

the poem:

the

affect

obscurity

clearer.

10th

many

to

it.

llth

and

the

Gray
in

for

relate

not

changed,

be

stanza,

preceding

stanza

would

poems.

in

very beautiful

the
the

of

sense

to

seems

of

his

GRAY'S

32

12.
this

Perhapsin

"

heart

Some

neglectedspot

pregnant with celestialtire;

once

that the rod

Hands,

is laid

empire might have

of

svvay'd,
Or wak'd

to

lyre.
ecstasy the living

The

pride of greatnessshould not

disdain the poor ; for it is probable
that

virtue

geniusand

for

obscurity,
only
of

or

an

lie buried

in

of cultivation,

want

opportunityof exerting

themselves.
Watid
"

The

to

ecstasy the livinglyre.

for
lyreis used metaphorically
true

poetry :

passionsand

poetryrepresents human
as
they exist in
feelings

such
In
livingsoul of man
they live,theybreathe,they
poetry
speak/5* and excite every grada-

the

"

"

Pope.

ELEGY.

tion

from

of sentiment,

despair to

ecstasy.
13,
"

But

their eyes

knowledge to

her

ample

page,
Rich

with

the

spoilsof time, did

Chill penury

repress'dtheir

froze the

And

in

Rage,
"

this

of their soul.

We

ardour,

means

speak

of

raging

ragingtorrent; indeed,

last year

the fashion of

Genial

rage,

third line, is used

the

and
metaphorically,

pain,of

noble

genialcurrent

enthusiasm.

ne'er enrol ;

"

We

of
a

the

cap

even

is the rage.

whatever

means

say, the

genialrays

century,

in

is

tive.
crea-

genialspring,the

of the sun,

genialwarmth,

"c.

Current
;

of the
and

soul"

penury

is also

phorical
meta-

(poverty)is

GRAY'S

S4

freeze

supposed to

or

of their minds, and

energy

the

repress

prevent

their talents and

from
understandings
exertingthemselves as they might
have

in other circumstances.

done

14.
"

Full

many

of purest ray serene,

gem

The

dark, unfathomed

Full

many

waste

its sweetness

And

Ray

flower is born

serene.

is

of

caves

to blush

one

for the convenience

serene

chosen

epithetwas

disturbe
Un;

But perhaps

clear,because undisturbed.
this

unseen,

the desert air.

on

Why serene
meaning of

"

bear;

ocean

rather

of its rhyme than

for its peculiar

propriety.

The

beautyof
has

this stanza

popular.
stanza

is

so

The
verv

the

two

last lines of

rendered

meaning of
obvious,

them

very

the whole
that I fear

35

ELEGY.

offend my

to

it out.

readers

young

and virtue

Genius

lie buried
of

gems

and

jewels in

flowers in

by pointing
times
some-

like

unseen,

the ocean,

like

or

forest.

15.
"

Hampden,
village

Some

that with dauntless

breast,
little tyrant of his fields withstood

The
Some

mute,

Some

Milton
inglorious

Cromwell,

of
guiltless

here may
his

rest ;

country's

blood.

The
and

lives of

Cromwell

are

Hampden,
to

be

met

historyof England.

every

Milton,
with

in

ler's
In But-

Arithmetic,p. 94-,2nd edition,my

young

readers will find

an

village
Hampden^ who,
few

years,

withstood

an

account

of

within these
act

of

lic
pub-

oppression,and had it redressed.

36

CRAY'S
16.
Th*

"

senates
applause of listening

to

mand,
The
To

threats of
scatter

And

read

pain and

plenty o'er

ruin to

despise,

smilingland,
their history
in a nation's eyes,
a

17.
Their

*'

forbade

lot

circumscrib'd

nor

alone,
Their

growing virtues,
confin'd

Forbade

to

their

but

crimes

wade

through

slaughter

to

throne,
And

shut

And
eyes.

read

gates of mercy

or*

their history
in

mankind;
a

nation 's
A

This line is very beautiful.

"

great

the

man,

who

has been

useful

to

his

sentiments
country, reads the grateful
of his

meaning

of

"

their
that

And

countenances.

the

in

countrymen

pleased
is

also

smilingland."

It is not the land which

"

appears cheer-

37

ELEGY.

ful, but

the

received

which

stanza

enjoy

the

the

either

virtue

or

remaining part

that their
or

by

from

their oratory,

and

the

of the

the

confined

consequences

and

of

sense

stanza, is,

scribed
not
obscurity
only circum-

such

"

and

shining

of their

extent

but also preventedtheir

virtues,

Skut

the

lot of these

villagers
prevented them
in the senate,

of

sense

humble

perity.
pros-

three

precedes them,

that the

wisdom,

have

forbade.--These

lot

complete

mean

and

plenty,

Their
words

inhabitants,who

great crimes

as

mitting
com-

are

the

of ambition.

the gates
In

the

kind.
of mercy on manScriptures,opening

shuttingthe gates of Heaven,

"

is

GRAY'S

3S

an

expression

denote

to

rejection of

or

mankind

used

to

the favour

the

of the

the admission
claims

Divinity.

Shutting the gates

of

classical allusion

that is to say,

not

allusion

an

Greek

Latin

or

is

mercy,

that

authors

not

it is

those

from

taken

of

are

called

classical.
To

shut

the

Janus, among
of

universal

allusion

to

this would

of

writingsare

often

impressive.

Isaiah,

Ezekiel,

taste

in the

out

of

was

an

and

an

sical.
be called clas-

however,

Psalms, is pointed
and

peace

Allusions,

and

temple

Romans,

emblem

Sacred

the

the gates of

to

the

tiful
highlybeau-

The

sublimity
and

Job,
with

the

judgment

Spectators.

39

ELEGY.

18.
"

to

quench the

Or

heap the

shrine of

luxury
at

from

that which

and

errors

who

seek

their

own

pride,
flame.

is also

to

it ;

enumerate

of those,

by concealing

for peace

rightand

of

ried
car-

is before

conduct

mean

sense

and

the muses'

and the poet continues

the

ingenuousshame;

in this stanza

sense

on

of

blushes

incense kindled

The

truth

hide,

To

With

of conscious

strugglingpangs

The

wrong,

the great.
by flattering
Shrine," an inclosure, containing
of some
the figure
objectof worship.

and

Heaping

the

shrine
the

of

luxury with

muses'

flame,

incense

kindled

means,

the flattery
metaphorically,

which

at

poets offer to those who

splendor.

live in

GRAY'S

40

19.
"

the

from

Far

crowd's

madding

ignoble

strife,
Their

sober wishes

Along

the cool,

They kept the

Ignoble.
"

sequester'dvale

noiseless

ignoble;

that

And

calls

"

he

is,

ambition
eagerness

"

and

almost

own

never

and

base.

pursuits the
competition

mean

;" who

crowd

low
fol-

avarice, with

equal to

Their sober wishes

stray,

and avarice

mean

those

madding

"

life,

of their way.

tenour

ambition

or
ignoblestrife/'

of the

of

stiay;

calls the
poet justly

The

pursuitsof

usual

learn'd to

never

madness.
learned to

never

wandered

an

beyond

their

business.
d
Sequester'

means

retired

vale of

life/' aji

vale.

and

Sequestered

"

"

humble

sequestered
situation,

4-1

ELEGY.

raised

not

to

the

heightof grandeuror

wealth.
Tenour

pursued

"

steadycourse.

the noiseless tenour

Kept
way;

means

"

of

their

quiet, unnoticed

of life.

course

20.

"

from

Yet ev'n these bones

Some

With

still erected

frail memorial

uncouth

insult to protect,

nigh,

sculpture
rhymes and shapeless

deck'd,

Imploresthe passingtribute

of

sigh.

21.

"

Their

name,

their years,

speltby

th'

letter'd muse,
fame

elegy supply;

and

The

placeof

And

many

That

teach

the rustic moralist to die.

holy text around

she strews,

un-

GRAY'S

4-2

22.
"

who,

For

This

of
precincts

warm

cast

The

to

being e'er resign'd,

pleasinganxious

Left the
Nor

a
forgetfulness
prey,

to dumb

the cheerful

poet

here to have finished

seems

the reflections that

at

him

of the

from
and

the view

begin

to

firstoccurred

tomb-stones

to

have

raised

poor

tokens

some

rude

with
the
"or

He

wish
villagers

of

often

frail

of

or

wood,

workmanship, inscribed only

their

names

and

ages, in

placeof

and elegiac
inscriptions,

pompous

mournful

put upon

ordinary

of their existence

materials
perishable
of

the

their graves,

over

of

train

that struck his view.

these

even

yard,
church-

new

thoughts,suggestedby

says,

behind?

look
longing,ling'ring

one

day,

verses,

the

which

monuments

are

usually

of the

rich

4-3

ELEGY.

great. Sometimes,

and

of the poor

tombs

teach those who

death,

them, the necessityof

read

hopes of

the

and

inscribed with

are

to
Scripture,

of

texts

he says, the

he,

says

another

being departs
ness
thinkingwith fond-

life without
and

regret upon

he

whom

feelingsof

that

their

tenderness

and

the

cite
ex-

fection
af-

cheerfulday.
boundary.
precinctmeans

Precincts

The

in this

death, should

after

even

memory,

him

wish

men

friend,

some

behind

leaves

And

world.

For,

human

no

i/

from

world.

word

of

"

23.
"

On

fond breast the

some

Some

piousdrops the

Even

from

the

tomb

partingsoul relies,
closingeye requires;
the

voice of

nature

cries,
Even

in

our

ashes live their wonted

fires.

GRAY'S

44

relies /"that is, depends

Parting soul
some

upon
of them

fond

person

the

for

who

was

last marks

of

that is,wants
kindness,and requires,
the

of

consolation

those whom

sympathy

from

they loved.
V

Pious
The

drops affectionate tears.

original
meaning of pietyis the
"

love of children towards

"It

is

and

veneration

used

now

to

their parents
the love

express

of mankind

towards

God.

Jires. The

wonted

of

"

buryingdead

burnt
and

their ashes

in

Even

them

upon

ashes is
the dead

in

urns.

ancients,instead

bodies in the

ground,

largepilesof wood,

preserved the

friends

live their

ashes

Hence

of
the

their
word

used to represent,
frequently
; and the inscriptions
upon

40

ELEGY.

the tombs

to

seem

and

express

the

passionsof
the

call upon

the

ings
feel-

dead, and

to

for sympathy.
living
24.

'*

For

thee,who,

of th' unhonoured

mindful

dead,
Dost

in these lines their artless tale

If chance
Some

relate;

by lonelycontemplationled,
shall inquire
spirit
thy fate.

kindred

25.
"

Haply

Oft have

hoaryheaded

some

seen

we

him,

at

swain may

the peep

of

say,

"

dawn,

Brushingwith hastysteps the dew away,

the upland lawn.
the sun
To meet
upon
20.
"

There,

That

His

at

yondernoddingbeech,
fantastic roots so high,

the foot of
its old

wreathes
listless

length at

noontide

would

he

stretch,
And

pore

Kindred

upou

the brook

that bubbles

A. person
spirit.-*-

disposition.

by.

lar
of simi-

GRAY'S

46

mind

the

before

morning,

when

dew

on

hang

dew

the

Brushing

away

picture

the

of

early
of

drops

clear
blade

every

brings

"

of

grass

"

and

the

Meeting
lawn

the

upon

the

marks

"

sun

upland
of

moment

very

sunrise.
That
roots

so

its old

wreathes
When

high.
"

fantastic

trees

upon

grow

banks, the earth frequentlymoulders

away

their

from

roots

roots,
in

appear

ground

where

Listless;
"

Without

determinate

any
means

they

to

wish

or

the

twining

various
the

forms, far above

then

and

surface

of

the

planted.

were

out
with-

energy;

design.
"

choose.

To

list,

4-7

ELEGY.

27.
"

Hard

by

wood,

yon

in

smilingas

now

scorn,

Mutt'ringhis wayward fancies, he

would

rove,

drooping,woful

Now

with

crazed

Or

care,

wan,

like

one

crossed with

or

forlorn,

hopeless

love.

Wayward, Independent of
Wayward properlymeans,
of havinghis own
way.

trol.
con-

"

sirous
de-

28.
"

One

I missed

morn

him,

on

the 'custom'd

hill,

Along

the

Another
Nor

heath, and by his fav'rite tree

came

the

up

; nor

lawn,

yet beside the rill,

at the wood

nor

was

he.

29.
The
Slow

dirgesdue, in sad array,

through the church-way path we
with

next

him

borne

Approach,
the
Grav'd

and

saw

read

(forthou

can'st

read)

lay,

on

the stone beneath

yon

aged thorn.

GRAY'S

48

Dirgesdue.

Dirgemeans

"

music

mournful

such

solemn,
sometimes

as

attends funerals.
Sad

array.

himself

speaks of

mind

of

should

inquirefor

He

"

sion.
proces-

the

his

to

will
aged villager

his tombstone, and

the stranger to read

in the

his

all that

will tell him

was

often

desire

epitaph,and
known

was

neighbourhood
;

him, that he

own

the author of these

lines,perhapssome

point out

poet

says, if any

similar

person

him

funeral

five stanzas,

these

In

The

"

seen

of

will tell
ing
wander-

early hour

through

the

under
fields,or resting

the shade

of

at

an

an

aged beech,

sometimes

in careless

slumber,

nestness
lookingwith seeming ear-

upon

the

passing stream

49

ELEGY.

sometimes

ramblingnear a neighbouring
wood, expressingthe thoughts
in his

fancies of his mind

and

and

sometimes

speaking to

morning he

in

"

from

One

his usual
his

days passedwithout

; two

the

melancholy.

absent

was

appearing under
On

himself;

times
somesmilingindignantly,

moping
haunts

tenance,
coun-

his

favourite

third, his funeral

tree.
seen

was

passingby ; and here, says the ancient

villager,
speaking to the stranger,
who

is

the

poet,

supposed
here

to

be

for
inquiring

his

are

tomb

and

epitaph:

"

"

Here

rests

youth

Fair
And

science

to

his

head, upon

fortune
frown'd

and
not

melancholymarked
F

the

to fame
on

lap of earth,
unknown

his humble

him for her

birth,
own.

GRAY'S

50

"

his

Large was

Heav'n

did

gave

He

gain'dfrom
a

"

mis'ryall
Heav'n

is

as

largelysend

as

he had,

tear;

('twasall

his frailtiesfrom
in

(There theyalike
bosom

The

sincere,

he

wish'd):

friend.

draw

The

his soul

farther seek his merits to

No

Or

bounty,and

recompence

He

to

ELEGY.

disclose^

their dread

tremblinghope repose)

of his father and

his God.

epitaphis obscure.
follows

Here

"

abode-,

lies

The

sensej

buried, a

youth of humble birth and fortune,,

not
ignorantof science, but of a
melancholymind ; he had a generous
heart, thoughhe had but littlebeside
compensed
compassion to bestow ; Heaven rehis good intentions by
bestowingupon him a true friend.*
Seek no farther into his history;
what*

Mr. Mason.

L'ALLEGRO.

MILTON'S

known

were

faults

his

were

ever

to

waits in

merits, they

or

God, whose

day of
hope, mixed

the great

on

MILTON's

"

,51

sentence

retribution he
with

holy fear.

L'ALLEGRO."

and that which

IN this poem,

lows,
fol-

continually
or
spoken of as if they
personified,
the

were

or

persons,
"

Of

passionsare

loathed

Hence

Cerberus

as

and

heathen

deities.

Melancholy,

blackest

Midnightborn,

Stygiancave forlorn ;
'Mongsthorrid shapes,and shrieks,and bights
In

unholy,
Find

out

some

uncouth

cell,

MILTON'S
Where

broodingDarkness

spreadshis jealous

wings.
And

the ni^ht

sings:

raven

There under

ebon shades and iow-brovv'd

As

In dark

rocks,

raggedas thy locks,

Cimmerian

Fly hence,

"

desert

hateful

dwell."

ever

Melancholy!

thou

of the dog Cerberus ;

offspring
born
in some
lonely cave,
upon
of Styx, in the midst of
the banks
and

monsters

and

dismal

dwell, far from

that

hang

divided

crags,

merian
in the Cim-

me,

desert, under
rocks

the

down

like

Go

screams.

shadow
in

thy

of

separate

black

and

partedlocks/3

Stygian belongingto Styx, the

"

river of
to

Hell.
divide

This
the

regions- The gods

river

was

infernal
swore

posed
sup-

(lower)

by Styx ;

L'ALLEGRO
such

and

oath

an

even
irrevocable,

Cimmerian
that

was

considered

was

by Jupiter.
desert.

Cimmeria

ancient

part of

is

is now

called the Crimea.

of

Krim,

The

Crimea, may

or

of the

This

Scythia,

Meotis, and

the Palus

which

on

as

ancient

be

name

name
a

ruption
cor-

meria.
Cim-

part of the world

is

by the ancients as a cold

represented
and dreary
desert,covered with black
and gloomy forests.
goddessfa'r and free,
In Heaven
yclep'd,Euphrosyne,
And
Mirth,
by men, heart-easing
Whom
lovelyVenus, at a birth,
"

But

With

thou

come

two

sister-graces
more,
o

To

ivy-crowned

Or

whether

Bacchus

(assome

The frolic Wind

bore

sages

sing)

that breathes the

F

spring,

MILTON'S

54

Zephyr, with
her

he met

As

There

And

of violets blue,

fresh-blown

comethou

But

dew,

daughterfair,

debonaire.

blithe, and

So buxom,

in

washed

roses

Filled her with thee

"

maying,

once

beds

on

playing,

Aurora

fair and

free

in heaven
ycleped (called)
phrosyne,and known among men

the

of

name

Thou

art,

as

some

Bacchus

from
thou

as

Mirth,

art

one

frolic

wind, which

blows

and

the year,

Venus, and

of the sister Graces

Zephyr, the

or

Aurora

by

ed
descend-

suppose,

others think, thou

Eu-

hither.

come

and

dess
god-

art

sprung

or

from

western
playful

in the
the

springof
goddessof

the dawn."
The
as

young

these

are

reader will observe,that

the fictitiousor

allegori-

1/ALLEGRO.

55

cal parents of Mirth, the pue

that Mirth

pointout,

to

to

some

arise

mieans

is found

by

convivial meetings

at

from

the

effects of wine,
exhilarating
of which Bacchus
the deity; and
was
that it arises amongst others (who
are
wiser)from exercise and from the
healthful

breezes

fond
particularly

seems

earlymorning :
Sweet

"

With

earlymorning,

Aurora.

Zephyr and
Milton

of

he says

elsewhere,

is the breath of morn,

charm

of

her

sweet
rising

of earliest birds.'*

the
Euphrosyne,Thalia,and Aglae,
three graces.
one

"

Thalia

of the muses,

as

is the

well

as

name

of

one

of
of

the graces.

Buxom,

obedient, yieldingwith

"

cheerfulness.
"

Winnows

the buxom

air."

PAR.

LOST.

56

MILTON'S
Blithe.

Softly-gay.

"

Debonair

Many

e.

would

Buxom

of Milton

modern

to

by

versation
con-

writing.
is

"

commonly

now

lower

of the

persons
lass

buxom

time

in the

used

were

be suitable

not

or

to

which

words

writers

good

Neatly-graceful.

"

means

ed
appli-

order

strong

healthy

girl.
Blithe^
"

used

is seldom

except in

poetry.
Debonair

(which

"

of

means,

manner)

is

rather

smart

debonaire

bred.

good

ginally
ori-

air

generallyused

now

sense

to

in French

ludicrous;

we

fellow, in

slovenly,and

inferior

and
in

say

"a
a

tion
opposito

well-

L'ALLEGRO.
Haste

"

and

thee,nymph,

Jest, and

57

bringwith thee,

;
youthfulJollity

and

Quips, and Cranks,

Wiles,

wanton

Smiles,

Nods, and Becks, and wreathed

Such

as

hang

wrinkled

Sport,that

cheek,

Hebe's

love to live in

And

dimple sleek

derides,

Care

Laughter,holdingboth

And

his sides.

haste,thou cheerful nymph,

Make

"

on

Euphrosyne,and bringwith thee jest,

quips, cranks, wiles, nods,
jollity,
becks, and
are

on

seen

smiles

"

such

the cheek

of

smiles
Hebe,

as

the

goddess of youth,the attendant of

the gods such smiles as we
in
see
the dimpled cheeks of beauty. Bring
"

also with
who

you

appears

they should
"

Of

these

Sport and

Laughter,

holdinghis sides, lest

burst with

merriment/1

imaginaryand allegorical

MILTON'S

.58

be

to

present scarcely

at

are

some

persons,

with.

met

jibes that

severe
Quips, were
excited laughter.
"

Cranks.

Puns,

"

or

ludicrous

ings
mean-

givento phrases.
Becks.
between

Reckonings,such
persons in play.

Wreathed-smiles.
face

the

as

"

to

seem

form
curling
In these

"

The

take

when

we

pass

muscles
circular

smile.

introduced

"c.

who

accompany

are

Mirth,

as

not

persons
as

ties
quali-

of her mind.

Come,

On

the

or

lines,Jest, Jollity,
Quips,

"c.

"

of

and

tripit as

you

go

light,fantastic

toe,

thy righthand

lead with

And

in

The

mountain-nymph, sweet

thee,

Liberty:

L'ALLEGRO.
if I

And

givethee

Mirth, admit

of

me

To

live with

In

un

To

hear the lark

honour

.59

due,

thy crew

her, and live with thee,

reprovedpleasuresfree ;

beginhis flight,

And,

singing,startle

the dull

From

his watch-tower

in the

Till the

dappled dawn

And

then

And

at

my

in

to come,

window

doth

skies,
rise,

spiteof

bid

Night,

sorrow,

good morrow,

Through the sweetbriar,or the vine,

Or the twisted eglantine.
"

Come, O goddessof Mirth, dancing

lightlywith
the

fanciful steps, and

nymph, Liberty,in

mountain

your

righthand,

honour

you,

lead

to

and

permitme,

accompany

you,

who
and

goddess and with

you, and to enjoy every blameless
pleasure; to hear the lark begin the
day, seeming to startle Night from
to

live with

that

MILTON'S

60

her

before the dawn

repose

then

and

morning ;
the

vine,

surround

or

it,

if he

as

The
"

Milton

because

tom-nymph,

attached

more

have

Wales,
and many
as

have

ally
usu-

their liberties,

to

live in towns

The

the

moun-

them longer,
preserved

than those who

countries.

ty,
Liber-

the inhabitants

countries

of mountainous

and

wish

to

nymph, sweet
calls Libertya

mountain

been

meant

!':

good morrow

me

to

come

throughthe sweet-briar,
the eglantine,
which

window,

my

let him

the

of

ancient

or

in flat

Britons

in

people of Switzerland,

others, may

be

pointedout

examples.

Of thy crew,
or

To

"

means,

of

pany,
thy com-

followers.

live with

her, and

live with

L'ALLEGRO.

61

By her is meant Liberty

; and
bythee,Mirth.
And, singing startle the dull
night. This is a beautiful line : the
thee.
"

"

to

the lark

of

shrill note

waken

the

Eglantine,is
"

for that

of
species

is here supposed

night.

now

another

rose

which

formerly the
belonged to some

is

ally
usu-

It is probable

called sweetbriar.
that

name

name

other

eglantine
speciesof

rose.

Whilst the cock, with

"

Scatters the
And

to the

rear

to

Whilst

of darkness

thin,

stack, or the barn-door,

Stoutlystruts
"

din,
lively

his dames

the

before.

crowingcock

dispelthe darkness

as

he

before his hens from their roost

G

seems

struts
to

the

MILTON'S

barn-door,or the corn-stack,to pick

up food.

Din.
At

Noise.

"

that

when

hour,

crowing of

the cock

the inhabitants

the

chaces

away

thousand

forgottenamongst

to

The

poets.

sometimes

in the

never

ghosts,
be

to

day-time;

that when
the
of

seen

morning,

the

the

lieved
vulgar be-

that there existed

goblins,and

are

still furnish

people, though they

images

formerly

foolish notions, that

almost

now

all

of darkness.

had
Popular superstition
a

lively

fairies,and
which

at

night,but

and

they supposed,

cock

all these

were

crew

in

inhabitants

nightwere

banished.

The

of darkness, perhaps

means

rear

the

"

rear

of

the troops of thin

L'ALLEGRO.

ghosts,which

abroad

were

Ghosts

dark.

63
in the

supposed

were

to

be

or
something that appeared
figures,

like

without
figures,

like mists, which

but not
"

Oft

solid
be

may

substance,

seen,
faintly

felt.
the hounds

how
listening

and

horn,
N

the

Cheerlyrouse
From

the side of
the

Through
Sometime

slumb'ringmorn

high wood

walking,not

By hedge-rowelms,
the
Rightagainst
Where

the

Rob'd

in

The

While

the

on

hill,

echoingshrill ;
unseen,

hillocks

eastern

green,

gate,

beginshis state,
flames, and amber light,
great sun

in thousand

clouds

Whistles

hoar

some

ploughman,

liv'riesdight;
near

o'er the furrow'd

at

hand,

land,

And

the milkmaid

And

the

And

eV'ryshepherdtells his tale,

Under

mower

singethblithe,

whets his sithe,

the hawthorn

in the dale.

64

MILTON'S

Often,

"

let

listen

me

the

in

day

the

to

huntsmen, who

early morning,
hounds
waken

to

seem

with their cheerful horns

from

the

frostyside

and

of

the
ed
echo-

lofty

some

hill,
or heard shrilly
soundingthrough
the

Sometimes

woods.

the fields,by

in

workmen

amongst

elms, and

hedge-rowsplanted with
over

where

the

glorioussun

dailycourse,
with

attended
liveries of

beautiful colours.
whistles
milk-maid
the cheerful

at

Whilst

"

his

sings as
noise

ed
colourclouds

by
a

thousand

the

man
plough-

work, and
she

of

the

the

milks, and
mower

whettinghis scithe,and when

shepherdsits under a hawthorn

heard
the

begins his

robed in amber

flame, and
adorned

the east,

hillocks,towards

green

I walk

may

is

66

L'ALLEGEO.
with
bush, conversing
tenderly
favourite

shepherdess/3

Oft Ksfnmgt

refers

"

of the

cock, let me
the hounds
Not

last

After the

"

means,

some

go

to

the

ginning
be-

paragraph,and
crowing of the

abroad,and listen to

and huntsmen/' "c. "c.

unseen.

"

that this should

Some

critics think

bej wander

out

seen
un-

take
they account for the misby supposingthat the u in out
in the firstprinted
was
n,
copy an
cumstanc
which was inverted by accident (acirthat frequently
happens
in printing)
: and that the succeeding
not knowingwhat to do with
printer,
and

ont, had

turned it into not.

rather think Milton

should
in II

be

not

unseen^

Penseroso,
G"%

But

intended that it
from

this line

6(i

MILTON'S
And

'*

missingthee, I walk unseen

dry smooth shaven green."

Oil the

Walkingin the view of others

suited to L'Allegro,
walkingunseen

is

II Penseroso.

to

Rig/itagainstthe eastern gate.

Gray,
Opposite to the risingsun.
in the Country Church-yard,
says,
"

To

"

the

meet

sun

upon

Dressed
Dight.~-

upland lawn."

yon

in

thousand

different colours.

Liveries,to

modern

"

rather

allusion

mean

it conveyed the

does

"

to

mine
Straight

While

the

same

seems

ears

but

formerly

meaning as

form
uni-

us.

eye hath

caughtnew

landscaperound,

it

measures

Russet

lawns, and fallows gray,

Where

the

flocks
nibbling

do

stray;

sures,
plea-

L'ALLEGRO.
Mountains,

barren
do

and

Towers

tufted trees,

beauty lies,
neigh!)'
ringeyes.

perhaps some
cynosure

Mine

44

of

eye catches

it surveys

the

sheep stray
it sees

pleasures,

new

bite the

and

the clouds

decked

rest ; meadows

with

many-coloured daisies, and

and
and

towers
seem

to

groves,

be

where

sees

short

barren mountains, upon

the sides of which

streams

it

landscape;

gray fallows, where

fields and

brown

grass

it sees,

battlements

high in

Bosom'd

The

often rest;

rivers wide.

brooks, and

Shallow

Where

breast

trim, with daisies pied,

Meadows

the

whose

clouds
lub'ripg

The

as

on

67

wide

the

pied

or

narrow

it

sees

of tufted

bosom

perhapssome

lives retired who

to

battlements, that

their
in

rivers

seem

attracts

beauty

the eyes of

MILTON'S

68
all the swains
her

charms,

the heavens/5

poet here

beingled by
he

drops the

Mirth

speaks of

his eyes

of
brightness
is
brightdog-star

the

as

conspicuousin
The

the

by

what

he

as

and

idea

of

and
Liberty;

appears

walks

abroad

before
in the

morning.
Russet
dried up

lawns.

by

the

Labouring
driven

labour
seem

may

with

in

clouds.

Low

"

the

clouds

winds, when

high mountains

over
rolling

to

lawns,

sun.

slowly by

theymeet
to

Brown

"

rest

when

seem

them,

and

stopped

in

their passage.
Meadows
with

or

that appear

pied,with

trim
many

or

dressed
coloured

daisies.

Cynosure.
"

The

which
pole-star,

L'ALLEGRO.
directs sailors

69

by night,was

ancients called cynosure^

The
a

or

by the
dog-star.

poet here rather awkwardly calls

beauty,upon whom the neighbouring

their eyes, their
turn
villagers

pole star.

Hard

**

by

betwixt

From
Where
Are
Of

and

their savoury

herbs

and

Thyrsismet,
dinner set,

other country

the neat-handed

Which

then

With

aged oaks,

two

Corydon
at

And

cottage chimney smokes,

messes,

dresses
Phyllis

in haste her bower

bind

to
Thestylis

Or

if the earlier

To

the tanned

the

she

leaves,

sheaves;

lead

season

havcock

in the mead.

"

The

smoke

rises between

of

two

farmers, Thyrsisand

cottage chimney
oaks, where

Corydon, are

the
at

MILTON'S

70

dinner,upon
labour makes

tryfare,which

conn

some

their
Phyllis,

delicious.

companion,when

neat

and useful

has

preparedtheir dinner,

haste

with

sheaves

of corn,

is earlier in the

Sometimes

The

the merry

the

And

many

Dancing
And
On

jocund

will invite ;

ringround,

rebecs sound,

youth and
and

sunshine

"At

bells

many

in the checker'd

young

day.

delight,

secure

upland hamlets

"When

To

with

This represents

"

of the

the

hay, if it

make

summer.

the middle

"

to

or

in

goes

bind

to
Thestylis,

she

old

come

shade,
forth to

holiday.

other times

maid,

I walk

play

to

the villages

hills,on a
neighbouring
when
the bells ringmerrily
;
holiday,
on

the

L'ALLEGRO.
the

in

when,

evening,under

the

the

trees,

the

dance

to

of

shadows

moving

71

village lads and

maidens

riddle.

the cheerful

rebeck.

The
with

three

We

words

in

not

Till the

"

in his

vulgaruse

With

stories told of many

was

he

by

His

feat,

the

in

one

shadowy

led ;

night,ere
flailhath

duly set,

glimpse of
thresh'd the

could
day-lab'rers

That

ten

Then

lies him

said ;

drudging goblinswet

his cream-bowl

earn

When

ale,
a

friar's lantern

the

Tells how
To

"

junketseat;
pinch'dand pull'd,she

fairyMab

And

spicynut-brown

to the

She

descriptions

fail,
livelongday-light

Then

How

fiddle

here, that Milton

observe

may

are

Properly

strings.

selects such
as

"

down

not

the lubber

morn,
corn

end ;

fiend,

MILTON'S
And, stretch'd out all the chimney'slength,
Basks

the fire his

at

And

cropfullout

Ere the first cock

the

done

Thus

hairystrength,
of doors he flings,

tales,to bed they creep,

winds
By whisp'ring

Till the

"

to

listen

daintywhich

some

cottage,

some

with ale,while
of

stories

Mab,

carried off

been

had

maidens

of the

One

laid

by.
she

tells how

pinched and pulledby the fairies;

was

whilst

man

young

tells how

earn

bowl

left for

with
than

of

ten

cream

that had

unsubstantial
men

YFhisp;

drudginggoblin,to

him, threshed, in

his

he

relates how

led astray by Will o'the

was
or

the

to

to

the fairies,who

of

queen

asleep.

failstheydance,
day-light

refresh themselves

they

lulled

soon

they retire

then

and

ring's.
o

his matin

could

one

been

night,

flail,more

have threshed

I/ ALLEGRO.

and how, after his

hairyfiend

and

73

labour,the strong

stretched himself before

roused
the fire,till,
of the
doors

cock, he hurries
the lads and

when

"

by the

ing
crow-

of

out

lasses

are

to these stories,
listening
they
to
bed, where they
creep fearfully
lulled to sleep by the mursoon
are
muring

tired of

wind/'
C7

Junket
curds
treat

from

"

is another

and it \vas

by

the

so

for soft

name

much

used

beautiful

of
goblins,

and the lubbar

merry

been called jimkcttings.

Fuseli has made

of these

country people,that,

it, their meetings and

makingshave

as

the

pictures

fairyMab,

fiend,conceived

of the poet
spirit
is admirable.
twilight
true

his

"

Fryar'sLantern,
H

or

in the

of
picture

Will-o'-the-

MILTON'S

Wisp,

is

kindled

graves and

near

hydrogen or
This
a

which

meteor,

in

the

is spontaneously

atmosphere

marshy places,where

inflammable

air is generated.

lightflame,

which

short time, follows the

verv

lasts

current

fj

of

the

air, and

is

suddenly
these

Formerly
terrified the
of all sorts

by
these vain
where

he
a

he

the

much

so

inated
dissem-

that
printing,

exist

scarcely
any
places.

remote

in

formerlycurrent
was,
a

come

that if
barn

for

bowl
a

of

certain

by nightand

largequantityof
was

knowledge

strange legendor old story,

laid in
wrould

meteors

of

art

terrors

was

country,
was

has been

except in

Another
which

but

vulgar;

guished.
extin-

tired, would

corn

and

lie down

the

cream

fairy,
thresh
when
before

L'ALLEGRO.
the fire in the

house, till the

cock

crowed.
The

word

express

the

Lubbar

commonly

clumsy
here

it may

Cropfall
"

is

It here

throat with

the

"

lazy

means

tired.
to
appropriate

term

full

means

that

cream

haps
per-

"

the

to

had

been

barons

b^

for him.

Tow'

And

red cities pleaseus

the

Where

busy

With

of men,

hum

high triumphs hold.

ladies,whose bright eyes

of peace,

store

of

influence, and

Rain

Of wit
win

There

then,

throngsof knights and

In weeds

To

to

size of the fiend.

mean

poultry.
set

is here used

lubbar

or

arms,

while both

her grace,
let

In safiYou

judge

Hymen

whom

the

prize

contend,
all commend.

oft appear

robe, and taper clear,

MILTON'S

76
And

pomp,

With

mask, and

Such

as
youthfulpoets
sights

On

and

summer

we

city,where

by

the

influence

both

as

of wit and

win

of

superiorto
of

stream.

where

the

ladies,

their charms,
contests

while the

didates
can-

to

dered
is consi-

who
rest.

Hymen,

may

Marriage,be

often

drest in saffron-coloured

and

the

hold

barons

prizesendeavour

In these assemblies

the God

dream

judges,in

the favour of her

as

"

arms

for either

of
pleasures

knightsand

appealedto

are

haunted

seek the

splendid assemblies
from

revelry,

antiquepageantry

eves,

Then

"

feast,and

sent,
pre-

robes,

ing
carryinghis nuptialtorch, burnand auspicious
with bright
flame,

accompanied by
merriment

pomp,

with masks

and

and

feast and

splendid

1/ALLEGRO.

shows, such

77

anciently
represented,
and attended with every pleasure
that youthfulprideand poetic
posing
imaginationcan dream of, while rein

side of

haunted

some

now

the tired

of

amusements

Weeds
meant

quits the country,

peasant earlygoes to

cities,which

usually

late hour.

of peace.

Weeds

"

any kind of dress

confined
of

stream.5

he describes the revels and

i;est; and

beginat

the

eveningsby

summer

Milton
where

were

as

to

widows,

the

formerly
but is

mourning

which

are

now

dresses

called

their

weeds.
The
a
a

poet

seems

when
little,

he

prize both

forgethimself
speaksof adjudging
to

of wit

and

arms

midnight assembly. Perhaps

H

at

h"i

MILTON'S

TS

of

change

means

time,

In the

scene.

and

of

even

chivalry,
reignof queen

Elizabeth,justs, tilts,and
were

They
with
space

warlike games,
contended

men

young

and
strength

called the barrier

surrounded

wras

for

one

of

superiority,
A

large

strong rail,

lists: this space

or

by

which

in

address.

inclosed with

was

ments
tourna-

amusements.

common

were

as

of

days

late as the

as

well

as

seats

which

for the spectators,

in

particular

higherthan the rest, for

the judges.
The knights who
contended
\vere
raised

was

covered
iron
upon

with

from

head

to

foot with defensive

They

armour.

were

strong steeds,covered
and

partlywith
embroidered
beautifully

armour,

ed
mount-

partly
ings
houswith

I/ALLEGRO.

79

gold and various colours. On these

housingsand on their shields were
of
displayed the devices or arms
it is
the knights,
to which
custom
that
said, but not with certainty,
its origin. The
heraldry owes
knights,on horseback, rode against
each other with blunted

they sometimes
fightwith

fought,or

blunted

fatally.
Henry
was
a

killed

by

onset

seemed

swords.

;
to

These

"

frequently ended

howrever

sports

the

in

usuallybroken

were

lances,which

the second

count

of France

Montgomery

at

tournament

At

these

address,
birth

or

attended

trials of

lady

some

courage

remarkable

beauty presided;
by

two

assistants: and

ladies

as

she
maids

and
for
was
or

the successful chain-

MILTON'S

SO

knight,when
adjudged to him, came
pion

helmet, made

lady

low

the

of

alluded

in the

to

her grace,

Then

"

obeisance

to

the

This

is

While
whom

to the well-trod

both

contend

all commend.'*

stage anon,

If Jonson's

learned sock be

Or sweetest

Shakspeare,Fancy's child,

Warble

"

Then

on,

his native wood-notes

let

me

wild.

frequentthe stage,

if the learned
are

the

lines,

"

win

before

tournament.

"

To

prize was

honour, and, taking off his

of

seat

the

or

plays of Ben
represented,or those

speare,

the

child

of Shak-

of nature,

poetry, like the wild

birds, is unrestrained
art."

Jonson

notes

by

whose

of sweet

rules

of

^ALLEGRO.
Learned
when

The ancient actors,

"

they representedtragedies,
buskins

wore

in

sock.

SI

comedies

when

they

they appeared
wrore

sandal, or halfshoe, buckled

leathern
hence

the sock

the buskin

Anon

means

Milton

here
Ben

Jonson's,
abounds

as

sock

and

soon.

pays

just compliment

Jonson

and

well

Milton's

with
and

as

allusions

Shakspeare.
to

poetry,
the

is full of abstruse

Shakspeare,though far
followed
of
descriptions

cients,
an-

ing.
learn-

from

rant,
ignohis

nature,

both

external

objects,and

in his delineations

and

with

on

comedy,

means

of

tragedy.

"

to

called

straps, and

kind

of human

passions.

in

ters
charac-

MILTON'S

85

Jorison
his

by

probably preferred

was

but

contemporaries
;

deservedly become

has

speare

favourite,though
the

poet of

Milton,

Jonson, abounded
was

in the

the

principal

English nation.

singular that
his ag^e,

the

not

Shak-

who,

It is
like

learningof

neglected bv

his

con-

"

yet has since been

temporaries,and
placed at

the head

literature

by Dryden

"

of

Englishclassic
;
"

poets, in three distant ages born,

Three

Greece, Italyand
Homer

in

England did adorn,

loftiness of thought surpass'd,

Virgilin majesty,in

"

And

Lap

ever

Married

to

Such

the

as

the last."

againsteatingcares,

in soft

me

both

Lydiuu aiis,

immortal

verse,

meetingsoul

may

pierce,

L'ALLEGRO.
with many

In notes
linked

Of
With

winding bout

long drawn out,

and giddy cunning,

sweetness

heed

wanton

83

meltingvoice throughmazes

The

Untwistingall the
The

hidden

That

chains

soul of

that tie

harmony ;

Orpheus 'self

From

running,

heave his head

may

orolden slumbers

the bed

on

Of
Such

as

would

have

His

Euridice.
half-regain'd

And,
let

soft

to

quiteset

hear divine

me

music, such

by

sound, and

skill,seem

as

poetry,

may

set

sink into

correspondenceof

conducted
wander

loose
letting

very soul of

effects of

nected
notes, conlengthened

secret

to

ear

free

prevent the

to

the soul,whose

mazes,

have

the

won

Pluto,

care,
to

strains

Of

"

hear

heap'd Elysianflowers, and

by

concealed

in inextricable
as

it

harmony ; such

were

music

the
as

84

MILTON'S

might waken

Orpheus

on

and

bed

from his slumbers

of flowers

in

might delighthim

strains

have

to

would

as

have

Elysium,

with

charmed

such

Pluto,

his
given back entirely

dice, who

had

been

Euri-

but half restored

him."

to

airs. The

Lydian
nation

and

Lydians

"

much

addicted

to
particularly

the

It is said that

music.

to

were

pleasure,

pleasureof
certain

king

Lydia,duringa famine, instituted

public games to divert the calls of
of

appetite.
Milton,
innocent

to

fillup

the
and

amusement

celebrates the charms

joined to poetry:
"

Many

of

measure

ness,
cheerfulof

music

"

windingbout

Of linked sweetness

long drawn

out.'*

L'ALLEGRO.
In these lines he alludes

dependanceof
he compares

which

long
the

musical

the harmonic
notes,

the links of

to

intricate chain, which,

and

art

to

of the composer,

to the
disentangled,

ear

to

seems

by
be

of the skilful

audience.
Heed.

Attention,care.

"

Cunning was formerlyused for

skill. Cunningworkmen, in the Old
"

Testament,
Milton
that

skilful workmen.

means

here

to

means

wild

appears

it
whilst,in reality,

with

deep
harmony.

attention

Golden

slumbers.

and

sic
mu-

artless,

is constructed

to

"

describe

the laws

Golden

is

of

strong metaphor; but itis frequently

ant,
appliedto thingsseeminglydiscordas

goldenrule,goldenverses
i

of

86

MILTON'S

Pythagoras, golden dreams,

thingvaluable.

any

The

story of

dice is too

Orpheus

well known

explanation.

The

when

strains

Pluto,

His

requirean
to

means

modern

music

to

as

have

would

have

won

the

ear

free

quiteset

d Euridice."
half-regain'

These

"

Mirth,
"

Euri-

and

he says,

Such

Of

to

poet

givethe preferenceto

"

to

or

if
delights
with

thee I

mean

If, O goddess

canst

with
The

of

canst
to

give,

live."

mirth !

thou

as
these, I
give such delights

to

mean

thou

be

thy votary,

and

to

live

thee."

poet thus concludes, promising

only a conditional worshipto

goddess of cheerfulness.

the

IL

In the
divine

87

PENSEROSO.

next

he

poem

decides

that

Melancholyreallyconfers

which
pleasures

she

promises, and

the
to

himself.

her he devotes

MILTON'S

IL

"

PENSEROSO,"

(THE MELANCHOLY).

THE

followingaccount
origin and design of this
taken

from

Milton

"

of
poem

Notes

Newton's

the
is
on

"

II Penseroso

melancholy
concurred

this poem,

man

with

me

both

is the

thoughtful,
and
Mr. Thyer
;
in observing,
that
in

its model

and

circumstances,is taken from

principal
a
song in praiseof melancholy, in

MILTON'S

88

Fletcher's
Nice

Valour,

The

be

not

Man/J

to
displeased

it is well worth

as

The

"

Passionate

or

reader will
it here,

see

called

comedy,

scribing
tran-

"

"

Hence,
short

As

vain

all you

the

are

as

Wherein

nought in

If

were

But

this life sweet,

wise to

see't,

only melancholy,

Sweetest

melancholy.

folded

Welcome

nights,

spend your folly

;

you

There's
man

delights,

and

arms

fixed eyes,

mortifies,
sigh, that piercing

look

tongue chain'd

that's fasten'd

Fountain
Places

heads

which

up,

and

ground,

without

sound,

pathless
groves,
when

warmly hous'd,
A

the

palePassion loves,

Moon-lightwalks,
Are

to

save

all the fowls

bats and

owls

midnightbell, a partinggroan,

These

are

the sounds

we

feed upon

Then

89

PENSEROSO.

IL

stretch

bones

our

in

still

valley;
Nothing's so

dainty,sweet,
melancholy.'*

gloomylovely

as

N.

Milton
of mirth
"

in praise
beginsthe Allegro
by exclaiming,

Hence, loathed

beginsthe

He

manner

!"
Melancholy

Penseroso

"

vain, deludingjoys

So that either of the

Milton

It is however

"

been

the

discernible that

preferredthe melancholy;

and his conclusion

it out

might

poems

equal proprietyhave

first.

lar
simi-

"Hence,

with

in

of doubt.

to

the poem

puts

"

Hence, vain, deludingjoys!

The brood of

How

littleyou

without
folly,

father bred,

bested,

Or fillthe fixed mind

I

with all your

toys ;

MILTON'S

90
Dwell

in

idle brain,

some

fancies

And

with

fond

gaudy shapes

possess,
numberless

thick and

As

the

As

gay

that

motes

people the

beams,
sun-

Or likeliest hoveringdreams,

The fickle
44

vain

Begone, ye

are

ye

of Morpheus'train.'*
pensioners

the brood

of Folly,
offspring

or

spontaneouslyproduced.
how
little profit
are
ye, and
you

engaging the

from

steady mind, with

"

idle

some

that

to

crowd

you

as
imaores,
O

numerous

that appear

in the beams

as

how

far

are

fixed/ the

Mirth,

mind, and

inclined

are

Of

all your

Go,

!
pleasures

Mirth !

joys of

with
the

less
worthand

fill

fancies

gaudy
motes

'

or

as

that attend

varyingdreams
sleep."
as

numerous

on

of the sun,

the

Toys

children, but

of

the mind,

amuses

Bested

the

only

not

mean

"

91

PENSEROSO.

IL

at

whatever
age.

any

stead, which

from

comes

"

place; instead, in

means

of, bestead,

be

to

things
play-

the

place

service

of

"

in

placeof somethingelse.
And

shapes possess.
subdue

demon

in

as

means,
to

As

the gay

dark

"

Testament,

the power

Mirth
motes

When

of

Milton

fill the

of the

delusive

sim-beams.
sun

to

gaudy

sometimes

New

here

and

demons

which

Possess

"

the

under

Euphrosyne
with

with

fanciesfond

some

invokes

foolish mind

various

forms,

assumes.

that
the

peoplethe
rays of the

throughany opening into a

the lightdust, which
room,

pass

floats in

the

atmosphere, becomes

MILTON'S

92

visible,and
the air which
the

it is put in motion

as

the motes^

sun,

dust,

to

seem

into that part of

rushes

which

room,

heated

is

small

or

Morpheus

"

the

beams.
sun-

of Morpheus'
the

wras

the

which

dreams,

the

by

of
particles

in

dance

Tliejickle
pensioners
train.

by

calls

poet

pensioners, because

god

of

his

they depend

upon

him, and fickle,because dreams

vary

and
continually,

steadyand
*

Whoever
of

consist

uniform.

observes
various

cotton, silk,and
mixed

with

formed
a

rounder

from

proper
sets

these

materials;short
of
particularly

see

threads

woollen

mind

be useless.

at

This
and

work

is

motes

to

that
of

they

linen,

cloth, arc

of dust, worn
particles

different materials"

the young1

will

motes

place to analysedust

objectscannot

seldom

are

and

away

not
certainly

; but

examine

ever
what-

common

hail, thou

But

"

PENSEROSO.

IL

holy,

divinest Melancholy,

Hail

saintly
image is too bright

Whose
To

and

goddesssage

hit the

of human

sense

therefore to

And

sight,
view

\veaker

our

O'erlaid with black, staid Wisdom's

Black,
Prince

but

such

that starr'd

To

set her

sister might beseem,

that

Ethiopqueen

sea-nymphs,and

Yet

thou

art

their

pow'rs offended

higherfar descended,

Thee, brighthair'd Vesta, long of

yore,

bore,

Saturn
solitary

daughtershe (inSaturn's reign

Such

mixture

Oft in
met

Of

woody

While

But

not

was

held

glimmeringbow'rs

He

"

strove

beauty'spraiseabove

The

His

hue,

in esteem

as

Memnon's

Or

To

"

her, and

in secret

Ida's inmost

yet there

was

no

hail, thou

Melancholy,whose
dazzle the weak

and

stain)

glades,

shades

grove,
fear of Jove."

holy goddess.
splendor would

eyes of mortals,were

MILTON'S

94it not
of

covered

with

veil and

robes

black, which is the favourite colour

of Wisdom

; not

common

robes, but of such rich hue

suit the

sister

siope,who

the

herself

but thou

Memnon,

offended

by comparing
beaut

of

mourning
as
might
Cas-

or

sea-nymphs
them

to

descended

art

in
from

than

higher parentage
non's
art

sister

or

from

sprung

either Mem-

Cassiope;

for thou

Saturn, and
solitary
in the shades

Vesta,
bright-haired

of

Ida, before the reignof Jupiter.''

"

To

hit the

sense

Too

bright

of human

si^ht."
o

To hit
"

be

suit,or

to

means

fit

for.
Prince

Memnon7

sister.

this

sister of

Memnon

wore

such

mourning,we

rich

Who

"

who

was,
are

not

IL

PENSEKOSO.

informed.
distinctly
of Tithonus

son

killed

and

Ovid

"

transformed

tells

into

sisters of the

the
that

us

bird, and

he

black

that he

species,who

same

though Milton

not

impossiblethat

from

was

were

peculiarly

he

might quote

and fallinto mistakes.

memory,

In Newton's

edition

of this poet, it

line

is su2f2:ested"that in the second

'

oo

of the

Allegro, Erebus

been

intended, instead

and

here

read

not

might
of

perhaps mother

instead

it does
any

but

mythology, it is

in heathen

learned

was

told that these birds

not

are

was

siege of

celebrated his funeral every year

we

the

Aurora,

by Achilles, at

Troy.
had

Memnon,

of sister;

appear

sister whose

Cerberus
should
for

that Memnon
sorrows

have

have

be

though
had
been

MILTON'S

96

recorded,
the

we

such,

tint into

saffron

starred

That

dark

the

Neptune,

rock,

to

daughter
be

the

monster,

the

them

and

after

was,
a

by

married

her

is called

ing
chain-

ster.
sea-mon-

from

the

Cas-

and

Cassiopea)
transformed

collection

s chair
Cassiopea'

starred

in

to

her

called

constellation, or

stars, called

her

death,

or

request of

Andromeda

delivered

siope (sometimes

she

at

Cas-

nereids,

with

devoured

Perseus

rosy

"

nymphs, punished her, by

her

into

usual

queen.

sea-nymphs, by vying
beauty

was

purple.

Ethiop

offended

who

siope,

her

change

to

as

that

Aurora

mother

his

grief of

Ovid,

told in

are

queen.

of

hence

PENSEROSO.

IL

devout

pensive
nun,

Come,

"

and

pure,

Sober, stedfast,and demure,

All in

robe of darkest

grain,

train,
Flowingwith majestic
And

sable stole of

O'er

thydecent

Cyprus lawn;

shoulders

drawn

Come, but keep thy wonted

With

state,

step and musing gait,

even

commercingwith the skies,

in thine eyes,
Thy rapt soul sitting
There held in holypassionstill
to marble, till,
Forgetthyself
looks

And

sad leaden downward

With

Thou

fix them

Come

"

pure,

the earth

pensiveas

as

drest in

fast."

nun,

devout,

demure*.

sober, stedfast,and

Come,

"

on

cast,

robes

of

deepest

black,that flow majestically,

treading
measured

with

it is

Demure
now

used

was

to

steps, and

formerlyused
express

affected
K

as

contem-

term

gravity,

of

;
praise

MILTON'S

98

platingthe skies, as if thou heldest

with Heaven, thy whole
intelligence
soul seeming

to

be collected in thine

eyes

in this attitude

become

have

to

as

till,after

statue,
thine

from

they

Heaven

remain

(as if
lead) heavily

the

fixed upon

ground.
grain. Dying

Darkest

"

dying the
;

as

length of time,

with

down

weighed

motionless

slowly turn

eyes

earth, where

to

seemest

forgottenthine existence,and

have

to

thou

in

it is

article before

grainis
factured
manu-

the stuff is penetrated

by which

throughand through with

the

colour.*
Sable

stole.
"

Some

reduced

colours

into

meaning

to

to

grains,or
the

Black

be

robe; Melan-

rendered

small

perfect are

pieces; this gives

expression,dying in grain5

first
one

but the

99

PENSEROSO.

1L

as havinga
choly is represented
stole of Cypress lawn
thrown

her other robes

name

planted

in

Cypress

in

generalwas

lawn

Cypress
made

slate.

"

popularmeaning-is taken
through
passing1
When

\\avs,
we

wood,

and

call

we

look
",

at

which

we

as

Cyprus.
pomp.

the idea of the colours

this,the grain of

stuffs,Sic.

lawn

perceivethe longitudinal

we

that

of the stuft'.

the threads
at

the

some,

of the fibres ; that is to say, their

course

"

look

we

by

Accustomed

from

were

emblem

such

means

wood

and

an

in the island of

Wonted

of this

trees

churchyards;
it is said

tues
sta-

ably
it is remark-

Cypress

"

mourning ;

was

the wood

for coffins,as

durable.

of

made

formerlyCypress

and

used

was

over

is used

as

ancients

gods of

of their

lawn

such

The

funerals.

at

black

course

the wood.

lengthWhen

we

the

see

also call the yraiu.

B

course

of

th"

MILTON'S

100

Looks

merce,
commercing. Holdingcom"

intercourse

or

with

Heaven.

Holy passion.-Passion

properly

"

effect

produced by

action

means

an

here it

means

of the

ing
mind, excited by internal feel-

to

state
extraordinary

an

speciesof

enthusiastic

transe

in

which

suspension of motion,

or

the

features

"

motions

usual

And

of the limbs

and

suspended.

seem

joinwith

Peace, and Quiet,

thee calm

Spare Fast

that oft with

gods doth diet,

And

hears

the

Aye

round

And

add

That

in trim

But

first and

Him

in

muses

about
to these

Jove's

ring

altar

sing,

retired Leisure,

gardenstakes

his

pleasure;

chiefest with thee

that yon

soars

on

bring
goldenwing,

Guiding the fierv-wheeled throne.

O

The

cherub

"/

Contemplation."

PENSEROSO.

IL

*'

Arid

with thee

101

thou

approachest,
bring
Peace, Quiet, and (spare)

as

Fast, who

(meaning Fast" or
diets or feeds with the gods,
fasting)
and
hears the muses
sing (aye)
always round the altar of Jupiter
;
and
bring also with thee Leisure,
freedom
from
worldly care, that
in ornamented
delights
(andperhaps
in ornamenting)
gardens; but, above
all,bringwith thee yonder cherub
on
Contemplation,that mounts
golden wings, guiding the fiery
lean

throne/'

SpareFast
the

"

ing
is represented
as hear-

chauntinground the
altar of Jupiter. It has been
served,
obthat those who have persisted
in severe
have been liable to
fasting
reveriesand disorders of the imaginamuses

"

MILTON'S

102

tion
of

the

here

poet

favourable

fastingas

speak

to

means

poetic

to

enthusiasm.

throne.
Guiding thejiery-wheeled
Milton
he

does

intend

to

seems

tell what

not

is

throne

God

of

livingforms
are

Ezekiel

there

called cherubs.
the

guiding
Providence

is

not

the
four

supported by

resemblingmen

where

no

of God.

of
description

sublime

most

throne, but

the throne

In the first chapter of

"

they

templati
Con-

"

throne

of

incongruous

an

image, though
think

in his note

so

If Milton
when

he

that in

Newton

had
wrote

this passage.
in his

Ezekiel

this passage,

writingfrom

sometimes

on

memory

inaccurate.

to

seems

thoughts
it shows

he

was

And

"

the

103

PENSEROSO.

IL

Silence hist

mute

will

Less Philomel
In her sweetest

Smoothing the

deign a

along,

song,

saddest

plight,
rugged brow of Night,
\.

While

Gently o'er

44

her

Cynthiachecks

And

dragon yoke,

th' accustom'd

oak."

hushed,
bringSilence (hist)

along with

thee

silence

that shall

(Philomel)

not

be

the

nightingale,
singingin

broken, except by

strain,whose

mournful

the horrors of
moon

that

oak, where

song

night,and

seems

thou

to

used

most

softens

charms
over

pause

art

her

to

the

sing/J

Deign.

Condescend.

Saddest

plight. Plightmeans

"

the

"

situation.

Smoothing the rugged brow of

Night." This is a forced metaphor ;
it

means,

that

the

song

of

the

MILTON'S

104

pleases
Night,and
nightingale
the

free from

brow

her

makes

wrinkles

of

care.

yoke. Cynthia,Diana,
"

for the

names

are

her

Cynthiachecks

While

moon

and

dragon
Hecate,

she is represented,

in the character
particularly
of Hecate, as drawn
by dragonswho
were
supposed to be sleepless.

The

word

in this

yoke means

the harness,but the animals

not

draw

the chariot

the word

this meaning ;
frequently
oxen

*"

two

means

Most

musical,

yoke has
yoke of

the noise of

woo

And

to

hear

thy even-song,

missingthee, I
the

dry smooth

folly,

melancholy!

most

Thee, channtress, oft the woods

I

which

oxen.

bird,that shunn'st

Sweet

place,

walk

shaven

unseen,

green,

among1

the

behold

To

wand'ringmoon
her highestnoon,

Riding near
Like

that had

one

Through

led

been

the heav'ns

wide

oft, as if her head

And

105

PENSEROSO.

IL

astray,

pathlessway,

she

bow'd,

Stoopingthrough a fleecycloud."
Here

ject,
his sub-

the poet breaks from

and, abandoningthe description

of

Melancholy,he

of his favourite

the

notes

hear

at

I miss
smooth
when
the

such
"

the

noise

musical

eveningin

unseen

behold

she has risen

heavens,

to

the

to

and

choly
melanwish

upon

the

of

unguidedthroughthe clouds,

to

but if

the

moon

the summit
noon

day

singest

the woods

thee, I walk
to

of

and

I often

thee

grass,

praise

"

of mankind,
folly

by nightin

in

nightingale,Sweet

bird that avoidest

and

exclaims

of

night,
behind

MILTON'S

106

she sometimes

which

lost her way,

and

reflection of her

seems

as

sometimes

if she

from

the

the white

lightupon

about

clouds

her,she

stoopednearer

to

bird.

Sweet

seems

is
nightingale

stillspoken of, as if she

by

to

woo

Even,

for

woods

Songstress.
hear thy even
song.
evening. I go to the
"

"

hear

to

thee,

court

or

woo,

Riding near
Riding in her
dragons.
"

courted

were

the poet.

Chauntress.

to

if she

the earth. ^

The

"

as

Oft,

on

as

some

lover goes

his mistress.
her

highestnoon.

chariot

drawn

platof risingground,

I hear the far off curfew

Over

wide

Swingingslow,

water'd

sound,

shore,

with sullen

roar,

"

by

IL

Or, if the air will

place will fit,

counterfeit

lightto

Teach

the cricket

Save

To

bless the doors

Or

let my

Be

seen

lamp,
some

What

midnighthour,
high lonelytow'r,

Her

mansion

in this

of those demons

power

hath

planetor

Oft let me

that

true

found

are

ground,

consent

with element."

stand upon

small

hear

and

across
heavily

some

lake

or

hill,
slow

distant bell sound

and

some

forsook

nook,
fleshly

fire,air, flood, or under

With
"

regionshold,

vast

that hath

mind

Whose

unsphefe

or

unfold

to

what

or

immortal

In

the bear,

thrice great Hermes,

worlds,

at

The

And

nightlyharm

from

of Plato,
spirit

The

hearth,

oft outwatch

I may

gloom,

drowsy charm,

the bellman's

in

room,

mirth,

the

on

Or

Where

of

all resort

from

With

throughthe

glowing embers

Where

Far

permit,

not

still,removed

Some

107

PENSEROSO.

wide

MILTON'S

108

arm

of the

not

permit

sit in

; or

me

to

may

can

be

will

abroad, let me
where

give only

gloomy light,far
that

ifthe weather

retired room,

some

embers

sea

few

faint and

from

any

sound

interrupt
melancholy,
except

the

chirpingof the cricket,and

drowsy cry of the watchman
; or

the
let

sit by the

lightof a singlelamp,
in some
high and lonely tower,
beyond midnight,studyingthe philosoph
me

of the
of

Plato, who

those unknown
inhabits

EgyptianHermes,
endeavours
worlds

to

which

after it has left the

body, and

who

explore
the soul
human

to
taughthis disciples

believe that certain

genii,or

inferior

elements

spirits,
presideover

the

and
earth,air,fire,

water."

The

or

poet still speaks of

of

himself,

PEXSEROSO.

IL

his

laying aside

Of ton

address

plat.
"

written

and

it is however

This

choly.
Melan-

to

word

is

ally
usu-

pronounced plot;

probablyderived

from

plains^flat*
Teach
This

"

a gloom
lightto counterfeit

in prose

would

be

nonsense

but in poetry,ifany obscure

up

of
feeling
by words

distinct

the mind
that

tory
transi-

or

be called

can

no

convey

meaning, we

very

the

over

pass

and
inaccuracyof expression,

favour

the intention

of the poet. In another

placeMilton

says,

darkness.
palpable
and

whoever

"

attend

darkness
Milton

was

visible,

blind

to
carefully

their

perceive,that

own

sensations

when

or
theyshut their eyes entirely,
they go into a room
perfectly

when

will

MILTON'S

110

of privation
dark, a feeling
takes place,

which

is different from

darkness

in

where

room

the
a

effect of
few

dying

embers

the

some
by fits show faintly
surroundingobjects,as the

is

it may
perfect,

not

by

of
ness
dark-

poet

be called counterfeit.

Far

from

Far from

all

any

resort

place to

of

mirth.

which

"

mirth

resorts.

Save

the cricket

on

the hearth.

Except that

the cricket, which

emblem

mirth, chirps upon

of

"

is

an

the

hearth.
Or

The

the bellman

drowsy sound

drowsycharm.

"

of the watch man's

bell,takinghis rounds

from

house

to

house.
Where
"

Where

I may
I may

oftoutwatch
sit up

till

the bear.

morning,

1 I1

PEXSEROSO.

IL
*"

studyingthe philosophyof the

as
taught by Hermes,

Mercury of

the Greeks, who

have

to

The

spiritof Plato,
of
spirit
to

posed
sup-

into Greece.
Or

The

the

broughtthe knowledge

the Chaldeans

of

was

cients,
an-

to

Plato is

unfold

these

for he has treated

unsphere

unfold.
summoned
rightly
tions
noparticular

largely

more

than

of the

any

cerning
conphilosophers,

the separate
after

death, and

residingin
the

elements, and

I would

see

not

quotationsfrom

works, because
may

of the soul

encing
influ-

the
planets,and directing

with

note

state

concerningdemons

of nature.

course

this

the

"-"

summary

the

swell

his

English reader
of his doctrines

112

at

MILTON

the end

Stanley'sLife

of

philosopher. And,
observes, the word
the

to

of
spirits

of

different

regionsbeing assignedto
tion
degrees of perfec-

different

impurity, the

.used in the Mask,

Where

"

Thyer

unspherealludes

platonic notion

spheres or

or

Mr.

as

"

that

of

2.

verse

immortal

those

is

term

same

shapes

Of

live insphered
brightaeiial spirits

In

regionsmild,

of

calm

and

air.'*

serene

N.

The

East

in

believe

genii,whom
been

inhabitants

Mahometan

they

the

the world, before

.theyconsider
mediate

have

the time

them

between

to

as

men

of

existence

suppose

created, and

of the

to

governed
of Adam

beings
and

have

inter^

angels.

let gorgeous

Sometimes

"

pallcome
sceptred
Thebes'
Presenting

tragedy,
sweeping by,

In

Or the tale of
Or

what

Ennobl'd

later age,

hath the buskin'd

stage.

that thy power

virgin,

And

from

raise Musaeus

notes,

as,

made

warbled

to the

at

string,

Pluto's cheek

Hell grant what

"Sometimes

his bovver,

Orpheus sing

iron tears down

Drew

Pelops'line,

Troy divine,

Or bid the soul of

Such

or

(thoughrare) of

But, 0 sad

Might

113

PENSEROSO.

IL

Love

this hour

did seek."

of nioo

let

me

see

the

of
representations

ing
dressed in longflowtragedy,
the story of the
robes, presenting
siegeof Thebes, of the wretched race
of Pelops,or the fallof Troy,or what
modern
tragedy(thebuskined stage)
has represented
with dignity.
But, O sad virgin(Melancholy,

ancient

"

MILTON'S

114

to

the poet

whom

that

I wish

whose
the

made

music

power

him

Orpheus,

to

self;
him-

could

call
re-

Orpheus,
flow

down

Pluto, and

vailed
pre-

grant the request

have

to

or

tears

of

cheeks

iron

upon
of

thy

Musaeus,

life

to

againaddresses

his wife

Eury-

dice restored to him/*

Gorgeous tragedy.
"

The

poet

tragediesof
and Sophocles,
Eschylus,Euripides,
amongst the Greeks ; and probablyof
alludes

the

to

ancient

Seneca, amongst the Roman

poets ;
and
to
Shakspeare, Jonson, "c.
the modern.

amongst
Mmeeus

"

was

Grecian poet,much

celebrated

amongst the ancients

works

lost ;

are

except
of

so

are

those

poem

Jason, which

on

of

his

pheus,
Or-

the expedition

by

some

is

be the work

thoughtto
these

for

might hear
cheek.

Orpheus :
wishes

is

verses.

Pluto's

down

tears
a

to

dead, that he

recite their

them

This

"

the

from

iron

Drew

of

Milton

reasons

them

recall

115

PENSEROSO.

IL

bold

very

cata-

chresis.

Or

"4

The

him

call up

that left half told

story of Cambuscan

Of

Cam

ball, and of Algarsife,

And

who

That

own'd

And

of the wondrous

On
"

which

Or

had

Canace

to

the virtuous

the Tartar

call up

Cambuscan,

wife,

ringand glass,

horse

of brass,

king did

him

that left unfinished

bold

bold,

the dead,

from

the
and

ride."

story of the
of

his

sons

and of his
Algarsife,
daughterCanace, who possesseda
wonderful mirror,and a magicalring;

Camball

and

MILTON'S

116

relates the

who

who

and

brazen

marriageof Canaoe,

describes
which

horse,on

call up

He

Tartar

him

that

Chaucer

means

Tale, wherein

king

lefthalf told

story of Cambuscan

The

"

wonderful

of Cambuscan.r

rode to the court

Or

the

bold.

and

his

Cambuscan

"

Squire's

is

king of

Tartary,and has two sons,

and Camball, and a ter
Algarsife
daughThis Tartar king
Canace.
named
receives a present from
the king of
Araby and Ind, of a wonderfulhorse
Sarra in

brass, that could

of

through the
a

sword

of

time

same

air to

rare

his

presented with

glass
"

transport him
any

place;

qualities
; and

at

daughter Canace
a

virtuous

glassby

which

and
the
is

ring and
she

could

discover
and

the
tale

future

and

birds.

finished

endeavoured

such

handsome

address

to

beyond

See Book

"

IV,

duction
intro-

spiritof

be

tempted
not

cant.

2,

sure.
mea-

stanza

N.

Thus

far

Newton.

bishop

readers, when

wondrous

Tartar

long
pro-

its due

32."

young

and

the

transcribe it, if it would

this note

but

Fairy Queen,
a

by

supply

to

that I should

Chaucer,

This

"

never

in his

begins with

stand
under-

part of it is lost

or

defect

events,

she could

language of

Spencer has

to

which

either

was

Chaucer,

the

and

secrets

ringby

117

PENSEROSO.

IL

theyhear

horse of brass,on

Our

"

of the

which

the

kingdid ride,will immediately

recollect the

Tales, who

Indian, in the Arabian

rides upon

an

enchanted

MILTON'S

118

horse, that

and

Chaucer

by

air, when

into the

same

horse

those of the brazen

as
qualities

described

exactly the

has

mounts

pin is turned,

one

another

fallswhen

he

is turned.

"

chest,or machine, guidedin the

flying
same
by turningcertain pins
manner,

valves,is

or

the

made

entertaining
story

an

Tales

and

who

enabled

to

even

of

in the Persian

gives such

it

advantagesto
Mouse],

foundation

nary
extraordi-

the poor

weaver

of

travels in it, that he is

whole

rout

to pass

for the

armies, and

met
prophet Maho-

himself.
In another
a

beautiful Arabian

flyingsopha

is

conveys its master

to

go.

introduced, wrhich
wherever

hechooses

It is observable that the

chest is consumed

tale,

bv
m.1

flying

fire,and that
*

1 19

PENSEROSO.

IL

flyingvehicles

all these

turningcertain
These

fallby

make

it probable

handles.

circumstances

that

rise or

somethinglike balloons

that

discovered, and

lonsr since been

had

though
lost,

obscure

some

has been

existence
The

tradition

appliedto

inanimate

And

if ought else
solemn

turneys, and

Of forests and

Where

jective
the ad-

but
this

sense,

obsolete.

In sage and
Of

stances
sub-

the virtues

; as,

is, in

virtuous

(6

of its

"

vegetablesor drugs;

become

since

preserved.

is still used
of

been

ring and glass. The

virtuous

virtue

word

has

the invention

more

great bards, beside,

tunes

of

sung,

trophieshung,

enchantments

is meant

have

than

drear,
meets

the

ear.

MILTON'S

120

And

"

sung
and
of

other

relate any

strains,

by great bards, of tournaments

triumphs,of dark forests,and

enchantments,

the mind
And

which

hidden

some

moral/1

The

if ought else.
incomplete: there
"

here is

in the sentence.

say, O

The

"

other solemn

is

poet

sense

an

enemy,

triumphal arch
church

some

the memory

hung

of

Where

not
more

or

"

spoils

or
pillar,

victory.The
only to the word
is

the word
meant

in

preserve

to

phies
Tro-

hung upon

and

temple, to

or

relates
and

an/

of trophieshung.

"Turneys for tournaments.

hung. Trophies are
some

to

means

poetry, "c.

and
Of 'turneys

taken from

verb

no

virgin,relate

mournful

to

convey

word
phies,
tro-

turneys.
than

meets

IL

the
to

ear.

"

amuse,

191

PENSEROSO.

Good

poets

but

to

not

mean

instruct

only

and

they
principlesof
;

the
teach
frequently
in
and virtue,
prudence,religion,
of poetry.
fables and allegories

oft see
Thus, Night,

"

Till civil-suited Morn

Not

the attic

Or usher' d with
the

When

Ending on

wont,

me

shower still,

drops from

off the eaves."

Thus, Night, may

appears,

amber

was

gust hath blown its fill,

the rushing
leaves,

minute

With

find

appear,

comely cloud,
rockingwinds are pipingloud

While

"

thypalecareer,

boy to hunt,

kerchieft in

But

in

frouuct, as she

trickt and

With

me

the

you

often

waking tillsober Morning

not

robed

as
light,
L'Allegro
; not

she

in

is described

dressed
M

flames

as

when

and
in

she

MILTON'S

122

the

Athenian

early chace with

Cephalus,butwith her

veiled

pursued
in

the winds

the wind

the

head

becoming cloud, whilst

whistle loudly; or else accompanied
by a gentleshower, after

is

hushed, when

we

hear

the last dropsof rain

the

rustling
amongst
dropping at intervals

leaves,or

from

the

houses.

of

eaves

Civil-suited.
"

Suited

'*

means

ed,
dress-

Civil,sober;
havinga suit on.
here,civil,opposed
perhapsit means
to military.
Not
With

trickt

andfrounct, as

the attic

boy to

hunt.

she

ivas

wont,

"

calls dress tricking.

Mrs.
Shakspeare
sor,
Page, in the Merry Wives of Windsays,

"

for
tricking

and
Go, get us properties
our

r
fairies.

Frounct

is

another

word

the

to

much
signifying
crisped,curled.

the

Cephalus,with

whom

love

he

as

123

PEXSEROSO.

IL

same

purpose,

same

frizled,

as

attic

The

is

boy

Aurora

fell in

hunting.

was

Kerchief;

ancient

an

"

head-dress.

Oh, what time have you found out,

kerchief/*
brave Cains, to wear
a
"

"

SHAKSPEARE.

Handkerchief;

"

kerchief for the

hand.
Neckerchief

;
"

kerchief

worn

on

the neck.

Rocking winds
the

walls

says, in the
"

I like this

With
caves.

"

rockingor

"

of

buildings.Zanga

tragedyof
rockingof

minute

ing
shak-

the

Revenge,

the battlements."

drops from offthe

Drops that

fallfrom

the

eaves

MILTON'S

124

of houses
a

shower

then, after

and

now

every

formerlytolled,with

intervals of

the death

minute, from

bells

from

perhaps taken

the burial

to

persons.
distinguished

of

beginsto fling
His flaring
beams, me, goddess,bring
To arched walks of twilight
groves,
pine,or

Was
Or

frightthem

nymphs

Hide
While

That
And
With

profunereye

no

from

me

the
at

Entice the

haunt

brook,

may

look,

Day's garisheye,

herflow'rywork

such

daunt,

some

bee, with honied

the waters

to

their hallow'd

from

There, in close covert, by

Where

stroke

with heaved

axe

heard the

never

oak,

monumental

the rude

Where

sun

brown, that Sylvan loves;

shadows

And
Of

the

when

And

"

thigh,

doth

sing,

murmuring,

concert

as

they keep,

Sleep;
dewy-feather'd

let

And

strange,mysteriousdream

some

wings,in airystream

at his

Wave

12,5

PENSEROSO.

IL

portraiture
display'd,
lively

Of

Softlyon
And

as

laid
eyelids

my

wake,

Above, about,
Sent

Or th'

when

breathe

underneath,

or

geniusof

unseen

And

"

music

sweet

to
spirit,

by some

mortals

good,

the wood."

of the

the beams

sun

shine with

dazzlinglight,
O goddess(ofmelancholy)
lead me,
to arched groves, dim
as
twilight
lights
such shades as the god Sylvanusdein
formed from pinesor oaks,

begin to

"

"

that,from

their age,

monuments

of former

where

alarms

never
me

the rude

lie

under

by
the

times

nymphs

the side of

shady
M

groves

of the wood-cutter

axe

the

like

appear

covert
3

some

there

let

stream,

where

no

MILTON'S

126

profaneeye (theeye
not

feel enthusiastic

her

the

love

for such

she collects

wild

the

from

flowers,

whilst the
me

invite

murmuring streams
sleep; there let some

rious
myste-

dream, picturedto my

eyes in

to

livelycolours, appear
slumbers
me

do

whilst round

honey-beesingsas

stores

who

none

disturb me;

scenes)may
me

of

hear at

and
a

to

in my

me

I awake,

when

let

distance soft music, such

to
might seem
genius of the wood,
as

power,

be
or

sent

by

benevolent

by
some

to

the
known
un-

tals/'
mor-

Flaring beams.
Flaringproperly
like the pendant
means
fluttering,
of a ship, for show ; it also means
; flaring
any thing gaudilydisplayed
"c.
ribbons,a flaring
carriage,
"

127

PENSEROSO.

IL

Twilightgroves. Groves as dark

as
twilight.
That
Sylvan loves. Sylvanus,a
heathen god, presiding
forests.
over
The
nymphs. The ancients supposed
that wood-nymphs, or inferior
"

"

"

inhabited and
female deities,

woods, and that

existed in rivers and

Garish.

"

and

water

sea-nymphs

in the
The

Gaudy.

protected

ocean.

of

use

un-

in

and

"

poetry, as it excites curiosity

bee

with

depositsin

which
its

able
agree-

attention.

The
bee

is sometimes

words

common

honied
small

it collects ; it

thigh. The
bag the honey
"

gatherswax

on

thigh;
With

honey

loads

his

thigh."*
*

Parnel.

bag,

with

wax

his

MILTON'S

128

d Sleep. As
sleep
Dewy-feather
usuallyapproachesat night,he may
"

be

supposed

with dew

wings moist

his

have

to

it is, however,

epithetfor Somnus,
in

he is invoked

strange

when
especially
of

middle

the

the

day.
And

let

dream.

was

Somnus

from

to

upon

wings

the

Morpheus,

"

dreams,

of

and

Somnus,
of

god

of

separate personage
is here called

he

the

accompany

aerial stream

the

strange, mysterious

some

and

to

hovering
waft

an

living
imagerybefore

poet'seyes.
Wave

at

his

wings in airy stream

Of lively
portraituredisplayed,
Is

an

and

poet

intricate mode

though we
meant

may

of

;
expression

suppose

stream

that the

of successive

129

PENSEROSO.

JL

imagery wafted in air,it

We
cannot,
intelligible.
avoid

takingnotice

some

of

as

almost

to

seem

repose.

The

numbers

is

walk

lull

the
of

mind

contrary,rhyme rather

him.

due

feet

never

fail

the studious cloisters pale,

antic

And

high-embowedroof,
pillars
massy proof,

storied windows,

Castinga
There
the

to

Milton's

love the

With

To

"

entirelyindependentof

let my

But

And

beauty of

mony
fyc. The haris such, that they

excellence

the

on

encumbers

To

however,

of the

wake,

of the words

"

scarcely

these lines.

And

rhyme

is

dim

richlydight,

light;
religious

pealing
organ blow
full-voic'd quirebelow,

let the

MILTON'S
In service
As

may

Dissolve

And

times
to

with

sweetness

to

let

throughmine

Heaven

me

before mine

never

frequent the

hear the

ear

eyes;"

fail at

dim

due

cloisters,

;
holyservices of religion
in the longsilent cloisters,

let me

walk

where

I love

arches

clear,

into extasies,

me

bringall

But

"

anthems

high,and

to

and

ed
contemplatethe pointancient

support the massy

\vhich
pillars,

structure

and

the

sacred
paintedwindows, representing

transmittingthrough
suited
colours a dim light,

history,and
their rich

worship; and let me hear

religious
the pealing(loudsounding)organ accompanyin
the choir in high (full)
to

service, and

clear

passingthroughmy
my

soul, may

anthem, such
external

dissolve

senses

as,

to

(orsoften)it

and

may

before

my

in

extasy,
religious

the

joys of

Heaven

fine lines

These

1 Jl

PENSEROSO.

IL

cover

bring

nation.^
imagi-

the inaccuracies
from

of their construction

sient
tran-

observation.

"

roof.
high-enibowcd

the

And

love

And

love,

And

the

of

the

certainly

roof, and

love

the

he meant

let

Antic,

"

bent

like

for

antique.

with

sweetness.

"

may

roof,

love the embowed

me

Embowed

As

feetin

that his feet should

mean

the architecture

music

to

the author

precedinglines;
did not

refer

must

such is wantingto

Young peopleare
of

"

bow.

The

word

completethe sense.
accura
apt to justifyin-

expression
by the authority

MILTON'S

132

of

The

great writers.

writingis

of

understood

clear and

accuracy

easily-

of expression,

of construction,
regularity

the elements

are

be

and

and

to

firstexcellence

of

intelligible
writing.
o

In

readingpoetry,
be

should

examine

Due

why
feet.
"

owing, and
due

as

such

observe

to

beauties, and

it is

pleased,or

Due

means,

of

poetical
metonymy,

useful

to

our

pupils when

the Latin and

Greek

pale.
"

Feet

person

notion

is

ance
attend-

scarcelynecessary to enter
minute
explanation; but a

Cloisters

pleased
dis-

service.
religious

to

to

what

here, the

means

here is put for the whole

seems

mind

young

accustomed

well

defects, as

the

it

into
clear

will be

they read

classics.

Pale

is used

by

IL

Pale colours

Milton for dim.

and

133

PENSEROSO.

are

have for that reason,

distinc
inin

degree,the effect of darkness,

\vhichrendersstrongcoloursindist
In the beautiful poem
of Margaret's
some

Ghost, a
"

shroud

And

That

claycold

is called sable.
was

her

lilyhand

held her sable shroud."*

The

wishes
to contrast
(Mallet)
the pale hand
with the black
for
shroud, and he takes advantage,

poet

this purpose,

of the

death
shrouds

in

tween
association beblackness

and

oldest poets

our

are

for

called

white.
"

Ah

me

in his

Comes

Ancient

t The

! what

spectre's
ghastly
yon
after."f
paleshroud bleeding

Poetry,Vol.

Braes of Yarrow"

III.

Ancient
N

Poetiy, Vol. II.

MILTON'S

134

Here

the whiteness
colour

is made

contrast

the

of

between

shroud,

and

the

the streaming: blood.

of

And

"

Find
The

I may

And

To

And

may

at

the

to

live."

close

of

life

peacefulretirement,where

some

contemplatethe

the

pleasuresMelancholygive,

in

the

I thus

contains

vidence,
of Pro-

works

wonderful

universe, and

plant that
may

dew

attain.

I with thee will choose

I may

of

doth shew,

sipsthe

experiencedo

And

have

rightly
spell,

somethinglike propheticstrain

These

"

that

cell*

mossy

that Heav'n

herb

every

Till old

and

sit and

star

every

age

peacefulhermitage.

hairygown,

Where
Of

the

out

last ray weary

at

may

structure

in the minutest

medicinal

acquirefrom

virtue,

experience

IL

the power

135

PENSEROSO.

of

what is likely
foretelling
to
ledge
happen in future, by my knowof the past. If, Melancholy,
thou
wilt give me
these solid pleasures
of the understanding,
with thee
I will choose

live.

to

Rightlyspell,
Of

Endeavour

Spell.
"

of.

meaning

of

the time

influence

Men

of

sense,

and
history,

causes,

who

could

*vh.ich

the

who
had

near

clined
inhad

stars

were

events.

versed

acquiredthe
back

when
frequently,

mankind,
were

the

were

human

tracingevents

circumstances
actuate

that

upon

good

of

discover

Milton, mankind

some

habit

to

doth slieiv.

Formerly, even

believe

to

in

that Heaven

star

every

to

their
lar
simi-

began again
foretell the

likelyto

to

events

happen ;

for

136

MILTON'S

instance, it was
the

latter years
to

difficult,
during

not

of

foretell

was

it difficult to

and

democratic

the

revolution

narchy,
mo-

nor

foresee,that slavery

tyranny would

France, after the

in

French

death

ensue

of

the

king.
Were

peoplenow,

A. D.

believe in what

to

a
judicialastrology,

pretendedto
who

had

clined
1821, inis called

consult

stars, and

the

predictedthe

had

who

man

which

events

have

latelyhappened, would have

and a prophet.
passed for an astrologer
In

peacefultimes

ctirious about

men

not

are

future events,

as

so

during

tumults.
foreignwars, or domestic
The vulgar,not seeingany adequate
cause

such

for the

times

great

happen

events

which

in

before their eyes,

to

apt

are

attribute

influence.

This

the

of

nature

ideas

celestial

to

the association

publiccalamities
that

them

aptitudearises
heard

they have

137

PENSEBOSO.

1L

it had

of

been

observed,

of the stars

accompanied particularevents
phenomena

same

expect

in the

and

the

heavens, they
events

same

pleasures Melancholy give,

These

I with

And

Milton
doubt

live.

of

power

her, if she
.

to

expresses

Melancholy's

pleasureshe

therefore

them

thee will choose

in his conclusion

the

bestow
and

of

appearance

of the

recurrence

earth.

upon

no

the

theysee

our

that in former

particular
appearances

when

from

determines

will

allow

to

has described,
to

him

live with
to

share

COLLlNS's

IT

"

138

ODE

TO

FEAR.'

alreadybeen said, that

has

in

poetry the virtues and the vices, the

passions,and
the

mind,

almost

are

representedand

of
feeling

every

personified;that is,
addressed

mated
ani-

as

beings.
In the ode

goingto explain,
Fear is described
as
a
nymph, or
sylvan goddess, attended by many
we

are

other ideal personages,

such

Vengeance,Murder,
is called
and

the

an

This

"c.

;
description
allegorical

companions

which

the poet
in

allegorically
brings forward
train of Fear

ger,
Dan-

as

are

connected

all such

with

as

are

the

rally
natu-

it, either

as

TO

ODE

cause

Danger, as

effect.

or

139

FEAR.

produces Fear.

Fear often

Danger,

effect.

an

as

Fear

justlycauses
of

Revenge,

efforts of sudden

dangerous, and

Thou,

to

whether
of

or

another

whom

the world

Who

seest

Ah

I see,
I know

Like

"

and

of the

appall'dth'

unreal

shown,

scene,

liftsthe veil between.

Fear, ah ! frantic Fear,

I

see

thee

near

thy hurried step, thy haggard eye,

thee, I start; like thee, disordered fly:

lo ! what

For

slow

unknown,

all its shadowy shapes,is

Fancy

the

here introduced.

With

While

quences
conse-

frequentlythe

are

allegorical
persons
"

the

rage,

Murder,

of

produces

equallydreadful

malignity,are
causes

cause,

Vengeance

as

monsters

O thou, to whom

in

thy train appear."

Fancy displays

140

-COLLINS

world

who

of

own

who

art

shapes; thoii,
visionary

teraiied at

art

thy

the

ideal

imaginationforms

scene

frantic with terror, O

Fear,

I behold

thee

approaching. I

thee

the

hurried

by

steps, and
I

eyes.

by
see

motion

thee start.

what

do

The

"

to

and

flee: for io !

I "behold in

horror

in the

me

to

start

.disorder;

confusion

I attempt

monsters

train !

thy

attempt

and

and, like thee,with

disorder

of

J also

thee

see

confusion

in

know

the wildness of thine

like thee.
escape

thou,

of

same

the

manner

thy
rifies
sightteras

it has

appalledthyself."
Collins
to

Fear, as

the power

than

self
himbegins by addressing

of

to

person,

who

has

seeingsomethingmore

is visible

to

mortal

eyes, the

TO

ODE

seeingthe shadowy shapes,

of

power

141

FEAR.

of the unknown
visionaryfigures
those things
world, and of perceiving

or

which

Thus
the
on

exist

the

only in

imagination.

he

givesto Fear, as a privilege,

power of producingcertain effects
mind, which

the

has

one

every

experienced.
the
Fancy lifts

While
"The

act

showing them

of

described

concealed

Fear.

because
in
:

called

any

Hurried

tain,
cur-

before

was

Fear is called frantic,

same

affects the

manner

violent

as

passion may

or
insanity

an

from the

"

it sometimes

the

cally
poeti-

the view,

from

Frantic

is

a veil or
by lifting

what
displaying

and

mind

veil between.

ness
mad-

be

madness.

step. Unsteady,in haste

"

of
feelings

an

mind.
agitated

142

COLLINS

It has been

observed, that Milton*

appliesthe

stantly
hurry,almost conmotion, or
preternatural

verb

to

to

imaginarybeings.
Haggard.
is the

hawk,

Wild, staring.Haggard

"

of

name

that

speciesof

easilv be

cannot

wild

tamed

"/

and

haggard

the term

is taken

from.

c^c?

the appearance
or

of its eyes.

falconry,was
the

among
and

many
are

favourite

great

Hawking,

in

former
in

of the words

metaphorstaken

sport
times

our

from

guage
lanthat

amusement.

For
appear.

lo ! what
"

The

feelingswhich

and
we

Notes

to

thy train

which

monsters

the nymph
terrify
those

in

monsters

Vathek.

ly
equal-

the poet, are

have

before

ODE

enumerated

TO

the

as

rather attendants

Danger, whose

e(

What

mortal

eye

stalks his

Who

Or throws
Of

"

him

see

form

of

limbs

giantmould

fix'd behold

can

the
on

hideous

one

form,

midnightstorm,

the

ridgysteep

can

to

sleep."

whose

Danger, upon
no

or

of Fear.

rock
loose-hanging

some

companions,

round,

Howling amidat

1 13

FEAR.

have

the

tic
gigancourage
o

look

to

storms

howls amid
; who
stedfastly
in the depth of the night,
or

lays himself down

steep ridge of some

to

sleep on

the

loose-hanging

rock."

Danger

only great in proportionto

think ourselves
danger to which we
exposed. Danger is repre-

fears
the

is described the first; for

are

COLLINS'S

144

because fear always

gigantic,
magnifies
danger:take away fear,and
dangershrinks to its real size. Sailors,
of various descriptions,
and workmen
and
work at ease,
to heights,
mount

scnted

as

in situations where

influence of fear could

moment

:"

thus

the

under

persons

remain

not

danger,
o

fear creates

it.

always increases
My little friends

and

what
to
we

will observe

it is to them

great consequence

acquire useful habits,as by

obtain

can

what

and

of mind

is

to

be

habit

decree of strength,
O

both

of

met

'

body,

far

beyond

with

in

tivated
uncul-

nature.

Wlio stalks his round.

a

certain

"

Who

walks

course.

Howling
storm.

"

amidst

Storms

at

the

midnight

night are always

ODE

TO

14v)

FEAR.

attended with
;

to

dents
clangerand with acciattributes
poet ingeniously

the

Danger the howling noises

O

heard

are

sounds

stormy nights. These

on

are

rushingof

made
really

by the

the wind, and

with

that it meets
it encounters

: on

loose

rock

on

precipice,because

the

And

Who
"

with

prompt

And

him
to

with

thousand
deeds

him
o

tion
opposithe objects

wide

level

littlenoise

be

scarcely

as

sleeping

the

edge of
danger,as a

circumstance, exists in such

"

sudden

from

plainthe wind makes but

highin the air,it would
perceptible.
Danger is considered
upon

which

tion.
situa-

phantoms joinM,

accurs'd

see

the mind."
a

number

COLLINS'S

146

of

other

or
spirits,

commit

to

men

urge

Here

who

phantoms,

great crimes.''

Danger is represented as
with

phantoms, imaginary

such

beings,or

rounded
sur-

as

we

think

in

see

we

dreams.
Who

mind.
the

to

prompt
Not

"

minds

danger.

deeds

the mind
of

The

of

apprehend

poet quitsthe personal

and

when

men

are

in

order
fears.

to

remove

times,
Some-

perilousand

alarming situations, they

and

criminal

its

the

upon

its influence.

under

desperate

to

goes

produced by it, and by

attendingcircumstances,
persons

the

danger,but

who

men

descriptionof Danger,
the effects

accursed

think

actions,

the objects of

of
in

their

TO

ODE

"

those

And

the

and

those evil

And

"

tiends, who,

wrecks

O'er nature's

allied

allied,

near

wounds

preside."

who
spirits,

ly
near-

the

Danger,presideover

to

of nature.'

great convulsions
Fiend.

14-7

FEAR.

It is used

Enemy.

"

as

for all those mischievous

generalterm

preternatural
beingswhich
evil

The

and

wrecks

effects of

thunder

and

"c.,

supposed

to

allude

Roman

of

'

these evil

beingsare

preside. Poets
to

times
some-

Grecian

the

and

mythology, which attributed

almost

every

object in

who
guardianspirit,

demi-god,or nymph
the

"

lightning, hurricanes,

which

over

wounds.

storms
earthquakes,

to

called

spirits.

Natures

to

are

eastern

was

nature

called

god,

aacl sometimes

mythology of

the

grnii.

COLLINS'S

148
While

**

Vengeance

Lifts her red

On
Who

lap the

Who,

her

raveningbrood
blood

not

look

of sorrow,

Fate,

wait.
can

madly wild, like

see

thee?"

stained
Vengeance lift her bloodarm
high in air ; and I see
followed by those animals of prey
see

which

lap the

shed

by

Who,

blood

Sorrow

that

and

look

Fear, can

of such hideous

frantic countenance,

own

?"
Lurid.

This
before

"

has

been

Misfortune,
upon

forms, without

and

used

bare
of

Fear, this ghastlytrain

And

"

the lurid air

expos'dand

arm,

the

whom

in

like

Gloomy, murky,

train

wild
thine

dismal,

of Vengeancebrings
description
the eye
to

the

massacre,

decency, to

figureof a woman
of
and regardless

denote

that those who

ODE

TO

pursuitof

in

FEAR.

forget
while they
every other consideration,
actuated by that violent passion.
are
phor
Ravening means
greedy; a metaare

vengeance

"

taken

his prey with

observed

It may

fury.

how

who

tears

here be

readilymetaphorical

become

words

the raven,

from

familiar

in language.
O

The

metaphorical
meaning
,

or

of

ning
rave-

is here unnoticed

ravenous,

ther
by the poet with anometaphor as a proper epithet.
The metaphor is taken from a beast
of prey, who
laps;the epithetfrom

and

it is used

bird

Were
the

who

pounces

the idea of the

mind, the

term

absurd.

with his beak.

raven

present to

lappingwould

be

COLLINSES

1,50

lengthshast past,

Thou, who such weary

**

rest, mad

wilt thou

Where

Say, wilt

thou

in haunted

shroud

and

gloomy Rape

Where

Or, in

some

'Gainst which

hollowed
the

nymph,
Murder

last ?

cell,
dwell ?

seat,

beat,

big waves

cries,in tempests

drowning seamen's

Hear

at

brought ?"

wilt thou rest, mad

When

"

after all

Wilt thou

Murder,

and

ghosts of
within

which

the dead

some

thou

beat with

or

the

wilt thou

sit

rock, against
waves

of the

violence, and where

ing
mayst hear,mingled with howlblasts of

of

thyselfin
by Rape and
is visited by the

hollowed

the sides of which

ocean

sions
excur-

conceal

cell inhabited

some

wild

and

thy weary

nymph,

wind, the dying groans

shipwreckedseamen

ODE

described

poet has

The

her

of

being out
of

senses

will rest, and

This

"

Shroud.
Haunted.

"

rifying
ter-

most

the

her contemplation.

epithetis

too

subject.

To

"

she

her retreat, and

nymph.

familiar for the

danger,he

the

gloomy subjectsfor

Mad

througha

lines, where

pointsout

placesfor
most

as

and, after

of active

scenes

her, in these

asks

Fear

hurried steps

her
following

number

lol

FEAR.

TO

hide, to conceal.

Visited,

frequented
,

followed.
It is in

languagechiefly

common

what
or
applied to apparitions,
who are
called ghosts,
generally

by

the

wander

where

vulgar and
about

at

peoplehave

the

said

ignorant to

night,near
been

are

places

murdered.

COLLINSES
Dark

"

! with

power

submitted

meek

thought,
mine

Be

old,
hav-e told ;

thy awakening bards

Which

lest thou

And

the visions

read

to

meet

blasted

my

view,

*/

Hold

each
be I

Ne'er

When

found, by thee o'erawed,

pebbled

mine,

or

believe,

permittedleave,
fire,or fen,

from

flood, the walks

of men."

Dark, mysteriouspower

that with
I may

meekness

read

bards
to

beds

goblinshaunt

And

abroad,

eve

cottage maids

ghosts,as

Their

"

devoutlytrue.

that thrice hallowed

On

Or

strange tale

awaken

and

submission

the visions that

have

composed
And

terror.

! grant

on

ent
thy ancipurpose

lest I incur

O
Fear, grant
thy displeasure,
I may

believe

each

tale, and
as

true

with

strange and
look

upon

speciesof

that

probabl
im-

them

reverence

ODE

and

TO

enthusiasm

approachingto

Overawed
I

may
out

on

by thee,

be

never

haunt

is that of the 31st

many

that

venture

which

the walks

to

leave

their

goblins,or
of

paritio
ap-

men.'

the poet

evening,which
devoted

to

Fear,

cottagers,that

permitted to

stony beds, and

as

as

tion.
devo-

evening on

the rustic

by

ghosts are

called

rash

so

that sacred

it is said

The

FEAR.

siders
con-

fear,
superstitious

of

October, and

In

Holy or Allhaliow eve.

placesit is stillcelebrated

peculiarceremonies,

is

with

ish
tricks of child-

and
superstition,

rustic

ment.
merri-

lieve
Ignorantcountry people bethat

supernatural voices

heard, and

are

ghosts of their
them, and particularly

that the

friends appear
that the

to

of
spirits

those

persons

COLLINS'S
who

have

are

seen

From

with

met

by

untimelydeaths

men.

jirc, or

flood. The

fen,

poet

"

placeswhere

mine,

or

the

enumerates

fatal accidents

fens
happen,fires,

or

or

quently
fre-

most

marshes,

mines, and floods.

Submitted.

Humbled

"

and

before the power

To

read.

To

"

of Fear.

interpret.

Awak"ning. Awakening
"

and

Blasted.

"

mitting
sub-

the

tention
at-

passions of

their auditors.

Struck

were

as

it

with

lightning.

"

The

thou, whose
sacred

seat

By

all that from

In

thy divine

most
spirit

of

possest

breast
Shakspeare's

thy prophet broke,

emotions

spoke,

TO

ODE

Hither
Teach

againthy fury deal,

but

me

His cypress
And

"

wreath

to feel ;

meed

my

Fear, whose

decree

under

spiritinspired

I adjurethee
Shakspeare,

of

all the emotions

excited

as

like him

once

I, OFear, will dwell with thee."

the mind

by

155

FEAR.

that

by

which

poet, when

thy influence,to

he did

make

has

make

obtained.

with

feel

the cypress

Give

then, O

thee, and be

votary."
s breast.
Shakspeare
addresses

most

Shakspeareas

that great reward, and

I shall dwell

been

me

deserve

me

wreath, which

tragicpoet

have

Fear, as

When

"

me

Fear,

thy
lins
Col-

having filled

he means,
Shakspeare'simagination,
that Shakspearepossessed,
above all

other poets, the power

of

moving the

COLLINSES

1.56

passions,and

making

of

feel the emotions

wished

to

his readers

of fear whenever

he

excite them.

Prophet.
"

This

perhapsis

lusion
al-

an

the Jewish

prophets,who
also poets. The propheciesof
were
Ezekiel and Isaiah are sublimelypoetical.
to

It is

however,
probable,

more

poet alludes

that the

priestessat
worked

Delphi,

herself

into

she

frenzy before
These

oracles.

the

to

who

pronounced

and

deliverd

to

always

something like

oracles

commands

pythian

were

sometimes

those

who

her

times
someswers,
an-

came

inquireinto futurity.They were

ner,
composed in such an ingeniousmanto

and
the

in such

obscure

was
interpretation

suit what

ever

events

terms,

that

easilymade to
might happen.

ODE

TO

Historyof Greece,

In the

in

appliedto
and
the

which

given.
In thydivine

was

emotions

from

similar

here it

"

the reward

were

"

is obscure

in

all

that

of
spirit

Fear.
madness

poeticenthusiasm.

Cypresswreath.
was

the

spoke."The

thine, O

properly means

means

in

manner

thy prophet,and
to

of

may

adjurethee by

spoken by him,

Fury

Apollo

Travels

of this sentence

it means,

emotion

rians
barba-

their responses

temples where

that broke

the

see

conducted, and

theywere

in the

of

account

construction

and

Anacharsis, you

younger
an

Greeks

cularly
parti-

will

the oracles of

and

Jupiter;

read

and

Herodotus, you

the
constantly

how

157

FEAR.

"

of

The wreath which

excellence.
tragic
o

1,58

TO

ODE

the

In

notes

remarks

FEAR.

the

on

made

are

Penseroso

some

the

on

word

cy"/

press.

Meed.

the

claims

Collins

Fear,

because

himself,
of

Recompence.

"

is

moral

the

soul

end

by
/,

And

This

thee.

of

great

Fear,

sources

says,
is

tragedy
and

tragedy,
addresses

Aristotle

pity
O

he

the

of

tragic pathos,

the

of

whom

to

one

meed

to

that

purify

terror.

will

dwell
is

conclusion

with

imitated

"

from

Milton.

I/

Allegro,

and

II

Penseroso

-of

139

THE

OF

SPEECHES

HENRV

AND

from Act

Part of

JUSTICE.

Scene

V,

FIFTH

THE

CHIEF
Taken

THE

III,of Shakspeare'sSecond

King Henry

the Fourth.

**m

THOUGH

Shakspeare's
poetry

and prideof
delight

generaltoo

for

and
foreigners

It exhibits the

nation, it is

our

abstruse

in

is the

and

difficult

children.

pictures
lively

most

of external nature,

and

of
representation

the most

human

fect
per-

passions.

His

obscure,
languageis frequently

from

its

phraseswhich
use

words

containing manv

are

and

i/

now

out

of

mon
com-

besides,his writingsrelate

SHAKSPEARE'S

160

much

so

the

the

to

that
is called

have

or

had

have

relish for the

Chief
of

world,

experience
passions,
excellencies

Part

the

Fourth,
these

free from

is in

some

difficulties;

it is selected for the purpose

the styleand
introducing

Shakspeare

to

our

young

Shakspearewrote
are

the

Justice, in the Second

measure

upon

what

of the

Henry

and

have

Speech

Shakspeare. The

of

cians,
politi-

perceivethe beauties,

can

some

human

effects of
he

before

must

person

knowledge of

must

the

of

and

men,

princesand

of

concerns

and

passionsof

of
of

manner

readers.

dramatic

pieces

the
now

of England ; they
history
merly
called plays,though forcalled histories ;
they were

each of them

takes

in several years

THE

HENRY

and

theycarry

the

1 (ji
I

FIFTH.

of
imagination

the

spectator from

England to France,
again,many times in the
one
night. Henry the

back

and

of

space

is

Fourth
includes

of

one

dramas

great part of his

with

concludes

and

these

his

with the coronation of his

it

reign,

death, and

Henry

son

the Fifth.
the Fifth, when

Henry
Wales,

graceful
wild, and, in the dis-

was

societyof Sir
other

Poins.,and
several
some

taken

prince of

his

up

by

idlers,committed
laws

againstthe

offences
of

FalstafF,

John

attendants

had

the officers of

been

justice,

broughtbefore the
Sir William Gascoigne.
chief justice,
in court, prince
While
they were
for

and
riot,

were

"

Henry

came,

and
p

rudely demanded
3

162

SHAKSPEARE'S

that

should

they

chief

be

The

released.

The

justice refused.

prince

insulted, and, it is supposed,

the

struck
with

the

great dignitykept his

in the

bench, and
of

tone

the
taken

laws

is

seat

upon

the

tion
execu-

intrusted, he

prince,and
into

justice

authoritative

whom

to

man,

of the

be

Trie chief

judge.

even

ordered

custody.

To

him

buked
re-

to

this the

his duty,becomingly
prince,recollecting

submitted.
O

After

his

father,when

the

nation

himself

he

became

expected he
to

up
;

but

on

the

conduct

of

from
dismissing

wise

would
and

amusement

immediatelyassumed
and

the death of

li

king,
give

perance
intem-

contrary, he
the

deportment

monarch, and,

his presence

companions, instead

of

mer
his for-

disgrac-

THE

HENRY

16:3

FIFTH.
i

ing the

chief

justice,who

him, he thanked
firmness

chief

for the

which

he

conferred

The

speech

is inserted in Enfield's

Speaker

great favours upon

from

mitted
com-

"/

the laws, and

executed

which

him

dignity with

and

had

had

him.

addressed

is
Shakspeare,

justiceby

after he became

kin^

excellent

the

Henry

sentiments

justice,conveyed

the

to

Fifth,

and it contains

'

of
in

prudence and

expressiveand

language. But as there are

energetic
and
words
speare,
phrases in Shakmany
that

out

people at

young

understand
feel his
of

are

him,

of

use

at

firstdo not
and

beauties.

accustoming the

present,

perfectly

therefore

With
eye

cannot

the
and

view
to

ear

ancient

English,the followingnote

from

old author is introduced

tin

SHAKSPEARE'S

164
The

"

renouned

moste

prince,

kynge Henry the Fyfte,late kynge

of .England
e, durynge the lyfeof his
noted

father, was
wanton
one

courage

it

benche,
aduertised
persones

the

and

incensed

at

in furious rage

reserued

humbly

to

contented, that his

all

the
seruaunt

be ordred

accordyngeto

lawes

this realme

of

ungyued and

be

men

the chiefe

exhorted

his

prisoner,and

as

libertie : whereat

abashed,

by lyghte

barre,where

the

hym

commaunded

prince being

him,

stode

seruaunt

felonyby him
at the kynge's

whereof

hastilyto

came

that

he well

whom

arrained

aboute

of

fiers and

happened

for

was,

committed,

who

of his seruauntes,

fauoured,

set

be

to

were

justice,

princeto

be

mought

the aunciente

; or

if lie wolde

THE

HENRY

hauve
the
if he

saued

hym

from

the

rigourof

shulde

lawes, that he

mought,

165

FIFTH.

of the

opteyne,

kynge his

father

pardon,wherby no lawe
gratious
or
iustyceshulde be derogate.With
the princenothynge
whiche
ansvvere

his

appeased,but

rather

endeuored

himselfe

seruaunt.

The

inflamed,

more

take away

to

iud^e consideringthe
o

example,and
perillous
therbv

mouo'ht

that

the

his way
the

with

and

to

the

vp

which

in

manded
com-

courage,
his

and
prisoner

princebeing set

chafed

insue, with

prince,upon

leaue the

to

inconuenience

"/

valyantspiriteand
ance,

his

alegedepart

commandment
all in

fury,all

terrible manner

came

men
place of iugemerit,

thynking that he wold

the iuge,or haue done

haue
to

hym

slayne
some

SHAKSPEARE'S

166

damage ; but the iugesittyngestyli

without mouing,declaring
the maiestie
of the kynge's place of iugement,
and

with

an

assured

sayd

tenaunce

wordes

the

to

foliowyng

kynge

name

wherfore

vnlaufull

to

those
propre

for your

contempre

goe you

to

enterprise,

"

And

and

remayne

the

pleasureof

ye

we

kynge's

I commytte

there
the

no

disobedience,

the prysorie of the

benche, wherevnto

ample
ex-

hereafter shall

subiects.
and

his

your

giue good

whyche

be your

dience
obe-

in

desyste of

hensforth

and

lorde
double

owe

chargeyou

from

placeof

eftesoones

and
wylfulriess
and

here the

ye

coun-

prince these

soueraine

your

father,to whom
;

bolde

Syr, remembre

'
"

yourselfe. I kepe
the

and

you,

prisonervntyll

kynge your

father

HENRY

THE

\6j

FIFTH.
"

knowen*

be further

With

"

whicbe

beingabashed, and also wowof

drynge at the meruaylousgrauitie
the noble
that worshypfulle
justyce,
his weapon apart,doynge
laying
prince
departed,and went to the
reuerence,
manded.
comkynge's benche, as he was
wordes

Whereat

his seruauntes
and

daynynge,came

shewed

desto

the

kynffeall the hole affaire. Whereat

"

*/

d7

he

awhylesstudyengeafter;as a man
allrauyshed
with gladnesse,
holdywgo
his

and

eien

Heuen

voice,
moche
bounde

handes

towarde

vp

braided,sayingwith
O

'

am

to

mercyfullGod
I

aboue

for that ye
specially
feareth
a iuge,who

iustice: and

also

suffre semblably
and

loudc

how

all other

infinite

your

haue
not
sonne

goodnes,

gyuen
to

men

me

minister
who

can

obey iustyce."

SHAKSPEARE'S

168

"

and

HENRY

Chief Just."

"

LORD
I

am

CHIEF

JUSTICE.

assured,if

rightly*
majestyhath no justcause

Your

Measured-

"

here

to

I be

sured
mea-

hate me.'*

judged of.

means

Henry. No ! mighta princeof my great

hopesforget

"

"

The

great indignities
you laid upon

What

rate,

rebuke, and

me

roughlysend

to

prison
TV

immediate

May

heir of

England!

thisbe wash'd in Lethe, and

Might
means

was

this easy ?

1"
forgotten

prince.Might
"

could.

Of my great hopes. That

hopesof beingking.
"

Was

here

this easy*

"

Gentle

or

had

to

easy

be borne.

May

this be washed

The ancients

in Lethe.

"

supposedthat the waters

THE

HENRY

169

FIFTH.

Lethe, the river of Hell;produced

of

forgetfulness.
Ch. Just.

"

I then did

"

your father
The

The
The
And

as

to my

authority,

you.

If the deed

did commit

Be you

the

contented, wearingnow

To

have

To

pluck down

To

tripthe

son

decrees at

set your

from
justice

the

peace

and

ill,

were

garland,

nought;

your awful

of law, and

course

guards

father,

offender to your

an

I gave bold way

That

law,

was

Whereon,
And

of his

wealth,
busy for the commonhighnesspleasedto forgetmy place,
majestyand pow'r of law and justice,
image of the king,whom I presented,
struck me in the very seat of justice
;

While
Your

in me,

lay then

in th' administration

And

of

his power

image of

the person

use

beneh,

blunt the sword

safetyof

your

person ;

Nay, more,
And

mock

to

spurn

your

at

workingsin a
Q

royalimage,
second body."

your most

SHAKSPEARE'S

170

I then

"

representedthe

father

your

(who

present in this
power

is

then in

was

supposed
of

court

oi

person

be

to

justice)
; his
and

me,

whilst I

the laws, and busy

administering
for the common-weal
mon
(forthe comgood),your highnessforgotmy
office forgot
the power
and majesty
was

"

of

the laws and

struck

me

If you

you

must

be

you

wear

the

have

nought, to
tripand

of

tice
jus-

boldly exerted

think

you
this

contented

to

wrong,

when

now

garland (thecrown),
set

have

him

of
authority

represented,

sent

son

your

got
for-

you

the bench

on

and
authority,

prison.

to

"

whereupon

my

justice

father,whom

your
and

of

your

stop the

your

decrees

pull down

at

the

judgment-seat,

to

current

of

course

HENRY

iaw, and

off the

take

to

guards the
person

have

of

and

peace
more,

nay

edge

and

which
justice,

safetyof
must

you

your

submit

affront your

son

your

171

FIFTH.

of the sword

power

to

THE

own

royal image, representedand acting

in the
you

of

person

the

substitute in your
your

own

that

that you

scorned, and

disdained; then
part, and
in

before

son

your
saw

your

pose
sup-

dignity

your

laws

taking

power,

herent
in-

silencingyour son.
brought these images
halving
vour

me,

mind,

and

after cool

con-

sideration,pass
as

imagine me
by

and

had

heard

you

yourselfa

suppose

father,and that you

After

the

"/

your

your

tion
place. Ques-

royal thoughts ; make

"/

case

whom

judge,

you

are

sentence
a

upon

king,speak not

me:
as

SHAKSPEARE'S

172

but

privateperson,

in the

dignityof

your

public capacity,and

what

I have

done

office, my

of

or

person,

my

reignty.5'
sove-

your

"

titleof honour

in

unbecoming of

highness. Highness is now

Your
a

declare

or

respect addressed

Englandto the sons or daughters

also
the king ; formerlyit was
the king or
addressing
Pleased.
Were
or
pleased,

used

in

queen.

chose.

"

bold

gave

boldlyto

the

way.

sense

"

of

gave

way

the duties of

office.

my

If the

deed

used
common

used in

were

for

ill.
"

wrong,

///
or

conversation, and

compound

words:

was

merly
for-

bad, in
is

now

ill-behaved,

"c.
ill-natured,
ill-manners,ill-luck,

//, before words

which

begin with /,

stands for in, or

1?^

FIFTH.

THE

HENRY

not,

not
illiberal,

as

not legal.
illegal,
in
garland. Shakspeare,

liberal ;

The

"

two

the
places,calls the crown
garland.
Set at nought, Make
nothingof.
Nought, or naughty,is used for bad ;
three

or

"

nothing: the

that is, srood for

O

word

'

from aught,
naught,or nought,comes
any thing; naught,not any tiling.^
mock
And
working in a
your
be consecond
must
tented
body. You
"

to

have

vour

mock

son

vour
"/

"/

working,that is, your

*

The

because

it does

employedto
other

note

not
or

arithmetic,is

in

figure0,

represent any

mark

in tho

or

in the column

placeor

in
nothing-,

the

called

column

placeor

tiie column

of tens.

of ones,

units.

noug-ht,
but

is

column, which

of hundreds.

or

acting

number,

105.

to-"
figuresbelong-

power

SHAKSPEARE'S

174-

in the person
second

self

of

judge,who

is jour

body.

or

!/

Question yonr
Reflect

on

Be

now

"

the

conducted

your

your

father, and

own

had
as

king.

Change

"

himself

before

as

father.

that you

suppose

mind

own

your

places with

him

royal thoughts.

did

you

eyes,

who

son,
;

place

slighting
your

laws, "c.

After this
me.

"

cold considerance,

After

determine

tence
sen-

this cool consideration,

whether

acted

wrongly or rightly.

Liege'ssovereignty. Liege
"

means

certain

duty or
Formerly,after
by

land

of

William
the

to

person
obedience

whom

perly
proa

is

owing.
the conquest of England
the Conqueror, the

kingdom

was

divided

his followers,

amongst
the

same

Every

for

money

bound

was

whom

he

number
or

on

the
to

supply

lord.

The

Persons

them
of

of

who

was

who

in

Germany

princes
were

liege lord.

arid

he

called

had

held,
from

certain

horseback,
to

were

in

rent

person

on

person

he

whom
his

liege

themselves

liege

lords

particular, the

peror
em-

princes frequently
over

which

men,

this service

owed

paying

the

were

continent.

it, with

of armed

foot.

of

land

held

lands

the

upon

instead

man,

vassals, in

or

that

manner

usually divided

1?3

FIFTH.

THE

HENRY

had
dukes

all bound

great number

for his vassals,

to

him

as

their

176

SHAKSPEARE'S

"King Henry.

You

"

weighthis

you

Therefore
And

Offend

do live to
and

you,

Happy
That

dares

And

no

That

would

man

his

deliver up

so

"

bold,

of

justice."

firstline of this

in

weights

than

and

continue
is

in

different
a

person

it
are

weigh

you

this

your

rightand

between
determining

as

as

You
original.-""

the

of

arguments,

speechcannot

plainerprose

therefore

and

greatnessso,

office,deciding what
wrong,

father's words

speak my

Justice
right,
well

I did

on
justice
my proper son
less happy havingsuch a. son,

be put into
stands

as

do

Into the hand

The

the sword,

of mine

you,

I, that have

am

and

increase,

may

son

obey

So shall I live to

and

honours
see

well ;

stillbear the balance

I do wish your

Till you

Justice
right.

are

evidence

the

and

weighsthings

THE

HENRY

scales

in

and

execute

me

you

their value,

justiceas

you

the
and

son,

that

son

manner,

the

king'sbench

"

and

Justice is

my

to

againstmy own
happy to have
in such
of

The

the

chief

but the

wise

justice.'

has neither

nor
(a pairof scales),

him

what

enough

the hand

the sword.

done.

is bold

submitted,
to

I have

to

less

and

of

may

happy

Thereforestill bear

before

on

am

"

laws

no

'

me

judge who

execute

as

gladlyrepeat

father said of
a

honours

your

did, if he offend

1 shall then

have

did

duringa long life,and that

of mine obey you
a son
see

may
I

determine

I wish

and

increase

as

to

1/7

FIFTH.

balance

justiceof
a

balance

sword, carried

allegorical
figure

representedin painting

statuary,by a female figureblind-

SHAKSPEAKK'S

178

fold,to show

that Justice should

respect the persons

a

of

righthand,

to

the

with

and

denote

offenders

The

law.
axes

that Justice

with

the

Roman

smaller

as

the

rods

offences, the

greater crimes
the

with

judges have

rods,

emblems

Though
carried

swords

before

them, yet the king,who

is
head of the law, and who

by

the

king'sbench,
carried

before

chief

on

davs
*/

mony.

is the
sented
repre-

justiceof

has the sword

him

of

punish

to

axe

ried
car-

punish

to

death.

not

of

magistrates

them,

punishment ;

can

sword

with

surrounded

before

she

in her

sword

had

denote

to

before
weighs carefully

determines

punish

with

people ;

balance in her left hand,

that she

not

the

of state
of

cere-

HENRY

THE

You

committed

commit

into

"
.

which

For

I do

179

FIFTH.

me;

hand

your
ft

unstainM

TV

that

sword,

have

you

us'd to

bear ;
With

this remembrance,

With

the like bold

Which

hand

my
shall be

You

gust and

have

you

as

done

I will

And
To

"

tor

'gainstme

father

stoop and

You
which

same

impartialspirit,

as

to

There

"

is

youth,

my

do prompt

you

humble

committed

ear,

my

intents

my

wise
well-practis'd,

your

the

use

voice shall sound

My

that you

directions."

prison;

to

me

bold and dignified conduct

o

I entrust

to

vour

hand

the sword

of

%/

Justice, which
and

which

never

whilst
injustice,
same
use

time

you
was

used

stained

in your

puttingyou

it hereafter with

to

the

care

bear,

by

any
the

; at

in mind,
same

to

rage,
cou-

with
justice,and impartiality,

180

AKSPEARE'S

SH

which

you

There

is my

father

to

used

Here

the words

gaol,and

or

of

bad

to

in his

ornament

TIi

be

make

secret

are

to

posely
pur-

kind

of

of pun,

which

authors

Shakspeare
this false

employ
best

sword.
reterence

hand.

kind

even
justified

unstained

here has

to

fond.

are

sent

entrust,

meaning,of
taste

me

into your

sound,

condescended

cannot

committed

commit,

the

double

I will

experience

committed,

employed
jinglein

publish such

your

I do commit

which

5;

You

For

"

shall be

you

advise, and

will to

my

againstme.

will

you

wisdom.

and

as

submit

hand

me

decrees

it

plays;
by his

"

but

it

rity.
autho-

Unstained
to

the blood

THE

HENRY

the sword

which

but

pun,

of

justicemay

shed.

have

supposedto

181

FIFTH.

be

This is not

just metaphor. The

variable

meaningof words is,in argument

the chief source
and reasoning,

of

and confusion

error

it contributes

in

means,

and
diversify

to

blood,

unsullied
general,
nobility

crimes

dishonourable

or

but the unstained

stained

not

means

in poetry

Pure, unstained

ornament.

by

but

not

of

with pure

The

blood.

guiltydoes

sword

actions

justice
and

nocent
in-

of

the

sword

of

blood

stain the

the law.
With

this remembrance.

"

Hoping

that you will remember.

There
hand

my
as

is my
;

hand.

"

I shake hands

pledgeor

token of my
R

give you
with you,

promise,

189

SHAKSPEARE

humble

Stoop and
intentions

by

His tomb
with

For

his

To

mock

To

frustrate

Rotten

the

sadlyI survive,
spirit
of
expectations

prophecies,and

world,

the
to

rase

hath writ

me

out

down.

seeming."

And,

"

you

in

; and

wild affections

opinion,which

After my

I beseech

me,

into his grave

lie all my

or

advice.

your

father 's gone

My

intents

my

And, princesall,believe

"

intents."

my

moderate

and

Lower

father has

princes,believe
carried

me,

wildness

mv

my
and

"/

youthful follies
hirn^, for

all my

Perhaps some

an

I
discussion,

explanation,to

must

grave with
affections

former

allusion

but
expiatorysacrifice;
such

into his

as

is meant

here

this is not
refer my

young*

their preceptors,

to the Jewish

fit

place for

readers;for

HENRY

THE

propensitieslie there

or

lives in
spirit

sedate

expectationwhich

of

my

opinionswhich

disappoint

the world

has

formed

were

from my

conduct/'

former

out

rase

sound
opinion. Un-

rotten

"

opinion. This
bad

his

monarch,
being a dissipated
contradict
propheciesand

to

To

and

to

me,

the

and

183

FIFTH.

to

seems

be

metaphor.
Which

"

After my

hath writ

me

seeming.
"

fixed in the

Which

has

memory

people. The
compared to a book

in which

The

called

things
o

ancients

covered

which

written

and

of the

is often

down

are

had

memory
or

tablet,

written down.
wooden

"

tables,

thinlywith wax, upon

theywrote with a pointediron,
the
a
style; whence comes
very

184.

SHAKSPEARE'S

word

As

style,or
do

we

know

not

remembered,

we

how

be like

which

upon
and

from

effaced.

"

Where

The

are

and

it is

the

suppose

waxed

tablet,

ideas

might be engraved,
which they might be easily
We
speak of warm
images

meltinginto
away

metaphor,to

to

ideas

describe the

we

operationsof memory

memory

writing.

to speak
obliged

are

when
metaphorically

very natural

of

manner

the soul

from
beams

memory's

"

of ideas melting

the memory
of

soft

"

imagination
play,
melt away."
figures

warm

POPE,

Hath
Now

Where
And

Though my tide of blood

proudlyflovv'd in vanitytill now,
doth

it turn

it shall

and

ebb

minglewith

back

to

the sea,

the floods of state.

flow henceforth in formal

majesty."

THE

HENRY

"

the

Though

hath flowed

tide of my

blood

proudlyhitherto,it now
ebb

beginsto

FIFTH.

and, instead

of departing

the great sea

farther from

of

publicduty,it will henceforth return,

and mingle with the greatocean
of
when

and

it

again
flows,it shall flow majestically."
This is a bold metaphor; that is
to say, a metaphorwhich goes farther
state

concerns

beyond

than
that

The

the

degreeof
in

is usual

blood flows from

it ; the

the

blance
resem-

metaphors.
heart,and
flow

from

returns

to

the sea,

and ebb from the shore to the

sea

again;

between
but

the

so

the

waves

far there
and

waves

is

an

analogy

the blood

poet goes beyond this

logy,
ana-

ing
and says, the tide of blood flowproudlyfrom the sea of majesty,
R

186

SHAKSPEARE'S

had.
7

during

vigorous course,

its

for-

; but
gotten the dignityof its origin
it ebbs, and, turningback
to
now

the sea,
of

mixes

again with

majesty,from
flow

with

which

the

it shall hereafter

becoming dignity.
the floodsof state

Mingle with
might perhaps have some
allusion to the meetingof
of

the

ocean

states,

"

remote

the

ment
parlia-

estates,

or

as

theyare sometimes called ; in which

of power
meeting of all the streams
the true majestyof the English
vernmen
goconsists.

In the

Henry speaks
parliament.
"

Now

call

we

And

let

That

the great

In

us

our

high court

of

of

next

tence
sen-

the
calling

parliament,

choose such limbs of noble council,

body

of

our

state

may

go

equalrank with the best governednation

That
As

both

or

peace,

or

war,

thingsacquaintedand

In which

coronation

(As

I before

we

to us,

will accite
state

will call

we

counsellors

as

good intents)

my

cause

Harry'shappy life one

parliament,and

such

be

Chief Justice.']

peer, shall havejust

shorten

Now

Lord

remember'd) all our

nor
prince,

"

of

done,

to
(Heav'n consigning

Heav'n

may

father,shall have foremost hand.

you,

Our

No

at once,

familiar

[To

And

187

FIFTH.

THE

HENRY

to

say,

day !"

highcourt

our

will choose

we

shall,like limbs,

support the state,and carry it forward

in

equalprogress
nation

both
to

; so

at once,

my

that
may

war

or

the chief

revered sir

As
we

soon

as

will call this

sellors,
coun-

to
(speaking

be

our

or

familiar

which

shall
justice),

foremost.

peace,

become

people; among
you,

is pver,

with the best governed

one

of the

coronation

parliament.

SIIAKSPEARE'S

188

as

alreadysaid, and (withthe

of Heaven) no
prince,or

I have

favour

shall have

peer,

Heaven

to

justcause

shorten their

to

to

pray

king Henry's

happy life."
Now

call

stead
Kings say we, inof /, because
they represent
their whole kingdoms.
means
Highcourt. Court properly
the buildingor placewhere any solemn
taphorically
assemblyis held, and is meused for the assembly
we.

"

"

itself.
As
to

is
we

us.

and familiar
thingsacquainted
The

"

to
: acquainted
faulty

say,
Have

hand

of this line

construction

is not

acquaintedwith.
foremosthand.

in any
; to

thingis
have

"

usual

To have
familiar

foremost

hand

pression
ex-

is

THE

HENRY

189

FIFTH.

from
arising
metaphornaturally

this

phrase.
Recite.

Call

"

Before

together.

remember'

d.

Mentioned

"

before.

consigning.Consenting

Heaven

"

to.

Through the whole

of

this latter

part of

Henry'sspeech, he

he intended

what

of his

keep
lest

reign.

play,his

of the

at

In

ment
commence-

former

part

father advises him

of his

the minds

they should

to

people busy,

examine

his title to the

into

the

unfolds

nicely

too

Henry,

crown.

*/

in

of

pursuance

determined

and,

to

to

make

obtain

the

his
war

counsel, had
in France

good-will

people, he

cast

former

companions, and

idle

of his

off FalstafT,and

his

assures

190

THE

HENRY

FIFTH.

his brothers and

the

the

state

will

assume

that
nobility,
and

he

policyof

liest
king ; and he takes the best and earopportunityof givinga proof of

his

by honouringthe
sincerity,

chief

promisingto follow his

suited
This was
counsel.
particularly
to his designof going abroad ; for
the chief justiceof the king's
bench
was
usually,in those times, regent
of the kingdom, during
(orgovernor)
the king's
absence.

justice,and

THE

T. C.

END,

HANSARD,

Printer,
PeterboroughCourt, Fleet Street.
"