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

166

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

171

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

In the blest kingdoms meek of joy and love.

175

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

169 repairs] Lidgate's Troy, p. 13, 'Long ere Titan 'gan make his repaire.' Browne's Brit. Past. p. 88, 'Breathes to the sullen night a soft repayre.' See Fletcher's Christ's Victory, ii. 12; and the Adamus Exul Grotii, p. 28, 35; and Marino's Slaugh. of the Innoc. p. 45. 'His light immortal doth repair.' And Lucret. v. 733.

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

ver. 135.

'Phillisides is dead! Oh happy sprite

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

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

180

185

Thus sang the uncouth swain to th' oaks and

rills,

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

191

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

ver. 159.

'The sun, lo! hastned hath his face to steep

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

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

'To-morrow shall ye feast in pastures new.

Warton.

IL PENSEROSO.

HENCE, vain deluding joys,

The brood of folly without father bred, How little you bestead,

Or fill the fixed mind with all your toys! Dwell in some idle brain,

And fancies fond with gaudy shapes possess, As thick and numberless

As the gay motes that people the sunbeams,
Or likest hovering dreams

The fickle pensioners of Morpheus' train.
But hail thou Goddess, sage and holy,
Hail divinest Melancholy,

Whose saintly visage is too bright
To hit the sense of human sight,

And therefore to our weaker view

5

10

15

The Sea-Nymphs, and their pow'rs offended :
Yet thou art higher far descended;

13 too bright] Hor. Od. i. xix. 5. 'Nimium lubricus aspici.'

19 Ethiop] 'Noctem Ethiopissam.' Miltoni Prolus. p. 73.

Thee bright-hair'd Vesta, long of yore,
To solitary Saturn bore ;

His daughter she (in Saturn's reign,
Such mixture was not held a stain).
Oft in glimmering bow'rs and glades
He met her, and in secret shades
Of woody Ida's inmost grove,
While yet there was no fear of Jove.
Come, pensive Nun, devout and pure,
Sober, steadfast, and demure,
All in a robe of darkest grain,
Flowing with majestic train,
And sable stole of cyprus lawn,
Over thy decent shoulders drawn.
Come, but keep thy wonted state,
With even step, and musing gait,
And looks commercing with the skies,
Thy rapt soul sitting in thine eyes:
There held in holy passion still,
Forget thyself to marble, till
With a sad leaden downward cast

Thou fix them on the earth as fast:

And join with thee calm Peace, and Quiet,
Spare Fast, that oft with Gods doth diet,
And hears the Muses in a ring

Aye round about Jove's altar sing:

35 cyprus] Winter's Tale, act iv. sc. 3.

'Cyprus black as e'er was crow.' Warton.

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30

35

40

45

37 keep] 'State in wonted manner keep.' Jonson's Cynth. Rev. act v. s. 6.

Warton.

And add to these retired Leisure,
That in trim gardens takes his pleasure;
But first, and chiefest, with thee bring,
Him that yon soars on golden wing,
Guiding the fiery-wheeled throne,
The Cherub Contemplation;
And the mute Silence hist along,
'Less Philomel will deign a song,
In her sweetest, saddest plight,
Smoothing the rugged brow of night,
While Cynthia checks her dragon yoke,
Gently o'er th' accustom'd oak;

Sweet bird, that shunn'st the noise of folly,
Most musical, most melancholy!

Thee, chauntress, oft the woods among

I woo, to hear thy even-song;

And missing thee, I walk unseen
On the dry smooth-shaven green,
To behold the wandering moon,
Riding near her highest noon,
Like one that had been led astray
Through the heav'n's wide pathless way;
And oft, as if her head she bow'd,
Stooping through a fleecy cloud.
Oft on a plat of rising ground,
I hear the far-off curfew sound,

68 Riding] Eurip. Suppl. 992. iππέovoi di óppválas.

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