POEMS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

I.

ANNO ETATIS 17.

On the death of a fair Infant, dying of a cough.

Fairest flow'r no fooner blown but blafted, Soft filken primrose fading timelefly, Summer's chief honor, if thou hadft out-lafted Bleak Winter's force that made thy blossom dry; For he being amorous on that lovely dye

That did thy cheek envermeil, thought to kifs, But kill'd, alas, and then bewail'd his fatal blifs.

This elegy was not inferted in the first edition of the author's poems printed in 1645, but was added in the second edition printed in 1673. It was compos'd in the year 1625, that being the 17th year of Milton's age. In some editions the title runs thus, On the death of a fair Infant, a nephew of his, dying of a cough: but the fequel fhows plainly that the child was not a nephew, but a niece, and eon

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For

II.

For fince grim Aquilo his charioteer
By boiftrous rape th' Athenian damfel got,
He thought it touch'd his deity full near,
If likewise he fome fair one wedded not,
Thereby to wipe away th' infamous blot

ΙΟ

Of long-uncoupled bed, and childless eld, Which 'mongst the wantonGods a foul reproach was held.

III.

So mounting up in icy-pearled car,

Through middle empire of the freezing air
He wander'd long, till thee he spy'd from far;
There ended was 'his queft, there ceas'd his care.
Down he defcended from 'his fnow-foft chair,

But all unwares with his cold-kind embrace Unhous'd thy virgin foul from her fair biding place.

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IV.

Yet art thou not inglorious in thy fate;
For fo Apollo, with unweeting hand,
Whilome did flay his dearly-loved mate,
Young Hyacinth born on Eurota's strand,
Young Hyacinth the pride of Spartan land;

But then transform'd him to a purple flower: Alack that so to change thee Winter had no power.

V.

Yet can I not perfuade me thou art dead,

Or that thy corse corrupts in earth's dark womb,
Or that thy beauties lie in wormy bed,

Hid from the world in a low delved tomb;
Could Heav'n for pity thee fo ftrictly doom?
Oh no! for something in thy face did fhine
Above mortality, that fhow'd thou waft divine.

of Spenfer and our old writers. And in fay-
ing that long-uncoupled bed and childless eld was
held a reproach among the wanton Gods, the
poet feems to allude particularly to the cafe
of Pluto, as reported by Claudian. De Rapt.
Prof. I. 32.

Dux Erebi quondam tumidas exarfit in iras
Prælia moturus fuperis, quod folus egeret

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Refolve

Connubii, fterilefque diu confumeret annos,
Impatiens nefcire torum, nullafque mariti
Illecebras, nec dulce patris cognofcere no-

men.

23. For fo Apollo, &c] Apollo flew Hyacinthus by accident playing at quoits, and afterwards changed him into a flower of the fame

name.

VI.

Refolve me then, oh Soul most surely bleft,
(If fo it be that thou these plaints doft hear)
Tell me bright Spirit where'er thou hoverest,
Whether above that high first-moving sphere,
Or in th' Elysian fields (if such there were)

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Oh fay me true, if thou wert mortal wight, And why from us fo quickly thou didst take thy flight.

VII.

Wert thou fome star which from the ruin'd roof
Of shak'd Olympus by mischance didst fall;
Which careful Jove in nature's true behoof
Took up, and in fit place did reinftall?
Or did of late earth's fons besiege the wall

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Of

nectar'd head?] As in Lycidas

With nectar pure his oozy locks he laves.

50. that juft Maid] Aftrea or the Goddefs of juftice, who offended with the crimes of men forfook the earth. Ovid Met,

1. 150.

Ultima cœleftûm terras Aftrea reliquit.

53. that fweet filing Youth?] At first I imagin'd that the author meant Hebe, in Latin Juventa, or Youth. And Mr. Jortin com

municated

Of sheeny Heav'n, and thou fome Goddess fled Amongst us here below to hide thy nectar'd head?

VIII.

Or wert thou that juft Maid who once before

Forsook the hated earth, O tell me footh,
And cam'ft again to visit us once more?
Or wert thou that sweet smiling Youth?

Or that crown'd matron fage white-robed Truth?

Or any other of that heav'nly brood

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Let down in cloudy throne to do the world fome good?

IX.

Or wert thou of the golden-winged host,
Who having clad thyself in human weed,
To earth from thy prefixed feat didst post,