To me was pleafing; all my mind was fet grew To fuch perfection, that ere yet my age 295 Had meafur'd twice fix years, at our great feast 219 I went into the temple, there to hear The teachers of our law, and to propose Swift was thy growth, and early infant days. Verum ætate, puer, digna es meditatus adulta: or rather his more paraphraftical Verum ætate puer, puerili haud Born to that end, born to promote all truth,] Alluding to our Saviour's words, John XVII. 37. To this end was 1 born, and for this caufe came I into the world, that I fhould bear witness unto the truth. 210. at our great feaft] The feaft of the pallover, Luke II. 41. 214. And What might improve my knowledge or their own; To which my fpi'rit afpir'd; victorious deeds 215 214. And was admir'd by all:] For all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers, Luke II. 47. 219. Brute violence] So again in the Mask. 220 At --victorque volentes Per populos dat jura, viamque affectat Olympo. Our author was always a declar'd enemy to perfecution, and a friend to liberty of confcience. He rifes And noble grace that dafh'd brute above himself, whenever he speaks violence. Thyer. 221. Yet held it more humane, more heav'nly firft &c.] Here breathes the true fpirit of toleration in these lines, and the fentiment is very fitly put into the mouth of him, who came not to defroy mens lives, but to fave them. The allitteration of w's in this line, and the affonance of winning and willing have a very beautiful effect, By winning words to conquer willing hearts. of the fubject; and he must have 222.-to conquer willing hearts,] Virgil Georg. IV. 561. C 4 -victorque At least to try, and teach the erring foul Misled; the ftubborn only to fubdue. 225 These growing thoughts my mother foon perceiving By words at times caft forth inly rejoic'd, And said to me apart, High are thy thoughts O Son, but nourish them and let them foar 230 235 All Heav'n and Earth, Angels and Sons of men; A meffenger from God foretold thy birth Conceiv'd in me a virgin, he foretold -victorque volentes Per populos dat jurawhich expreffion of Virgil's, by the way, feems to be taken from Xenophon, Oeconomic. XXI. 12. Ου γαρ πάνυ μοι δοκεῖ ὅλον τελι το αγαθον ανθρωπινον είναι, αλλα θείον, το εθελοντων αρχειν. I could add other paffages of Xenophon, which Virgil has manifeftly copied. Fortin. 226.-the ftubborn only to fubdue.] We cannot fufficiently condemn Thou the negligence of the former edi- -the ftubborn only to destroy; and this being good fenfe, the mistake Thou shouldst be great, and fit on David's throne, And of thy kingdom there fhall be no end. 241 At thy nativity a glorious quire Of Angels in the fields of Bethlehem fung To shepherds watching at their folds by night, 245 Where they might fee him, and to thee they came, Directed to the manger where thou lay'ft, 250 For in the inn was left no better room: mistake is not fo eafily detected: Virgil. Æn. I. 502. 255 By Latonæ tacitum pertentant gau- 241. -there should be no end.] We have reftored the reading of Milton's own edition, should not shall, as before Thou should be great―― 255. Juft Simeon and prophetic Anna,] It may not be improper to remark how strictly our author By vifion, found thee in the temple, and spake Like things of thee to all that present stood. The law and prophets, fearching what was writ 260 Known partly, and foon found of whom they fpake I am; this chiefly, that my way must lie thor adheres to the Scripture hi- be obferved in all the reft. 262.--and foon found of whom they Spake I am;] The Jews thought that the Meffiah, when he came, would be without all power and diftinction, and unknown even to himself, 265 |