When falling dews with spangles deck'd the glade, NOTES. 100 from his father's papers; the fourth of them was published by Mrs. Cooper in the Muses' Library, 1737.—Warton. I wonder Dr. Warton should have omitted Browne's Britannia's Pastorals, an almost forgotten work, but containing some images of rural beauty which Milton did not disdain sometimes to copy. See T. Warton's edition of Milton's smaller poems, page 53.—Bowles. Ver. 98. 100.] There is a little inaccuracy here; the first line makes the time after sun-set; the second, before.-Warburton. WINTER: THE FOURTH PASTORAL, OR DAPHNE. TO THE MEMORY OF MRS. TEMPEST. LYCIDAS. THYRSIS, the music of that murm'ring spring THYRSIS. Behold the groves that shine with silver frost, Their beauty wither'd, and their verdure lost! NOTES. 5 10 Mrs. Tempest.] This Lady was of an ancient family in Yorkshire, and particularly admired by the Author's friend Mr. Walsh, who having celebrated her in a Pastoral Elegy, desired his friend to do the same, as appears from one of his Letters, dated Sept. 9, 1706. "Your last Eclogue being on the same subject with mine, on Mrs. Tempest's death, I should take it very kindly in you to give it a little turn, as if it were to the memory of the same lady." Her death having happened on the night of the great storm in 1703, gave a propriety to this Eclogue, which in its general turn alludes to it. The scene of the Pastoral lies in a grove, the time at midnight.-P. I do not find any lines that allude to the great storm of which the Poet speaks.-Warton. See however lines 30 to 35, and 60 to 70, which appear to convey the allusion pointed at by the poet. IMITATIONS. Ver. 1. Thyrsis, the music, &c.] 'Adú ri, &c. Theocr. Id. i. Here shall I try the sweet Alexis' strain, LYCIDAS. So may kind rains their vital moisture yield, THYRSIS. Ye gentle Muses, leave your crystal spring, 'Tis done, and nature's various charms decay, See gloomy clouds obscure the cheerful day! NOTES. 15 20 25 30 Ver. 22. Let Nymphs and Sylvans, &c.] This line recalls a pathetic little ballad, in Beaumont and Fletcher's Maid's Tragedy: Lay a garland on my hearse, Of the dismal yew, Maidens, willow branches bear, My love was false, but I was true, From my hour of birth : Upon my buried body lie Softly, gentle earth!-Bowles. VARIATIONS. Ver. 29. Originally thus in the MS. "Tis done, and nature chang'd since you are gone; IMITATIONS.. Ver. 13. Thames heard, &c.] Warburton. "Audiit Eurotas, jussitque ediscere lauros." Virg.-P. Ver. 23, 24, 25. "Inducite fontibus umbras Et tumulum facite, et tumulo superaddite carmen.”—P. Now hung with pearls the dropping trees appear, For her the flocks refuse their verdant food, 35 In notes more sad than when they sing their own; 40 In hollow caves sweet Echo silent lies, Silent, or only to her name replies; Her name with pleasure once she taught the shore, No grateful dews descend from ev'ning skies, 45 50 No more the mounting larks, while Daphne sings, Shall list'ning in mid-air suspend their wings; No more the birds shall imitate her lays, 55 Or hush'd with wonder, hearken from the sprays: No more the streams their murmurs shall forbear, 60 Her fate is whisper'd by the gentle breeze, And told in sighs to all the trembling trees; Midsummer Night's Dream.-Stevens. Ver. 41. sweet Echo] This expression of sweet Echo is taken from Comus; as is another expression, loose traces, Third Past., v. 62. Warton. The trembling trees, in ev'ry plain and wood, The silver flood, so lately calm, appears Swell'd with new passion, and o'erflows with tears; 65 70 But see! where Daphne wond'ring mounts on high Above the clouds, above the starry sky! Eternal beauties grace the shining scene, Fields ever fresh, and groves for ever green! There while you rest in Amaranthine bow'rs, Or from those meads select unfading flow'rs, Behold us kindly, who your name implore, Daphne, our Goddess, and our grief no more! LYCIDAS. How all things listen, while thy Muse complains! Such silence waits on Philomela's strains, In some still ev'ning, when the whisp'ring breeze To thee, bright goddess, oft a lamb shall bleed, While plants their shade, or flow'rs their odours give, THYRSIS. But see, Orion sheds unwholesome dews; Arise; the pines a noxious shade diffuse; NOTES. 75 80 85 Ver. 70. Above the clouds,] In Spenser's November, and in Milton's Lycidas, is the same beautiful change of circumstances: in the latter most exquisite, from line 165. Weep no more, woful shepherds, weep no more— With nectar pure his oozy locks he laves, Ver. 69, 70. IMITATIONS. "miratur limen Olympi, Sub pedibusque videt nubes et sidera Daphnis.”Virg. —P. Sæpe tener nostris ab ovilibus imbuet agnus." Virg.—P. Ver. 86. Juniperi gravis umbra." Virg.-P. |