corrupted by false and extravagant thoughts. Milton was a more perfect scholar than Cowley, and his mind was more deeply tinctured with the excellences of ancient literature: he was a more just thinker, and therefore a more just writer in a word, he had more taste, and more poetry, and consequently more propriety. If a fondness for the Italian writers has sometimes infected his English poetry with false ornaments; his Latin verses, both in diction and sentiment, are at least free from those depravations.

Some of Milton's Latin poems were written in his first year at Cambridge, when he was only seventeen: they must be allowed to be very correct and manly performances for a youth of that age; and, considered in that view, they discover an extraordinary copiousness and command of ancient fable and history. I cannot but add, that Gray resembles Milton in many instances: among others, in their youth they were both strongly attached to the cultivation of Latin poetry.-T. WARTON.

ELEGIARUM LIBER.

ELEG. I.-AD CAROLUM DEODATUM.*

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TANDEM, care, tuæ mihi pervenere tabellæ,
Pertulit et voces nuncia charta tuas ;
Pertulit, occidua Deva Cestrensis ab ora
Vergivium' prono qua petit amne salum.
Multum, crede, juvat terras aluisse remotas
Pectus amans nostri, tamque fidele caput,
Quodque mihi lepidum tellus longinqua sodalem
Debet, at unde brevi reddere jussa velit.
Me tenet urbs reflua quam Thamesis alluit unda,'
Meque nec invitum patria dulcis habet.
Jam nec arundiferum mihi cura revisere Camum,
Nec dudum vetiti me laris angit amor.
Nuda nec arva placent, umbrasque negantia
molles :

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Quam male Phœbicolis convenit ille locus! Nec duri libet usque minas perferre magistri, 15 Cæteraque ingenio non subeunda meo.

Si sit hoc exilium patrios adiisse penates,
Et vacuum curis otia grata sequi,
Non ego vel profugi nomen sortemve recuso,
Lætus et exilii conditione fruor.

O, utinam vates nunquam graviora tulisset
Ille Tomitano flebilis exul agro;

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Non tunc Ionio quicquam cessisset Homero,
Neve foret victo laus tibi prima, Maro.
Tempora nam licet hic placidis dare libera Musis,
Et totum rapiunt me, mea vita, libri :
Excipit hinc fessum sinuosi pompa theatri,
Et vocat ad plausus garrula scena suos.
Seu catus auditur senior, seu prodigus hæres,
Seu procus, aut posita casside miles adest,
Sive decennali fœcundus lite patronus

Detonat inculto barbara verba foro;*
Sæpe vafer gnato succurrit servus amanti,
Et nasum rigidi fallit ubique patris;
Sæpe novos illic virgo mirata calores,

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Quid sit amor nescit; dum quoque nescit, amat. Sive cruentatum furiosa Tragoedia sceptrum Quassat, et effusis crinibus ora rotat,

Et dolet, et specto, juvat et spectasse dolendo; Interdum et lacrymis dulcis amaror inest : 40 Seu puer infelix indelibata reliquit

45

Gaudia, et abrupto flendus amore cadit; Seu ferus e tenebris iterat Styga criminis ultor, Conscia funereo pectora torre movens : 5 Seu moret Pelopeia domus, seu nobilis Ili, Aut luit incestos aula Creontis avos. Sed neque sub tecto semper, nec in urbe, latemus; Irrita nec nobis tempora veris eunt.

Nos quoque lucus habet vicina consitus ulmo,
Atque suburbani nobilis umbra loci."
Sæpius hic, blandas spirantia sidera flammas,
Virgineos videas præteriisse choros.
Ah, quoties dignæ stupui miracula formæ,
Quæ possit senium vel reparare Jovis !
Ah, quoties vidi superantia lumina gemmas,
Atque faces, quotquot volvit uterque polus!
Collaque bis vivi Pelopis quæ brachia vincant,
Quæque fluit puro nectare tincta via!
Et decus eximium frontis, tremulosque capillos,
Aurea quæ fallax retia tendit Amor!
Pellacesque genas, ad quas hyacinthina sordet
Purpura, et ipse tui floris, Adoni, rubor!
Cedite, laudatæ toties Heroides olim,
Et quæcunque vagum cepit amica Jovem.
Cedite, Achæmeniæ turrita fronte puellæ,

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70

Et quot Susa colunt, Memnoniamque Ninon ;7 Vos etiam, Danaæ fasces submittite nymphæ, Et vos, Iliacæ, Romuleæque nurus : Nec Pompeianas Tarpëia Musa columnas Jactet, et Ausoniis plena theatra stolis. Gloria virginibus debetur prima Britannis; Extera, sat tibi sit, fœmina, posse sequi. Tuque urbs Dardaniis, Londinum, structa colonis, Turrigerum late conspicienda caput, Tu nimium felix intra tua monia claudis Quicquid formosi pendulus orbis habet. Non tibi tot cœlo scintillant astra sereno, Endymioneæ turba ministra deæ,

Quot tibi, conspicuæ formaque auroque, puellæ Per medias radiant turba videnda vias.

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80

VOL. VI.

R

Creditur huc geminis venisse invecta columbis
Alma pharetrigero milite cincta Venus;

Huic Cnidon, et riguas Simoentis flumine valles,

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Huic Paphon, et roseam posthabitura Cypron.
Ast ego, dum pueri sinit indulgentia cæci,
Monia quam subito linquere fausta paro;
Et vitare procul malefidæ infamia Circes
Atria, divini Molyos usus ope.

Stat quoque juncosas Cami remeare paludes,
Atque iterum raucæ murmur adire scholæ.
Interea fidi parvum cape munus amici,
Paucaque in alternos verba coacta modos.

ELEG. II.-In Obitum Præconis Academici Canta

brigiensis.*

Anno Etatis 17.

90

Te, qui, conspicuus baculo fulgente, solebas
Palladium toties ore ciere gregem ;'
Ultima præconum, præconem te quoque sæva
Mors rapit, officio nec favet ipsa suo.
Candidiora licet fuerint tibi tempora plumis,
Sub quibus accipimus delituisse Jovem ;
O dignus tamen Hæmonio juvenescere succo,
Dignus in Æsonios vivere posse dies;
Dignus, quem Stygiis medica revocaret ab undis
Arte Coronides, sæpe rogante dea.
Tu si jussus eras acies accire togatas,
Et celer a Phœbo nuntius ire tuo;
Talis' in Iliaca stabat Cyllenius aula
Alipes, ætherea missus ab arce Patris:

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