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Such a rural Queen

All Arcadia hath not seen.

Queen; and to remind her, by fuch repetition, of fcenes, very flattering to her family, in receiving the Queen and Prince on tueir first arrival in the kingdom; and at which scenes she had herfelf probably been prefent." TODD.

Original Various Readings of Arcades,

From Milton's MS, in his own hand.

Examined by the editor of thefe volumes.

Ver. 10. Now feems guiltie of abuse

And detraction from her praise,

Leffe than halfe she hath expreft:
Envie bid her hide the reft.

Here her hide is erafed, and conceale written over it.
Ver. 18. Seated like a goddefs bright.
But seated is alfo expunged, and fitting fupplied.
Ceres dares not give her odds:

Ver. 23.

Who would have thought &c.

Both these readings are erafed, and Juno and had, as the printed copies now read, are written over them.

Ver. 41. Those virtues which dull fame &c.

This likewife is expunged, and What shallow is fubftituted.
Ver. 44. For know by lot from Jove I have the power.

Here again the pen is drawn through have, and am is written over it.

Ver. 47. In ringlets quaint.

But With is placed over In expunged.

Ver. 42. Of noifome winds, or blafting vapours chill.

Ver. 50. And from the leaves brush off &c.

So it was at firft. But the pen is drawn through leaves, and bowes fupplied.

Ver. 52. Or what the croffe &c.

It was at firft And, as in the printed copies; but that is erafed, and Or fubftituted.

Ver. 59. And number all my rancks, and every sprout. Here And and all are expunged with the pen, and visit, as in the printed copies, completes the line.

Ver. 62. Hath chain'd mortalitie.

This alfo is erafed, and lockt vp mortal sense written over it.

Ver. 81. And fo attend you toward &c.

Ver. 91. I will bring ye where she fits.

COMUS.

A

MASK,

PRESENTED AT LUDLOW CASTLE, 1634,

BEFORE

JOHN, EARL OF BRIDGEWATER,

THEN PRESIDENT OF WALES.

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To the Right Honourable

JOHN Lord Viscount BRACLY, son and heir apparent to the Earl of BRIDGEWATER, &c.

MY LORD,

THIS poem, which received its first occafion of birth from yourself and others of your noble family, and much honour from your own perfon in the performance, now returns again to make a finall dedication of itself to you. Although not openly acknowledged by the author, yet it

This is the dedication to Lawes's edition of the Mask, 1637, to which the following motto was prefixed, from Virgil's second Eclogue,

"Eheu! quid volui mifero mihi! floribus auftrum

"Perditus

This motto is omitted by Milton himself in the editions of 1645, and 1673. T. WARTON.

This motto is delicately chofen, whether we confider it as being spoken by the author himself, or by the editor. If by the former, the meaning, I fuppofe, is this. I have, by giving way to this publication, let in the breath of publick cenfure on these early blossoms of my poetry, which were before fecure in the hands of my friends, as in a private inclosure. If we fuppofe it to come from the editor, the application is not very different; only to floribus we must then give an encomiaftick fenfe. The choice of such a motto, fo far from vulgar in itself, and in its application, was worthy Milton. HURD.

b The firft Brother in the Mask. T. WARTON.

It never appeared under Milton's name, till the

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1645.

year T. WARTON.

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