After the heavenly tune,' which none can hear Whate'er the skill of lesser gods can show, And so attend ye toward her glittering state; SONG II. O'er the smooth enamelled green, And touch the warbled string, Under the shady roof Of branching elm star-proof. I will bring you where she sits, Such a rural queen All Arcadia hath not seen. SONG III. Nymphs and shepherds dance no more On old Lycæus or Cyllene hoar Trip no more in twilight ranks, Though Erymanth your loss deplore, 1 Cf. Merchant of Venice, v. 1: 66 There's not the smallest orb, which thou behold'st, But in his motion like an angel sings, Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubims; Such harmony is in immortal sounds! But whilst this muddy vesture of decay Doth grossly close us in, we cannot hear it." Newton. 2 The most beautiful river of Arcadia. From the stony Mænalus Bring your flocks, and live with us; shall have greater grace, Here ye To serve the lady of this place; Though Syrinx your Pan's mistress were, All Arcadia hath not seen. XVI. Comus. A MASK, PRESENTED AT LUDLOW CASTLE, 1634, BEFORE THE EARL OF BRIDGEWATER, THEN PRESIDENT OF WALES. The Mask was presented in 1634, and consequently in the twentysixth year of our author's age. In the title-page of the first edition, printed in 1637, it is said that it was presented on Michaelmas night, and there was this motto: "Eheu quid volui misero mihi! floribus austrum In this edition, and in that of Milton's poems in 1645, there was prefixed to the Mask the following dedication : TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD JOHN VISCOUNT BRACKLY, SON AND HEIR APPARENT TO THE EARL OF BRIDGEWATER, &c. MY LORD,-This poem, which received its first occasion of birth from yourself and others of your noble family, and much honour from your own person in the performance, now returns again to make a final dedication of itself to you. Although not openly acknowledged by the author, yet it is a legitimate offspring, so lovely, and so much desired, that the often copying of it hath tired my pen to give my several friends satisfaction, and brought me to a necessity of producing it to the public view; and now to offer it up in all rightful devotion to those fair hopes, and rare endowments of your much promising youth, which give a full assurance, to all that know you, of a future excellence. Live, sweet lord, to be the honour of your name, and receive this as your own, from the hands of him, who hath by many favours been long obliged to your most honoured parents, and as in this representation your attendant Thyrsis, so now in all real expression Your faithful and most humble servant, H. LAWES. [In the edition of 1645 was also prefixed Sir Henry Wotton's letter to the author upon the following roem.] THE PERSONS. THE ATTENDANT SPIRIT, afterwards in the habit of THYRSIS. COMUS, with his crew. THE LADY. FIRST BROTHER. SECOND BROTHER. SABRINA, the Nymph. The Chief Persons who presented were― THE LORD BRACKLY. MR. THOMAS EGERTON, his Brother. [The first scene discovers a wild wood. The ATTENDANT SPIT descends or enters.] ATTENDANT SPIRIT. BEFORE the starry threshold of Jove's court In regions mild of calm and serene air, Which men call Earth; and with low-thoughted care Strive to keep up a frail and feverish being, To such my errand is; and but for such, But to my task. Neptune, besides the sway And gives them leave to wear their sapphire crowns, 1 The stress is upon this fact; for, though it may not be a fault in itself to "Strive to keep up a frail and feverish being," yet it certainly is to strive to keep it up "unmindful," &c.—Newton. 2 Of St. Peter. Cf. Lycidas, ver. 110. 3 Cf. Richard II. act ii. sc. 1, where John of Gaunt speaks of Eng. land as "this little world, This precious stone set in the silver sea." |