ydra heads, and the false North displays -ken league to imp their serpent wings. obler task awaits thy hand, 9 nat can war, but endless war still breed?) th and right from violence be freed, ic faith clear'd from the shameful brand lic fraud. In vain doth valour bleed, avarice and rapine share the land. O THE LORD GENERAL CROMWELL.* CLL, our chief of men, who through a cloud war only, but detractions rude, d by faith and matchless fortitude, ce and truth thy glorious way hast plough'd, the neck of crowned fortune proud So the MS.: before her.' Todd. and the following lines were thus in the printed what can war, but acts of war still breed, I injured truth from violence be freed, d public faith be rescued from the brand. Newton. Hollis's Memoirs, p. 511. &c.] In the printed copy thus: that through a crowd Not of war only, but distractions rude. cloud of war' is a classical expression. Virg. Æn. 'Nubem belli.' Newton. and the following line were contracted in the printed Phillips, Toland, Tonson, Tickell, and Fenton, into d fought God's battles, and his works pursued.' .. III. P Warton. Hast rear'dGod's trophies, and his work pursu While Darwen stream with blood of Scots in brued, And Dunbar field resounds thy praises loud, And Worcester's laureat wreath. Yet much re mains To conquer still; peace hath her victories No less renown'd than war: new foes arise Threatening to bind our souls with secular chains Help us to save free conscience from the paw Of hireling wolves, whose gospel is their maw XVII. TO SIR HENRY VANE THE YOUNGER.* 7 Darwen] In the printed copies' Darwent.' Newton. 9 And Worcester's laureat wreath.] This expression, though beautiful, is inaccurate; for a 'laureat wreath' cannot, with propriety, be said to resound his praises loud;' but the inaccuracy arose from the alteration. The hemistich originally stood, And twenty battles more,' which was flat enough. 10 6 peace, &c.] In the printed copies, before Newton's edition, 'peace has her victories, no less than those of war;' and afterwards, in secular chains.' Todd. Compare Milton's Second Defence, vol. ii. p. 442; and Cas. Sarb. Carm. p. 323, ed. Barbou. *This Sonnet seems to have been written in behalf of the Independants against the Presbyterian hierarchy. Vane was beheaded in 1662. Warton. 1 counsel] The printed copies, councils.' Newton. to settle peace, or to unfold -ift of hollow states hard to be spell'd, o advise how war may best upheld by her two main nerves, iron and gold r equipage: besides to know 5 piritual pow'r and civil, what each means, severs each, thou hast learn'd, which few ave done : nds of either sword to thee we owe : fore on thy firm hand Religion leans ace, and reckons thee her eldest son. III. ON THE LATE MASSACRE IN E, O Lord, thy slaughter'd saints, whose bones catter'd on the Alpine mountains cold; them who kept thy truth so pure of old, n all our fathers worshipp'd stocks and stones, 11 not in thy book record their groans › were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold 2, &c.] In the printed copies, Then to advise how war may be best upheld Mann'd by her two main nerves,' &c. Newton. ers] Serves.' Printed edition. Newton. erefore, &c.] In the printed copies : Therefore on thy right hand Religion leans, And reckons thee in chief her eldest son.' Newton. ine] Fairfax's Tasso, B. xiii. s. 60. still'd from tops of Alpine mountains cold.' 5 Warton. XIX. ON HIS BLINDNES WHEN I consider how my light is sp Ere half my days, in this dark wor And that one talent which is death Lodg'd with me useless, though my To serve therewith my Maker, and pr My true account, lest he returning "Doth God exact day-labour, ligh I fondly ask: But Patience, to pre That murmur, soon replies, "God dot Either man's work, or his own gifts Bear his mild yoke, they serve him Is kingly; thousands at his bidding sp And post o'er land and ocean witho They also serve who only stand and 10 man's work, or his own gifts] Free will, or other, till Favonius re-inspire en earth, and clothe in fresh attire and rose, that neither sow'd nor spun. repast shall feast us, light and choice, taste, with wine, whence we may rise the lute well touch'd, or artful voice mortal notes and Tuscan air? of those delights can judge, and spare pose them oft, is not unwise. XXI. TO CYRIAC SKINNER. whose grandsire on the royal bench ish Themis, with no mean applause nc'd and in his volumes taught our laws, others at their bar so often wrench; ep thoughts resolve with me to drench 5 h, that after no repenting draws; clid rest and Archimedes pause, nce published a work called 'Of our Communion with Angels,' &c. 1646. 4to. Todd. See Brirapher, vol. i. p. 352. See Censura Literaria, vi. p. 144. |