And let some strange mysterious dream 150 And, as I wake, sweet music breathe Sent by some Spirit to mortals good, In service high and anthems clear, As may with sweetness, through mine ear, And bring all Heaven before mine eyes. 160 170 ARCADES. Part of an Entertainment presented to the Countess Dowager of Derby at Harefield by some Noble Persons of her Family; who appear on the Scene in pastoral habit, moving toward the seat of state, with this song: As they come forward, THE GENIUS OF THE WOOD appears, and, turning toward them, speaks. Gen. Stay, gentle Swains, for, though in this disguise, I see bright honour sparkle through your eyes; Of famous Arcady ye are, and sprung Of that renownèd flood, so often sung, To the great mistress of yon princely shrine, 39 40 50 With puissant words and murmurs made to bless. 60 That sit upon the nine infolded spheres, And sing to those that hold the vital shears, On which the fate of gods and men is wound. 70 Whose lustre leads us, and for her most fit, Nymphs and Shepherds, dance no more A better soil shall give ye thanks. Bring your flocks, and live with us; To serve the Lady of this place. Though Syrinx your Pan's mistress were, All Arcadia hath not seen. 89 90 100 COMUS. A MASQUE PRESENTED AT LUDLOW CASTLE, 1634, &c." (For the Title pages of the Editions of 1637 and 1645 see Introduction at p. 426 and p. 427.) DEDICATION OF THE ANONYMOUS EDITION OF 1637. (Reprinted in the Edition of 1645, but omitted in that of 1673.) "To the Right Honourable John, Lord Brackley, son and heir-apparent to the Earl of Bridgewater, &c." "My Lord, 66 '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 muchpromising 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, "The Copy of a Letter written by Sir Henry Wotton to the Author upon the following Poem." (In the Edition of 1645: omitted in that of 1673.) Sir, "From the College, this 13 of April, 1638. "It was a special favour when you lately bestowed upon me here the first taste of your acquaintance, though no longer than to make me know that I wanted more time to value it and to enjoy it rightly; and, in truth, if I could then have imagined your farther stay in these parts, which I understood afterwards by Mr. H., I would have been bold, in our vulgar phrase, to mend my draught (for you left me with an extreme thirst), and to have begged |