494 With distant worlds, and strange removed Ver. 145. Breake off, breake off, I hear the difa climes. Yet thence I come, and oft from thence behold. In the third of the preceding lines, "Eternal roses yeeld" had been also written, and then "bloome;" both which are crossed, and grow remains. After stygian poole the following lines, through which the pen is drawn, occur: I doubt me, gentle mortalls, these may seeme Strange distances to heare and unknowne climes. Then follows in the margin, But soft, &c. Ver. 5. — the smoke and stir of this dim narrow spot. ferent pace Of some chaste footing neere about, this ground; Some virgin sure benighted in these woods, For so I can distinguish by myne art; Our number may affright.- Ver. 151. After v. 7, Strive to keep up, &c." this line Ver. 158. was inserted, but crossed, Beyond the written date of mortall change. Ver. 14. That shews the palace of æternity. Ver. 18. But to my buisnesse now. whose sway. Neptune Ver. 21. The rule and title of each sea-girt isle. Ver. 28. The greatest and the best of all his empire. Ver. 45. By old or modern bard, in hall or bowre. And to my mother's charmes. Thus I hurle My powder'd spells into the spungic air, Of power to cheat the eye with sleight illusion, And give it false præsentments, And blind is written for sleight. Ver. 175. When for their teeming flocks, and garners full. Ver. 176. they adore the bounteous Pan. Ver. 58. Which therefore she brought up and Praise had been first written and crossed through; nam'd him Comus. In the margin, whome. and adore written over it, but also crossed; and a line drawn under to signify that the original Ver. 62. And in thick covert of black shade im- word should be restored. Mr. Whiter in his learned Specimen of a Commentary on Shakespeare, first noticed this method of emendation, adopted by the poet. See the Specimen, p. 132—134. Ver. 181. In the blind alleys of this arched wood: Ver. 190. Rose from the biudmost wheeles of Phoebus' chaire. Ver. 193 They had engag'd thire youthly steps too farre Ver. 199. Ver. 208. Ver. 214. Ver. 97. In the steepe Tartarian streame. Ver. 99. Shoots against the northern pole. Dusky is a marginal correction. Ver. 108. And quick Law with her scrupulous head. Ver. 114. Lead with swift round the months and years. Ver. 117 And on the yellow sands and shelves. Ver. 122. Night has better sweets to prove. And throws a blot ore all the aire. Wherein thou ridest with Hecaté, Till all thy dues bee done, and nought left out. Ver. 144. With a light and frolick round. STAGE-DIRECTION. "The measure, in a wild, rude, and wanton antic.” Ver. 219. To the soone-parting light, and envious darkness Had stolne them from me. With everlasting oyle to give thire light. And ayrie toungs that lure night-wanderers. Thou flittering angel girt with golden wings, And thou unspotted forme of Chastity, Would send a glistering cherub, if need were. Ver. 229. Frompt me; and they perhaps are not far hence. Ver. 231. Within thy ayrie cell. Ver. 243. And give resounding grace, is written DIRECTION. In a different hand "wild wood." Ver. 316. Within these shroudie limits. Ver. 321. Till further quest be made. Ver. 323. And smoakie rafters. Ver. 326. And is pretended yet. She that has that, is clad in compleate steele: And may on every needful accident, Infamous hills, and sandie perilous Shall dare to soile her virgin puritie. Ver. 327. Less warranted than this I cannot be. Ver. 428. Yea, even where very desolation Ver. 329. Square this tryal. "Exeunt. After v. 330, STAGE-DIRECTION. The two Brothers enter." Ver. 340. With a long-levell'd rule of streaming light. Ver. 349. In this sad dungeon of innumerous boughs. But first lone, then sad, and lastly close. Ver. 352. From the chill dew, in this dead solirude? [ster now, Perhaps some cold banke is her boylOr 'gainst the rugged barke of some broad elme She leanes her thoughtfull head musing at our unkindnesse: Or lost in wild amazement and affright, So fares, as did forsaken Proserpine, When the big rowling flakes of pitchie And darknesse wound her in. [clouds 1 Br. Peace, brother, peace, I do not think my sister, &c. Dead solitude is also surrounding wild. Some of the additional lines (v. 350—366.) are on a sepa rate slip of paper. Ver. 361. Which, grant they be so, &c. Ver. 362. The date of grief. Ver. 365. This self-delusion. dwells, [horrid shades, By grots and caverns shagg'd with And yawning dens, where glaring mon sters house, Ver. 371. Could stirre the stable mood of her Ver. 490. calme thoughts. Ver. 376. Oft seeks to solitarie sweet retire. Hovering, and sitting by a newe-made grave. List, list, methought I heard. Some curl'd man of the sword calling to his fellows. also written over curl'd man of the Had best looke to his forehead: here be brambles. STAGE-DIRECTION. "He hallows: the guardian Ver. 383. Walks in black vapours, though the dæmon hallows again, and enters in the habit of a Ver. 491. Come not too neere; you fall on pointed stakes else. Ver. 390. For who would rob a hermit of his Ver. 492. Dam. What voice, &c. Drowey flighted steeds. Ver. 553. Ver. 555. At last a softe and solemn breathing sound Rose like the softe steame of distill'd perfumes. So he had at first written these lines in the former of which softe is altered to still, then to sweet, and lastly re-admitted; but in the latter softe is erased, and the line is completed thus: Rose like the steam of slow distill'd perfumes. But slow is altered to rich: Possibly Gray had noticed this very curious passage in Milton's manuscript; for, in his Progress of Poesy, he calls the Æolian lyre "Parent of sweet and solemn breathing airs:" which is Milton's second alteration of ver. 555. Ver. 563. Too well I might perceive.Ver. 574. The helplesse innocent lady.Ver. 605. Harpyes and hydras, or all the monstrous buggs. [prey, 'Twixt Africa and Inde, l'le find him out, And force him to release his new-got Or drag him by the curles, and cleave his scalpe Down to the hips. for before, Comus's first speech was uninterruptedly continued thus, "Root-bound, that fled Apollo. Why do you frown?” Ver. 669. That youth and fancie can beget, When the briske blood growes lively.In the former line it was also written "can invent;" and in the latter "blood returnes." Ver. 678. To life so friendly, and so coole to thirst. [ing Poor ladie thou hast need of some refreshWhy should you, &c. After v. 697, the nine lines now standing were introduced instead of "Poore ladie, &c." as above. Ver. 687. That hast been tired all day. Ver. 695. Ougly-headed monsters. Ver. 611. But here thy steele can do thec small | deck again. availe. Little stead is here crossed, and marked for readmission, as praise in v. 176. Ver. 721. Should in a pet of temperance feed on fetches. But pulse was the first reading, At last, resumed. Ver. 614. He with his bare wand can unquilt thy Ver. 727. Living as nature's bastards, not her Ver. 657. Boldly assault the necromantik hall; Where if he be, with suddaine violence And brandisht blade rush on him, break his glasse, [ground, And poure the lushious potion on the And seize his wand. I follow thee, Here nor had been erased, and again written over the rasure; and afterwards and. Mr. Wharton omits both, and says that "Milton seems to have sounded coy as a dissyllable; as also coarse at v. 749." But the manuscript silences the remark, as far as it relates to this line. And good heaven cast his best regard Ver. 744. It withers on the stalke and fades upon us. Ex. After v. 658, STAGE DIRECTION. "The scene changes to a stately palace, set out with all manner of deliciousness: tables spread with all dainties. Comus is discovered with his rabble and the lady set in an inchanted chaire. She offers to rise." Ver. 661. And you a statue fiat, as Daphne was. Ver. 662. Fool, thou art over-proud, do not boast. This whole speech of the Lady, and the first verse of the next of Comus, were added in the margin: away. Ver. 749. They had thire name thence; coarse beetle brows. Ver. 751. The sample.— julep. Then follow verses from v. 672-705. From v. 779 to 806, the lines are not in the manuscript, but were added afterwards. Ver. 763. As if she meant her children, &c. Ver. 807. This is mere moral stuff, the very lees, And settlings of a melancholy blood; But this, &c. After v. 813. STAGE-DIRECTION. "The brothers rush in, strike his glasse down: the [monsters, then] shapes make as though they would resist, but are all driven in. Dæmon enters with them" Ver. 814. What have you let the false enchauter pass? Ver. 816. Without his art reverst. Ver. 821. There is another way that may be us'd. Ver. 826. Sabrina is her name, a goddess chaste. Then erased; then virgin before goddess, and pure after chaste. Ver. 829. She, guiltlesse damsel, flying the mad persuite. Ver. 831, To the streame. But first "the flood." Ver. 834. Held up thire white wrists and receav'd her in, And bore her straite to aged Nereus hall. Ver. 845. Helping all urchin blasts, and ill-luck signes [lights to leave; That the shrewd meddling elfe deAnd often takes our cattel with strange pinches. Which she, &c. Temperance is a marginal reading. Patience had been first written and erased; and is restored by the line drawn underneath it, as at praise, v. 176. It is also again written over temperance erased in the margin. Ver. 973. To a crowne of deathlesse bays. After v. 975, STAGE-DIRECTION "The Dæmon sings or says." Ver. 976. These concluding lyrics are twice written in pp. 28, 29, of the MS. the first are crossed. Ver. 979. Up in the plaine fields. Ver. 982. Of Atlas and his daughters three. Hesperus is written over Atlas, and neeces over daughters: but daughters are distinguished by the line underneath, although it had been erased; which is not the case with Atlas. See Mr. Whiter's acute remark on this circumstance, Specimen &c. as above, p. 133. Ver. 983. After "the goulden tree," he had written, but crossed, Where grows the high-borne gold upon his native tree. Ver. 984. This verse and the three following were added. Ver. 988. That there eternal Summer dwells. Ver. 992. bow. Ver. 849. Carrol her goodnesse loud in lively Ver. 995. Then her watchet scarf can shew. layes. And lovely, from lively. Ver. 851. Of pansies, and of bonnie daffadils. Ver. 853. Each clasping charme, and secret hold ing spell. Ver. 857. In honour'd virtue's cause: this will I trie. And in the margin "In hard distressed need." STAGE-DIRECTIONS. 66 Ver. 962. Of nimbler toes, and courtly guise, In the former line "such neat guise," had also been written. NO STAGE-DIRECTION, only "2 After v. 965. VOL. VII. This is in the first copy of the Lyrics. In the second, Then her purfled scarf can shew, Yellow watchet, greene, and blew, Beds of hyacinth and roses, Where many a cherub soft reposes. But Yellow, watchet, greene, and blew," is crossed in the second copy. What relates to Adonis, and to Cupid and Psyche, was afterwards added. Ver. 1012. Now my message [or buisnesse] well is done. Ver. 1014. Farre beyond the earth's end, Where the welkin low doth bend. He had also written "the welkin cleere." And "the earth's greene end." Ver. 1023. Heav'n itselfe would bow to her. The following readings, which have occurred in this manuscript, will he found in Lawes's edition of Comus in 1637. They were altered in Milton's own edition of 1645. 498 manuscript by the rev. Francis Heary Egerton, I printed it entire in 1798. I then supposed it, to be one of the many copies written before the mask was published, by Henry Lawes, who, on his editing it in 1637, complained in his dedication to lord Brackley, that "the often copying it had tired his pen :" or, at least, to be a transcript of his copy. And I am still of the same opinion. I mentioned that, at the bottom of the titlepage to this manuscript, the second earl of Bridgewater, who had performed the part of the Elder Brother, has written " Author Io: Milton." This, in my opinion, may be considered as no slight testimony, that the manuscript presents the original form of this drama. The mask was acted in 1634, and was first published by Lawes in 1637, at which time it had certainly been corrected, although it was not then openly acknowledged', by its author. The alterations and additions, therefore, which the printed poem exhibits, might not have been made till long after the representation; perhaps, not till Lawes had expressed his determination to publish it. The coincidence of Lawes's Original Music with certain peculiarities in this manuscript, which I have already stated in the Account of HENRY LAWES, may also favour this supposition. Most of the various readings in this manuscript agree with Milton's original readings in the Cambridge manuscript; a few are peculiar to itself. Since I published the edition of Comus in 1798, I have examined the latter; and have found a closer agreement between the two manuscripts than I had reason, from the collations of that at Cambridge by Dr. Newton and Mr. Warton, to have supposed. This manuscript resembles Milton's also in the circumstance of beginning most of the verses with small letters. The poem opens with the following twenty From the heavens now I flye, Of Hesperus, and his daughters three And west wyndes, with muskye winge, Waters the odorous bankes, that blowe 1 See Lawes's Dedication. Then follows "Before the starrie threshold I have numbered the of Jove's courte, &c." succeeding verses so as to correspond with the printed copy; in order that the reader may compare both by an immediate reference. Ver. 12. Yet some there be, that with due stepps aspire. Ver. 46. Ver. 83. Bacchus, that first from out the purple These my skye webs, spun out of Iris wooffe. "Comus enters with a charminge rod in one hand and a glass of liquor in the other; with him a route of monsters like men and women but headed like wild beasts, &c." STAGE-DIRECTION after v. 92. Ver. 99. Shoots against the Northerne pole. if my eare in a wild, rude, and wanton antic:" And after v. 147, "they all scatter." Ver. 170. This waye the noise was, be true. But where they are, and whye they come not back. Ver. 191. The three beautiful lines, preceding this verse Ver. 229. Prompt me, and they perhaps are not Sweete queene of parlie, daughter to Ver. 243. And hould a counterpointe to all heav'n's STAGE-DIRECTION after v. 243. "Comus looks Ver. 252. Of darkness till she smil'd! Ver. 270. To touch the prosperinge growth of Ver. 297. Their porte was more than humane as they stood, So this line is pointed in the manuscript. Com pare note on Com. v. 297. Ver. 300. That in the cooleness of the raynebow live. Ver. 312. Dingle, or bushie 'dell, of this wide wood. Ver. 349. In this lone dungeon of inumerous Ver. 356. Or els in wild amazement and affright, Ver. 370. Ver. 383. And darkness wound her in: EL. BRO. peace, brother, peace. (Not beinge in danger, as I hope she is not.) Walks in black vapours, though the noon-tyde brand Blaze in the summer solstice. Ver. 388. Far from the cheerful haunte of men or heards. |