-side of Cowley." But what are these conceptions? Metaphysical conceits, all the unnatural extravagancies of his English poetry; such as will not bear to be clothed in the Latin language; much less are capable of admitting any degree of pure Latinity. I will give a few instances, out of a great multitude, from the Davideis. Hic sociatorum sacra constellatio vatum, Again, At mare immensum oceanusque Lucis Hinc inexhausto per utrumque mundum Milton's Latin poems may be justly considered as legitimate classical compositions, and are never disgraced with such language and such imagery. Cowley's Latinity, dictated by an irregular and unrestrained imagination, presents a mode of diction half Latin and half English. It is not so much that Cowley wanted a knowledge of the Latin style, but that he suffered that knowledge to be perverted and corrupted by false Temporis ingreditur penetralia celsa fu- and extravagant thoughts. Milton was a more turi, Implumesque videt nidis cœlestibus annos. And, to be short, we have the Plusquam visus aquilinus of lovers, Natio verborum, Exuit vitam aeriam, Menti auditur symphonia dulcis, Natura archiva, Omnes symmetria sensus congerit, Condit aromatica prohibetque putescere laude. Again, where Aliquid is personified, Monogramma exordia mundi. It may be said, that Cowley is here translating from his own English Davideis. But I will bring examples from his original Latin poems. In praise of the spring. Et resonet toto musica verna libro ; Undique laudis odor dulcissimus halet, &c. And in the same poem in a party worthy of the Hauserunt avide Chocolatam Flora venus- Of the Fraxinella, Tu tres metropoles humani corporis armis Propugnas, uterum, cor, cerebrumque, tuis. He calls the Lychnis, Candelabrum ingens. perfect scholar than Cowley, and his mind was more deeply tinctured with the excellencies of ancient literature. He was a more just thinker, and therefore a more just writer. In a word, he had more taste, and more poetry, and consequently more propriety. If a fondness for the Italian writers has sometimes infected his English poetry with false ornaments, his Latin verses, both in diction and sentiment, are at least free from those depravations. Some of Milton's Latin poems were written in his first year at Cambridge, when he was only seventeen: they must be allowed to be very correct and manly performances for a youth of that age. And considered in that view, they discover ancient fable and history. I cannot but add, an extraordinary copiousness and command of that Gray resembles Milton in many instances. Among others, in their youth they were both strongly attached to the cultivation of Latin poetry. WARTON. ELEGIARUM LIBER. ELEG. I. AD CAROLUM DEODATUM.' Cupid is Arbiter formæ criticus. Ovid is Anti-TANDEM, chare, tuæ mihi pervenere tabellæ, quarius ingens. An ill smell is shunned Olfactus tetricitate sui. And in the same page, is nugatoria pestis. But all his faults are conspicuously and collectively exemplified in these stanzas, among others, of his Hymn on Light. Pulchra de nigro soboles parente, Risus O terræ sacer et polorum, Te bibens arcus Jovis ebriosus Lucidum trudis properanter agmen : Pertulit et voces nuncia charta tuas ; Pectus amans nostrî, támque fidele caput, 1 Charles Deodate was one of Milton's most intimate friends. He was an excellent scholar, and practised physic in Cheshire. He was educated with our author at St. Paul's school in London ; and from thence was sent to Trinity college Oxford, where he was entered Feb. 7, in the year 1621, at thirteen years of age. Lib. Matric. Univ. Oxon. sub ann. He was born in London and the name of his father, in Medicina DesTM toris, was Theodore. Ibid. Nuda nec arva placent, nmbrásque negantia Quàm malè Phœbicolis convenit ille locus! Non ego vel profugi nomen sortémve recuso, O, utinam vates nunquam graviora tulisset Et vocat ad plausus garrula scena suos. Detonat inculto barbara verba foro; Sæpe vafer gnato succurrit servus amanti, Et nasum rigidi fallit ubique patris ; Sæpe novos illic virgo mirata calores, Quid sit amor nescit, dum quoque nescit, amat. Sive cruentatum furiosa Tragoedia sceptrum Gaudia, et abrupto flendus amore cadit ; mus; Irrita nec nobis tempora veris eunt. Quæ possit senium vel reparare Jovis ! Atque faces, quotquot volvit uterque polus! Et quæcunque vagum cepit amica Jovem, Et quot Susa colunt, Memnoniámque Ninon; Gloria virginibus debetur prima Britannis ; Quot tibi, conspicuæ formáque auroque, puellæ Stat quoque juncosas Cami remeare paludes, ELEG. II. Anno Ætatis 17. In obin Præconis Academici Cantabrigiensis', Sub quibus accipimus delituisse Jovem ; Alipes, æthereâ missus ab arce Patris: Turba quidem est telis ista petenda tuis. ELEG. III. Anno Ætatis 17. In obitum Præsulis Wintoniensis2. MOESTUS eram, et tacitus, nullo comitante, sede- Dira sepulchrali Mors metuenda face; I The person here commemorated, is Richard Ridding, one of the university-beadles, and a master of arts of Saint John's College, Cambridge. He signed a testamentary codicil, Sept. 23, 1626, proved the eighth day of November Túque urbs Daraaniis, Londinum, structa co- following. From Registr. Testam. Cantabr. lonis, Turrigerum latè conspicienda caput, WARTON. 2 Lancelot Andrews, bishop of Winchester, had been originally master of Pembroke-ball in Cambridge; but long before Milton's time. He died at Winchester-House in Southwark, Sept, 21, 1626, Tunc memini clarique ducis, fatrisque verendi, Intempestivis ossa cremata rogis : E memini Heroum, quos vidit ad æthera raptos, "Mors fera, Tartareo diva secunda Jovi, Et crocus, et pulchræ Cypridi sacra rosa ? Quid juvat humanâ tingere cæde manus? Heu nequit ingenium visa referre meum. Ut matutino cùm juga sole rubent. Non dea tam variis ornavit floribus hortos Alcinoi, Zephyro Chloris amata levi. Infula divinum cinxerat alba caput. Pura triumphali personat æthra tubâ. [lutat, At mihi cum tenebris aurea pulsa quies. Flebam turbatos Cephaleiâ pellice somnos; Talia contingant somnia sæpe mihi! ELEG. IV. Anno Etatis 18. Ad Thomam Junium præceptorem suum, apud mercatores Anglicos Hamburga agentes, Pastoris munere fungentem'. Segnes rumpe moras, et nil, precor, obstet eunti Ditis ad Hamburgæ mænia flecte gradum, Dicitur occiso quæ ducere nomen ab Hamâ, Cimbrica quem fertur clava dedisse neci. Vivit ibi antiquæ clarus pietatis honore Præsul, Christicolas pascere doctus oves: Ille quidem est animæ plusquam pars altera nostræ ; Dimidio vitæ vivere cogor ego. Hei mihi! quot pelagi, quot montes interjecti, Castalio sparsi læta ter ora mero. Flammeus at signum ter viderat arietis Æthon, Induxitque auro lanea terga novo; Bisque novo terram sparsisti, Chlori, senilem Gramine, bisque tuas abstulit Auster opes: Necdum ejus licuit mihi lumina pascere vultu, Aut linguæ dulces aure bibisse sonos. Vade igitur,cursúque Eurum præverte sonorum; Quàm sit opus monitis res docet, ipsa vides. Invenies dulci cum conjuge fortè sedentem, Mulcentem gremio pignora chara suo: Forsitan aut veterum prælarga volumina patrum Versantem, aut veri Biblia sacra Dei ; Cœlestive animas saturantem rore tenelias, Grande salutiferæ religionis opus. Utque solet, multam sit dicere cura salutem, Dicere quam decuit, si modò adesset, herum. Hæc quoque, paulùm oculos in humum defixa modestos, Verba verecundo sis memor loqui: Ast ego quid volui manifestum tollere crimen, English merchants at Hamburgh, was Milton's private preceptor, before he was sent to Saint Paul's school. This Thomas Young was doctor Thomas Young a member of the Assembly of Divines, where he was a constant attendant, and one of the authors of the book called Smectym CURRE per immensum subitò, mea litera, pon-nuus, defended by Milton; and who from a Lon tum, I, pete Teutonicos læve per æquor agros; Thomas Young, now pastor of the church of don preachership in Duke's Place was preferred by the parliament to the mastership of Jesus Col lege in Cambridge. Et pudet officium deseruisse suum. Neve moras ultra ducere passus Amor; am vaga Fama refert, heu aantia ver a malo- In tibi finitimis bella tumere locis ; Et sata carne virûm jam cruor arva rigat; Fugit et ærisonam Diva perosa tubam, Quos tibi prospiciens miserat ipse Deus, Quæ via post cineres ducat ad astra, docent? Pressit inassueto devia tesqua pede, Finibus ingratus jussit abire suis. At tu sume animos; nec spes cadat anxia curis, Nec tua concutiat decolor ossa metus. At nullis vel inerme latus violabitur armis, Cornea pulvereum dum verberat ungula campum, ELEG. V. Anno Etatis 20. In adventum veris. In se perpetuo Tempus revolubile gyro opus. Castalis ante oculos, bifidúmque cacumen oberrat, Implicitos crines; Delius ipse venit. Et mihi fana patent interiora deûm ; Quid parit hæc rabies, quid sacer iste furor? Jam, Philomela, tuos, foliis adoperta novellis, Est breve noctis iter, brevis est mora noctis Horrida cum tenebris exula illa suis. Et, tenues ponens radios, gaudere videtur Desere," Phoebus ait, "thalamos, Aurora, Quid juvat effoeto procubuisse toro? Et matutinos ociùs urget equos. Et cupit amplexus, Phoebe, subire tuos : Mitia cum Paphiis fundit amoma rosis; Cingit ut Idæam pinea turris Opim; Munera, (muneribus sæpe coemptus amor) Illa tibi ostentat quascunque sub æquore vasto, Et superinjectis montibus, abdit opes. Ah quoties, cùm tu clivoso fessus Olympo In vespertinas præcipitaris aquas, "Cur te," inquit, "cursu languentem, Phoebe, diurno Hesperiis recipit cærula Mater aquis ? Quid tibi cum Tethy? Quid cum Tartesside lymphân Dia quid immundo peruis ore salo ? Frigora, Phoebe, meâ meliùs capabis in umbrâ; Huc ades, ardentes imbue rore comas. Mollior egelidâ veniet tibi somnus in herbâ ; Huc ades, et gremio lumina pone meo. Quáque jaces, circum mulcebit lenè susurrans Aura per humentes corporafus rosas. Nec me (crede mihi) terrent Semelëia fata, Nec Phaetonteo fumidus axis equo : Cùm tu, Phoebe, tuo sapientiùs uteris igni ; Huc ades, et gremio lumina pone meo." Sic Tellus lasciva suos suspirat amores; Matris in exemplum cætera turba ruunt: Nune etenim toto currit vagus orbe Cupido, Languentésque fovet solis ab igne faces: Insonuere novis lethalia cornua nervis, Triste micant ferro tela corusca novo: Jámque vel invictam tentat superâsse Dianam, Quæque sedet sacro Vesta pudica foco, Jpsa senescentem reparat Venus annua formam, Atque iterum tepido creditur orta mari. Marmoreas juvenes clamant Hymenæe! per urbes, Littus, lo Hymen! et cava saxa sonant. Cultior ille venia, tunicâque decentior aptâ, Puniceum redolet vestis odora crocum: Egrediturque frequens, ad amœni gaudia veris, Virgineos auro cincta puella sinus: Votum est cuique suum, votum est tamen omnibus unum, Ut sibi, quem cupiat, det Cytherea virum. Nunc quoque septenâ modulatur arundine pastor, Et sua, quæ jungat, carmina Phyllis habet. Navita nocturno placat sua sidera cantu, Delphinásque leves ad vada summa vocat. Jupiter ipse alto cum conjuge ludit Olympo, Convocat et famulos ad sua festa deos. Nunc etiam Satyri, cùm sera crepuscula surgunt, Pervolitant celeri florea rura choro ; Sylvanúsque suâ cyparissi fronde revinctus, Semicapérque deus, semideúsque caper. Quæque sub arboribus Dryades latuere vetustis, Per juga, per solos expatiantur agros. Per sata luxuriat fruticetáque Mænalius Pan, Vix Cybele mater, vix sibi tuta Ceres;" Atque aliquam cupidus prædatur Oreada Fau nus, Consulit in trepidos dum sibi Nympha pedes ; Jámque latet, latitánsque cupit malè tecta videri, Et fugit, et fugiens pervelit ipsa capi. Dii quoque non dubitant cœlo præponere sylvas, Et sua quisque sibi numina lucus habet : Et sua quisque diu sibi numina lucus habeto, Nec vos arboreâ, dii, precor, ite domo. Te referant miseris te, Jupiter, aurea terris Sæcla; quid ad nimbos aspera tela redis ? Tu saltem lentè rapidos age, Phœbe, jugales, Quà potes, et sensim tempora veris eant ; Brumáque productas tardè ferat hispida noctes, Ingruat et nostro serior umbra polo. ELEG. VI. Ad Carolum Deodatum ruri commorantem, Qui cum Idibus Decemb. scripsisset, et sua carmina excusari postulás; et si solito minùs essent bona, quod inter lautitias, quibus erat ab amicie exceptus, haud satis felicem operam Musis dare se posse affirmabat, hoc hobuit responsum. MITO tibi sanam non pleno ventre salutem, Crede mihi, vix hoc carmine scire queas. Nam neque noster amor modulis includitur arctis, Nec venit ad claudos integer ipse pedes. Quàm benâ solennes epulas, hilarémque Decembrem, Festáque cœlifugam quæ coluere deum, Deliciasque refers, hiberni quadia ruris Haustáque per lepidos Gallica musta focos! Quid quereris refugam vino dapibúsque poesin ? [amat. Nec puduit Phoebum virides gestâsse corymAtque hederam lauro præposuisse suæ. [bos, Sæpiùs Aoniis clamavit collibus, Euce! Mista Thyonëo turba novena choro. Naso Corallais mala carmina misit ab agris: Non illic epulæ, non sata vitis erat. Quid nisi vina, rosásque, racemiferumque Ly |