1 Thou with fresh hope the lover's heart doft fill, First heard before the fhallow cuccoo's bill, 5 See alfo PARAD. L. vii. 435. Where doctor Newton observes, "his fondness for this little bird is very remarkable." 4. While the jolly hours lead on propitious May.] Because the nightingale is fuppofed to begin finging in April. So Sydney, in ENGLAND'S HELICON, Signat. O. edit. 1614. The nightingale, fo foone as Aprill bringeth Vnto her rested sense a perfect waking, While late bare earth proud of new clothing springeth, 5. Thy liquid notes that clofe the eye of day.] So in Coм. v. 978. And thofe happy climes that lie Where day never SHUTS his EYE. And in LYCIDAS, V. 26. Under the opening EYELIDS of the MORN. See Note on IL PENS. V. 141. 6. Firft beard before the shallow cuccoo's bill, &c.] That is, if they happen to be heard before the cuckow, it is lucky for the lover. But Spenfer calls the cuckow the meffenger of spring, and fuppofes that his trumpet fhrill warns all lovers to wait upon Cupid, SONN. xix. Jonfon gives this appellation to the nightingale, in the SAD SHEPHERD, A. ii. S. vi. But beft, the dear good angel of the fpring, The nightingale. ANGEL is meffenger. And the whole expreffion feems to be lite- ΗΡΟΣ Δ' ΑΓΓΕΛΟΣ, ἱμερόφωνος ἀηδῶν. Or from one of Simonides, of the fwallow. Schol, Aristoph. Av. ΑΓΓΕΛΟΣ Now timely fing, ere the rude bird of hate For II. Donna leggiadra il qui bel nome honora De fui atti foavi giamai parco, E i don', che fon d'amor faette ed arco Quando tu vaga parli, o lieta canti Che mover poffa duro alpeftre legno Guardi ciascun a gli occhi, ed a gli orecchi Gratia fola di fu gli vaglia, inanti III. Qual in colle afpro, al imbrunir di fera, ΙΙ 2 3 ΑΓΓΕΛΟΣ κλυτά ΕΑΡΟΣ αδυόσμο, κυανέα χελιδών. Nuntia inclyta veris fuaveolentis, fufca hirundo. Milton laments afterwards, that hitherto the nightingale had not preceded the cuckow as the ought: had always fung too late, that is, after the cuckow, 1. Qual in colle afpro, al imbrunir di fera.] To express the approach of evening, the Italians fay, fu l'imbrunir. And thus Petrarch, as Mr. Bowle obferves, "IMBRUNIR veggio la SERA." CANZ. xxxvii. Milton had this Italian word in his head, where he ufes the word IM BROWN, in PARAD. L. B. iv. 246. Where Vá bagnando l'herbetta ftrana e bella Che mal si spande a disusata spera Fuor di fua natia alma primavera, Cofi Amor meco insù la lingua fnella E'l bel Tamigi cangio col bel Arno. -Where the unpierc'd shade IM BROWN'D the noontide bowers. So alfo, in IL PENS. V. 134. And shadows BROWN that Sylvan loves Of pine and monumental oak. 5 10 And "Alleys BROWN," in PAR. REG. ii. 293. Compare Tasso, GIER. LIB. C. xiv. 70. Quinci ella in cima à una montagna ascende Dishabitata, e d'ombre ofcura, e BRUNA. And Marino, L'ADON. C. viii. 147. IMBRUNIR d' oriente il ciel fi vede. And, to come home to the text, compare PARAD. L. ix. 1088. -Highest wood, impenetrable To ftar or fun-light, fpread their umbrage broad, And BROWN as evening. 3. Va bagnando l'herbetta, &c.] See Petrarch's CANZONE just quoted, v. 24. Da BAGNAR l'HERBE, &C. * Of Milton's Sonnets only this, the fourth, fifth, and fixteenth, are closed with rhyming couplets. CANZONE. R CANZONE. Idonfi donne e giovani amorofi M' accoftandofi attorno, e perche fcrivi, Spuntati ad hor, ad hor a la tua chioma 5 15 + Not to disturb the numbers of the Sonnets, I have placed the CANZONE here, according to the other editions. It is from Petrarch, that Milton mixes the CANZONE with the SONETTO. Dante regarded the CANZONE as the most perfect fpecies of lyric compofition. Della VOLG. ELOQU. c. iv. But for the CANZONE he allows more laxity than for the Sonnet. He fays, when the Song is written on a grave or tragic subject, it is denominated CANZONE, and when on a comic, CANTILENA, as diminutive. See Newton, p. 206. Altri lidi t'afpettan, ed altre onde, &c.] The lines are an echo to a stanza in Ariofto, where Aftolpho explores the regions of the moon. ORL. FUR. xxxiv. 72. Altri fiumi, altri laghi, altre compagne, &c. Altri piani, altre valli altre montagne, &c. See LYCIDAS, V. 174. Where other groves, and other fhores along, &c. The lady implied in the Italian Sonnets is perhaps Leonora, of whom more will be faid hereafter. VOL. I. T t IV. IV. Diodati, e te'l dirò con maraviglia, Quel ritrofo io ch'ampor fpreggiar foléa Gia caddi, ov'huom dabben talhor s'impiglia. M'abbaglian sì, ma fotto nova idea 5. Ne treccie d'oro, ne guancia vermiglia Mabbaglian fi, &c.] So in CoмUS, V. 752. What need a VERMIL-tinctur'd lip for that, Love-darting eyes, and treffes like the morn? And on the DEATH OF A FAIR INFANT, V. 5. -That lovely dye That did thy CHEEK ENVERMEIL. See the laft Note. 5 8. Portamenti alti honefti.] So before, SON N. iii. 8. "Ve"rozzamenti altiera." Portamento expreffes the lofty dignified deportment, by which the Italian poets conftantly describe female beauty; and which is ftrikingly characteristic of the compofed majestic carriage of the Italian Ladies, either as contrafted with the liveliness of the French, or the timid delicacy of the English. Compare Petrarch's firft Sonnet on the Death of Laura. SoNN. ccxxix. Ohime, il bel viso! Ohime, il foave sgardo! Our author appears to have applied this Italian idea of a graceful folemnity in his defcription of Eve. Milton, as it may be seen from these Sonnets, appears to have been ftruck, on going into Italy, with a new idea of foreign beauty, fotto novo idea "Pellegrina Bellezza." He is now no longer captivated with the breccie d'oro, nor the bloom fo confpicuous in fairhaired complexions, guancia vermiglia; but with the nelle ciglia, Quel fereno d'amabil nero, the degli occhi, fi gran fuoco. I would add the E'l cantar, unless that was a particular compliment to his Leonora. The dark hair and eye of Italy are now become his new favourites. When a youth of nineteen, in his general defcription of the English Fair, he celebrates Cupid's golden nets of hair. L. i. El.i. |