Aere dum vaccuo buccina clara fonat, Cornea pulvereum dum verberat ungula campum, Currus arenofam dum quatit actus humum, 120 Auditurque hinnitus equorum ad bella ruentum, Et ftrepitus ferri, murmuraque alta virum. Et tu (quod fupereft miferis) fperare memento, Et tua magnanimo pectore vince mala; Nec dubites quandoque frui melioribus annis, 125 Atque iterum patrios poffe videre lares. ELEG. V. Anno ætatis 20. In adventum veris. N fe perpetuo Tempus revolubile gyro, IN Jam revocat Zephyros vere tepente novos ; Induiturque brevem Tellus reparata juventam, Jamque foluta gelu dulce virefcit humus. Fallor? an et nobis redeunt in carmina vires, 5 123. Et tu quod fupereft, &c.] For many obvious reafons, AT is likely to be the true reading. 125. This wish, as we have feen, came to pafs. He returned: and when at length his party became fuperiour, he was rewarded with appointments of opulence and honour. 5. Faller? An et, &c.] So in the Epigram, PRODIT. BOMBARD, V.3. Fallor? An et mitis, &c. Again, EL. vii. 56. Fallor? An et radios hinc quoque Phœbus habet? This formulary is not uncommon in Ovid. As thus, FAST. B.V.549. Fallor An arma fonant, &c. Ingeniumque Ingeniumque mihi munere veris adefst ? Munere veris adeft, iterumque vigefcit ab illo, (Quis putet) atque aliquod jam fibi pofcit opus. Caftalis ante oculos, bifidumque cacumen oberrat, Et mihi Pyrenen fomnia nocte ferunt; 6. Ingeniumque mihi munere veris adeft.] See v. 23. There is a notion that Milton could write verfes only in the fpring or fummer, which perhaps is countenanced by these paffages. But what poetical mind does not feel an expanfion or invigoration at the return of the Spring, at that renovation of the face of nature with which every mind is in fome degree affected? In one of the Letters to Deodate he fays, "fuch is the impetuofity of my temper, that no delay, no reft, "no care or thought of any thing else can ftop me, till I come to my "journey's end, and put a period to my prefent ftudy." PROSEWORKS, ii. 567. In the PARADISE LOST, he fpeaks of his aptitude for compofition in the night, B. ix. 20. If answerable skill I can obtain From my celeftial patronefs, who deigns Again, to Urania, B. vii. 28. Not alone, while thou Vifit'ft my lumbers NIGHTLY, or when morn Again, he fays that "he vifits NIGHTLY the fubjects of facred poetry." B. iii. 32. And adds, v. 37. Then feed on thoughts that voluntary move Harmonious numbers.. In the fixth Elegy, he hints that he compofed the Ode on the Nativity in the morning, v. 87. Dona quidem dedimus Chrifti natalibus illa, Illa fub AURORAM LUX mihi PRIMA dedit. That is, as above, "when morn purples the caft." In a Letter to Alexander Gill, he fays that he tranilated the hundred and fourteenth Pfalm into Greek heroics, "fubito nefcio quo impetu ante LUCIS "EXORTUM." PROSE-WORKS, ii. 567. See alfo below, v. 9. Caftalis ante oculos bifidumque cacumen oberrat, Et mihi Pyrenen fomnia NOCTE ferunt. Concitaque Concitaque arcano fervent mihi pectora motu, Jam mihi mens liquidi raptatur in ardua cœli, 15 20 Jam, Philomela, tuos foliis adoperta novellis, 25 Veris io rediere vices, celebremus honores 13. Delius ipfe venit, &c.] Milton feems to have thought of the beginning of Callimachus's Hymn to Apollo. 25. Jam, Philomela, tuos foliis adoperta novellis, Inftituis modulos, dum filet omne nemus.] There is great elegance and purity of expreffion in foliis adoperta novellis. The whole imagery was afterwards transferred into the first Sonnet, v. I. O NIGHTINGALE, that on yon bloomy SPRAY STILL. Veris, et hoc fubeat Mufa perennis opus. Jam fol. Æthiopas fugiens Tithoniaque arva, Flectit ad Arctoas aurea lora plagas. 30 Eft brevis noctis iter, brevis eft mora noctis opaca, Jamque Lycaonius plauftrum cœlefte Bootes Nam dolus, et cædes, et vis cum nocte receffit, Neve Giganteum Dii timuere fcelus. 35 40 30. Hoc fubeat Mufa perennis opus.] Originally quotannis, edit. 1645. Salmafius pretends to have obferved feveral falfe quantities in our author's Latin poems. This was one, and perennis appeared in the fecond edition, 1673. See Salmaf. RESPONS. edit. Lond. 1660. p. 5. It is remarkable, that Tickell and Fenton should both have preferved quotannis, who might have been taught better even by Tonfon, edit. 1705. Nicolas Heinfius, in an Epiftle to Holftenius, complains of thefe falfe quantities: and, for elegance, prefers our author's DEFENSIO to his Latin poems. See Burman. SYLLOG. iii. 669. But Heinfius, like too many other great critics, had no taste. 32. Fletit ad ar&toas aurea lora plagas.] Ovid, ART. AMATOR. i. 549. Of Bacchus. Tigribus adjunctis AUREA LORA dabat. The expreffion is finely transferred. 38. Excubias agitant fidera. -] Ode on NATIV. V. 21. And all the spangled hoft KEEP WATCH in squadrons bright. Hac Hac, ait, hac certe caruisti nocte puella, Defere, Phœbus ait, thalamos, Aurora, feniles, Quid juvat effœto procubuiffe toro? Te manet Æolides viridi venator in herba, 43. Hac, ait, bac certe caruifti nocte puella Phabe tua. -] Ovid, ART. AMATOR. ii. 249. Sæpe tua poteras, Leandre, carere puella. 46 50 46. Cynthia, luciferas ut videt alta rotas.] Ovid, ART. AMATOR. iii. 180. Rofcida LUCIFEROS cum dea jungit EQUOS. Again, EPIST. HEROID. xi. 46. Denaque LUCIFEROS luna movebat EQUOS. 49. Defere, Phabus ait, &c.] "Leave the bed of old Tithonus.". Compare the whole context with Ovid, AMOR. i. xiii. 37. Illum dum refugis, longo quia frigidus ævo, At fiquem manibus Cephalum complexa teneres, Again, Epift. HEROID. iv. 93. Clarus erat filvis Cephalus, multæque per herbam Nec tamen Auroræ male fe præbebat amandum, See the next Note. 52. Te manet Eolides, &c.] Cephalus, with whom Aurora fell in love as the faw him hunting on mount Hymettus. Ovid, METAM. vii. 701. Cum me cornigeris tendentem retia cervis, Nnn He |