He added not; and Satan, bowing low His gray dissimulation, disappear'd Into thin air diffus'd: for now began Night with her sullen wings to double-shade 500 The desart; fowls in their clay nests were couch'd, And now wild beasts came forth the woods to roam. 498 304. gray dissimulation] See Ford's Broken Heart; ed. Weber, p. 'Lay by thy whining gray dissimulation.' 499 thin] Virg. Æn. iv. 278. • Et procul in tenuem ex oculis evanuit auram.' Shakesp. Temp. act iv. sc. 2. 'Are melted into air, into thin air.' Dunster. 500 Night] Nonnus ends the xxvth book of his Dionysiaca thus, Καὶ σκιερὴν ἐμέλαινεν ὅλην χθόνα σιγαλέη νυξ· Λαοὶ δ ̓ ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα χαμαιστρώτων ἐπὶ λέκτρων Εσπερίῃ μετὰ δόρπον ὀρειάδι κάππεσον ἐννῇ. 500 double-shade] Ov. Met. xi. 548. 'Duplicataque noctis imago est.' Dunster. 501 fowls] Beaumont's Psyche, c. xiii. st. 355, ed. 1648. 'Each gentle fair-condition'd bird and beast Hied them unto their nests and dens . . Only some ominous ravens, and screech owles prest PARADISE REGAINED. BOOK II. MEANWHILE the new-baptiz'd, who yet remain'd At Jordan with the Baptist, and had seen Him whom they heard so late expressly call'd Jesus, Messiah, Son of God declar'd, And on that high authority had believ'd, And with him talk'd, and with him lodg'd; I mean With others though in holy writ not nam'd, 5 10 15 6 mean] See this expression in Harington's Ariosto, xxxi. 46. 'I mean Renaldo's House of Montalbane;' and st. 55. 'I cruel Pagan Rodomont.' Newton. 13 shown] Virg. Æn. vi. 870. mean the 'Ostendent terris hune tantum fata.' Therefore as those young prophets then with care The city of palms, Ænon, and Salem old, Then on the bank of Jordan, by a creek, 20 25 30 Where winds with reeds and osiers whisp'ring play, 35 23 broad] Broad' is not opposed to long, but means 'large;' in this sense it is often used by the old English poets; and thus their modern imitator, 'He knew her of broad lands the heir.' Marmion, c. ii. st. xxvii. The lake of Genezaret is eighteen miles long, and only five broad. 25 Jordan] Giles Fletcher's Christ's Victorie and Triumph, ed. 1632, p. 49: 27 no 'Or whistling reeds, that rutty Jordan laves.' A. Dyce. greater] Spenser in the beginning of Sheph. Cal. 'A shepherd's boy, no better do him call.' Newton. 30 what] So first edition; in most others, 'that.' Newton. For whither is he gone, what accident Hath wrapt him from us? will he now retire 40 Our expectation? God of Israel, Send thy Messiah forth, the time is come; 45 50 Nor will withdraw him now, nor will recall, 55 Mock us with his blest sight, then snatch him hence; Soon we shall see our hope, our joy return. Thus they out of their plaints new hope resume To find whom at the first they found unsought: But to his mother Mary, when she saw Others return'd from baptism, not her Son, Nor left at Jordan, tidings of him none, 60 Within her breast though calm, her breast though pure, Motherly cares and fears got head, and rais'd Some troubled thoughts, which she in sighs thus clad. "Hail, highly favour'd, among women blest!" And fears as eminent, above the lot In such a season born, when scarce a shed Of many in Israel, and to a sign Spoken against, that through my very soul A sword shall pierce. This is my favour'd lot, Afflicted I may be, it seems, and blest; I will not argue that, nor will repine. 70 75 80 85 90 95 But where delays he now? some great intent Conceals him. When twelve years he scarce had |