Comus. Two such I saw, what time the laboured OX In his loose traces from the furrow came, Of some gay creatures of the element, That in the colours of the rainbow live, And play i' the plighted clouds. I was awestrook, And, as I passed, I worshiped. If those you seek, It were a journey like the path to Heaven To help you find them. · Lady. Gentle villager, 295 300 What readiest way would bring me to that place? 305 Comus. Due west it rises from this shrubby point. Lady. To find that out, good shepherd, I sup pose, In such a scant allowance of star-light, Would overtask the best land-pilot's art, Without the sure guess of well-practised feet. Dingle, or bushy dell, of this wild wood, My daily walks and ancient neighbourhood; 320 315 And if your stray attendance be yet lodged, Or shroud within these limits, I shall know 320 But loyal cottage, where you may be safe Lady. Shepherd, I take thy word, With smoky rafters, than in tapestry halls ess warranted than this, or less secure, I cannot be, that I should fear to change it or sufficient Eye me, blest Providence, and square my trial 330 To my proportioned strength! Shepherd, lead on. The TWO BROTHERS Eld. Bro. Unmuffle, ye faint stars; and thou. fair moond. benedictio That waste the traveller's best Stoop thy pale visage through an amber cloud, Or, if your influence be quite dammed up With thy long levelled rule of streaming light, Or Tyrian Cynosure. Sec. Bro. Or, if our eyes Be barred that happiness, might we but hear Perhaps some cold bank is her bolster now, 340 345 850 Or 'gainst the rugged bark of some broad elm Or, while we speak, within the direful grasp 360 too curious Eld. Bro. Peace, brother: be not over-exquisite To cast the fashion of uncertain evils; For, grant they be so, while they rest unknown, What need a man forestall his date of grief, And run to meet what he would most avoid? Or, if they be but false alarms of fear, How bitter is such self-delusion! I do not think my sister so to seek, atas 365 Or so unprincipled in virtue's book, And the sweet peace that goodness bosoms ever, 370 (Not being in danger, as I trust she is not) Could stir the constant mood of her calm thoughts, And put them into misbecoming plight. Virtue could see to do what Virtue would By her own radiant light, though sun and moon 375 Were in the flat sea sunk. And Wisdom's self Oft seeks to sweet retired solitude, Where, with her best nurse, Contemplation, 380 Were all to-ruffled, and sometimes impaired. 385 Himself is his own dungeon. Sec. Bro. 'Tis most true That musing meditation most affects The pensive secrecy of desert cell, Far from the cheerful haunt of men and herds, And sits as safe as in a senate-house; 390 For who would rob a hermit of his weeds, His few books, or his beads, or maple dish, Or do his gray hairs any violence? But Beauty, like the fair Hesperian tree Laden with blooming gold, had need the guard not able the enchant Of dragon-watch with unenchanted eye I fear the dread eyents that dog them both, Eld. Bro. I do not, brother, As you imagine; she has a hidden strength, Sec. Bro. T Unless the strength of Heaven, if you mean that? Eld. Bro. I mean that too, but yet a hidden strength, Which, if Heaven gave it, may be termed her own. 'Tis chastity, my brother, chastity: 395 |