...which is called truly inspiration. When Milton flung forth these lines, — How sweetly did they float upon the wings Of silence through the empty vaulted...smoothing the raven down Of darkness till it smiled, \ do you suppose he could have quite explained his imagery ? If we could call up Shakespeare and place...

...his hidden residence. How sweetly did they float upon the wings Of silence, through the empty-vaulted night, At every fall smoothing the raven down Of darkness till it smiled ! I have oft heard My mother Circe with the Sirens three, Amidst the flowery -kittled Naiades, Culling...

...his hidden residence: How sweetly did they float upon the wings Of silence, through the empty-vaulted night, At every fall smoothing the raven down Of darkness till it smiled! I oft have heard My mother Circe with the Sirens three Amidst the flow'ry-kirtled Naiades Culling their...

...his hidden residence. How sweetly did they float upon the wings Of silence through the empty-vaulted night, At every fall smoothing the raven down Of darkness till it smiled . . . Lorenzo to Jessica, Romeo to Juliet, had no more musical speeches: I'll speak to her, And she...

...containing ' fall ' thus used. In the passage, beginning with line 251, we find: ' How sweetly did they note upon the wings Of silence, through the empty vaulted night, At every fall smoothing the raven downe Of darknesse till she smil'd.' — Facsimile of the MS of Milton' s Minor Poems, p. 14. — ED....

...his hidd'n residence; How sweetly did they float upon the wings Of silence, through the empty-vaulted night, At every fall smoothing the Raven down Of darkness till it smil'd: I have oft heard My mother Circe with the Sirens three, Amidst the flow'ry-kirl'd Naiades,...

...insinuating harmonies: How sweetly did they float upon the wings Of silence, through the empty-vaulted night At every fall smoothing the raven down Of darkness till it smiled. (248-51) The Lady's musical art does not render Comus brutish; on the contrary, her singing moves him...