XXV. He feels from Juda's land The dreaded Infant's hand, The rays of Bethlehem blind his dusky eyn; Nor all the Gods beside, Longer dare abide, Not Typhon huge ending in snaky twine: Our babe, to show his Godhead true, 225 [crew. Can in his swaddling bands control the damned' XXVI. So when the sun in bed, Curtain'd with cloudy red, Pillows his chin upon an orient wave, The flocking shadows pale Troop to th' infernal jail, 230 Each fetter'd ghost slips to his several grave; And the yellow-skirted Fayes [maze. Fly after the night-steeds, leaving their moon-lov'd 231 chin] T. Warton has not remarked the use of this word in old poetry; when it brought with it no associations of familiarity or burlesque. Chapman's Hom. Il. p. 113, 'Both goddesses let fall their chins.' Odyss. p. 303. 310, • Jove shook his sable chin. The Ballad of Gil Morrice, 158, 'And kiss'd baith mouth and chin,' 169, 'And syne she kiss'd his bluidy cheeke, and syne his bluidy chin.' And Percy's Reliques, iii. 57, 'Our Lady bore up her chinne.' 232 shadows] M. Bowle refers to Mids. Night Dream, act iii. sc. ult. 'And yonder shines,' &c. XXVII. But see the Virgin blest Hath laid her Babe to rest, [ing; Time is our tedious song should here have endHeav'n's youngest teemed star Hath fix'd her polish'd car, 240 Her sleeping Lord with handmaid lamp attend And all about the courtly stable [ing; Bright-harness'd Angels sit in order serviceable. THE PASSION. I. EREWHILE of music, and ethereal mirth, 5 214 harness'd] Exodus, xiii. 18. The children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.' Newton. divide] Spens. F. Queen. iii. i. 40. And all the while sweet music did divide Hor. Od. i. xv. 15. • Imbelli cithara carmina divides.' Warton. II. For now to sorrow must I tune my song, Which on our dearest Lord did seize ere long, 10 Most perfect Hero, tried in heaviest plight Of labours huge and hard, too hard for human wight! III. 15 He sovereign priest stooping his regal head, His starry front low-roof'd beneath the skies: Yet more; the stroke of death he must abide, Then lies him meekly down fast by his brethren's side. IV. These latest scenes confine my roving verse, Of lute, or viol still, more apt for mournful things. 26 Cremona's trump] Vida's Christiad. V. Befriend me, Night, best patroness of grief, The leaves should all be black whereon I write, And letters where my tears have wash'd a wannish white. 35 VI. See, see the chariot, and those rushing wheels, In pensive trance, and anguish, and ecstatic fit. VII. Mine eye hath found that sad sepulchral rock That was the casket of Heav'n's richest store, And here though grief my feeble hands up lock, Yet on the soften'd quarry would I score My plaining verse as lively as before; 30 Over] So P. L. iv. 609. And o'er the dark her silver mantle throw.' Steevens. 46 For sure so well instructed are my tears, That they would fitly fall in order'd characters. VIII. Or should I thence hurried on viewless wing, 50 Might think th' infection of my sorrows loud Had got a race of mourners on some pregnant cloud. This subject the Author finding to be above the years he had, when he wrote it, and nothing satisfied with what was begun, left it unfinished. ON TIME.* FLY, envious Time, till thou run out thy race, 51 a weeping] Jeremiah, ix. 10. For the mountains will I take up a weeping,' &c. Warton. * In Milton's MS. written with his own hand,-' On Time. To be set on a clock-case.' Warton. leaden-stepping hours] Carew's Poems, p. 78, ed. 1642. They [the hours] move with leaden feet. A. Dyce. |