A noble Peer of mickle truft and

power

Has in his charge, with temper'd awe to guide & An old, and haughty nation proud in arms: Where his fair ofspring nurs'd in princely lore

Are coming to attend their father's state,
And new-intrusted scepter; but their way

35

Lies through the perplex'd paths of this drear wood,T
The nodding horror of whofe fhady brows A
Threats the forlorn and wand'ring passenger;
And here their tender age might suffer peril, 40
But that by quick command from fovran Jovena
I was dispatch'd for their defenfe and guard;
And liften why, for I will tell you now
What never yet was heard in tale or song,

From old or modern bard, in hall or bower.

Bacchus, that firft from out the purple grape
Crush'd the sweet poison of mif-ufed wine,
After the Tuscan mariners transform'd,
Coasting the Tyrrhene fhore, as the winds lifted,
On Circe's iland fell: (Who knows not Circe
The daughter of the fun? whose charmed cup
Whoever tafted, loft his upright shape,

And downward fell into a groveling fwine)

45

50

1

This Nymph that gaz'd upon his cluftring locks,
With ivy berries wreath'd, and his blithe youth, 55
Had by him, ere he parted thence, a fon
Much like his father, but his mother more,

Whom

53. And downward fell into groveling fwine] Pope's expref fion is much fuperior,

Not more amazement feis'd on
Circe's guests
To fee themselves fall endlong
into beafts. Warburton.

54. This Nymph that gaz'd upon &c] Milton by his ufe of the word in this place feems to favour the opinion of Minfhew and thofe ety. mologifts, who derive to gaze from the Greek ayal quar.

57. Much like his father, but bis mother more,] This is faid, becaufe

Whom therefore the brought up, and Comus nam'd,
Who ripe, and frolic of his full grown age,
Roving the Celtic and Iberian fields,

At laft betakes him to this ominous wood,

And in thick fhelter of black fhades imbowr'd

Excels his mother at her mighty art,

Offering to every weary traveller

60

His orient liquor in a crystal glass,

65

To quench the drouth of Phoebus, which as they taste, (For most do tafte through fond intemp'rate thirft) Soon as the potion works, their human count'nance, Th' exprefs refemblance of the Gods, is chang'd Into fome brutish form of wolf, or bear,

70

Or

caufe Milton's Comus like Homer's Circe reprefents all fenfual pleafures, and Bacchus in the Heathen mythology only prefides over that of drinking. Thyer.

58. Whom therefore she brought up, and Comus nam'd, ] This fine was at firft in the Manukript,

Which therefore fhe brought up,

and nam'd him Comus.

60.-the Celtic and Iberian fields,] France and Spain. Thyer.

62. And in thick shelter of black fades In Milton's Ma

65. His orient liquor] That is of an extreme bright and vivid color. Warburton.

67.- through fond] So alter'd in the Manufcript from through weak intemperate thirst.

68. - their human count'nance, Th' express refemblance of the Gads,] The fame thought is again very

Or ounce, or tiger, hog, or bearded goat,

All other parts remaining as they were;

And they, fo perfect is their mifery,

Not once perceive their foul disfigurement,'
Bat boast themselves more comely than before,

And all their friends and native home forget,;
To roll with pleasure in a fenfual fty.

Therefore when any favor'd of high Jove
Chances to pass through this adventrous glade,
Swift as the sparkle of a glancing star

The trees around them all their food produce,

Lotos the name, divine, nectareous juce!

(Thence call'd Lotophagi) which whofo tastes

Pauci quos æquus amavit Jupiter

80. Swift as the Sparkle of a glancing ftar] Minerva in her defcent in the fourth Iliad appear

Infatiate riots in the fweet re-ed to the Grecian hoft like one of

pafts,

Nor other home, nor other care intends,

But quits his houfe, his country, and his friends. Pope.

Or as Mr. Thyer conceives, it might poffibly be fuggefted to Milton by Spenfer in his bower of blifs, where telating how the Palmer reftor'd to human shape those whom Acrafia had changed into beats, he fays, B. 2. Cant. 12. St. 86.

thofe glancing ftars which Homer hath diftinguith'd by its emitting Sparkles in its flight. ver. 75.

Οιον δ' as:ρα ἧκε Keys παις αγκυλομήτεω,

Η ναυτησι τερας με τρατῳ ἀ ρεϊ λαων,

Λαμπρον το δε τέ πολλοί απο σπινθηρες δεν αι

Τῷ εικυι πιξεν επιχθονα Παλ λας Αθή.

Thefe lights were accounted in the Pagan theology the nimbus or glory of fome deity defcending. Servius on Virgil En. V. 693.

et de cœlo lapfa per umbras Stella facem ducens multa cum luce cucurrit.

Nunc theologicam rationem fequitur, [Poeta fcil.] quæ adferit flam. marum quos cernimus tractus, nimbum effe defcendentis numinis.

Η

Calton. 83.- Spun