What to the smallest tittle thou shalt say Into the world to teach his final will, 430 455 460 And sends his Spirit of Truth henceforth to dwell In pious hearts, and inward oracle To all truth requisite for men to know. So spake our Saviour; but the subtle fiend, 465 Though inly stung with anger and disdain, Dissembled, and this answer smooth return'd. Sharply thou hast insisted on rebuke, 470 And urg❜d me hard with doings, which not will, 456 ceas'd] Juv. Sat. vi. 554. VOL. II. Delphis oracula cessant. Dunster. X Hard are the ways of truth, and rough to walk, Smooth on the tongue discours'd, pleasing to th' ear, And tuneable as sylvan pipe or song; What wonder then if I delight to hear 480 Her dictates from thy mouth? most men admire Virtue, who follow not her lore: permit me To hear thee when I come, since no man comes, And talk at least, though I despair to attain. 485 To whom our Saviour with unalter'd brow. His gray dissimulation, disappear'd 478 Hard] Sil. Ital. iv. 605. perque aspera duro Nititur ad laudem virtus interrita clivo.' 490 435 Dunster. 487 atheous] Cicero, speaking of Diagoras, Atheos qui dictus est.' De Nat. D. i. 23. in old English. Dunster. Todd. 'Atheal' is not uncommon 498 gray dissimulation] See Ford's Broken Heart; ed. Weber, p. 304. 'Lay by thy whining gray dissimulation.' 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. 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 Εσπερίη μετὰ δόρπον ὀρειάδι κάππεσον ἐυνῇ. 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 308 PARADISE REGAINED. BOOK II. MEANWHILE the new-baptiz'd, who yet remain'd 5 10 And on that high authority had believ'd, 15 6 mean] See this expression in Harington's Ariosto, xxxi. 46. I mean Renaldo's House of Montalbane,' and st. 55. I mean the cruel Pagan Rodomont.' Newton. 13 shown] Virg. Æn. vi. 870. 'Ostendent terris hunc tantum fata.' Sought lost Elijah, so in each place these The city of palms, Enon, and Salem old, Then on the bank of Jordan, by a creek, 20 25 Where winds with reeds and osiers whisp'ring play, Their unexpected loss and plaints out breath'd. 23 broad] 30 35 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: 'Or whistling reeds, that rutty Jordan laves.' A. Dyce. 27 no 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. |