recent date. But Milton has been of late fo afectionately ftudied, that it were unneceffary, to accumulate paffages, of which the spirit has been caught from his impreffive poetry.

COMUS has not yet appeared tranflated into a foreign language. Other parts of Milton's poetical works have exercised the ingenuity of various learned men, in Greek, Latin, Italian, French, Dutch, and Portuguese translations. The celebrated Mr. Berkeley, afterwards bishop of Cloyne, had been informed in 1714, that, at Florence, Milton was then tranflated into Italian verse. He communicated this agreeable intelligence to Pope. The younger Richardfon had alfo feen at Florence an Italian tranflation of PARADISE Lost in manuscript by the Abbé Salvini, who, in 1725, published in 4to an Italian verfion of Addifon's Cato. Whether this might be the translation of which information had been given to Mr. Berkeley, or whether a tranflation of Milton's other Poems alfo had been made, cannot now be, known. However, PARADISE LOST alone has been published in Italian, firft by Rolli in 1735, and lately by a far more masterly tranflator, Mariottini. But with regard to CoмUS; I have found in a collection of ingenious Latin exercises the Song to Echo, and the Invocation of Sabrina, trans

* In Latin, Italian, French, Dutch, and Portuguese, PARADISE LOST: In Latin and Portuguese, PARADISE REGAINED: In Latin and Greek, SAMSON AGONISTES.

* Memoirs of Bishop Berkeley, 2d edit. p. 54. y Dr. Newton's Life of Milton.

lated, or rather paraphrafed, with fo much neatnefs, that I gratefully prefent them to the recollection of the learned reader.2

It was not till late in the prefent century, that COMUS emerged from the obfcurity in which it had long been buried. The praise bestowed by Toland on this Poem, in his Life of Milton prefixed to an edition of the PROSE-WORKS in 1698, does not appear to have excited a minuter examination of its beauties. But this will not be thought furprifing, when the pen even of Addison

z Carmina Quadragefimalia, Oxon. 1748. vol. ii. pp. 25, 73. An Aer fit foni Vehiculum? AffTM•

BLANDA ECHO, nemorum cultrix, gratiffima Nympha,
Nympha, latens refono non adeunda specu:

Quà violis pictas valles, et florea rura

Mæander tacitis mordet amænus aquis :

Quà tibi nocturnas iterans Philomela querelas,
Infelix mater, flebile, dulce canit:

Dic, ubi Pyrrha latet, greffufque fatigat amantis,
Fallere folicitos ingeniofa procos?

O fi quà gelido tecum ceffavit in antro,

Aut temerè in molli feffa reclinat humo;
Sis præfens, Nympha, et durum miserata laborem
Sufpenfos placidâ dirige voce pedes.

Sic afcripta choris Superûm, et decus addita Divis,
Cæleftes referas gratius ore fonos.

An Simile agat in Simile? AffTM•

Huc, DEA, quæ vitreo fluvii fecreta receffu
Innectis paffæ lilia torta comæ,

Huc, SABRINA, veni; per Nerei fceptra vetufta
Oro, per immenfi numina magna maris,
Huc, SABRINA, veni: faveat Neptunia conjux
Sic tibi, fic puro flumine rura feces.
Quín age, gemmanti rivos præiabere curru;
Quin propter falices hîc, Dea, fifte rotas.
Si tibi Naiadum caftæ placuere choreæ,
Si mentem tangit Virginitatis honos;
Huc intacta feras celerem per gramina plantam,
Huc, orante piâ virgine, Virgo, veni.

failed to make L'ALLEGRO generally known. It fhould be added, that the tribute paid to L'ALLEGRO, in the Spectator, had been preceded by a commendation of COMUS, in the Tatler; a commendation obviously refulting from that important truth, fo peculiarly applicable to the Poem, THAT VIRTUE SINKS DEEPEST INTO THE HEART OF MAN, WHEN IT COMES RÉCOMMENDED BY THE POWERFUL CHARMS OF POETRY: This indeed was the fublime effect intended by the author of COMUs, and is a peculiar illuftration of his exalted refolution to "teach

66

over the whole book of fanctity and virtue,

through all the inftances of example, with fuch delight to those, especially of foft and delicious "temper, who will not fo much as look upon "Truth herself, unless they fee her elegantly dreft; "that whereas the paths of honefty and good life

appear now fugged and difficult, though they "be indeed eafy and pleafant, they would then appear to all men both easy and pleasant, though "they were rugged and difficult indeed. And "what a benefit this would be to our Youth "and Gentry, may be foon gueffed by what we "know of the corruption and bane which they "fuck in daily from the writings and interludes

a Mr. Warton's Preface.

b No. 249. Dec. 15, 171 L. Addison's opinion of COMUS may be seen in a fucceeding Note, Part.i. p. 52.

• No. 98. Nov. 24, 1709.

d See his PROSE-WORKS, " Reason of Church-Government," B. ii.

**

"MAIN

"of libidinous and ignorant poetafters, who, hav"ing scarce ever heard of THAT WHICH IS THE CONSISTENCE OF A TRUE POEM, the "choice of fuch perfons as they ought to in"troduce, and what is moral and decent to "each one, do for the most part lap up vicious "principles in fweet pills to be swallowed down, "and make the tafte of virtuous documents harsh "and four.""

At length, in 1738, doctor Dalton adapted COMUS to theatric exhibition, or, to ufe his own words, "f gave Milton's beauties to the public "eye." Nor did he call on a difcerning audience in vain " to vindicate neglected worth." COMUS now grew popular as a poem: And, in proportion to the progrefs of tafte and knowledge, the admiration, which it deferves and commands, has fince undoubtedly increased.

h

But I hasten to speak of the Preliminary Illus trations. By the help of fome valuable materials, I have drawn up new accounts of Ludlow Castle,

The paffage, quoted above, is not only a fine example of rhythmical conftruction, but is also a beautiful parody of Tafso's address to the heavenly Mufe, GIER. LIB. C. i. ft. iii.

f

Sai, che là corre il mondo, ove più versi
Di fue dolcezze il lufinghier Parnafo;

E che 'l vero condito in molli verfi,
I più schivi allettando hà perfuafo.
Così à l'egro fanciul porgiamo aspersi
Di foavi licor gli orli del vafo,
Succhi amari, ingannato intanto ei beve,
E da l'inganno fuo vita riceve.

Prologue.

• Ibid.

and of the Earl of Bridgewater, and his family; the place, and the perfons, more peculiarly connected with the Mask. To Mr. Warton's memoir of Henry Lawes, who performed the part of the Spirit, and who fet the fongs to mufic, I have been enabled to add much information relating both to the mufic, and to the compofer. And, laftly, I have augmented Mr. Warton's account of the Origin of Comus with notes, and with fupplementary conjectures.

i

To the Poem are fubjoined two Appendixes, and an Account of Editions: the first Appendix contains Mr. Warton's collation of the manufcript in Milton's own hand-writing, preferved in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge; the fecond, a Copy of the Mask belonging to his Grace the Duke of Bridgewater's Library at Afhridge, with the ufe of which, as well as of several scarce books from the fame fine collection, I have been favoured by the Reverend Francis Henry Egerton; to whom indeed my obligations are so numerous, that it may be difficult for me to acknowledge them with exact nefs. I have been indebted to his continued attention in honouring me with various obfervations, the value of which is furpaffed only by the liberality with which they were offered. And further, through his interest or fuggeftion, have been obtained the important remarks of Lord Monboddo on the Poem, the