passage in Puteanus. Quæ mortalium fine voluptate vita? pœna eft. Hanc, fapere conftituifti, fuge; illam carpe, et quem in finem benigna te Natura produxerit COGITA: non ut miferum dura virtute crucies animum, et è felicitatis contubernio proturbes; fed ut mollitie bees, ut fuavitatibus lubentiifque omnibus irriges foveafque, velut tenerrimam brevis vitæ flammam. p. 21. ed. fupr. In the reply of the Lady to Comus there is also some correfpondency to the language of Puteanus : To him that dares Arm his profane tongue with contemptuous words Fain would I fomething fay, yet to what end? Ego tam profani fermonis audaciam nullâ patientiâ digerens, infauftum numen, velut portentum deteftabar. Fuga in mente erat, fed alæ in votis; cùm ecce denfiffimâ nube repente feptus, fublatufque, adfpirante et impellente nefcio quâ aurâ, deferor, Zephyri, an Somni? p. 22. ed fupr. The Lady alfo " goes about to rife," or, wishes to escape, but is prevented by the incantations of Comus. 66 г "It may naturally indeed be fuppofed," fays Mr. Hole," that Milton had perused the description of Comus by Philoftratus, as well as the Dutch author, who evidently borrowed and expanded several of his ideas; but Milton judicoufly avoids fome traits of character, which Puteanus adopts in their full spirit.” REMARKS, &c. p. 238. The defcription of the figure of Comus in Puteanus is entirely taken from Philoftratus, and is introduced as an illustration of Comus's PICTURE, which, among the most famous productions of Painting and Statuary, Puteanus and Aderba behold in the palace of Comus. See pp. 39. 40. ed. fupr. The Comus of Puteanus carries a torch in one hand, and in the other his intoxicating cup. Lævâ facem, dextrâ auratum roridumque Liberi lepôre cornu complexus, identidem libabat. p. 17. ed. fupr. Compare the entry of Milton's Comus and his attendants after verfe 92. Stage-Direction. S Milton, however, in his imitations of Puteanus, has interwoven many new allufions and refined fentiments. Puteanus, it must be acknowledged, is often sprightly as well as poignant. But in HIS COMUS we shall search in vain for the delicacy of expreffion and vigour of fancy, which we find in the COMUS of MILTON. From the indecencies alfo in Puteanus the reader will turn away with difguft; but to the jollities in Milton he can liften "unreproved," See Mr. Warton's note on Coм. v. 58. EDITOR. The learned reader will smile at the farcaftic obfervation of Puteanus on a fashion prevalent among the ladies near two centuries ago, and prevalent in modern days. Veftis fartum in prægnantium farcinam puellæ diftendunt, cùm vix fororiare cœperunt: prævertunt utero nuptias, gravidæ priufquam conceperunt; imò fortaffis gravidæ, quò vitium celent. p. 155, ed. fupr. EDITOR. because his "invitations to pleasure are fo general, that they "excite no diftinct images of corrupt enjoyment, and take no "dangerous hold on the fancy." EDITOR. Dr. Johnson, in his Life of Milton. EDITOR. THE PERSONS. The Attendant Spirit, afterwards in the habit of Thyrfis. Comus with his Crew. The Lady. First Brother. Second Brother. Sabrina the Nymph. The chief Perfons, who prefented, were, The Lord Brackley. Mr. Thomas Egerton his brother. The Lady Alice Egerton. The firft Scene difcovers a wild wood. B The Attendant Spirit defcends or enters.* EFORE the ftarry threshold of Jove's court My mansion is, where those immortal shapes Of bright aereal fpirits live infpher'd * The Attendant Spirit.] The Spirit is called DAEMON in the Cambridge manufcript. This was Platonic. But DAEMON is used for Spirit, and alfo for Angel, in ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA; A. ii. S. iii. Thy DAEMON, that's thy Spirit, which keeps thee, is Where Cefar's is not; but near him thy Angel Becomes a fear. The expreffions, however, are literally from North's Plutarch. See alfo Spenfer's RUINS OF ROME, ft. 27. The Spirit's Prologue, which opens the business of the drama, is introduced after the manner of the Greek Tragedy. He might, however, have avoided any application to an audience, as at v. 43. See, among others, the prologues to the HECUBA, HIPPOLYTUS, and IPнIGENIA IN TAURIS, of Euripides. WARTON. The Prologues to the AMINTA of Taffo, and the PASTOR FIDO of Guarini, are introduced after the fame manner. The Attendant Spirit is alfo called DAEMON in the Afhridge manufcript. EDITOR. v. 3. Of bright aereal Spirits live infpher'd.] In IL PENSEROSO, the fpirit of PLATO was to be unfphered, v. 88. That is, to be called down from the sphere to which it had been allotted, where it had been infphered: the word occurs exactly in the same sense in Drayton, on his Mistress, vol. iv. P. 1352. O rapture great and holy ! In regions high and starry. Compare Shakspeare, TROIL. CRESS. A. i. S. iii. the glorious planet. Sol In noble eminence enthron'd and Spher'd |