JOANNI MILTONI LONDINENSI. Juveni patria, virtutibus eximio, VIRO qui multa peregrinatione, studio cuncta orbis terrarum loca perspexit, ut novus Ulysses omnia ubique ab omnibus apprehenderet: Polyglotto, in cujus ore linguæ jam deperditæ sic reviviscunt, ut idiomata omnia sint in ejus laudibus infacunda; et jure ea percallet, ut admirationes et plausus populorum ab propria sapientia excitatos intelligat : Illi, cujus animi dotes corporisque sensus ad admirationem commovent, et per ipsam motum cuique auferunt; cujus opera ad plausus hortantur, sed venustate vocem laudatoribus adimunt: Cui in memoria totus orbis; in intellectu sapientia; in voluntate ardor gloriæ; in ore eloquentia; harmonicos cœlestium sphærarum sonitus astronomia duce audienti; characteres mirabilium naturæ, per quos Dei magnitudo describitur, magistra philosophia legenti; antiquitatum latebras, vetustatis excidia, eruditionis ambages, comite assidua autorum lectione, Exquirenti, restauranti, percurrenti : Illi in cujus virtutibus evulgandis ora Famæ non sufficiant, nec hominum stupor in laudandis satis est, reverentiæ et amoris ergo hoc ejus meritis debitum admirationis tributum offert CAROLUS DATUS, Patricius Florentinus, Tanto homini servus, tantæ virtutis amator. ELEGIARUM LIBER. ELEG. I. AD CAROLUM DEODATUM. TANDEM, chare, tuæ mihi pervenere tabellæ, 4 10 Vergivium] Drayton's Polyolb. s. i. p. 656, vol. ii. these rough Vergivian seas.' The Irish sea. Warton. reflua] Buchanan's Ps. xcvii. 3. Quas vagus oceanus refluis complectitur undis.' Todd. Lucan. Phars. vi. 810. · Quem Tibridis abluat unda.' Tibull. iii. 5. Lotichii El. i. 1. Me tenet hiberno sub sidere Monalis Ursæ.' Sannazar. lib. i. El. i. Cæteraque ingenio non subeunda meo. Non ego vel profugi nomen sortemve recuso, O utinam vates nunquam graviora tulisset 20 Non tunc Ionio quicquam cessisset Homero, Detonat inculto barbara verba foro; Sæpe novos illic virgo mirata calores 35 Quid sit amor nescit, dum quoque nescit, amat. Sive cruentatum furiosa Tragoedia sceptrum Quassat, et effusis crinibus ora rotat; Et dolet, et specto, juvat et spectasse dolendo, Interdum et lacrymis dulcis amaror inest ; 40 17 hoc] No authority for 'hoc' being short. Neve] Tickell and Fenton read Victorive foret.' Todd. 28 garrula] The vowel made short before sc. 32 barbara] He probably means the play of Ignoramus.' Warton. Seu puer infelix indelibata reliquit Gaudia, et abrupto flendus amore cadit; Nos quoque lucus habet vicina consitus ulmo, Virgineos videas præteriisse choros. Ah quoties dignæ stupui miracula formæ, Atque faces, quotquot volvit uterque polus ; 45 50 55 41 puer] 'Puer infelix' is perhaps Shakespeare's 'Romeo.' The ferus ultor,' either Hamlet,' or 'Richard the Third.' Warton. 14 torre] The allusion is to Ate in the old play of 'Locrine. Steevens. 49 uimo] The gods had their favorite trees. So had the poets. Milton's is the elm. See L'Allegro, 57. Arcades, 89. Comus. 354. Ep. Dam. 15, 49. P. L. v. 216. and Prolus. (Prose Works, ii. 569) Testor ipse iucos, et flumina, et auectas villarum ulmos.' Wiarton. 53 stupui] This change from the plural (nos quoque) to the singular, and contrarywise, is authorised by the usage of the Latin poets. 58 Quæque] Consult Warton's note on this passage, the structure of which he illustrates by Virg. Æn. i. 573. Ter. Eun. iv. 3. 11. Et decus eximium frontis, tremulosque capillos, 60 65 70 Et quot Susa colunt, Memnoniamque Ninon; Vos etiam Danaæ fasces submittite Nymphæ, Et vos Iliacæ, Romuleæque nurus: Nec Pompeianas Tarpeïa Musa columnas Jactet, et Ausoniis plena theatra stolis. Gloria Virginibus debetur prima Britannis, Extera sat tibi sit fœmina posse sequi. Tuque urbs Dardaniis, Londinum, structa colonis, Turrigerum late conspicienda caput, Tu nimium felix intra tua moenia claudis 7K 80 Quicquid formosi pendulus orbis habet. Non tibi tot cœlo scintillant astra sereno, Endymioneæ turba ministra deæ, Quot tibi, conspicua formaque auroque, puellæ Per medias radiant turba videnda vias. Creditur huc geminis venisse invecta columbis Alma pharetrigero milite cincta Venus, Huic Cnidon, et riguas Simoentis flumine valles, Huic Paphon, et roseam posthabitura Cypron. Ast ego, dum pueri sinit indulgentia cæci, 69 Pompeianas] Propert. ii. 32. 11. 83 'Scilicet umbrosis sordet Pompeia columnis.' Warton. 78 Endymionea] Grotii Silv. iii. Ep. 3. 'Endymioneas invadit Cynthia noctes.' Todd. |