IO

Quando rugge

il gran mondo, e scocca il tuono, S'arma di se, e d'intero diamante, Tanto del forse, e d'invidia ficuro,

Di timori, e speranze al popol use
Quanto d'ingegno, e d'alto valor

vago, E di cetta fonora, e delle muse:

Sol troverete in tal parte men duro
Ove Amor mise l'infanabil ago.

VII.
* On his being arriv'd to the

age
of

23. How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of ycuth,

Stoln

more

66

“ the moon on Latmus hill; yet“ that shall, as of him that never

consider, that if it were no more « shall obtain it (if this be altoye" but this, to overcome this, there “ ther bad) which would quickly " is on the other side both ill" oversway this flegm and melan

bewitchful to entice away, choly of bashfulness, or that " and natural years more sway- “ other humor, and prevail with

ing, and good more available “ me to prefer a life, that had at

to withdraw to that which you o least some credit in it, fome “ with me; as first all the fond place given it, before a manner

Stoln on his wing my three and twentieth yeag!
My hasting days fly on with full carreer,
But

my late spring no bud or blossom Thew'th. Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth,

5 That I to manhood am arriv'd so

near, And inward ripeness doth much less appear, That some more timely-happy spirits indu'th.,

Yet

“ wasting youth would presently“ aess in me, I am the bolder to o « bethink her of, and kill one love “ send you some of my nightward “ with another, if that were all. “ thoughts some while since, fince “ But what delight or what pecu- “ they come in fitly, in a Petraros liar conceit, may you in charity“ chian ftanza. o think, could hold out against

« How soon hath Time &c. " the long knowledge of a contrary « command from above, and the The latter draught is as follows. os terrible seisure of him that hid his or talent? Therefore commit grace

SIR, « to grace, or nature to nature, or there will be found on the other “ Besides that in sundry other

way more obvious temptations “ respects I must acknowledge me sto bad, as gain, preferment, am- " to profit by you whenever we “ bition, more winning present. “ meet, you are often to me, and « ments of good, and more prone “ were yesterday especially, as a os affections of nature to incline and “ good watchman to admonish that

dispose, not counting outward “ the hours of the night pass on • causes, as expectations and mur. “ (for fo I call my life as yet ob.

murs of friends, scandals taken, “ scure and unserviceable to man" and such like, than the bare love kind) and that the day with me r of notions could refift. So that “ is at hand, wherein Christ como if it be that which you suppose, - mands all to labor while there is “ it had by this been round about '" light: which because I am per“ begirt and overmaster'd, whe- “ suaded you do to no other pur" ther it had proceeded from vir- “ pose, than out of a true desire

tue, vice, or nature in me. Yet " that God should be honord in “ that you may see that I am some “ every one, I therefore think my“ time suspicious of myself, and do “ self bound, though unalk'd, to “ take notice of a certain belated. “ give you account, as oft as oc

66

“ casion

IO

Yet be it less or more, or foon or slow,

It shall be still in strictest measure even
To that same lot, however mean or high,
Toward which Timę leads me, and the will of

Heaven;
All is, if I have grace to use it so,
As ever in my great Talk-Master's eye.

When

66

have

* cafion is, of this my tardy mov. “ unprofitable, sin of curiosity " "ing, according to the precept of “ should be able to withhold me,

my conscience, which I firmly '" whereby a man cuts himself off “ trúft is not without God. Yet « from all action, and becomes the "now I will not strain for any fèt “ most helpless, pufillanimous, and apology, but only refer myself '“ unweapon'd creature in the to what my mind shall have at '" world, the most unfit and unable any time to declare herself at her * to do that which all mortals 'moft " beft ease. But if you' think, as aspire to either to be useful to you said, that too much love of “ his friends, or to offend his enelearning is in fault, and that I'“ mies. Or if it be to be thought given up myself to dream '66

a natural proneness, there is aaway my years in the arms of "

gainst that a much more potent " Audious retirement, like Endy- *“ inclination inbred, which about "mion with the moon as the tale -"this time of life folicits moft, the "Of Låtmus' goes ; 'yet consider '" defire of house and family of his " that if it were no more but the own, to which nothing is esteem

mêre love of learning, whether “” ed more helpful than the early "it proceed from a principle bad,“ entring into credible' employgood, or natural, it could not ment, and nothing more hinderhave held out thus long against ing than this affected folitariness. as lo ftrong opposition on the other" And though this were enough, , fide of every kind; for if it be

yet there is to this another act, if bad, why should not all the fond not of pure, yet of refin'd nahopes that forward youth and ture no less available to dissuade vanity are fledge with, together" prolonged obfcurity, a defire of

gain, pride, and ambition, “ honor and repute and immortal call me forward more power

os fame feated in the breast of every fully, than a poor regardless and “true scholar, which all make

with

VIII.

* When the assault was intended to the City.

Captain or Colonel, or Knight in arms, ,

Whose chance on these defenseless doors may feise,
If deed of honor did thee ever please,
Guard them, and him within protect from harms.

He

66

“ haste to by the readiest ways of “ how best to undergo; not taking “ publishing and divulging con- “ thought of being late, so it give o ceived merits, as well those that “ advantage to be more fit; for or shall, as those that never shall “ those that were latest loft no66 obtain it. Nature therefore “thing, when the master of the “ would presently work the more “ vineyard came to give each one “ prevalent way, if there were “ his hire. And here I am come to

nothing but this inferior bent of “ a stream-head copious enough to “ herself to restrain her. Lastly “ disburden itself like Nilus at se“ the love of learning, as it is the “ ven mouths into an ocean; but

pursuit of something good, it “ then I should also run into a reor would sooner follow the more ciprocal contradiction of ebbing “ excellent and fupreme good “ and flowing at once, and do that “ known and presented, and lo be " which I excuse myself for not do“ quickly diverted from the empty “ ing, preach and not preach. Yet " and fantastic chase of shadows “ that you may see that I am fome“ and notions to the solid good “thing suspicious of myself, and

flowing from due and timely“ do take notice of a certain be" obedience to that command in “ latedness in me, I am the bolder “ the Gospel set out by the terrible “ to send you some of my night

seising of him that hid the talent. “ward thoughts some while since, “ It is more probable therefore “ because they come in not altoge“ that not the endless delight of “ther unfitly, made up in a Pe.

speculation, but this very confi- “ trarchian stanza, which I told “ deration of that great command

ment, does not press forward, as “ soon as many do, to undergo,

" How soon hath Time &c. “ but keeps off with a sacred reve- By this I believe you may

well rence and religious advisement

repent of having made mention

66

66

you of.

a

He can requite thee, for he knows the charms

5 That call fame on such gentle acts as these, And he can spread thy name o'er lands and seas,

Whatever clime the sun's bright circle warms.
Lift not thy spear against the Muses bow'r:
The great Emathian
conqueror

10 The house of Pindarus, when temple' and tow'r

Went

bid spare

a

a

at all of this matter, for if I have tended to the City. The date was

not all this while won you to also added 1642, but blotted out " this, I have certainly wearied again : and it was in November

you of it. This therefore alone 1642 that the King marched with may

be a sufficient reason for me his army as near as Brentford, and « to keep me as I am, left having put the city in great confternation, " thus tired you fingly, I should Milton was then in his 34th year. " deal worse with a whole congre"gation, and spoil all the patience 3. If deed of honor did thee ever “ of a parish : for I myself do not please,] So this verse is printed

only fee my own tediousness, but in the second edition in the year now grow

offended with it, that 1673. In the first edition of 1645, « has hinder'd me thus long from and in the Manuscript it stands

coming to the last and best pe- thus, “ riod of my letter, and that which

If ever deed of honor did thee “ must now chiefly work my par

please. “ don, that I am

great
Emathian

conqueror Your true and unfeigned friend.” &c] When Alexander the great

took Thebes, and entirely ras', the * To this sonnet we have pre- rest of the city, he order'd the fixed the title, which the author house of Pindar to be preserv'd out himself has in the Manuscript. In of regard to his memory: and the the Manuscript this sonnet was ruins of Pindar's house were to be written by another hand, and had seen at Thebes, in Pausanias's this title On his door when the City time, who lived under Antoninus expected an assault: but this he the philosopher. See Pausan. Bæot. scratched out, and wrote with his cap. 25. Edit. Kuhnii. own hand When the af'ault was in-' Vol. II.

Q

10. The