Evehitur; præeunt submisso poplite reges,
Et mendicantum series longissima fratrum;
Cereaque in manibus gestant funalia cæci,
Cimmeriis nati in tenebris, vitamque trahentes:
Templa dein multis subeunt lucentia tædis,
(Vesper erat sacer iste Petro) fremitusque canentum
Sæpe tholos implet vacuos, et inane locorum.
Qualiter exululat Bromius, Bromiique caterva,
Orgia cantantes in Echionio Aracyntho,
Dum tremit attonitus vitreis Asopus in undis,
Et procul ipse cava responsat rupe Citharon.

His igitur tandem solenni more peractis,
Nox senis amplexus Erebi taciturna reliquit,
Præcipitesque impellit equos stimulante flagello,
Captum oculis Typhlonta, Melanchætemque ferocem,
Atque Acherontæo prognatam patre Siopen
Torpidam, et hirsutis horrentem Phrica capillis.
Interea regum domitor, Phlegetontius hæres
Ingreditur thalamos, neque enim secretus adulter
Producit steriles molli sine pellice noctes;
At vix compositos somnus claudebat ocellos,
Cum niger umbrarum dominus, rectorque silentum,

60

65

70

75

ley proposes Care. Many of Bentley's emendations are acute: but he did not understand Milton's manner, nor the genius of the English language, or rather the genius of the language of English poetry. Compare Eurip. Ion, v. 1151. Schol. Phœniss. v. 3.

71. Captum oculis Typhlonta, &c.] I believe Milton is the first poet who has given names to the horses of Night. Spenser describes the colour of her four horses, F. Q. i. v. 28. 20.

Prædatorque hominum, falsa sub imagine tectus
Astitit; assumptis micuerunt tempora canis,
Barba sinus promissa tegit, cineracea longo
Syrmate verrit humum vestis, pendetque cucullus
Vertice de raso, et, ne quicquam desit ad artes,
Cannabeo lumbos constrinxit fune salaces,
Tarda fenestratis figens vestigia calceis.
Talis, uti fama est, vasta Franciscus eremo

86. Vasta Franciscus eremo, &c.] Francis Xavier, called the Apostle of the Indians, whom he was sent to convert about the year 1542, by Ignatius Loyola. Among his many pretended miracles it is one, that, during this extraordinary progress, he preached to the lions and other beasts of the wilderness. There is an old print of Saint Francis in a desert taming lions.

But an unknown correspondent has thrown new light on the whole of the context. "The "passage has properly nothing to do with the Jesuit S. Francis "Xavier. The fenestrati calcei are (not torn, or full of holes, "like Shakespeare's loop'd and "window'd raggedness' in K. "Lear, but) the sandals, or soles, "tied on the foot by straps, or

'"c

80

"thongs of leather, crossed, or lattice-wise, which are usually worn by the Franciscan Friars "although they are dechaussez. "These are mentioned by Bu"chanan, as a regular part of "the dress of the Franciscans. «Franciscan. [v. 47. p. 2. edit. "ut supr.]

66

85

-Longo sub syrmate rasum "Cerno caput, tortum funem, latumque galerum,

66

"Atque fenestratum soleas captare "cothurnum.

Again, v. 88.

1

"Consistently with the figure "here described by Milton, the "vasta Franciscus eremo ought "to be the founder of the Order "of friars, S. Francis d'Assise. "And this was certainly his

66

meaning. But although the "last S. Francis wrought many "pretended miracles in the de"serts, and travelled into Syria "to convert the Soldan of Baby"lon, and was at the siege of "Damieta in the crusades, yet "I cannot, with our author, ac66 cuse him of the impiety of con"verting the Lybian lions. So "that at present I am inclined "to conjecture, that Milton, at "the age of seventeen, con

95

Tetra vagabatur solus. per lustra ferarum,
Sylvestrique tulit genti pia verba salutis
Impius, atque lupos domuit, Libycosque leones.
Subdolus at tali Serpens velatus amictu,
Solvit in has fallax ora execrantia voces ;
Dormis nate? Etiamne tuos sopor opprimit artus ?
Immemor, O, fidei, pecorumque oblite tuorum!
Dum cathedram, venerande, tuam, diademaque triplex
Ridet Hyperboreo gens barbara nata sub axe,
Dumque pharetrati spernunt tua jura Britanni :
Surge, age, surge piger, Latius quem Cæsar adorat,
Cui reserata patet convexi janua cœli,
Turgentes animos, et fastus frange procaces,
Sacrilegique sciant, tua quid maledictio possit,
Et quid Apostolicæ possit custodia clavis
Et memor Hesperia disjectam ulciscere classem,
Mersaque Iberorum lato vexilla profundo,
Sanctorumque cruci tot corpora fixa probrosa,
Thermodoontea nuper regnante puella.

90

100

105

"founded the actions of the two "synonimous Saints, and attri"buted the wonders of S. Fran"cis Xavier to the Founder of "the Franciscans."

At tu si tenero mavis torpescere lecto,
Crescentesque negas hosti contundere vires;
Tyrrhenum implebit numeroso milite pontum,
Signaque Aventino ponet fulgentia colle ::
Relliquias veterum franget, flammisque cremabit; 110
Sacraque calcabit pedibus tua colla profanis,
Cujus gaudebant soleis dare basia reges.

Nec tamen hunc bellis et aperto Marte lacesses,
Irritus ille labor; tu callidus utere fraude:
Quælibet hæreticis disponere retia fas est.
Jamque ad consilium extremis rex magnus ab oris
Patricios vocat, et procerum de stirpe creatos,
Grandævosque patres trabea, canisque verendos ;
Hos tu membratim poteris conspergere in auras,
Atque dare in cineres, nitrati pulveris igne
Edibus injecto, qua convenere, sub imis.
Protinus ipse igitur quoscunque habet Anglia fidos
Propositi, factique, mone: quisquamne tuorum
Audebit summi non jussa facessere Papæ ?
Perculsosque metu subito, casuque stupentes,
Invadat vel Gallus atrox, vel sævus Iberus.
Sæcula sic illic tandem Mariana redibunt,
Tuque in belligeros iterum dominaberis Anglos.
Et, nequid timeas, divos divasque secundas
Accipe, quotque tuis celebrantur numina fastis.
Dixit, et adscitos ponens malefidus amictus,
Fugit ad infandam, regnum illætabile, Lethen.
Jam rosea Eoas pandens Tithonia portas,

nante puella.] The amazon, Queen Elizabeth. She is admirably characterised. Audetque viris concurrere virgo. Ovid has

115

120

125

130

Thermodontiacus, Metam. ix. 189.
And Thermodoontiacus, xii. 611.

127. The times of Queen Mary, when popery was restored.

Vestit inauratas redeunti lumine terras;
Mœstaque adhuc nigri deplorans funera nati,
Irrigat ambrosiis montana cacumina guttis :
Cum somnos pepulit stellatæ janitor aulæ,
Nocturnos visus, et somnia grata revolvens.

Est locus æterna septus caligine noctis,
Vasta ruinosi quondam fundamina tecti,
Nunc torvi spelunca Phoni, Prodotæque bilinguis,
Effera quos uno peperit Discordia partu.
Hic inter cæmenta jacent, præruptaque saxa,
Ossa inhumata virum, et trajecta cadavera ferro;
Hic Dolus intortis semper sedet ater ocellis,
Jurgiaque, et stimulis armata Calumnia fauces,
Et Furor, atque viæ moriendi mille videntur,
Et Timor, exanguisque locum circumvolat Horror ;
Perpetuoque leves per muta silentia Manes
Exululant, tellus et sanguine conscia stagnat.
Ipsi etiam pavidi latitant penetralibus antri

135

140

145

150

with its inhabitants is finely imaged, and in the style of Spen

ser.

148.exanguisque locum circumvolat Horror ;] Spenser, having described the personages that sate by the side of the high-way leading to hell, adds this image to complete the dreadful group. F. Q. ii. vii. 2.

And over them sad Horror with grim

hew

Did alwaies soar, beating his iron winges.

Horror is personified in Par. Lost, b. iv. 989. in the figure of Satan.

His stature reach'd the sky, and on
his crest
Sat horror plum'd.