His parting, though awhile our sorrow flows, Then was the drama ended. Not till then, -When by a good man's grave I muse alone, Like those of old, on that thrice-hallowed night, To us how silent-though like ours perchance Where some the paths of Wealth and Power pursue, Of Pleasure some, of Happiness a few; And, as the sun goes round-a sun not ours While from her lap another Nature showers Gifts of her own, some from the crowd retire, NOTES. P. 80, 1. 8. Stand still to gaze, See the Iliad, l. xviii. v. 496. P. 82, 1. 17. Our pathway leads but to a precipice; See BOSSUET, Sermon sur la Résurrection. P. 83, 1. 4. We fly; no resting for the foot we find; "I have considered," says Solomon, "all the works that are under the sun; and behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit." But who believes it, till death tells it us? It is death alone that can suddenly make man to know himself. He tells the proud and insolent, that they are but abjects, and humbles them at the instant. He takes the account of the rich man, and proves him a beggar, a naked beggar. He holds a glass before the eyes of the most beautiful, and makes them see therein their deformity; and they acknowledge it. O eloquent, just, and mighty Death! whom none could advise, thou hast persuaded; what none have dared, thou hast done; and whom all the world have flattered, thou only hast cast out and despised: thou hast drawn together all the far-stretched greatness, all the pride, cruelty, and ambition of man, and covered it all over with these two narrow words, Hic jacet.-RALEIGH. P. 83, 1. 13. Now, seraph-winged, among the stars we soar; Inconceivable are the limits to our progress in Science. "A point that yesterday was invisible, is our goal to-day, and will be our starting-post to-morrow." P. 83, 1. 19. Through the dim curtains of Futurity. Fancy can hardly forbear to conjecture with what temper Milton surveyed the silent progress of his work, and marked his reputation stealing its way in a kind of subterraneous current through fear and silence. I cannot but conceive him calm and confident, little disappointed, not at all dejected, relying on his own merit with steady consciousness, and waiting, without impatience, the vicissitudes of opinion, and the impartiality of a future generation.-JOHNSON. After line 19, in the MS. O'er place and time we triumph; on we go, And why the heart beats on, or how the brain P. 83, 1. 22. Behold him now unbar the prison-door, An allusion to John Howard. "Wherever he came, in whatever country, the prisons and hospitals were thrown open to him as to the general Censor. Such is the force of pure and exalted virtue !" P. 84, 1. 6. Long with his friend in generous enmity, Aristotle's definition of Friendship, "one soul in two bodies," is well exemplified by some ancient Author in a dialogue between Ajax and Achilles. "Of all the wounds you ever received in battle," says Ajax, "which was the most painful to you?""That which I received from Hector," replies Achilles.- "But Hector never gave you a wound?". 66 Yes, and a mortal one; when he slew my friend, Patroclus." P. 84, 1. 8. Do what he will, &c. These ideas, whence are they derived; or as Plato would have expressed himself, where were they acquired? There could not be a better argument for his doctrine of a pre-existent state. |