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Forget not: in thy book record their groans
Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold
Slain by the bloody Piedmontese that roll'd
Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans
The vales redoubled to the hills, and they

To Heav'n. Their martyr'd blood and ashes sow
O'er all th' Italian fields, where still doth sway
The triple tyrant;' that from these may grow
A hundred fold, who having learn'd thy way
Early may fly the Babylonian woe.*

XIX.

ON HIS BLINDNESS.

WHEN I consider how my light is spent

Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide,
Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest he returning chide;
"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied ?"
I fondly ask: But Patience, to prevent

That murmur, soon replies, "God doth not need
Either man's work, or his own gifts; who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best: his state
Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed,
And post o'er land and ocean without rest;
They also serve who only stand and wait."

great was the terror of the English name-the Protector threatened that his ships should visit Civita Vecchia-that the persecution was stopped, and the surviving inhabitants of the valleys

were restored to their homes and to freedom of worship,

1 The Pope.
2 The Papacy.

XX.

TO MR. LAWRENCE.

LAWRENCE, of virtuous father virtuous son,

Now that the fields are dank, and ways are mire,
Where shall we sometimes meet, and by the fire
Help waste a sullen day, what may be won
From the hard season gaining? Time will run
On smoother, till Favonius re-inspire

The frozen earth, and clothe in fresh attire
The lily and rose, that neither sow'd nor spun.
What neat repast shall feast us, light and choice,

Of Attic taste, with wine, whence we may rise
To hear the lute well touch'd, or artful voice
Warble immortal notes and Tuscan air?
He who of those delights can judge, and spare
To interpose them oft, is not unwise.

XXI.

TO CYRIAC SKINNER.

3

CYRIAC, whose grandsire on the royal bench
Of British Themis, with no mean applause
Pronounced and in his volumes taught our laws,
Which others at their bar so often wrench;
To-day deep thoughts resolve with me to drench
In mirth, that after no repenting draws;
Let Euclid rest and Archimedes pause,
And what the Swede

intends, and what the French.

1 Son of Henry Lawrence, Member for Hertfordshire, who was active in settling the Protectorate on Cromwell. Milton's friend was the author of a work called "Of our Communion and Warre with Angels," &c., 1646. 4to.-TODD.

The West Wind.

3 Lord Coke. Cyriac Skinner was the son of William Skinner and Bridget.

daughter of Lord Coke. He had been a pupil of Milton's, and was one of the principal members of Harrington's Pofitical Club.

Charles Gustavus, King of Sweden, was then at war with Poland, and the French were fighting the Spaniards in the Netherlands,

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To measure life learn thou betimes, and know
Toward solid good what leads the nearest way;
For other things mild Heav'n a time ordains,
And disapproves that care, though wise in show,
That with superfluous burden loads the day,
And, when GOD sends a cheerful hour, refrains,

XXIL

TO THE SAME.

CYRIAC, this three years day these eyes, though clear,
To outward view, of blemish or of spot,
Bereft of light their seeing have forgot,
Nor to their idle orbs doth sight appear
Of sun, or moon, or star, throughout the year,
Or man, or woman. Yet I argue not
Against Heav'n's hand or will, nor bate a jot
Of heart or hope; but still bear up and steer
Right onward. What supports me, dost thou ask?
The conscience, Friend, t' have lost them overplied
In liberty's defence,' my noble task,

Of which all Europe talks from side to side.

This thought might lead me thro' the world's vain mask
Content, though blind, had I no better guide.1

But

1 When Milton was engaged to answer Salmasius one of his eyes had nearly lost its sight. The physicians predicted the loss of both, if he used them. Milton told Du Moulin, "I did not long balance whether my duty should be preferred to my eyes."

The celebrated controversy with Salmasius originated thus: Charles II. employed that great scholar to write a

"Defence of Monarchy," and to vindicate his father's memory. Salmasius was the greatest scholar of his age. Grotius alone could compete with him. Selden speaks of him as "most admirable." The Council of the Commonwealth, therefore, did wisely in ordering Milton to answer him. How he did so at the prios of his sight we see abova.

XXIII.

1

ON HIS DECEASED WIFE'

METHOUGHT I Saw my late espoused saint

Brought to me like Alcestis" from the grave,
Whom Jove's great son to her glad husband gave,
Rescued from death by force, though pale and faint.
Mine, as whom wash'd from spot of child-bed taint
Purification in the old law did save;

And such, as yet once more I trust to have
Full sight of her in Heaven without restraint,
Came vested all in white, pure as her mind:
Her face was veil'd, yet to my fancied sight
Love, sweetness, goodness, in her person shined
So clear, as in no face with more delight.

But oh! as to embrace me she inclined,

I waked, she fled, and day brought back my night.

Catherine, the daughter of Captain Woodcock, of Hackney. She died in giving birth to a daughter, a year after her marriage. She was Milton's second wife.

* Alcestis, being told by an oracle that

her husband, Admetus, could never recover from a disease unless a friend died for him, willingly laid down her life for him. Hercules, "Jove's great son," brought her back from hell.

Miscellaneous Poem and Translations.

ON THE NEW FORCERS OF CONSCIENCE UNDER THE LONG PARLIAMENT.

1647.

BECAUSE you have thrown off your prelate lord,
And with stiff vows renounced his liturgy,
To seize the widow'd whore Plurality

From them whose sin ye envied, not abhorr'd,
for this adjure the civil sword

Dare

ye

To force our consciences that Christ set free,
And ride us with a classic hierarchy'

Taught ye by mere A. S.2 and Rotherford ?3
Men whose life, learning, faith, and pure intent
Would have been held in high esteem with Paul,
Must now be named and printed heretics
By shallow Edwards and Scotch what d'ye call:
But we do hope to find out all your tricks,
Your plots and packing worse than those of Trent,
That so the Parliament

May, with their wholesome and preventive shears,
Clip your phylacteries, though bauk your ears,'
And succour our just fears.
When they shall read this clearly in your charge,
New Presbyter is but Old Priest writ large.

In classes, or classical assemblies. The Iresbyterians distributed London into twelve classes; cach chose two ministers and four lay elders to represent them in a Provincial Assembly.

2 Adam Stuart, a Polemical writer of the times, who answered the "Independents' Plea for Toleration."

8 Samuel Rutherford, one of the Chief Commissioners of the Church of Scotland, and an avowed enemy to the Independents, Milton's sect.

Thomas Edwards, who wrote against the Independents.

8

Perhaps George Gillespie, a Scotch writer against the Independents. Milton hated the Scotch, and ridiculed their

names.

• The Council of Trent.

7 Balk, or bauk, is to spare. The meaning is, "Your errors will be cor rected, and your ears spared." Our readers will remember that the Star Chamber had inflicted the cruel punish ment of loss of ears on Prynne.

More tyrannical than of old.

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