Interea fidi parvum cape munus amici, ELEG. II. Anno ætatis 17. In obitum Præconis Academici Cantabrigienfis.† TE E, qui confpicuus baculo fulgente folebas 5 The learned Lord Monboddo pronounces this Elegy to be equal to any thing of the “ elegiac kind, to be found in Ovid, or even in Tibullus." Ubi fupr. B. iv. p. ii. vol. iii. p. 69. The perfon here commemorated, is Richard Ridding, one of the Univerfity-Beadles, and a Mafter of Arts of Saint John's college, Cambridge. He figned a teftamentary Codicil, Sept. 23, 1626, proved the eighth day of November following. From REGISTR. TESTAM. Cantabr. 2. It was a custom at Cambridge, lately difufed, for one of the beadles to make proclamation of convocations in every college. This is ftill in Ufe at Oxford. See ODE on Goflyn, v. 33. 5. Candidiora licet, &c.] Ovid, TRIST. iv. viii. 1. Jam mea cygneas imitantur tempora plumas. 6. Sub quibus accipimus delituille Jovem.] Ovid, EPIST. HE ROID. Viii. 68. Non ego fluminei referam mendacia cygni, Nec querar in PLUMIS DELITUISSE JOVEM, Hamonio juvenefcere fucco, &c.] See Ovid, METAM. Illic HÆMONIA radices valle refectas, Seminaque, florefque, et succos incoquit acres. And compare, below, MANS. v. 75. Dignus quem Stygiis medica revocaret ab undis Et celer a Phœbo nuntius ire tuo, Alipes, ætherea miffus ab arce Patris. Talis et Eurybates ante ora furentis Achillei 10 15 20 10. Arte Coronides, fepe rogante dea.] Coronides is Æfculapius, the fon of Apollo by Coronis. See Ovid, METAM. XV. 624. But the particular allufion is here to Æfculapius reftoring Hyppolytus to life, at the requeft of Diana. FAST. vi. 745. feq. Where he is called Coronides. The name alfo occurs in Ovid's IBIS, v. 407. 12. These allufions are proofs of our author's early familiarity with Homer. 17. Magna fepulchrorum regina.-] A fublime poetical appellation for Death: and much in the manner of his English poetry. *This Elegy, with the next on the death of bishop Andrewes, the Odes on the death of Profeffor Goflyn and bishop Felton, and the Poem on the Fifth of November, are very correct and manly performances for a boy of feventeen. This was our author's firit year at Cambridge. They discover a great fund and command of antient literature. ELEG. ELEG. III. Anno ætatis 17. In obitum Prafulis Wintonienfis.* Oeftus eram, et tacitus nullo comitante fe Modebam, Hærebantque animo triftia plura meo, Protinus en fubiit funeftæ cladis imago Fecit in Angliaco quam Libitina solo; Dum procerum ingreffa eft fplendentes marmore turres, Dira fepulchrali mors metuenda face; 5 Lancelot Andrewes, bishop of Winchefter, had been originally Master of Pembroke-Hall in Cambridge; but long before Milton's time. He died at Winchefter-Houfe in Southwark, Sept. 26, 1626. See the laft Note. It is a great conceffion, that he compliments bishop Andrewes, in his CHURRH-GOVERN M. B. i. iii. "But others better ad"vised are content to receive their beginning [the bishops] from "Aaron and his fons among whom bishop ANDREWES of late years, and in these times [Usher] the primate of Armagh, for "their LEARNING are reputed the BEST ABLE to fay what may "be faid in their opinion." This piece was written 1641. PROSEWORKS, Vol. i. 45. But fee their arguments anfwered, as he pretends, ibid. ch. v. p. 47. feq. 4. Fecit in Angliaco quam Libitina folo.] A very fevere plague now raged in London and the neighbourhood, of which 35417 perfons are faid to have died. See Whitelock's MEм. p. 2. and Rushworth, COLL. vol. 1. p. 175. 201. Milton alludes to the fame peftilence, in an Ode written in the fame year, ON THE DEATH OF A FAIR INFANT, V. 67. To turn fwift-rushing black Perdition hence, Or drive away the flaughtering PESTILENCE. 5. Dum procerum ingreffa eft fplendentes marmore turres, &c.] Thefe lines remind me of the following in Wilfon's Collection of Verses, called VITA ET OBITUS FRATRUM SUFFOLCIENSIUM, made and printed in the year 1552. 4to. Signat. F. i. They are in Reniger's Copy. I have fill more pleafure in tranffcribing them, as they fhew, with a minuteness and particularity VOL. I. Iii not Pulfavitque auro gravidos et jafpide muros, E memini Heroum quos vidit ad æthera raptos, ΙΟ 15 not elsewhere to be found, the ftyle of the architecture of the great houfes about that time. Death is the perfon. Again, Illa lacunatis operofa palatia tectis Intrat. Nunc tacito penetrat laqucata palatia gressu, Nec metuit bifores portas, valvas bipatentes, 9. Tunc memini clarique ducis, &c.] I am kindly informed by fir David Dalrymple, "The two Generals here mentioned, who died in 1626, were the two champions of the queen of Bohemia, "the Duke of Brunswick, and Count Mansfelt: FRATER means' "a Sworn Brother in arms, according to the military cant of thofe days. The Queen's, or the Palatine, cause was supported "by the German princes, who were heroes of Romance, and the " last of that race in that country. The proteftant religion, and "chivalry, must have interested Milton in this cause. The next couplet reípects the death of Henry Earl of Oxford, who died "not long before." See Carte's HIST. ENGL. iv. p. 93. feq. 172. feq. Henry earl of Oxrord, Shakespeare's patron, died at the fiege of Breda in 1625. Dugd. BAR. ii. 200. See Howell's LETTERS, vol. i. §. 4. Lett. xv. And Note on EL. iv. infr. 74. If this be the fenfe of Fratres, verendi is not a very suitable epithet. Nonne Nonne fatis quod fylva tuas persentiat įras, Et crocus, et pulchræ Cypridi facra rofa, Et tibi fuccumbit, liquido quæ plurima cœlo Et quæ mille nigris errant animalia fylvis, Et quot alunt mutum Proteos antra pecus. Invida, tanta tibi cum fit conceffa poteftas, Quid juvat humana tingere cæde manus ? Nobileque in pectus certas acuiffe fagittas, Semideamque animam fede fugaffe fua? Talia dum lacrymans alto fub pectore volvo, Rofcidus occiduis Hefperus exit aquis, 20 25 30 21. Fluvio contermina quercus, &c.] Ovid, META M. viii. 620. 66 -Tiliæ CONTERMINA QUERCUS. The epithet is a favourite with Ovid. METAM. XV. 315. "Nof"tris CONTERMINUS arvis." Ibid. i. 774. "Terræ CONTERMINA noftræ." Ibid. iv. 9o. "Ardua morus erat gelido CONTERMINA-fonti." Ibid. viii. 552. "CONTERMINA ripæ." EPIST. EX PONT. iv. vi. 45. "Heu nobis nimium CON"TERMINUS." Faft. ii. 55. Phrygiæ CONTERMINA matri fofpita." This word, fo commodious for verfification, is not once used by Virgil. Here is a beautiful picturesque image, but where the justness of the poetry is marred by the admiffion of a licentious fiction, which yet I cannot blame in a young writer of fancy. When the ingrafted tree in Virgil wonders at its foreign leaves and fruits not its own, the preternatural novelty, producing the wonder, justifies the boldness of attributing this affection to a tree. In the prefent instance, it was not wonderful nor extraordinary, that a stream should flow, or flow perpetually. The conceit is, that an oak fhould wonder at this. 32. Rofcidus occiduis Hefperus exit aquis.] Ovid, FAST. ii. 314. HESPERUS et fufco ROSCIDUS ibat equo. |