The ruddy waves he cleft in twain For his &c. The floods stood still, like walls of glass, While the Hebrew bands did pass. For his &c. But full soon they did devour The tawny king with all his power. For his &c. 45 50 55 ed. Ver. 45. The ruddy waves he cleft in twain Of the Erythræan main.] So in Sylvester's Du Bart. supr. p. 48, cited by Mr. Dunster. "His dreadful voice, to save his ancient sheep, "This passage alone," Mr. Dunster adds, "seems nearly sufficient to fix on Milton an acquaintance with, and recollection of, Sylvester's Du Bartas; especially as I can also refer his ruddy' waves of the Erythræan or Red Sea to the same source, p. 967. ' along the sandy shore, Where the Ery' threan ruddy billows roar.' It is remarkable, that Lisle has also translated Du Bartas's "le flot Eythrean, the ruddie seas," p. 170. edit. supr. Sandys has adopted Erythræan in his lxxivth Psalm : "Thou struck'st the Erythraan waves,” &c. See also his Christ's Passion, 1640, p. 65. TODD. Ver. 53. But full soon they did devour The tawny king with all his power.] "Thus ex actly," says Mr. Dunster, " and with the same fine effect, Sylvester, p. 704. 'But contrary the Red Sea did devour • The barbarous tyrant with his mighty power.' There is here an expression, however, to be noticed in Fairfax's Tasso, edit. 1600, p. 47. "Conquer'd were all hot Affrike's tawnie kings." TODD. His chosen people he did bless For his &c. In bloody battle he brought down For his &c. He foil'd bold Seon and his host, For his &c. And large-limb'd Og he did subdue, For his &c. And, to his servant Israël, He gave their land therein to dwell. For his &c. He hath, with a piteous eye, Beheld us in our misery. For his &c. And freed us from the slavery Of the invading enemy. For his &c. 60 65 70 75 80 All living creatures he doth feed, 85 Ver. 66. the Amorrëan coast.] This epithet seems to me an additional proof, that Buchanan's version of this psalm was in the young poet's mind. See the page already mentioned in the Note on v. 29. "Stravit Amorrhæum valida virtute Seonem." TODD. Ver. 69. And large-limb'd Og] The compound is literally from Drayton's Owle, 1604. "Large-lymb'd oak." See also Marston's Scourge of Villainie, 1598, B. iii. Sat. viii. Big-limm'd Alcides, doff thy honor's crowne." TODD. And with full hand supplies their need. For his &c. Let us therefore warble forth His mighty majesty and worth. That his mansion hath on high Above the reach of mortal eye. 90 Ver. 86. And with full hand supplies their need.] So, in Comus: "With such a full and unwithdrawing hand." TODD. Ver. 89. Let us therefore warble forth] A phrase, as Mr. Dunster also observes, in the first page of Sylvester's Du Bartas : "O Father, grant I sweetly warble forth" &c. TODD, Ver. 94. Above the reach of mortal eye.] "This is admired by Mr. Warton as a very poetical expression, and so it is," says Mr. Dunster. "But," he adds, "Sylvester had before spoken of 'all that is, or may be seen By mortal eye under Night's horned queen.' p. 40.” I would rather refer to p. 469 of Sylvester's Du Bartas, where the Almighty is described: 66 Why paint you Whom no mortal eye can see?" Again, p. 943. "With God is light "More pure, more piercing, past a mortal eye.” But this had been a very common expression. Spenser, Faer. Qu. i. vii. 33. "Ne might of mortall eye be ever seene." See also ibid. ii. ii. 41. And Pigmalion's Image, 1598. "such redde, and so pure white, "Did neuer bless the eye of mortall sight." Thus, in Fairfax's Tasso, 1600, p. 140. “Hid from mortall eie.” See also pp. 217, 259. And Harington's Orl. Fur. 1607, p. 50. "That erst was seene with any mortall eye." TODD. 95 For his mercies aye endure, Ever faithful, ever sure*. In the brief compass of this and the preceding Psalm may be observed the Variety of Milton's Early Reading. They illustrate his own observation in a Letter to his preceptor, Thomas Young, dated soon after he had written these his earliest poetical attempts: "Hæc scripsi Londini inter urbana diverticula, non libris, UT SOLEO, circumseptus." Tho: Junio, Mart. 26, 1625. TODD. |