Whether to settle peace, or to unfold
The drift of hollow states hard to be spell'd,
Then to advise how war may best upheld
Move by her two main nerves, iron and gold,
In all her equipage: besides to know

5

Both spiritual pow'r and civil, what each means, What severs each, thou hast learn'd, which few have done :

The bounds of either sword to thee we owe:
Therefore on thy firm hand Religion leans
In peace, and reckons thee her eldest son.

XVIII. ON THE LATE MASSACRE IN
PIEMONT.

AVENGE, O Lord, thy slaughter'd saints, whose bones

Lie scatter'd on the Alpine mountains cold; Ev'n them who kept thy truth so pure of old, When all our fathers worshipp'd stocks and

stones,

11

5

Forget not in thy book record their groans Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold

7 Then, &c.] In the printed copies,

< Then to advise how war may be best upheld Mann'd by her two main nerves,' &c. Newton. 11 severs] Serves.' Printed edition. Newton. 13 Therefore, &c.] In the printed copies :

Therefore on thy right hand Religion leans,
And reckons thee in chief her eldest son.'

2 Alpine] Fairfax's Tasso, B. xiii. s. 60.

Newton.

Distill'd from tops of Alpine mountains cold.' Warton.

Slain by the bloody Piemontese that roll'd Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans The vales redoubled to the hills, and they

9

To Heav'n. Their matyr'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,
Lodg'd with me useless, though my soul more
To serve therewith my Maker, and present [bent
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
Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed, [state
And post o'er land and ocean without rest;
They also serve who only stand and wait."

10 man's work, or his own gifts] Free will, or grace.

13 post] P. L. iv. 171,

• With a vengeance sent,

8

Warburton.

From Media post to Egypt.' Warton.

XX. TO MR. LAWRENCE.*

5

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.

CYRIAC, whose grandsire on the royal bench
Of British Themis, with no mean applause
Pronounc'd and in his volumes taught our laws,
Which others at their bar so often wrench;
To day deep thoughts resolve with me to drench ̧5
In mirth, that after no repenting draws;
Let Euclid rest and Archimedes pause,

*Lawrence published a work called 'Of our Communion and Warre with Angels,' &c. 1646. 4to. Todd. See British Bibliographer, vol. i. p. 352.

7 Euclid] See Censura Literaria, vi. p. 144.

9

And what the Swede intends, and what the French. 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.

XXII. TO THE SAME.

tho' clear,

CYRIAC, this three years day these eyes,
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, 5
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 overIn liberty's defence, my noble task,

[plied

8 And what the Swede intends] So the MS. The first ed.

And what the Swede intend,' which in others is altered to, And what the Swedes intend.' Newton.

11 mild Heaven] So Son. xix. bear his mild yoke." Par. Reg. ii. 125, these mild seats.'

Sil. Italicus, iv.

795, Mite et cognatum est homini deus.'

More's Poems, p. 196.

3 Bereft, &c.] In the printed copies,

Bereft of sight their seeing have forgot,

Nor to their idle orbs doth day appear

Or sun or moon. Newton.

7 a] In the printed copies,' one.' Newton.

And Hen.

Of which all Europe rings from side to side, This thought might lead me through the world's vain mask

Content though blind, had I no better guide.

XXIII. 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, tho' pale and faint. Mine, as whom wash'd from spot of child-bed Purification in the old Law did save,

[taint

And such, as yet once more I trust to have Full sight of her in Heav'n without restraint, Came, vested all in white, pure as her mind:

Her face was veil'd, yet to my fancied sight 10 Love, sweetness, goodness, in her person shin'd So clear, as in no face with more delight.

But O, as to embrace me she inclin'd,

I wak'd, she fled, and day brought back my night.*

12 rings] So the printed copies before Newton's edition, in which talks' is substituted from the MS. instead of 'rings.' The Sonnet thus concluded before Newton's ed.

'Whereof all Europe rings from side to side.

This thought might lead me through this world's vain mask, Content though blind, had I no other guide.'

Todd.

* The original various readings to the sonnets from the Cambridge MS. may be seen in Mr. Todd's edition of Milton's Poet. Works, (1809,) vol. vi. P. 500-3.