From the stony Mænalus Bring your flocks, and live with us; Though Syrinx your Pan's mistress werc, All Arcadia hath not seen. XVI. Comus. A MASK, PRESENTED AT LUDLOW CASTLE, 1634, BEFORE THE EARL OF BRIDGEWATER, THEN PRESIDENT OF WALES. The Mask was presented in 1634, and consequently in the twentysixth year of our author's age. In the title-page of the first edition, printed in 1637, it is said that it was presented on Michaelmas night, and there was this motto: "Eheu quid volui misero mihi! floribus austrum In this edition, and in that of Milton's poems in 1645, there was prefixed to the Mask the following dedication: TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD JOHN VISCOUNT BRACKLY, SON AND HEIR APPARENT TO THE EARL OF BRIDGEWATER, &c. MY LORD,-This poem, which received its first occasion of birth from yourself and others of your noble family, and much honour from your own person in the performance, now returns again to make a final dedication of itself to you. Although not openly acknowledged by the author, yet it is a legitimate offspring, so lovely, and so much desired, that the often copying of it hath tired my pen to give my several friends satisfaction, and brought me to a necessity of producing it to the public view; and now to offer it up in all rightful devotion to those fair hopes, and rare endowments of your much promising youth, which give a full assurance, to all that know you, of a future excellence. Live, sweet lord, to be the honour of your name, and receive this as your own, from the hands of him, who hath by many favours been long obliged to your most honoured parents, and as in this representation your attendant Thyrsis, so now in all real expression Your faithful and most H. LAWES. [In the edition of 1645 was also prefixed Sir Henry Wotton's letter to the author upon the following poem.] THE PERSONS. THE ATTENDANT SPIRIT, afterwards in the habit of THYRSIS. COMUS, with his crew. THE LADY. FIRST BROTHER. SECOND BROTHER. SABRINA, the Nymph. The Chief Persons who presented were― THE LORD BRACKLY. MR. THOMAS EGERTON, his Brother. [The first scene discovers a wild wood. The ATTENDANT SPI descends or enters.] ATTENDANT SPIRIT. BEFORE the starry threshold of Jove's court Which men call Earth; and with low-thoughted care Strive to keep up a frail and feverish being, To such my errand is; and but for such, And gives them leave to wear their sapphire crowns, 1 The stress is upon this fact; for, though it may not be a fault in itself to "Strive to keep up a frail and feverish being," yet it certainly is to strive to keep it up "unmindful," &c.-Newton. 2 Of St. Peter. Cf. Lycidas, ver. 110. 3 Cf. Richard II. act ii. sc. 1, where John of Gaunt speaks of Eng. land as I was despatched for their defence and guard: And downward fell into a grovelling swine?): At last betakes him to this ominous wood; Offering to every weary traveller His orient liquor in a crystal glass, To quench the drouth of Phoebus; which, as tney taste I shoot from Heaven, to give him save convoy, These my sky robes spun out of Iris' woof," 1 i. e. France and Spain. 2 Cf. Par. Lost, xi. 244. |