Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/90

 POEMS WRITTEN AT HORTON

��Of my most honoured Lady, your dear sis- ter.

Amazed I stood, harrowed with grief and fear;

And " O poor hapless Nightingale," thought



" How sweet thou sing'st, how near the deadly snare ! "

Then down the lawns I ran with headlong haste,

Through paths and turnings often trod by day,

Till, guided by mine ear, I found the place 570

Where that damned wisard, hid in sly dis- guise

(For so by certain signs I knew), had met

Already, ere my best speed could prevent,

The aidless innocent lady, his wished prey;

Who gently asked if he had seen such two,

Supposing him some neighbour villager.

Longer I durst not stay, but soon I guessed

Ye were the two she meant; with that I sprung S7

Into swift flight, till I had found you here ;

But furder know I not.

Sec. Bro. O night and shades,

How are ye joined with hell in triple knot

Against the unarmed weakness of one vir-

gi

Alone and helpless ! Is this the confidence You gave me, brother ?

Eld. Bro. Yes, and keep it still ;

Lean on it safely ; not a period Shall be unsaid for me. Against the threats Of malice or of sorcery, or that power Which erring men call Chance, this I hold

firm:

Virtue may be assailed, but never hurt, Surprised by unjust force, but not en- thralled; 590 Yea, even that which Mischief meant most

harm

Shall in the happy trial prove most glory. But evil on itself shall back recoil, And mix no more with goodness, when at

last,

Gathered like scum, and settled to itself, It shall be in eternal restless change Self-fed and self-consumed. If this fail, The pillared firmament is rottenness, And earth's base built on stubble. But

come, let 's on ! Against the opposing will and arm of

Heaven 600

��May never this just sword be lifted up; But, for that damned magician, let him be

girt

With all the griesly legions that troop Under the sooty flag of Acheron, Harpies and Hydras, or all the monstrous

forms

'Twixt Africa and Ind, I '11 find him out, And force him to restore his purchase back, Or drag him by the curls to a foul death, Cursed as his life.

Spir. Alas ! good ventrous youth,

I love thy courage yet, and bold em- prise ; 610 But here thy sword can do thee little stead. Far other arms and other weapons must Be those that quell the might of hellish

charms. He with his bare wand can unthread thy

joints, And crumble all thy sinews.

Eld. Bro. Why, prithee, Shepherd,

How durst thou then thyself approach so

near As to make this relation ?

Spir. Care and utmost shifts

How to secure the Lady from surprisal Brought to my mind a certain shepherd lad, 619

Of small regard to see to, yet well skilled In every virtuous plant and healing hearb That spreads her verdant leaf to the morn- ing ray. He loved me well, and oft would beg me

sing;

Which when I did, he on the tender grass Would sit, and hearken even to ecstasy, And in requital ope his leathern scrip, And shew me simples of a thousand names, Telling their strange and vigorous facul- ties.

Amongst the rest a small unsightly root, But of divine effect, he culled me out. 630 The leaf was darkish, and had prickles on

it,

But in another country, as he said, Bore a bright golden flower, but not in this

soil: Unknown, and like esteemed, and the dull

swain

Treads on it daily with his clouted shoon; And yet more med'cinal is it than that

Moly

That Hermes once to wise Ulysses gave. He called it Hsemony, and gave it me,

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