Comus (Rackham)

by John Milton

For works with similar titles, see Comus.

 

BOOKS ILLUSTRATED BY

ARTHUR RACKHAM

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SLEEPING BEAUTY. 7s. 6d. net.

CINDERELLA. 7s. 6d. net.

THE ALLIES’ FAIRY BOOK. 7s. 6d. net.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND. 7s. 6d. net.

ÆSOP’S FABLES. 7s. 6d. net.

MOTHER GOOSE. 7s. 6d. net.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL. 7s. 6d. net.

THE SPRINGTIDE OF LIFE. Poems of Childhood. By Algernon Charles Swinburne. 10s. 6d. net.

RIP VAN WINKLE. 10s. 6d. net.

ARTHUR RACKHAM’S BOOK OF PICTURES. 21s. net.

THE RING OF THE NIBLUNGS. In Two Vols. Each 21s. net.

THE INGOLDSBY LEGENDS 21s. net.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. 21s. net.

COMUS

 

I

All amidst the Gardens fair
Of Hesperus, and his daughters three
That sing about the golden tree.

COMUS
BY
JOHN-MILTON

ILLUSTRATED • BY
ARTHUR RACKHAM

 

LONDON:WILLIAM•HEINEMANN
NEW•YORK:DOUBLEDAY•PAGE•&•Co

A MASKE

PRESENTED

At Ludlow Castle,

1634:

On Michaelmasse night, before the

Right Honorable,

Iohn Earle of Bridgewater, Vicount Brackly,
Lord Præsident of Wales, And one of
His Maiesties most honorable
Privie Counsell.

To the Right Honourable, John Lord Vicount
Bracly, Son and Heir apparent to the
Earl of Bridgewater, &c.

My Lord,

This Poem, which receiv’d its first occasion of Birth from your Self, and others of your Noble Family, and much honour from your own Person in the performance, now returns again to make a finall Dedication of it self to you. Although not openly acknowledg’d by the Author, yet it is a legitimate off-spring, so lovely, and so much desired, that the often Copying of it hath tir’d my Pen to give my severall friends satisfaction, and brought me to a necessity of producing it to the publike view; and now to offer it up in all rightfull 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 oblig’d to your most honour’d Parents, and as in this representation your attendant Thyrsis, so now in all reall expression

Your faithfull, and most

humble Servant

H. Lawes

 

The Copy of a Letter writt’n by Sir Henry Wootton, to the
Author, upon the following Poem.

From the Colledge, this 13. of April, 1638.

Sir,

It was a special favour, when you lately bestowed upon me here, the first taste of your acquaintance, though no longer then to make me know that I wanted more time to value it, and to enjoy it rightly; and in truth, if I could then have imagined your farther stay in these parts, which I understood afterwards by Mr. H. I would have been bold in our vulgar phrase to mend my draught (for you left me with an extreme thirst) and to have begged your conversation again, joyntly with your said learned Friend, at a poor meal or two, that we might have banded together som good Authors of the antient time: Among which, I observe you to have been familiar.

Since your going, you have charg’d me with new Obligations, both for a very kinde Letter from you dated the sixth of this Month, and for a dainty peece of entertainment which came therwith. Wherin I should much commend the Tragical part, if the Lyrical did not ravish me with a certain Dorigue delicacy in your Songs and Odes, wherunto I must plainly confess to have seen yet nothing parallel in our Language: Ipsa mollities. But I must not omit to tell you, that I now onely owe you thanks for intimating unto me (how modestly soever) the true Artificer. For the work it self I had view’d som good while before, with singular delight, having receiv’d it from our common Friend Mr. R. in the very close of the late R’s Poems, Printed at Oxford, wherunto it was added (as I now suppose) that the Accessory might help out the Principal, according to the Art of Stationers, and to leave the Reader Con la bocca dolce.

Now Sir, concerning your travels, wherin I may chalenge a little more priviledge of Discours with you; I suppose you will not blanch Paris in your way; therfore I have been bold to trouble you with a few lines to Mr. M. B. whom you shall easily find attending the young Lord S. as his Governour, and you may surely receive from him good directions for the shaping of your farther journey into Italy, where he did reside by my choice som time for the King, after mine own recess from Venice.

I should think that your best Line will be thorow the whole length of France to Marseilles, and thence by Sea to Genoa, whence the passage into Tuscany is as Diurnal as a Gravesend Barge I hasten as you do to Florence, or Siena, the rather to tell you a short story from the interest you have given me in your safety.

At Siena I was tabled in the House of one Alberto Scipioni, an old Roman Courtier in dangerous times, having bin Steward to the Duca di Pagliano, who with all his Family were strangled, save this onely man that escapd by foresight of the Tempest: With him I had often much chat of those affairs; Into which he took pleasure to look back from his Native Harbour; and at my departure toward Rome (which had been the center of his experience) I had wonn confidence enough to beg his advice, how I might carry my self securely there, without offence of others, or of mine own conscience. Signor Arrigo mio (sayes he) I pensieri stretti, & il viso sciolto will go safely over the whole World: Of which Delphian Oracle (for so I have found it) your judgement doth need no commentary; and therfore (Sir) I will commit you with it to the best of all securities, Gods dear love, remaining

Your Friend as much at command

as any of longer date,

Henry Wootton.

Postscript.

Sir, I have expressly sent this my Foot-boy to prevent your departure without som acknowledgement from me of the receipt of your obliging Letter, having myself through som busines, I know not how, neglected the ordinary conveyance. In any part where I shall understand you fixed, I shall be glad, and diligent to entertain you with Home-Novelties ; even. for som fomentation of our friendship, too soon interrupted in the Cradle.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

	page
I
All amidst the Gardens fair Of Hesperus, and his daughters three That sing about the golden tree (page 74)	frontispiece
II
And they, so perfect is their misery, Not once perceive their foul disfigurement, But boast themselves more comely than before	8
III
They com in making a riotous and unruly noise	10
IV
And on the Tawny Sands and Shelves Trip the pert Fairies and the dapper Elves	12
V
By dimpled Brook, and Fountain brim, The Wood-Nymphs, deckt with Daisies trim, Their merry wakes and pastimes keep	12
VI
The Lady enters	20
VII
. . . the Stars That nature hung in Heav’n, and fill’d their Lamps With everlasting oil, to give due light To the misled and lonely Travailer (page 21)	22
VIII
Calling shapes, and beckning shadows dire	22
IX
Sweet Echo	24
X
The flowry-kirtl’d Naiades	26
XI
Enter The Two Brothers (page 31)	30
XII, XIII, XIV
Som say, no evil thing that walks by night In fog, or fire, by lake or moorish fen, Blew meager Hag, or stubborn unlaid ghost That breaks his magick chains at curfeu time; No goblin, or swart faery of the mine, Hath hurtfull power o’re true virginity	36
XV
The huntress Dian	36
XVI
The wonted roar was up amidst the Woods, And fill’d the Air with barbarous dissonance	42
XVII
. . . as Daphne was, Root-bound, that fled Apollo (page 49)	50
XVIII
The Brothers rush in with Swords drawn	56
XIX
The water Nymphs, that in the bottom plaid, Held up their pearled wrists and took her in	58
XX
Sabrina fair, Listen where thou art sitting	60
XXI
Fair Legea	62
XXII
By all the Nymphs that nightly dance Upon thy streams with wily glance	62
XXIII
Sabrina rises, attended by water-Nymphs	64
XXIV
Iris there, with humid bow	74

Parts Not originally divided

Part 11

Part 218

Part 331

Part 448