20. A-maying-in or at maying (like the adverbial use of the Latin gerund); e.g. ludendo, in or while playing. Read note, Paradise Lost, i. 226. 27. Quips-smart sallies of wit (conn. quibble). A crank is a playful turn (comp. crank in a wheel) or double entendre. connected with quibble, from Latin quidlibet. 44. Dappled dawn. Dapple-frequent, from dab, a spot. Quip is 45. To come and to hear (line 41) are infinitives of purpose after 'admit me of thy crew.' The to that I may. 62. Dight-literally, dressed, hence adorned. absolute. 67. Tale 'Clouds' is nominative of sheep. So a hermit tells (i.e. reckons) his beads. Comp. Ex. v. 8. 'Tale,' a story, is, however, the same word. 71. Russet, etc.i.e. the brown unenclosed lands and the fallow (Anglo-Saxon fealo, yellow) fields, with the yellow earth ploughed up. 75. Pied-many-coloured (French pie). Comp. magpie and piebald. 80. Cynosure-the 'admired of all admirers.' See Comus, 342. 91. Secure-not safe, but light-hearted (se, privative, cura, care); e.g. in Burton's Anatomy, a gentleman meeting a beggar says: 'He was merry, I heavy; he was secure, I timorous.' 94. Rebecka kind of violin (Arabic rebeb), introduced from the Moors into Spain. A fiddler in Romeo and Juliet is called 'Hugh Rebeck.' 102. Mab-exquisitely described in Romeo and Juliet, Act I. Sc. iv. Fairies were formerly adored with sweeping the houses, setting a pail of clean water, good victuals, etc., and then they should not be pinched, but find money in their shoes. A bigger kind are Robin Good-fellows, that would grind corn for a mess of milk, and do any manner of drudgery.'-BURTON on Spirits. 117. Then. The poet has traced the course of a day-(line 41) waking, (45) rising, (69) morning walk, (87) afternoon labours, (91) evening dances, (99) fireside enjoyments after dark. 122. Rain influence-like stars, an astrological idea. 125. Hymen. The whole passage alludes to what Ben Jonson calls the eloquence of masques.' 132. Sock-the shoe worn by the actors in ancient comedies. So, when speaking of tragedy, the author has 'buskin'd stage' (Il Penseroso), the buskin being the Latin cothurnus, or shoe worn in ancient tragedies. 133. Jonson, Shakespeare-Jonson's learning and Shakespeare's native art are distinguished. 'Jonson had an elaborate wit wrought out by industry, while Shakespeare's learning was but little; Nature was all the art that was used on him.'-FULLER'S Worthies. 136. Lydian airs. The Lydian was the most tender of the three Greek modes. See Paradise Lost, i. 550. 141. Wanton heed, etc.-according to the old proverb, 'Summa ars est celare artem.' 145. Orpheus by his music recovered his wife, on the condition that he should not look back on her till arrived at the upper world. He did look back, however, and she vanished for ever. |