Chapter LIII: Prologue: To Sat

Pretty in amber to observe the forms
Of hairs, or straws, or dirt, or grubs, or worms,
The things we know are neither rich nor rare,
But wonder how the devil they came there.

MARTIAL. VI. 15.

Dum Phaetonteâ formica vagatur in umbrâ
Implicuit tenuem succina gutta feram,
Sic modo quæ fuerat vitâ contempta manente,
Funeribus facta est nunc pretiosa suis.

ESSAY ON MAN, B. IV.

Or why so long, if long in life can be,
Lent heaven a parent to the poor and me.

VIRG. ÆN. X. 861

Phœbe diu, res si qua diu mortalibus ulla est
Viximus.

MORAL ESSAYS, II.

Dip in the rainbow, trick her off in air,
Chuse a firm cloud, before it fall and in it
Catch e’er she change this Cynthia of the minute.

COWLEY’S DAVID.

He took for skin a cloud most soft and bright,
Of a new rainbow ere it fret or fade,
The choicest there cut out.

MORAL ESSAYS, III.

Nature, as in duty bound,
Deep hid this shining mischief under ground,
But when by man’s audacious labour won,
Flamed forth this rival to its sire the sun.

COWLEY’S DAVID.

Where the sun’s fruitful beams give metals birth,
Where he the growth of fatal gold does see,
Gold which alone more influence has than he.

DUNCIAD, Book IV.

Tis true on words is still our whole debate,
Dispute of me or te, of aut or at.

GR. EPIG. IN ATHEN. Lib. V.

Φευγετ Ἀρισταρχειοι
Γωνιοβομβυκες, μονοσυλλαβοι, οισε μεμηλε
Το σφιν, καὶ σφωιν, καὶ το μιν, ηδε το νιν.

WINDSOR FOREST.

Hills, vales, and woods, appear already crost,
And e’er he starts a thousand steps are lost.

LUCRET. II. 263.

Nonne vides etiam patefactis tempore puncto
Carceribus, non posse tamen prorumpere equorum
Vim cupidam tam desubito quam mens avet ipsa,
Et seq.

RAPE OF THE LOCK.

Trivial the subject, but not so the praise.

VIRG. GEORG.

In tenui labor, et tenuis non gloria.

WINDSOR FOREST, 337.

First the famed authors of his ancient name,
The winding Isis and the fruitful Thame;
The Kennet swift, for silver eels renowned,
The Lodden slow with verdant alders crowned;
Cole whose dark streams his flowery islands lave,
And chalky Wey that rolls a milky wave;
The blue transparent Vandalis appears,
The gulphy Lee his sedgy tresses rears;
And sullen Mole, that hides his diving flood,
And silent Darent stained with Danish blood.

CLAUDIAN IN PROB. ET OLYB. CONS. V. 254.

Indigenas fluvios, Italis quicunque suberrant
Montibus, Alpinasque bibunt de more pruinas,
Vulturnusque rapax, et Nar vitiatus odoro
Sulfure, tardatisque suis erroribus useus,
Et Phætonteæ perpessus damna ruinæ,
Eridanus, flavæque terens querceta Maricæ
Liris et Æbaliæ qui temporat arva Galesus.

ART. OF CRIT.

Shakes off the dust, and rears his reverend head.

CLAUDIAN. I. STEL. CONS. II. 127.

despectaque Musæ
Cella levant.

To revert for a moment to Milton, the following similitude will appear very remarkable.