Than I am willing now to stay, Against my will, to bid you come away. Cho. They yield to time, and so must all. As night to sport, day doth to action call; Which they the rather do obey, Because the Morn with roses strews the way. PLEASURE RECONCILED TO VIRTUE.] From the second fol. If the scenery answered the poet's description, the opening of this Masque must have had a very striking effect. The entrance of Comus is picturesque and full of voluptuous gaiety. The commentators on Milton, after spending twenty or thirty pages in conjectures on the origin of Milton's Comus, without the slightest reference to Jonson, condescend, in the course of their subsequent annotations, to observe that "Jonson's Masque of Pleasure might, perhaps, afford some hint to Milton!" Perhaps it might: and so, I suspect, might some others: but enough on this head. PLEASURE, ETC. The Scene was the Mountain ATLAS, Who had his top ending in the figure of an old man, his head and beard all hoary, and frost, as if his shoulders were covered with snow; the rest wood and rock. A grove of ivy at his feet; out of which, to a wild music of cymbals, flutes and tabors, is brought forth COMUS, the god of cheer, or the Belly, riding in triumph, his head crown'd with roses and other flowers, his hair curled: they that wait upon him crown'd with ivy, their javelins done about with it; one of them going with HERCULES his bowl bare before him, while the rest present him with this HYMN. Full Chorus. OOM! room! make room for the Bounc ing Belly, First father of sauce, and deviser of jelly; That found out the excellent engine the spit; |