XLVIII. And after thefe the fea-nymphs --] To add to the folemnity of this bridale, there came in proceffion the daughters of Nereus and Doris, called from their father Nereïdes: whofe names are cited in Homer, II. c. 38. Virg. G. iv. 336. Hefiod, toy. 240. And by the mythologists Apollodorus, Hyginus, Boccace, Natales Comes, &c. I fhall here mention fome few names in order to correct not to explain: Sweete Endore, Hef. 244. 'Evdwpn, from tv bene and dappas largior. Eudora: It feems a falfe print in Spenfer.-light Doto, Hef. 248. AUT. Apolloderus, Aórw, for Awrá.-White-hand Eunica, Hefiod, 247. Ευνίκη [lege Ευνίκη] ροδόπηχυς, Eunice rofeislacertis prædita.-Sweete Melite, Hef. 246. MEXIτn χαρίεσσα, Melite gratiofa. Apollodorus, Μιλίη, for Min.-Neither Phao nor Poris are mentioned as Nereids in any of the poets or mythologifts, as far as I can find.---Wundred Agave, Hef. 246. Αγαιή. And Panopo and wife Protomedea. cut off, or melted into the following word, as mentioned in the notes in pag. 372. where feveral inftances are given. Hefiod, 249. Ilewrouidua, Protomedea. Apollodorus, Пgaroμíduoα, for Πρωτομέδεια-Eione well in age. Hef. 255. Ηϊόνη. Natales Comes, Eione. Apollodorus, Ión, for Hïórn. And feeming fill to fmile Glauconome, Hel. 256. Γλαυκονόμη φιλομμειδής. Apollodorus, Γλαυκοθόη, for Γλαυκονόμη. And he that hight of many heaftes Polynome, Spenfer fays this in allufion to her Greek name, euróun, Hefiod, 258- Apollodorus, Пourón for Theón.-And Nemertea,-Hefiod, 262. Nnusgr for Νημερτίς. Apollodorus, Νεόμηρος, for Νημερτές. Homer, Il, . 46. Nnμigns To Aiud read, Νημερτίς τε και Αψευδής. LII. And yet befide three thousand more there were Of th Oceans feede, BUT Joves and Phoebus kinde.] perhaps, -BOTH Joves and Phoebus' kinde. I have printed it Panopa' the last fyllable being i. e. of the kindred both of Jupiter and Apollo. και ὡς δὲ πέτρος, ἢ θαλάσσιος Κλύδων, ἀκύει νεθετωμένη φίλων. -Scopulis furdior Icari Voces audit, adhuc integer, IX. If any gods at all XXXIV. As withered weed through cruell winters tine, Have care of right, or ruth of wretches wrong.] Winter's tine, or teen is Chaucer's expreffion. Virg. ii. 535. Dii, fi qua eft caelo pietas, quae talia curat. See note on B. iv. C. 3. St. 23. This fimile is common among the poets; and very near the fame as in B. v. C. 12. St. 13. Like as a tender rofe in open plaine That with untimely drought nigh withered was Gins to look up Compare Ariofto, xxiii. 67, and xxxii. 108. Quale i fioretti dal notturno gielo, Ut cum fole malo, triftique rofaria pallent XXXV. Which to another place I leave to be perfected.] See Notwithstanding the action of the Fairy Queen is fimple and uniform:-for what is the action of this poem, but the Briton Prince, feeking Gloriana, whom he faw in a vision? and what is the completion of the action, but his finding whom he fought? yet the feveral fubfervient characters, plots, intrigues, tales, combats, tilts and tournaments, with the like apparatus of Romances, make the story in all its circumstances very extenfive and complicated; resembling fome ancient and magnificent pile of Gothic architecture, which the eye cannot comprehend in one full view. Therefore to avoid confufion, 'tis requifite that the poet fhould ever and anon (in the vulgar phrafe) wind up his bottoms; his underplots and intrigues fhould be unravelled from probable confequences; and what belongs to the main action, and more effential parts of the poem, fhould, as in a well conducted drama, be referved for the laft act. In this refpe&t our our poet proceeds with great art and conduct; he clears the way for you, whilft you are getting nearer, in order that you might have a compleat and juft view of his poetical building. And in this ivth Book many are the diftreffes, and many the intrigues, which are happily folved. Thus lovers and friends find at length their fidelity rewarded. But 'tis to be remember'd that love and friendship can fubfift only among the good and honeft; not among the faithlefs and difloyal; not among the Paridels and Blandamoures; but among the Scudamores, the Triamonds, and Cambels. 'Tis with thefe that the young hero (whom Spenfer often shows you, as Homer introduces his Achilles, leaft you fhould think him forgotten, though not mentioned for feveral Cantos) Tis, I fay, in company with thefe lovers and friends, that the Briton Prince is to learn what true love and friendship is, that being perfected in all virtues, he may attain the glory of being worthy of the Fairy Queen. This ivth Book differs very remarkably from all the other books: here no new knight comes from the court of the Fairy Queen upon any new adventure or queft: but the poet gives a folution of former diftreffes and plots, and exhibits the amiablenefs of friendship and love, and by way of contraft, the deformities of difcord and luft. As no writer equals Spenfer in the art of imaging, or bringing objects in their full and faireft view before your eyes, (for you do not read his defcriptions, you fee them) fo in all this kind of painting he claims your attention and admiration. Such for inftance in this Book, is the dwelling of Ate, B. iv. C. 1. St. 20. The house of the three fatal fifters, C. 2. St. 47. The machinery and interpofition of Cambina, C. 3. St. 38. the cottage of old Care, the blacksmith, C. 5. St. 33. greedy luft, in the character of a falvage, C. 7. St. 5. infectious luft, in the character of a giant, whofe eyes dart contagious fire, C. 8. St. 38. The whole ftory, which Scudamore tells of his gaining of Amoret (in C. 10.) is all wonderful, and full of poetical machinery: and the epifode of the marriage of the Thames and Medway is fo finely wrought into the poem, as to feem neceffary for the folution of the diftreffes of Florimel, that at length the might be made happy with her long-look'd for Marinell. NOT E S ΟΝ ΤΗΕ FIFTH BOOK of the FAIRY QUEEN, Containing the Legend of Artegall, or of Justice, II. ND if then thofe may any worse be red, This is owing to the preceffion of the Equinoxes. See Keil, Aftron. Lect. viii. A They into that ere long will be degendered.]. Some fay the Zodiack conftellations i. e. And if any men may be pronounced worse than thofe, they will ere long be degenerated into that worse eftate. The old quarto reads degendered, and the Folio likewife of 1609, But the Folios, 1611. and 1617. degenered. The old quarto preferves, I think, the true reading: from to gender, comes gendered: So from degender, DEGENDERED: degeneratus. Having fettled the context, let us look into the fenfe and allufions. The poet complains that the world grows worfe and worse, see note on B. iv. C. 8. St. 31. He fays likewife that from the golden age, It's now at earst become a flonie one, Have long fince chang'd their antique ftations Hudib. Part ii. C. 3. 901. That learned Ptolomae.] Claudius Ptolomæus, & VIII. And if to thofe Egyptian wizards-] He refers to a well known tale told in Ferodotus, viz. that according to the Egyptian wizards, the Sun had in the space of 11340 years (which space they Now and long ago. So in B. vi. C. 3. St. 39. pretended to have accounts of) four times al Full loth am I, quoth he, as now at earst. i. e. As now as formerly. This reading is from the old quarto and folio 1609. But the folios 1617. 1679. and Hughes Edition, It's now as earft become a ftonie one. He adds the world is going on from bad to worfe; compare Horace, Lib. iii. Od. 6. and Berni Orl. Innam. L. ii. C. 25. St. 3. IV.. -The heavens revolution tered his regular courfe, having been twice ob- The Egyptians fay, the Sun has twice In feate of judgement in th' Almighties place.] So wandred farre from where it first was pight.] Folio, 1609. CAN TO CA N T I. II. SUCH firft was Bacchus— Next Hercules-] Bacchus and Hercules are often joined together: the one as having fubdewed the tyrants and monfters in the Eaft, the other in the Weft. Hercules is called in Apuleius, Luftrator orbis. purgator ferarum. And in Gruter's Infcriptions, p. xlix.. HERCVLI. PACIFERO. INVICTO. SANCTO. to wield the fword of juftice, this dreaded sword Aftræa delivered into his hands: 'tis called Chryfaor; because garnisht all with gold: [xpuάopos, is the epithet of Apollo in Hom. II. v. 509. from xpuos aurum and dog enfis.] 'twas the fame fword which Jupiter used in battle against the giants, and taken from his armory, or military ftore-house, by Aftræa. As Juftice gives Arthegal a fword; fo Judas (2 Maccab. xv. 15.) fees in a dream or vifion the prophet Jeremiah bringing him a fword of gold from God: kept in So Bacchus in Sponius, Mifcell. erudit. Antiq. ftore in the eternal houfe. The defcription of this P. 43. LIBERO. SERVATORI Whom (as ye lately mote remember well) An hard adventure, &c.] This adventure is hinted at above, B. iv. C. 6. St. 42. Arthegal is Juftice, which restores peace and happiness, imaged in Espin, unjustly thralled by Tyranny, Grantorto. Ital. gran torto, great injury and wrong. This is the great moral. In the following Stanza, the old quarto reads Eirena, Wherefore the lady, which Eirena hight, But in all the following paffages 'tis fpelt Irena: and fo 'tis in the Folios. This reading Eirena will ftrengthen the general allegory, without impeaching any particular allufion. And though Grantorto may fignify tyranny and unjustice in general, he may fignify fometimes the King of Spain. But what befides fhows Eirene not to be the true reading, is, that Eirene occurs below (C. q. St. 32.) as one of Mercilla's attendants. Ambiguity therefore is avoided by reading Irene. V. Whileft here on earth fhe lived mortallie.} i. e. as a mortal, or human creature. Aftræa, the goddefs of Juftice, lived on this earth during the golden age, but at length offended with our vices fhe fled to heaven: whilst she was here, fhe inftructed Arthegal, and took him with her into a folitary cave-the allegory means, that meditation and philofophy is requifite for a lawgiver. So Minos was inftructed by Jupiter; Numa by the fairy Egeria; Pythagoras, who was a lawgiver, often reforted to a folitary cave at Samos: fee Jamblic. cap. v.-when by proper inftruction and meditation Arthegal was fit fword of juftice, whofe edge was fo finely tempered that nothing could refift its force, in St. 10. fhould be compared with Milton B. vi. 320, &c. who ufes the very words, as well as thoughts of Spenfer. 'Tis very common in Romance writers to give their heroes fwords, whofe force nothing can refift. Hence Amadis de Gaul called himfelf Knight of the burning fword. We read in Chaucer, that the King of Arabia fent Cambuscan a fword of the like |