To gratulate the fweet return of morn; yet amidst this joy and brightest morn 440 445 And in a careless mood thus to him faid. 450 Fair morning yet betides thee, Son of God, gil, where Neptune is reprefented with his trident laying the ftorm which Æolus had raised, ver. 142. Sic ait, et dicto citius tumida æquora placat, After 430. And grilly Spe&res,] Very injudicious to retain this popular fuperftition in this place. Warburton. 432. And now the fun &c] There Collectafque fugat nubes, folem- is in this defcription all the bloom of Milton's youthful fancy. See an evening scene of the fame kind in the Paradife Loft. II. 488. que reducit. There is the greater beauty in the English poet, as the fcene he is defcribing under this charming figure is perfectly confiftent with the courfe of nature, nothing being more common than to fee a ftormy night fucceeded by a pleafant ferene morning, Thyer. After a difinal night; I heard the wrack, And harmless, if not wholesome, as a fneeze 455 Yet as being oft times noxious where they light 460 Over whofe heads they roar, and feem to point, This tempeft at this desert most was bent; 453. As earth and Sky would mingle] Virgil Æn. I. 137. Jam cælum terramque, meo fine numine, venti, 465 470 Of gaining David's throne no man knows when, The time and means: each act is rightlieft done, 475 May warn thee, as a fure fore-going fign. So talk'd he while the Son of God went on And stay'd not, but in brief him answer'd thus. 480 485 Me worse than wet thou find'st not; other harm Those terrors which thou speak'st of, did me none; I never fear'd they could, though noifing loud And threatning nigh; what they can do as figns if this fail, The pillar'd firmament is rotten nefs. In both, no doubt, alluding to Job XXVI. 11. The pillars of Heaven Betokening tremble, and are aftonish'd at his re- 467. Did I not tell thee, &c] This fentence is dark and perplex'd, having no proper exit. 501. For Betokening, or ill boding, I contemn 490 As falfe portents, not fent from God, but thee 496 Me to thy will; defift, thou art difcern'd And toil'ft in vain, nor me in vain moleft. To whom the Fiend now fwoln with rage reply'd. Then hear, O Son of David, Virgin-born; 500 For Son of God to me is yet in doubt: Of the Meffiah I have heard foretold By all the Prophets; of thy birth at length And of th' angelic fong in Bethlehem field, 505 On thy birth-night, that fung thee Saviour born. Thy "501. For Son of God to me is yet in doubt:] The Tempter had heard Chrift declar'd to be Son of God by a voice from Heaven. He allows him to be virgin-born. He hath no fcruples about the annunciation, and the truth of what Ga briel told the bleffed woman (Luke I. 35. The Holy Ghoft fhall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest fall overshadow thee; therefore allo that holy thing which shall be born of thee fhall be called the Son of God,) and yet he doubts of his being the Son Thy infancy, thy childhood, and thy youth, Flock to the Baptift, I among the rest, 510 Though not to be baptiz'd, by voice from Heaven And if I was, I am; relation ftands; 515 All men are Sons of God; yet thee I thought 520 In some respect far higher so declar'd. Therefore I watch'd thy footsteps from that hour, And follow'd thee ftill on to this waste wild; Where by all beft conjectures I collect Son of God notwithstanding. This is eafily accounted for. On the terms of the annunciation Chrift might be the Son of God in a fenfe very particular, and yet a mere man as to his nature: but the doubt 525 Good |