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berds return to the falls, come, if you have any regard for your Corydon.

Si

40

as foon as ever the well fed Cum primum pafti repetent præesepia tauri, qua tui Corydonis habet te cura, venito. THYR. Immo ego Sardoïs videar tibi amarior herbis,

THYR. May I seem to you more bitter than Sardinian berbs,

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Come then, and leave the waves tu\multuous roar,

is fpoken of at large, in the note on ver. 39. of the third Eclogue. Whatfoever plant the white ivy of the Ancients was, it is plain from this paffage, that it was accounted the moft beautiful. Virgil does not feem to have mentioned this fpecies, in any other place:

Let the wild furges vainly beat the for where he ufes the epithet pallens, rfbare.

DRYDEN.

Thymo.] See the note on ver. 112. of the fourth Georgick.

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Hyblae.] Strabo tells us, that this was the ancient name of the city, but that it afterwards was called Megara, by a colony of Dorians, who went to Sicily, under the conduct of Theocles, an Athenian: that the ancient names of the other cities are forgotten; but that of Hybla is remembered, on account of the excellence of the Hyblacán honey; Τοὺς δὲ Δωριέας Μέγαρα, The "Texaν @góregov nadom. A Ὕβλαν πρότερον καλουμένην. μὲν οὖν πόλεις οὐκέτ ̓ εἰσί· τὸ δὲ τῆς “Ὕβλης ὄνομα συμμένει διὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν τοῦ Υβλαίου μέλιτος, La Cerda ob ferves, that the modern name of

this town is Avola, quafi Apola, vel Apiola, ab apibus. Hence we may obferve the delicacy of this expreffion of our Poet; fweeter than the thyme of Hybla; that is, fweeter than the moft fragrant herb, from which the bees extract the most delicious boney... 38. Hedera formofior alba.]

Ivy

it is moft probable, that he means that fort with yellow berries, which was used in the garlands, with which poets used to be crowned. Of this fpecies farther notice will be taken, in the note on ver. 13. of the eighth Eclogue.

39. Cum primum pafti.] This defcription of the evening, by the cattle coming home to their ftalls, is entirely pastoral.

41. Sardois videar tibi amarior herbis.] Diofcorides fays exprefsly that the poisonous herb of Sardinia is a fpecies of βατράχιον, ranuncu lus, or crowfoot. For, in his chapter, concerning the Bargains he fays there is another fort, which is more hairy, and has longer ftalks, and the leaves more divided: it

grows plentifully in Sardinia, is very acrid, and is called wild fmallage;

"El de xai Eregov eidos xvoudislegar, Ἔστι ἕτερον εἴδος χνουδέστερον, paxpoxavλóтegos, vloμas και μακροκαυλότερον, ἔνομας έχων whεious TW Quan Trolovir Σagπλείους τῶν φύλλων πλεῖστον ἐν Σαρ δωνία γενώμενου, δριμύτατον· ὅ δὲ καὶ σέλινον ἄγριον καλοῦσι. In the fixth book, the fame author has a

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chapter

Horridior rufco, projecta vilior alga ;

NOTES.,

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chapter concerning the Sardinian herb, in which he tells us, that the herb called Sardonius is like the ranunculus; that being taken inwardly it deprives a perfon of his understanding, and caufes convulfions, with a diftortion of the mouth, which resembles laughing; that from this fhocking effect, a Sardinian laugh is become a common expreffion ; Η δὲ Σαρδόνιος λεγομένη πόα βατράχου εἶδος οὖσα, ποθεῖσα ἤ βρωθεῖσα, παραφθορὰν διανοίας επι· φέρει, καὶ σπάσματα μετὰ συνολκῆς I χειλέων, ὥς τε γέλωτος Φαντασίαν παρέχειν ὑφ ̓ ἧς διαθέσεως καὶ ὁ σαρδόνιος γέλως οὐκ ευφήμως ἐν τῷ Biw nadwμiantai. He recommends καθωμίληται, as a cure for this diforder firft a vomit, then large, draughts of water and honey and milk; frequent embrocations and anointings of the body with warm medicines; bathing in water and oil, with much friction; and fuch medicines as are ufed in convulfions. The Bargaxo of Diofcorides feems to be the Ranunculus paluftris apii folio laevis C. B. or Round-leaved water crowfoot, the leaves of which are like thofe of fmallage, and of a fhining green. The flowers are yellow, and very fmall, in proportion to the fize of the plant. The fruit is an oblong head, compofed of feveral fmall, naked, fmooth feeds. It is common in watery places, and is very hot and burning; as indeed moft forts of ranunculus, or crew

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more borrid than butchers-broom, more contemptible than rejected fea-wrack,

foot are. There is another fort of ranunculus, which C. Bauhinus calls Ranunculus paluftris, apii folias lanuginofus, and fays it differs from the other, in being hairy, and having the leaves more divided. This agrees very well with the des fcription, which Diofcorides gives of the Sardinian crowfoot, and is probably the very herb in question. As for the effect of it on the human body, I do not remember any account of it's having been taken inwardly: but it is well known, that moft forts of crowfoot, being applied outwardly exulcerate the tkin, and have much the fame efedt with blifters. Hence it is not improbable, that they might occafion convulfions, and diftortions of the countenance, if taken inwardly. One fort of crowfoot, which is commonly known under the name of Thora, and Thora Valdenfium is abundantly known to be poisonous. The inhabitants of the Alps are faid to fqueeze out the juice of it in the fpring, and to keep it in the hoofs and horns of bullocks and to dip their weapons in it, by which means they are almoft fure of killing any beaft that they wound. This is confirmed by the noble hiftorian, Thuanus; who, in his relation of the cruel perfecution of the Vaudois, by the Duke of Savoy, at the inftigation of the Pope, in forms us, that thefe miferable peo ple, being provoked by repeated injuries, took up arms in their own

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defence;

if this day is not longer to me Si mihi non haec lux toto jam longior anno eft. than a whole year.

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NOTES:

defence; and that in a battle which they fought with the Duke's forces, they loft but very few of their own men; whereas the enemy loft a great number, very few of the wounded efcaping with their lives. This the hiftorian imputes to their cuftom of poisoning their weapons with the juice of thora; and adds that notwithstanding it was prefent death to any animal, yet the flesh of the creature was eaten with impunity, being only rendered more tender; Ad exaggerandum rei mira"culum addunt qui eas res fcripfere, nullos fere ex iis, qui a Valdenfibus fauciati funt, mor"tem evafiffe. Cujus rei cauffam "indaganti praeter miraculum,

quod femper obtendi minime fe"rendum eft, mihi a fide dignis "narratum eft, apud Convallenfeis "in ufu effe, ut gladiorum acies, "fpicula, venabula, fagittas, glan"des plumbeas, ac caetera miffilia "Forae vulgo apud eos dictae feu "potius Phthorae fucco, quae illis "locis frequens nafcitur et vulgari "toxici nomine appellatur, infici"ant, quod praefentiffimum vene"num effe fciunt medici. Ejus et longe alium in re difpari ufum in❝ter Alpinos, quem minime reti"cendum putavi, mirabitur lector. "Gallinas ac pullos et hujufmodi volucreis, quarum carnes edules "in diverforiis apponuntur, cultris "eo fucco illitis fub alas figunt, "quo icti mox emiffo fanguine ex"animantur, nullo vitio inde con

tracto; tantum carnes ex co te

"neriores redduntur, et ftatim hof

pitibus comedendae apponuntur : "quod rerum naturalium veftiga"toribus amplius difcutiendum re"linquo." But, to return to our Sardinian herb, it seems to have the epithet bitter in this place, to exprefs the fevere effects of it: or it may be literally called bitter; for Diofcorides fays the crowfoot has that tafte.

42. Rufco.] This is a prickly plant, which grows in the woods. It is called Butchers-broom and Knee-holly. See the note on ver. 413. of the fecond Georgick.

Projecta vilior alga.] We have feveral fpecies of fubmarine plants, which are commonly called Alga, Fucus, or Sea-wrack. But that, which the Ancients peculiarly called fo, grew about the island of Crete, and afforded a purple colour. Ray, in his Synopfis Stirpium Britannicarum, fays, when he was in Northumberland, the fifhermen told him of a fort of fea-wrack, which grew on that coaft; and was not only purple itfelf, but even ftained the fifhes with the fame colour. J. Bauhinus fpeaks of a fort of fea wrack, which was brought him from Crete; and he gives it the name of Alga tinctoria. The fubmarine plants are frequently torn from the rocks by ftorms, toffed about by the fea, and at last thrown upon the fhoar. The Alga, when thus treated, in all probability lofes it's colour, and becomes ufelefs; whence Virgil may well speak of it,

when

Ite domum pafti, fi quis pudor, ite juvenci.
COR. Mufcofi fontes, et fomno mollior herba, 45

NOTES.

when caft away in that manner, as a very contemptible weed, projecta vilior alga,

43. Lux.] Light is here ufed for day.

44. Ite domum, &c.] Thyrfis feems to speak to the cattle to go home, as if he was out of all temper and patience. Indeed this whole tetraftich has fuch an air of roughhefs, that it is no wonder to find the Commentators give the prefe ence to the tender and delicate exreffions of Corydon.

45. Mufcofi fontes, &c.] Corylon now celebrates the benefit of oolness and fhade to the cattle, vhich are abroad in the heat of ummer; Thyrfis extols the convenience of warmth and a good fire vithin doors, in winter.

Mufcoft.] This epithet is very xpreffive of coolnefs: because mofs vill feldom grow where there is any onfiderable degree of heat. It grows noft cafily on banks, that face the North; and it may be generally oberved, that the fide of a tree, which is expofed to the North, is inore covered with mofs, than that which receives the Southern fun. Thus it may be concluded, that a noffy fountain is cool at the fame time,

Somno mollior herba.] Ruaeus interprets this foft, and inviting to eep. In this he is followed by Catrou, who tranflates it," Gapropres à nous faire goûter

66

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zons fi

66 un Dryden;

Go bome, ye if you bave any fame. COR. O molly fountains, and grafs fofter than fleep,

well fed beifers,

fommeil paisible." And

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and the green arbute, that ca- Et quae vos rara viridis tegit arbutus umbra, wers you with a thin shade, Solftitium pecori defendite: jam venit aeftas defend the cattle from the fol Torrida: jam laeto turgent in palmite gemmae. mer is just at band: the buds THYR. Hic focus, et taedae pingues: hic plurimus begin to fwell on the joyful vine.

ftitial beat: the fearching fum

ignís

THYR. Here is a bearth, and fat torches: bere is always a good fire,

NOTES.

"were at leaft as good judges of fenfe and expreffion, as we are." The paffage of Theocritus, to which Dr Trapp alludes, is in the fifth-Idyllium ;

the note on ver. 148. of the firft Georgick, and ver. 300. of the third.

47. Solftitium. It fignifies only what we call the fummer folftice. See the note on ver. 100. of the firft

Η μὲν ἀρνακίδας τε καὶ εἴρια τάδε Georgick. πωλησεις,

Αἴκ' ἔνθης, ὕπνω μαλακώτερα τ

which is thus tranflated by Creech;

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Pecori defendite.

Thus Horace;

"Velox amoenum faepe Lucretilem "Mutat Lycaeo Faunus, et igneam "Defendit aeftatem capellis "Ufque meis, pluviofque ventos."

Aeftas torrida.] Thus we read igneam aeftatem, in the verses just quoted from Horace. 48. Laeto

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palmite.] Palmes

The fame expreffion is repeated in the is the branch of the vine. See the Συρακούσιαι ;

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note on lastas fegetes, ver. 1. of the firft Georgick.

Gemmae.] The Gemmae, Ocult, or Buds, are the first appearance of the young shoots of trees and fhrubs. They difcover themfelves firft in fummer, being like fcales clofely infolding each other. In this ftate they remain during the winter, and in the following fpring unfold themfelves, and produce the new fhoots. This is therefore fpoken of the fpring feason, when the buds of the vine fwell, and prepare to unfold themselves.

49. Hic focus, &c.] This is not very unlike a paffage, in the minth Idylliuin of Theocritus;

Εν

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