This passage has a certain analogy to that of Bion (p. 65), 'Not
that he is loth to hear, but that the maiden of Hades will not let him
go.'
+Stanza 4,+ 1. 1. _Most musical of mourners._ This phrase, applying to
Urania, is one of those which might seem to favour the assumption that
the deity here spoken of is the Muse Urania, and not Aphrodite Urania,
But on this point see pp. 50 to 52.
1. 1. _Weep again._ The poem seems to indicate that Urania, slumbering,
is not yet aware of the death of Adonais. Therefore she cannot as yet
have wept for his death: but she may have wept in anticipation that he
would shortly die, and thus can be now adjured to 'weep _again_.' (See
also p. 143.)
1. 2. _He died._ Milton.
1. 4. _When his country's pride,_ &c. Construe: When the priest,
the slave, and the liberticide, trampled his country's pride, and
mocked [it] with many a loathed rite of lust and blood. This of
course refers to the condition of public affairs and of court-life in
the reign of Charles II. The inversion in this passage is not a
very serious one, although, for the sense, slightly embarrassing.
Pages:
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152