Made huge Plinlimmon bow his cloud-topt head. Bard." Who says that he wrote eight pieces, five of ་ V. 28. In a Poem to Llewellyn, by Einion the son of Guigan, a similar epithet is given to him (p. 22), “ Llewellyn is a tender-hearted prince." And in another Poem to him, by Llywarch Brydydd y Moch (p. 32): 'Llewellyn, though in battle he killed with fury, though he burnt like an outrageous fire, yet was a mild prince when the mead horns were distributed." Also in an Ode to him by Llygard Gwr (p. 39), he is called "Llewellyn the mild, and prosperous governor of Gwynedd." Llewellyn's soft Lay' is given by Jones in his Relics, vol. ii. p. 64. V. 29. Cadwallo and Urien are mentioned by Dr. Evans in his "Dissertatio de Bardis," p. 78, among those bards of whom no works remain. See account of Urien's death in Jones. Relics, i. p. 19. He is celebrated in the Triads, "as one of the three bulls of war." Taliessin dedicated to him upwards of twelve poems, and wrote an elegy on his death: he was slain by treachery in the year 560. Modred is, I suppose, the famous "Myrddin ab Morvryn," called Merlyn the Wild; a disciple of Taliessin, and bard to the Lord Gwenddolaw ab Ceidiaw. He fought under King Arthur in 542 at the battle of Camlau, and accidentally slew his own nephew. He was reckoned a truer prophet, than his predecessor the great magician Merdhin Ambrose. See a poem of his called the "Orchard" in Jones. Relics, vol. i. p. 24. I suppose Gray altered the name euphoniæ gratia;" as I can nowhere find a bard mentioned of the name of "Modred." 66 Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath, V. 30. Dear Who with his soft pipe and smooth dittied song 66 Cloud-capt towers," Tempest, act iv. sc. 1. W. on has used this image very poetically in his Polyvol. iii. p. 1126, in the speech of Skedow: from my glorious height into its depth 1 pry, hills far under me, but as my pages lie; hen my helm of clouds upon my head I take." e tragedy of Nero, 1624, p. 27: "Hebrus stood gaa bow'd his head." The shores of Caernarvonshire opposite the isle sey. Gray. "Smear'd with gore, a ghastly stream." King of Daughter: Percy. Reliques, iii. 164; and Macii. sc. 2, "Smear the sleepy grooms with blood." This image may be found in Lucret. vi. ver. 1213. Ovid. Met. vii. 550. Lucan. vi. ver. 625. Stat. ver. 624. Prudent. Steph. 5, 400. It is also in Pal. and Arcite, ver. 1142: fowl that scent afar the borders fly, un the bitter blast, and wheel about the sky." Camden and others observe, that eagles used anbuild their aerie among the rocks of Snowdon, m thence (as some think) were named by the Welsh eryri, or the crags of the eagles. At this day (I he highest point of Snowdon is called the Eagle's hat bird is certainly no stranger to this island, as , and the people of Cumberland, Westmoreland, estify: it even has built its nest upon the peak of re. [See Willoughby's Ornithol. by Ray.] Gray. mpest sees their strength, and sighs and passes wift's Misc. ii. 189. "As dear to me as are the ruddy drops That visit my sad heart." Jul. Cæsar, act ii. sc. 1. Gray. That te From The sco 50 V.51 And weave with bloody hands the tissue of thy line. II. 1. "Weave the warp, and weave the woof, The winding sheet of Edward's race. See Callimach. H. Dian. v. 211. Theocr. Id. cap. 53. Quint. Smyrn. x. 475. Catul. xiv. 1. Virg. Æn. iv. 31. Otway, in his Venice Preserved, act v. p. 309, was more immediately in Gray's mind: "Dear as the vital warmth that feeds my life, Dear as these eyes that weep in fondness o'er thee." In Sydney's Arcadia, vol. ii. 415: " p. 'Oh, mother, said Amphialus, speak not of doing them hurt, no more than to mine eyes or my heart, or if I have any thing more dear than eyes or heart unto me.' King Lear, act i. sc. 2: "Dearer than eye-sight.' V. 42. "And greatly falling with a falling state," Pope. "And couldst not fall, but with thy country's fate," Dryden. W. V. 44. I have thought that this image was shadowed by the poet from the following passage of Stat. xi. 420. The third line is almost translated: Ipse quoque Ogygios monstra ad gentilia manes Montibus insidunt patriis, tristique corona "For neither were ye playing on the steep, where your old bards, the famous Druids lie." Lycidas. V. 48. See the Norwegian ode (the Fatal Sisters) that follows. Gray. V. 49. "No wool to work on, neither weft nor warp." Swift's Misc. viii. p. 198, ed. Nich. "I have a soul that like an ample shield Can take in all, and verge enough for more.' Dryden. Sebastian, act i. sc. 1. Edward the Second, cruelly butchered in Berkley Gray. See Drayton. Barons' Wars, v. lxvii. rkley, whose fair seat hath been famous long, t thy sad echoes shriek a deadly sound e vast air; complain his grievous wrong, d keep the blood that issued from his wound." This line of Gray is almost in the same words as escription, vol. ii. p. 359: "The screams with agonizing king filled the castle." Isabel of France, Edward the Second's adulterous Gray. pression is from Shakespeare's Hen. VI. pt. III. She-wolf of France, but worse than wolves Latin writers have used the same language. speaking of the sisters of Psyche: " Perfida luas insidias comparant." And Ausonius, ed. Tollii, Et mater est vere lupa." Plutarch in Vita Rop. 84. ed. Reiske. ΛΟΥΠΑΣ γὰρ ἐκάλουν ‘Οι τῶν τε θηρίων τὰς λυκαίνας, καὶ τῶν γυναικῶν ούσας, &c. . Thy son is gone. He rests among the dead. i. Var. V. 63. Victor] Conqueror. Ms. V. 64. His] The. Ms. V. 65. No, no,] What, what. Ms. V. 69. Hover'd in thy noontide ray. Ms. V. 61. Cowley has a couplet with similar imagery, vol. p. 254: He walks about the perishing nation, Ruin behind him stalks, and empty desolation." And Oldham in his Ode to Homer, stan. iii. 66 Where'er he does his dreadful standard bear, Horror stalks in the van, and slaughter in the rear.". "On he went, and in his van confusion and amaze, While horror and affright brought up the rear.' Swift. V. 62. "Care sat on his faded cheek." V. Milt. P. L. i. 601. V. 64. Death of that king, abandoned by his children, and even robbed in his last moments by his courtiers and his mistress. Gray. "Lo! there the mighty warrior lies." Oldham. D. of Saul. V. 65. The same words, with the same elliptical expression, occur in the Instal. Ode, vi: Thy liberal heart, thy judging eye, On this ellipsis see Jortin. Obs. on Spenser: Tracts, vol. i. V. 67. Edward the Black Prince, dead some time before his father. Gray. "Hence Edward dreadful with his sable shield.” |