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He imagines he has disposed of Lycidas by exhibiting its "inherent improbability" in the eyes of a crude common sense: a triumph which is as easy and as futile as his refutation of Berkeley's metaphysics by striking his foot upon the ground. The truth is of course that in each case he is beating the air.
The life of Lycidas had not been in greater peril when he had been discovered at the midnight burial, or when he had wrestled with Abishai on the edge of the cliff.
With what strange emotions did Lycidas through life remember that early walk in Jerusalem! The being whom he loved best was leaning upon him, too much exhausted to decline his aid; there was thrilling happiness in being so near her; but the uppermost feelings in the mind of Lycidas were agonising fear upon Zarah's account, and intense impatience to reach some place of safety.
On this note the elegy ends, and there follow eight lines in which the poet glances at his own pastoral self that has been singing, and realizes that the world will go on even though Lycidas be no more, and that there are other calls in life than that of piping on an oaten reed.
The young captive bowed his head, folded his arms, and answered "Content." "The women shall not vote!" exclaimed Abishai. "They shall vote," said the chief, with decision; "their peril is equal to ours, and so shall their privilege be." It was with strangely mingled emotions that Lycidas beheld, as it were, the balance raised, one of the scales of which was weighted with his freedom and life!
He will approve thy wedlock when he has heard my name. The Maiden. Prithee, tell me that name of thine; in a name there is often delight. Daphnis. Daphnis am I, Lycidas is my father, and Nomaea is my mother. The Maiden. Thou comest of men well-born, but there I am thy match. Daphnis. The Maiden. Show me thy grove, wherein is thy cattle-stall. Daphnis.
"I would fain know more of the religion of the Hebrews," said Lycidas; "I have heard marvellous stories more sublime than any that our poets have sung of a Deity bringing this people out of Egypt, making a path for them through the depths of the sea, reining back its foaming waves as a rider his white-maned steed; giving to the thirsty water from the rock, to the hungry bread from the skies, and scattering the foes of Israel before them, as chaff is driven by the wind.
Another incident of the Middle Passage suggested to James Montgomery a poem called "The Voyage of the Blind." "It was that fatal and perfidious bark, Built in the eclipse, and rigged with curses dark." MILTON'S Lycidas.
"How Hadassah would have praised and blessed God for this!" reflected Zarah. "Her words were the seeds of truth which fell on the richest of soils, where the harvest now gladdens her child. It was she who first saved the precious life of my Lycidas, and then led his yet more precious soul to the Fount of Salvation!
"No," said Rod; "if it's 'fields' I'll eat my best hat." "I hope it's fields," said Gregory. "Horrid little boy!" said Rod. "But now we'll see." He opened Milton slowly, and turned over the pages of "Lycidas." "Ha! ha!" he said; "no cake for Charles Vernon, Esquire, and two bob for Mother Church. And my best hat saved.
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