The suggestion of your correspondent B.H.K. (No. 18. p. 286.) has been
anticipated by Mr. Warton, who, in his 1st edition of _Milton's Poems_,
notices a similar interpretation of the passage, as the suggestion of an
unknown correspondent. In the 2nd edition this correspondent is
mentioned to have been Mr. Headley; and the editor discusses the point
in a note of upwards of a page, illustrating it with parallel passages,
and an analysis of the context. As the book is one of ready access, I
need not trouble you with a quotation; but I may mention that Mr.
Gilchrist has added, in a MS. note in my copy, that "Among the poems
appended to those of Lord Surrey and Sir Thomas Wyatt, is one of
considerable elegance in the same measure as those of Milton, nor is it
unlike in its subject: the following lines may throw some light on the
present inquiry (p. 200. ed. 1717):--
'On hills then shewe the ewe and lambe
And every young one with his damme;
Then lovers walke and _tell their tale_
Both of their bliss and of their bale.'"
[The passage is at p. 57. of the 1st vol. of Dr. Nott's edition.]
I am glad of the present opportunity of mentioning, for the benefit of
all whom it may concern, that my copy of the 1st edition of Warton's
_Milton_ is enriched with numerous notes and parallel passages by Mr.
Gilchrist; and a copy of the 2nd edition has been similarly, but less
copiously, illustrated by Mr. Dunston. I shall be glad if my mention of
them should lead to their being made useful--or, if you wish it, I shall
be happy to transcribe the notes for occasional insertion in your
Journal.
May I be allowed to suggest that similar notifications _to_ intending
editors would have some tendency to do the same good results which may
be expected from the announcements _by_ intending editors suggested by
your correspondent R.R. at p. 243? There must be hundreds of volumes
enriched by the notes of scholars, such as those I have had occasion to
mention, which are dispersed in private libraries, and might, by means
of similar announcements, be made available to the cause of literature.