better proofes the law
Of sense then faith requires.
A vein of restless scepticism runs through the whole.
l. 280. It's rais'd, to be the Raisers instrument and food. If with 1650-69, Chambers, and the Grolier Club editor, we alter the full stop which separates this line from the last to a comma, 'It' must mean the same as 'she', i.e. the fish. This is a harsh construction. The line is rather to be taken as an aphorism. 'To be exalted is often to become the instrument and prey of him who has exalted you.'
Page 307, l. 296. That many leagues at sea, now tir'd hee lyes. The reading of G represents probably what Donne wrote. It is quite clear that 1633 was printed from a MS. identical with A18, N, TC, and underwent considerable correction as it passed through the press. In no poem does the text of one copy vary so much from that of another as in this. Now in this MS. a word is dropped. The editor supplied the gap by inserting 'o're-past', which simply repeats 'flown long and fast'. G shows what the dropped word was. 'Many leagues at sea' is an adverbial phrase qualifying 'now tir'd he lies'.
ll. 301-10. I owe the right punctuation of this stanza to the Grolier Club edition and Grosart. The 'as' of l. 303 requires to be followed by a comma. Missing this, Chambers closes the sentence at l. 307, 'head', leaving 'This fish would seem these' in the air. The words 'when all hopes fail' play with the idea of 'the hopeful Promontory', or Cape of Good Hope.
Page 308, ll. 321-2.
He hunts not fish, but as an officer,
Stayes in his court, at his owne net.