[31.] To herself severe. Cf. Carew:
| "To servants kind, to friendship dear, To nothing but herself severe;" |
and Dryden: "Forgiving others, to himself severe;" and Waller: "The Muses' friend, unto himself severe." Mitford quotes several other similar passages.
[32.] The sadly pleasing tear. Rogers cites Dryden's "sadly pleasing thought" (Virgil's Æn. x.); and Mitford compares Thomson's "lenient, not unpleasing tear."
[35.] Gorgon terrors. Cf. Milton, P. L. ii. 611: "Medusa with Gorgonian terror."
[36-40.] Cf. Ode on Eton College, [55-70] and [81-90].
[45-48.] Cf. Shakespeare, As You Like It, ii. 1:
|
"these are counsellors That feelingly persuade me what I am. Sweet are the uses of adversity, Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, Wears yet a precious jewel in his head;" |
and Mallet: