so-called virtues but signs of rusticity." Compare also Spenser, _F.
Q._ ii. 12. 86, "One above the rest in speciall, That had an hog been
late, ... did him miscall, That had from hoggish form him brought to
natural."

77. ~sensual sty~: see note on l. 52. To those who, "with low-thoughted
care," are "unmindful of the crown that Virtue gives," the world becomes
little better than a sensual sty. This line is adverbial to _forget_.

78. ~favoured~: compare Lat. _gratus_ = favoured (adj.).

79. ~adventurous~, full of risks. The current sense of 'adventurous,'
applied only to persons, is "enterprising." See l. 61, 609. ~glade~:
strictly, an open space in a wood, and hence applied (as here) to the
wood itself. It is cognate with _glow_ and _glitter_, and its
fundamental sense is 'a passage for light' (Skeat).

80. ~glancing star~, a shooting star. Comp. _Par. Lost_, iv. 556:

"Swift as a shooting star
In autumn thwarts the night."

The rhythm of the line and the prevalence of sibilants suit the sense.

81. ~convoy~: comp. _Par. Lost_, vi. 752, "_convoyed_ By four cherubic
shapes." It is another form of _convey_ (Lat. _con_ = together, _via_ =
a way).

83. ~sky-robes~: the "ambrosial weeds" of line 16. ~Iris' woof~, material
dyed in rainbow colours. The goddess Iris was a personification of the
rainbow: comp. l. 992 and _Par. Lost_, xi. 244, "Iris had dipped the
woof." Etymologically, _woof_ is connected with _web_ and _weave_: it is
short for _on-wef_ = on-web, _i.e._ the cross threads laid on the warp
of a loom.

84. ~weeds~: see note, l. 16.

86. ~That to the service~, etc. The part of the Spirit was acted by Lawes,
first in "sky-robes," then in shepherd dress. In the dedication of
_Comus_ by Lawes to Lord Brackley (anonymous edition of 1637), he
alludes to the favours that had been shown him by the Bridgewater
family. In the above lines Milton compliments Lawes and enables Lawes to
compliment the Earl (see Introduction).

86. ~smooth-dittied~: sweetly-worded. 'Ditty' (Lat. _dictatum_) strictly
denotes the words of a song as distinct from the musical accompaniment;
it is now applied to any little piece intended to be sung: comp. _Lyc._
32. For a similar panegyric on Lawes' musical genius compare _Son._
xiii. The musical alliteration in lines 86-88 should be noted.

87. ~knows to still~, etc.: comp. _Lyc._ 10, "he knew Himself to sing."

88. ~nor of less faith~, etc.; _i.e._ he is not less faith