146 be (Barfcen 



body bent to the ground, so that he could not 

 have supported himself had it not been for 

 Comus, the God of Revels, and Necessity, the 

 Mother of Fate, who sustained him on each side. 

 The shape and mantle of Comus was one of 

 the things that most surprised me ; as he ad- 

 vanced towards me his countenance seemed 

 the most desirable I had ever seen. On the fore 

 part of his mantle were pictured Joy, Delight, 

 and Satisfaction, with a thousand emblems of 

 merriment, and jests with faces looking two 

 ways at once ; but as he passed from me I was 

 amazed at a shape so little correspondent to his 

 face. His head was bald, and all the rest of 

 his limbs appeared old and deformed. On the 

 hinder part of his mantle were represented Mur- 

 der, with dishevelled hair and a dagger all 

 bloody ; Anger, in a robe of scarlet ; and Suspi- 

 cion squinting with both eyes : but above all the 

 most conspicuous was the battle of the Lapithae 

 and the Centaurs. I detested so hideous a 

 shape, and turned my eyes upon Saturn, who 

 was stealing away behind him, with a scythe in 

 one hand and an hour-glass in the other, unob- 

 served. Behind Necessity was Vesta, the God- 

 dess of Fire, with a lamp which was perpetually 

 supplied with oil, and whose flame was eter- 

 nal. She cheered the rugged brow of Necessity, 

 and warmed her so far as almost to make her 



