The following lines, though not in a play, are so full of musical
similes that it may be useful to take them at once.
_Lucrece_, line 1124.
"My _restless discord_ loves no _stops_ nor _rests_;
A woful hostess brooks not merry guests.
Relish your _nimble notes_ to pleasing ears;
Distress like _dumps_, when _time is kept_ with tears."
(Then to the nightingale)--
"Come, Philomel, that sing'st of ravishment,
Make thy sad grove in my dishevell'd hair:
As the dank earth weeps at thy languishment,
So I at each sad _strain_ will _strain_ a tear,
And with deep groans the _diapason_ bear;
For _burden_ wise I'll _hum_ on Tarquin still,
While thou on Tereus _descant'st_ better skill.
And while against a thorn thou _bear'st thy part_,
To keep thy sharp woes waking....
These means, as _frets_ upon an _instrument_,
Shall _tune_ our heart-_strings_ to true languishment."
Here Lucrece tells the birds to cease their joyous notes, and calls on
the nightingale to sing the song of Tereus, while she herself bears
the 'burden' with her groans.
The first line contains a quibble on 'rests' and 'restless' discord.
'Nimble notes' was used in the Shakespearian time as we should use the
term 'brilliant music.' Lucrece was in no humour for trills and runs,
but rather for Dumps, where she could keep slow time with her tears.
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