The
expression
is
a condensed one for 'either of the adverse icy poles'.
a condensed one for 'either of the adverse icy poles'.
John Donne
_the even line_ is the reading of all the MS.
copies, and must
have been taken from one of these by the 1669 editor. The use of the
word is archaic and therefore more probably Donne's than an editor's
emendation. Compare Chaucer's 'Of his stature he was of even length',
i. e. 'a just mean between extremes, of proper magnitude or degree'.
The 'even line' is, as the context shows, the exact mean between
the 'adverse icy poles'. I suspect that 'raging' is an editorial
emendation. There are several demonstrable errors in the 1633 text
of this poem. The 'other' of _P_, and 'over' of _S_, are errors which
point to 'even' rather than 'raging'.
l. 12. _th'adverse icy poles. _ The 'poles' of most MSS. is obviously
necessary if we are to have _two_ temperate regions.
The expression is
a condensed one for 'either of the adverse icy poles'. Compare:
He that at sea prayes for more winde, as well
Under the poles may begge cold, heat in hell.
One cannot be under both the poles at once. One is 'under' the pole in
Donne's cosmology because the poles are not the termini of the earth's
axis but of the heavens'. 'For the North and Southern Pole, are the
invariable terms of that Axis whereon the Heavens do move. ' Browne,
_Pseud. Epidem. _ vi. 7.
Tristior illa
Terra sub ambobus non iacet ulla polis.
Ovid, _Pont. _ ii. 7. 64.
l. 17.
have been taken from one of these by the 1669 editor. The use of the
word is archaic and therefore more probably Donne's than an editor's
emendation. Compare Chaucer's 'Of his stature he was of even length',
i. e. 'a just mean between extremes, of proper magnitude or degree'.
The 'even line' is, as the context shows, the exact mean between
the 'adverse icy poles'. I suspect that 'raging' is an editorial
emendation. There are several demonstrable errors in the 1633 text
of this poem. The 'other' of _P_, and 'over' of _S_, are errors which
point to 'even' rather than 'raging'.
l. 12. _th'adverse icy poles. _ The 'poles' of most MSS. is obviously
necessary if we are to have _two_ temperate regions.
The expression is
a condensed one for 'either of the adverse icy poles'. Compare:
He that at sea prayes for more winde, as well
Under the poles may begge cold, heat in hell.
One cannot be under both the poles at once. One is 'under' the pole in
Donne's cosmology because the poles are not the termini of the earth's
axis but of the heavens'. 'For the North and Southern Pole, are the
invariable terms of that Axis whereon the Heavens do move. ' Browne,
_Pseud. Epidem. _ vi. 7.
Tristior illa
Terra sub ambobus non iacet ulla polis.
Ovid, _Pont. _ ii. 7. 64.
l. 17.
