...Cyriac Skinner. Cyriac, these three-years-day, these eyes, though clear, To outward view, of blemish and of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot...their idle orbs doth sight appear Of sun, or moon, or stars, throughout the year, Or man or woman. Yet I argue not Against Heaven's hand or will, nor bate...

...Amaurosis, which is so feelingly pourtrayed by the suffering MILTON, — " These eyea, though clear To outward view, of blemish, or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot; Nor to the idle orbs doth sight appear Of sun, or moon, or star throughout the year! Or man, or woman I" Many...

...glories, such as the eyes of the body never beheld. What though to Milton's " idle orbs" the sight did not appear, " Of sun, or moon, or star, throughout the year, Or man, or woman V Had he not the consciousness of noble deeds to cheer him ? Were not these far more glorious than...

...cheerful hour, refrains. TO THE SAME (1655) CYRIACK, this three years' day these eyes, though clear, To outward view, of blemish or of spot, Bereft of...throughout the year, Or man, or woman. Yet I argue not Against Heaven's hand or will, nor bate a jot Of heart or hope, but still bear up and steer Right onward....

...forget Milton, either as a poet or a patriot: " Cyriac, this three years' day, these eyes, though clear, To outward view, of blemish or of spot, Bereft of...forgot; Nor to their idle orbs doth sight appear, Of suu, or moon, or star, throughout the year, Or man or woman. Yet I argue not Against Heaven's hand...

...poet-priest of the waning New England dominant class: Cyriack, this three years' day these eyes, though clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light...throughout the year, Or man or woman. Yet I argue not Against Heav'n's hand or will, nor bate a jot Of heart or hope, but still bear up and steer Right onward....

...toward the poem and ultimately to his friend: Cyriack, this three years day these eyes, though clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light...throughout the year, Or man or woman. Yet I argue not Against heaven's hand or will, nor bate a jot Of heart or hope; but still bear up and steer Right onward....

...been no change in his external appearance: Cyriack, this three years' day these eyes, though clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light...moon or star throughout the year, Or man or woman. In respect to what he has next to say, the poet dwells suspiciously long upon these details of his...

...about "this three years' day these eyes": Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot; Nor to their idol orbs doth sight appear Of sun or moon or star through-out the year, Or man or woman. Against heavens hand or will, Yet I argue not Nor bate a lot of heart or hope, but still bear up And...

...as the anniversary of his blindness. The speaker's sense of alienation — of being set apart from "sun or moon or star throughout the year, / Or man or woman" — demands an acknowledgment that circumstance and the indifference of the world confines to a personal...