In his Life of Milton (Works, vii. 119) he writes:'Milton never learnt the art of doing little things with grace; he overlooked the milder excellence of suavity and softness; he was a Lion that had no skill in dandling the kid.'

hetherto your dauncers legges bow for-sooth, and Caper, and jerke, and Firke, and dandle the body above them, as it were their great childe; though the speciall jerker be above this place I hope here lies that shud fetch a perfect woman over the Coles yfaith.

I'll dandle you in my arms [hums]; I'll rock you in a little cradle; I'll sing you to sleep.

He is leaning forward, dandling his favourite bat, with which he has made thirty or forty runs to-day.

To the Lords again, where the SPEAKER-ELECT, attired in Court dress and accompanied by the SERGEANT-AT-ARMS dandling the Mace as if it ware a refractory infant, presented himself at the Bar to hear from the LORD CHANCELLOR the pleasing intelligence that HIS MAJESTY was convinced of his "ample sufficiency" to execute his arduous duties, and readily approved his election.

Fearful Megaera, with her snaky twine, Was cursed dam unto thy damned self; And Hircan tigers in the desert rocks Did foster up thy loathed, hateful life; Base Ignorance the wicked cradle rock'd, Vile Barbarism was wont to dandle thee; Some wicked hellhound tutored thy youth.

I have dandled ye, and kist ye and plaid with ye A hundred, and a hundred times, and danc'd ye, And swong ye in my Bell-ropes, ye lov'd swinging.