IN Poetry, as in Achitecture, not only the Whole, but the principal Members, and every Part of them, fhould be Great. I will not prefume to fay, that the Book of Games in the Eneid, or that in the Iliad, are not of this Nature, nor to reprehend Virgil's Simile of the Top, and many other of the fame kind in the Iliad as liable to any Cenfure in this Particular; but I think we may fay, without derogating from thofe wonderful Performances, that there is an unquestionable Magnificence in every Part of Paradife Loft, and indeed a much greater than could have been formed upon any Pagan System.

BUT Ariftotle, by the Greatness of the Action, does not only mean that it should be great in its Nature, but also in its Duration, or in other Words, that it should have a due Length in it, as well as what we properly call Greatnefs. The juft Measure of this kind of Magnitude, he explains by the following Similitude. An Animal, no bigger than a Mite, cannot appear perfect to the Eye, because the Sight takes it in at once, and has only a confufed Idea of the Whole, and not a distinct Idea of all its Parts; if on the contrary you should fuppofe an Animai of ten thousand Furlongs in length, the Eye would be fo filled with a fingle Part of it, that it could not give the Mind an Idea of the Whole. What thefe Animals are to the Eye, a verv fhort or a very long Action would be to the Memory. The firft would be, as it were, lost and fwallowed up by it, and the other difficult to be contained in it. Homer and Virgil have fhewn their principal Art in this Particular; the Action of the Iliad, and that of the Eneid, were in themfelves exceeding fhort, but are fo beautifully extended and diverfified by the Invention of Epifodes, and the Machinery of Gods, with the like poetical Ornaments, that they make up an agreeable Story, fufficient to employ the Memory without overcharging it. Milton's Action is enriched with fuch a Variety of Circumstances, that I have taken as much Pleasure in reading the Contents of his Books, as in the best invented Story I ever met with. It is poffible, that the Traditions on which the Iliad and Eneid were built, had more Circumstances in them than the Hiftory of The Fall of Man, as it is related in Scripture. Befides, it was easier for Homer and Virgil to dash the Truth with Fiction, as they

were

70 were in no Danger of offending the Religion of their Country by it. But as for Milton, he had not only a very few Circumftances upon which to raise his Poem, but was alfo obliged to proceed with the greatest Caution in every Thing that he added out of his own Invention. And, indeed, notwithstanding all the Reftraints he was under, he has filled his Story with fo many furprizing Incidents, which bear fo close an Analogy with what is delivered in holy Writ, that it is capable of pleafing the moft delicate Reader, without giving Offence to the most fcrupulous.

THE modern Criticks have collected from feveral Hints in the Iliad and Aineid the Space of time, which is taken up by the Action of each of thofe Poems; but as a great Part of Milton's Story was tranfacted in Regions that lie out of the Reach of the Sun and the Sphere of Day, it is impoffible to gratify the Reader with fuch a Calculation, which indeed would be more curious than inftructive; none of the Criticks, either Ancient or Modern, having laid down Rules to circumfcribe the Action of an Epic Poem with any determin'd Number of Years, Days

or Hours.

This Piece of Criticism on Milton's Paradife Loftball be carried on in the following Saturdays Papers.

L

N° 268. Monday, January 7.

I

Minus aptus acutis

Naribus Horum Hominum

Hor.

T is not that I think I have been more witty than I ought of late, that at prefent I wholly forbear any Attempt towards it: I am of Opinion that I ought fometimes to lay before the World the plain Letters of my Correfpondents in the Artlefs Drefs in which they haftily fend them, that the Reader may fee I am not Accufer and Judge my felf, but that the Indictment is properly and fairly laid, before I proceed against the Criminal.

Mr

Mr. SPECTATOR,

S you are Spectator General, I apply my felf to you in the following Cafe, viz. I do not wear a • Sword, but I often divert my self at the Theatre, where I frequently fee a Set of Fellows pull plain People, by way of Humour and Frolick, by the Nofe, upon frivo⚫lous or no Occafions. A Friend of mine the other Night applauding what a graceful Exit Mr. Wilks made, one of thefe Nofe-wringers over-hearing him, pinched him by the Nofe. I was in the Pit the other Night, (when it was very much crowded) a Gentleman leaning upon me, and very heavily, I very civilly requefted him to remove his Hand; for which he pulled me by the Nofe, I would not refent it in fo publick a Place, because I was unwilling to create a Disturbance; but have fince ⚫ reflected upon it as a Thing that is unmanly and difingenuous, renders the Nofe-puller odious, and makes the • Perfon pulled by the Nofe look little and contemptible. • This Grievance I humbly request you would endeavour to redrefs.

Mr. SPECTATOR,

I am your Admirer, &c.

James Eafy.

YOUR Difcourfe of the 29th of December on Love

Y and Marriage is of fo ufeful a Kind, that I can

not forbear adding my Thoughts to yours on that Subject. Methinks it is a Misfortune, that the Marriage State, which in its own Nature is adapted to give us the compleateft Happiness this Life is capable of, fhould be fo uncomfortable a one to fo many as it daily proves. But the Mischief generally proceeds from the unwife • Choice People make for themfelves, and an Expectation of Happiness from Things not capable of giving it. Nothing but the good Qualities of the Perfon beloved, can be a Foundation for a Love of Judgment and Difcretion; and whoever expect Happineis from any Thing but Virtue, Wisdom, Good-humour, and a Similitude of Manners, will find themselves widely mistaken. But how few are there who feek after these Things, and do

по

6

not rather make Riches their chief if not their only Aim? How rare is it for a Man, when he engages himfelf in the Thoughts of Marriage, to place his hopes of having in fuch a Woman a conftant, agreeable Campanion? One who will divide his Cares and double his Joys? Who will manage that Share of his Eftate he intrufts to her Conduct with Prudence and Frugality, govern his House with Oeconomy and Discretion, and be an Ornament to himself and Family? Where shall we find the Man who looks out for one who places her chief Happiness in the Practice of Virtue, and makes her Duty her continual Pleasure? No: Men rather seek for Money as the Complement of all their Defires; and regardless of what kind of Wives they take, they think Riches will be a Minifter to all kind of Pleasures, and ⚫ enable them to keep Miftreffes, Horfes, Hounds, to drink, feaft, and game with their Companions, pay their Debts ⚫ contracted by former Extravagancies, or fome fuch vile and unworthy End; and indulge themselves in Pleasures which are a Shame and Scandal to human Nature. Now as for the Women; how few of them are there who place the Happiness of their Marriage in the having a ' wife and virtuous Friend? One who will be faithful and juft to all, and conftant and loving to them? Who with Care and Diligence will look after and improve the E'ftate, and without grudging allow whatever is prudent ' and convenient? Rather, how few are there who do not place their Happiness in out-fhining others in Pomp and Show and that do not think within themselves ' when they have married such a rich Perfon, that none ' of their Acquaintance shall appear fo fine in their Equipage, fo adorned in their Perfons, or fo magnificent in their Furniture as themselves? Thus their Heads are filled with vain Ideas; and I heartily wish I could fay that Equipage and Show were not the Chief Good of fo many Women as I fear it is.

AFTER this manner do both Sexes deceive themfelves, and bring Reflexions and Difgrace upon the moft happy and most honourable State of Life; whereas if they would but correct their depraved Taste, moderate their Ambition, and place their Happiness upon

proper

proper Objects, we fhould not find Felicity in the Marriage State fuch a Wonder in the World as it now is. SIR, if you think these Thoughts worth inferting among your own, be pleased to give them a better Drefs, and let them país abroad; and you will oblige Your Admirer,

Mr. SPECTATOR,

A. B.

S I was this Day walking in the Street, there hap

A pened to pafs by on the other Side of the Way

a Beauty, whofe Charms were fo attracting that it drew my Eyes wholly on that Side, infomuch that I neglected my own Way, and chanced to run my Nofe directly against a Poft; which the Lady no fooner perceived, but fell out into a Fit of Laughter, though at the fame time fhe was fenfible that herself was the • Cause of my Misfortune, which in my Opinion was the greater Aggravation of her Crime. I being bufy wiping off the Blood which trickled down my Face, had not Time to acquaint her with her Barbarity as alfo with my Refolution, viz. never to look out of my Way for one of her Sex more: Therefore, that your • humble Servant may be revenged, he defires you to infert this in one of your next Papers, which he hopes ⚫ will be a Warning to all the rest of the Women Gazers, as well as to poor

Mr. SPECTATOR,

I

Anthony Gape.

Defire to know in your next, if the merry Game of the Parfon has loft his Cloak, is not mightily in Vogue amongst the fine Ladies this Christmas; becaufe I fee they wear Hoods of all Colours, which I fuppose is for that Purpofe; If it is, and you think it proper, I will carry fome of thofe Hoods with me to our Ladies in Yorkshire; because they injoined me to bring them fomething from London that was very New. If you can tell any Thing in which I can obey their Commands more agreeably, be pleased to inform me, and ⚫ you will extremely oblige

Your bumble Servant.

Mr.