Fall, the fuperiority of Adam is diligently fuftained.

Of the able and the marvellous, two parts of a vulgar epick poem, which immerge the critick in deep confideration, the Paradife Loft requires little to be faid. It contains the history of a miracle, of Creation and Redemption; it displays the power and

the mercy of the Supreme Being; the probable therefore is marvellous, and the marvellous is probable. The fubftance of the narrative is truth; and as truth allows no choice, it is, like neceffity, fuperior to rule. To the accidental or adventitious parts, as to every thing human, fome flight exceptions may be made. But the main fabrick is immovably supported.

It is justly remarked by Addison, that this poem has, by the nature of its fubject, the advantage above all others, that it is univerfally and perpetually interefting. All mankind will, through all ages, bear the fame relation to Adam and to Eve, and must partake of that good and evil which extend to themselves.

VOL. I.

R

Of

Of the machinery, so called from ÉÒÇ ÚTÓ μηχανῆς, by which is meant the occafional interpofition of fupernatural power, another fertile topick of critical remarks, here is no room to fpeak, because every thing is done under the immediate and visible direction of Heaven; but the rule is fo far obferved, that no part of the action could have been accomplished by any other means.

Of episodes, I think there are only two, contained in Raphael's relation of the war in heaven, and Michael's prophetick account of the changes to happen in this world. Both are closely connected with the great action; one was neceffary to Adam as a warning, the other as a confolation.

To the compleatness or integrity of the defign nothing can be objected; it has diftinctly and clearly what Ariftotle requires, a beginning, a middle, and an end. There is perhaps no poem, of the fame length, from which fo little can be taken without apparent mutilation. Here are no funeral games, nor is there any long defcription of a

fhield.

fhield. The fhort digreffions at the beginning of the third, feventh, and ninth books, might doubtless be spared; but fuperfluities fo beautiful, who would take away? or who does not wish that the author of the Iliad had gratified fucceeding ages with a little knowledge of himself? Perhaps no paffages are more frequently or more attentively read than those extrinfick paragraphs; and, fince the end of poetry is pleasure, that cannot be unpoetical with which all are pleased.

The questions, whether the action of the poem be strictly one, whether the poem can be properly termed heroick, and who is the hero, are raised by fuch readers as draw their principles of judgement rather from books than from reason. Milton, though he intituled Paradife Loft only a poem, yet calls it himself beroick fong. Dryden, petulantly and indecently, denies the heroifm of Adam, because he was overcome; but there is no reafon why the hero fhould not be unfortunate, except established practice, fince fuccefs and virtue do not go neceffarily together. Cato is the hero of Lucan; but Lucan's authority will not be fuffered by Quintilian to

decide.

However, if fuccefs be neceffary, Adam's deceiver was at laft crufhed; Adam was restored to his Maker's favour, and therefore may fecurely refume his human

rank.

After the fcheme and fabrick of the poem, must be confidered its component parts, the fentiments and the diction.

The fentiments, as expreflive of manners, or appropriated to characters, are, for the greater part, unexceptionably juft.

Splendid paffages, containing leffons of morality, or precepts of prudence, occur feldom. Such is the original formation of this poem, that as it admits no human manners till the Fall, it can give little affiftance to human conduct. Its end is to raise the thoughts above fublunary cares or pleasures. Yet the praise of that fortitude, with which Abdiel maintained his fingularity of virtue against the fcorn of multitudes, may be accommodated to all times; and Raphael's reproof of Adam's curiofity after the planetary motions, with the answer returned by Adam,

may

may

be confidently oppofed to any rule of life which any poet has delivered.

The thoughts which are occafionally called forth in the progrefs, are fuch as could only be produced by an imagination in the highest degree fervid and active, to which materials were fupplied by inceffant ftudy and unlimited curiofity. The heat of Milton's mind might be faid to fublimate his learning, to throw off into his work the fpirit of fcience, unmingled with its groffer parts.

learned.

He had confidered creation in its whole extent, and his defcriptions are therefore He had accustomed his imagination to unreftrained indulgence, and his conceptions therefore were extenfive. The characteristick quality of his poem is fublimity. He fometimes defcends to the elegant, but his element is the great. He can occafionally inveft himself with grace; but his natural port is gigantick loftiness *. He can please when pleasure is required; but it is his power to aftonish.

liar

pecu

Algarotti terms it gigantefca fublimità Miltoniana.