Loredano was the founder of the Accademia degli Incogniti. His houfe at Venice was the conftant refort of learned men. Gaddi, an Italian friend whom Milton names, and who has celebrated the foundation of the academy, would hardly fail to introduce the young Englishman to the founder of it, if by no other means he had become known to him. Italy then, will probably be thought to have confirmed, if not to have excited, the defign of Milton to fing "Man's difobedience, and the mortal taste of the forbidden fruit." Yet a very learned and interefting writer has queftioned the propriety of afcribing fuch honour to Italy. "If we are to refer Milton's work," fays Mr. Turner, "to any other fuggeftion than to his own picty and to the Scriptures, there feems much more reafon to give the honour to our venerable Cedmon, than to the heterogeneous comedy of Andreini, which there is no proof that Milton ever read, and the beginning of which could only difguft his correct tafte. Indeed, if we recollect our old myfteries on the fame fubjects, there appears ftill lefs occafion to go to Italy in fearch of that which we may find at home.” Whether the reader will fubfcribe entirely to this opinion, I greatly doubt; but I am certain he will be highly gratified by the extracts drawn with tafte and ingenuity, by Mr. Turner, from the venerable Anglo-Saxon poetical narration. "Various fpe P See Jacobi Gaddii Adlocutiones, et Elogia &c. Florentiæ, 1636. 4to, p. 58. Hift. of the Anglo-Saxons, 2d edit. 4to. 1807. Preface, and Vol. ii. 309, feq. culations," he obferves, "have been made on the fources to which Milton has been indebted for the fubject of his great poem. The extracts, cited from our Cedmon, fhew that this ancient poet has anticipated fomewhat of the Miltonick character and agency of Satan. It is alfo remarkable that both Cedmon and Milton begin their poems with ftating the fall of Satan, and his expulfion from Heaven. Cedmon's paraphrase was printed by Junius, who lived much in England in 1655. Milton is faid by Aubrey to have begun his Paradife Loft two years before the restoration, or in 1658. It is prefumed to have been finished in 1665, and its first edition appeared in 1667. As our immortal poet wrote the history of the Anglo-Saxon times, and in that quotes a Saxon document, the Saxon Chronicle, we may believe him to have been interefted by fuch an important part of their literature as Cedmon's paraphrase, which, though printed at Amsterdam, muft, from the connections of Junius, who had the MSS. from Archbishop Ufher, have been much known in England. Cedmon's poem is, in the first part, a Paradife Loft, in rude miniature. It contains the fall of the angels, the creation, the temptation of Eve, and the expulfion from Paradise. In its firft topick, the fall of the angels, it exhibits much of a Miltonick spirit; and if it were clear that our illuftrious bard had been familiar with Saxon, we should be induced to think that he owed fomething to the paraphrafe of Cedmon. No one at least can read Cedmon without feeling the idea intruding upon his mind. As the fubject is curious, S VOL. II. I fhall make no apology for very copious extracts from Cedmon, tranflated as literally as poffible: "On the Fall of the Angels. "To us it is much right that we the Ruler of the firma ment, the Glory-King of Hofts, with words fhould praise, with minds fhould love. He is in power abundant, High Head of all creatures, Almighty Lord! they obeyed his domination. with virtues. They were very happy; fins they knew not; nor to frame crimes: There was not to him ever be- except right and truth, ginning nor origin made; nor now end cometh. Eternal Lord! But he will be always powerful over heaven's ftools ', in high majefty, truth-faft and very strenuous, Ruler of the bofoms of the sky! Then were they fet wide and ample, thro' God's power, for the children of glory, for the guardians of fpirits. They had joy and splendor, and their beginning-origin, the hofts of angels; before the Ruler of the angels, for pride divided them in error. They would not prolong council for themselves! but they from felf-love They had much pride the glory-faft place, the majefty of their hofts, the wide and bright sky. To him there grief happened, envy, and pride; to that angel's mind. that this ill counfel began firft to frame, bright blifs was their great to weave and wake. fruit. The glory-faft thegns praifed the King: they faid willingly praise to their Life-Lord; Then he words faid, darkened with iniquity, that he in the north part a home and high feat of heaven's kingdom I use the term in the original, becaufe fuch expreffions as have any allufion to ancient manners fhould always be preferved. would poffefs. Then was God angry, and with the hoft wrath a work of retribution, for the exiles to abide, the rulers of spirits. When he it ready knew and extenfive cold, ment. They had provoked accufation; grim against God gathered together, to them was grim retribution come. vile against their Maker, Their loftinefs of mind departed, he ftruck his enemies He had a ftern mind, he feized in his wrath from the stations of glory the proud race of angels from the faithlefs hoft. They faid, that they the king- The Governor fent the hated army dom with fierce mind would poffefs, on a long journey, and fo eafily might. Them the hope deceived, after the Governor, the high King of Heaven, his hands upreared. He purfued againft the crowd nor might the void of mind, with mourning speech. "But that part of Cedmon which is the most original product of his own fancy, is his account of Satan's hoftility. To us, the Paradife Loft of Milton has made this fubject peculiarly interefting; and as it will be curious to fee how an old Saxon poet has previously treated it, we shall give another copious extract. Some of the touches bring to mind a few of Milton's conceptions. But in Cedmon the finest thoughts are abruptly introduced, and very roughly and imperfectly expreffed. In Milton the fame ideas are detailed in all the majesty of his diction, and are fully displayed with that vigour of intellect in which he has no fuperior. "The univerfal Ruler had of the angelic race, through his hand-power, the holy Lord! a fortress established. To them he well trusted that they his fervice would follow, would do his will. fo mighty in his mind's thought; he let him rule fo much; he had made him fo fplendid; fo beautiful was his fruit in heaven, For this he gave them under- which to him came standing, from the Lord of Hofts; and with his hands made them. that he was like The Holy Lord had ftationed them fo happily. One he had fo ftrongly made, the brilliant stars. Praise ought he to have made to his Lord; his joys in heaven; |