XXX I XXXXXXXX SPECTATOR, N° 303. -Volet hæc fub luce videri, Judicis argutum quæ non formidat acumen. -Some chufe the cleareft Light, Hor. ROSCOM. Have feen in the Works of a modern Philofopher, a Map of the Spots in the Sun. My laft Paper of the Faults and Blemishes in Milton's Paradife Loft, may be confidered as a Piece of the fame Nature. To pursue the Allufion: As it is obferved, that among the bright Parts of the luminous Body above-mentioned, there are fome which glow more intenfely, and dart a ftronger Light than others; fo, notwithstanding I have already fhewn Milton's Poem to be very beautiful in general, I shall now proceed to take notice of fuch Beauties as appear to me more exquifite than the reft. Milton has propofed the Subject of his Poem in the following Verfes. Of Man's firft difobedience, and the fruit THESE Lines are perhaps as plain, fimple and unadorned as any of the whole Poem, in which Particular the Author has conformed himself to the Example of Homer, and the Precept of Horace. H IS Invocation to a Work which turns in a great Measure upon the Creation of the World, is very pro perly perly made to the Mufe who infpired Mofes in those Books from whence our Author drew his Subject, and to the Holy Spirit who is therein reprefented as operating after a particular Manner in the first Production of Nature. This whole Exordium rifes very happily into noble Language and Sentiment, as I think the Transition to the Fable is exquifitely beautiful and natural. Vid. Hefiod. THE Nine-days Astonishment, in which the Angels lay entranced after their dreadful Overthrow and Fall from Heaven, before they could recover either the Ufe of Thought or Speech, is a noble Circumftance, and very finely imagined. The Divifion of Hell into Seas of Fire, and into firm Ground impregnated with the fame furious Element, with that particular Circumftance of the Exclufion of Hope from thofe infernal Regions, are Inftances of the fame great and fruitful Invention. THE Thoughts in the firft Speech and Description of Satan, who is one of the principal Actors in this Poem, are wonderfully proper to give us a full Idea of him. His Pride, Envy and Revenge, Obftinacy, Defpair and Impenitence, are all of them very artfully interwoven. In short, his firft Speech is a Complication of all those Paffions which difcover themselves feparately in feveral other of his Speeches in the Poem. The whole Part of this great Enemy of Mankind is filled with fuch Incidents as are very apt to raise and terrify the Reader's Imagination. Of this Nature, in the Book now before us, is his being the first that awakens out of the general Trance, with his Pofture on the burning Lake, his rifing from it, and the Description of his Shield and Spear. Thus Satan talking to his nearest mate, Lay Lay floating many a rood Forthwith upright he rears from off the pool That felt unusual weight -His pond'rous Shield, Ethereal Temper, maffy, large and round, TO which we may add his Call to the fallen Angels that lay plunged and ftupified in the Sea of Fire. He call'd fo loud, that all the hollow deep Of Hell refounded But there is no fingle Paffage in the whole Poem worked up to a greater Sublimity, than that wherein his Perfon is defcribed in those celebrated Lines. He, above the reft In Shape and Gesture proudly eminent, HIS HIS Sentiments are every way anfwerable to his Character, and fuitable to a created Being of the most exalted and moft depraved Nature. Such is that in which he takes Poffeffion of his Place of Torments. -Hail Horrors, hail Infernal World, and thou profoundest Hell And afterwards, Here at leaft We shall be free; th' Almighty bath not built AMIDST thofe Impieties which this Enraged Spirit utters in other Places of the Poem, the Author has taken care to introduce none that is not big with Abfurdity, and incapable of fhocking a Religious Reader; his Words, as the Poet defcribes them, bearing only a Semblance of Worth, not Subftance. He is likewife with great Art defcribed as owning his Adverfary to be Almighty. Whatever perverse Interpretation he puts on the Juftice, Mercy, and other Attributes of the Supreme Being, he frequently confeffes his Omnipotence, that being the Perfection he was forced to allow him, and the only Confideration which could fupport his Pride under the Shame of his Defeat. NOR muft I here omit that beautiful Circumstance of his bursting out in Tears, upon his Survey of those innumerable Spirits whom he had involved in the fame Guilt and Ruin with himself. He He now prepared To Speak; whereat their doubled Ranks they bend THE Catalogue of Evil Spirits has Abundance of Learning in it, and a very agreeable Turn of Poetry, which rifes in a great measure from its defcribing the Places where they were worshipped, by those beautiful Marks of Rivers, fo frequent among the antient Poets. The Author had doubtlefs in this Place Homer's Catalogue of Ships, and Virgil's Lift of Warriours in his view. The Characters of Moloch and Belial prepare the Reader's Mind for their refpective Speeches and Behaviour in the fecond and fixth Book. The Account of Thammuz is finely romantic, and fuitable to what we read among the Antients of the Worfhip which was paid to that Idol. -Thammuz came next behind, THE Reader will pardon me if I infert as a Note on this beautiful Paffage, the Account given us by the late ingenious Mr. Maundrell of this Antient Piece of Worship, and probably the first Occafion of fuch a Su perftition. |