the most artful Snares and most powerful Temptations, which the other eludes and defeats with confummate Prudence, with the greatest Strength of Reason, with a Spirit furpaffing every thing human, and becoming a Perfon of Divine Extraction. THE Exordium is as plain and simple, as that imputed to Virgil, Ille ego qui quondam, &c. which Milton imitates. I who e'er while the happy Garden fung, BUT his Plainnefs and Simplicity are gradually laid afide, and are exchang'd for the richest Ornaments. He rifes from low Beginnings to a furprizing Heighth. Non fumum ex fulgore, fed ex fumo dare lucem i THE Invocation is perfectly agreeable to the Poet's Undertaking, and is neither ftrain'd too high, nor drawn out too far into Length. Thou Spirit who ledit this glorious Eremite Against the spiritual Foe, and broughtst him thence By 1 A By Proof th' undoubted Son of God, infpire, I Worthy t' have not remain'd fo long unfung. THERE are several beautiful Lines describing the Defart and our Saviour's Abode in it, particularly these following: Full forty Days he pafs'd, whether on Hill Nor fleeping him, nor waking harm'd; his Walk The Lion and fierce Tyger glar'd aloof. THE Picture of Satan at his first meeting the Son of God is artfully and judiciously drawn: But But now an aged Man in rural Weeds, THE Conference between our Saviour and the Tempter, which takes up what remains of the first Book, is full of the highest Wisdom on one fide, and of the deepest Subtlety on the other. How welldrawn a Character is that of Satan! and how artful are the following Speeches, in which he endeavours to infinuate himself into the good Opinion of our Saviour, by means of Flattery, and a feigned Admiration of his Virtue and Merit! 377 Though I have lost Much Luftre of my native Brightness, loft Or virtuous; I fhould fo have loft all Sense. What can be less in me than Defire Το To fee thee, and approach thee, whom I know Thy Wisdom, and behold thy godlike Deeds? And lin. 478. Hard are the Ways of Truth, and rough to walk, Smooth on the Tongue difcourfed, pleafing to the Ear, And tuneable as fylvan Pipe or Song. What wonder then if I delight to hear Her Dictates from thy Mouth? Moft Men admire SATAN having boafted that he sometimes is admitted into the Heaven of Heavens, and into the Prefence of God, is excellently well answer'd in these Lines. The happy Place Imports to Thee no Happiness, no Joy NOTHIN NOTHING can be more poetical than the close of the firft Book: He added not; and Satan, bowing low His grey Diffimulation, disappear'd Into thin Air diffus'd. For now began Night with her fullen Wings to double-shade The Defart; Fowls in their clay Nefts were couch'd, And now wild Beafts came forth the Woods to roam! CHAP. |