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THE ARGUMEN T.

Morning approach'd, Eve relates to Adam her troublefome dream; he likes it not, yet comforts her: They come forth to their day labors: Their morning hymn at the door of their bower. God to render man inexcufable fends Raphael to admonish him of his obedience, of his free eftate, of his enemy near at hand, who he is, and why his enemy, and whatever elfe may avail Adam to know. Raphael comes down to Paradife, his appearance defcrib'd, his coming difcern'd by Adam afar off fitting at the door of his bower; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choiceft fruits of Paradife got together by Eve; their discourse at table: Raphael performs his meffage, minds Adam of his ftate and of his enemy; relates at Adam's request who that enemy is, and how he came to be fo, beginning from his first revolt in Heaven, and the occafion thereof; how he drew his legions after him to the parts of the north, and there incited them to rebel with him, perfuading all but only Abdiel a Seraph, who in argument diffuades and oppofes him, then forfakes him.

347

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK

V.

W morn her rofy steps in th'eastern clime Advancing, sow'd the earth with orient pearl, When Adam wak'd, fo cuftom'd, for his fleep

Nas

aery light from pure digeftion bred,

And temp'rate vapors bland, which th' only found 5

1. Now morn her rofy steps] This the morning of the day after atan's coming to the earth; and s Homer makes the morning with ofy fingers, pododaxlux Hes, liad. I. 477. the rofy-finger'd morn, Milton gives her rofy fteps, and I. 3. a rofy band. The morn is rft gray, then rofy upon the nearer pproach of the fun. And fhe is aid to fow the earth &c. by the Fame fort of metaphor as Lucretius ays of the fun, II. 211.

-et lumine conferit arvá. Mr. Thyer adds that the fame alegorical defcription he remembers o have feen fomewhere in Shakepear, and more poetically exrefs'd:

-The morn in faffron robe Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastern hill,

Of

And he obferves that Lucretius's metaphor lumine conferit arva wants much of the propriety of Milton's fow'd the earth with orient pearl, fince the dew-drops have fomething of the fhape and appearance of scatter'd feeds.

5. which th' only found &c.] Which refers to fleep, and not to vapors the fubftantive immediately preceding. I mention this because it has been mistaken. It is certainly more proper to say that the found of leaves and fong of birds difperfed fleep than vapors. The expreffion only found (as Dr. Pearce rightly obferves) feems the fame with that in VII. 123. Only omnifcient; in both which places only fignifies alone; the only found, for there was none other; and it is to be understood as meant of the matin fong of the birds, as well as of the

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Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan,
Lightly difpers'd, and the shrill matin song
Of birds on every bough; fo much the more
His wonder was to find unwaken'd Eve
With treffes discompos'd, and glowing cheek,
As through unquiet reft: he on his fide
Leaning half rais'd, with looks of cordial love
Hung over her enamour'd, and beheld
Beauty, which whether waking or asleep,
Shot forth peculiar graces; then with voice

the found of leaves and fuming rills. Fuming rills, for fumes or fteams rife from the water in the morning according to ver. 186.

Ye Mifts and Exhalations that now rife

From hill or fleaming lake &c.

but they do not make a noife as fuming, but only as rills. Aurora's fan, the fanning winds among the leaves may be properly call'd the fan of the morning, and it is not unusual to refer a thing which follows two fubftantives to the first of the two only. Lightly difpers'd, Dr. Bentley fays that difpel fleep is better than difperfe it: but tho' to difpel fleep may be the more ufual expreffion, yet to difperfe fleep may be juftify'd by very great authority, for Sophocles makes ufe of the very fame. Soph. Trachin. 998.

10

15 Mild,

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