unwittingly offended on the other, is, perhaps, the only passage in all his writings that can move tears; the penitence of Eve is, indeed, irresistibly pathetic. The chief excellence of his poetry is surpassing elevation of thought, sustained by unfailing strength of language: its chief defect is the absence of a charm neither to be named nor defined, which should render the whole as lovely as it is beautiful, and as captivating as it is sublime. His Muse has the majesty of Juno to dazzle the eye, the wisdom of Minerva to inform the understanding, but she wants the girdle of Venus to bind the affections. His poetry will be for ever read by the few, and praised by the many. The weakest capacity may be offended by its faults, but it would require a genius scarcely inferior to his own, to comprehend, enjoy, and unfold all its merits." THE ARGUMENT. The First Book proposes, first, in brief, the whole subject, Man's disobedience, and the loss thereupon of Paradise, wherein he was placed: then touches the prime cause of his fall-the serpent, or, rather, Satan in the serpent; who, revolting from God, and drawing to his side many legions of angels, was, by the command of God, driven out of heaven, with all his crew, into the great deep. Which action passed over, the Poem hastens into the midst of things, presenting Satan, with his angels, now fallen into hell, described here, not in the centre (for heaven and earth may be supposed as yet not made, certainly not yet accursed), but in a place of utter darkness, fitliest called Chaos: here Satan, with his angels, lying on the burning lake, thunderstruck and astonished, after a certain space recovers, as from confusion, calls up him who next in order and dignity lay by him: they confer of their miserable fall: Satan awakens all his legions, who lay till then in the same manner confounded. They rise; their numbers; array of battle; their chief leaders named, according to the idols known afterward in Canaan and the countries adjoining. To these Satan directs his speech, comforts them with hope yet of regaining heaven, but tells them, lastly, of a new world, and a new kind of creature to be created, according to an ancient prophecy, or report, in heaven; for that angels were, long before this visible creation, was the opinion of many ancient fathers. To find out the truth of this prophecy, and what to determine thereon, he refers to a full council. What his associates thence attempt. Pandemonium, the palace of Satan, rises, suddenly built out of the deep: the infernal peers there sit in council. F MAN's first disobedience, and the fruit Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire That shepherd, who first taught the chosen seed, Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flow'd And justify the ways of God to men. Say first, for Heaven hides nothing from thy view, Nor the deep tract of hell; say first, what cause Moved our grand parents, in that happy state, Favour'd of Heaven so highly, to fall off From their Creator, and transgress his will, For one restraint, lords of the world besides? Who first seduced them to that foul revolt? The infernal Serpent; he it was, whose guile, Stirr'd up with envy and revenge, deceived The mother of mankind; what time his pride Had cast him out from heaven, with all his host Of rebel angels; by whose aid, aspiring To set himself in glory above his peers, He trusted to have equall'd the Most High, |