impregnable to the reception of so mean a benefactor, and were now enough exasperated with benefits to conspire his death. Our Lord was sensible of their design, and prepared his disciples for it, by recounting to them now more distinctly what should befal him; but Peter, with an ungrounded resolution, and in a flush of temper, made a sanguine protestation, that though all men were offended in him, yet would not he be offended. It was a great article of our Saviour's business in the world to bring us to a sense of our inability, without God's assistance, to do any thing great or good; he therefore told Peter, who thought so well of his courage and fidelity, that they would both fail him, and even he should deny him thrice that very night. All were who heard; dim sadness did not spare The same Divine Person, who in the foregoing parts of this poem interceded for our first parents before their fall, overthrow the rebel angels, and created the world, is now represented as descending to Paradise, and pronouncing sentence upon the three offenders. The cool of the evening being a circumstance with which holy writ intro'But what heart can conceive, what tongue duces this great scene, it is poetically described utter the sequel? Who is that yonder, buffetted, by our author, who has also kept religiously to the mocked, and spurned? Whom do they drag like form of words in which the three several sentences a felon? Whither do they carry my Lord, my were passed upon Adam, Eve, and the serpent. King, my Saviour, and my God? And will he die He has rather chosen to neglect the numerousness to expiate these very injuries? See where they of his verse, than to deviate from those speeches have nailed the Lord and Giver of life! How his which are recorded on this great occasion. The wounds blacken, his body writhes, and heart heaves guilt and confusion of our first parents, standing with pity and with agony! Oh almighty sufferer, naked before their judge, is touched with great look down, look down from thy triumphant infamy. beauty. Upon the arrival of Sin and Death into Lo, he inclines his head to his sacred bosom! the works of the creation, the Almighty is again inHark, he groans! See, he expires! The earth troduced as speaking to his angels that surrounded trembles, the temple rends, the rocks burst, the dead arise. Which are the quick? Which are the dead? Sure nature, all nature, is departing with her Creator."* him: "See! with what heat these dogs of hell advance, The following passage is formed upon that glorious image in holy writ, which compares the voice of an innumerable host of angels, uttering hallelujahs, to the voice of mighty thunderings, or of many waters: "He ended, and the heav'nly audience loud Through multitude that sung. Just are thy ways, Who can extenuate thee?" THE tenth book of Paradise Lost has a greater va- Though the author in the whole course of his riety of persons in it than any other in the whole poem, and particularly in the book we are now poem. The author upon the winding up of his examining, has infinite allusions to places of scripaction, introduces all those who had any concern ture; I have only taken notice in my remarks of in it, and shows with great beauty the influence such as are of a poetical nature, and which are which it had upon each of them. It is like the last woven with great beauty into the body of his fable. act of a well-written tragedy, in which all who had Of this kind is that passage in the present book, a part in it are generally drawn up before the audi- where, describing Sin as marching through the ence, and represented under those circumstances works of nature, he adds, in which the determination of the action places 'them. -Behind her Death : I shall therefore consider this book under four heads, in relation to the celestial, the infernal, the human, and the imaginary persons, who have their Which alludes to that passage in scripture so wonrespective parts allotted in it. derfully poetical, and terrifying to the imaginaTo begin with the celestial persons. The guar- tion: And I looked, and behold a pale horse, dian angels of Paradise are described as returning and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell to heaven upon the fall of man, in order to ap- followed with him and power was given unto prove their vigilance; their arrival, their manner them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with of reception, with the sorrow which appeared in sword, and with hunger, and with sickness, and themselves, and in those spirits who are said to re- with the beasts of the earth. Under this first joice at the conversion of a sinner, are very finely head, of celestial persons, we must likewise take laid together in the following lines: notice of the command which the angels received, to produce several changes in nature, and sully the beauty of the creation. Accordingly they are represented as infecting the stars and planets with malignant influences, weakening the light of the sun, bringing down the winter into the milder regions of nature, planting winds and storms in se Up into heav'n from Paradise in haste This last paragraph is a transcript by Steele from his own veral quarters of the sky, storing the clouds with Christian Hero." thunder, and, in short, perverting the whole frame of the universe to the condition of its criminal in-, do not only interest the reader in their afflictions, habitants. As this is a noble incident in the poem, but raise in him the most melting passions of huthe following lines, in which we see the angels manity and commiseration. When Adam sees the heaving up the earth, and placing it in a different several changes of nature produced about him, he posture to the sun from what it had been before appears in a disorder of mind suitable to one who the fall of man, is conceived with that sublime had forfeited both his innocence and his happiness; imagination which was so peculiar to this great he is filled with horror, remorse, despair; in the author: Some say he bid his angels turn askance anguish of his heart he expostulates with his Cre- 'Did I request thee, Maker, from the clay We are in the second place to consider the infernal agents under the view which Milton has given us of them in this book. It is observed, by those who would set forth the greatness of Virgil's plan, that he conducts his reader through all the He immediately after recovers from his presump parts of the earth which were discovered in his tion, owns his doom to be just, and begs that the time. Asia, Africa, and Europe, are the several death which is threatened him may be inflicted on scenes of his fable. The plan of Milton's poem is him: of an infinitely greater extent, and fills the mind with many more astonishing circumstances. Satan, having surrounded the earth seven times, departs at length from Paradise. We then see him steering his course among the constellations, and, after having traversed the whole creation, pursuing his voyage through the chaos, and entering into his own infernal dominions. Why delays His hand to execute what his decree and varied with all those sentiments which we may His first appearance in the assembly of fallen angels is worked up with circumstances which give a delightful surprise to the reader: but there is no incident in the whole poem which does this more than the transformation of the whole audience, that follows the account their leader gives them of suppose natural to a mind so broken and disturbed. his expedition. The gradual change of Satan him- first father shows in it for his posterity, and which I must not omit that generous concern which our self is described after Ovid's manner, and may vie Hide me from the face with any of those celebrated transformations which is so proper to affect the reader: - In me all * Me now your curse! Ab, why should all mankind, The parts of Adam and Eve, or the human persons, come next under our consideration. Milton's Who can afterwards behold the father of manart is no where more shown than in his conducting the parts of these our first parents. The reprekind, extended upon the earth, uttering his mid sentation he gives of them, without falsifying the night complaints, bewailing his existence, and story, is wonderfully contrived to influence the wishing for death, without sympathizing with him reader with pity and compassion towards them. in his distress? 'Thus Adam to himself lamented loud Though Adam involves the whole species in misery, his crime proceeds from a weakness which every man is inclined to pardon and commiserate, as it seems rather the frailty of human nature, than of the person who offended. Every one is apt to excuse a fault which he himself might have fallen into. It was the excess of love for Eve that ruined Adam and his posterity. I need not add, that the author is justified in this particular by many of the The part of Eve in this book is no less passion fathers, and the most orthodox writers. Milton ate, and apt to sway the reader in her favour. has by this means filled a great part of his poem She is represented with great tenderness as ap with that kind of writing which the French critics proaching Adam, but is spurned from him with call the tendre, and which is in a particular manner spirit of upbraiding and indignation, conformable engaging to all sorts of readers. Adam and Eve, in the book we are now consi-gained the dominion over him. The following to the nature of man, whose passions had now dering, are likewise drawn with such sentiments as passage, wherein she is described as renewing be eader in ther melting passes When Adam produced abouin mind suitable t cence and his h emorse, despar, a postulates via an unasked exa from the clay solicit thee e! or here plase As my vill were but right rey dest der back overs from lis just, and beat Jim may be ind delays decree [overline? and legstr Or would I net earth of the s Ciments wh roken m S Concert FL pastery, & addresses to him, with the whole speech that fol-[parable companions. Instead of saying that the lows it, have something in them exquisitely mov-time was come when Apollo ought to have received ing and pathetic : "He added not, and from her turn'd: but Eve, Not so repuls'd, with tears that ceas'd not flowing, Fell humble; and embracing them besought "Forsake me not thus, Adam! Witness Heav'n I beg, and clasp thy knees; bereave me not his recompense, he tells us that the Hours brought him his reward. Instead of describing the effects which Minerva's ægis produced in batte, he tells us, that the brims of it were encompassed by Terror, Rout, Discord, Fury, Pursuit, Massacre, and Death. In the same figure of speaking, he represents Victory as following Diomedes; Discord as the mother of funerals and mourning; Venus as dressed by the Graces; Bellona as wearing Terror and Consternation like a garment. I might give several other instances out of Homer, as well as a great many out of Virgil. Milton has likewise very often made use of the same way of speaking, as where he tells us, that Victory sat on the right hand of the Messiah, when he marched Adam's reconcilement to her is worked up in forth against the rebel angels; that at the rising the same spirit of tenderness. Eve afterwards pro- of the sun, the Hours unbarred the gates of light; poses to her husband, in the blindness of her de- that Discord was the daughter of Sin. Of the spair, that to prevent their guilt from descending same nature are those expressions, where, describ upon posterity, they should resolve to live child-ing the singing of the nightingale, he adds, 'Silence less; or, if that could not be done, they should was pleased; and upon the Messiah's bidding seek their own deaths by violent methods. As peace to the chaos, 'Confusion heard his voice." those sentiments naturally engage the reader to re- I might add innumerable instances of our poet's gard the mother of mankind with more than ordi- writing in this beautiful figure. It is plain that nary commiseration, they likewise contain a very these I have mentioned, in which persons of an fine moral. The resolution of dying to end our imaginary nature are introduced, are such short miseries, does not show such a degree of magna- allegories as are not designed to be taken in the nimity as a resolution to bear them, and submit to literal sense, but only to convey particular circumthe dispensations of Providence. Our author has, stances to the reader, after an unusual and entertherefore, with great delicacy, represented Eve taining manner. But when such persons are introas entertaining this thought, and Adam as disap-duced as principal actors, and engaged in a series proving it. of adventures, they take too much upon them, and We are, in the last place, to consider the imagi- are by no means proper for an heroic poem, which nary persons, as Death and Sin, who act a large ought to appear credible in its principal parts. I part in this book. Such beautiful extended alle- cannot forbear, therefore, thinking that Sin and gories are certainly some of the finest compositions Death are as improper agents in a work of this of genius; but, as I have before observed, are not nature, as Strength and Necessity in one of the agreeable to the nature of an heroic poem. This tragedies of Eschylus, who represented those two of Sin and Death is very exquisite in its kind, if persons nailing down Prometheus to a rock; for not considered as a part of such a work. The which he has been justly censured by the greatest truths contained in it are so clear and open, that I critics. I do not know any imaginary person shall not lose time in explaining them; but shall made use of in a more sublime manner of thinkonly observe, that a reader, who knows the strength ing than that in one of the prophets, who, deof the English tongue, will be amazed to think scribing God as descending from heaven, and vihow the poet could find such apt words and phrases siting the sins of mankind, adds that dreadful to describe the actions of those two imaginary per- circumstance, 'Before him went the Pestilence.' sons, and particularly in that part where Death is It is certain this imaginary person might have been exhibited as forming a bridge over the chaos; a described in all her purple spots. The Fever work suitable to the genius of Milton. might have marched before her, Pain might have Since the subject I am upon gives me an oppor- stood at her right hand, Phrensy on her left, and tunity of speaking more at large of such shadowy Death in her rear. She might have been introand imaginary persons as may be introduced into duced as gliding down from the tail of a comet, heroic poems, I shall beg leave to explain myself or darted from the earth in a flash of lightning. in a matter which is curious in its kind, and which She might have tainted the atmosphere with her none of the critics have treated of. It is certain, breath. The very glaring of her eyes might have Homer and Virgil are full of imaginary persons, scattered infection. But I believe every reader who are very beautiful in poetry when they are will think, that in such sublime writings the menjust shown without being engaged in any series of tioning of her, as it is done in scripture, has someaction. Homer indeed represents Sleep as a per- thing in it more just, as well as great, than all son, and ascribes a short part to him in his Iliad ; that the most fanciful poet could have bestowed but we must consider, that though we now regard upon her in the richness of his imagination. such a person as entirely shadowy and unsubstantial, the heathens made statues of him, placed him in their temples, and looked upon him as a real deity. When Homer makes use of other such allegorical persons, it is only in short expressions, which convey an ordinary thought to the mind in the most pleasing manner, and may rather be looked upon as poetical phrases, than allegorical descriptions. Instead of telling us that men naturally fly when they are terrified, he introduces the persons of Flight and Fear, who, he tells us, are inse N° 358. MONDAY, APRIL 21, 1712. · Desipere in loco. * after which they have gone in a body and smoked a cobler. The same company, at another night, has each man burned his cravat; and one, perhaps, whose estate would bear it, has thrown a long wig and laced hat into the same fire. Thus they have jested themselves stark-naked, and run into HOR. Od. xii. 1. 4. ver. ult. the streets, and frighted women very successfully. 'Tis wisdom's part sometimes to play the fool. There is no inhabitant of any standing in Covent garden, but can tell you an hundred good humours, CHARLES LILLY attended me the other day, and where people have come off with a little bloodshed, made me a present of a large sheet of paper, on and yet scoured all the witty hours of the night. I which is delineated a pavement in Mosaic work, know a gentleman that has several wounds in the lately discovered at Stunsfield, near Woodstock. head by watch-poles, and has been thrice run A person who has so much the gift of speech as through the body, to carry on a good jest. He is Mr. Lilly, and can carry on a discourse without a very old for a man of so much good humour; but reply, had great opportunity on that occasion to to this day he is seldom merry but he has occasion expatiate upon so fine a piece of antiquity. Among to be valiant at the same time. But, by the favour other things, I remember he gave me his opinion, of these gentlemen, I am humbly of opinion, that which he drew from the ornaments of the work, a man may be a very witty man, and never offend that this was the floor of a man dedicated to mirth one statute of this kingdom, not excepting even and concord. Viewing this work, made my fancy that of stabbing. run over the many gay expressions I have read in The writers of plays have what they call unity ancient authors, which contained invitations to lay of time and place, to give a justness to their repre aside care and anxiety, and give a loose to that sentation; and it would not be amiss if all who pleasing forgetfulness wherein men put off their pretend to be companions would confine their ac 'characters of business, and enjoy their very selves. tions to the place of meeting; for a frolic carried These hours were generally passed in rooms adorn- further may be better performed by other animals ed for that purpose, and set out in such a manner, than men. It is not to rid much ground, or do as the objects all around the company gladdened much mischief, that should denominate a pleasant their hearts; which, joined to the cheerful looks fellow; but that is truly frolic which is the play of of well-chosen and agreeable friends, gave new vi- the mind, and consists of various and unforced sal gour to the airy, produced the latent fire of the lies of imagination. Festivity of spirit is a very modest, and gave grace to the slow humour of the uncommon talent, and must proceed from an asreserved. A judicious mixture of such company, semblage of agreeable qualities in the same per crowned with chaplets of flowers, and the whole son. There are some few whom I think peculiarly apartment glittering with gay lights, cheered with happy in it: but it is a talent one cannot name in a profusion of roses, artificial falls of water, and in-a man, especially when one considers, that it is tervals of soft notes to songs of love and wine; never very grateful but where it is regarded by suspended the cares of human life, and made a him who possesses it in the second place. The festival of mutual kindness. Such parties of plea best man that I know of for heightening the revel sure as these, and the reports of the agreeable pas-gaiety of a company is Estcourt, whose jovial sages in their jollities, have in all ages awakened humour diffuses itself from the highest person at the dull part of mankind to pretend to mirth and an entertainment to the meanest waiter. Merry good-humour, without capacity for such entertain-tales, accompanied with apt gestures and lively re ments; for, if I may be allowed to say so, there are presentations of circumstances and persons, an hundred men fit for any employment, to one guile the gravest mind into a consent to be as hu who is capable of passing a night in company of the morous as himself. Add to this, that when a manis first taste, without shocking any member of the so- in his good graces, he has a mimicry that does not ciety, overrating his own part of the conversation, debase the person he represents; but which, taking but equally receiving and contributing to the plea- from the gravity of the character, adds to the sure of the whole company. When one considers agreeableness of it. This pleasant fellow gives such collections of companions in past times, and one some idea of the ancient Pantomime, who is such as one might name in the present age, with said to have given the audience, in dumb-show, an how much spleen must a man needs reflect upon exact idea of any character or passion, or an intelthe awkward gaiety of those who affect the frolic ligible relation of any public occurrence, with no with an ill grace! I have a letter from a corres- other expression than that of his looks and ges pondent of mine, who desires me to admonish all tures. If all who have been obliged to these ta loud, mischievous, airy, dull companions, that they lents in Estcourt will be at Love for Love‡ to-mor are mistaken in what they call a frolic. Irregularity row night, they will but pay him what they owe in itself is not what creates pleasure and mirth; him, at so easy a rate as being present at a play but to see a man, who knows what rule and decency which nobody would omit seeing, that had, or had are, descend from them agreeably in our company, not, ever seen it before. is what denominates him a pleasant companion. Instead of that, you find many whose mirth consists only in doing things which do not become them, with a secret consciousness that all the world know they know better: to this is always added something mischievous to themselves or others. I have heard of some very merry fellows among whom the frolic was started, and passed by a great majority, that every man should immediately draw a tooth; • Engraved by Vertue. See Gough's British Topography, vol. ii. p. 88. STEELE. A frolic of Sir Charles Sedley, and others. † See Nos. 264 and 468. A comedy, by Congreve, 4to. 1695. T. be in a body and any, at asotie cravat; and co ear it, has thro kame fire. The rk-naked, and imen very sust y standing undred godke with a letha w hours of the w Several vend has been to in a good jest th good bor ry but he b But not exc what there stress to the be uld conce No 359. TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 1712. Torva leana lupum sequitur, lupus ipse capellam : VIRG. Ecl. ii. ver. 63. The greedy lioness the wolf pursues, DRYDEN. short made no doubt of her heart; and, though my fortune was not equal to her's, I was in hopes that her fond father would not deny her the man she had fixed her affections upon. But as I went one day to the house, in order to break the matter to him, I found the whole family in confusion, and heard, to my unspeakable surprise, that Miss Jenny was that very morning run away with the butler. 'I then courted a second widow, and am at a loss to this day how I came to miss her, for she had often commended my person and behaviour. Her As we were at the club last night, I observed that maid indeed told me one day, that her mistress said my old friend Sir Roger, contrary to his usual cus-she never saw a gentleman with such a spindle pair tom, sat very silent, and, instead of minding what of legs as Mr. Honeycomb. was said by the company, was whistling to himself After this I laid siege to four heiresses succesin a very thoughtful mood, and playing with a cork. sively; and, being a handsome young dog in those I jogged Sir Andrew Freeport, who sat between days, quickly made a breach in their hearts; but mbly of cus; and, as we were both observing him, we saw I don't know how it came to pass, though I seldom lan, and see the knight shake his head, and heard him say to failed of getting the daughter's consent, I could himself, A foolish woman! I can't believe it.' never in my life get the old people on my side. Sir Andrew gave him a gentle pat upon the shoul- 'I could give you an account of a thousand other der, and offered to lay him a bottle of wine that unsuccessful attempts, particularly of one which I he was thinking of the widow. My old friend made some years since upon an old woman, whom started, and, recovering out of his brown study, I had certainly borne away with flying colours, if told Sir Andrew, that once in his life he had been her relations had not come pouring in to her assistin the right. In short, after some little hesitation, ance from all parts of England; nay, I believe, I Sir Roger told us in the fulness of his heart, that he should have got her at last, had not she been carhad just received a letter from his steward, which ried off by a hard frost.' acquainted him that his old rival and antagonist in As Will's transitions are extremely quick, he the country, Sir David Dundrum, had been making turned from Sir Roger, and, applying himself to a visit to the widow. 'However,' says Sir Roger, me, told me there was a passage in the book I had 'I can never think that she'll have a man that's considered last Saturday, which deserved to be half a year older than I am, and a noted republican writ in letters of gold; and, taking out a pocket into the bargain.' Milton, read the following lines, which are part of one of Adam's speeches to Eve after the fall: Will Honeycomb, who looks upon love as his says he, upon the verge of fifty' (though by the my success. Oh! why did God, To human life, and household peace confound.' Sir Roger listened to this passage with great 'I made my first addresses to a young lady in the attention; and desiring Mr. Honeycomb to fold country; but, when I thought things were pretty down a leaf at the place, and lend him his book, well drawing to a conclusion, her father happening the knight put it up in his pocket, and told us that to hear that I had formerly boarded with a surgeon, he would read over those verses again before he the old put forbad me his house, and within a fort- went to bed. night after married his daughter to a fox-hunter in the neighbourhood. 'I made my next application to a widow, and attacked her so briskly, that I thought myself within a fortnight of her. As I waited upon her one morning, she told me, that she intended to keep her ready money and jointure in her own hand, and desired me to call upon her attorney in Lion's Inn, who would adjust with me what it was proper for me to add to it. I was so rebuffed by this overture, that I never inquired either for her or her attorney afterwards. HOR. Epist. xvii. l. i. ver. 43. A few months after, I addressed myself to a young lady who was an only daughter and of a good I HAVE nothing to do with the business of this day, family. I danced with her at several balls, squeezed any further than affixing the piece of Latin on the her by the hand, said soft things to her, and in head of my paper; which I think a motto not un |