For there

fon obferves, fuch fentiments are given as fuit the most exalted and most depraved being. Milton has been cenfured, by Clark, for the impiety which fometimes breaks from Satan's mouth. are thoughts, as he justly remarks, which no obfervation of character can justify, because no good man would willingly permit them to pafs, however tranfiently, through his own mind. To make Satan speak as a rebel, without any fuch expreffions as might taint the reader's imagination, was indeed one of the great difficulties in Milton's undertaking, and I cannot but think that he has extricated himself with great happiness.. There is in Satan's fpeeches little that can give pain to a pious ear. The lan

guage of rebellion cannot be the fame with that of obedience. The malignity of Satan foams in haughtinefs and obftinacy; but his expreffions are commonly general, and no otherwife offenfive than as they are wicked.

The other chiefs of the celeftial rebellion are very judiciously difcriminated in the firft and fecond books; and the ferocious character of Moloch appears, both in the battle and the council, with exact confiftency.

To Adam and to Eve are given, during their innocence, fuch fentiments as innocence can generate and utter. Their love is pure benevolence and mutual veneration; their repafts are without luxury, and their diligence without

toil. Their addreffes to their Maker have little more than the voice of admiration and gratitude. Fruition left them nothing to afk, and Innocence left them nothing to fear.

But with guilt enter diftruft and dif cord, mutual accufation, and ftubborn felf-defence; they regard each other with alienated minds, and dread their Creator as the avenger of their tranfgreffion. At last they feek fhelter in his mercy, foften to repentance, and melt in fupplication. Both before and after the Fall, the fuperiority of Adam is dili gently fuftained.

Of the probable and the marvellous, two parts of a vulgar epick poem, which immerge the critick in deep confidera

tion, the Paradife Loft requires little to be faid. It contains the history of a miracle, of Creation and Redemption; it difplays the power and the mercy of the Supreme Being; the probable therefore is marvellous, and the marvellous is probable. The fubftance of the narrative is truth; and as truth allows no choice, it is, like neceffity, fuperior to sule. To the accidental or adventitious parts, as to every thing human, fome flight exceptions may be made. But the main fabrick is immovably fupported.

It is juftly remarked by Addison, that this poem has, by the nature of its fubject, the advantage above all others, that it is univerfally and perpetually interefting.

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terefting. All mankind will, through all ages, bear the fame relation to Adam and to Eve, and must partake of that good and evil which extend to themfelves.

Of the machinery, fo called from s ἀπὸ μηχανῆς, by which is meant the oocafional interpofition of fupernatural power, another fertile topick of critical remarks, here is no room to fpeak, becaufe every thing is done under the immediate and vifible direction of Heaven; but the rule is fo far obferved, that no part of the action could have been accomplished by any other means.

Of episodes, I think there are only two, contained in Raphael's relation of the war in heaven, and Michael's prophetick

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