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victory in heaven, against him and his accomplices: as before, after the firft act, was fung a hymn of the creation. Here again may appear Lucifer, relating and infulting in what he had done to the deftruction of man. Man next, and Eve having by this time been feduced by the Serpent, appears confufedly covéred with leaves. Confcience, in a fhape, accufes him; Juftice cites him to the place whither Jehovah called for him. In the mean while, the Chorus entertains the stage, and is informed by fome angel the manner of the Fall Here the Chorus bewails Adam's fall; Adam then and Eve return; accufe one deborage another; but especially Adam lays the

blame to his wife; is ftubborn in his of

fence.

fence. Juftice appears, reafons with him, convinces him. The Chorus admonifheth Adam, and bids him beware Lucifer's example of impenitence. The angel is fent to banish them out of Pa-. radife; but before caufes to pafs before his eyes, in fhapes, a mask of all the evils of this life and world. He is humbled, relents, defpairs: at laft appears Mercy, comforts him, promifes the Meffiah; then calls in Faith, Hope, and Charity; inftructs him; he repents, gives God the glory, fubmits to his penalty. The Chorus briefly concludes. Compare this with the former draught."

Thefe are very imperfect rudiments of Paradife Loft; but it is pleafant to

fee

fee great works in their feminal state, pregnant with latent poffibilities of excellence; nor could there be any more delightful entertainment than to trace their gradual growth and expansion, and to obferve how they are fometimes fuddenly advanced by accidental hints, and fometimes flowly improved by steady meditation.

Invention is almoft the only literary labour which blindnefs cannot obftruct, and therefore he naturally folaced his folitude by the indulgence of his fancy, and the melody of his numbers. He had done what he knew to be neceffarily previous to poetical excellence; he had made himself acquainted with feemly arts and affairs; his comprehenfion was

extended by various knowledge, and his memory ftored with intellectual trea fures. He was fkilful in many languages, and had by reading and compofition attained the full mastery of his own. He would have wanted litt help from books, had he retained the power of perufing them.

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But while his greater defigns were advancing, having now, like many other authors, caught the love of publication, he amufed himfelf, as he could, with little productions. He fent to the prefs (1658) a manufcript of Raleigh, called the Cabinet Council; and next year gra tified his malevolence to the clergy, by a Treatife of Civil Power in Ecclefiaftica!

Cafes,

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Cafes, and the Means of removing Hirelings out of the Church.

Oliver was now dead; Richard was conftrained to refign: the fyftem of extemporary government, which had been held together only by force, naturally fell into fragments when that force was taken away; and Milton faw himself and his cause in equal danger. But he had fill hope of doing fomething. He wrote letters, which Toland has published, to fuch men as he thought friends to the new commonwealth; and even in the year of the Restoration he bated no jot of heart or hope, but was fantastical enough to think that the nation, agitated as it was, might be settled by a pamphlet, called A ready and easy Way to establish a

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