book of that poem. I could allege many reafons for my drawing the action of the Æneid rather from its immediate beginning in the first book, than from its remote beginning in the fecond; and show why I have confidered the facking of of Troy as an episode, according to the common acceptation of that word. But as this would be a dry, unentertaining, piece of criticism, and perhaps unneceffary to thofe who have read aa my obfervations, I fhall not enlarge upon it. Which ever of the notions be true, the unity of Milton's action is preferved according to either of them; whether we confider the Fall of Man in its immediate beginning, as proceeding from the refolutions taken in the infernal council, or in its more remote beginning, as proceeding from the first revolt of the Angels in Heaven. The occafion which Milton affigns for this revolt, as it is founded on hints in Holy Writ, and on the opinion of fome great writers, fo it was the most proper that the poet could have made use of.

The revolt in Heaven is defcribed with great force of imagination, and a fine variety of circumftances. The learned reader cannot but be pleafed with the poet's imitation of Homer in the last of the following lines:

"At length into the limits of the north

They came, and Satan took his royal feat "High on a hill, far blazing, as a mount

a Sie before, p. 25-31.

“Rais'd on a mount, with pyramids and towers

"From diamond quarries hewn, and rocks of gold,
"The palace of great Lucifer, (fo call
"That ftructure in the dialect of men
"Interpreted)"

Homer mentions perfons, and things, which, he tells us, in the language of the gods are called by different names from those they go by in the language of men. Milton has imitated him with his ufual judgement in this particular place, wherein he has likewife the authority of Scripture to justify him. The part of Abdiel, who was the only Spirit that in this infinite host of Angels preferved his allegiance to his Maker, exhibits to us a noble moral of religious fingularity. The zeal of the Seraph breaks forth in a becoming warmth of fentiments and expreffions, as the character which is given us of him denotes that generous fcorn and intrepidity which attends heroick virtue. The author doubtless defigned it as a pattern to those, who live among mankind in their prefent ftate of degeneracy and corruption.

We are now entering upon the SIXTH BOOK, in which the poet describes the battle of the Angels; having raised his reader's expectation, and prepared him for it by feveral paffages in the preceding books. I omitted quoting thefe paffages in my obfervations on the former books, having purposely referved them for the opening

of this, the subject of which gave occafion to them. The author's imagination was fo inflamed with this great fcene of action, that where-ever he fpeaks of it, he rifes, if poffible, above himfelf. Thus where he mentions Satan in the beginning of his Poem:

-"Him the Almighty Power

"Hurl'd headlong flaming from the ethereal sky, "With hideous ruin and combustion down

"To bottomlefs perdition; there to dwell

"In adamantine chains and penal fire,

"Who durft defy the Omnipotent to arms."

We have likewise several noble hints of it in

the infernal conference :

"O Prince, O Chief of many throned Powers,

"That led the embattled Seraphim to war;

"Too well I fee and rue the dire event,

"That with fad overthrow and foul defeat

"Hath loft us Heaven; and all this mighty hoft "In horrible deftruction laid thus low.

"But fee! the angry victor has recall'd

"His minifters of vengeance and pursuit

"Back to the gates of Heaven: The fulphurous hail
"Shot after us in storm, o'erblown, hath laid
"The fiery furge, that from the precipice

"Of Heaven receiv'd us falling; and the thunder,
"Wing'd with red lightning and impetuous rage,
"Perhaps has spent his shafts, and ceases now
"To bellow through the vast and boundless deep.'

There are feveral other very fublime images on the same subject in the first book, as also in the second.

What, when we fled amain, pursued and struck "With Heaven's afflicting thunder, and befought "The deep to fhelter us? this Hell then feem'd "A refuge from thofe wounds "

In short, the poet never mentions any thing of this battle, but in fuch images of greatness and terrour as are fuitable to the fubject. Among feveral others I cannot forbear quoting that paffage, where the Power, who is defcribed as prefiding over the chaos, speaks in the fecond book:

"Thus Satan; and him thus the Anarch old, "With faltering fpeech and visage incompos'd, "Answer'd: I know thee, ftranger, who thou art, "That mighty leading Angel, who of late

"Made head against Heaven's King, though overthrown.
"I faw and heard; for fuch a numerous hoft
"Fled not in filence through the frighted deep,
"With ruin upon ruin, rout on rout,

"Confufion worfe confounded; and Heaven-gates
"Pour'd out by millions her victorious bands
"Pursuing -"

It required great pregnancy of invention, and strength of imagination, to fill this battle with fuch circumstances as fhould raise and astonish the mind of the reader; and at the fame time an exactness of judgement, to avoid every thing that might appear light or trivial. Thofe, who look into Homer, are furprised to find his battles still rifing one above another, and improving in horrour, to the conclufion of the Iliad. Milton's fight of Angels is wrought up with the fame

beauty. It is ufhered in with fuch figns of wrath as are fuitable to Omnipotence incenfed. The first engagement is carried on under a cope of fire, occafioned by the flights of innumerable burning darts and arrows which are discharged from either hoft. The fecond onfet is ftill more terrible, as it is filled with thofe artificial thunders, which seem to make the victory doubtful, and produce a kind of confternation even in the good Angels. This is followed by the tearing up of mountains and promontories; till in the laft place Meffiah comes forth in the fulness of

majefty and terrour. The pomp of his appear

ance amidst the roarings of his thunders, the flashes of his lightnings, and the noise of his chariot-wheels, is defcribed with the utmost flights of human imagination.

There is nothing in the first and last day's engagement which does not appear natural, and agreeable enough to the ideas most readers would conceive of a fight between two armies of Angels.

The fecond day's engagement is apt to startle an imagination, which has not been raised and qualified for fuch a description, by the reading of the ancient poets, and of Homer in particular. It was certainly a very bold thought in our author, to ascribe the first use of artillery to the rebel angels. But as fuch a pernicious invention may

See, however, the Notes, B. vi. 484.