and praise, the pfalmist calls not only upon the angels, but upon the most confpicuous parts of the inanimate creation, to join with him in extolling their common maker. Invocations of this nature fill the mind with glorious ideas of God's works, and awaken that divine enthusiasm, which is so natural to devotion. But if this calling upon the dead parts of nature, is at all times a proper kind of worship, it was in a particular manner fuitable to our first parents, who had the creation fresh upon their minds, and had not feen the various difpenfations of providence, nor confequently could be acquainted with those many topicks of praise which might afford matter to the devotions of their pofterity... I need not remark the beautiful fpirit of poetry, which runs through this whole hymn, nor the holiness of that refolution with which it concludes.

Having already mentioned those speeches which are affigned to the perfons in this poem, I proceed to the defcription which the poet gives of Raphael. His departure from before the throne, and his flight thro' the choirs of angels, is finely imaged. As Miton every where fills his poem with circumstances that are marvellous and aftonishing, he describes the gate of heaven as framed after such a manner, that it open'd of itfelf upon the approach of the angel who was to pafs through it.

'Till at the gate

Of heav'n arriv'd, the gate self-open'd wide,
On golden hinges turning, as, by work
Divine, the Sovereign architect had framed.

The poet here seems to have regarded two or three passages in the 18th Iliad, as that in particular, where, speaking of Vulcan, Homor says, that he had made twenty Tripodes running on golden wheels; which upon occafion, might go of themselves to the affembly of the Gods, and when there was no more use for them, return again after the fame manner. Scaliger has rallied Homer very feverely upon this point, as M. Dacier has endeavoured to defend it. I will not pretend to determine, whether, in this particular of Homer, the marvellous does not lofe fight of the probable. As the miraculous workmanship

of

of Milton's gates is not so extraordinary as this of the
Tripodes, so I am perfuaded he would not have mentioned
it, had he not been supported in it by a passage in the
Scripture, which speaks of wheels in heaven that had
life in them, and moved of themselves, or stood still, in
conformity with the Cherubims, whom they accompanied.
There is no question but Milton had this circumstance
in his thoughts, because in the following book he describes
the chariot of the Meffiah with living wheels, according
to the plan in Ezekiel's vifion.

---Forth rush'd with whirlwind found
The chariot of paternal Deity,
Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel undrawn,
Itself instinct with spirit-

I question not but Boffu, and the two Daciers, who are for vindicating every thing, that is censured in Homer, by something parallel in Holy Writ, would have been very well pleased had they thought of confronting Vulcan's Tripodes with Ezekiel's wheels.

Raphael's descent to the earth, with the figure of his perfon, is represented in very lively colours. Several of the French, Italian, and English poets have given a loose to their imaginations in the description of angels: But I do not remember to have met with any so finely drawn, and so comformable to the notions which are given of them in Scripture, as this in Milton. After having set him forth in all his heavenly plumage, and represented him as alighting upon the earth, the poet concludes his description with a circumstance, which is altogether new, and imagined with the greatest strength of fancy,

- Like Maia's Son he stood,

And shook his plumes, that heav'nly fragrance fill'd
The circuit wide.

Raphael's reception by the guardian angels; his paffing through the wilderness of sweets; his distant appearance to Adam; have all the graces that poetry is capable of bestowing. The author afterwards gives us a particular description of Eve in her domestic employ

So saying, with dispatchful looks in hafte
She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent,
What choice to choose for delicacy best,
What order, So contriv'd, as not to mix
Tastes, not well join'd, inelegant, but bring
Taste after taste, upheld with kindliest obange;
Bestirs her then, &c.

Though in this, and other parts of the fame book, the fubject is only the housewifry of our first parent, it is fet off with so many pleasing images and strong expreffions, as make it none of the least agreeable parts in this divine work.

The natural majesty of Adam, and at the fame time his fubmifsive behaviour to the fuperior Being, who had vouchsafed to be his guest; the folemn hail which the angel bestows upon the mother of mankind, with the figure of Eve ministring at the table; are circumstances which deferve to be admired.

Raphael's behaviour is every way suitable to the dignity of his nature, and to that character of a sociable fpirit, with which the author has so judiciously introduced him. He had received instructions to converse with Laam, as one friend converses with another, and to warn him of the enemy, who was contriving his deftruction: Accordingly he is represented as fitting down at table with Adam, and eating of the fruits of Paradise. The occafion naturally leads him to his discourse on the food of angels. After having thus entered into conversation with man upon more indifferent subjects, he warns him of his obedience, and makes a natural tranfition to the history of that fallen angel, who was employed in the circumvention of our first parents.

Had I followed Monfieur Boffu's method in my first paper on Mi ton, I should have dated the action of Paradise Loft from the beginning of Raphael's speech in this book, as he supposes the action of the Aneia to begin in the fecond book of that poem. I could alledge many reasons for my drawing the action of the Æneid rather from its immediate beginning in thefirst book, than from its remote beginning in the second; and shew why I have, confidered the facking of Troy as an Episode, according

to

to the common acceptation of that word. But as this would be a dry unentertaining piece of criticism, and perhaps unnecessary to those who have readmy first paper, I shall 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, so it was the most proper that the poet could have made use of.

The revolt in heaven is described with great force of imagination and a fine variety of circumstances. The learned reader cannot but be pleased 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
Rais'd on a mount, with pyramids and tow'rs
From diamond quarries hewn, and rocks of gold,
The palace of great Lucifer, (So call
That structure in the dialect of men.
Interpreted)

Homer mentions persons 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 hasimitated him with his usual judgmentin this particular place, wherein he has likewise 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 seraphim breaks forth in a becoming warmth of sentiments and expreffions, as the character which is given us of him denotes that generous scorn and intrepidity which attends heroic virtue. The author doubtless designed it as a pattern to those, who live among mankind in their present flate of degeneracy and corruption.

Sofpake the Seraph Abdie!, faithful found
Among the faithless, faithful only be;
Among innumerable false, unmov'd,
Urshaken, unfeduc'd, unterrify'd;

His loyalty be kept, bis love, bis zeal:

Nor number, nor example with him wrought
To fwerve from truth, or change bis constant mind,
Though fingle. From amidst them forth be pass'd,

Long

be fustain' d

ong way through hostile Scorn, which
Superior, nor of violence fear'd ought;
And, with retorted Scorn, bis back be turn'd
On those proud tow'rs to fwift destruction doom'd.

No 328

Monday, March 17.

L.

Nullum me à labore reclinat otium.

Hor. Epod. 17. V. 24.

No ease doth lay me down from pain.

Mr. SPECTATOR,

A

CREECH.

S I believe this is the first complaint that ever was made to you of this nature, so you are the

first perfon I ever could prevail upon myself to lay it before. When I tell you I have a healthy vigorous constitution, a plentiful estate, no inordinate defires, and am married to a virtuous lovely woman, who neither wants wit nor good-nature, and by whom I have a numerous offspring to perpetuate my family, you will naturally conclude me a happy man. But, notwithstanding these promifing appearances, I am fo far from it, that the profpect of being ruin'd and undone, by a fort of extravagance which of late years is in a less degree crept into every fashionable family, deprives me of all the comforts of my life, and renders me the most anxious miferable man on earth. My wife, who was the only child and darling care of an indulgent mother, employ'd her early years in learning all • those accomplishments we generally understand by good

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