was called Thong-Caftle. Now, this Story is literally the fame with that of Dido, * in the first Book of VIRGIL, and evidently copied from it; fo, confequently, would be look'd on as a Falfhood: And I remember MILTON has not given it a Place in his Hiftory of that Period, probably, upon that Account. But, Rapin fuppofes, that, as Hengift ferved in the Roman Army, he might have been informed of this Stratagem of Dido, and fo practifed it in Britain: But, after all, as 'tis probable the Churchmen, the Hiftorians, and the only learned Men of the following Ages, were better verfed in the Roman Authors than Hengift; fo this Story is likelier to be a Falfhood than a Truth.

IN the eighth ILIAD, Night putting a Stop to the Victory of the Trojans, they encamp on the Field of Battle, having placed Guards, and, particularly, kindled a Number of Fires thro' their Camp. To this, the following of MILTON feems to bear a Refemblance.

Now

Mercatique folum, facti de nomine Byrfam,
Taurino quantum poffent circumdare tergo.

Now Night her Course began, and over Heaven
Inducing Darkness, grateful Truce impos'd

And Silence on the odious Din of War:
Under her cloudy Covert both retir'd,

Victor and vanquish'd: On the foughten Field
Michael and his Angels prevalent

Encamping, plac'd in Guard their Watches round
Cherubic waving Fires.

THE Description of the Night not much differing from HOMER'S, and the fubfequent Council, increase the Refemblance: But all this is only fuch a Likeness in the Story as falls under the firft Exception: For all thefe Circumstances are fuch as ordinarily happen in the Courfe of Things, where there is no Imitation. He has taken the Hint in the fecond Line from one of HoRACE'S SATIRES.

Jamque NOX INDUCERE terris

Umbras, & Coelo diffundere figna parabat

THE Birth of Sin is circumftantially copied from the Account LUCIAN gives of the Production of Minerva from the Head of Jupiter: And many other Paffages of the Paradife Loft feem equally, with this, to incur a Breach of the above Rule: But, perhaps, the Poet might have a greater Liberty, in this Respect, from his Subject: For,

as many Divines, and other learned Authors, have been very fond to derive most Parts of the Heathen Mythology from fimilar Passa. ges of Scripture; for Example, the Giants War has been fuppofed to be founded on fome Tradition of the Rebellion of the Angels; the Story of Pandora on that of Eve, &c. MILTON might justly have imagined, that any Circumftance of his Poem, if it was not repugnant to Holy Writ, altho' it was pretty closely borrowed from fome Part of the Heathen Mythology, might not only pafs, but that the latter would be look'd on as the Copy; and confequently, would rather tend to increase than diminish the Probability. For, if we find Originals of several Parts of Mythology in Scripture, may not fome other Parts of it have been likewise derived from the Tradition of fome Truth not contained in the concife Account of Things Scripture gives. Several Paffages in the Description of Hell, as the four Rivers, Acheron, Styx, &c. the River of Oblivion, the Story of Medufa, that of Tantalus, must particularly be viewed in this Light. MILTON makes Use of this very Reasoning in the

Story

Story of Mammon, whofe Character was exactly a Copy of the Grecian Vulcan.

Nor was his Name unheard or unador'd
In ancient Greece; and in Aufonian Land
Men call'd him Mulciber; and how he fell.
From Heaven, they fabl'd, thrown by angry Jove
Sheer o'er the Chryftal Battlements; from Morn
To Noon he fell, from Noon to dewy Eve,
A Summer's-Day; and with the fetting Sun
Dropt from the Zenith, like a falling Star,
On Lemnos th'Ægean Ifle: Thus they relate,
Erring; for he with his rebellious Rout
Fell long before.

And likewife in the Tenth Book,

However, fome Tradition they difpers'd
Among the Heathen, of their Purchase got,
And fabi'd how the Serpent, whom they call'd
Ophion, with Eurynome, the wide

Encroaching Eve perhaps, had firft the Rule
of high Olympus, thence by Saturn driven
And Ops, e'er yet Dictaan Jove was born.

THE Shape and Figure of Sin is also taken from that of Scylla; and I think the Probability is rather increased by the Poet's Allufion to the Story of the latter. I am very sensible, that confiderable Objections may be made to the whole Allegory of Death and Sin, with refpect to its Credibility: But, I only defigned to fhow, that it

fuffers

fuffers nothing, in that Way, by the Imita

tions in it.

The One feem'd Woman to the Waste, and fair;
But ended foul in many a fcaly Fold
Voluminous and vaft, a Serpent arm'd
With mortal Sting: about her Middle round
A Cry of Hell-Hounds never ceafing bark'd
With wide Cerberean Mouths full loud, and rung
A hideous Peal:

Far lefs abhor'd than these

Vext Scylla, bathing in the Sea that Parts
Calabria from the hoarse Trinacrian Shore.

I SHALL here add a Paffage of OVID, with other two of VIRGIL, MILTON has had in his Eye upon compofing the above.

Scylla venit; mediaque tenus defcenderat alvo:
Cum fua fœdari latrantibus inguina monftris
Adfpicit :

Et Corpus quarens femorum, crurumque pedumque,
CERBEREOS rictus pro partibus invenit illis.
Statque canum rabies: fubjectaque terga ferarum
Inguinibus truncis, uteroque exftante coercet.

Metamorph. Lib. 14.

Quid loquar? aut Scyllam Nifi, quam fama fecuta eft
Candida fuccinétam latrantibus inguina monftris,
Dulichias vexaffe rates, & gurgite in alto,
Ah timidos nautas canibus lacerasse marinis?

Eclog. 6.

At Scyllam cacis cohibet fpelunca latebris,
Ora exertantem, & naves in faxa trahentem.
Prima hominis facies, & pulchro pectore virgo

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