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Figure of Eve miniftring at the Table, are Circumstances which deserve to be admired.

RAPHAEL's Behaviour is every way fuitable to the Dignity of his Nature, and to that Character of a fociable Spirit, with which the Author has fo judiciously introduced him. He had received Instructions to converfe with Adam, as one Friend converses with another, and to warn him of the Enemy, who was contriving his Deftruction: Accordingly he is reprefented as fitting down at Table with Adam, and eating of the Fruits of Paradife. The Occafion naturally leads him to his Difcourfe 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 employ'd in the Circumvention of our first Parents.

HADI followed Monfieur Boffu's Method in my first -Paper of Milton, I fhould have dated the Action of Paradife Loft from the Beginning of Raphael's Speech in this Book, as he supposes the Action of the Eneid to begin in the fecond Book of that Poem. I could alledge many Reasons for my drawing the Action of the Eneid rather from its immediate Beginning in the first Book, than from its remote Beginning in the fecond; and fhew why I have confidered the facking of Troy as an Episode, according to the common Acceptation of that Word. But as this would be a dry unentertaining Piece of Criticifm, and perhaps unneceffary to those who have read my first Paper, 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 moft 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

The learned Reader cannot but be pleased with the Poet's Imitation of Homer in the laft of the following Lines.

At length into the Limits of the North
They came, and Satan took his Royal Seat
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, (fo call

That Structure in the Dialect of Men
Interpreted)

NOMER mentions Perfons and Things, which he tells us in the Language of the Gods are call'd by different Names from thofe they go by in the Language of Men. Milton has imitated him with his ufual Judgment in this particular Place, wherein he has likewife the Authority of Scripture to juftifie him. The Part of Abdiel, who was the only Spirit that in this infinite Hoft of Angels preferved his Allegiance to his Maker, exhibits to us a noble Moral of religious Singularity. The Zeal of the Seraphin 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 heroick Virtue. The Author doubtless designed it as a Pattern to those who live among Mankind in their prefent State of Degeneracy and Corruption.

So fpake the Seraph Abdiel, faithful found
Among the faithlefs, faithful only be ;
Among innumerable falfe, unmov'd

Unfhaken, unfeduc'd, unterrify'd;

His Loyalty he kept, his Love, his Zeal:
Nor Number, zor Example with him wrought
To fwerve from Truth, or change his conftant Mind,
Though fingle. From amidst them forth he pass'd,
Long way through hoftile Scorn, which he fuftain'd
Superior, nor of Violence fear'd ought;

And, with retorted Scorn, his Back he turn'd
On thofe proud Tow'rs to swift Destruction doom'd.
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SI believe this is the firft Complaint that ever C was made to you of this nature, fo you are the 'firft Perfon I ever could prevail upon my felf to lay it before. When I tell you I have a healthy vigoreus Conftitution, a plentiful Eftate, no inordinate De• fires, 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 wil naturally conclude me a happy Man. But, notwithstanding thefe 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 lefs 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 thofe Accomplishments we generally understand by good Breeding and polite Education. She fings, dances, plays on the Lute and Harpficord, paints prettily, is a perfect Miftrefs of the French Tongue, and has made a confiderable Progrefs in Italian. She is befides excellently skill'd in all domeftick Sciences, as Preferving, Pickling, Paftry, making Wines of Fruits of our own Growth, Embroydering, the Needleworks of every Kind. Hitherto you will be apt to think there is very little Caufe of Complaint; but fufpend your Opinion till I have further explain'd my felf, and then I make no queition you will come over to mine. You are not to imagine I find fault that fhe either poffeffes or takes

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<delight in the Exercife of thofe Qualifications I just now mention'd; 'tis the immoderate Fondness she has to them that I lament, and that what is only defign'd for the innocent Amusement and Recreation of Life, is become the whole Business and Study of her's. The fix Months we are in Town (for the Year is equally divided between that and the Country) from almost Break of Day till Noon, the whole Morning is laid out in practifing with her feveral Mafters; and to make up the Loffes occafion'd by her Abfence in Summer, every Day in the Week their Attendance is requir'd; and as they all are People eminent in their Profeffions, their Skill and Time must be recompenfed accordingly: So how far thefe Articles extend, I leave you to judge. Limning, one would think, is no expensive Diverfion, but as the manages the Matter, 'tis a very confiderable Addition to her Disbursements; Which you will eafily believe, when you know the paints Fans for all her Female Acquaintance, and draws all her Relations Pictures in Miniature; the first must be mounted by no body but Colmar, and the other fet by no-body but Charles Mather. What follows, is ftill much worse than the former; for, as I told you, fhe is a great Artist at her Needle, 'tis incredible what Sums the expends in Embroidery: For befides what is appropriated to her perfonal Ufe, as Mantua's, Petticoats, Stomachers, Handkerchiefs, Purfes, Pin-cufhions, and Working-Aprons, The keeps four French Proteftants continually employ'd in making divers Pieces of fuperfluous Furniture, as Quilts, Toilets, Hangings for Closets, Beds, WindowCurtains, eafy Chairs, and Tabourets: Nor have I any hopes of ever reclaiming her from this Extravagance, whilft fhe obftinately perfifts in thinking it a notable piece of good Housewifry, because they are made at home, and fhe has had fome fhare in the Performance. There would be no end of relating to you the Parti⚫culars of the annual Charge, in furnishing her StoreRoom with a Profufion of Pickles and Preferves; for fhe is not contented with having every thing, unless it be done every way, in which the confults an Here. ditary

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No 328. * ditary Book of Receipts; for her female Ancestors have • been always fam'd for good Housewifry, one of whom ⚫ is made immortal, by giving her Name to an Eye• Water and two forts of Puddings. I cannot under• take to recite all her medicinal Preparations, as Salves, Cerecloths, Powders, Confects, Cordials, Ratafia, Perfico, Orange-flower, and Cherry-Brandy, together with • innumerable forts of Simple Waters. But there is nothing 1 lay fo much to heart, as that deteftable Catalogue of counterfeit Wines, which derive their Names from the Fruits, Herbs, or Trees of whofe Juices they are chiefly compounded: They are loathfome to the Tafte, and pernicious to the Health; and as they fel◄ dom furvive the Year, and then are thrown away, un

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der a falfe Pretence of Frugality, I may affirm they • ftand me in more than if I entertain'd all our Vifiters ⚫ with the best Burgundy and Champaign. Coffee, Chocolate, Green, Imperial, Peco, and Bohea-Tea feem to be Trifles; but when the proper Appurtenances of the Tea-Table are added, they fwell the Account higher than one would imagine. I cannot conclude without doing her Juftice in one Article; where her Frugality is fo remarkable, I muft not deny her the Merit of it, and that is in relation to her Children, who are all confin'd, both Boys and Girls, to one large Room in the remoteft Part of the Houfe, with Bolts on the Doors and Bars to the Windows, under the Care and Tuition of an old Woman, who had been dry Nurse to her • Grandmother. This is their Refidence all the Year round; and as they are never allow'd to appear, fhe prudently thinks it needlefs to be at any Expence in Apparel or Learning. Her eldest Daughter to this day < would have neither read nor writ, if it had not been for the Butler, who being the Son of a Country Ator.C ney, has taught her fuch a Hand as is generally used for engroffing Bilis in Chancery. By this time I have fufficiently tired your Patience with my domestick Grievances; which I hope you will agree could not well be contain'd in a narrower Compafs, when you confider what a Paradox I undertook to maintain in the Begin

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