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Which I enjoy, and muft confefs to find,
In all things elfe delight indeed, but fuch 2 N N
As us'd or not, works in the mind no change,525
Nor vehement defire, thefe delicacies

I mean of tafte, fight, smell, herbs, fruits, and flowers,
Walks, and the melody of birds; but here
Far otherwife, tranfported I behold,
Transported touch; here paffion first I felt,

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Velper adeft, juvenes confurgite &c.
Catul.

On bis bill top, fays our author
writing in the language as well as in
the fpirit of the Ancients: for when
this ftar appear'd eastward in the
morning, it was faid to rife on
mount Ida.

Jamque jugis fummæ furgebat Lu-
cifer Ida,
Ducebatque diem.

Virg. Æn. II. 801. when it appear'd weftward in the evening, it was faid to be feen on mount Oeta. Virg. Ecl. VIII. 30. Sparge marite nuces, tibi deferit Hefperus Oetam.

Our author therefore writes in claffical language. He does not mention any mountain by name, but fays only the evening ftar on his hill top, as appearing above the hills. And fo Spenfer fays of the fun, Fairy Queen, B. 1. Cant. 2. St. 1.

530 Com

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Commotion frange, in all enjoyments elfe
Superior and unmov'd, here only weak
Against the charm of beauty's pow'rful glance.
Or nature fail'd in me, and left fome part
Not proof enough such object to sustain,
Or from my £3e fubdufting, took perhaps
More than enough; at leaft on her bestow'd
Too much of ornament, in outward fhow
Elaborate, of inward lefs exact.

535

For well I understand in the prime end

540

Of nature her th' inferior, in the mind

And inward faculties, which moft excel,

In outward alio her refembling less

His image who made both, and lefs expreffing

545

Her

The character of that dominion given

O'er other creatures; yet when I approach

—at leak en ber befow'd In choice, but ofteft to affect the

Šie much of ornament, in outward

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Elaborate, of invord lef's exalt.] The poet has inlarg'd upon the fame fentiment in his Samfon Agonites. Is it for that fuch outward ornament Was lavish'd on their fex, that in

ward gifts Were left for hafte unfinish'd,judgment fcant, Capacity not rais'd to apprehend, Or value what is best

wrong? 543

refembling less

His image &c.] Mikon here feems to adopt the opinion, that the image of God in man was the dominion given to him over the creatures, contrary to the fenfe he follows at ver. 440. but this is not the only inflance, where in different places he goes upon different hypothefes, as may beft fuit with his fubject. See his different conftruction of the fons of God

Her lovelinefs, fo abfolute fhe feems
And in herself complete, fo well to know
Her own, that what the wills to do or fay,
Seems wifeft, virtuoufeft, difcreetest, beft;
All higher knowledge in her prefence falls
Degraded, wisdom in difcourfe with her
Lofes discount'nanc'd, and like folly shows;
Authority and reafon on her wait,

As one intended firft, not after made
Occafionally; and to confummate all,

Greatness of mind and nobleness their feat

Build in her lovelieft, and create an awe
About her, as a guard angelic plac'd.

550

555

To whom the Angel with contracted brow. 560 Accuse not nature, she hath done her part; Do thou but thine, and be not diffident

going in to the daughters of men in Paradife Loft, and Paradife Regain'd. Thyer.

547. fo abfolute] So finish'd, fo abfolute] So finish'd, fo perfect, fo complete, as it is faid in the next line, and as the word is explain'd in the note upon ver. 421. And fo abfolu'd is ufed VII. 94.

560. To whom the Angel with contracted brow.] Thefe fenti ments of love in our firit parent gave the Angel fuch an infight into hu

Of

man nature, that he feems appre-
henfive of the evils which might be-
fall the fpecies in general, as well
as Adam in particular, from the
excefs of this paffion. He therefore
fortifies him against it by timely ad-
monitions; which very artfully pre-
the mind of the reader for the
pare
occurrences of the next book, where
the weakness of which Adam here
gives fuch di tant difcoveries, brings
about that fatal event which is the
fubject of the poem. Addifon.
568.-and

Of wisdom, fhe deferts thee not, if thou

Dismiss not her, when most thou needst her nigh, By attributing overmuch to things

Less excellent, as thou thyself perceiv’ft.

565

570

For what admir'ft thou, what tranfports thee so,
An outfide? fair no doubt, and worthy well
Thy cherishing, thy honoring, and thy love,
Not thy fubjection: weigh with her thyself;
Then value: Oft-times nothing profits more
Than self esteem, grounded on juft and right
Well manag'd; of that skill the more thou know'ft,
The more she will acknowledge thee her head,

And to realities yield all her shows:

Made fo adorn for thy delight the more,

68.

and aortby well Thy cherishing, thy honoring, and thy love,] He maketh use of thefe three words agreeably to Scripture. So ought men to love their wives, as their own bodies: be that loveth his wife, loveth himself: For no man ever yet bated bis own fieb, but nourisheth and cherisheth it. Eph. V. 28, 29. Giving honor unto the wife. Pet. III. 7.

576. Made fo adorn &c.] Thefe verfes contain a beautiful and inAtructive account of the end for which God beflowed on Eve fo much of ornament and awfulness. But two

575

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So awful, that with honor thou may'st love

580

Thy mate, who fees when thou art feen leaft wife.
But if the sense of touch whereby mankind
Is propagated feem fuch dear delight
Beyond all other, think the fame vouchfaf'd
To cattel and each beaft; which would not be
To them made common and divulg'd, if ought
Therein enjoy'd were worthy to subdue

585

The foul of man, or paffion in him move.
What high'er in her fociety thou find'st
Attractive, human, rational, love ftill;
In loving thou doft well, in paffion not,
Wherein true love confifts not love refines
The thoughts, and heart inlargés, hath his feat 590

love refines

589. The thoughts, and heart inlarges, &c.] So Spenfer to whom our author feems to allude by his manher of expreffion.

Such is the pow'r of that fweet paffion,

That it all fordid bafenefs doth expel,

And the refined mind doth newly

fashion
Unto a fairer form.

Spenfer's Hymn of Love.

Ne fuffereth it thought of ungen-
tleness

Ever to creep into his noble break;
VOL. II.

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