In Paradifum amissam* fummi poeta Johannis Miltoni.
Q
UI legis Amiffam Paradifum, grandia magni Carmina Miltoni, quid nifi cuncta legis? Res cunctas, et cunctarum primordia rerum, Et fata, et fines continet ifte liber. Intima panduntur magni penetralia mundi; Scribitur et toto quicquid in orbe latet; Terræque, tractufque maris, cœlumque profundum Sulphureumque Erebi flammivomumque fpecus; Quæque colunt terras, portumque et Tartara cæca, Quæque colunt fummi lucida regna poli; Et quodcunque ullis conclufum eft finibus ufquam, Et fine fine Chaos, et fine fine Deus;
Et fine fine magis, fi quid magis eft fine fine,
In Chrifto erga homines conciliatus amor.
Hæc qui fperaret quis crederet effe futurum?
Et tamen hæc hodie terra Britanna legit.
O quantos in bella duces! quæ protulit arma!
Quæ canit, et quanta, prælia dira tuba.
Cœleftes acies! atque in certamine cœlum !
Et quæ cœleftes pugna deceret agros!
Quantus in ætheriis tollit fe Lucifer armis,
Atque ipfo graditur vix Michaele minor!
Quantis, et quam funeftis concurritur iris
Dum ferus hic ftellas protegit, ille rapit!
Dum vulfos montes ceu tela reciproca torquent,
Et non mortali defuper igne pluunt :
Stat dubius cui fe parti concedat Olympus,
Et metuit pugnæ non fupereffe fuæ,
At fimul in cœlis Meffiæ infignia fulgent,
Et currus animes, armaque digna Deo,
Horrendumque rotæ ftrident, et fæva rotarum
Erumpunt torvis fulgura luminibus,
Et flammæ vibrant, et vera tonitrua rauco
Admiftis flammis infonuere Polo,
Excidit attonitis mens omnis, et impetus omnis
Et caffis dextris irrita tela cadunt.
• Published with the second edition of Paradife Loft, in 1674.
Ad poenas fugiunt, et ceu foret Orcus afylum
Infernis certant condere fe tenebris.
Cedite Romani fcriptores, cedite Graii
Et quos fama recens vel celebravit anus.
Hæc quicunque leget tantum ceciniffe putabit
Mæonidem ranas, Virgilium culices.
ON PARADISE LOST.
HEN I beheld the poet blind, yet bold,
W In flender book his vaft defign unfold,
Meffiah crown'd, God's reconcil'd decree,
Rebelling angels, the forbidden tree,
Heav'n, hell, earth, chaos, all; the argument
Held me awhile mifdoubting his intent,
That he would ruine (for I faw him ftrong)
The facred truths to Fable and old fong
(So Sampfon grop'd the temple's pofts in fpite)
The world o'erwhelming to revenge his fight.
Yet as I read, foon growing less severe,
I lik'd his project, the fuccefs did fear;
Through that wide field how he his way should find
O'er which lame faith leads understanding blind;
Left he perplex'd the things he would explain,
And what was eafy he should render vain.
Or if a work fo infinite he spann'd,
Jealous I was that fome lefs fkilful hand
(Such as difquiet always what is well,
And by ill imitating would excel)
Might hence prefume the whole creation's day
To change in fcenes, and fhow it in a play.
Pardon me, mighty poet, nor despise
My causeless, yet not impious, furmife.
But I am now convinc'd, and none will dare
Within thy labours to pretend a share.
Thou haft not miss'd one thought that could be fit,
And all that was improper doft omit:
So that no room is here for writers left,
But to detect their ignorance or theft.
That majesty which through thy work doth reign Draws the devout, deterring the profane.
And things divine thou treat'ft of in such state
As them preferves, and thee, inviolate.
At once delight and horror on us seize,
Thou fing'ft with fo much gravity and ease,
And above human flight doft foar aloft
With plume so strong, fo equal, and so soft.
The bird nam'd from that paradife you fing
So never flags, but always keeps on wing.
Where could'ft thou words of such a compass find?
Whence furnish such a vast expanse of mind?
Juft heav'n thee like Tirefias to requite
Rewards with prophecy thy lofs of fight.
Well mighteft thou fcorn thy readers to allure
With tinkling rhyme, of thy own sense secure;
While the town-bayes writes all the while and spells,
And like a pack-horse tires without his bells:
Their fancies like our bushy points appear,
The poets tag them, we for fashion wear.
I too transported by the mode offend,
And while I meant to praise thee must commend.*
Thy verse created like thy theme fublime,
In number, weight, and measure, needs not rhyme.
ANDREW Marvel.
See note in Life, p. cvii.
Ad pœnas fugiunt, et ceu foret Orcus afylum
Infernis certant condere fe tenebris.
Cedite Romani fcriptores, cedite Graii
Et
quos fama recens vel celebravit anus.
Hæc quicunque leget tantum cecinisse putabit
Mæonidem ranas, Virgilium culices.
ON PARADISE LOST.
W
HEN I beheld the poet blind, yet bold,
In flender book his vast design unfold,
Meffiah crown'd, God's reconcil'd decree,
Rebelling angels, the forbidden tree,
Heav'n, hell, earth, chaos, all; the argument
Held me awhile mifdoubting his intent,
That he would ruine (for I faw him ftrong)
The facred truths to Fable and old fong
(So Sampfon grop'd the temple's posts in spite)
The world o'erwhelming to revenge his fight.
Yet as I read, foon growing lefs fevere,
I lik'd his project, the fuccefs did fear;
Through that wide field how he his way should find
O'er which lame faith leads understanding blind;
Left he perplex'd the things he would explain,
And what was easy he should render vain.
Or if a work fo infinite he fpann'd,
Jealous I was that fome lefs fkilful hand
(Such as difquiet always what is well,
And by ill imitating would excel)
Might hence prefume the whole creation's day
To change in scenes, and show it in a play.
Pardon me, mighty poet, nor defpife
My causeless, yet not impious, furmise.
But I am now convinc'd, and none will dare
Within thy labours to pretend a share.
Thou haft not mifs'd one thought that could be fit,
And all that was improper doft omit:
So that no room is here for writers left,
But to detect their ignorance or theft.
That majefty which through thy work doth reign Draws the devout, deterring the profane.
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