For fuch vaft room in nature unpoffefs'd Each orb a glimpse of light, convey'd fo far Light back to them, is obvious to difpute. Rife on the earth, or earth rife on the fun, 155 160 Or The swiftness of those circles attri- Raphael's mouth: for it is intimated búte: and upon attributed in ver. 12. With glory attributed to the high. But now a days we generally lay the accent differently. 157.this babitable,] An adjective used fubftantively: earth is understood; as in VI. 78. this terrene. This habitable is pure Greek, Ozer, the inhabited, the earth, Richardfon. 158. Light back to them,] I think that Dr. Bentley very justly objects to the word Light here: for if the fix'd ftars convey only a glimpse of light to our earth, it is too much to fay that the returns back to them light in general, which implies more than a glimpse of it. The Doctor therefore would read Nought back to them: But this is not agreeable to the philofophy which Milton puts in in ver. 140. that our earth does fend out light from her; and if so, then fome of her light might be return'd back to the fix'd stars. Suppose we fhould read Like back to them &c. i. e. only a glimpse of light, just as much and no more than the receives. Pearce. 159. But whether thus these things, or whether not, &c.] The Angel is now recapitulating the whole. He had argued upon the fuppofition of the truth of the Ptolemaic fyftem to ver. 122. Then he proposes the Copernican fyftem, and argues upon that fuppofition. Now he fums up the whole, But whether thus thefe things, or whether not, whether the one fyftem or the other be true, whether Heaven move or Earth, folicit not thyfelf about these matters, fear God and do thy duty. 162. bis flaming road] Elegantly applying to the road what belongs - Or fhe from weft her filent course advance With inoffenfive pace that spinning fleeps: 170 On her foft axle, while the paces even, 165 Contented that thus far hath been reveal'd Not of Earth only but of highest Heaven. To whom thus Adam, clear'd of doubt, reply'd. How fully haft thou fatisfy'd me, pure Intelligence of Heav'n, Angel ferene, And freed from intricacies, taught to live, 180 God hath bid dwell far off all anxious cares, 185 And not moleft us, unless we ourselves Seek them with wand'ring thoughts, and notions vain. But apt the mind or fancy is to rove Uncheck'd, and of her roving is no end; Till warn'd, or by experience taught, she learn, 190 193. That which before us lies in daily life,] Shadow'd from a verfe of Homer, fo much admir'd and recommended by Socrates, Οτι τοι εν μεγαροισι κακον τ' αγαθονζε τετυκται. Bentley. 194. Is the prime wisdom; what is more, is fume, &c.] An excellent piece of fatir this, and a fine reproof of those men who have all fenfe but common fenfe, and Yo L. II. Ör whofe folly is truly represented in the ftory of the philofopher, who while he was gazing at the stars fell into the ditch. Our author in these lines, as Mr. Thyer imagins, might probably have in his eye the character of Socrates, who firit attempted to divert his countrymen from their aery and chimerical notions about the origin of things, and turn their attention to that prime wisdom, the confideration of moral duties, and their conduct in focial life. F 204 -21077 Or emptiness, or fond impertinence, And renders us in things that most concern 195 200 By fufferance, and thy wonted favor deign'd. 204. now hear me relate My ftory,] Adam, to detain the Angel, enters upon his own history, and relates to him the circumftances in which he found himself upon his creation; as alfo his converfation with his Maker, and his first meet ing with Eve. There is no part of the poem more apt to raise the attention of the reader, than this difcourse of our great ancestor; as nothing can be more furprifing and delightful to us, than to hear the fentiments that arose in the first man while he was yet new and fresh from the hands of his Creator. The poet has interwoven every thing which is delivered upon this fubject in holy Writ with fo many beautiful imaginations of his own, that nothing can be conceived more juft and natural than this whole epifode. And As our author knew this fubject could not but be agreeable to his reader, he would not throw it into the relation of the fix days works, but reserved it for a distinct episode, that he might have an opportunity of expatiating upon it more at large. Before I enter on this part of the poem, I cannot but take notice of two fhining paffages in the dialogue between Adam and the Angel. The first is that wherein our ancestor gives an account of the pleasure he took in converfing with him, which contains a very noble moral. For while I fit with thee, I feem And day is yet not spent; till then thou seeft Inviting thee to hear while I relate, Fond, were it not in hope of thy reply: 210 214 divine |