Ran through his veins, and all his joints relax'd; O fairest of creation, last and best Of all God's works, creature in whom excell'd 895 900 of different words, as Hom. Iliad. xxi. 407. Επτα δ' επισχε πιλιέρα πεσων- Dixerat: ille patris magni parere Erythræus and some critics lay great stress upon this, esteeming it a singular beauty in writing, though it is probable that the ancients fell into it by chance as moderns have carried it to a often as by design: but the ridiculous degree of affectation, and Dryden particularly thought it one of the greatest arts of versification. As there is scarce numbers, that is not to be found any beauty in writing, or art in in Milton, so he has something of this, but is more sparing in the use of it than several of the modern poets. We produced before an instance of the single alliteration, vii. 471. Behemoth liggest bornand here two or more letters are repeated, vi. 840. Rather how hast thou yielded to transgress The sacred fruit forbidd'n? some cursed fraud 905 How can I live without thee, how forego Thy sweet converse and love so dearly join'd, 910 Should God create another Eve, and I Another rib afford, yet loss of thee Would never from my heart; no no, I feel 915 So having said, as one from sad dismay Recomforted, and after thoughts disturb'd Submitting to what seem'd remediless, O'er shields and helms and helmed heads he rode, love of thee so dearly joined to me. This is a common way of as well as in the instance before speaking in Milton, and the us, reader may see more instances of it in iv. 129. and viii. 428. Defac'd, deflour'd, and now to death The sense of this last verse is devote. And certainly now and then an instance may have a very good effect; but the continued affectation of it is below a great genius, and must be offensive to the ear instead of pleasing. 908. How can I live without again found in ver. 970. -link'd in love so dear. 910. To live again in these wild woods forlorn?] How vastly expressive are these words of Adam's tenderness and affection for Eve, as they imply that the mere imagination of losing her had already converted the sweets of Paradise into the horrors of a desolate thee, how forego Thy sweet converse, and love so dearly join'd,] That is, the sweet converse and wilderness. Thyer. Thus in calm mood his words to Eve he turn'd. Bold deed thou hast presum'd, advent'rous Eve, That sacred fruit, sacred to abstinence, 920. Thus in calm mood his words to Eve he turn'd.] He had till now been speaking to himself; now his speech turns to her, but not with violence, not with noise and rage, it is a deep considerate melancholy. The line cannot be pronounced but as it ought, slowly, gravely. Richardson. 922. who thus hast dar'd,] So it is in the first edition, but in the second by mistake it is printed hath dared, and that is followed in some others. 928. Perhaps thou shalt not die, &c.] How just a picture does Milton here give us of the natural imbecility of the human mind, and its aptness to be warped into false judgments and reasonings by passion and inclination? Adam had but just condemned the action of Eve in eating the forbidden fruit, and 920 925 930 yet drawn by his fondness for her, immediately summons all the force of his reason to prove what she had done to be right. This may probably appear a fault to superficial readers, but all intelligent ones will, I dare say, look upon it as a proof of our author's exquisite knowledge of human nature. Reason is but too often little better than a slave ready at the beck of the will to dress up in plausible colours any opinions that our interest or resentment have made agreeable to us. Thyer. 929. -hainous] So Milton spells this word, which is right and agreeable to its derivation from the French haineux. It is wrong to write it, as it is commonly written, heinous. We take notice of these things, as instances of our author's exact ness. Higher degree of life, inducement strong 935 940 Not well conceiv'd of God, who though his power 945 Creation could repeat, yet would be loath Us to abolish, lest the adversary Triumph and say; Fickle their state whom God 950 Matter of scorn, not to be given the foe. Certain to undergo like doom; if death 955 The bond of nature draw me to my own, 947. ·lest the adversary Triumph and say, &c.] Compare the prayer of Moses, 960 Numbers xiv. 13-17. Then the Illustrious evidence, example high! Engaging me to emulate, but short Of thy perfection, how shall I attain, Adam? from whose dear side I boast me sprung, 965 And gladly of our union hear thee speak, One heart, one soul in both; whereof good proof This day affords, declaring thee resolv❜d, Rather than death or ought than death more dread Shall separate us, link'd in love so dear, 970 To undergo with me one guilt, one crime, If any be, of tasting this fair fruit, Whose virtue (for of good still good proceeds, This happy trial of thy love, which else 975 Were it I thought death menac'd would ensue The worst, and not persuade thee, rather die 978. —I would sustain alone &c.] We have followed the punctuation of the first edition, as the sense requires, which is plainly this, If I thought the death that was threatened would be the consequence of this my attempt, I would suffer the worst alone, and not endeavour to persuade thee, I would rather die by myself forsaken of thee, than oblige thee with a fact &c. Oblige is used here in 980 the large sense of the Latin --Sed tu simul obligâsti |