More to the part sinister, from me drawn, To my just number found. O why did God, 888. To my just number found.] The just number of ribs in a man is twenty-four, twelve on each side, though sometimes there have been found those who have had thirteen, as Galen says, and very rarely some who have had but eleven, as Tho. Bartholinus, a famous physician, observed, in a lusty strong man whom he dissected in the year 1657, who had but eleven on one side, and a small appearance of a twelfth on the other. Hist. Anatom. et Medic. Centur. 5. c. 1. But some writers have been of opinion, that Adam had thirteen ribs on the left side, and that out of the thirteenth rib God formed Eve: and it is to this opinion that Milton here alludes, and makes Adam say, It was well if this rib was thrown out, as supernumerary to his just number. 888. O why did God, &c.] This thought was originally of Euripides, who makes Hippolytus in like manner expostulate with Jupiter for not creating man without women. See Hippol. 616. Ω Ζευ, τι δε κιβδηλον ανθρωποις κακον, And Jason is made to talk in the same strain in the Medea, 573. -χρην γαρ αλλοθεν ποθην βροτος Παίδας τέκνέσθαι, θηλυ δ' εκ είναι γένος, Ούτω δ' αν εκ ην εδεν ανθρωποις κακον. suppose, procured Euripides the name of the Woman-hater. Ariosto however hath ventured upon the same in Rodomont's invective against women. Orlando Furioso, cant. xxvii. st. 120. Perche fatto non ha l'alma Natura vide Why did not Nature rather so proWithout your help, that man of man might come, And one be grafted on another's side, As are the apples with the pear and plome? Harrington, st. 97. Nor are similar examples wanting among our English authors. Sir Thomas Brown, in the second part of his Religio Medici, sect 9. has something very curious to this purpose, which no doubt Milton had read, that work having been first published in the year 1642, about twentyfive years before Paradise Lost. Shakespeare makes Posthumus cry out in resentment of Imogen's behaviour, Cymbeline, act ii. which we are sure that our author had read, Is there no way for men to be, but women Must be half-workers ? And the complaints which Adam makes of the disasters of love may be compared with what Shakespeare's Lysander says in the Midsummer Night's Creator wise, that peopled highest heaven 890 895 900 Or whom he wishes most shall seldom gain By a far worse, or if she love, withheld Shall meet, already link'd and wedlock-bound 905 To a fell adversary', his hate or shame: Which infinite calamity shall cause To human life, and household peace confound. He added not, and from her turn'd; but Eve Not so repuls'd, with tears that ceas'd not flowing, 910 I beg, and clasp thy knees; bereave me not, As join'd in injuries, one enmity 916. and unweeting have offended,] Spenser, Faery Queen, b. i. cant. ii. st. 45. As all unweeting of that well she knew. Thyer. 925. one enmity] There is something not improbable in Dr. Bentley's reading, -both joining As join'd in injuries, in enmity: : 915 920 925 930 There with my cries importune Heav'n, that all She ended weeping, and her lowly plight, Commiseration; soon his heart relented 935 940 to meet him at a friend's whom he often visited, and there fell prostrate before him, imploring forgiveness and reconciliation. It is not to be doubted (says Mr. Fenton) but an interview of that nature, so little expected, must wonderfully affect him : and perhaps the impressions it made on his imagination contributed much to the painting of that pathetic scene in Paradise Lost, in which Eve addresseth herself to Adam for pardon and peace. At the intercession of his friends who were present, after a short reluctance, he ge Me, only me, just object of his ire: but as the repetition is highly pathetic, Mr. Upton thinks the trochaic following the spondee makes the pathos more percep-nerously sacrificed all his retible. 940. -soon his heart relented): This seems to have been drawn from a domestic scene. Milton's wife soon after marriage went to visit her friends in Oxfordshire, and refused to return at the time appointed: he often solicited her, but in vain; she declared her resolution not to cohabit with him any more. Upon this he wrote his Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce; and to shew that he was in earnest, was actually treating about a second marriage, when the wife contrived sentment to her tears: soon his heart relented Tow'ards her, his life so late and sole delight, Now at his feet submissive in distress. Mr. Thyer thus farther enlarges upon the same subject. "This " picture of Eve's distress, her "submissive tender address to " her husband, and his generous "reconcilement to her, are ex"tremely beautiful, I had al"most said beyond any thing " in the whole poem; and that " reader must have a very sour " and unfriendly turn of mind, Tow'ards her, his life so late and sole delight, The punishment all on thyself; alas, 945 950 His full wrath, whose thou feel'st as yet least part, Would speed before thee, and be louder heard, That on my head all might be visited, 955 |