Bellerophon, though from a lower clime,) Standing on earth, not rapt above the pole, that Milton chiefly alludes, ver. 200. &c. Αλλ ̓ ὅτε δη κακεινος απηχθετο πασι Ητοι ὁ καππιδιον το Αληιον οιος αλατο, αλεείνων. But when at last, distracted in his mind, Forsook by heav'n, forsaking human kind, Wide o'er the Aleian field he chose to strav, A long, forlorn, uncomfortable way. It is thus translated by Cicero in his third book of Tusculan Disputations. Qui miser in campis mœærens errabat Ipse suum cor edens, hominum ve- The plain truth of the story seems to be, that in his latter days he grew mad with his poetry, which Milton begs may never be his own case: Lest from this flying steed &c. He says this to distinguish his from the common Pegasus, above the flight of whose wing he soared, as he speaks, ver. 4. 21. Half yet remains unsung, I understand this with Mr. Richardson, that it is the half of the episode, not of the whole work, that is here meant for when the poem was divided into but ten books, that edition 20 had this passage at the beginning of the seventh as now. The episode has two principal parts, the war in heaven, and the new creation; the one was sung, but the other remained unsung, and he is now entering upon it-but narrower bound. Bound here seems to be a participle as well as unsung. Half yet remains unsung; but this other half is not rapt so much into the invisible world as the former, it is confined in narrower compass, and bound within the visible sphere of day. 21. It is however half of the whole work which has been treated, as well as half of the Episode. It is equally true with respect to the whole subject that the latter half of it is much more bound within the visible diurnal sphere than the former portion; and in point of actual length half still remained, when the poem was divided into ten books, as well as now that it is distributed into twelve. It is remarkable too that he invokes the Muse only in this place and at the beginning of the Poem. There appears to be therefore a considerable probability, that Milton meant that half of his whole subject remained unsung. E. More safe I sing with mortal voice, unchang'd 25 30 25.-though fall'n on evil days,] The repetition and turn of the words is very beautiful, - though fall'n on evil days, On evil days though fall'n, and evil tongues; &c. A lively picture this in a few lines of the Poet's wretched condition. In darkness, though is still understood; he was not become hoarse or mute though in darkness, though he was blind, and with dangers compass'd round, and solitude, obnoxious to the government, and having a world of enemies among the royal party, and therefore obliged to live very much in privacy and alone. And what strength of mind was it, that could not only support him under the weight of these misfortunes, but enable him to soar to such heights, as no human genius ever reached before? 31.-and fit audience find, though few. He had Horace in mind, Sat. i. x. 73. -neque te ut miretur turba, labores, Contentus paucis lectoribus. 33. Of Bacchus and his revelers,] It is not improbable that the poet intended this as an oblique satire upon the dissolute ness of Charles the Second and his court; from whom he seems to apprehend the fate of Orpheus, a famous poet of Thrace, who though he is said to have charmed woods and rocks with his divine songs, yet was torn to pieces by the Bacchanalian women on Rhodope, a mountain of Thrace, nor could the Muse Calliope his mother defend him. So fail not thou, who thee implores; nor was his wish ineffectual, for the government suf Of that wild rout that tore the Thracian bard Say Goddess, what ensued when Raphaël, fered him to live and die unmolested. 35.where woods and rocks had ears] So in his verses ad Partem, 1. 53. of Orpheus, Qui tenuit fluvios, et quercubus ad- didit aures T. Warton. 40. -what ensued when Raphaël, &c.] Longinus has observed, that there may be a loftiness in sentiments, where there is no passion, and brings instances out of ancient authors to support this his opinion. The pathetic, as that great critic observes, may animate and inflame the sublime, but is not essential to it. Accordingly as he further remarks, we very often find that those who excel most in stirring up the passions, very often want the talent of writing in the great and sublime manner, and so on the contrary. Milton has shewn himself a master in both these ways of writing. The seventh book, which we are now entering upon, is an instance of that sublime, which is not mixed and worked up with passion. The author appears in a kind of composed and sedate majesty; and though the sentiments do not give so great an emotion, as 35 40 those in the former book, they abound with as magnificent ideas. The sixth book, like a troubled ocean, represents greatness in confusion; the seventh affects the imagination like the ocean in a calm, and fills the mind of the reader, without producing in it any thing like tumult or agitation. The critic above mentioned, among the rules which he lays down for succeeding in the sublime way of writing, proposes to his reader, that he should imitate. the most celebrated authors who have gone before him, and been engaged in works of the same nature; as in particular, that if he writes on a poetical subject, he should consider how Homer would have spoken on such an occasion. By this means one great genius often catches the flame from another, and writes in his spirit, without copying servilely after him. There are a thousand shining passages in Virgil, which have been lighted up by Honer. Milton, though his own natural strength of genius was capable of furnishing out a perfect work, has doubtless very much raised and ennobled his conceptions, by such an imitation as that which Longius has recommended. In this The affable Arch-Angel, had forewarn'd 'If they transgress, and slight that sole command, 45 So easily obey'd amid the choice Of all tastes else to please their appetite, 50 The story heard attentive, and was fill'd With admiration and deep muse, to hear Of things so high and strange, things to their thought So unimaginable as hate in heaven, And war so near the peace of God in bliss 55 With such confusion: but the evil soon book, which gives us an account of the six days' works, the poet received very few assistances from heathen writers, who were strangers to the wonders of creation. But as there are many glorious strokes of poetry upon this subject in holy writ, the author has numberless allusions to them through the whole course of this book. The great critic I have before mentioned, though an heathen, has taken notice of the sublime manner in which the lawgiver of the Jews has described the creation in the first chapter of Genesis; and there are many other passages in Scripture which rise up to the same majesty, where this From whom it sprung, impossible to mix The doubts that in his heart arose: and now 60 Led on, yet sinless, with desire to know Of heav'n and earth conspicuous first began, What within Eden or without was done 65 Before his memory, as one whose drought 1 Yet scarce allay'd still eyes the current stream, Whose liquid murmur heard new thirst excites, Great things, and full of wonder in our ears, Down from the empyréan to forewarn 59.-Whence Adam soon re peal'd The doubts that in his heart arose:] Dr. Bentley would read dispell'd; but if an alteration were necessary, I should rather read repell'd, as in ver. 610. we have -their counsels vain Thou hast repell' d. But in the same sense as a law is said to be repealed, when an end is put to all the force and effect of it; so, when doubts are at an end, they may be said to be repealed. Pearce. 61. yet sinless,] Desiring knowledge indeed, (led on with desire to know, &c.) but not the forbidden knowledge of good and evil. E. 69. Proceeded thus &c.] The 70 72. Divine interpreter,] Mercury is called in Virgil In |