He look'd, and saw the ark hull on the flood, Which now abated; for the clouds were fled, Driv'n by a keen north-wind, that blowing dry Wrinkled the face of deluge, as decay'd; 840 843. Wrinkled the face of deluge, as decay'd;] This allusive comparison of the surface of the decreasing waters, wrinkled by the wind, to the wrinkles of a decaying old age, is very far fetched, and extremely boyish; but the author makes us ample amends in the remaining part of this description of the abating of the flood. The circumstances of it are few, but selected with great judgment, and expressed with no less spirit and beauty. In this respect, it must be owned, Milton greatly excels the Italians, who are generally too prolix in their have never said enough whilst descriptions, and think they any thing remains unsaid. When once enough is said to excite in the reader's mind a proper idea of what the poet is representing, whatever is added, however beautiful, serves only to teaze the fancy instead of pleasing it, and rather cools than improves that glow of pleasure, which arises in the mind upon its first contemplation of any surprising scene of nature well painted out. Of this Milton was very sensible, and throughout his whole poem has scarcely ever been hurried by his imagination into any thing inconsistent with it. Thyer. 845 And the clear sun on his wide wat❜ry glass The ark no more now flotes, but seems on ground 850 855 844. And the clear sun on his and so it follows, that stole with wide watry glass soft foot, this bold personizing is Gaz'd hot, and of the fresh perpetually used by the Greek, and consequently the Latin poets, who always imitate them, Hor. Epod. xvi. 47. wave largely drew,] A singular use of gaze, applied to the sun. Perhaps from Shakespeare, where it also expresses almost the same thought. Comed. of Err. act i. s. i. At length the sun, gazing upon the earth, Dispers'd those vapours that offended us. T. Warton. 846. which made their flowing shrink] Their I suppose refers to wave before mentioned, as a noun of multitude, of the plural number. It is not easy to account for the syntax otherwise. 847. From standing lake to tripping ebb,] Tripping from tripudiare, to dance, to step lightly upon the toes, a natural descrip -montibus altis Levis crepante lympha desilit pede. Richardson. 848. the deep, who now had stopp'd His sluices, as the heav'n his windows shut.] Gen. viii. 2. The fountains also of the deep, and the windows of heaven were stopped. For this and other particulars of the ark resting upon the mountains of Ararat, and of the raven, and of the dove, &c. see the same chapter. 850.flotes,] This is the right way of spelling the word, as it comes from the French A dove sent forth once and again to spy Green tree or ground whereon his foot may light; Anon dry ground appears, and from his ark O thou who future things canst represent From him, and all his anger to forget. But say, what mean those colour'd streaks in heaven 860. An olive leaf he brings, pacific sign:] Sign of peace, of God's mercy to mankind; the olive was sacred to Pallas, and borne by those that sued for peace, as being the emblem of it and plenty: -placitam paci nutritor olivam. Virg. Georg. ii. 425. Hume. Add this likewise, 860 865 870 875 Distended as the brow of God appeas'd, 880 To whom th' archangel. Dext'rously thou aim'st So willingly doth God remit his ire, Though late repenting him of man deprav'd, 884. To whom th' archangel. &c.] The reader will easily observe how much of this speech is built upon Scripture. Though late repenting him of man deprav❜d, Griev'd at his heart, And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart, Gen. vi. 6. -when looking down he saw The whole earth fill'd with violence, and all flesh Corrupting each their way;The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and behold it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth, ver. 11, 12. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, ver. 8. And makes a covenant never to destroy The earth again by flood,And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters 885 any more a flood to destroy the earth. Gen. ix. 11. -but when he brings Over the earth a cloud, will therein set His triple-colour'd bow, whereon to look, And call to mind his covenant : And it shall come to pass when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth, ver. 14, 16. -day and night, Seed-time and harvest, heat and hoary frost Shall hold their course, While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease, Gen. viii. 22. -till fire purge all things new, Both heav'n and earth, wherein the just shall dwell. The heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat: nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteous The whole earth fill'd with violence, and all flesh 890 895 His triple-colour'd bow, whereon to look, |