And Grace that won who faw to wish her flay,
Rofe, and went forth among her fruits and flowers
To vifit how they profper'd, bud and bloom,
Her Nurfery; they at her coming fprung,
And toucht by her fair tendance gladlier grew.
Yet went fhe not, as not with fuch difcourfe
Delighted, or not capable her ear

Of what was high: Such pleafure she referv'd
Adam relating, fhe fole Auditrefs;
Her Husband the relater he preferr'd
Before the Angel, and of him to ask
Chofe rather: he, she knew, would intermix
Grateful digreffions, and folve high difpute
With conjugal Careffes: from his Lip
Not words alone pleafed her.

O when meet now
Such pairs in Love, and mutual honour join'd?

The Angel's returning a doubtful Answer to Adam's Enquiries, was not only proper for the Morál Reason which the Poet affigns, but because it would have been highly absurd to have given the Sanction of an Archangel to any particular Syftem of Philofophy. The chief Points in the Ptolemaic and Copernican Hypothefis are defcribed with great Conciseness and Perfpicuity, and at the fame time dreffed in very pleafing and Poetical Images.

Adam, to detain the Angel, enters afterwards upon his own History, and relates to him the Circumstances in which he found himself upon his Creation; as also his Conversation with his Maker, and his first Meeting with Eve. There is no part of the Poem more apt to raise the attention of the Reader, than this Discourse of our great Ancestor; as nothing can be more furprizing and delightful to us, than to hear the Sentiments 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 Subject in Holy Writ with fo many beautiful Imaginations of his own, that nothing can be conceived

more just and natural than this whole Episode. As our Author knew this Subject 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 diftinct 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 shining Paffages in the Dialogue between Adam and the Angel. The firft is that wherein our Ancestor gives an Account of the Pleasure he took in conversing with him, which contains a very noble Moral.

For while I fit with thee, I feem in Heav'n,
And fweeter thy difcourfe is to my ear
Than fruits of Palm-tree pleafantefl to thirst
And hunger both, from labour, at the hour
Of fweet repaft; they fatiate, and foon fill,
Tho' pleafant, but thy words with Grace divine
Imbu'd, bring to their fweetnefs no fatiety.

The other I fhall mention is that in which the Angel gives a reason why he should be glad to hear the Story Adam was about to relate.

For I that day was abfent, as befell,

Bound on a Voyage uncouth and obfcure,
Far on excurfion towards the Gates of Hell;
Squar'd in full Legion (fuch command we had)
To fee that none thence iffued forth a Spy,
Or enemy, while God was in his work,
Left he incenft at fuch eruption bold,
Deftruction with Creation might have mix'd.

There is no question but our Poet drew the Image in what follows from that in Virgil's Sixth Book, where Eneas and the Sibyl ftand before the Adamantine Gates which are there describ'd as fhut upon the place of Torments, and listen to the Groans, the clank of Chains, and the noise of Iron Whips that were heard in those Regions of Pain and Sorrow.

-Faft we found, faft fhut

The difmal gates, and barricadoed ftrong;

But long e'er our approaching heard within
Noife, other than the found of Dance or Song,
Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage.

Adam then proceeds to give an Account of his Condition and Sentiments immediately after his Creation. How agreeably does he reprefent the posture in which he found himself, the beautiful Landskip that surrounded him, and the gladness of Heart which grew up in him on that occafion.

-As new waked from foundest fleep

Soft on the flowry herb I found me laid In balmy fweat, which with his beams the Sun Soon dried, and on the reeking moisture fed. Streight toward Heav'n my wondering eyes I turn d. And gaz'd a while the ample Sky, 'till rais'd By quick inflinctive motion up I fprung As thitherward endeavouring, and upright Stood on my feet; about me round I faw Hill, Dale, and fhady woods and funny plains, And liquid lapfe of murmuring fireams; by thefe Creatures that liv'd, and mov'd, and walk'd, or flew, Birds on the branches warbling; all things fmi'd: With fragrance, and with Joy my heart overflow'd. Adam is afterwards described as furpriz'd at his own Existence, and taking a Survey of himself, and of all the Works of Nature. He likewife is represented as discovering by the Light of Reason, that he and every thing about him must have been the effect of some Being infinitely good and powerful, and that this Being had a Right to his Worship and Adoration. His first address to the Sun, and to those parts of the Creation which made the most distinguished Figure, is very natural and amusing to the Imagination.

-Thou Sun, faid I, fair Light,

And thou enlight'ned earth, fo fresh and gay,
Ye Hills and Dales, ye Rivers, Woods and Plains,
And ye that live and move, fair creatures tell,
Tell if you faw, how came I thus, how here?

His next Sentiment, when upon his first going to Sleep he fancies himself lofing his Existence, and falling away into nothing, can never be fufficiently admired. His Dream, in which he still preferves the Conscioufnefs of his Existence, together with his removal into the Garden which was prepared for his Reception, are alfo Circumstances finely imagined, and grounded upon what is delivered in Sacred Story.

These and the like wonderful Incidents, in this Part of the Work, have in them all the Beauties of Novelty, at the fame time that they have all the Graces of Nature. They are such as none but a great Genius could have thought of, though, upon the perufal of them, they seem to rise of themselves from the Subject of which he treats. In a Word, though they are natural they are not obvious, which is the true Character of all fine Writing.

The Impreffion which the Interdiction of the Tree of Life left in the Mind of our first Parent, is described with great Strength and Judgment, as the Image of the several Beasts and Birds paffing in review before him is very beautiful and lively.

-Each Bird and Beaft behold

Approaching two and two, thefe cowring low

With blandishment; each bird floop'd, on his Wing: I nam'd them as they pafs'd

Adam, in the next place, describes a Conference which he held with his Maker upon the Subject of Solitude. The Poet here represents the Supreme Being, as making an Effay of his own Work, and putting to the tryal that reasoning Faculty, with which he had endued his Creature. Adam urges, in this divine Colloquy, the Impoffibility of his being happy, tho' he was the Inhabitant of Paradife, and Lord of the whole Creation, without the Conversation and Society of fome rational Creature, who fhould partake thofe Bleffings with him. This Dialogue, which is fupported chiefly by the Beauty of the Thoughts, without other Poetical

H

Ornaments, is as fine a part as any in the whole Poem: The more the Reader examines the justness and delicacy of its Sentiments, the more he will find. himself pleased with it. The Poet has wonderfully preserved the Character of Majesty and Condescention in the Creator, and at the same time that of Humility and Adoration in the Creature, as particularly in those beautiful Lines.

Thus I prefumptuous; and the Vifion bright,

As with a fmile more brightned, thus reply'd. &c. I with leave of fpeech implor'd

And humble deprecation thus reply'd,

Let not my Words offend thee, Heav'nly power,
My maker, be propitious while I fpeak &c.

Adam then proceeds to give an account of his
fecond Sleep, and of the Dream in which he beheld the
Formation of Eve. The new Paffion that was awakened
in him at the fight of her is touched very finely.
Under his forming hands a Creature grew,
Manlike, but different Sex; fo lovely fair,
That what feem'd fair in all the World feem'd now
Mean, or in her fumm'd up, in her contain'd,
And in her looks; which from that time infus'd
Sweetnefs into my heart, unfelt before,
And into all things from her air infpir'd
The fpirit of Love and amorous delight.

Adam's Diftrefs upon lofing fight of this beautiful Phantom, with his Exclamations of Joy and Gratitude at the Discovery of a real Creature, who refembled the Apparition which had been presented to him in his Dream; the Approaches he makes to her, and his manner of Courtship, are all laid together in a most exquifite Propriety of Sentiments.

Tho' this part of the Poem is work'd up with great Warmth and Spirit,' the Love, which is described in it, is every way suitable to a State of Innocence. If the Reader compares the Description which Adam here gives of his leading Eve to the Nuptial Bower, with