Obrazy na stronie
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

the Feast of Adonis, is of a bloody Colour; which the 'Heathens looked upon as proceeding from a kind of 'Sympathy in the River for the Death of Adonis, who was killed by a wild Boar in the Mountains, out of 'which this Stream rifes. Something like this we saw actually come to pafs; for the Water was ftain'd to 'a furprising redness; and, as we obferved in Travelling, 'had discolour'd the Sea a great way into a reddish Hue, occafion'd doubtless by a fort of Minium, or 'red Earth, washed into the River by the violence of 'the Rain, and not by any stain from Adonis's Blood.'}

[ocr errors]

The Paffage in the Catalogue, explaining the manner how Spirits transform themselves by Contraction, or Enlargement of their Dimensions, is introduced with great Judgement, to make way for feveral furprizing Accidents in the Sequel of the Poem. There follows one, at the very End of the First Book, which is what the French Critics call Marvellous, but at the same time probable by reafon of the Paffage last mentioned. As foon as the Infernal Palace is finished, we are told the Multitude and Rabble of Spirits immediately shrunk themselves into a small Compass, that there might be Room for such a numberless Assembly in this capacious Hall. But it is the Poet's Refinement upon this Thought, which I most admire, and which is indeed very noble in its felf. For he tells us, that notwithstanding the vulgar, among the fallen Spirits, contracted their Forms, thofe of the first Rank and Dignity still preserved their natural Dimensions.

Thus incorporeal Spirits to fmallefl Forms
Reduc'd their Shapes immenfe, and were at large,
Though without Number ftill amidst the Hall
Of that infernal Court. But far within,
And in their own Dimenfions like themfelves,
The Great Seraphick Lords and Cherubim,
In clofe recefs and Secret conclave fate,
A thoufand Demy Gods on Golden Seats,
Frequent and full-

The Character of Mammon, and the Defcription oí the Pandemonium, are full of Beauties.

There are feveral other Strokes in the First Book wonderfully poetical, and Inftances of that Sublime Genius fo peculiar to the Author. Such is the Defcription of Azazel's Stature, and of the Infernal Standard, which he unfurls; and [as alfo] of that ghaftly Light, by which the Fiends appear to one another in their Place of Torments. The Seat of Defolation, void of Light,

Save what the glimmering of thofe livid Flames
Cafls pale and dreadful

The Shout of the whole Hoft of fallen Angels when drawn up in Battle Array :

-The Univerfal Hoft up fent

A Shout that tore Hells Concave, and beyond
Frighted the reign of Chaos and old Night.

The Review, which the Leader makes of his Infernal Army:

He tiro the armed files

Darts his experienc'd eye, and foon traverse
The whole Battalion views, their order due,
Their Vizages and Stature as of Gods,

Their number last he fums. And now his Heart
Diftends with Pride, and hard'ning in his ftrength
Glories-

The Flash of Light, which appeared upon the draw◄ ing of their Swords;

He fpake; and to confirm his word's outflew

Millions of flaming Swords, drawn from the Thighs
Of mighty Cherubim; the fudden blaze
Far round illumin'd Hell-

The fudden Production of the Pandamonium;
Anon out of the Earth a Fabrick huge
Rofe like an Exhalation, with the Sound
Of dulcet Symphonies and Voices fweet.
The Artificial Illuminations made in it,

From the arched Roof

Pendent by fubtle Magick, many a Row
Of Starry Lamps and blazing Crefcets, fed
With Naptha and Asphaltus yielded Light
As from a Sky

There are also several noble Similes and Allufions in the first Book of Paradife Loft. And here I must obferve, that when Milton alludes either to Things or Persons, he never quits his Simile till it rises to some very great Idea, which is often foreign to the Occasion which [that] gave Birth to it. The Resemblance does not, perhaps, last above a Line or two, but the Poet runs on with the Hint, till he has raised out of it fome glorious Image or Sentiment, proper to inflame the Mind of the Reader, and to give it that fublime kind of Entertainment, which is fuitable to the Nature of an Heroic Poem. Those, who are acquainted with Homer's and Virgil's way of Writing, cannot but be pleased with this kind of Structure in Milton's Similitudes. I am the more particular on this Head, because ignorant Readers, who have formed their Taste upon the quaint Similes, and little Turns of Wit, which are fo much in Vogue among Modern Poets, cannot relish these Beauties which are of a much higher nature, and are therefore apt to cenfure Milton's Comparisons, in which they do not fee any furprizing Points of Likeness. Monfieur Perrault was a Man of this viciated Relish, and for that very Reafon has endeavoured to turn into Ridicule several of Homer's Similitudes, which he calls Comparaifons à longue queue, Long-tail'd Comparifons. I fhall conclude this Paper on the First Book of Milton with the Anfwer which Monfieur Boileau makes to Perrault on this Occafion; 'Com'parisons, fays he, in Odes and Epic Poems are not 'introduced only to illuftrate and embellish the Dil'course, but to amuse and relax the Mind of the Reader, by frequently difengaging him from too 'painful an Attention to the Principal Subject, and

[ocr errors]

by leading him into other agreeable Images. Homer, fays he, excelled in this Particular, whofe Com'parisons abound with fuch Images of Nature as are proper to relieve and diverfifie his Subjects. He 'continually inftructs the Reader, and makes him 'take notice, even in Objects which are every Day 'before our Eyes, of fuch Circumstances as we should 6 not otherwise have obferved. To this he adds, as a 'Maxim univerfally acknowledged, that it is not neceffary in Poetry for the Points of the Comparison to correspond with one another exactly, but that a 6 general Refemblance is fufficient, and that too much 'nicety in this Particular favours of the Rhetorician ' and Epigrammatist.'

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

In fhort, if we look into the Conduct of Homer, Virgil and Milton, as the great Fable is the Soul of each Poem, fo to give their Works an agreeable Variety, their Episodes are so many short Fables, and their Similes fo many fhort Episodes; to which you may add, if you pleafe, that their Metaphors are fo many fhort Similes. If the Reader confiders the Comparisons in the First Book of Milton, of the Sun in an Eclipfe, of the Sleeping Leviathan, of the Bees fwarming about their Hive, of the Fairy Dance, in the view wherein I have here placed them, he will easily discover the great Beauties that are in each of those Paffages.

[graphic]

The

SPECTATOR.

Di, quibus imperium eft animarum, umbræque filentes,
Et Chaos, & Phlegethon, loca nocte filentia late;
Sit mihi fas audita loqui: fit numine veftro
Pandere res alta terra & caligine merfas.

Ye Realms, yet unreveal'd to human Sight,
Ye Gods who rule the Regions of the Night,
Ye gliding Ghofts, permit me to relate
The mystic Wonders of your filent State.

Saturday, February 23. 1712.

Virg.

Dryden.}

Have before obferved in general, that the Perfons whom Milton introduces into his Poem always discover fuch Sentiments and Behaviour, as are in a peculiar manner conformable to their respective Characters. Every Circumstance in their Speeches and Actions, is with great juftness and delicacy adapted to the Perfons who speak and act. As the Poet very much excels in this Consistency. of his Characters, I fhall beg leave to consider several Paffages of the Second Book in this Light. That fuperior Greatness and Mock-Majefty, which is afcribed to the Prince of the fallen Angels, is admirably preserved in the beginning of this Book. His opening and clofing the Debate; his taking on himself that great Enterprize at the Thought of which the whole Infernal Affembly trembled; his encountring the hideous Phantom who guarded the Gates of Hell, and appeared to him in all his Terrors, are Inftances of that proud and daring Mind which could not brook Submiffion even to Omnipotence.

Satan was now at hand, and from his Seat
The Monster moving onward came as faft

« PoprzedniaDalej »