The Character of Mammon, and the Defcription of the Pandemonium, are full of Beauties. There are several other Strokes in the First Book wonderfully poetical, and Inftances of that Sublime Genius so peculiar to the Author. Such is the Description of Azazel's Stature, and of the Infernal Standard, which he unfurls; and [as also] 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 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 The Review, which the Leader makes of his Infernal Army: -He thro' the armed files Darts his experienc'd eye, and foon traverse Their number laft he fums. And now his Heart The Flash of Light, which appeared upon the drawing of their Swords; He fpake; and to confirm his words outflew Millions of flaming Swords, drawn from the Thighs The fudden Production of the Pandemonium; -From the arched Roof Pendent by fubtle Magick, many a Row There are also several noble Similies and Allufions in the first Book of Paradife Loft. And here I must observe, that when Milton alludes either to Things or Persons, he never quits his Simile till it rifes to fome 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 some glorious Image or Sentiment, proper to inflame the Mind of the Reader, and to give it that sublime kind of Entertainment, which is fuitable to the Nature of an Heroic Poem. Thofe, 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 Similies, and little Turns of Wit, which are so 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 see any furprizing Points of Likeness. Monfieur Perrault was a Man of this viciated Relish, and for that very Reason 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 Answer which Monfieur Boileau makes to Perrault on this Occasion; 'Comparisons, says he, in Odes and Epic Poems are not 'introduced only to illustrate and embellish the Dilcourse, but to amuse and relax the Mind of the 'Reader, by frequently difengaging him from too 'painful an Attention to the principal Subject, and by leading him into other agreeable Images. Ho' mer, fays he, excelled in this Particular, whofe Comparisons 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 necef'fary in Poetry for the Points of the Comparison to correfpond with one another exactly, but that a general Refemblance is fufficient, and that too much. nicety in this Particular favours of the Rhetorician ' and Epigrammatist.' 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 fo many fhort Fables, and their Similies fo many fhort Episodes; to which you may add, if you pleafe, that their Metaphors are fo many fhort Similies. If the Reader confiders the Comparisons in the Firft 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. The SPECTATOR. Di, quibus imperium eft animarum, umbræque filentes, Ye Realms, yet unreveal'd to human Sight, Saturday, February 23. 1712. Virg. Dryden.} Have before observed 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 juftnefs and delicacy adapted to the Perfons who speak and act. As the Poet very much excels in this Confiftency of his Characters, I shall 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 closing 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 Instances of that proud and daring Mind which could not brook Submiffion even to Omnipotence. Satan was now at hand, and from his Seat With horrid frides, Hell trembled as he flrode, The fame Boldness and Intrepidity of Behaviour dif covers it self in the several Adventures which he meets with during his Passage through the Regions of unform'd Matter, and particularly in his Addrefs to thofe tremendous Powers who are described as prefiding over it. The Part of Moloch is likewife in all its Circumftances full of that Fire and Fury, which diftinguish this Spirit from the reft of the fallen Angels. He is described in the firft Book as befmear'd with the Blood of Human Sacrifices, and delighted with the Tears of Parents, and the Cries of Children. In the fecond Book he is marked out as the fiercest Spirit that fought in Heaven; and if we consider the Figure which he makes in the Sixth Book, where the Battel of the Angels is described, we find it every way able to the fame furious enraged Character. Where the might of Gabriel fought, anfwer It may be worth while to observe, that Milton has represented this violent impetuous Spirit, who is hurried on by fuch precipitate Paffions, as the first that rises in the Affembly, to give his Opinion upon their prefent Posture of Affairs. Accordingly he declares himself abruptly for War, and appears incensed at his Companions, for losing so much time as even to deliberate upon it. All his Sentiments are Rash, Audacious and Desperate. Such is that of arming themselves with their Tortures, and turning their Punishments upon him who inflicted them. |