The SPECTATOR.

Sanctius his animal, mentifque capacius altæ
Deerat adhuc, et quod dominari in cætera posset.
Natus homo eft-

{A Creature of a more exalted kind

Ov. Met.

Was wanting yet, and then was Man defign'd;
Confcious of Thought, of more capacious Breast,
For Empire form'd, and fit to rule the refl. Dryden.}

Saturday, April 5, 1712.

HE Accounts which Raphael gives of the Battel of Angels, and the Creation of the World, have in them those Qualifications which the Criticks judge requifite to an Episode. They are nearly related to the principal Action, and have a just Connection with the Fable.

The Eighth Book opens with a beautiful Description of the Impreffion which this Discourse of the Archangel made on our firft Parent. Adam afterwards, by a very natural Curiofity, enquires concerning the Motions of thofe Celestial Bodies which make the moft glorious Appearance among the fix Days Works. The Poet here, with a great deal of Art, represents Eve as withdrawing from this part of their Conversation to Amusements that seem more suitable to her Sex. He well knew, that the Episode in this Book, which is filled with Adam's Account of his Paffion and Esteem for Eve, would have been improper for her hearing, and has therefore devised very just and beautiful Reasons for her Retiring.

So fpake our Sire, and by his Countenance feem'd Entring on fludious thoughts abftrufe: which Eve Perceiving where fhe fat retired in fight, With lowlinefs Majeftick from her Seat

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 fhe 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 Moral Reason which the Poet affigns, but because it would have been highly abfurd to have given the Sanction of an Archangel to any particular System of Philofophy. The chief Points in the Ptolemaic and Copernican Hypothefis are defcribed with great Conciseness and Perfpicuity, and at the fame time dressed 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 juft and natural than this whole Episode. As our Author knew this Subject could not but be agree able 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 fhining Paffages in the Dialogue between Adam and the Angel. The first is that wherein our Ancestor gives an Account of the Pleasure he took in converfing 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 pleasantest 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,

Deflruction 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 defcrib'd as shut upon the place of Torments, and liften 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 firong;

But long der 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 represent the posture in which he found himself, the beautiful Landskip that furrounded him, and the gladness of Heart which grew up in him on that occasion.

-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 shady 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 fmii'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 fome Being infinitely good and powerful, and that this Being had a Right to his Worship and Adoration. His first addrefs to the Sun, and to thofe parts of the Creation which made the moft diftinguished Figure, is very natural and amufing 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 firft 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 preserves the Consciousness 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 fuch 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 firft Parent, is described d 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 blandifhment; 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 reafoning 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 should partake those Bleffings with him. This Dialogue, which is fupported chiefly by the Beauty of the Thoughts, without other Poetical

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