89 BOOK II. HIG on the IGH on the throne of royal ftate, which far Or where the gorgeous caft with richest hand 1. High on a throne &c.] I have before obferved in general, that the perfons whom Milton introduces into his poem, always difcover fuch fentiments and behaviour, as are in a peculiar manner conformable to their refpective characters. Every circumftance in their fpeeches and actions is with great juftnefs and delicacy adapted to the perfons who fpeak and act. As the poet very much excels in this confiftency of his characters, I fhall beg leave to confider feveral paffages of the fecond book in this light. That fuperior greatnefs and mock-majefy, which is afcribed to the prince of the fallen Angels, is admirably preferved in the beginning of this book. His opening and clofing the debate; his taking on himfelf that great enterprife at the thought of which the whole infernal affembly trembled; his encountering 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 Show'rs fubmiffion even to omnipotence. The fame boldnefs and intrepidity of behaviour discovers itself in the feveral adventures which he meets with during his paffage through the regions of unformed matter, and particularly in his addrefs to thofe tremendous Powers who are defcribed as prefiding over it. Addifon. 2.-the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,] That is diamonds, a principal part of the wealth of India where they are found, and of the iland Ormus (in the Perfian gulf) which is the mart for them. Pearce. 3. Or where the gorgeous eaft &c.] Not that Ormus and Ind were in the weft, but the fenfe is that the throne of Satan outfhone diamonds, or pearl and gold, the choiceft whereof are produced in the east. Spenfer expreffes the fame thought thus, Faery Queen, B. 3. C. 4. St. 23. that it did pass Th' wealth of th' eaft, and pomp of Perfian kings. Show'rs on her kings barbaric pearl and gold, Satan exalted fat, by merit rais'd To that bad eminence; and from despair Vain war with Heav'n, and by fuccess untaught Pow'rs and Dominions, Deities of Heaven, And the east is faid to show'r them with richeft hand by an excellent metaphor to exprefs the great plenty and abundance of them, and to fhow'r them on her kings, because there the kings have the principal fhare of property; or this might be faid, as Dr. Pearce conceives, in allufion to the custom us'd at the coronation of fome kings in the east, of fhow'ring gold and precious ftones upon their heads. And the fame fort of metaphor is used in Shakespear, Ant. and Cleopat. Act II. I'll fet thee in a fhow'r of gold, and hail appear Rich pearls upon thee. 5 ΤΟ 15 Mc Me though just right, and the fix'd laws of Heaven Yielded with full confent. The happier state adds) adopts this word into the Italian language in a description fimilar to this, Cant. 17. St. 10. E ricco di barbarico ornamento, In habito regal splender fi vede. 11. Po'rs and Dominions,] As St. Paul calls the Angels, Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers, Col. I. 16. 18. Me though just right, &c.] Me is rightly placed frit in the fentence, being the emphatical word and the accufative cafe govern'd by the two verbs which follow, create and establish'd. Me though Just right, &c. did first create your 20 25 30 From faction; for none fure will clame in Hell 35 40 Could have affur'd us; and by what best way, Stood circumftances full of that fire and fury which diftinguish this Spirit from the reft of the fallen Angels, He is defcrib'd in the firit book, as befmeared with the blood of human facrifices, and delighted with the tears of parents and the cries of children. In the fecond book he is marked out as the fierceft Spirit that fought in Heaven; and if we confider the figure he makes in the fixth book, where the battel of Angels is defcribed, we find it every way answerable to the fame furious enraged character. It may be worth while to obferve, that Milton has reprefented this violent impetuous Spirit, who is hurried on by fuch precipitate paffions, as the fir that rifes in that affembly, to pofture of affairs. Accordingly he give his opinion upon their prefent declares Stood up, the strongest and the fierceft Spirit That fought in Heav'n, now fiercer by defpair: 45 declares himself abruptly for war, and appears incenfed at his companions, for lofing fo much time as even to deliberate upon it. All his fentiments are rash, audacious and defperate. Such is that of arming themfelves with their tortures, and turning their punishments upon him who inflicted them. His preferring annihilation to fhame or mifery is alfo highly fuitable to his character; as the comfort he draws from their disturbing the peace of Heaven, that if it be not victory it is revenge, is a sentiment truly diaboI cal, and becoming the bitternes of this implacable Spirit. Addijon. 43-Scepter'd king,] As Homer tays any facts. Iliad. I. 279. 47. 50 The and rather than be lifs Car'd not to be at all;] Dr. Bentley reads He rather than &c. becaufe at prefent the conftruction is and his trait car'd not &c. But fuch fmall faults are not only to be pardon'd but overlook'd in great geniufes. Fabius VIII. 3. fays of Cicero, In vitium fæpe incidit fecurus tam parvæ obfervationis: and in X. 1. Neque id fta im legenti perfuafum fit omnia, quæ magni auctores dixerint, effe perfecta; nam et labuntur aliquando, et oneri cedunt &c. Pearce. 50. He reck'd not,] He made no account of. To reck much the fame as to reckon. And spake thereafter, that is accordingly, as one who made no account of God or Hell or any thing. 56.-fit |