leem'd Ent'ring on studious thoughts abftrufe, which Eve So fpake our fire, and by his count'nance opportunity of expatiating upon it more at large. Before I enter on this part of the poem, I cannot but take notice of two thining paffages in the dialogue between Adam and the angel. The first is that wherein our ancestor gives an account of the pleature he took in converfing with him, which contains a very noble moral. Perceiving, where the fat retir'd in fight, To vifit how they profper'd, bud and bloom, Of what was high: fuch pleafure the teferv'd, Not words alone pleas'd her. O when meet now Such pairs, in love and mutual honour join'd! The angel's returning a doubtful anfwer to Adam's enquiries was not only proper for the moral reafon which the poet affigns, but because it would have been highly abfurd to have given the fanction of an archangel to any particular fyftem of philofophy. The chief points in the Ptolemaic and Copernican hypothefis are defcribed with great concifenefs and perfpicuity, and at the fame time dreffed in very pleafing and poeti cal images. Adam, to detain the angel, enters afterwards upon his own history, and relates to him the circumstances in which he found himmelf upon his creation; as alfo his converfation with his Maker, and his firit necting with Eve. There is no part of the poent more apt to raise the attention of the reader, than this difcourfe of our great anceflor; as nothing can be more furprising and delightful to us, than to hear the fentiments that arofe in the firft 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 fubject in Holy Writ with fo many beauiful imaginations of his own, that nothing can be conceived more just and natural than this whole epifode. As our author knew this fubiect could not but be agreeable to his reader, he would not throw it into the relation of the fix days works, but referved it for a diftin episode, that he might have an For while I fit with thee, ffeem in heav'n, And sweeter thy difcourfe is to my ear Than fruits of palm-tree,pleafanteft 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 reafon why he fhould be glad to hear the ftory Adam was about to relate. For I that day was abfent as befel, 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, incens'd at fuch eruption bold, • Destruction with creation might have mix'd. There is no queftion but our poet drew the image in what follows froin that in Virgil's fixth book where Eneas and the Sybil ftand before the adamantine gates, which are there defcribed as shut upon the place of torments, and liften to the groans, the clank of chains, and the noife of iron whips, that were heard in thofe regions of pain and forrow. -Faft we found, fast fhut The difinal gates, and barricado'd strong; But long ere our approaching heard within Noife, other than the found of dance or fong, Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage. Adam then proceeds to give an account of his condition and fentiments immediately after his creation. How agreeably does he reprefent the posture in which he found himfelf, the beautiful landkip that furrounded him, and the gladness of heart which grew up in him on that occafion? As new wak'd from foundeft fcep, Soft on the flow'ry herb I found me laid In balmy fweat,which with his beams the fun Soon dry d, and on the reeking moisture fed. Straight With fragrance, and with joy my heart 'o'erflow'd,' Adam is afterwards defcribed as furprifed at his own existence, and taking a furvey of himself, and of all the works of nature. He likewife is reprefented as difcovering by the light of reafon, that he and every thing about him muft have been the effect of fome Being infinitely good and powerful, and that this Being had a right to his worship and adoration. His firft addrefs to the fun, and to thofe parts of the creation which made the most distinguished figure, is very natural and amuling to the imagi nation. -Thou fun,' faid I, fair light, And thou enlighten dearth, fo fresh and gay, "Ye hills, and dales, ye rivers, woods, and 'plains, And ye that live and move, fair creatures tell, • Tell, if ye faw, how came I thus, how here?" His next fentiment, when upon his firft going to fleep he fancies himfelf lofing his exiftence, and falling away into nothing, can never be fufficiently admired. His dream, in which he fill preferves the confejoufnels of his exiftence, 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 facred story. Thefe, 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 feem to rife of themfelves from the fubjeft 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 defcribed with great the feveral beafts and birds paffing in trength and judgment; as the image of review before him is very beautiful and lively. Each bird and beat behold Approaching two and two, these cow'ring low With blandishment; each bird ftoop'd on ⚫his wing: 'I nam'd them as they pafs'd Adam, in the next place, defcribes a conference which he held with his Maker upon the fubject of folitude. The poet here reprefents the Supreme Being, as making an effay of his own work, and putting to the trial that reafoning faculty with which he had endued his creature. Adam urges, in this divine colloquy, the impoffibility of his being happy, though he was the inhabitant of Paradife, and lord of the whole creation, without the converfation and fociety of fome rational creature, who fhould partake thofe bleflings with him. This dialogue, which is fupported chiefly by the beauty of the thoughts, without other poetical ornament, is as fine a part as any in the whole poem: the more the reader examines the juftnefs and delicacy of it's fentiments, the more he will find himself pleafed with it. The poet has wonderfully preferved the character of majefty and condefcenfion in the Creator, and at the fame time that of hu mility and adoration in the creature, as particularly in the following lines. ༡ Thus I prefumptuous; and the vifion bright, As with a fmile, more brighten'd, 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, MyMaker, be propitious while I fpeak," &c. Adam then proceeds to give an account of his fecond fleep, 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 diff'rent fex; fo lovely fair, That what feem'd fair in all the world, 'feem'd now 4 T 2 Mean, 6 Mean, or in her fum'd up, in her contain'd, And in her looks, which from that time in'fus'd • Sweetness 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 dif covery of a real creature who resembled the apparition which had been presented to him in his dream; the approaches he makes to her, and his manner of court'fhip, are all laid together in a most ex-quilite propriety of sentiment. Though this part of the poem is worked up with great warmth and spirit, the love which is defcribed in it is every way fuitable to a state of innocence. If the reader compares the defcription which Adam here gives of his leading Eve to the nuptial bower, with that which Mr. Dryden has made on the fame occafion in a scene of his Fall of Man, he will be fenfible of the great care which Milton took to avoid all thoughts on fo delicate a subject, that might be offenfive to religion or good manners. The fentiments are chafte, but not cold; and convey to the mind ideas of the most tranfporting paffion and of the greatest purity. What a noble mixture of rapture and innocence has the author joined together, in the reflection which Adam makes on the pleafures of love, compared to those of sense! Thus have I told thee all my state, and My ftory to the fum of earthly blifs Walks, and the melody of birds: but hereFar otherwife, tranfported I behold, Transported touch; here paffion first I felt, • Commotion (trange! in all enjoyments else • Superior and unmov'd, here only weak Against the charms of beauty's pow'rful 'glance. Or nature fail'd in me, and left fome part 'Her loveliness, fo abfolute the feems, All higher knowledge in her prefence falls • Greatness of mind and nobleness their feat Build in her lovelieft, and create an awe About her, as a guard angelic plac'd.' Thefe fentiments of love in our first parent, gave the angel fuch an infight into human nature, that he seems apprehenfive of the evils which might befal the fpecies in general, as well as Adam in particular, from the excefs of his paffion. He therefore fortifies him againft it by timely admonitions; which very artfully prepare the mind of the reader for the occurrences of the next book, where the weaknefs, of which Adam here gives fuch diftant difcoveries, brings about the fatal event which is the subject of the poem. His difcourfe which follows the gentle rebuke he received from the angel, fhews that his love, however violent it might appear, was ftill founded in reafon, and confequently not improper for Paradise. N° CCCXLVI. MONDAY, APRIL 7. CONSUETUDINEM BENIGNITATIS LARGITIONI MUNERUM LONGE ANTEPONO. MEC EST GRAVIUM HOMINUM ATQUE MAGNORUM; ILLA QUASI ASSENTATORUM POPULI, MULTITUDINIS LEVITATEM VOLUPTATE QUASI TITILLANTIUM. TULL ESTEEM A HABIT OF BENIGNITY GREATLY PREFERABLE TO MUNIFICENCE: THE FORMER IS PECULIAR TO GREAT AND DISTINGUISHED PERSONS; THE LATTER BELONGS TO FLATTERERS OF THE PEOPLE, WHO COURT THE APPLAUSE OF THE INCONSTANT VULGAR. WHEN we confider the offices of and abhors severity in his demands; he human life, there is, methinks, fomething in what we ordinarily call Generofity, which, when carefully examined, feems to flow rather from a loose and unguarded temper, than an honeft and liberal mind. For this reafon it is abfolutely neceffary that all liberality fhould have for it's bafis and fupport frugality. By this means the beneficent fpirit works in a man from the convictions of reason, not from the impulfes of paffion. The generous man in the ordinary acceptation, without refpect of the demands of his family, will foon find upon the foot of his account, that he has facrificed to fools, knaves, flatterers, or the defervedly unhappy, all the opportunities of affording any future affiftance where it ought to be. Let him therefore reflect, that if to beftow be in itself laudable, fhould not a man take care to fecure an ability to do things praife-worthy as long as he lives? Or could there be a more cruel piece of raillery upon a man who should have reduced his fortune below the capacity of acting according to his natural temper, than to lay of him- That gentleman was generous? My beloved author therefore has, in the fentence on the top of my paper, turned his eye with a certain fatiety from beholding the addresses to the people by largeffes and public entertainments, which he afferts to be in general vicious, and are always to be regulated according to the circumstances of time, and a man's own fortune. A conftant benignity in commerce with the reft of the world, which ought to run through all a man's actions, has effects more useful to thofe whom you oblige, and lefs oftentatious in yourself. He turns his recommendation of this virtue in commercial life and according to him, a citizen who is frank in his kindneffes, who in buying, felling, lending, doing ready a loan, if he be a good man, will think himself in your debt after he has paid you. The wealthy and the confpicuous are not obliged by the benefits you do them; they think they conferred a benefit when they received one. Your good offices are always fufpected, and it is with them the fame thing to expect their favour as to receive it. But the man below you, who knows, in the good you have done him, you refpected himfelf more than his circumftances, does not act like an obliged man only to him from whom he has received a benefit, but also to all who are capable of doing him one. And whatever little offices he can do for you, he is fo far from magnifying it, that he will labour to extenuate it in all his actions and expreflions. Moreover, the regard to what you do to a great man, at beft is taken notice of no further than by himself or his family; but what you do to a man of an humble fortune, (provided always that he is a good and a modeft man) raifes the affections towards. you of all men of that character (of which there are many) in the whole city.' ready to be his friend upon fuch terms as he ought to expect it; and the wealthy, who may envy fuch a character, can do no injury to it's interefts but by the imitation of it, in which the good citizen will rejoice to be rivalled. I know not how to form to myself a greater idea of human life, than in what is the practice of fome wealthy men whom I could name, that make no step to the improvement of their own fortunes, wherein they do not alfo advance thofe of other men who would languish in poverty without that munificence. In a nation where there are fo many public funds to be fupported, I know not whether he can be called a good fubje&t, who does not embark fome part of his fortune with the ftate, to whofe vigilance he owes the fecurity of the whole. This certainly is an immediate way of laying an obligation upon many, and extending his benignity the fartheft a man can poffibly, who is not engaged in commerce. But he who trades, befides giving the fate fome part of this fort of credit he gives his banker, may in all the occurrences of his life have his eye upon the removing want from the door of the indurious, and defending the unhappy upright man from bank- There is nothing gains a reputation ruptcy. Without this benignity, pride to a preacher fo much as his own prac or vengeance will precipitate a man to tice; I am therefore cafting about what chufe the receipt of half his demands act of benignity is in the power of a from one whom he has undone, rather Spectator. Alas, that lies but in a very than the whole from one to whom he narrow compafs, and I think the most has fhewn mercy. This benignity is immediately under my patronage, are eflential to the character of a fair trader, either players, or fuch whofe circumand any man who deligus to enjoy his ftances bear an affinity with their's: all wealth with honour and felf-fatisfaction: therefore I am able to do at this time nay, it would not be hard to maintain, of this kind, is to tell the town that on that the practice of supporting good and Friday the 11th of this inftant April, induftrious men, would carry a man there will be performed in York Buildfarther even to his profit, than indulgings, a concert of vocal and inftrumental ing the propenfity of ferving and obliging the fortunate. My author argues on this fubject, in order to incline men's minds to those who want them mott, after this manner: We must always confider the nature of things, and govern ourfelves accordingly. The wealthy man, when he has repaid you, is upon a balance with you; but the perfon whom you favoured with mufic, for the benefit of Mr. Edward Keen, the father of twenty children; and this day the haughty George Powell hopes all the good-natured part of the town will favour him, whom they ap plauded in Alexander, Timon, Lear, and Oreftes, with their company this night, when he hazards all his heroic glory for their approbation in the humbler condition of honest Jack Falstaffe. T N° CCCXLVII. |