The glory of that glory, who now become Is propagated curfe. O voice once heard 725 730 Now death to hear! for what can I increase Or multiply, but curfes on my head? Who of all ages to fucceed, but feeling This whole fpeech is full of the like emotion, and varied with all those sentiments which we may fuppofe natural to a mind fo broken and disturb'd. I muft not omit that generous concern which our firft father fhows in it for his pofterity, and which is so proper to affect the reader. Who can afterwards behold the father of mankind extended upon the earth, uttering his midnight complaints, bewailing his exiftence, and wishing for death, without fympathizing with him in his diftrefs? Addifon. 728. All that I eat or drink, or fball beget, 735 For Is propagated curfe.] Meat and drink propagate it by prolonging life, and children by carrying it on to pofterity. The thought is borrow'd and improv'd from Grotius. Adamus Exul. A& V. Quod comedo, poto, gigno, diris fubjacet. 740. On me as on their natural center light Heary, though in their place,] Dr. Bentley has really made fome very juft objections to feveral lines here together. He finds fault with Adam's not keeping up a due decorum, and in that heavy ferioufnefs and anxiety leaving For this we may thank Adam; but his thanks Mine own that bide upon me, all from me On me as on their natural center light 740 From darkness to promote me, or here place 745 leaving his true topics, and catching at trifles, quirks, jingles, and other fuch prettineffes. He cenfures him, as Mr. Addison had done before, for ufing fuch low phrases, as For this we may thank Adam; and then for foaring fo high inter nubes et inania; refluxes and natural centers; heavy, though in their place. Adam, it feems, was already a Peripatetic in his notions: he fuppofes here, that elementary bodies do not gravitate in their natural places; not air in air, not water in water from which he fetches a pretty lamentation, That contrary to the course of nature, his affictions will weigh heavy on him, though they All be in their proper place. Is not he All I receiv'd, unable to perform 750 755 Thy terms too hard, by which I was to hold But natural neceffity begot. 765 God made thee' of choice his own, and of his own To ferve him; thy reward was of his grace, 758. Thou didst &c.] The change of perfons, fometimes fpeaking of himfelf in the first and fometimes to himself in the fecond, is very remarkable in this fpeech, as well as the change of paffions. And in like manner he speaks fometimes of God and fometimes to God. 773. Fix'd on this day?] For God Thy had faid In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt furely die, Gen II. 17. But it may be question'd whether it was now this day; for the night of this day is mention'd before in ver. 342 and the fun's rifing is taken notice of in ver. 329: but Milton is not always very exact in marking the time; he neglects thofe Thy punishment then justly' is at his will. 770 Why am I mock'd with death, and lengthen'd out To deathless pain? how gladly would I meet 775 Mortality my fentence, and be earth Infenfible, how glad would lay me down As in my mother's lap? there I fhould rest Pursues me ftill, left all I cannot die, Left that pure breath of life, the fpi'rit of Man 785 With With this corporeal clod; then in the grave, Or in fome other difmal place, who knows Of life that finn'd; what dies but what had life 790 All of me then shall die: let this appease For though the Lord of all be infinite, Is his wrath alfo? be it, Man is not so, But mortal doom'd. How can he exercise 795 Wrath without end on Man whom death must end? Hefternis vitiis animum quoque præ- 789. it was but breath Of life that finn'd;] Adam is here endevoring to prove to himself that the breath of life (the Spirit of Man which God infpir'd into him ver. 784.) was to die with his body; and his argument here and in what follows runs thus Nothing but breath of life finn'd; nothing, but what had life and fin, dies; the body properly has neither of thefe, and therefore he concludes that the breath of life (or fpirit of Man within him) was to die; and that all of him was to die, because the body he knew was mortal. Pearce. |