The air attrite to fire, as late the clouds

Justling or push'd with winds rude in their shock Tine the flant lightning, whofe thwart flame driv'n

down

Kindles the gummy bark of fir or pine,

And fends a comfortable heat from far,

Which might fupply the fun: fuch fire to use,
And what may elfe be remedy or cure

1075

To evils which our own misdeeds have wrought,

grace

He will inftruct us praying, and of
Befeeching him, fo as we need not fear

1081

Το

Primitus inde omnis flammarum

diditur ardor.

Multa videmus enim cœleftibus incita flammis

Fulgere, quom cœli donavit plaga vapores, &c.

Now for the rife of fire: Swift thunder thrown

From broken fulphurous clouds first brought it down;

For many things take fire, when lightning flies,

And fulphurous vapors fill the lower skies; &c Creech.

1075. Tine the flant lightning,] To tine is deriv'd from the Saxon tynan to light, to kindle; from whence alfo we have the word

clouds &c.] Our poet had Lucretius here in mind, and plainly alludes to his account of the origin of fire, V. 1091. Fulmen detulit in terras mortalibus tinder. ignem

U 3

To pafs commodioufly this life, fuftain'd

By him with many comforts, till we end
In duft, our final rest and native home.
What better can we do, than to the place
Repairing where he judg'd us, proftrate fall
Before him reverent, and there confefs

1085

Humbly our faults, and pardon beg, with tears
Watering the ground, and with our fighs the air 1090
Frequenting, fent from hearts contrite, in fign
Of forrow' unfeign'd, and humiliation meek?
Undoubtedly he will relent and turn

From his displeasure; in whofe look ferene,
When angry most he seem'd and most fevere, 1095
What else but favor, grace, and mercy fhone?

So fpake our father penitent, nor Eve

Felt less remorse: they forthwith to the place

Repairing

1092. and humiliation meek?] bear repeating; and has the true air

I believe he

gave it,

and humiliation meet:

and fo in the laft verfe. But note that the last seven verses, being a repetition of the former, mood and teníe only of the verbs chang'd, is an imitation of Homer and Virgil; and shows an aflurance in the poet, that what was once well faid will

both of fimplicity and grandeur.

Bentley.

Dr. Bentley believes that Milton gave it meet: but I believe not. He feems to think that meek humiliation is tautology; but humiliation here is not humility: it is the act of humbling themfelves before God. We have meek fubmiffion in XII. 597.

Pearce.

1100

Repairing where he judg'd them, proftrate fell
Before him reverent, and both confefs'd
Humbly their faults, and pardon begg'd, with tears
Watering the ground, and with their fighs the air
Frequenting, fent from hearts contrite, in fign
Of forrow' unfeign'd, and humiliation meek,

The end of the Tenth Book.

U 4

THE

ELEVENTH BOOK

OF

PARADISE LOST.