67 PARADISE LOS T. воо к VIII. HE Angel ended, and in Adam's ear So charming left his voice, that he a while Thought him still speaking, ftill stood fix'd to hear; Then as new wak'd thus gratefully reply'd. 1. The Angel ended, &c.] In the first edition of this poem in ten books here was only this line, To whom thus Adam gratefully reply'd This would have been too abrupt a beginning for a new book; and therefore in the fecond edition of the poem in twelve books, when the feventh book was divided into two, the author changed this line, and changed it very much for the better, into the four first lines as they ftand at prefent, only preferving part of this verse in the laft of the four, Then as new waked thus gratefully reply'd. 2. So charming left his voice, &c.] Imitated probably from Apollonius I. 512. who elegantly describes the effect which the harp and voice of Orpheus had upon the Argonauts. When Orpheus had ended his fong, they, fays the poet, intent and bending towards him, ftill liften'd and imagin'd him still speaking. What ετι προ Η, και ο μεν φορμιγγα συν αμ βρόσιο σχεθέν αυδή Το δ' αμοτόν ληξαν χοντο καρηνα Πανίες όμως ορθοισιν επ' κασιν κρεμεοντες Καληθμῷ τοιον σφιν ενελλέπε θελκτιν αοιδην. The thought was originally Homer's, Iliad. II. 41. θεση δε μεν αμφέχυτ' ομφη. Lucian Somn. ETI V Ove two axe Jav evaux. And Socrates in Plato's Crito. xa v Eμor αυτή η ηχη τέτων των λόγων βομ βει, και ποιει μη διαίς των αλο λων ακγειν. Jortin. What thanks fufficient, or what recompenfe. Equal have I to render thee, divine Hiftorian, who thus largely haft allay'd The thirst I had of knowledge, and vouchsaf'd Things else by me unfearchable, now heard 5. What thanks fufficient, &c.] The accounts which Raphael gives of the battel of Angels and the creation of the world, have in them those qualifications, which the critics judge requifite to an epifode. They are nearly related to the principal action, and have a just connexion with the fable. The eighth book opens with a beautiful description of the impreffion which this discourse of the Arch-Angel made on our firft parents. Adam afterwards, by a very natural curiofity, inquires concerning the motions of those celeftial bodies which make the most glorious appearance among the fix days works. The poet here, with a great deal of art, reprefents Eve as with drawing from this part of their converfation, to amusements more fuitable to her fex. He well knew, that the episode in this book, which is filled with Adam's account of his paffion and efteem for Eve, would 5 10 When have been improper for her hearing, and has therefore devised very just and beautiful reasons for her retiring. Addifon. 15. When I behold this goodly frame, this world &c.] Milton after having given fo noble an idea of the creation of this new world takes a moft proper occafion to fhow the two great fyftems, ufually called the Ptolemaic and the Copernican, one making the earth, the other the fun to be the center; and this he does by introducing Adam propofing very judicioufly the difficulties that occur in the first, and which was the system moft obvious to him. The reply of the Angel touches on the expedients the Ptolemaics invented to solve those difficulties, and to patch up their fyftem, and then intimates that perhaps the fun is the center, and fo opens that fyftem, and withal the noble improvements of the new philofophy; not however determining for When I behold this goodly frame, this world Round this opacous earth, this punctual spot, for one or the other: on the contrary he exhorts our progenitor to apply his thoughts rather to what more nearly concerns him, and is within his reach. Richardson. 19. And all her number'd ftars,] Number'd by whom? by the Lord their Creator, and by him alone, Pfal. CXLVII. 4 He telleth the number of the ftars, be calleth them all by their names. Aftronomers also tell their number, but 'tis of that fmall part only which they fee and give names to. But neither is this the number'd meant in this place. Adam only would fay they are not a few, but a vast number, numerous. Richardfon. Number'd is the fame here as numerous in VII. 621. 19. - that seem to roll Spaces incomprehenfible] That is roll thro' spaces incomprehenfible: But Dr. Bentley reads With Speed incomprebenfible; because (as he fays) their 15 20 Ufelefs distance does not argue the spaces of the ftars, one being reciprocal to the other: nor does their swift diurnal return argue their spaces, but rather against them. This is true of the distance and the swift diurnal return confider'd feparately. But it is as true, that when a body is at a vaft distance and performs its circuit in a day, both thefe circumftances confider'd together argue that it rolls through spaces incomprehenfible. Pearce. 23. this punctual spot,] He had call'd this earth a spot, in ver. 17. he calls it here this punctual spot, a fpot no bigger than a point, compared with the firmament and fixed ftars. Dr. Bentley fays that the author defign'd pun&tal; but punctual is derived equally from punctum a point; and as the English language was before in poffeffion of the word punctual, we may fuppofe that he chofe to make ufe of this word rather E 3 than Useless befides; reasoning I oft admire, How nature wife and frugal could commit Such difproportions, with fuperfluous hand nobler bodies to create, So many Greater fo manifold to this one ufe, For ought appears, and on their orbs impofe That better might with far lefs compass move, than to coin a new one, efpecially fince this fignifies the fame as the other. 28. So many noble bodies to create, Greater fo manifold] As if he had faid, So many nobler, so many greater; but he turns the words, So many nobler, Greater fo many, manifold for the fake of the verse. 37. Of incorporeal Speed,] Not that it was truly fo, it fignifies only very great speed, fuch as Spirits might ufe. Speed almoft fpiritual, as he expreffes it a little afterwards, 25 30 35 Of within view. She flays as long as the Angel and her husband are difcourfing of things, which it might concern her and her duty to know: but when they enter upon abftruser points, then the decently retires. This is preferving the decorum of character: and fo Cephalus in Plato's Republic, and Scævola in Cicero's treatise De Oratore, stay only as long as it was fuitable for perfons of their character, and are made to withdraw when the difcourfe was lefs proper for them to hear. Eve's withdrawing is jutter and more beautiful than these inftances. She rifes to go forth with lowlinefs, but yet with majefty and grace. What modefty and what dignity is here! Ovid fays of Venus relating a story to her belov'd Adonis, Met. X. 559. Of incorporeal speed, her warmth and light; With lowliness majestic from her seat, And grace that won who faw to wish her ftay, 45 De Sic ait, ac mediis interferit ofcula the Heathens fuppofed their Goddess of love to be. verbis. |