Whereon for different cause the Tempter fet Our fecond Adam in the wilderness, To show him all earth's kingdoms and their glory. Of mightiest empire, from the deftin'd walls And city of Perfia, or fince in Hifpahan, brought gold, to the realm of Congo, the capital city at prefent, or where a kingdom in the lower Ethiopia the Ruffian Kfar the Czar of Muf- on the western fhore, as the others covy in Mofco, the metropolis of all were on the eaftern, and Angola farRuffia, or the Sultan in Bizance, the theft fouth, another kingdom fouth Grand Signior in Conftantinople of Congo; Or thence from Niger formerly Byzantium, Turcheftan-born, flood, the river Niger that divides as the Turks came from Turcheftan Negroland into two parts, to Atlas a province of Tartary; he reckons thefe to Afia, as they are adjoining, and great part of their territories lie in Afia. He paffes now into Africa; nor could his eye not ken th' empire of Negus, the Upper Ethiopia or the land of the Abyffinians, fubject to one fovran, filed in their own language Negus or king, and by the Europeans Prefter John, to his utmoft port Ercoco, or Erquico on the Red Sea, the north east boundary of the Abyffinian empire, and the lefs maritim kings, the leffer kingdoms on the fea coaft, Mombaza, and Quiloa, and Milind, all near the line in Zanguebar, a great region of the Lower Ethiopia on the eaftern or Indian fea, and fubject to the Portuguese, and Sofala thought Ophir, another kingdom and city on the fame fea mittaken by Purchas and others for Ophir, whence Solomon mount in the most western parts of Africa, the kingdoms of Almanfor, the countries over which Almanfor was king, namely Fez and Sus, Marocco and Algiers, and Tremifen, all kingdoms in Barbary. After Africa he comes to Europe, On Europe thence, and where Rome was to fway the world: the lefs is faid of Europe as it is fo well known. In Spirit perhaps he alfo far, he could not fee it otherwife as America was on the oppofit fide of the globe, rich Mexico in North America the feat of Montezume, who was fubdued by the Spanish general Cortes, and Cufco in Peru in South America, the richer feat of Atabalipa, the last emperor fubdued by the Spanish general Pizarro, and yet unfpeil'd'Guiana, another country of South America not then invaded and spoil'd, whofe great city, namely Manhoa, Geryon's fons, the And Samarchand by Oxus, Temir's throne, 390 In Hifpahan, or where the Ruffian Kfar In Mofco, or the Sultan in Bizance, 395 Turcheftan-born; nor could his eye not ken the Spaniards from Geryon an ancient king of Spain, call El Dorado or the golden city on account of its richness and extent. And thus he furveys the four different parts of the world, but it must be confefs'd, more with an oftentation of learning, than with any additional beauty to the poem. But Mr. Thyer is of opinion, that fuch little fallies of the Mufe agreeably enough diverfify the scene, and obferves that Taffo, whofe Godfrey is no very imperfect model of a regular epic poem, has in his fifteenth Canto employed thirty or forty ftanza's together in a defcription of this fort, which had no neceflary connexion with his general plan. 409. and yet unfpoil'd Guiana,] I fuppofe Milton alluded 400 Of Of Congo, and Angola fartheft south; Or thence from Niger ftood to Atlas mount On Europe thence, and where Rome was to fway The world: in fpi'rit perhaps he also saw Rich Mexico the feat of Montezume, And Cusco in Peru, the richer feat Of Atabalipa, and yet unfpoil'd Guiana, whofe great city Geryon's fons Yet more, from mortal mifts I purge thy eyes, And fet to view the warring Deities. Pope. And as Venus did likewife from those of Æneas, Æn. II. 604. Afpice, namque omnem, quæ nunc obducta tuenti Mortales hebetat vifus tibi, et humida circum Caligat, nubem eripiam. Now caft your eyes around; while The mifts and films that mortal eyes Purge from your fight the drofs, Dryden. 406 410 Which And as the fame Angel (Michael) did alfo from thofe of Godfrey. Taffo, Cant. 18. St. 93. Drizza pur gli occhi à riguardar l'immenfo Effercito immortal, ch'è in aria accolto: Ch' io dinanzi torrotti il nuuol denfo Di voftra humanità, ch' intorno auuolto Adombrando t' appanna il mortal fenfo, Si che vedrai gli ignudi fpirti in E foftener per breue fpatio i rai The Which that falfe fruit that promis'd clearer fight That Adam now enforc'd to close his eyes, Sunk down, and all his fpirits became intranc'd; But him the gentle Angel by the hand Soon rais'd, and his attention thus recall'd. Adam, now ope thine The facred armies, how they muf- That cloud of flesh in which for And from thy fenfes their thick That face to face thou mayft these And for a little space right-well Their glorious light, and view thofe Angels plain. Fairfax. These paffages the poet has imitated and improv'd; as in what follows of Adam's finking down overpower'd, and then being rais'd again by the hand gently by the Angel, he has copied from Daniel X. 8, &c. I faw this great vifion, and there remained no frength in me ---- I was in a deep eyes, 415 421 and firft behold Th' ef fleep on my face, and my face toward the ground. And behold a hand touched me, which fet me upon my knees: or from Rev. I. 17. And when I faw him, I fell at his feet as dead; and he laid his right hand upon me, faying unto me, Fear not. 414.purg'd with euphrafy and rue] Cleared the organs of his fight with rue and euphrafy or eye-bright, fo named of its clearing virtue. Hume. Rue was used in exorcifms, and is therefore called herb of grace. Shakefpear, Richard II. Act 3. Scene 7. See too Hamlet, Act 4. Scene 7. 427. Nor finn'd thy fin,] So in Exod. XXXII. 30. Ye have finned a great fin. 1 John V. 16. If any man fee his brother fin a fin. And the fame manner of fpeaking has prevail'd among the best claffic authors as well as in Scripture. Yet from Th' effects which thy original crime hath wrought In fome to spring from thee, who never touch'd 425 Th' excepted tree, nor with the Snake confpir'd, Nor finn'd thy fin, yet from that fin derive Corruption to bring forth more violent deeds. His eyes he open'd, and beheld a field, Part arable and tilth, whereon were fheaves 430 New reap'd, the other part sheep-walks and folds; from that fin derive. The word fin is by mistake omitted in Milton's fecond edition, by which the verfe becomes lame and defective. 429. His eyes be open'd, and beheld a field, &c.] In this great review which Adam takes of all his fons and daughters, the firft objects he is prefented with exhibit to him the ftory of Cain and Abel, which is drawn together with much clofenefs and propriety of expreffion. That curiofity and natural horror, which arifes in Adam at the fight of the first dying man, is touched with great beauty. Addifon. 433. of graffy ford;] That is of turf. The proper word feems to be fwerd, but to be corrupted into fword or ford as it is commonly pronounced in green-ford and ford of bacon, which may justify Milton in tpelling it ford. Some think it is Firft mifprinted for fod, turf, of the Belgic fode, Italian terra foda of folidum or folum: and Mr. Fenton has caused it to be printed fod, as Dr. Bentley has very affectedly swerd. 434. Afweaty reaper from his til lage brought &c.] It may be proper to compare this account with the facred hiitory, to which it alludes, Gen. IV. 2. &c. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground, an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, be alfo brought of the firftlings of bis flock, and of the fat thereof. The poet adds, that Cain took the fruits uncull'd, as came to hand, whereas Abel felected the choiceft and beft of his flock; and in this fome interpreters have conceiv'd the guilt of Cain to confift. The poet too makes them |