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THE ARGUMENT.

The Angel Michael continues from the flood to relate what shall fucceed; then, in the mention of Abraham, comes by degrees to explain, who that Seed of the Woman shall be, which was promised Adam and Eve in the fall; his incarnation, death, refurrection, and afcenfion; the state of the church till his fecond coming. Adam greatly fatisfied and recomforted by these relations and promifes defcends the hill with Michael; wakens Eve, who all this while had flept, but with gentle dreams compos'd to quietness of mind and fubmiffion. Michael in either hand leads them out of Paradise, the fiery fword waving behind them, and the Cherubim taking their stations to guard the place.

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Book, 12.

393

PARADISE LOST.

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XII.

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S one who in his journey bates at noon,

Though bent on fpeed; fo here the Arch-
Angel paus'd

Betwixt the world deftroy'd and world restor❜d,
If Adam ought perhaps might interpofe;
Then with tranfition fweet new fpeech refumes.
Thus thou haft feen one world begin and end;
And man as from a second stock proceed.
Much thou haft yet to fee, but I perceive
Thy mortal fight to fail; objects divine
Muft needs impair and weary human sense:
Henceforth what is to come I will relate,

1. As one &c.] In the first edition, before the last book was divided into two, the narration went on without any interruption; but upon that divifion in the fecond edition, these firft five lines were inferted. This addition begins the book very gracefully, and is indeed (to apply the author's own words) a feet tranfition.

11. Henceforth what is to come I will relate,] Milton, after having represented in vifion the

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hiftory of mankind to the first great period of nature, difpatches the remaining part of it in narration. He has devised a very handfome reafon for the Angel's proceeding with Adam after this manner; though doubtless the true reason was the difficulty which the poet would have found to have fhadowed out fo mixed and complicated a ftory in vifible objects. I could wish, however, that the author had done it, whatever pains it might

Thou therefore give due audience, and attend.
This fecond fource of men, while yet but few,
And while the dread of judgment past remains
Fresh in their minds, fearing the Deity,
With fome regard to what is juft and right
Shall lead their lives, and multiply apace,
Lab'ring the foil, and reaping plenteous crop,

have coft him. To give my opinion freely, I think that the exhibiting part of the hiftory of mankind in vifion, and part in narrative, is as if an hiftory-painter fhould put in colors one half of his fubject, and write down the remaining part of it. If Milton's poem flags any where, it is in this narration, where in fome places the author has been fo attentive to his divinity, that he has neglected his poetry. The narration however rifes very happily on feveral occafions, where the fubject is capable of poetical ornaments, as particularly in the confufion which he defcribes among the builders of Babel, and in his short sketch of the plagues of Egypt. Addifon. Mr. Addison obferves, that if Milton's poem flags any here, it is in this narration; and to be fure, if we have an eye only to poetic decoration, his remark is juft: but if we view it in another light, and confider in how fhort a compafs he has compris'd, and with what ftrength and clearness he bas exprefs'd the various actings of God

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towards mankind, and the most fublime and deep truths both of the Jewish and Chriftian theology, it muft excite no lefs admiration in the mind of an attentive reader, than the more fpritely scenes of love and innocence in Eden, or the more turbulent ones of angelic war in Heaven. This contrivance of Milton's to introduce into his poem fo many things pofterior to the time of action fix'd in his first plan, by a vifionary prophetic relation of them, is, it must be allow'd, common with our author to Virgil and moft epic poets fince his time; but there is one thing to be obferv'd fingular in our English poet, which is, that whereas they have all done it principally, if not wholly, to have an opportunity of complimenting their own country and friends, he has not the leaft mention of, or friendly allufion to his. The Reformation of our Church from the errors and ty ranny of popery, which corruptions he fo well defcribes and pathetically laments, afforded him occafion fair enough, and no doubt

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