UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 AT LOS ANGELES
 
 PARADISE LOST. 
 
 A POEM 
 IN TWELVE BOOKS. 
 
 THE AUTHOR 
 
 JOHN MILTON. 
 
 Printed from the FIRST and SECOND Editions collated. 
 
 THE ORIGINAL SYSTEM OF ORTHOGRAPHY RESTORED; 
 
 THE PUNCTUATION 
 
 CORRECTED AND EXTENDED. 
 
 WITH 
 
 VARIOUS READINGS: 
 AND NOTES; CHIEFLY RHYTHMICAL. 
 
 BY CAPEL LOFFT. 
 
 Ego"" (hie quidem loci) " fie fcrlben dum qukque judico quomo.io fonet. Hie enim ufaf 
 eft Lilterar urn, ut cujlodiant voces, et <vflut Dcpofitum reddant legentibus. Itaqufidex* 
 primer e debent quod di&uri fumus. QUINTIL. I. 7. 
 
 Worthy of facred Silence to be heard ! 
 
 In noliHJfimo Pcetnate MILTONUS : cujus celebritas crejcit indies; cum MJLTONUS nan Jit 
 1am hominis nomen quam Ingenii et Libertatis. Wakefi-ld Sn.v. CRIT. II. 101. 
 
 BURY ST. EDMUND S I 
 PRINTED AND SOLD BY J. RACKHAM. 
 
 O SOLD ALSO BY J. STOCKDALE, PICCADILLY} J. PHILLIPS, GEORGE-YARD, 
 LOMBARD-STREET; T. C. RICKMAN, UPPER M AR YBONE- ST RE ET, LONDON) 
 W. STEVENSON, NORWICH; AND W. H. LUNN, CAMBRIDGE. 
 
 9082 
 
 M DCC XCII.
 
 DIRECTIONS TO THE BINDER. 
 
 THE SHEETS which have * f, and a g, are to follow that which contains 
 the Commendatory Verfes : and to be followed by that which contains the 
 Reafons for THE VERSE, and the ARGUMENT of the POEM. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Preface. 
 
 P. xxiv. 1. the laft, dele " even" before ' ambitious." 
 xli. Note, 1. 2, for au read "an." 
 
 In the Poem. 
 
 B. I. I. 313, for their, read " tbir." And add, at the bottom of the Page, Ibtir, 
 
 ilt Edition, in all the three Copies. 
 1. 506, in feme of the Copies, add "/" before might. 
 1. 574., for with eafe, read " iuitb tbefe : " in Tome. 
 
 Erratum in the Firjl Edition not mentioned in its place. 
 
 B. X. 1. 398, " Maritine " in all the three Copies of the FIRST Edition with an . 
 XI. 1. 398, in the SECOND, " Mantim:" but printed, like the proper Names, in 
 Italic. It is probable, in Writing, the turn ot llie Jaft ftroke of the Letter 
 m had been miltaken for tie. 
 
 It has been omitted to notice in its place*, an Alteration in the fecond Edition. 
 
 X. 1139. ift Edit. " He grants tbem tbir defirt. " 
 Is in the ad. XII. 838. " He grants 'what they befaugbt." 
 
 * P. xxxix.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 '"PHE Defign of this Edition is to give the PARADISE 
 LOST corredly, and in fuch manner as MILTON in- 
 tended. For this purpofe no Manufcript of authority has 
 been difcovered ; and therefore it is almoft certain that 
 none exifts : and two Poets, unrivalled not in this Nation 
 only, but perhaps in any, are thus far fimilarly circum- 
 ftanced. 
 
 The non-exiftence of a Manufcript has been noticed by 
 BENTLEY, in his beautifully printed Edition of 1732. 
 And fince that time 1 learn not of any more which the 
 induftry of the juftly zealous Admirers of the Poet has 
 enabled them to find, than the MS. of the firft Book, co- 
 pied fair for the prefs, with the imprimatur of the Arch- 
 bifhop's Chaplain *. But where even this is to be feen is 
 not mentioned. 
 
 We- have, however, two authentic Editions, both pub- 
 limed in the life time of MILTON : and of thefe it is the 
 more effential to give a particular account, as they confti- 
 tute the Ba/is of the prefent Edition. 
 
 * Dr. Newton's Preface, p. liv. Anno 1763. 
 
 a Of
 
 ii PREFACE. 
 
 Of thefe Editions both are become mine, from a family, 
 of which I fhall ever think with affectionate efteem, and 
 whom it well became to lay the foundations of the beft 
 and only adequate ftrudture to the honour of MILTON, by 
 fupplying thefe materials, indifpenfible to the defign of 
 editing this tranicendant Poem, with that accuracy which 
 it merits. To the end of Time, and the thought feems 
 not prefumptuous, to add beyond, fuch a work as THE 
 PARADISK LOST, muft remain a glorious and imperimable 
 Monument of the application of the nobleft powers to the 
 higheft and moft excellent purpofe. And I truft to prove, 
 that by thefe two Editions, with hardly ever a plaufible 
 excufe for reforting to conjectural Criticifm, we may be 
 more certain that we have the very Work of the Author, 
 unchanged and perfect in the minuteft particulars, than it 
 is poflible to be in almoft any other inilance capitally in- 
 terefting to Literature. 
 
 The FIRST EDITION, publimed in 1667, (the contract 
 with Samuel Simmons, the Printer, bearing Date 27 April, of 
 the fame year), is a fmall Quarto, as appears by the Printer's 
 fjgnatures ; without which it muft be taken for a broad and 
 rather fhort 8vo. It is not paged (which, indeed, feems 
 quite fuperfluous), but the verfes are numbered, and tabled, 
 or inclofed; which latter circumftance, if it were not for 
 the additional trouble in the printing, would fcarcely, I 
 fhould fuppofe, after having been once introduced, ever 
 have been laid ande in the printing of Poetry of the higher 
 and more folemn kind ; fince it bounds the line in a man- 
 ner which feems to me very fuitable. I have retained it 
 
 accordingly,
 
 PREFACE. iii 
 
 accordingly ; as one of the characters of venerable Simpli- 
 city, by which the original publication is diftinguifhed : as 
 alfo the mode of printing the title of the Poem at the head 
 of each page in fmall Italics, rather than Roman capitals. 
 
 In 1668 there was added a new Title Page; a Table of 
 Errata-, which is very mort, and yet almoft completely 
 accurate; the Argument of the Poem, and the Reafons 10 by 
 the Poem rimes not. Both thefe latter were obtained, the 
 Publisher has informed us in a mort Advertifement, at the 
 requeft of Readers. Thefe Reafons for the Kind of Verfe 
 (which it is aftoniming mould even then have been ftrange 
 to fuch a man as BurnetJ have been, with the Argument of 
 the POEM, generally, and very properly, ever fince con- 
 tinued. In 1668 they were printed, as was then unavoid- 
 able, in a continued Series, and prefixed to the Poem; but 
 what then was neceffity merits to be choice : 1 have there- 
 fore printed them in the fame manner ; and have found, 
 fince I had thus determined, that the fame method had 
 been obferved by BENTLEY in 1732. 
 
 The fize of the page of the Jirfl Edition is very near equal 
 to the prefent; the type fimilar, though a little fmaller ; 
 each page (except the beginning and end of books) con- 
 tains thirty-two verfes. The number of the BOOKS was 
 originally only TEN; and no change, I believe, was made 
 in the printed copies in this particular till the publication 
 of the fecond Edition. Circumftances, on examination, 
 ftrongly prove, that the Edition itielf remained the fame in 
 1668 as in the year preceding. 
 
 Some of the very few Errata well deferve to be noticed : 
 a 2 as
 
 iv PREFACE. 
 
 as they confirm certain niceties in the Orthography, not to 
 have been accidental, but fyftematic and carefully obferved. 
 
 In 1669 the Poem was publimed * without the Addrefs 
 to the Reader from S. Simmons, the Printer. In 1672 the 
 fecond Edition made its appearance in TWELVE BOOKS; 
 what the other alterations were, will be found ftated by 
 Mr. FENTON (with fome few which had efcaped his ob- 
 fervation) in the Pofifcript to his Life of MILTON; which 
 Poftfcript is annexed to this Preface. 
 
 I have not been able to obtain, or as yet to fee, the Copy 
 dated 1672 ; mine has 1674 in the Title Page ; and is, pro- 
 bably, the fame with the preceding ; except in the circum- 
 fiances to be now mentioned. 
 
 It will ftrike, perhaps, the thought of any attentive 
 Reader, who (hall fee the firft Edition, when he obferves, 
 that this Poem went forth into the World " in naked beauty 
 adorn '</;" without Preface, Advertifement, or Commenda- 
 tory Lines, fo univerfally cuftomary in that age : with a 
 juft, magnanimous, and characteristic confidence : indif- 
 ferent to the then age; fecure of Poflerity. 
 
 In 1674, the Lines by the learned phyfician, Dr. BAR- 
 ROW, appear prefixed; and thofe by ANDREW MARVELL 
 fucceed them ; both, however, with the initials only of 
 their Authors ; S. B. and A.M. MILTON died in the clofe 
 of that year. His Portrait too appears at the head of this 
 Copy, as engraved by W. DOLLE. The Infcription is, 
 
 Johannis Miltoni Effigies^ 
 tat. 63, 1671. 
 
 * MEM. of THOMAS HOLLIS, Land. 1780, p. *s?4*. 
 
 What-
 
 PREFACE. v 
 
 Whatever harmnefs there may be in the ftyle of the En- 
 graving, even to a degree of rudenefs, there appear ftrokes 
 of characteriftic refemblanee. It feems to me to be from 
 an Original; which was bequeathed to my Father by Col. 
 Holland, on which lines of Latin verfe were infcribed be- 
 neath the fcroll ; Indytus et Fcelix Patriam can be pretty 
 plainly traced ; the reft is loft, and, I fear, irrecoverably. 
 Mr. STEVENSON, of NORWICH, had this Picture to copy, 
 as he is always warm in the interefts of Genius and Hu- 
 manity : and to him, I imagine, I am obliged for the ninth 
 Edition, of 1711, which came to me, I could never learn 
 from what hand ; to which there is a good print of MIL- 
 TON prefixed, but no name of the Engraver, and the cele- 
 brated Epigram by DRYDEN underneath. 
 
 The SECOND EDITION is fmall 8vo, nearly the fize of a 
 modern duodecimo. In two circumftances, it is difadvantage- 
 oufly different from the firft. The Pages are numbered; and 
 not the Verfes. The title of the Poem is in black letter, but 
 not capital, at the head of each page. The Poem is in 333 
 pages : 34 lines to a page ; excepting the beginnings and 
 endings : and that the number in each page does not appear fo 
 exactly conftant as in the firft, which contains 320, or forty 
 fheets. 
 
 In the fecond, the Arguments are prefixed to each Book ; 
 which, though generally now the practice, in the Editions 
 both of this Poem and of the Iliad and Eneid, gives a lefs 
 perfect idea of the ordonnance of the entire Defign. 
 
 Some obfervable points of Printing and Orthography are 
 common to both Editions. 
 
 Both
 
 VI 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 Both abound in Capitals at the beginning of words. Per- 
 fonal Subftantives in the abftract; and qualities or powers, 
 when perfonified, are thus diftinguimed : not only when the 
 Perfonification is direct, and as it were dramatic, bringing 
 ideal agents, like Chaos, and Sin, and Death, into adlion in 
 the Poem; but where it is incidental and figurative merely, 
 as where Thunder has fpent his (hafts ; where the Hail and 
 Storm, the Minifters of God's vengeance, are recalled from 
 the purfuit; where Night is attended by her Bird; the Moon 
 has her mantle; the Gates of heaven are unbarred by the 
 hours. The negled; of. this diftinftion, generally in later 
 Editions, has much injured the poetical beauty, impaired the 
 energy, and obfcured the fenfe of many pafTages. 
 
 This ufe of initial Capitals, almoft always accompanies 
 the mention of any animate creature : and even of inani- 
 mate (or at leaft fuch as are generally thus clafTed), when, by 
 its beauty, or other ftriking qualities, or its relative im- 
 portance to the pafTage, or the emphafis proper to it, of 
 Rhythm or Expreffion, the word thus introduced, requires to 
 be diftinguimed. 
 
 This Notation is the more convenient and requifite, fince 
 Italics are hardly ever, in either of the Editions, employed, 
 except for Appellatives, either perjonal or geographic - } and in 
 thefe they are, almoft without exception, conftant. They 
 are almoft totally confined to this ufe, or to the inftances 
 in which Scripture is quoted. 
 
 Perhaps it might be expedled, and efpecially in a SACRED 
 POEM, that where the name of the Deity is introduced, the 
 printing would be in capitals, or fome other mode: but 
 
 MILTON
 
 PREFACE. vii 
 
 MILTON knew that none could add emphafis. In other in- 
 fiances, fuch diftinclion was neceiTary or expedient; in this, 
 none was neceflary, and none could have been adequate. 
 
 Jn Orthography, he feems to have been governed rarely by 
 etymology in his own, and more rarely in words derivative 
 from the antient languages; and not at all by the unfettled 
 cuftom of his own age : but chiefly to have endeavoured fo 
 to fpell, as fhould either mark the ufual pronunciation with 
 more certainty and confiftency than the common mode ; 
 or fuggefr, fuch an utterance as he thought preferable to 
 the ear; more dignified, or more impreflively folemn , 
 Where words admit of being fpelt in two ways, as thofe 
 compounded with the Prepofition in generally do, he feems 
 ufually to have preferred the / to e ; and in fuch words, if 
 we fpell e, we moil generally, even now, pronounce /. 
 Sometimes, however, he appears to have preferred the e, as 
 better timed to the quantity required, more melodious, and 
 better cadenced; with a view to its relative effect in particu- 
 lar paflages. One leading circumftance pervades his whole 
 plan, and characterizes his method of Orthography in both 
 Editions : the fpelling of the perfonal Pronouns with a 
 double e where emphatic, and with a fingle where non-em- 
 phatic. One of thefe inftances, where the emphafis had 
 not been expreffed by the obfervation of this mode of fpel- 
 ling, conftitutes an article in the Errata, which were added 
 the year fubfequent to the publication of the Poem. 
 
 Another perfonal Pronoun in the plural happens to be 
 frequent in this Author, and (particularly in the Poem be- 
 fore us), more, perhaps, than in any of our Englifh Poets ; 
 
 the
 
 viii PREFACE. 
 
 the Pronoun their: unlefs where it is emphatic, which it 
 very rarely is, he fpells it tbir ; to mark it by the mort /, a 
 vowel of the quickeft and lighted pronunciation. 
 
 The Execution of this idea is more regular in the fecond 
 Edition : but in both, the Principle and intention is fuffi- 
 ciently apparent. 
 
 In one inftance of this kind, -as Mr. J. Walker has ob- 
 ferved, in his excellent Rhetorical Grammar, even the mode 
 of fpelling, which Grammatical Propriety feems to require, 
 appears to have been lefs regarded than that which was fit- 
 ted for Elocution : the Accufative plural of the fecond per- 
 fonal pronoun, when it is to be pronounced rapidly and 
 flightly, being fpelt like the Nominative in the common 
 fpelling. 
 
 No confufion is produced (for the ftrucfhire and import 
 of the period neceflarily determines it), any more than in the 
 Greek, where the Accufative plural of nouns in ye and eu$ in 
 the third declenfion of the circumflexes is the fame as the No- 
 minative; and no more than when with us the Nominative 
 plural of the fame Pronoun is conftantly taken for the fingu- 
 lar in writing, and in common difcourfe; unlefs in a nu- 
 merous and refpeclable religious Society, in which MILTON 
 found one of his chief Friends. 
 
 Another peculiarity is conftant in both Editions : than, as 
 we now fpell, the fign of the comparative degree, being al- 
 ways fpelt then , with the lefs fonorous and lefs full articu- 
 lated vowel. As it is not emphatical, but a mere enclitic, 
 which reds the emphafis on the following adjective or fub- 
 ftantive, this fpelling appears really the moil proper. At the 
 
 fame
 
 PREFACE. ix 
 
 fame time, diftinclion was not then loft : the adverb of time 
 being then commonly ipelt than, or thanne, as may be feen 
 in our early Verfions of the Bible. And as the adverb of 
 time is generally emphatic, being introduced to mark a cir- 
 cumftance relatively important to the incident, it feems heft 
 to merit the more emphatic fign of Articulation : but un- 
 willing to try the patience of the Reader with too many 
 novelties at once (for antiquities forgotten are novelties, ex- 
 cept that they are lefs favourably received, and lefs prepofTef- 
 fing), I have not obferved this in the Text ; but I thought 
 it improper to be overpafied in the Preface. 
 
 In the two firft Editions of this Poem, ball is ufually 
 fpelt with the fingle /, as a double would be incongruous on 
 the principles of analogy, to the long and open power of the 
 vowel. ///'// in the fame manner ; becaufe the vowel, fhort 
 in its own proper power, has no need of doubling the confo- 
 nant to (hew it to be ihort ; but muft have an e final, or 
 fome fimilar circumftance, to make it long. 
 
 Perjett is fyehperfef and counterfeit is counterfet -, which 
 gives an eafier pronunciation, and a. better time and cadence. 
 Wrath is generally Wrautb* 
 
 To fome words, a poetical Orthography may be faid to be 
 given, as rowle, raunge, Jovran, foldan, and fome others, not 
 ufually, even at that time, fo fpelt in Profe. 
 
 Redundant vowels, which have no effect on the found, 
 and fometimes obfcure the etymology, are rejected ; aspro- 
 claim, which becomes proclame. The redundant confonants 
 are alfo rejected ; as in gimps, eclips, champain. The Par- 
 ticiple paffive and the perfect aSirce (which feems to be, in 
 
 b reality,
 
 x PREFACE. 
 
 reality, only an elipjts of the participle pafilve, combined 
 with the auxiliary verb has or was} are both fpelt with / ra- 
 ther than d for its termination, which diftinguifhes thefe 
 from the imperfett tenfe of the verb ; and is, in reality, 
 truer to the found. 
 
 In general, where the Accent falls, with no more than its 
 ufual force, in fuch words as Supreme, the old Englifh Spelling, 
 by the ea dipthong, prevails : otherwife when the Accent is 
 enforced by a more folemn and peculiar pronunciation. The 
 difference will be found in voluble and volitbil: where, with 
 the different pofition in the verfe, the Orthography, and the 
 place itfelf of the Accent changes. 
 
 The doubled confonant having the effecl: of indicating a 
 jljort vowel, MILTON fpells Jo lid, metal, &c. with the firft 
 confonant doubled. He doubtlels thought it of lefs im- 
 portance to point out a Latin derivation, in fignificant to 
 to thofe who were not otherwife likely to be acquainted with 
 it, than to mark and afcertain the pronunciation, which 
 feems the prime duty of Orthography, whether in verfe or 
 profe ; and in Verfe particularly, and fuch Verfe as MIL- 
 TON'S, to mark the moft accurately timed, mod graceful, 
 and advantageous pronunciation. 
 
 The r is particularly circumftanced : and MILTON 
 doubles this very peculiar confonant, as the Greeks do, to 
 mark a more forcible and animated utterance. The s re- 
 fembles it in this effecl: of doubling the letter, as may be 
 eafily obferved in the difference between was and g/afs. 
 jT, in termination, is very iimilar to the fhort /; when the 
 voice refts a little longer upon it, ie will exprefs its power 
 
 better.
 
 PREFACE. *i 
 
 better. Milton fpells in both ways, G/ory, Majefty, and 
 other words of that kind. I have endeavoured to preferve 
 the analogy, fo as beft to indicate the time and cadence, 
 when the laft fyllable is fhort, as, by following a ftrongly 
 accented fyllable, I have preferred y : where lefs fhort, ie 
 has feemed preferable. It would be an affront, however, 
 to any who are inclined to read Milton an affront, of 
 which they are very undeferving, to inform them, that I do 
 not mean it as equivalent to the long e -, the double e in our 
 language, eta in the Greek, according to the obfolete and 
 now childim or burlefque pronunciation, of which we have 
 abundant inftances in our old Englijh Ballads ; and of which 
 Shakefpeare feems to have intended a ludicrous Example in 
 his Prologue to that ftartling interlude in Hamlet. I mean 
 only an indefinite &ndfurd difference of time*. 
 
 The e final is often in ufe by Milton : fometimes as the e 
 feminine of the French $ giving an infenfible prolongation ; 
 fometimes, feemingly, merely as diftinguifhing a fubftan- 
 tive in the plural from the third perfon fingular, contracted, 
 of its verb. 
 
 A w fometimes, where we mould place an u, feems to re- 
 prefent a flower and fuller pronunciation ; and ou, where we 
 mould write ow, a clofer and more contracted. This Ana- 
 logy is not always kept in the original Editions : but, as it 
 
 * X^ov* ctXoyov huQaqetv, as the Greek Muficians and Grammarians 
 (with them Grammar was a part of Mufic) would have confidered it, 
 For iis^ and for our Tragedle^ 
 Here ftooping to your Cletnencis, 
 We beg your bearing patient/if. 
 
 See Gibber's admirable Apology. 
 
 b 2 has
 
 xii PREFACE, 
 
 has its ufe, and is fuitable to the other differences adopted by 
 MILTON, I have attempted to make that ufe morefenfible 
 and conftant. 
 
 The late Dr, FRANKLIN, another illuftrious Friend, like 
 MILTON, to Liberty, and the Progrefs of the human Mind; 
 and, like him, active, as well as contemplative; energic as 
 well as deep j feems to have confidered Orthography feme-- 
 what in a iimilar light; as the Guide to Pronunciation not 
 the Slave of Etymology or Cuftom. 
 
 Thefe differences are the mod material : others will oc- 
 cur, and be noted as they arife : and with differences that 
 appear to have no fixed Principle, Obfervance, or Effect, I 
 would not embarafs this Edition : I mean, that it fhould be 
 a likenefs pf the revered original in every permanent, expref- 
 five, characterise feature; but not in every freckle, fear, 
 or cafual blemifh. 
 
 The Reader may expect rarely to find Emphafis marked in 
 this Edition, except where the change of fpelling, originally 
 adopted by the Poet, reprefents it. The fact is, marking the 
 Accent will generally indicate the Emphafis : for Accent, 
 Quantity, and Emphafis, though diftinct properties of fpeech, 
 are intimately connected : and in our language particularly ; 
 in which the Emphafis frequently affects the T^ime ; and al- 
 moft always the Accent, either by enforcing it, or changing 
 it from grave to acute, or fometimes from the acute to grave ; 
 in which latter cafe, the remijjion of Tone is generally accom- 
 panied by a diminution of found. For the Piano, or pianif- 
 fimo often conftitute Emphafis : not lefs than the Forte in its 
 greateft intenfity. 
 
 Who-
 
 P R E F A C E. 
 
 xui 
 
 Whoever has heard this of Ifabella*, juftly pronounced, 
 
 There fpake my Brother :,.rfhere my Father's Grave 
 Did utter forth a voice ^ 
 
 has felt this. The firft four words, in a firm but compla- 
 cent Tone, beginning with fome furprize, afcend gradually 
 in the Forte, and thofe which follow, are in a grave Tone and 
 low voice 3 with a rife only, and that moderate, on ihzfecond 
 and third words of the fecond line. The purity and dignity 
 of the character, the filial veneration, the revival of fifterly 
 Efteem all< depend for their expreffion in this admirable 
 PafTage, on that Emphafis of fentiment, which has other re- 
 forts than loudnefs ; and can ftrike awe and fympathy to the 
 Heart, by the remiflion of found, where its intenfity would 
 deftroy, inftead of conveying Emphafis. And indeed this is 
 often true of the fublime and the terrible; no lefs than of the 
 melancholy and the tender, the affectionate and perfuafive. 
 
 Emphafis, indeed, is merely relative to the place and cir- 
 cumflances of the word, claufe, or fentence on which it 
 falls; the character, fentiment, fituation, and intention of 
 the Speaker. It ufually raifes accent, exalts the voice, and 
 accelerates the tone ; but it may require, for its effect, the 
 contrary of all thefe, or of fome of them only. 
 
 And as to the leading Emphafis which characterizes a 
 Speech, it has been well noticed that MILTON ufually gives 
 the intimation of it by the Lines which precede ; as in the 
 Defcription which introduces the Speech of Moloch, of Belial, 
 and of Satan, in the fecond Book : (that of Mammon the Rea- 
 der had been enabled to anticipate by the firft:) arid that 
 
 * Mea/urtfor Meafurt, Aft III, Scene If 
 
 Of
 
 xivr PREFACE. 
 
 of SIN whofe fharp and impaflioned outcry conveys the ut- 
 terance to the Imagination fo ftrongly, that even in lilence 
 it feems to ftrike upon the ear. And in the firft Book, the 
 bold Words previoufly afcribed to the firft Speech, the quick- 
 nefs of Reply to the fecond, the Defpair (in the parenthetic 
 Epipbonema] to the third, give the general Movement al- 
 moft as diftindtly as it is indicated at the head of a Piece of 
 Mufic. 
 
 My object is, to annex fuch Marks as may clear the way 
 to a Reader of tafte, judgement, and feeling, from fuch 
 ambiguities of Accent, Empbafis, or Cadence as, without 
 fome appropriated Notation, will ever, in fome degree, em- 
 barafs the immediate Perception and Expreffion. To enter 
 into the full Exprefiion, and to convey it fuitably to others, 
 muft be the province of each for themlelves. For this 
 reafon, the Accents which govern entire Members of a Pe- 
 riod, are not marked here: except only the Monotone \ the 
 very EfTence of which confifts in its being claujular, and not 
 confined to a fmgle word : but the Accent marked over a 
 particular Word often will fuggeft the leading Tone of a 
 Claufe, or entire Sentence. The fame remark will occa- 
 fionally apply to the influence of the rhythmic Cadence, from 
 its natural connection with the claufular Tone. 
 
 And, indeed, as the Orthography has thus far been no- 
 ticed, and modes of Printing which tend to alTift the pro- 
 nunciation and expreffion, it is impoflible not to think of 
 Punctuation : another, and moft material Article ; in a 
 Poem, which, of all others, requires and merits that its 
 Pronunciation be facilitated, and the Principles of juft utter- 
 ance
 
 PREFACE. xv 
 
 ance exemplified in their full extent, dignified, and perpe- 
 tuated by their application to it. Every kind of Punctuation 
 that exifts, or could rationally be invented, grammatical, 
 rhythmical, and rhetorical, would here have its full em- 
 ploy, and mod extenfive, difcriminated ufe. My object has 
 been, however, chiefly to make the beft and mod correct 
 ufe I could of the common Points : with the addition of 
 fome few, adapted, as I hope, to the Numbers and ftyle of 
 Compofition of this Poem. The Pofition of the break in 
 particular, gives it a diverfified Power ; and in this (as in 
 the Mark of ironical expreflion), I have partly grounded my- 
 felf on the Method of my Uncle, the late Edward Cape//, 
 in his Edition of Sbakjpeare j of which, unbiafTed by rela- 
 tion, uninfluenced by any other circumflance, I may venture, 
 when thus invited by the occalion, to fpeak my fentiment, 
 as thinking it the mofr correct and perfect fpecimen' of 
 punctuation, exifting perhaps in ours, or any language. The 
 Jujpenjtve Paufe, marks an interval in the Rhythm or Cadence : 
 where the Conftruction of the Sentence does not properly 
 admit of a Comma: it is fuppofed nearly of the length of one, 
 this is its general effect when no other Mark is annexed; 
 where there is, it prolongs the filence proper to the ftop 
 which it accompanies; and the inflexion of the voice, on 
 this paufe, will be different from that indicated by a fimple 
 comma ; but figns ferve to hint what tafte and feeling alone 
 can execute; and which cannot be defcribed. It is fome- 
 times too the mere holding (as it were) of afyllable; without 
 any fenfible interval of filence. The acute, grave, and com- 
 pound accent, I have occafionally marked where the peculiar 
 
 rhythm
 
 xvi PREFACE. 
 
 ryhthm feemed to be capable of being thus illuftrated. The 
 ' over a vowel to mark not generally an abfolute Elilion of it, 
 but the utterance in the leaft time, and with the lead force, 
 is ufed by MILTON, in his original Editions; retained by 
 BE NT LEY; and perhaps fomewhat too frequently introduced 
 by Dr. NEWTON, whofe Edition, however, is much more 
 juft to the Poet, than that of fuch of his predeceflbrs as I have 
 yet examined. 
 
 It is not a little remarkable, that SHAKESPEARE, from ne- 
 gligence, and MILTON, from his calamity, have rendered this 
 Duty of an Editor, almoft as abfolutely to be performed in 
 its utmoft extent, as if the Editions of both had defcended to 
 us without a lingle ftop *. Blindnefs, indeed, precludes the 
 poilibility, in a manner, of conducting a fyftem of fuch deli- 
 cacy as that of punctuation ; fo as to fecure its accuracy when 
 applied to practice, by any poflible fcheme of dictating, to the 
 pen of the mod attentive, patient, and diflinguifhing Ama- 
 nuenfis. What could flill be effectually directed, MILTON 
 feeais to have directed with his characteristic Tafle, Judge - 
 
 , * It inevitably happened to MILTON, in thefe clrcumftances, as it did 
 from other caufes, to SHAKESPEARE. And thus two contemporary Poets, 
 of the firft order, and who required the moft exact and diverfified Pundtu- 
 ation, had their works configned to Pofterity in a flate, which I cannot 
 better reprefent, with refpect to both, than by the annexed quotation con- 
 cerning the latter. 
 
 " As to the Punctuation^ it is fo extremely erroneous throughout^ and in every 
 old ccpy^ that fmall regard is due to it : and it becomes an Editor's duty (injlead 
 of being influenced by fuch a PunEluation^ cr even ca/iing his eye upen it) to at- 
 tend dofely to the meaning of^vhat is before /;///?, and to new point it accordingly." 
 Introduftion to Capell's Edition, p. 27. 
 
 ment,
 
 PREFACE. xvii 
 
 ment, and unabated fpirit ; and with a fuccefs much greater, 
 and more uniform, than in fuch circumflances could have 
 been expected. I mean the Orthography, which, though not 
 every where unimpaired by miftake or inadvertence, feems to 
 have been executed with great, and perhaps ^"///7/care, under 
 his guidance - y and to give us the clear traces, and general te- 
 nour of his Principle and Practice in applying Orthography to 
 Pronunciation and Rhythm -What could not be directed un- 
 der his circumftances with effect, he wifely difregarded 
 The great and elegant utility of Punctuation has, in this 
 Century, added much to the extent, certainty, and preci^ 
 fion of that Art j and though I do not hope to bring this 
 Edition into a Rivalry with the Shake/pear e I have men- 
 tioned, it ihall not be defective, in this refpect, through 
 Negligence, whatever failure it may incur. 
 
 It may poffibly be thought that I have (lopped too high; 
 too much prolonged and varied the paufes ; and given them 
 greater frequency than was neceflary, or expedient. But I 
 agree with the Author already quoted : that in the higher, 
 more diverfified, and complex fpecies of Compofition, the 
 pointing, to be in any degree adequate, muft be much 
 farther extended, more difcriminated, and more frequent, 
 than would otherwife be requifite. And in long leniences 
 efpecially it may eafily be perceived, how much the omiflion 
 of proper points, or the fubftitution of a comma for a femi- 
 colon, a femicolon for the point next to it in order, or the 
 contrary, obfcures the fenfe, reduces the energy, and im-^ 
 pairs, or even deflroys, the harmony of the period. 
 
 And, indeed* I confider the majeflic flow of numbers in 
 
 this
 
 xvni 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 this Poem, as analogous to a grand Concerto Composition 
 for the favourite inftrument of MILTON, the ORGAN: in 
 which the Movements are fo fublime, and fo awfully 
 regulated ; the contrivance and difpofition of the parts 
 fo deep ; the execution itfelf fo complex ; and depending 
 for its full effect on fuch and fo various circumfrances, 
 that the fyftem of Notation relative to it cannot be too 
 much ftudied, with reference to the underftanding, the ear, 
 and the heart. 
 
 This would apply to the general character of the Rhythm. 
 But it has its great and energetic peculiarities : its fublime 
 abruptnefs ! its aweful filence ! its occafional cadence, no 
 lefs fmgular than expreflive : and if the utmoft attention to 
 the ufual modes of Pointing be not more than merited and 
 required throughout the Poem, thefe PafTages, which are 
 very numerous, and moft comprehenfively various in their 
 principle and effect, will demand fome Notes of a more par- 
 ticular Punctuation. 
 
 But I leave the Method to juftify or condemn itfelf: and 
 purfue my road, the little that remains, to finim my obfer- 
 vations relative to thofe Editions which have been followed 
 in this. 
 
 No lefs a Man than BENTLEY has indeed fet the/r/2 and 
 fecond Editions fo low, that if Conviction could be fubmitted 
 to Authority, we could hardly have refufed, in deference to 
 his, to think them as incomplete Guides to any Principles of 
 Orthography, or any Afcertainment of the Text itfelf, as they 
 are confeffedly with regard to Punctuation. For myfelf, 
 without being fully otherwife perfuaded, I fhould not have 
 
 made
 
 PREFACE. xix 
 
 made them the Foundation of this Edition. Every Reader 
 will have the means of judging: for I mall ftate BENTLEY'S 
 Charges, under the PafTages to which they relate. They 
 may, perhaps, fuggeft a melancholy fentiment of the ex- 
 treme fallibility of a moft learned, fagacious, and powerful 
 Mind, under the bias of a ftrong prejudice, and the fatal 
 influence of the Ardour of Emendation : they will hardly 
 convince the Reader, that to the other calamities of MIL- 
 TON, and they were fuch as hardly any Mind but his 
 could have furmounted, the faithleffhefs of an injurious 
 Editor, depraving the Poem, by interpolations and corrup- 
 tions of every kind, and the mercenary unconcern of a Pub- 
 lifher, are to be added. On the contrary, perhaps, I mall 
 leave it proved, as ftrongly as it can be by any Evidence, 
 where the original MS. cannot be produced, that the Tran- 
 fcriber, Editor, and Printer, have done their duty as to both 
 the original Editions; and I truft that what I have advanced 
 in the opening of this Preface will be juftifiedon a perufal 
 of the Text, publimed with fcrupulous attention to their 
 Authority. 
 
 The great, but daring Critic, who would have convinced 
 the World, if poilible, of the neceffity of correcting the 
 Text of this incomparable Poem, with an utter difregard 
 of the original Editions, by the utmoft Latitude of conjec- 
 tural Criticifm, accufes thofe Editions, and the fuppofed 
 treacherous Copieft, and villainous Editor, with all the 
 vehemence that the higheft Crimes and Mifdemeanours, 
 fully proved, not haftily taken for granted, could have 
 merited. There is the double Charge of carelels or wilful 
 
 c 2 Alterations,
 
 xx PREFACE. 
 
 Alterations, which are defcribed as fuch monftrous Faults 
 as are beyond example in any other printed Book, and In- 
 terpolations, of which he produces, in his Preface, an ample 
 Catalogue, and, in his Notes, loads them with abundant 
 contempt, ridicule, and invective ; and, in the Poem itfelf, 
 gibbets them between Hooks. Thefe latter (hall be alfo 
 not unnoticed as they occur : fome few of both are here 
 fpecified. 
 
 Of the Alterations* the fmaller, but a ftill moil ferious 
 charge, the firft ftated is, into 'what pit*, for which he 
 fubftitutes, as if he had heard the Poet Jpeak and fo dic- 
 tate, to what depth, to avoid a redundant fyllable, though 
 one of the morteft poffible, in a Paffage full of Paffion and 
 Agitation; which MILTON, far from avoiding, has often 
 chofen. 
 
 For, not built, he infifts on no butt -j-, as a reftitution of 
 Mi L TON'S own Words ; though what follows feems ftrongly 
 to confirm the received reading. In another paffage , he pre- 
 fers changing a word to correcting the Punctuation : and will 
 throw out gefture, a very fignificant and appropriated word 
 in that place, for a reafon which a different pointing would 
 wholly have removed: that of a fuppofed falfe Metaphor; 
 becaufe a Tower can have no Gefture. 
 
 For, " War, open or underjlood^' (a Concert, as it would 
 be now phrafed, of the confederate Powers; underjlood 
 amongft thcmfclves, and to be carried into what effect they 
 could, when they (hould fee, or fuppofe themfelves to fee; an 
 occafion of advantage ;) he reads, " Open or underhand" 
 
 * Ver. 9 r. f Vcr. * 59 . J Ver. 590. || Ver.fifiz. 
 
 Such
 
 P R E F A C E. xxi 
 
 Such Corrections, in the very outfet, pofitively urged as the 
 Author's own words, inftead of fupporting, transfer the 
 charge of Alteration. 
 
 I now offer the feven firft of the imputed interpolations, 
 to be confidered by the Reader. 
 
 The j?r/? is, of fiur lines from 197 : and is an Allufion to 
 antient Fable j very likely to enter the Mind of MILTON, 
 but moft unlikely to have occurred to an ignorant Interpo- 
 lator. Ofthefecoxd (251), the Critic feems to have altered 
 his own Mind, and corrected on another principle, though 
 equally groundlefs, when he printed the Poem. The third 
 (306 to 311) rejects five lines and two Hemifticbs ; and con- 
 trives to cloie the break without altering the preceding or 
 following half verfe. In this, and in fome other circum*. 
 ftances, it is one of the moft plaufible -, but an anfwer oc-. 
 curs to it, and generally to all, which will foon be given. 
 351 (printed 357) is the fourth >, and there five entire lines 
 are rejected : of aftyle, character, and tone which has much 
 of the Miltonian j and of that geographic and biftorico-anti- 
 quarian caft which was little in the way of the iuppofed 
 Interpolator. T\\Q fifth is one line (372) : but fo interwoven 
 with the preceding, that without altering that, there was 
 no poflibility of rejecting it: its idiomatic ftyle, and its 
 Hern contempt of falfe fpiendours, might have prevented 
 the thought of its expuliion, and vindicated this line to its 
 Author. This fifth is not in his Catalogue in the Preface. 
 The fixth (486) turns again on neglected Punctuation for 
 its moft capital objection. It rejects Jour lines; which al- 
 lude, with reverential Simplicity, to a fignal Paiiage in 
 
 SCRIPTURE $
 
 xxii PREFACE. 
 
 SCRIPTURE ; fuitable perfectly to the Defign of the Poem, 
 and to this place. 
 
 The laft I /halt here quote, occurs 575, and confifts of 
 an entire verfe and two Hemiftichs ; the laft of which re- 
 quired to be deprived of a foot, and which is worfe, of a 
 very chara&eriftic epithet, before the rejection could be 
 brought to any appearance of being admifiible. 
 
 But to thefe, and all, BENTLEY himielf could not avoid 
 noticing a Fadl which is at once the Anfwer : that all 
 thefe former Faults, as he calls them, of theory? Edition 
 (his whole Lift of Alterations and Interpolations fo decifively 
 pronounced), all thefe are contained in the following Edi- 
 tion j which, as I fhall fhew from the Memoirs of Mr. 
 THOMAS HOLLIS, appears to have been publifhed in 1672 \ 
 and again, with a new Title, in 1674. In thofe five years, 
 from 1667 to 1672, when the great Author was meditating, 
 in blindnefs and folitude, with patient Magnanimity, on 
 what remained for him to do, and was revolving the Al- 
 terations in the Form and particular Lines in different 
 Books of his great Work ; when ELWOOD the honeft, 
 jfriendly, and, as it appears, judicious ELWOOD ; when 
 others, eminent in Name, Talents, and Learning, viiited 
 his Retirement, as coniecrated to fufFering Virtue and Wif- 
 dom j did none but the Interpolator ever read thofe Paf- 
 fages (difperfed through every Book of the Poem, except 
 the twelfth, and abundant in the five firft) which are 
 charged to have been thus grofsly and flagitioufly interpo- 
 lated ? Did the Interpolator conveniently die, or grow 
 
 tired
 
 PREFACE. xxiii 
 
 tired of his Amufement, between the firft and the-fecond 
 Edition, fo that there mould be no more of his Fabrica- 
 tions; while, unfortunately, not one which had vitiated 
 the Poem when it firft appeared to the World mould be 
 detected, and confequently removed. By Suppofitions like 
 thefe, all Faith in Books, Principles of Criticifm, or Evi- 
 dence in general, would be confounded and loft. 
 
 And yet all this is believed by BENTLEY : who accounts 
 for it by a fuppofition which has no veftige of Proof, or 
 colour of Probability : though he has embarrafTed his Hy- 
 pothefis farther, by fuppofing the Edition of the Paradife 
 Regained, in 1671, to be 'without faults ; becaufe the Poet 
 was then, he fays, in high Credit \ and had changed his 
 old Printer and Supervifor. 
 
 That Edition of the Paradife Regained is not, nor could 
 be fuppofed to be, typographically confidered, without 
 faults ; nor, in my apprehension, typographically, fo cor- 
 rect as the Jlrft Edition of THE PARADISE LOST: but, 
 however, the fecond Edition of THE PARADISE LOST be- 
 ing publifhed the year fubfequent to that, fo propitious to 
 the correclnefs of Publication in BENTLEY'S View of it, 
 ought naturally to have partaken of the fame advantage. 
 
 S. Simmons, contumelioufly treated as a poor Bookfeller, 
 living near Aldergate, and as fbmething worfe than unfor- 
 tunate, was probably neither poor nor fordid. He bought, 
 indeed, the Intereft of the Author in three Impreflions, li- 
 mited to a certain number, at an immediate payment of 
 Jive and a provisional of ten pounds more : a fum fmall in- 
 deed, compared with the Value, or with the aftual Sale of 
 
 the
 
 xxiv PREFACE. 
 
 the Work which has fmce taken place and continues -, and 
 cannot be eftimated to the feveral Publishers under very 
 many thoufands of Pounds : but to the Value of the Work, 
 in its proper fenfe, no Price could be adequate *. Theja/e of 
 fuch a Work, or its Value to a Bookleller as fuch, was a 
 fpeculation which it required no common Judgement to cal- 
 culate, and no ordinary fpirit to hazard. The Poem was 
 itfelf of that unexampled Majefty which would rather awe 
 than invite: the Author, that " Poet of other times"-*- then 
 fallen on evil Days and evil Tongues ; encompafled with 
 Dangers, Solitude, and Darknefs; inftead of any Intereft of 
 that kind which fecures a Sale, gave a Name to the Work 
 which was an illuftrious Challenge to Hate, Prejudice, and 
 Envy -, not a Recommendation to Favour and eafy Currency. 
 By its irrefiftible Energy it commanded Approbation; and 
 compelled Succefs, even in that Age, to its fide. But if 
 fuch a wonderful Phenomenon could now, for thejr/? time, 
 arife, it would ftill be a precarious Standard of the Liberality 
 or Judgement of a Bookfeller, to try him by the Sum 
 which he would be now difpofed to offer, taking on him- 
 felf the expence and hazard. 
 
 The critical eye of BENTLEY had been fo jaundiced by 
 Paffion, that he feems to have feen every thing wrong in 
 the firft Edition ; to the very T^ype and manner of Printing. 
 Yet at a Period of even extreme Delicacy in this and other 
 Arts of Embellimment, I have not only ventured, but have 
 been even ambitious, to publifh it, as nearly as might be, 
 
 * Si nifi qua poterit Merces te digna videri 
 Nulla futura tua, ej} nulla futura tua ejl< 
 
 in
 
 PREFACE. xxr 
 
 In its original Form: I think that Form has a pure and gra- 
 cious Simplicity, not unworthy of the Subject and of the 
 Character of MILTON : and that it may appear more like 
 the Panthea of Xenopbvn, or the EVE whom it celebrates, 
 than like the miferably difguiied and neglected Virgin of 
 Terence; to whom BENFLEY compares it; not inelegantly, 
 if there could be Elegance feparated from Truth. 
 
 I know that there is at this time an Edition (and I believe 
 more than one Edition) preparing, of THE PARADISE 
 LOST, from which every thing may be expected of which 
 the Prefs is capable, of Art, and Magnificence, and Beauty; 
 and in which the Pencil will vie, as far as that Emulation 
 can have icope (for how much is there in this above all 
 Poets, where it muft wholly fail) with the Defcription and 
 Imagery fo vividly prefented by his creative Genius to the eye 
 of Imagination. To rival thefe is no part of my Defign : 
 but rather to triumph that it is the lot of MILTON and of 
 SHAKESPEARE, not only to have attained the utmoft which 
 their own Art could promife to human Powers, but to have 
 miniftered the ampleft Subject of noble Emulation to the 
 SISTER ART. If any Engraving accompanies this Edition, 
 it will be only the Portrait of MILTON, in the moft unem- 
 bellimed Style, from the Engraving which was prefixed to 
 the fecond Edition. 
 
 Let the original Edition want the attractive Luflre, by 
 which it might have been recommended to the admiring 
 Eye* i but I do not admit the Charge of Unfightlinefs and 
 
 * This will be, I truft, an Edition not far from the Character of American Simplicity 
 Jn Printing ; fuch at it is in the prefent Century : and as the Lngiijb was in the lad, 
 
 d fqualid
 
 XXVI 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 fqualid Negleft, any more than of internal Error or wilful 
 Perverfion. 
 
 But ftrong and vehement Charges, from high Authority, 
 however deftitute of real Foundation, feldom fail of a tem- 
 porary Effeft : and thus, though BEN TLEY'S Edition could 
 not make its own way, it feems to have brought, in con- 
 currence with the very handibmely printed one umered into 
 the World by the amiable and excellent FENTON, the 
 old Editions, the fole authentic, and to us in the place of 
 MSS. into comparative difregard. For fixty years fince 
 the critical Anathema of BENT LEY has been fulminated on 
 them, they have lain filent, and almoft unregarded, under 
 the flroke. It is now the age for Truth and Reafon to 
 vindicate their Rights; MILTON and SHAKESPEARE are 
 names which can fear nothing from this Downfal of the 
 Empire of Prejudice, and Opinion, and falfe Claims to 
 Admiration. Compared with the Luftre of Names like 
 thefe, Anceftry and Title, adventitious or temporary Gran- 
 deur, are as little almoft every where as in AMERICA or in 
 FRANCE. At fuch a Period I wim to render the only re- 
 maining fervice which could be paid to fuch a Poem as THE 
 PARADISE LOST ; that of publifhing it, fo as to approxi- 
 mate, as much as might be, to the Defign of the Author: 
 with this intention 1 fet out ; with this I encourage myfelf 
 in the Purfuit, amidft other Cares and other Employments; 
 with this I hope to conclude. 
 
 There is now, I underftand, in Trinity-College, CAM- 
 BRIDGE, a fair MS. of this Poem (which I have formerly 
 Jeen), carefully tranicribed and prepared for the Prefs, by 
 
 the
 
 PREFACE. xxvii 
 
 the Relation whom I have mentioned. If he had lived 
 to publifh it, or had committed that Care to be executed 
 after him, I probably fhould have had no inducement, nor 
 the Public any occafion, for this Attempt. 
 
 In concluding, I would obferve, that all which is at pre- 
 fent intended are Notes, like thofe to this firfl Book, of the 
 various Readings of the frfl and fecond EDITION ; or which 
 may tend to illuftrate, very briefly, the Principles of Rhythm, 
 Orthography, and Punttuation, as exemplified in this POEM. 
 I intend to fubjoin a copious Index -, a Table illuftrative of 
 MILTON'S Ufe and Application of SCRIPTURE; an Extract 
 from the Criticifms of JOHNSON; and perhaps the critical 
 EfTay of ADD i SON ; and fome, poffibly, of the mofl re- 
 markable of the modern TESTIMONIES. The fpace to 
 which I mould chufe to limit the prefent Volume reftrains 
 me from attempting to give the LIFE of MILTON, even 
 in the fhort, but elegant, Narrative of FENTON j whofe 
 fenfible and good Heart almoft funk the Prepoflemons of 
 the Royalift in the Feelings of the Poet, the Benevolence 
 of the Man, and the Fervour of a Mind fympathizing with 
 fuch rational and exalted Piety as this Poem breathes, in de- 
 fpite of Fable and Syftem. But a circumftance in this lad 
 Remark leads me incidentally to fome Notice of the Plan 
 and Character of the Poem, when thus confidered. The 
 Fable clofely founds itfelf on jcriptural Reprefentation, 
 whether we call it in fome places Allegory, or Oriental My- 
 thology: the Syftem, in its theological Afpect, like other 
 Syftems, will admit of being more certainly defcribed ne- 
 gatively than pofitively. It might be eafier to fay what it 
 
 d 2 is
 
 xxviii PREFACE. 
 
 is not, than what it is. Perhaps the Doftrine of the Per- 
 fatality of the Spirit (and when I obierve this, I remember 
 the introductory invocation) is not fo apparent in it as might 
 have been expe&ed from his earlier Publications : and the 
 Deity afcribed to the Son may be thought lefs ablolute, and 
 more inclining to Arianijm. But on this I do not mean to 
 bepofitive; nor to enter into any Controverfy. TheefTential 
 Merit of the Poem refts on thofe Principles of Religion, Mo^ 
 rality, fublime and confoling Truth, which are of no Sect, 
 Party, or Denomination j nor of fuch a kind as to be Orthodoxy 
 
 with iome, and Heterodoxy with others. But to return 
 
 I muft confine myfelf to merely noticing, with regard to 
 his Life, the Period which it included: and which, for this 
 State of Exiftence, circumfcribed the activity and acquire- 
 ments of fuch a Man, He was born, between fix and feven 
 in the Morning, on the gth of December, 1608, at the 
 Houfe of his Father, who was a Scrivener, in Bread- Street 9 
 London. About his forty-eighth year he feems to have be- 
 gan THE PARADISE Los r, and to have finilhed it in his 
 fifty- feventb, as originally published two years after, in 
 JC6/*, when MILTON was fifty-nine. He died, at his 
 
 Houfe, 
 
 * At the time when this Poem was in compofing, all the Powers of the 
 human Mind were acting vigouroufly in every direction. Te/tfcopes and 
 Microfcopes had been juft invented; and the instruments for meafuring the 
 denhty and temperature of the Air, BOYLE and NEWTON were forming 
 themfelvesj LOCKE was exercifmg his I nderftanding. The year itfelf, 
 1667, conftitutes, in a diverfe view, an ^RA, It gave to our LITERA- 
 TURE the glory of this unrivalled Poem ; to our Code of LAW *, one of its 
 
 19 Car. II. c. 4. 
 
 moft
 
 PREFACE. xxix 
 
 Houfe, in Bunbill-Row, filently and without a Groan ; fo 
 that the Moment of his expiring was not perceived ; on the 
 
 moft hir. nn.^ and judicious STATUTES, that for the Relief and Employment 
 of poor Pri/wersj preluiive to the immortal Efforts of HOWARD; and to 
 \NUFACTURE the laft great ftep in the progrefs of Drefling WOOL, 
 r : Jyin;: it f. Of the effecl: and influence of thefe fo different 
 'taiic^-, to.vard eftablifhing the Name and Character which BRI- 
 TAIN holds among the Nations, it is difficult to form an idea of any degree 
 of proportionable Extent ; an adequate is impoflible. Thefe aufpicious in- 
 ftanrs to the Progrefs of Improvement, in the moft different Branches; 
 thi* x.afluence of Arts and f nventions to the fame Point of Time, which 
 ha. n-)r.iing, apparently, in common with each other, but that Energy and 
 Spiiii. which throws back confining Enclofures, opens and enlightens a vaft 
 Area in the boundlefs Space of human Perfectibility : thefe are Refults, 
 which, from the Age of PATERCULUS, and long before, to the prefent, 
 have been contemplated with a pleafing awe and admiration, when the eye 
 of philofophic Enquiry has turned itfelf toward thefe luminous Points, 
 What the ftarry feries are to the eye of HERSCHEL, in exploring thofe Re- 
 gions of the Univerfe he has made acceflible, thefe cluftering Radiations of 
 Moral Light are to the Obferver of the Moral World. In the expanfe of 
 Time, as this Nebula advances to its maturity, they increafe ; they fepa- 
 rately condenfe ; their feveral aggregates are mutually approximated. For- 
 merly, it was a Conflux, and that partial, and with long intervals of Dark- 
 nefs, of the Rays of Genius fcattered through a City or a Republic : now 
 it fpreads from Nation to Nation ; and, perhaps, ere many Ages fliall have 
 efcaped, it fhall unite Mankind to the Light and Intelligence of other Syf- 
 tems unnumbered and unimagined : when PLATO, CICERO, BACON, 
 NEWTON, MILTON, LOCKE, ROUSSEAU, the other fublime Enlightners and 
 Benefactors of their Species, fhall impart Illumination, and augment their 
 own, by intellectual Intercourfe with the Inhabitants of Worlds, whofe 
 Beams, hnce the Creation of this, have not yet arrived within the Limits 
 of our Syftem, 
 
 t Vide Remarks in Anfwer to the Obfervations of Lord Sheffield-, by Tench Coxe (Af- 
 firtant Secretary to the Treafury of the Federal Government ot the United Sta^s, pf 
 America). Publifhed at Philadelphia; republiftied at London i7oz, 
 
 loth
 
 xxx PREFACE. 
 
 loth of November, 1674; and " thus clofed a Life fpent in 
 Study, and labours for the Public* :" we may add, for Pof- 
 terity and Mankind. He was buried in St. Giles's, Cripple- 
 gate: where a fordid Mifchief was committed lately, and a 
 Market made of the eagernefs with which Curiofity or Ad- 
 miration prompted Perfons to pofTefs themfelves of his fup- 
 pofed Remains ; which, however, there is Reafon to believe, 
 far from being MILTON'S, were the Bones of a Perfon not 
 of the fame Age or Sex. It were to be wifhed that neither 
 Superftition, Affe&ation, idle Curiofity, or Avarice, were 
 fo frequently invading the Silence of the Grave : far from 
 honouring the illuftrious Dead, it is rather outraging the 
 common condition of Humanity, and the laft melancholy 
 State in which our prefent Exiftence terminates. Duft and 
 Ames have no intelligence to give, whether Beauty, Ge- 
 nius, or Virtue informed the animated Clay. A Tooth of 
 HOMER or MILTON will not be diftinguifhed from one of 
 a common Mortal -, nor a Bone of ALEXANDER acquaint 
 us more with his Character than one of BUCEPHALUS. 
 Though the Dead be unconcerned, the Living are neither 
 benefited nor improved; Decency is violated ; and a kind 
 of inftinftive Sympathy infringed j which, though it ought 
 not to overpower Reafon, ought not, without it, and to no 
 purpofe, to be fuperfeded. But whether the Remains of 
 that Body which once was MILTON'S, or thofe of any other 
 Perfon, were thus expofed and fct to fale, Death and Dif- 
 folution have had their Empire over thefe. The Spirit of his 
 immortal WORKS furvives invulnerable, and rnuft furvive. 
 
 * Dr. NEWTON, Pref. IXY. 
 
 Thefe
 
 PREFACE. xxxi 
 
 Thefe are his beft Image; thefe the Reliques which a 
 rational Admiration may cherim and revere. The Memory 
 of the Perfections which we efteern, effaces the humiliation 
 and horrors of the Tomb ; and, inftead of ranfacking the 
 Sepulchre, with idolatrous Superftition, for the mouldering 
 and undiftinguifhed Fragments which it decently conceals, 
 fuch a Remembrance operates no weak Spells with Bones 
 and Duft : its holier and diviner Magic inverts its Object 
 with anticipated Immortality ; and lofes every frail and pe- 
 rifhable Idea in thofe Contemplations which purfue the 
 future Progrefs of renovated and exalted Existence through 
 the Ages of Eternity. 
 
 For Minds fufceptible of thefe Hopes and Afpirations, 
 MILTON wrote. Views lefs animated, fublime, and inter- 
 minable, would have been too narrow for the Mind which 
 could conceive and execute fuch a Poem. If I fhall be 
 found, in this Edition, to have given it correclly to the 
 Public, and fo pointed as to affift the Understanding and 
 Reading of it, the Attention it has required will have been 
 well beflowed. 
 
 CAPEL LQFFT. 
 
 Troften-HalJ, near Bury, Suffolk, 
 May 9, 1792. 
 
 I have annexed a Table of the Marks ufed in this Edition ; 
 and of the feveral Editions, with their Dates and Sizes, 
 which I think I have been able to afcertain. 
 
 Marts
 
 xxxii PREFACE. 
 
 Marks of Punftuation. 
 
 A Break in the Middle of the Line parenthetic ; at the 
 Bottom, a dlfcrctionary long Paufe ; at the Top, a Tranfition 
 from the epic Narrative to an Apoftfophe, or a Speech, or 
 Exclamation of fome Perfon in the Poem ; or a Change of 
 the Difcourfe addreffed fuddenly to another Perfon. 
 
 ... A dotted Interval, denoting an agitated Paufe; from 
 the Influence of fome powerful Emotion. 
 
 Double Break; a longer and more difconneded Paufe 
 
 than the Single ; and a lefs regular Continuance of the fuc- 
 ceeding Paflage : but more, generally, from Perplexity and 
 Perturbation, as of Shame and Remorfe, than the high and 
 vehement Emotions. 
 
 , Sufpenfwe Paufe. The Ufe and Effect of this is in- 
 flanced in the Preface, and will be varioufly exemplified 
 in the Work itfelf. It fometimes marks the merely Rhyth- 
 mical Cadence ; fometimes the Cadence, as relative to the 
 Sentiment and Expreffion ; but ufually both; as MILTON, 
 in this Poem, has wonderfully united them, and enforced 
 each by the other. It is fimilar in Figure and Effect to the 
 Pejiky enumerated amongft the tonic Accents of the Hebrew- 
 Poetry. It is fometimes, without any diftinctly fenfible 
 Interval of Silence, an accentuated Protraction of a Syllable; 
 and, as fuch, diftinguifhes the Rhythmical Cadence*. In 
 
 * An inftance of this ufe of it will be found at the End of the firft Book. 
 See Cleaver de Metr. Grac. (Oxon. 1789); and a Tra& on Rhythmical Mea- 
 fures,by the Rev. WALTER YOUNG, F. R. S. ED. in the Edinburgh PHIL* 
 TP.ANS. Vol. ".71.78 80. Anno 1790. 
 
 this
 
 P R E F A C:E.I xxxiii 
 
 this Cafe it has no Stop annexed to it : and it anfwers to 
 the Ayuyy, or Dutfus Rhythmicus of the Antients. 
 
 A fingle dot at the head of the line; an ironical turn of 
 language. 
 
 placed over a word ; a low, even tone, at the fame 
 
 pitch) continued till the change indicated by this mark ". 
 
 ' Acute, or afcending accent. 
 
 ^ Grave, or falling. 
 
 Compound, or circumflex. Which may be either acuto 
 grave, beginning with the rife and ending with the fall of 
 the Accent, on the fame fy liable, or grave acute; and will 
 require fometimes to be marked, as Mr. STEELE has ob- 
 ferved, accordingly, A for the^r/?; v for the fecond. 
 
 Only uied for a fy liable made fhorter than ufual time; or 
 where a Da&ylic, or fome other Meafure occurs, different 
 from the common. 
 
 " For a fyllable protracted beyond its ufual duration. Either 
 of thefe mud be accompanied by a proportionable filence, 
 which makes up the time; and may be indicated by the fuf- 
 penfive paufe, .or zfurd quantity of the preceding or follow- 
 ing fyllable, making that longer or fhorter proportionably. 
 
 ^ TheyzW quantity : feldom necefTary to be marked, but 
 always implied in fuch cafes, where there is an accelerated 
 or retarded fyllable, and no paufe of fufpenfion. 
 
 * Two fyllables in the time of one . 
 
 The mark of greateft Acceleration, when placed over a 
 vowel : rarely of Apocope or Eli/ion : which is not fuited to 
 the genius of our Language. By the POET himfelf this mark 
 has been employed in his firft Edition. 
 
 e -f An-
 
 K3 
 
 Off, ; Annexed far SB word, ;//&r inftan,t of -fainting Vzg 
 then mentioned*. 
 
 At the infant of delivering it*. 
 
 Critical ' ' 
 
 Till terminated by this Mark ", the fign of a Claufe, 
 probably changed afterwards by the Poet, for ibme equiva- 
 
 prehenfion of the Editor, no part, of the Text. 
 
 + Prefixed to a Word, denotes a Reading received, >* 
 neceffary, in the place of one in the Text, though without 
 Authority, from either of the t\\Q Jirft Editions. 
 
 * Similar Marks are employed to the fame Purpofe in CAPELL'S SHAKE- 
 SPEARE," and explained in his PROLUSIONS. 
 
 f This Mark, in the fame import, is already familiar to the Readers of 
 the Vanor. Editions of the Gr. Tejl. particularly Griefiath. 
 
 ' ' 
 
 
 ' 
 
 EDITIONS
 
 EDITIONS of the PARADISE LOST; cither Separately, 
 
 or with the other Poetical Works. 
 The Tranfverfe Lines divide the Columns into Intervals of fix Years. 
 
 1667, j. EDITIO PRIN- 
 CEPS, fmall 410, 
 jo Books. 
 68, 7 Argument, Sec. 
 69, } Ditto. 
 
 1711, 9. i8mo, with PI. 
 very neat, and a 
 good Edit. Ton- 
 Jon. 
 
 1751, z vol. 8vo. Dublin. 
 
 53, iimo.Lond. Tonfon. 
 , Ditto, Edinb. Urie. 
 
 55, 410. Newton. 
 
 Books. 
 
 
 1758, 8vo. Bajker<ville. 
 
 1674, Ditto, new Title j 
 Head; Argument, 
 &c. Commenda- 
 tory Verfes. 
 
 1719, 10. 
 
 59, 410. Ditto. 
 60, 410. 
 
 62, 8vo. 
 
 
 Tickell. 
 
 1763, Newton's 6th, large 
 
 7*. 3- 
 
 
 A good Edit. 5 <vide 
 
 
 I7*5> 12. By Tonfon. 
 Ditto, 2 vol. i2mo. 
 
 Pref. This appears 
 the bafis of moft of 
 the late Editions. 
 
 
 
 67, 8/0. 
 
 1688, 4. Folio, with fine 
 
 handfome Edit. 
 30, 8vo, but not very 
 attentive to the 
 
 1770, Folio, Glafg. Foulu. 
 
 Plates. 
 
 Text. 
 32, 410. Bent/eys, beau- 
 tifully printed. 
 
 1775, P. W. 
 76, Belt's. 
 78, 
 
 1692, 5. Ditto. 
 95, 6. Ditto, with Notes 
 
 1737, Ditto, witli Heads, 
 by Pertue, 
 
 79, Jobnfcn's Poets, 2 
 vol. fmall gvo. 
 , Ditto, Edinb. a vol. 
 veiy neat. 
 
 by Hume. 
 
 38. 
 
 1784, 
 
 
 1739, With Addifons 
 
 
 
 Notes. 8vo. 
 
 1788, Gi/liej; illuftraied by 
 Texts; an handfome 
 Edit, and the Plan 
 
 1705, 7. FENTON. 
 
 7, 8. WithPlates,8vo. 
 Ditto, t. vol. 8vo. 
 P. W. 
 
 1747, Ditto, 410. Dublin. 
 
 49, 410. Newton's firft 
 50, 2 vol. Neivlon. 
 , Firft Book, with 
 Notes. Glafg. 
 
 very good. 
 , lEtno. 
 , i8mo, by Jfenman 
 90, Small i8mo. very e- 
 legant ; but not very 
 correft. 
 , 4. vol. fieivton. 
 
 125 years. Two Editions, by Neivton, feem to be wanting in the Lift. 
 In 125 years, more than one Edition to every three years.
 
 

 
 [ 
 
 ALTERATIONS 
 
 IN THE 
 
 PARADISE LOST} 
 
 AS SPECIFIED IN THE 
 
 POSTSCRIPT TO FENTON's EDITION. 
 
 'T'HE Works of inferior Genius's have their Infancy, and 
 often receive Additions of Strength and Beauty, in the 
 feveral Impreffions they undergo whilft their Authors live ; 
 but the following Poem came into the World, like the 
 Perfons whom it celebrates, in a State of Maturity. How- 
 ever, though in the firft Edition it was difpofed into Ten 
 Books only, MILTON thought proper in the Second to 
 make a new Divifion of it into Twelve : not, I fuppofe, 
 with refpect to the flLneis * (for he was, in both Senfes of the 
 
 Phrafe, 
 
 * Be this as it may; it is very evident that VIRGIL was much in the 
 mind and memory of MILTON. It may not be totally incurious to remark, 
 though a fmall circumftance in the Contemplation of two fuch Works, that 
 in the number of Verfes in the two Poems there is very little difference: 
 thofe in the ^ENEID being 9800, and in the PARADISE LOST 10565, But 
 the real difference is on the contrary fide to the apparent: for the Heroic 
 Hexameter^ containing, not lefs than 14 ufually, and fometimes 16 or even 
 17 fyllables, and the Englijh Heroic ten, and hardly ever beyond twelve, the 
 neid is the longer Poem of the twoj by not much lefs than a third. The 
 
 Englijh 
 
 301057
 
 SXXVlll 
 
 A L T fe R AT IONS. 
 
 Phrafe, above Imitation) - t but more probably, becaufe 
 the length of the Sfcvontrianef Tenth required a.P.aufe in the 
 Narration, he divided them each into Two : on which dif- 
 tribution, to the begin n ing ' of Ihofe Books which are now 
 the Eighth ,,anc}-Twelfth, T he adde4 the following Verfes, 
 which were itecttfary, to Mike' a Co-mietEHon. 
 
 Tl)e Angel ended y and in Adam's ear 
 & ;An*$ M Ms <*> JbatTx'&ub'V 1 Ui Q T 
 Thought him Jlill /peaking, Jlill Jlood fix 'dto heart 
 Then as new-wak'd thus gratefully reply' d. 
 
 The latter half of the -Yerfe was taken from this in the 
 
 
 firft Edition. 
 
 To whom .thus Adam gratp/ijlly rqply'd. 
 
 BoofcXIL'ver. n ^dt j 
 
 ^ ww v.'/w ; to >/<; '^< *^ fewff, '/ anoli^l 
 
 Though befit on Jpeefc, jo htie fh&'tfrch+jlnffel ptttattl'At ,ir/'J 
 
 Betwixt the worU dejirtfd ftifi wrtyfsfor^ 
 If Adam ought perhaps miglrf interpsfe ; 
 Then ivlfb traction fweet new Jbeuh resumes. 
 J 
 
 At the fame time the Author made fome few Additions in 
 other .Places of the Poem, which are here inferted for the 
 
 V. - r <-, r i f 
 
 Satisfaction of the Carpus. 
 
 ~E)igliJh and the Rotnan Foet are allied An. higher and more ^(Teritial Coingi- 
 xienccs. In the glorioully fuftained'Majeftjt of NunafceW, Dkiflion, and Gha- 
 raAcrj in the Xafte, Judgement, Art, and decorous 'Beauty of Cotnpofitio<vi 
 in energetic Brevity^ in magnificent and'&rikuig Amplificatkm; .in adnait- 
 -ably attempered Pathos they are often friendly riwds. 
 
 Fertunati &mbo:N;n fe <ftiid aYM)M pjjitnt \ ' 
 
 Ms i&ftfet\*i8~ , I r^nol i . 
 
 Book
 
 
 K L T; E RAT I Oi N S. xxxfc 
 
 ._ . _ r . 
 
 Book V. ver. 637. 
 
 They eat, they drink, and with refection fweet 
 
 Are filP.d, before the all-bounteous. King," &c. 
 
 . 
 
 were thus enlarged in th Second Edition, 
 
 They eat, they drink, and in communion 
 Quaff ijnjytrtaKty and-jo^ jecure 
 Offurfeii wh&re fuji meafure only bounds, 
 Excefs, before th' all-bounteous King, &c, 
 
 - 
 
 Book XI. ver. 484, after, 
 Inteftme ftone and ulcer, colic-pangs, 
 thefe three Verfes were added, 
 
 Demoniac pbrenzy^ moping melancholy. 
 And moon-ftruck madnefs, pining atrophy, 
 Marafmus, and wide-wafting pejlilence. 
 
 And ver. 551. of the fame Book (which was originally thus, 
 
 Of rend'ring up. Michael to him reply'd) 
 received this Addition, 
 
 Of rendering up, and patiently attend 
 My dijfolution. Michael reply'd *. 
 
 To what I have faid in the Life, of our Author's having 
 no Monument, it may not be improper to add, that I de- 
 fired a Friend to inquire at St. Giles's Church -j- , where the 
 
 * A flight Alteration in the firjl Book, will be found in its PJace. B. I. 
 54-5- 
 
 f Vide Preface to this Edition, p, xxx. 
 
 Sexton
 
 xl ALTERATIONS* 
 
 Sexton (hewed him a Small Monument, which he faid was 
 fuppofed to be MILTON'S : but the Infcription had never 
 been legible fince he was employed in that office, which 
 he has pofTeffed about forty years *. This, lure, could never 
 have happened in fo fhort a fpace of time, unlefs the Epitaph 
 had been induilrioufly erafed ; and that Suppoiition carries 
 with it fo much Inhumanity, that I think we ought to 
 believe it was not ereded to his Memory. 
 
 * From 167410 1725, when Dr. NEWTON apprehends this Account 
 to have been added by FENTON, is but fifty-one years. What Toland faid 
 in 1698 of a Monument " Worthy of his Memory" to be erected, is no 
 Proof that there was then none. One was ere&ed by Mr. BENSON, in 
 WESTMINSTER-ABBEY, in 1737* 
 
 ; 1O 
 
 . 
 
 IN
 
 / ff 
 
 Paradifum Amiflam 
 
 Summi Poetas 
 
 JOHANNIS M I L T N /. 
 
 UI legis Amiffam Paradifum, grandia Magni 
 
 Carmina Miltoni, quid nifi cunfla legis? 
 Res cuncJas, et cunttarum Primordia rerunjj 
 
 Et Fata, et Pines con tin el ijle Liber. 
 Intima -panduntur magni penetralia, Mundi, 
 Scribitur et toto quicquid in Or be latet: 
 Terr^que, traffufque Marts, Ccelumque profundumy 
 Sulphureumque Erebi, Jlammivomumque Jpecus : 
 
 colunt Terras, Pontumque, et Tartar a c^eca, 
 
 colunt fummi lucida regna Poli: id 
 
 Et quodcunque ullis conclujum eft fnibus ufquam : 
 
 Et fine fine Chaos, et fine jine Deus j 
 Et fine fine magis, Ji quid magis eft fine fine, 
 In Cbrifto erga homines conciliatus Amor. 
 
 Var. Left. 1 T. AtniJJam. Ita et in Titulo et in ipfo Poemate EHitio 1674: ubi hc, 
 lit arbitror primum comparuernnt. Ita et earn infecuiae omnes. Nefcio au Typogra- 
 phi fphalmate, an fcriptoris incuria, an Euphonise Gratia, an qua alia Ratione. Ne- 
 qne enim ut " tabula" fubaudiretur voluiflV crediderim. Sept. certe mafculino Genere 
 proferunt * neque aliter Vulgata ; prout Grafcae Analogix Ratio aperte portulet. 
 
 * TW. ' 9, io. 15, 6. 
 f
 
 xlii IN PARAD1SUM AMIS SAM, 
 
 H<ec qui Jperaret quis crederet ejje futurum ? 
 
 Et tamen b<ec bodie Terra Britanna legit. 
 O quantos in bella Duces ! qua protulit Arma ! 
 
 <j>u<e canit, et quanta Prtflia dira tuba ! 
 C&leftes Aclesl atque in cer famine Cesium I 
 
 Et qu<e cceleftes Pugna deceret agros! 4p 
 
 >uantus in *tbereis tollit je Lucifer armis y 
 
 Atque ipfo graditur vix Michaele minor / 
 Quantis, et quam funeftis concurritur iris, 
 
 Dum ferus hie Jlellas protegit, Hie rapit ! 
 Dum vulfos montes ceu tela reciproca tor^uent^ 
 
 Et non mar tali defuper ignepluunt: 
 Stat dubius cut Je parti concedat Ofymfus t 
 
 Et metuit pugn<e non fupereffe Ju#. 
 At ftmul in ccslis Mei<e inftgnia fiflgent, 
 
 Et currus animes, armaque digna Deo, 30 
 
 Horrendumque rot* ftrident, et Java rotarum 
 
 Erumpunt tot vis fulgura luminibus, 
 Et flamma vibrant, et vera tonitrua rauco 
 
 Admiftis flammis infonuere Polo\ 
 Excidit attonitis Mens ormiis y et impetus omnis t 
 
 Et cajfis dextris irrita tela cadunt j 
 
 L. 15. Ed. Anni 1674. futurum. (9*1711. Senfu neque Jnepto, nequc dubio ; 
 neque parum Latino, vel infolito, Verborum ufu. S^uis crederet (nempe) aliquem^a- 
 iurum qui bac fe fando affequi peffic fperaret ? Omnes tamen prarterea quas infpexerim 
 Editiones quibus haec duo iniint Poematia (&f?o autem eae fuerunt) futura legunt : aut 
 r.ullo, aut languido prorfus et male enuntiato fenfu ; ipfa eliam Anni 1790, quae fe 
 " Tonfoni accuratam Anno 1711 editam" fequi prcfitctur. Quae autem Anno 1727 pro- 
 diit, (et ea fane nitidior quam curatior,) etiam inci/um, poll earn ptiTime acceptam vo- 
 cuhm, " fperaret" appofuit. Mirum, quod non eadem Opera primum illud qui im- 
 mutarint; quis, legendo; iinmutatione alteri ifti jam faflac neceflaria. Qui in his 
 rartrgis ita fe geflerint, bene fafturn fi in ipfo faltem Opere minus cefpitarint. 
 
 Ad
 
 PARAV1SUM A MIS SAM. xliii 
 
 Ad pxnas fugiunt, et, ceu foref Orcus afylum, 
 
 Infernis certant condere fe tenebris. 
 Cedite Romani Serif tores, cedite Graii; 
 
 Et quos Fama recens vet celebravit anus. 40 
 
 H<ec quicunque leget tan film ceciniffe futabit 
 
 Mseonidem ranas, Virgilium culices. 
 
 SAMUEL BARROW, M. D. 
 
 Utinam plus fciremus quis il!e fuerit BARROVIUS. Neque Vir (opinor) illaudandus 
 (qui iis praefertim temporibus talia de MILTON o fcripferit) neque cert^ mains Poeta. 
 Medecinam ett profeflus magni illius BARROVII Patruus : ill! autem et ipfi Ifacius prae- 
 nomen fuit : Neque BIOGR.APHICA, (quantum videam) his tenebris aliquid immittunt 
 lucis. Fato fun6lus eft ille celeberrimus BARROVIUS (quam animi ftrenuus tarn in- 
 genii et Morxim felix) iVto yV. Mail MDCLXXVII. JEt. xlvii. qutim inter Mathe- 
 maticos atque Theologos adeo clareat, ne in Poetarum quidem aut Oratorum Cenfu 
 prsetermittendus : eft enim ea fententiarum verborumque Copia, ea vi, ita porro ani- 
 mofus, ut non mireris ejus Conciones Cbatamo illi, tribunitio quam Patriciatus Nomine 
 infigniori, aflldue ia mauibus fiuffe, Prater ejus BARROVU aut Confobrinus bic nofler 
 fonafTe fuerit, 
 
 On
 
 [ xliv ] 
 
 On Paradife Loft, 
 
 TX^HEN J beheld the Poet blind, yet bold, 
 
 In (lender book his vaft defign unfold, 
 MeJJiab crown'd, God's reconcil'd Decree, 
 Rebelling Angels, the forbidden Tree, 
 Heav'n, Hell, Earth, Chaos, all; the argument 
 Held me a while mifdoubting his intent, 
 That he \\puld ruin (for I faw him ftrong) 
 The facred Truths to Fable and old Song, 
 (So Sampjon grop'd the Temple's poft in fpite) 
 The World o'erwhelming to revenge his fight. 10 
 
 Yet as I read, flill growing lefs fevere, 
 I lik'd his project, the fuccefs did fear; 
 Through that wide field how he his way fhould find, 
 O'er which lame Faith leads Underftanding blind 
 Left he perplex'd the things he would explain, 
 And what was eafy he fhould render vain. 
 
 Or if a Work fo infinite he fpann'd, 
 Jealous I was that fome lefs Ikilful hand 
 (Such as difquiet always what is well, 
 And by ill imitating would excel) 20 
 
 Might hence prcfume the whole Creation's day 
 To change in Scenes, and (how it in a Play, 
 
 Pardon
 
 ON PARADISE LOST. xlv 
 
 Pardon me, mighty Poet, nor defpife 
 My caufelefs, yet not impious, furmife. 
 But T ann now convinc'd : and none will dare 
 Within thy Labours to pretend a (hare. 
 Thou haft not mifs'd one thought that could be fit, 
 And all that was improper doft omit : 
 So that no room is here for Writers left, 
 But to detect their Ignorance or Theft. 30 
 
 That Majefty which through thy Work doth reign, 
 Draws the Devout, deterring the Profane, 
 And things divine thou treat'ft of in fuch ftate 
 As them prtferves, and thee, inviolate. 
 At once Delight and Horror * on us feife, 
 Thou fing'ft with fo much gravity and eafe ; 
 And above human flight doft foar aloft 
 With plume fo ftrong, fo equal and fo foft. 
 The Bird nam'd from that Paradife you fing 
 So never flaggs, but always keeps on wing. 40 
 
 Where couldft thou words of fuch a compafs find ? 
 Whence furnifh fuch a vaft cxpenfe of mind ? 
 
 * MARVELL had in his view the Lines in that exquifite Exordium ; 
 
 . Qu*dam divina Poiuptas 
 Percipit, atque Horror j quod fie Natura tua <vi 
 Tarn many efla patet, ex omm parte retefta. LUCRET. III. 8^ 
 
 To have followed them more clofely would have done more juilice to his fubjeft. Eaft 
 particularly, though there ar beautiful inftances even of this, is tar frum being the 
 chara6leriftic of the aftoniming Poem, celebrated in thele Lines : which however, hav r 
 ing borrowed immortality from it, and being MARVELI/S^ I could not perluade myfelf 
 to omit, and difplace from their honourable, and almoit prefcriptive, feat. 
 
 Juft
 
 xlvi ON PARADISE LOSf, 
 
 Juft Heav'n thee like Tirefias to requite, 
 Rewards with prophecy thy lofs of fight. 
 
 Well might'ft thou fcorn thy readers to allure 
 With tinkling Rhime, of thy own fenfe fccure ; 
 While the Town Bayes writes all the while and fpells, 
 And like a pack-horfe tires without his bells : 
 Their fancies like our buftiy points appear, 
 The Poets tag them, we for falhion wear. $6 
 
 I too tranfported by the Mode, offend, 
 And while I meant to Praife thee mud Commend. 
 Thy Verfe created, like thy Theme fublime, 
 In Number, Weight, and Meafure, needs not Rhime. 
 
 ANDREW MARVELL. 
 
 51. " by the Mode, offend" 51. commend. Such is the Reading in the EJitun of 1674 
 and of 1711, in Ton/on's of 1753, Dr. Newton's of 1763, Johnfon's* of 1779, Gillies'* 
 of 1788, and the elegantly printed pocket Edition of 1790. I f ; ul made the Tranf- 
 pofition, by throwing back commend to the firjl Line, as thinking it Jmoft certainly a 
 Reflitution of the true Reading; but on confidering I thought it better to leave the 
 Paffage as fiift printed. In- the Edition of 1787, on looking to if, I found it tranfpofed, 
 without Notice of any other Reading : it were to be wiflied this liberty had not often 
 been taken with the Work itfelf in that Edition. The very neat Edinburgh Edition, of 
 1779, follows that of 1727 in this particular. I ought not to omit, that the Paflage 
 is printed in the Edition f MAEVELL'S Works, published after his Death in 1681, 
 in the fame manner as that prefixed to the PARAPISE LOST in 1674, and here printed. 
 MARVELL died Auguft 16, 1678. Either way it is not very well exprefled. " Mifcem- 
 mend,"'' is more probable : that is, bypraifiag fuch Verfe in Rime.Rofcommon, in the men- 
 tion of this Poem of MILTON (E/. on Tranjl. Per.), breaks from Rime to blank Verfe. 
 The Context I think pleads for this hft Conjecture. It is fo little difficult, and yet to 
 almoft neceflary, that I fhould imagine I rouft hare feen or heard it before j but I can- 
 not recollect if 1 have met with it. 
 
 * It muft be remembered, that Jobnfon is no way refponfible for the Edition of the 
 Potts: but for the Liver only ; a fufficient Ground both of Refponfability and Fame. 
 
 OF
 
 xlvii ] 
 
 contemporary Teftlmonies, the lafl which I (hall now 
 add is DRYDEN'S: and it was worthy of fuch a Poet, 
 who had railed one fpecies of Verfe to that height of fplen- 
 dour, to give this praife to the excellence of fo confummate 
 a Mafter in the other. 
 
 The well known, and not to be omitted EPIGRAM is 
 this : as publifhed under the Frontt/piece in the Edition of 
 MDCCXXVII. 
 
 Three Poets, in three diflant Ages born, 
 Greece, Italy, and England did adorn. 
 The Firft in loftinefs of thought furpafi'd', 
 The Next, in majejly: in both the Laft. 
 The force of Nature could no farther goe : 
 TO make a third, Jhe joyn'd the former two, 
 
 A Greek Tranflation, an exercife of one of his Pupils, was 
 given by Mr. THICKNESSE, the late Mafter of St. Paul's, 
 to my Father; and by him to me, with an affectionate view 
 of exciting my emulation. I give it now from memory: 
 having loft or miilaid the Copy; which I have hardly feen 
 fince I left Eton. 
 
 T~ TQHTIV sv 
 
 'EXAaoa, ttat Puf^r/v, K AX&iovoe, Tottoc,v t I 
 apifeverxi voypcuriv vifyviKo 
 -* ' v ' $ 
 
 ' 
 
 Our* Tre^oiv fyv<rio<; Y.O.MOI; TTOT' some Treo 
 
 'Aft&ff* 
 
 I may
 
 [ xlviii ] 
 
 1 may be permitted to retrace fome pleafing remembrances, 
 by tranflating it thus: 
 
 SJECULA divifps tria TRES genuere POETAS; 
 
 HELLADOS, HESPERIJEQUE Decus, Terraeque BRITANNJE : 
 
 Indole, et ingentis animi praecelluit ILLE 
 
 Motibus; HIC ornatu, et majeftate decora: 
 
 PULCHRIUS hacj illo MAJUS, nil MUSA valebaf, 
 
 Dotibus emicuit collatis NOSTER utrumque. C. L. 
 
 
 Hujus Pagellae quod vacuum eflet Verfuum ./ENEIDOS et PARADISES (ita enim 
 MILTONI Poema, Voce ad HOMERIC/E Analogiam formata appellare liceat,) Recenfioni 
 dicavi. VIRGILIANORUM Numerus ea pendet Ratione, ut, fi quatuor illi ante Armd 
 i-irumque pofiti pro veris reputentur, fatis conftet. Ille enim in Sexto, port, " Hi Colla- 
 tinas impatient Montibus Arces," qui in elegantifllma Plantini Editione (1589) Jocum in- 
 venit, iti em in Maf'uicii et Etnmenejii pulcherrimis, fed ihi uncinuhs incJuius " Laude 
 Pudicitite felebres," &c. verum ut ciedamus et a yirgilio profeftum efficere nunquam po- 
 terit. Claras hbenter dixiflet : illud ne femel quidem poiuit. 
 
 VERSUUM 
 ^ENEIDOS ET PARADISEI^ 
 
 ^;N. 
 
 II. 
 III. 
 IV. 
 
 v v ,: 
 
 P. L. 
 
 RECENSIO. 
 
 P. L. 
 
 /EM. , 
 
 760 
 804 
 ! 718 
 705 
 871 
 902 
 
 798 
 J0 5S 
 74* 
 1015 
 907 
 912 
 
 
 
 64.0 
 6 S3 
 ..89 
 1104 
 901 
 649 
 
 5136 
 
 VII. 
 
 vru 
 
 IX. 
 X. 
 XI. 
 XII. 
 
 817 
 
 73' 
 818 
 908 
 9i5 
 95* 
 
 JEN. 
 
 P L. 
 
 ' 4759 
 
 
 
 54.29 
 
 4759 
 514-1 
 
 54*9 
 5'3<5 
 
 5141 
 
 
 
 ; 
 
 
 
 9890 
 
 10565 
 
 His faltem 
 CL. Pr. ID. IVN. MDCCXCII. 
 
 VIRGILII ET MILTONI 
 
 PERENNITATI .,. 
 
 
 THE
 
 [ -xlix ] 
 APPENDIX TO THE PREFACE. 
 
 TJAVING met with two early Editions of the PARADISE LOST, the 
 Fourth and Eighth^ mentioned in the Lift I have given, but to which 
 I was then a ftranger, farther than their mere exiftence, it is agreeable to 
 my Plan to give foine Account of them. 
 
 The firft of the two is the SUBSCRIPTION FOLIO, of 1688. To this 
 the names of 530 bubfcribers are fubjoined. A great number in that 
 day. And a Lift it is, much refpeftable, in another and more intereftjng 
 view ; the Learning, Talents, eminent Character, and public Services of 
 feveral whom it contains ; of thefe are SOMMERS, the Earl of DORSET*, 
 DRYDEN, WALLER; the Marqur of Worcefter; the gallant Churchill, and 
 Codrlngton ; the claflic Atterburle^ Smallrldge^ and Aldrich ; Rycaut ; OMys, 
 Duke, Creech ; Eachard : L" Eftrange ; (the more honourably this laft, becaufe 
 the current of his political and party fentiments did not carry him that way) : 
 Dr. Davenant^ diftinguiflied by his political Writings and patriotic Conduct; 
 POWELL, who has been celebrated arnongft the Judges of thofe days as the 
 ABDIEL of the Order, the fanctity of whofe Office had been then defecrated 
 by an almoft total defection. Drake ; apparently the eminent Phylician and 
 Anatomift. Mr. Henry St. John, not improbably the afterwards celebrated 
 Lord Bolmbroke, then 18. Southerne, whom the natural and pathetic force 
 of his Tragic Genius has immortalized : and Betterton ; great in his Art, 
 refpected and beloved for his Life and Manners. There are, too, in the 
 Lift} many diftinguiftied for their Station and Titles : but to whom there is 
 now more honour with Pofterity, in having thus early patronized fuch a 
 Work, than thefe would have preferved to them. The names of four La" 
 dies are in the Lift. Rebecca Vifcountefs Brouncker ; Lady Henrietta Bondy 
 Mrs. Dive, and Mrs, Timperley. Of this Memorial, from refpect to the in- 
 
 * Celebrated by PRIOR, . 
 
 ( * f ) dividual^
 
 dividuals and to the Sex, I confefs it was not in my power to overpafs the 
 Notice. 
 
 It is an handfomely printed long Folia ; of 86 Iheets, or 343 pages j and 
 about 33 lines generally in a page. 
 
 It is broken occafionally into Paragraphs, by blank lines ; an attention 
 which has, its beauty and utility.. But the Verfes are not numbered: and 
 the. Syjlcm of Orthography feems to have been by no means obferved. That 
 it ought to have been obferved, RICHARDSON, the Painter, in his Life of 
 MILTON*, has very juftly remarked: who alfo notices the peculiar fpell- 
 ing of the Pronoun their; and fays, very truly, it is not the antique, which 
 was theyr : but adds, that it is MILTON'S; and adopted by him even long 
 before the PARADISE LOST; though not in his Firjl Writings. He ob 
 ferves too, the Pronouns me, we, ye, he, when emphatic, with the double ee: 
 and feveral other peculiarities, which are conftant : and very juftly con- 
 cludes, that they are MILTON'S, (of which the internal Evidence might be 
 fufficient Proof) from their agreeing with his own Writing, and with his 
 other Publications, years before he was blind. 
 
 The confufion of Rhime, by which MILTON intends Rhythm, or "nume- 
 rous Perje" in general, with Rime, by which he means, " the jifJg'ing found 
 of like Endings, took place (Mr. Rictiardfon informs us) in the Edition of 
 1678, the firft after his death; and in the Edition of 1688 this Error oc- 
 curs alfo, in the Account of the Verfe. 
 
 The reafon of fpelling thir, when not emphatic, without the e, and with 
 it when emphatic, had not (truck Mr. RICHARDSON. I have mentioned 
 it already : and it feems to ins very clearly, and advantageoufly, rhythmical. 
 And MILTON may well have adopted it for this Reafon, even in his Profe 
 Writings : as in them too there are moft finifhed and noble inftances of 
 numerous Composition. 
 
 An Head of MILTON (not, I think, without confiderabk ftrength in the 
 Character of it) is prefixed to this fourth Edition ; engraved by IP7jitf. 
 And certainly, if the Mind be vifible in the Countenance, ill-ftarr'd in- 
 
 * P. cxxvii xxxiv. 
 
 deed
 
 Mi ] 
 
 deed muft have been that Hand which could have given the Portraiture of 
 MILTON diverted of all Traces of Dignity and Energy. 
 
 The Epigram by DRYDEN, but without his Name, is under the Print. 
 
 The other Prints are fuch as were fucceflively copied into many of the 
 fubfequent Editions: becoming generally worfe and worfe in their Progrefs. 
 
 In my Copy, the PARADISE REGAINED and SAMSON AGONISTES fol- 
 low: of the fame year; but by a different Printer and Bookfeller. 
 
 To the PARADISE LOST in this Edition nothing is prefixed, but the Rea- 
 fens why the Poem Rimes <tf, entitled, " THE VERSE," and the ARGUMENT 
 at the Head of each Book. 
 
 The other, of which it remains to fay fomething, is the eighth Edition ; 
 1707. It is a long narrow Octavo \ with a good Letter, and on good Paper. 
 It confifts of 483 pages, or 30 8vo (heets : 23 lines in a page. There is 
 prefixed an Head of MILTON T , with no Name of Painter or Engraver^ 
 infcribed, 
 
 Joannis Miltoni Effigie^ Mt. 62. 1670. 
 
 The Date of this differs by a year from that prefixed to the Edition of 
 1674. Yet (at firft glance) it ftruck me with a fufpicion of being copied 
 from it. It could not be the Plate itfelf altered : for it is a different fize : 
 and, on clofer Examination, I believe, (with deference to better judgements 
 in thefe fubje&s, which may decide otherwife,) that it was copied from fome 
 Pidlure not now perhaps in being, or at leaft known. The general refem- 
 blance remains in it : with perhaps fomething of lefs- feverity than the other 
 Portraits exprefs. But between Severity and 'Energy it fometimes requires 
 a good Phyfiognomift to difcern, and a very good Artljl to exprefs, the Lines 
 of 'Bifcrimination *. 
 
 There is the Dedication to Lord SOMMERS : but with no Name fub- 
 fcribed to it: and his Arms are prefixed as an Head-Piece to the beginning 
 of the Poem, 
 
 * The Lines of Difcrimination between Severity (in the ill fenfe,) and Energy, 
 RICHARDSON has well delineated. " A gravity, not four, morofe, or ill naturtd\ but a 
 certain Jcveritj of Mind] a Mind not condefc ending to little things" P. xv. 
 
 f2 Tho
 
 [ Mii ] 
 
 The Reafons for the Verfc are prefixed : and the Arguments at the Head of 
 each Book. In the Reafons, " Ri toeing" is fpelt agreeably to MILTON'S 
 Diftin&ion : as it is alfo in the ninth. 
 
 The Commendatory Verfes of Barrow and Marvel! are in this eighth 
 Edition. Barrow's have the line uncorrupted, 
 
 u Hcec qui fperaret quis crederet efje futurum" 
 And here Marvell's appear with his Name at length. 
 
 The Lines fufpecled of a Mifprint in Marvell are as in the Second. I 
 muft here take notice of a very ingenious Conjecture of a Ladyj who fup- 
 pofes Marvell to have written, 
 
 " And while I meant to praife thee> but commend" 
 
 Obferving, very juftly, that the quaintnefs of this is not beyond his man- 
 ner : and intimating, that three degrees of Praife feem to have been fami- 
 liar to the thoughts and expreffion of the Writers of that day. Laud y 
 which is the higheft ; Praife, the fecond ; Commendation, the third. This 
 Conjecture refults with the leaft violence of any from the Text. 
 
 At the end of this eighth Edition is, " A TABLE of fome of the moft 
 remarkable parts of MILTON'S Paradife Loft, under the three Heads of 
 DefcriptionS) Similies^ and Speeches." The Idea was not unlikely to occur 
 to a Poet: and might, probably, be fuggefted by Dryden. 
 
 I here clofe my Account of all the Editions which I have had the means, 
 as yet, of examining *. I fliould be much gratified by Intelligence of any 
 that may have been printed in AMERICA. 
 
 June 21, 1792. C. L. 
 
 * Befides the EDITIONS in the Lift*, I have fmce obferred the two following 
 mentioned; which the Reader may ir.iert in their place. 
 
 Svo. 1751) ixitb Notes by Marcbant, 
 *vo, 1770. 
 
 - P. xxxv. 
 
 TABLE
 
 [ -liii ] 
 
 TABLE OF ERRATA. 
 
 (When the POEM was rcpublijhed with a new Title in 1668.) 
 
 Lib. I. v. 25. for th' Eternal, read EternaL 
 409. for Heronaim, r. Horonaim. 
 758. for and Band, r. Band and. 
 760. for hundreds, r. bunderds. 
 II. v. 414. for we, r. wee. 
 
 88 1. for great, r. grate. 
 III. v. 760. for with, r. in. 
 V. v. 193. for breath, r. breathe. 
 
 598. for whofe op, r. whofe top. 
 656. for more Heaven, r. more in Heaven. 
 VI. v 184. for blefled, r. bleft. 
 
 215. for founder, r. Jo under. 
 X. v. 575. for loft, r. loft. 
 
 Other litteral Faults the Reader of himfelf may correcl. 
 
 When this Poem had a new Tide-Page added, in 1669, hundreds was 
 printed in the Errata^ inftead of hundreds : in other refpec~ls the Table re- 
 appears, without addition or alteration. 
 
 Of thefe Errata, that of with to in had been corrected in the (heet o* 
 the Copy before me, which has that Date. And it is right in my Copy 
 alfo of 1667. Mr. RICHARDSON obferves the Change in this word, (Lib. 
 III. v. 760.) with to ;tf, as having been made already in Jive Copies which 
 he had examined out of fix *. 
 
 The Errata not inferted, and which fall under the general defcription of 
 fuch as the Reader might eafily correct, (which indeed is true of feveral in 
 the Table,) are extremely few. 
 
 Four, however, if they had been obferved, would have been in the Table. 
 Lib. I. 737. Herarchie, for Hierarchic. 
 II, 542, Oealia, for Oechatia. 
 
 * P, CXXX'I; 
 
 Lib.
 
 [ Mir ] 
 
 Lib. VII. 494. Needleft to thee repaed, for Needlefs to tlee repeated. In all 
 the three Copies of the firft Edition : and the firft of thefe 
 Errata is in the fecond alfo. Mr. RICHARDSON very truly 
 obferves this was an Erratum not likely to difcover itfelf to 
 the Ear . 
 
 VIII. 632. make, for made. Thus in all three of the Copies of the///? 
 
 Edition : but right in the fecond. 
 
 The other, litteral and obvioufly corrected, Errata^ are thefe : 
 
 Lib, III. 580. farry, for Jlarry. All three Copies. 
 
 594. which (in the beginning) for with. 
 
 VII. Heaven He printed thus, divided : and fo in that before me 
 
 of 1668. Nearly, but ftill not completely, joined, in the 
 Copy of 1669. 
 
 IX. 827. then, dropt and wanting in all the three Copies of the firjl, 
 
 Right in the fecond Edition. 
 
 One particular more is proper to be mentioned : V. 257. begins a new 
 Paragraph in my Copy of 1667, and in that of 1669, and has no Comma 
 after cloud: but in that of 1668 it continues unbroken; and has a Comma 
 after cloud. And fo in the Edition of 16741. 
 
 Numbers. 
 
 Lib. III. The Numbers to the Verfes are wrong from 50 to 80, in the 
 Copy which has 1667 for its Date : but corrected in the two 
 Copies before me for 1668 and 1669; which muft, therefore, 
 contain ftieets fo far corrected in the Prefs, after difcpvery of the 
 Error \ or Cancels of fome part of the Impreflion muft have 
 been made. 
 
 III. 530. The middle Figure is wanting in all three Copies : with this 
 difference, that its fpace is left open in the two laft. 
 
 III. 610. Mifprinted for 600: and the following Numbers, to the end 
 
 of that Book, wrong in all three: which makes alfo the Refer* 
 ence wrong in the Table of Errata. 
 
 IV. The Numbers wrong, 80 for 90 j and fo on to no: except in 
 
 the Copy of 1669. 
 
 IV. 760. Placed a line too high in all three : and fo continued to the 
 end of that Book, 
 
 Notes and Obferv, p. 9 6. f Vid. RicbarJ/bn t p, cxxxii. 
 
 Lib.
 
 [ Mv '] 
 
 Lib. VII. I CO. The number a line too high in all three. 
 
 1 22O. The laft Number indiftinct in the two laft : and only a dot 
 
 of part of it apparent in that of 1667. 
 
 IX. 230. Middle Number filled with a letter (g) to mark (apparently) 
 to the Printer the Number that remained to be inferted in all three, 
 
 Thefe are all that I have been able to find in the THREE COPIES : ex- 
 cept what fall more properly under the VARIOUS READINGS. 
 
 Of the Errata in the Second Edition. 
 
 In the fecond Edition (1674) all the Errata in the Table to the firft are 
 Corrected: except that, Lib. II. v. 414. of omitting the emphatic ivee\ this 
 remaining fpelt with the fingle e. The Errors alfo which have been here 
 noticed, not in the Table, are corrected in that Edition of 1674. But an 
 Erratum^ (IX. 1019.) me for ive, has been noticed by Mr. RICHARDSON*. 
 With regard to the two others, obferved by him in the fame page of his 
 Preface, they are in the three Copies of the FIRST EDITION, and not only 
 in the fecond j and one of them belongs properly to the Various Readings. 
 
 There is an Erratum (IX. 394.) and a remarkable Tranfpofition (not re- 
 markable however in almoft any ' Edition where it might have been found, 
 except fuch as thefe) occurs noo, and the following line of the fame Book: 
 of thefe too the - Various Readings are to give an Account : and of fome 
 others in the fecond^ which feem to the Editor of the prefent Edition to be 
 Errata. Such merely litteral, as may be difcovered when the SECOND Edi- 
 tion may have been throughout as carefully revifed as the FIRST has been, 
 are intended to be hereafter mentioned. 
 
 X. 550. Before Fruit, fair, omitted. Not omitted in any one of the 
 three Copies of the firft Edition. 
 
 The numbering of the Ffrfes, one of the moft ea'fy points of Accuracy to 
 
 an Author who enjoys his Sight, is one of the leaft practicable, to an Author 
 
 under the Calamity of MJLTONJ and for this reafon (probably) he omitted 
 
 it in the Stiatfa for the reft, it feems almoft impoffible not to agree with 
 
 ' P, cxxxv. 
 
 RICH*
 
 RICHARDSON : (in whofe very words almoft the prefent Editor had ex- 
 prefied himfelf, before he had feen them) : * That " the Second agreeing To 
 nearly with the Fir/I, and that having been fo thoroughly fifted and corrected, 
 lue have reafon to affure ourfehes (efpecially if we take both thefe authentic 
 Editions together,) that we are in pojjejjion of the genuine Work of the Au- 
 thor^ as much as in any printed Book whatever." But I cannot, as he does, 
 extend this to the Pointing: in which, though MILTON has been lefs 
 unfortunate than SHAKESPEARE fuffered his works to be, it appears to me 
 impoflible that either Edition can, in general, be taken as a Guide. 
 
 In the Reafons for " THE VERSE," there are the following Variations : 
 of is omitted before Virgil^ 1. 3. in the Copy of 1669. Meeter is mif-fpelt 
 Meetet. Triveal^ as it is mif-fpelt in that of 1668, is right in the other. 
 
 Troublefome is fpelt with e final in 1669: and Riming without the e\ which 
 was, Rimeing: and, it feems, was fo meant by MILTON } to mark the firft 
 Syllable as long. 
 
 In the Argument. 
 
 B.I. j668. chief 
 
 Councell 
 Councel 
 II. 
 
 (hall 
 
 cheif 
 Councel 
 Counfel 
 hazzarded 
 
 III. 
 
 VI. 
 
 Angel ? 
 plac't here 
 
 appearance 
 
 choyceft 
 
 Powers. 
 
 P, cxxxv. cxxxiv* 
 
 ways : 
 
 and difcover " the 
 
 a reverfed. 
 Mankind. 
 Angel i 
 there 
 
 appearing 
 choice/I 
 
 Councel without a Com- 
 ma after it. 
 
 perform
 
 B. VI. 1668. Hee 
 
 1669. perform the r reverfed. 
 
 VII. peformance without the. r. 
 
 IX* declaring r reverfed. 
 
 He fends his Son, He fends his Angels. 
 
 fympathie fympathy 
 
 foretels foretells 
 
 Cherubim Cherubims 
 
 It feems, from this, that only a certain Number of the Argument had 
 been printed in 1668 : as many as were expe&ed to be wanted for the Sale 
 of that year: and that afterwards a farther quantity was printed for 1669. 
 
 Thofe who perceive the fcope of thefe Minutl^ will not think them 
 infignificant. 
 
 s 
 
 OF THE TITLE PAGE. 
 
 That the Account of the Two Firft EDITIONS may be more complete, 
 thefe Notices of the TITLE PACES are added, 
 
 IN THE COPY OF 1667, thus : 
 
 Paradife Loft | A I POEM I written in I TEN BOOKS I By JOHN 
 MILTON 1 Licenfed and Entred according | to order, 1 * 
 
 LONDON 
 Printed and are to be fold by Peter Parker under 
 
 Creed Church neer Aldgate; And by 
 Robert Boulter at the Turk's Head in Bijhop* s-gate-Jlreet j 
 ' And Matthias Walker under St. Duti/lon's Church 
 
 in Fleet-Jlreet. 1667. 
 
 ' 
 
 * The Bars mark the Lines by which the Title is divided. 
 
 avfidl ( * g ) I*
 
 [ ' Iviii ] 
 IN THE COPY OF 1668. 
 
 Written in" is altered to " IN." And the reft of the Page thus : 
 
 Printed by S. Simmons^ and to be fold by S. Thomfon at | the Bi/bop's 
 
 Head in Duck-lane^ H. Mortlack.'aA the | White Hart in We/I- 
 
 minjler Hall, M. Walker under | St. Dun/fan's Church 
 
 in Fleet-JIreei, arid R. Boulter at I the Turk's Head 
 
 in Bijhop' s-gate-Street. 1668. 
 
 OF 1669. 
 
 The TITLE as in the COPY of the preceding year. And at the bottom: 
 
 Printed by S. Simmons^ and are to be fold by T. Holder at the 
 
 Angel in Little Brittain. 1669. 
 
 In the SECOND EDITION, the TITLE correfponds to that at the Head of 
 the Page of the Edition now publifhed : except that the Words " Paradife 
 Loft," and " The Author," are not in Capitals. Then follows, in the re- 
 mainder of the Title Page, thus : 
 
 Cf)e |3>econ& Cfcttion, 
 
 Revifed and Augmented by the I fame Author. 
 LONDON, 
 
 Printed by S. Simmons, next Door to the Golden Lion 
 in Alderfgate-Jtreet. 1674. 
 
 To the Copy of 1668, there is this Advertifement. 
 The Printer to the Reader. 
 
 Courteous Reader ; There was no Argument at firft in- 
 tended to the Book, but for the fatisfaction of many 
 that have defir'd it, I have procur'd it, and withall a reafon 
 of that which ftumbled many others, why the Poem Rimes 
 not. S. Simmons, 
 
 I have
 
 I have nothing farther to add, that may gratify the curious minutenefs of 
 Inquiry, with which we infpeft whatever is related to an Object of our Ef- 
 teem and Veneration. But as the Copies of the two authentic Editions 
 muft, in courfe, foon be very fcarce, I was the lefs willing to omit thefe 
 particulars. 
 
 C.L. 
 
 July 3, 1792. 
 
 THE
 
 

 
 [ xHx ] 
 
 THE VERSE, 
 
 (BY THE AUTHOR.) 
 
 *7PHE Meafure is Englifh Heroic Verfe 'without Rime, as 
 that of Homer in Greek, and of Virgil in Latin; Rime 
 being no necejjary adjuntt, or true ornament of Poem or good 
 Verfe, in longer 'works efpecially, but the invention of a bar- 
 barous age, to Jet off wretched matter and lame Meeter-, grac( 
 indeed Jince by the life of feme famous modern Poets, carried 
 away by Cuftom, but much to their own vexation, hindrance, 
 and conftraint to exprefs many things others if e, and for the 
 mofl part 'worfe, than elfe they 'would have exprej/ed them. Not 
 'without caufe, therefore, fome both Italian and Spanifh Poets of 
 prime note have rejected Rime both in longer and ftorter 'works: 
 as have alfo long fmce our bejl EngliQi 'Tragedies : as a thing 
 of itfelf, to all judicious ears, trivial and of no true mitfical 
 delight : 'which conjijls only in apt Numbers, jit quantity of Syl- 
 lables, and the fenfe varioujly drawn out from one Verfe into 
 another not in the jingling found of like endings, a fault 
 avoyded by the learned Ancients, both in Poetry and all good 
 Oratory. This neglett then of Rime fo little is to be taken 
 for a defect, though it may feem fo perhaps to vulgar Readers, 
 that it rather is to be ejleemed an example fet, the firft in En- 
 glifli, of ancient Liberty recovered to Heroic Poem, from the 
 troublefome and modern bondage of Rimeing. 
 
 g THE
 
 Argument ; by the Author. 
 
 THE ARGUMENT. 
 
 OF THE FIRST BOOK. 
 
 This firft Book propofes, firft in brief, the whole Subject, 
 Man 1 s Difobedience, and the Lofs thereupon of Paradife wherein 
 be was ptac'f: Then. touches the prime Cauft of his Fall, the 
 Serpent, or rather Satan in the Serpent ; who revolting from 
 God, and drawing to his Side many Legions of Angels, was 
 by the Command of God driven out of Heaven with all his 
 Crew into the great Deep. Which Action pafs'd over, the 
 Poem hafts into the midft of Things, prefeming Satan with 
 bis Angels now fallen into Hell, defcribed here, not in the 
 Center (for Heaven and Earth may be fuppos'd as yet not 
 made j certainly not yet accurfed) but in a Place of utter 
 Darknefs, fitiiejl called Chaos: Here Satan with his Angels 
 lying on the burning Lake, thunder-firuck and ajlsnijhed, after 
 a certain Space recovers, as from Confufion ; calls up him who 
 next in Order and Dignity lay by him ; they confer of tbir mi- 
 /erable Fall. Satan awakens all his Legions, who lay till then 
 in the fame manner confounded : 'They rife: thir Numbers; Ar- 
 ray of Battel ; thir chief Leaders named, according to the Idols 
 known afterwards in Canaan and the Countries adjoining. To 
 tbefe Satan direfts his Speech; comforts them with Hope yet of 
 regaining Heaven: but tells them lajlly of a new. World, and 
 new kind of Creature to be created, according to an ancient 
 Prophecy or Report in Heaven; for that Angels were long 
 before this vifible Creation, was the Opinion of many Ancient 
 
 Fathers.
 
 Fathers. To find out the Truth of this Prophefie, and what 
 to determine thereon, he refers to a full Councel. What his 
 AJfociates thence attempt. Pandemonium, the Palace of Sa- 
 tan, rifes, fuddenly built cut of the Deep : The infernal Peers 
 there fit in CounceL 
 
 OF THE SECOND BOOK. 
 
 The Confutation begun, Satan debates whether another Battel be 
 to be ba-zarded for the Recovery of Heaven : Jome advife it, 
 others diffuade. A third Propo/al is preferred; mentioned before 
 by Satan j to ftarcb the Truth of that Prophefie or Tradition in 
 Heaven concerning another World, and another kind of Crea- 
 ture equal or not much inferior to them/elves, about this Time 
 to be created : Thir doubt who Jhall be Jent on this difficult 
 Search : Satan thir Chief undertakes alone the Voyage ; is 1o~ 
 nord and applauded. The Councel thus ended, the reft betake 
 them fever a I Ways, and to federal Employments, as thir In- 
 clinations lead them, to entertain the Time till Satan return. 
 He gaffes on his "Journey to Hell Gates : fnds them Jhut j and 
 who fat there to guard them ; by whom at length they are 
 opened, and difcover to him the great Gulph between Hell and 
 Heaven : with what difficulty he paffes through, directed by 
 Chaos, the Power of that Place t to the fight of this new 
 World which he fought. 
 
 OF THE THIRD BOOK. 
 
 God fitting on his Throne fees Satan flying towards this World, 
 then newly created ; Jhows him to the Son, who fat at his 
 right Hand ; fotetels the Succefs of Satan in perverting Man- 
 kind : clears bis own Juftice and Wifdom from all imputation, 
 
 having
 
 having created Man free and able enough to hav? witbftood his 
 Tempter-, yet declares his purpoje of Grace towards him, in re- 
 gard he fell not of his own Malice, as did Satan, vut by bim 
 feduc't. The Son of God renders praifes to his Father for the 
 Manifejlation of bis gracious Purpofe towards Man : but God 
 again declares, that Grace cannot be extended towards Man 
 without the Jalisfaffion of divine Juftice , Man hath offended 
 the Majefty oj God by afpiring to Godhead, and therefore with 
 all his Progeny devoted to Death muft die ; unle/s Jome One can 
 be found Jufficient to an/wer for his Offenfe, and undergoe bis 
 Punijhment. The Son of God freely offers himfelf a Ranfome 
 for Man : the Father accepts him, ordains his Incarnation, pro- 
 nounces bis Exaltation above all Names in Heaven and Earth ; 
 commands all the Angels to adore him ; they obey, and hymning 
 to thir Harps in full Quire, celebrate the Father and the Son. 
 *Mean while Satan alights upon the bare convex of this World's 
 outermoji Orb , where wandering he fir ft finds a place, fmce 
 call 'd the Lymbo of Vanity : what Perfcns and Things fly up 
 thither : thence comes to the Gate of Heaven, defcrib'd afcend- 
 ing by Stairs, and the Waters above the Firmament that flow 
 about it : His Paffage thence to the Orb of the Sun : he finds 
 there Uriel, the Regent of that Orb : but firft changes himfelf 
 into the Jhape 'f a meaner Angel; and pretending a zealous 
 Dejire to behold the new Creation, and Man whom God bad 
 plac't here, inquires of him the Place of his Habitation, and 
 is directed; alights firft on Mount Niphaies. 
 
 OF THE FOURTH BOOK. 
 
 Satan, now in profyeft of Eden, and nigh the Place where be 
 muft now attempt the bold Enterprife which he undertook alone 
 againft God and Man, falls into many Doubts with bimjelf y and 
 
 many
 
 many Pajfiuns-, Fear, Envy, and Defy are: but at length con- 
 firms him) elf in Evil , journeys on to Paradifej whofe outward 
 ProfpetJ and Situation is defcribed; overleaps the Bounds ; fits 
 in the Jhape of a Cormorant on the Tree of Life, as higheft in 
 the Garden, to look about him. The Garden defcrib'd'. Satan'.? 
 firft fight of Adam and Eve; his Wonder at thir excellent 
 Form and happy State-, but with Refolution to work thir Fall: 
 overhears thir Di/courfe ; thence gathers that the Tree of Know- 
 ledge was forbidden them to eat of, under penalty of Death ; 
 and therein intends to found his Temptation, by fe Cueing them 
 to tran/grejs : then leaves them a while, to know further of 
 thir State by feme other Means. Mean while Uriel, defc end- 
 ing on a Sun- beam, warns Gabriel, who had in Charge the 
 Gate cf Paradife, that fome evil Spirit had efcaped the Deep, 
 and pafied at Noon by bis Sphere in the Jbape of a good Angel 
 down to Paradife, difcovered after by his furious Gsftures 
 in the Mount. Gabriel promifes to find him ere Morning. 
 Night coming on, Adam and Eve difcourfe of going to thir 
 Reft : Ibir Bower defcribed : thir Evening Worjbip. Gabriel, 
 drawing forth his Bands of Night-watch to walk the Round 
 of Paradife, appoints two Jlrong Angels to Adam's Bower, left 
 the Evil Spirit Jhould be there aoing Jome Harm to Adam or 
 Eve Jleeping, Ihere they find him, at the Ear c/Eve, tempt- 
 ing her in a Dream; and bring him, though unwilling, to 
 Gabriel ; by whom queftioned, be icornfully Anfwers, -prepares 
 Refinance, but binder d by a Sign from Heaven, Jiies out of 
 Paradife. 
 
 OF THE FIFTH BOOK. 
 
 Morning approached, Eve relates to Adam her trrublefom Dream : 
 be likes it not, yet comforls her : They ccme forth_ to tbir Day 
 Labours: Thir Morning Hymn at the door of thir Bower. 
 
 God,
 
 God, to render Man inexcufable, fends Raphael, to admonifi 
 him of his Obedience ; of his free Eft ate ; of bis Enemy near at 
 Hand; who hv is, and why bis Enemy -, and whatever elje 
 may avail Adam to know. Raphael comes down to Paradife : 
 his Appearance defcrib'd; his coming difcern y d by Adam afar 
 off] fitting at the door of his Bower : He goes cut to meet him ; 
 brings him to his Lodge; entertains him with the choiceft 
 Fruits of Paradife, got togtther by Eve : Tbir Difcourfe at 
 Table: Raphael performs his Me/fage : winds Adam of his 
 State and of his Enemy j relates, at Adam'.; requeft, who that 
 Enemy is, and how he came to be Jo : beginning from his jirft 
 Revolt in Heaven, and the occafion thereof : how he drew 
 his Legions after him to the parts of the North, and there in- 
 cited them to rebel with him ; perfuading all but only Abdiel 
 a Seraph, who in Argument dijfuades and oppofes him, then 
 for Jakes him. 
 
 OF THE SIXTH BOOK. 
 
 Raphael continues to relate bow Michael and Gabriel were fent 
 forth to Battel againft Satan and his Angels. 7 he firjl Fight 
 defcrtb'd: Satan and bis Powers retire under Night : He calls 
 a Council: Invents devilijh Engins ; which in the fecond Day's 
 Fight put Michael and his Angels to fame disorder -, but they 
 at length, pulling up Mountains, overwhelmed both the Force and 
 Machins of Satan : Tet tbe Tumult not fo ending, God on the 
 third Day fends Mefliah bis Son-, for whom he had referv'd 
 the Glory of that Fiftcry : Hee, in the power of his Father 
 coming to the Place, and caufing all his Legions to ft and ft ill 
 on either fide, with his Chariot and Thunder driving into the 
 mldft of his Enemies, purfues them, unable to refift, towards 
 the Wall of Heaven , which opening, they leap down with 
 
 Horror
 
 Horror and Ccnfujlcn into the Place of Punijhment prepaid fo- 
 them in the Deep : MefTiah returns with 'Triumph to 
 Father. 
 
 OF THE SEAVENTH BOOK. 
 
 Raphael, at tke r(q:iefl of A:lam, r slates be .^ ana wherefore this 
 
 II \ "'d wasfitft c-t eated: that GW, after the expelling of Satan 
 
 -s Angels out of Heaven) declared his Pleafure to create 
 
 eroir?er World i ;/./ other Creatures to dwell therein. Sends 
 
 his Son wi>h Glory end attendance of Angels to perform the 
 
 fa'ork of Creation in Six Days : tie Angels celebrate with 
 
 ,.s the Performance thereof t and his Reafeention into 
 
 ..uen* 
 
 OF THE EIGHTH BOOK. 
 
 Adam then inquires concerning celejlial Motions : is doubtfully \ 
 anfwered ; and txhorted to fearch rather Things more worthy of \ 
 Knowledge: Adam ajjents : and, ftill dejirous to detain Ra- 
 phael, relates to him what he remembered fince his own Cre- 
 ation j his placing in Paradife : his Talk with God concerning 
 Solitude and jit Society ", his fifft Meeting and Nuptials with 
 Eve : His Difcourfe with the Angel thereupon : who, after Ad- 
 monitions repeated, departs. 
 
 OF THE NINTH BOOK. 
 
 Satan, having compared the Earth, with meditated Guile, returns 
 as a Mift by. Night into Paradife : enters into the Serpent Jleep- 
 ing. Adam and Eve in the Morning go forth tu thir La- 
 bours : which Eve propofes to divide in Jeveral places, each 
 labouring apart ; Adam conjents not ; alledging the Danger, 
 
 lejl
 
 left that Enemy, of whom they were forewarned, jhould at- 
 tempt her, found alone : Eve, loath to be thought mt circum- 
 JpetJ or firm enough, urges her going apart ; the rather dcfti ous 
 to make trial of her Strength : Adam at lajl yields : 'Jhe Ser- 
 pent finds her alone : bis fubtle Approach, firft gazing, then 
 fpeaking, with much Flattery extolling Eve above all other 
 Creatures. Eve, wondering to hear the Serpent fpeak, ajks 
 bow he attained to human Speech and juch Under Handing not 
 till now ; the Serpent anfwers, that by tafting of a certain Tree 
 in the Garden be attained both to Speech and Re a f on ; //'// then 
 void of both : Eve requires him to bring her to that Iree, and 
 finds it to be the Tree of Knowledge forbidden. The Serpent, 
 now grown bolder, with many Wiles and Arguments induces 
 her at length to eat: Shee, pleafed with the Tafle, deliberates 
 a while whether to impart thereof to Adam or not: at laft, 
 brings him of the Fruit j relates what perfuaded her to eat 
 thereof: Adam, at firft amazed, but perceiving her Ivft, re- 
 folves, tbrough vehemence of Love, to peri/h with her-, and 
 extenuating the Trefpajs eats alfo of the Fruit. The Effetts 
 thereof in them both : they feek to cover tbir Nakednefs ; then 
 fall to Variance and Accufation of one another. 
 
 OF THE TENTH BOOK. 
 
 Man's Trangreflion known, the guardian Angels forjake Paradife, 
 and return up to Heaven to approve thir Vigilance: and are 
 approved-, God declaring that the Entrance of Satan could not 
 be by them prevented. He fends bis Son to judge the Tranf- 
 gre/ors: who defcends, and gives Sentence accordingly > then in 
 Pity clothes them both, and reafeends. Sin and Death, fitting 
 till then at the Gates of Hell, by wondrous Sympathy feeling the 
 Succefs of Satan in tbh new World, and the Sin by Man there 
 
 committed,
 
 com itted, refolve to Jit no longtr confined in Hell> but to fol- 
 low Satan tbir Sire up to the Place of Man : to make Way the 
 e after from Hell to this World to and fro, they pave a broad 
 High-way cr Bridge over Chaos, according to the 'Track that 
 Saran firft made; then preparing for Earthy they meet him, 
 proud of his Succefs, returning to Hell ; tbir mutual Gratu 
 lation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium : in full Affembly re- 
 lates with boajling his Succefs againfl Alan ; inftead of Applaufe 
 is entertained with a general Hits by all his Audience, trans- 
 formed with himjelf alfo Juddenly into Serpents, according to 
 Doom given in Paradife; then deluded with a Jhow of the 
 forbidden Tree fpringing up before them, they greedily reaching 
 to tak$ of the Fruit, chew Duft and bitter Afoes. The proceed- 
 ings of Sin and Death. God foretels the final ViRory cf his Son 
 over them, and the renewing of all 'Things ; but for the prejent 
 commands his Angels to make fever al Alterations in the Heavens 
 and Elements. Adam, more and more perceiving his fallen Con- 
 dition, heavily bewails : rejefts the Condolement of Eve j /he 
 perfifts, and at length appeafes him : then to evade the Curfe 
 likely to fall on thir Offspring, proposes to Adam violent ways. -, 
 which he approves not, but conceiving better hope, puts her in 
 mind of the late Promise made them, that her Seed Jhould be re- 
 venged on the Serpent ; end exhorts her with him to Jeek Peace 
 of the offended Deity, by Repentance and Supplication. 
 
 OF THE ELEVENTH BOOK. 
 
 The Son of God prefents to his Father the Prayers of our Firft 
 
 Parents, now repenting ; and intercedes for them : God accepts 
 
 . them, but declares that they muft no longer abide in Paradife: 
 
 Sends Michael with a Band of Cherubim to difpojjefs them ; but 
 
 firft to reveal to Adam future things. Michael'/ coming down. 
 
 Adam
 
 Adamfoows to Eve certain ominous Jigns: he difcerns Michael'j 
 approach ; goes out to meet him : the Angel denounces tbir de 
 parture. Eve'j Lamentation. Adam pleads , but Jubmits : 
 The Angel leads him up to a high hill : Jets before him in vifion 
 what jkall happen till the Flood. 
 
 OF THE TWELFTH BOOK. 
 
 Thence from the Fleod * relates what Jhall fucceed ; then, in the 
 mention of Abraham, comes by degrees to explain, who that 
 Seed of the Woman Jhall be, which was promijed Adam and 
 Eve in the Fall-, his Incarnation, Death, Rejurrettion, and 
 Afcenfion-, the Jt ate of the Church till his Jecond Coming. Adam, 
 greatly fatisfied and recomforted by thefe Relations and Promifes, 
 defcends the Hill with Michael: wakens Eve, who all this 
 while had Jlept, but with gentle Dreams compofed to quietnefs of 
 mind and fubmijjion. Michael in either hand leads them out of 
 Paradile, the fiery Sword waving behind them, and the Che- 
 rubim taking thir Stations to guard the Place. 
 
 IN the VARIOUS READINGS to this Edition, where the/r/only 
 or the fecond is quoted at the boftom of the Page, the Read- 
 ing in the Text is authorifed by the other. 
 
 Where neither is quoted, but an ORTHOGRAPHY is adopted, 
 fuch as is generally obferved for EMPHATIC Pronouns in thtfe 
 two authentic Editions, and at the bottom of the Page it is 
 only noticed that Analogy required thus, or that the word in 
 fuch paiTage is necejjarily emphatic, it is to be underftood the 
 ufual difference of Orthography, which prevails generally in 
 the firjl and Jecond Editions with regard to fuch emphatic 
 words, is not, in that inftance, obferved in either. 
 
 * Thus in 1668 ; when the Argument was added to the firft Edition, and the icth 
 Book was what now coinpoAs the iith and iith. \Vhen it (as alfo theyth) was 
 divided into tvo, and the Argument prefixed to each Book, the lath began thus, 
 " The Angel Michael continues from the Flood to relate," &c, 
 
 Of
 
 1*1 
 
 Of the Rhythmical EJfett of the Stops and Pctufes in this 
 Edition* 
 
 A S we are now immediately proceeding to the Poem, I am induced to 
 be more particular than hitherto on this : fmce I wifh the method 
 of pointing here adopted may be clearly explained ; hoping it may be much 
 fubfervient to giving the due effect to the admirable Composition and Har- 
 mony of its Numbers. And for this I am the more folicitous, as thinking 
 that a great Critic, who united Tafte, and Elegance, and Senfibility, with 
 Accuracy and depth of Learning, is fully juftified in obferving, that " there 
 is no kind or degree of Harmony, of which our Language is capable, which may 
 not be found in number lefs injlances through MILTON'J Writings \ the excellency 
 of whofe ear feems to have been equal to his imagination and learning." * 
 
 The effect and duration of the Sufpenji<ve Paufe, when alone, has been 
 confidered generally in the Preface f ; and where it is mentioned with the 
 other Stops f : but as its Ufe will be very frequent in the POEM, and, at the 
 fame time, it tends to illuftrate the general principles of Meafure and 
 Rhythm, it may be proper to remark thus much additionally. 
 
 The effect of this, and of other Paufes, will be perhaps beft underftood 
 by adverting to the general nature of Time and Quantity. A long Syllable 
 being called a Time, as the Jlrefs of the Meafure naturally falls upon it, a 
 Jhort one is confidered as half a Time: thefe two combined conftitute an 
 Iambic, or Trochaic Foot ; the regular Feet of our Heroic Verfe : and two 
 of thefe Feet compofe a Meafure, or poetical Bar : of which, in that fpecies 
 Of Verfe, there are regularly two and an half, or five Feet. This, if there 
 were no furd Quantity, Reft, interchange of equivalent Feet, or other li- 
 berty, would be meafured thus: ^ ^ | i, i. I * ~ or 7 Times and an 
 half: and might be noted mufically in triple time, of alternate Minims and 
 Crotchets ; and the whole equal to three Minims in a Bar, or a Semibreve and 
 an half. Setting off the Crotchet as an unaccented Note, the Bar may be 
 taken as commencing on the fecond Syllable : and thus, though in fcanning 
 
 FOSTER on Gretk Accents, p. 67. f P. xv. xxxii. 
 
 h 2 the
 
 [ I* ] 
 
 the Meafure be Iambic, the Rhythm and effeft, if it were fet to Mafic, would 
 be more properly Trochaic : the long Time (which with us is generally on 
 the accented Syllable) naturally leading and character! (ing the Meafure. 
 
 Such will be the Meafure^ Quantity^ and Cadence of the Times which pafs 
 in utterance^ and of which feven and an half have been already obferved to 
 coniKtute the complete Meafure of our Heroic Verfe, 
 
 But, befide thc-fe, there will always be Times which are pafTed \\\ filence : 
 fuch as the neceflary Grammatical S/o/u, and the Paufes of Cadence and Ex- 
 preffion. Thefe, though not counted into the Meafure of Scanfion, which 
 remains of five Feet, enter into the Rhythm: and of courfe their propor- 
 tions muft be fuch, as_ either to enforce it or at leaft not to be generally in- 
 confiftent with it. Time in fiknce will be meafured with relation to Time 
 marked by the regular progrefs of appreciable Sound: common^ where the 
 founds are of equal Ratios, commenfurable by two> as the fimpleft common 
 meafurer, or its Multiples ; triple^ where the Times are in duplicate pro- 
 portion *, as of three even Times^ or of alternately fucceflive in the Ratio of 
 two to one : of which the latter is more properly and inconvertibly the triple. 
 The common Stops are moil ufually and conveniently, by thofe who have 
 attempted to afcertain their Meafure, taken in the common duplicate pro- 
 portion t : a Comma therefore may be regarded as an half Time, or equal 
 to a Jhort Syllable ; a Semicolon a Time ; a Colon two : and a Period four, 
 i. 1.2. 4. And thus there will be the Analogy of Proportion between the 
 Times of the Syllables and the Times of the common Stops. 
 
 If then the Sufpenfive Paufe be confidered as prolonging the duration of 
 thefe Times by one -third, a Semicolon will be 1. 1, or a Foot; a Colon 3, or 
 two Feet} and a Period 6 (when fo flopped), or four Feet; equivalent to 
 two Meafures ; ad this will give the Analogy between the Paufe and the 
 Meafure: the Sufpenfive Paufe will confequently, while it is eflentially 
 
 This was called double by the Aniients, triple by the Moderns; for if the Times 
 are as z to T. the aggregate is divifible by 3. 
 
 f ROUSSEAU. DJCT. de Mus. TtMS MESURE. MASON on ELOC. p. 19. 20. 
 LOWTH'S GB.AMM. p. 155. 17*- 
 
 conducive
 
 [ Ixi ] 
 
 .conducive to Variety and expreflion, fupport the Rhythm y and compenfate 
 its occafional interruptions. 
 
 And in this Paflage, 
 
 , So lovely feem'd 
 that lantjkip :, and of pure, now purer air 
 Meets his approach ; t B IV. 152. 
 
 the firft Sufpenfive Paufe marks a Cadence, in which there are two Times 
 in utterance and three in filence \ or a Meafure and f : to which the half 
 Foot added, (though commencing a new Rhythmical Cadence) conftitutes 
 a fecond Meafure f . At the next Sufpenfive Paufe there is a Meafure 
 in utterance^ and an half Meafure in filence. 
 
 But if the Sufpenjive Paufe fupport or reftore the Rhythm? the Stops, ac- 
 cording to this account of them, mav be expected to interrupt it much oftener 
 than it can be thus compenfated, or than the Verfe would endure, without 
 breaking all Meafure and Cadence, and rendering it, as it were, untuneable. 
 To this poflible objection, it may be a fufficient anfwer to recollect the 
 Power of the furd Quantity of our Syllables ; which when the difference of 
 half a time would difagreeably break the Rhythm, (for not always fuch break 
 in the ftricT: Cadence is difagreeable or improper), will generally compen- 
 fate the difference ; or to confider, that if it does not, in any particular in- 
 ftance, then is the proper place for the Rhythmical intervention of the Suf- 
 fenfiye Paufe, if required. 
 
 The dotted Paufe ... and the Breaks^ fingle or double, like discretionary 
 refts in Mufic^ are not eftimated either in the Meafure or the Rhythm : which 
 is refumed after them with more advantageous effect, from being thus fea- 
 fonably, and with due caufe, interrupted. The impreflion is not only 
 energetic. at the inftant, when the Rhythm is thus broken : but by awaken- 
 ing the attention, it caufes the fentiment of the general Cadence, when re- 
 continued, to be more clear and vivid *. 
 
 If the Obfervance of thefe Paufes be thought to be difficult, there may 
 be fome who, at the fame time, may think the difficulty worthy to be en- 
 countered. An approximation^ at leaft, is.no very arduous effort: but a 
 
 * Vid, YOUNG on Rhythmical Cadence, p. 70, 71. ED. PHIL, TRANS. II. 
 
 very
 
 [- Mi 1 
 
 very fmall part of what is conquered by Proficients in Mufic in their earlieft 
 youth. It is no formidable exertion to take an interval of filence, which 
 fhall be lefs than a Semicolon, and greater than a Comma : fmce between thefej 
 in good Reading, and efpecially of fuch a Poem, the difference, in Time 
 as well as Inflexion, is very fenfible indeed : and fo in proportion of the reft. 
 And even thofe who fhould totally difregard the Sufpenjive and other Paufes, 
 will, I hope, generally find the common Stops more clear, and better fuited 
 to Expreffion and Cadence, in this, than in the former Editions. At leafr, 
 no attention has been fpared that they might be fo. 
 
 Of RHYTHM. 
 
 Having faid thus much of Tim*?, or Quantity in its constituent Parts, and 
 Meafure, or the refult of their determinate Arrangement, and the Notation of 
 thefe, I fhall conclude with an Idea of RHYTHM : of that Harmony of Num- 
 bers by which the whole POEM is animated ; and without which, the Spirit 
 of its fublimeft Energies would, comparatively, be dormant. 
 
 The RHYTHM, then, of Language, is a proportionate combination of Soundsj 
 having an appreciable Time and Meafure, pleafing and exprejfhe. r Y\\Q word 
 plea/ing is here taken in its utmoft extent : and every Variety of the pathetic, 
 every the ftrongeft Movement of terrific Sublimity is confidered as a different 
 Modification of thofe pure and elevated Pleafures, which Poetic Numbers, 
 aflbciated with fuitable Images and Sentiments, convey. 
 
 If it were not that the Rhythm of the Language is one of the laft of its 
 excellencies which difclofes itfelf to Foreigners, it would have been incon- 
 ceivable that Ifaac Voffms fhould have publifhed, in 1673, at Oxford, his ele- 
 gantly compofed EfTay upon Rhythm ; the year before the fie and Edition of 
 the PARADISE LOST : in which he has aflerted, in well turned Latin, that 
 modern Nations have no Rhythm. This was indeed complaining, as in Chal- 
 cedon,\v\ien Byzantium furrounded him in all her glory; or like one who fhould 
 -have imagined himfelf in the Tents and Wains of Scythia, in the midft of the 
 Temples and Portico's of Athens} or on Salijbury Plain, when in St. Paul'r. 
 
 THE
 
 THE 
 
 FIRST BOOK 
 
 O F 
 
 PARADISE LOST.
 
 PARADISE LOST. 
 
 BOOK I. 
 
 Man's Firft Difobedience, and 
 
 the Fruit 
 Of that forbidden Tree, whofe 
 
 mortal Tafte, 
 Brought Death into the World, 
 
 and all our Woe, 
 
 With Lofs of Eden, till one greater Man 
 Reftore us, and regain the blifsful Seat, 
 Sing heav'nly Mufe, that on the fecret Top 
 Of Oreb, or of Sinai, did ft infpire 
 That Shepherd, who firft taught the chofen Seed, 
 In the Beginning, how the Heav'ns and Earth 
 Rofe out of Chaos : or if Ston Hill 
 Delight thee more, and Si/oa's Brook that flow'd 
 Faft by the oracle of God, I thence 
 Invoke thy aid to my adventrous Song, 
 That with no middle flight intends to foar 
 
 ^ Above 
 
 B 
 
 10
 
 Book i. Parqdife Loft. 
 
 20 
 
 3 
 
 40 
 
 Above th' Aonian mount, while it purfues 
 Things unattempted yet in Profe or Rhime. 
 And chiefly Thou, O Spirit, that doft prefer 
 Before all Temples th' upright heart and pure, 
 Inftrudt rne, for Thou know'ft ; Thou from the firft 
 Waft prefent, and with mighty wings outfpread 
 Dove-like fat'ft brooding on the vaft abyfs, 
 And mad'ft it pregnant : what in mee is dark 
 Illumine j what is low, raife and fupport ; 
 That to the highth of this great argument 
 I may afTert Eternal Providence, 
 And juftifie the ways of God to men. 
 
 Say firft, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view, 
 Nor the deep trad: of Hell, fay firft, what caufe 
 Mov'd our Grand Parents, in that happy ftate, 
 Favour'd of Heav'n fo highly, to fall off 
 From thir Creator, and tranfgrefs his will 
 For one reftraint, Lords of the world befides ? 
 Who firft feduc'd them to that foul revolt ? 
 Th' infernal Serpent: hee it was, whofe guile, 
 Stirr'd up with envy and revenge, deceiv'd 
 The Mother of Mankinde, what time his Pride 
 Had caft him out from Heav'n, with all his hoft 
 Of rebel Angels ; by whofe aid afpiring 
 To fet himfelf in Glory above his Peers, 
 He trufted to have equal'd the Moft High, 
 
 Ver. 31. their, i ft edit. 33. fowl, iftedit. 34. te, i ft and d edit, but 
 the analogy of fpelling, where the pronoun is emphatic, in this Poem, decides 
 for the double /. So mee, ver. 22. 
 
 If
 
 Paradife Lnft. Book 
 
 If he oppos'd ; and with ambitious aim 
 
 Againft the throne and monarchy of God 
 
 Rais'd impious War in Heav'n and battle proud 
 
 With vain attempt. Him the Almighty Power 
 
 Hurl'd headlong flaming from th' ethereal fide, 
 
 With hideous ruine and combuftion, down 
 
 To bottomlefs perdition j there to dwell 
 
 In adamantin chains and penal fire, 
 
 Who durft defie th' Omnipotent to arms. 
 
 Nine times the fpace that meafures day and night 
 
 To mortal men, hee with his horrid crew 
 
 Lay vanquim't, rolling in the fierie gulf, 
 
 Confounded, though immortal. But his doom 
 
 Referv'd him to more wrauth : for now the thought 
 
 Both of loft happinefs and lafting pain 
 
 Torments him : round he throws his baleful eyes, 
 
 That witnefs'd huge affliction and difmay 
 
 Mix'd with obdurate pride and ftedfaft hate : 
 
 At once, as far as Angels kenn, he views 
 
 The difmal fituation wafte and wild : 
 
 A dungeon horrible, on all fides round, 
 
 As one great furnace flam'd: yet from thofe flames 
 
 No light; but rather darknefs vifible 
 
 Serv'd only to difcover fights of woe. 
 
 Regions of forrow ; doleful fhades j where Peace 
 
 And Reft can never dwell j Hope never comes 
 
 That comes to all ; but Torture without end 
 
 Ver. 51. bee, required by analogy. 
 
 Still 
 B 2
 
 Book i . Paradife Loft. 
 
 70 
 
 80 
 
 90 
 
 Still urges, and a fiery deluge, fed 
 
 With ever-burning fulphur unconfum'd ! 
 
 Such place Eternal Juftice had prepar'd 
 
 For thofe rebellious : here thir pris'n ordain'd 
 
 In utter darknefs - 3 and thir portion let 
 
 As far remov'd from God and light of Heav'n, 
 
 As from the center thrice to th' utmoft pole. 
 
 O how unlike the place from whence they fell ! 
 
 There the companions of his fall, o'erwhelm'd 
 
 With floods and whirlwinds of tempefluous fire, 
 
 He foon difcerns ; and welt'ring by his fide 
 
 One next hirnfelf in pow'r, and next in crime, 
 
 Long after known in Pale/line, and nam'd 
 
 Beelzebub. To whom th' Arch-Enemy, 
 
 And thence in Heav'n call'd Satan, with bold words 
 
 Breaking the horrid filence, thus began. 
 
 If thou beeft hee.. .but O howfall'n ! how chang'd 
 From him,' who in the happy realms of light 
 Cloth'd with tranfcendent brightnefs didil outmine 
 Myriads though bright ! If hee whom mutual league, 
 United thoughts and counfels, equal hope 
 And hazard in the glorious enterprifc, 
 Joyn'd with me once, now mifery hath join'd 
 In equal ru'in : into what pit thou feeft 
 From what highth fall'n : fo much the ftronger prov'd 
 Hee with his thunder : and till then who knew 
 
 Vcr. 71. tbelr, ift and ad edit. 84. 87. 93. He, ift and ad edit. But the 
 analogy is preferred, which prevails throughout alter the latter end of this 
 Book. And Ib ica. m. and 143. 
 
 TM 
 
 The 

 
 Paradife Loft. Book, i. 
 
 1 he force of thofe dire arms ? Yet not for thofe, 
 
 Nor what the potent Victor in his rage 
 
 Can elfe inflict, do I repent or change, 
 
 Though chang'd in outward luitre, that fix'd mind, 
 
 And high difdain, from fenfe of injur'd merit, 
 
 That with the Mightiefl rais'd me to contend, 
 
 And to the fierce contention brought along 
 
 Innumerable force of Spirits arm'd, 
 
 That durft diflike his reign; and mee preferring, 
 
 His utmoft pow'r with adverfe povv'r oppos'd 
 
 In dubious battel on the plains of Heav'n, 
 
 And /hook his throne. What though the field be loft? 
 
 All is, not loft 3 th' unconquerable Will, 
 
 And ftudy of revenge, immortal hate, 
 
 And courage, never to fubmit or yield,... 
 
 And what is elfe not to be overcome ? 
 
 That glory never {hall his wrath or might 
 
 Extort from mee. To bow and fue for grace 
 
 With fuppliant knee, and deifie his pow'r, 
 
 Who from the terror of this arm fo late 
 
 Douhted'his, empire 1 that were low indeed, 
 
 That were an ignominy, and mame beneath 
 
 This downfall : fmce by fate the ftrength of Gods 
 
 And this empyreal fubftance cannot fail, 
 
 Since, through experience of this great event, 
 
 In arms not \\orfe, in forelight much advanc't, 
 
 We may, with more fuccefsful hope, refolve 
 
 Ver. in. vide note on ver. 84, &c. 
 
 To 
 
 100 
 
 110 
 
 1 20
 
 Book i. Paradife Loft. 
 
 130 
 
 140 
 
 To wage by force or guile, eternal war, 
 Irreconcileable to our grand foe ; 
 Who now triumphs, and in the excefs of joy, 
 Sole reigning, holds the tyranny of Heav'n. 
 
 So fpake th' apoftate Angel, though in pain ; 
 Vaunting aloud, but rack'd with deep defpare; 
 And him thus anfwer'd foon his bold Compeer. 
 
 O Prince, O Chief of many throned Powers, 
 That led th' imbattel'd Seraphic to warr 
 Under thy conduct, and in dreadful deeds 
 Fearlefs, endanger'd Heav'n's perpetual King 
 And put to proof his high fupremacy, 
 Whether upheld by firength, or chance, or fate. 
 Too well I fee and rue the dire event, 
 That with fad overthrow and foul defeat 
 Hath loft us Heav'n, and all this mighty hoft 
 In horrible deftrudtion laid thus low ; 
 As far as Gods and heav'nly effences 
 Can perim : for the mind and fpi'rit remains 
 Invincible, and vigor foon returns, 
 Though all our glory' extincl:, and happy (late 
 Here fwallow'd up in endlefs mifery. 
 But what if hee our Conquerour, (whom I now 
 Offeree believe almighty, fince no lefs 
 Than fuch could have o'er-pow'r'd fuch force as ours), 
 Have left us this our fpi'rit and ftrength entire 
 Strongly to fuffer and fupport our pains : 
 
 Ver. 143. the analogy here again demands the emphatic ee 
 
 That
 
 Paradife Loft. Book i. 
 
 That we may fo fuffice his vengeful ire, 
 
 Or do him mightier fervice as his thralls, 
 
 By right of warr, whate'er his bufmefs be j 
 
 Here in the heart of Hell to work in fire, 
 
 Or do his errands in the gloomy deep ! 
 
 What can it then avail, though yet we feel 
 
 Strength undiminim'd, or eternal being 
 
 To undergo eternal punimment ? 
 
 Whereto with fpeedy words th' Arch-Fiend reply'd. 
 
 Fall'n Cherube, to be weak is miferable 
 Doing or fuffering : but of this be fure, 
 To do ought good never will be our tafk, 
 But ever to do ill our fole delight, 
 As be'ing the contrary to his high will 
 Whom we refift. If then his Providence 
 Out of our evil feek to bring forth good, 
 Our labour muft be to pervert that end, 
 And out of good ftill to find means of evil : 
 Which oft-times may fucceed, fo as perhaps 
 Shall grieve him, if I fail not, and difturb 
 His inmott counfels from thir deftin'd aim. 
 But fee, the angry Vidlor hath recall'd 
 His Minifters of vengeance and purfuit 
 Back to the gates of Heav'n : the fulphurous hail 
 Shot after us in ftorm, oreblown, hath laid 
 The fiery furge, that from the precipice 
 Of Heav'n receiv'd us falling : and the Thunder, 
 Wing'd with red lightning and impetuous rage, 
 
 Perhaps 
 
 150 
 
 1 60 
 
 170
 
 Book i. Paradife Loft. 
 
 180 
 
 190 
 
 200 
 
 Perhaps hath fpent his {hafts, and ceafes now 
 To bellow through the vaft and boundlefs deep. 
 Let us not flip th' occafion, whether fcorn, 
 Or fatiate fury yield it from our Foe. 
 Seeft thou yon dreary plain, forlorn and wild, 
 The feat of defolation, voyd of light, 
 Save what the glimmering of thefe livid flames 
 Cafts, pale and dreadful ? Thither let us tend, 
 From off the tofling of thefe fiery waves ; 
 There reft; if any reft can harbour there; - 
 And re-affembling our affli&ed Powers, 
 Confult, how we may henceforth moft offend 
 Our enemy j our own lofs how repair; 
 How overcome this dire calamity : 
 What reinforcement we may gain from hope ; 
 If not,, what refolution from defpair. 
 -"-'Thus Satan, talking to his nearefl mate, 
 With head up-lift above the wave, and eyes 
 That fparkling blaz'd : his other parts befides 
 Prone on the flood, extended long and large, 
 Lay floting many a rood; in bulk as huge 
 As whom the fables name of monftrous fize, 
 Titanian or Earth-born, that warr'd on Jove: 
 Brtareos or Syphon, whom the den 
 By ancient Tarfus held ; or that fea-beaft 
 Leviathan, which God of all his works 
 Created hugeft that fvvim the ocean ftream : 
 Him, haply, flumb'ring on the Norway foam 
 
 The
 
 Paradife Loft. Book i. 
 
 The Pilot of fome fmall night-founder'd fkiff 
 
 Deeming fome liland, oft, as feamen tell, 
 
 With fixed anchor in his fkaly rind 
 
 Moors by his fide under the lee, while Night 
 
 Inverts thp fea, and wifhed Morn delays : 
 
 So ftretch'd out huge in length the Arch-Fiend lay 
 
 Chain'd on the burning lake : nor ever thence 
 
 Had ris'n.Qr heav'd his head ; but that the will 
 
 And high r permiffion of all-ruling Heaven 
 
 Left him at large to his own dark defigns : 
 
 That with reiterated crimes he might 
 
 Heap on himfelf damnation, while he fought 
 
 Evil to others j and enrag'd might fee 
 
 How all his malice ferv'd but to bring forth 
 
 Infinite goodnefs, grace and mercy, mown 
 
 On Man by him feduc't; but on himfelf 
 
 Treble confufion, wrath and vengeance pour'd. 
 
 Forthwith upright he rears from off the pool j 
 
 His mighty ftature; on each hand the flames, 
 
 Driv'n backward, flope thir pointing fpires, and rolFd 
 
 In billows, leave i' th' midft a horrid vale. 
 
 Then with expanded wings he fleers his flight 
 
 Aloft, incumbent on the dufky air 
 
 That feltunufual weight; till on dry land 
 
 He lights,, if it were land that ever burn'd 
 
 With folid, as the lake with liquid fire: 
 
 And fuch appear'd in hue, as when the force 
 
 Ver. 213. their ift Edit, 
 
 Of 
 
 210 
 
 220 
 
 230
 
 Book i. Paradife Loft. 
 
 240 
 
 250 
 
 Of fubterranean wind tranfports a hill 
 
 Torn from Pehrus, or the fhatter'd fide 
 
 Of thund'ring ALtna, whofe combuftible 
 
 And fuel'd entrails thence conceiving fire, 
 
 Sublim'd with mineral fury, aid the winds* < ' <"' ' 
 
 And leave a linged bottom all involved 
 
 With ftench and fmoke: fuch refting found the fole 
 
 Of unbleft feet. Him follow'd his next Mate : 
 
 Both glorying to have Ycap'd the Stygian flood 
 
 As Gods, and by thir own recover'd ftrength, 
 
 Not by the fufferance of fupernal power. 
 
 Is this the region, this the foil, the clime, 
 Said then the loft Arch-Angel, this the feat 
 That we muft change for Heav'n ; this mournful 
 
 gloom 
 
 For that celeftial light?. ..Be' it fo, fince hee 
 Who now is Sovran can difpofe, and bid 
 What mall be right: fardeft from him is befr, 
 Whom Reas'on hath equal'd, Force hath made fupream 
 Above his equals. Farewel happy fields, 
 Where joy for ever dwells: Hail horrors, hail 
 Infernal World j and thou, profoundeft Hell 
 Receive thy new Pofieflbr: one who brings 
 A mind not to be chang'd by place or time 3 
 The mind is its own place,, and in itfelf 
 Can make a Heav'n of Hell, a Hell of Heav'n. 
 What matter where, if I be ftill the fame, 
 
 Ver. 245. be, ift Edit. 
 
 And
 
 Paradife Loft. Book i . 
 
 And what I mould -be; all but Ids than hee 
 Whom thunder hath made greater ?_ Here at leaft 
 We mall be free; th' Almighty hath not built 
 Hene for his' envy ; will not drive us hence : 
 Here we may -reign fecure: and in my choyre 
 To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell: 
 Better to reign in Hell, than ferve in Heaven. 
 But wherefore let we then our faithful friends, 
 Th' aflbciates and copartners of our lofs, 
 Lie thus aftonifli't on'th' oblivious pool, 
 And call them not to mare with us their part 
 In this unhappy manfion : or once more 
 With rallied arms to try what may be yet 
 Regain'd in H'eav'n, or what more loft in Hell ? 
 
 So Satan fpake, : and him B'tilxebub 
 Thus anfwer'd. Leader of" thofe armies bright, 
 Which but the Omnipotent none could have foi'i'd,, 
 If once they hear that voyce, thir livelieft pledge 
 Of hope in fears and dangers, heard fo oft 
 In worft extremes, and on the perilous edge 
 Of battel when it rag'd,in all affaults 
 Thir fureft fignal, they 'will foon refurr.e 
 New courage, and revive j though now they lie 
 Groveling and proftrate oh yon lake of fire, 
 As we ere* while, aftounded and amaz'd; 
 No wonder,, fal-l'n fuc'n a pernic?ou : s highth: 
 He fcarce had'ceas't, when- the fuperior Fiend 
 
 Ver. Z6/. tbeir t ift and zd Edit. -^174,. ^78. their, ift Edit. 
 
 Was 
 
 i . . ii s_^ . -. : -. : ; 
 
 C 2
 
 Book i . Paradjfe Loft. 
 
 290 
 
 300 
 
 310 
 
 Was moving tow'ard the more; his pond'rous (hield, 
 
 Ethereal temper, mafTy, large and round, 
 
 Behind him caft j the broad circumference 
 
 Hung on his moulders like the Moon, vvhofe Orb 
 
 Through Optic Glafs the Ttifcan artift views 
 
 At evening from the top of Fefole, 
 
 Or in ValdarnOy to defcry new lands, 
 
 Rivers ; or mountains in her fpotty globe. 
 
 His fpear, to equal which the talleft pine 
 
 Hewn on Norwegian hills, to be the mall 
 
 Of fome great ammiral, were but a wand, 
 
 He walk't with, to fupport uneafy fteps 
 
 Over the burning marie, not like thofe fteps 
 
 On Heaven's azure, and the torrid clime 
 
 Smote on him fore befides, vaulted with fire: 
 
 Nathlefs he fo indur'd, till on the beach 
 
 Of that inflamed fea he flood, and call'd 
 
 His Legions, Angel forms, who lay intranc't 
 
 Thick as autumnal leaves that ftrow the brooks 
 
 In Vallombrofa, where th' Etrurian (hades 
 
 High over-arch't, imbow'r; or fcatter'd fedge 
 
 Aflote, when with fierce winds Orion arm'd 
 
 Hath vex'd the Red-Sea coaft, whofe waves orethrew 
 
 Bujiris and his Mempbian chivalrie, 
 
 While with perfidious hatred they purfued 
 
 The fojourners of Goften, who beheld 
 
 From the fafe more thir floting carkafes 
 
 Ver. 310, tteir, iftEdit. 
 
 And
 
 Paradife Loft. Book i. 
 
 And broken chariot wheels : fo thick beftrown 
 
 Abject and loft lay thefe, covering the flood, 
 
 Under amazement of their hideous change 
 
 He call'd fo loud, that all the hollow deep 
 
 Of Hell refounded. Princes, Potentates, 
 
 Warriers, the flow'r of Heav'n, once yours, now loft, 
 
 If fuch aftonifhment as this can fiefe 
 
 Eternal Spi'rits j or have ye chos'n this place 
 
 After the toil of battel to repofe 
 
 Your wearied virtue ; for the eafe you find 
 
 To flumber here, as in the vales of Heaven ? 
 
 Or in this abject pofture have ye fworn 
 
 To' adore the Conquerour? who now beholds 
 
 Cherube and Seraph rolling in the flood 
 
 With fcatter'd arms and enfigns, till anon 
 
 His fwift purfuers from Heav'n gates difcern 
 
 Th' advantage, and defcending tread us down 
 
 Thus drooping, or with linked thunderbolts 
 
 Transfix us to the bottom of this gulfe. 
 
 Awake,, arife,, or be for ever fall'n. 
 
 They heard, and were abafh't, and up they fprung 
 Upon the wing : as when men wont to watch, 
 On duty, fleeping found by whom they dread, 
 Roufe and beftir themfelves ere well awake. 
 Nor did they not perceave the evil plight 
 In which they were, or the fierce pains not feel ; 
 Yet to thir General's voice they foon obey'd ; 
 
 Ver. 3j7. tbeir, i ft Edit. 
 
 In- 
 
 320 
 
 33
 
 Book I. Paradife Loft. 
 
 34 
 
 35 
 
 360 
 
 Innumerable. As when the potent rod 
 
 Of Amrarrti fon, in Egypf's evil day, 
 
 Wav'd round the coaft, up call'd a pitchy cloud 
 
 Of Locufts, warping on the eaftern wind, 
 
 That ore the realm of impious Pharaoh hung 
 
 Like night, and darken'd all the land of Nile: 
 
 So numberlefs were thofe bad Angels feen 
 
 Hovering on wing under the cope of Hell 
 
 'Twixt upper, nether, and furrounding fires ; 
 
 Till, as a fignal giv'n, th' up-lifted fpear 
 
 Of thir great Sultan waving to direct 
 
 Thir courfe, in even bnllance down they light 
 
 On the firm brimftone, and fill all the plain; 
 
 A multitude, like which the populous North 
 
 Pour'd never from her frozen loyns, ,to pafs 
 
 Rbene or the Danaw, when her barbarous ibns 
 
 Came like a deluge on the fouth, and.fpread 
 
 Beneath Gibraltar to the Lyblan fands. ; 
 
 Forthwith from every fquadron and each band 
 
 The Heads and Leaders thither hafte,, where flood 
 
 Thir great Commander; Godlike Shapes, and forms 
 
 Excelling human : princely Dignities ; 
 
 And Powers that earil in Heav'n fat on thrones ; 
 
 Though of thir names in heav'nly records now 
 
 Be no memorial ; blotted out and ras'd 
 
 By thir Rebellion from the Book of Life. 
 
 Ver. 348. 358. 361. tbeir, ift Edit. 363. Rocks, ift and ;d Edir. But tfie 
 Ityle of the facred Epic, and tfie analogy of Scripture, plead invincibly for 
 the conje&ure of Bentltj' t , : tQ vbich ac.*erdingly ptace is given. 
 
 Nor
 
 Paradfe L*ft. Book i. 
 
 Nor had they yet among the fons of Eve 
 
 Got them new names: till wand'ring o'er the earth, 
 
 Through God's rjigh fufferance for the tri'al of man, 
 
 By falfities and lies the greateft part 
 
 Of Mankind they corrupted to forfake 
 
 God thir Creator, and th' invifible 
 
 Glory of him that made them, to transform 
 
 Oft to the image of a Brute, adorn'd 
 
 With gay religions full of pomp and gold, 
 
 And Devils to adore for Deities : 
 
 Then were they known to men by various names, 
 
 And various idols through the Heathen world. 
 
 Say, Mufe, thir Names then known, who firft, who laft, 
 
 Rous'd from the llumber, on that fiery couch, 
 
 At thir great empe'ror's call, as next in worth 
 
 Came, fingly where he ftood on the bare ftrand, 
 
 While the promifcuous croud flood yet aloof. 
 
 The chief were thofe who from the pit of Hell 
 
 Roaming to feek thir prey on earth, durft fix 
 
 Their feats long after next the feat of God, 
 
 Thir altars by his altar; Gods ador'd 
 
 Among the Nations round; and durft abide 
 
 fova/j thund'i ing out of Sion, thron'd 
 Between the Cherubim , yea, often plac'd 
 Within his fancluary itfelf thir mrines, 
 
 Abominations, and' with curfed things 
 
 . | 
 
 Vcr. 369. 376. 382. their, ift Ed. 383, 384. tbir, ad Ed. ; but in the firft 
 f the two lines the einphafis feemi neceflary. 
 
 His
 
 Book i. Paradife Loft. 
 
 39 
 
 400 
 
 410 
 
 His holy rites and folemn feafts profan'd; 
 
 And with thir darknefs durft affront his light. 
 
 Firft Moloch, horrid King, befmcar'd with blood 
 
 Of human facrifiee, and parent's tears ; 
 
 Though for the noyfe of drums and timbrels loud 
 
 Thir Children's cries unheard, that pafs'd through fire 
 
 To his grim idol. Him the Ammonite 
 
 Worfhipt in Rabba and her watry plain, 
 
 In Argob and in Eafan t to the ftream 
 
 Of utmoft Arnon : Nor content with fuch 
 
 Audacious neighbourhood, the wifeft heart 
 
 Of Solomon he led by fraud to build 
 
 His temple right againft the temple' of God 
 
 On that opprobrious hill ; and made his grove 
 
 The pleafant valley' of Hinnom; Tophet thence 
 
 And black Gehenna call'd, the type of Hell. 
 
 Next Chemos, th' obfcene dread of Moat's fons, 
 
 From Aroer to Nebo, and the wild 
 
 Of fouthmoft Abarim ; in Hefebon 
 
 And Horonaim, Seons realm, beyond 
 
 The flow'ry dale of Slbma clad with vines, 
 
 And E/ea/e to th' Afphaltlc pool. 
 
 Peor his other name, when he entic'd 
 
 IJrael in Slttim, on thir march from Nile, 
 
 To do him wanton rites, which coft them woe. 
 
 Yet thence his luftful orgies he inlarg'd 
 
 Ev'n to that hill of fcandal, by the grove 
 
 Ver. 391. 395. 413. tbeir, id Edit. 
 
 Of
 
 Paradife Loft. Book i. 
 
 Of Moloch homicide, luft hard by hate; 
 
 Till good Jo/iab drove them thence to Hell. 
 
 With thefe came they, who from the bord'ring flood 
 
 Of old Euphrates to the brook that parts 
 
 Egypt from Syrian ground, had general names 
 
 Of Baalim and Afhtarotb - y thofe male 
 
 Thefe feminine j for Spirits when they pleafe 
 
 Can either fex afTume, or both -, fo foft 
 
 And uncompounded is thir effence pure, 
 
 Not ti'd or manacled with joint or limb, 
 
 Nor founded on the brittle ftrength of bones, 
 
 Like cumbrous flefh ; but in what fhape they choofe 
 
 Dilated or condens't, bright or obfcure, 
 
 Can execute thir aery purpofes, 
 
 And works of love or enmity fulfil. 
 
 For thole the race of Ifrael oft forfook 
 
 Thir living ftrength, and unfrequented left 
 
 His righteous altar, bowing lowly down 
 
 To beftial Gods j for which thir heads as low 
 
 Bow'd down in Battel, funk before the fpear 
 
 Of defpicable foes. With thefe in troop 
 
 Came dftoreth, whom the Phoenicians call 
 
 jjflarte, Queen of Heav'n, with crefcent horns; 
 
 To whofe bright Image nightly by the Moon 
 
 Sidonlan virgins paid thir vows and fongs ; 
 
 In Sion alfo not unfung, where flood 
 
 Her temple on th' ofFenfive mountain, built 
 
 Vcr. 425. 430. their, ift Edit. 
 
 420 
 
 43 
 
 440
 
 Book i. Paradife Loft. 
 
 45 
 
 460 
 
 47 
 
 By that uxorious King, whofe heart, though large, 
 
 Beguil'd by fair idolatrefles, fell 
 
 To idols foul. Tbammuz came next behind, 
 
 Whofe annual wound in Lebanon allur'd 
 
 The Syrian damfels to lament his fate 
 
 In amorous ditties all a fummer's day, 
 
 While fmooth Adonis from his native rock 
 
 Ran purple to the fea, fuppos'd with blood 
 
 Of 'Tbammuz yearly wounded : the love-tale 
 
 Infected Sion's daughters with like heat -, 
 
 Whofe wanton paffions in the facred porch 
 
 Ezekiel faw, when by the vifion led 
 
 His eye furvey'd the dark idolatries 
 
 Of alienated Judab. Next came one 
 
 Who mourn'd in earneft, when th? captive Ark 
 
 Maim'd his brute image, head and hands lopt off 
 
 fn his own temple, on the grunfel edge 
 
 Where he fell flat, and fham'd his worfhippers : 
 
 Dagon his name, fea monfter, upward man 
 
 And downward fim : yet had his temple high 
 
 Rear'd in Azotus, dreaded through the coaft 
 
 Of Paleftine, in Gath and Afcalon^ 
 
 And Accaron and Gaza's frontier bounds. 
 
 Him follow'd Rimmon, whofe delightful feat 
 
 Was fair Damafcus, on the fertil banks 
 
 Of Abbana and Pbarpbar, lucid ftreams. 
 
 Hee alfo' againft the houfe of God was bold: 
 
 A Leper once he loft, and gain'd a King , 
 
 Abaz
 
 Paradlfe Loft. Book i . 
 
 Aba-z his lbtti(h conqu'ror, whom he drew 
 
 God's altar to difparage and difplace 
 
 For one of Syrian mode whereon to burn 
 
 His odious offerings, and adore the Gods 
 
 Whom he had vanquifh't. After thefe appear'd 
 
 A crew, who under names of old renown, 
 
 OJiris, Ifis t Orus, and their train, 
 
 With monftrous fliapes and forceries, abus'd 
 
 Fanatic Egypt and her Priefts, to feek 
 
 Thir wand'ring Gods difguis'd in brutim forms 
 
 Rather than human. Nor did IJrael 'fcape 
 
 Th' infection, when thir borrow'd gold compos'd 
 
 The calf in Oreb - t and the rebel King 
 
 Doubled that fin in Bethel and in Dan, 
 
 Likening his Maker to the grazed ox : 
 
 yebovab, who in one night when he pafs'd 
 
 From Egypt marching, equal'd with one ftroke 
 
 Both her nrft-born and all her bleating gods; 
 
 Belial came laft, than whom a Spi'rit more lewd 
 
 Fell not from Heaven, or more grofs to love 
 
 Vice for itfelf : to him no temple flood 
 
 Or altar fmok'd ; yet who more oft than hee 
 
 In Temples and at Altars, when the Prieft 
 
 Turns atheift, as did E/i's Ions, who fill'd 
 
 With luft and violence the houfe of God? 
 
 In courts and palaces he alfo reigns 
 
 And in luxurious cities, where the noyfe 
 
 Ver. 483. thir, zd Edit. 
 
 Of 
 
 D 2 
 
 480 
 
 490
 
 Book i . Paradife Lqfl. 
 
 500 
 
 510 
 
 520 
 
 Of ri'ot, afcends above thir loftieft towers, 
 And injury and outrage : And when Night 
 Darkens the Streets, then wander forth the Sons 
 Of Belial, flown with infolence and wine. 
 Witnefs the Streets of Sodom, and that night 
 In Gibeah, when the hofpitable door 
 Fxpos'd a matron to avoid worfe rape. 
 Thefe were the prime in order and in might ; 
 The reft were long to tell, though far renown'd. 
 Th' Ionian Gods, of Javans iflue ; held 
 Gods,, yet confefs'd later than Heav'n and Earth, 
 Thir boafted parents : 'Titan, HeavVs nrft-born, 
 With his enormous brood, and birthright feis'd 
 By younger Saturn ; hee from mightier Jove, 
 His own and Rbea's fon, like meafure found ; 
 So Jove ufurping reign'd : thefe firll in Greet 
 And Ida known, thence on the fnowy top 
 Of cold Olympus, rul'd the middle air, 
 Their higheft Heav'n ; or on the Delphian cliff, 
 Or in Dodona, and through all the bounds 
 Of Doric land; or who with Saturn old 
 Fled over Adria to th' Hejperian fields, 
 And o'er the Celtic roam'd the utmoft iles. 
 
 All thefe and more came flocking -, but with looks 
 Down caft and damp: yet fuch, wherein appear'd 
 Obfcurefomeglimpsofjoy; to' have found thir Chief 
 
 Ver. 505. When bofpitable dores yielded their matrons, ift Edit. 517. tbir, 
 -.<\ Edit. : but I do not alter, as perhaps it is diftinguiflied as being here 
 emphatic. 
 
 Not
 
 Paradife Loft. Book i. 
 
 Not in defpair, to' have found themfelves not loft 
 In lofs itfelf ; which on his count'nance caft 
 Like doubtful hue: but hee, his wonted pride 
 Soon recollecting, with high words, that bore 
 Semblance of worth, not fubftance, gently rais'd 
 Thir fainted courage, and difpell'd thir fears. 
 Then it rait commands that at the warlike found 
 Of trumpets loud and clarions be uprear'd 
 His mighty ftandard : that proud honour clam'd 
 Azazel as his right, a Cherube tall; 
 Who forthwith from the glittering ftaff unfurl'd 
 Th' imperial enfign : which full high advanc't 
 Shone, like a meteor ftreaming to the wind, 
 With gemms and golden luftre rich imblaz'd, 
 Seraphic arms and trophies; all the while 
 Sonorous mettal blowing martial founds : 
 At which the univerfal Hoft up fent 
 A fhout, that tore Hell's concave, and beyond 
 Frighted the reign of Chaos and old Night. 
 All in a moment through the gloom were feen 
 Ten thoufand banners rife into the air 
 With orient Colors waving : with them rofe 
 A Forreft huge of fpears : and thronging helms 
 Appear'd,, and ferried (hields in thick array 
 Of depth immeafurable : anon they move 
 In perfect Phalanx \ to the Dorian mood 
 
 Ver. 514. 530. tbir, id Ed. 527. bee, as being emphatic. 530. fainting, 
 id Ed. j but fainted feems right. 
 
 Of
 
 Book i . Paradife Loft. 
 
 Of Flutes and foft Recorders ; fuch as rais'd 
 To highth of nobleft temper Hero's old 
 Arming to battel ; and inftead of rage 
 Deliberate valour breath'd, firm and unmov'd 
 With dread of death to flight or foul retreat; 
 Nor wanting pow'r to mitigate and fwage 
 With fulemn touches troubled thoughts, and chafe 
 Anguifli and doubt, and fear, and forrow' and pain 
 From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they, 
 
 560 
 
 57 
 
 Breathing united force, with fixed thought, - 
 Mov'd on in filence to foft pipes, that charm'd 
 Thir painful fleps o'er the burnt foyle : and now 
 Advanc't in view they ftand; a horrid front 
 Of dreadful length and dazling arms, in guile 
 Of Warriers old with order 'd fpear and fhield; 
 Awaiting what command thir mighty Chief 
 Had to impofe : Hee through the armed files 
 Darts his experienc'd eye, and foon traverfe 
 The whole battalion views; thir order due; 
 Thir vifages and ftature as of Gods ; 
 Thir number laft he fumms. And now his heart 
 Diilends with pride, and hard'ning in his ftrength 
 Glories : for never, fince created man, 
 Met fuch imbodied force, as nam'd with thefe 
 Could merit more than that fmall infantry 
 Warr'd-on by cranes; though all the giant brood 
 Of Pblegra with th' heroic race were joih'd 
 That fought at Tbeb's and Ilium, on each fide 
 
 Mix'd
 
 Paradife Ltf. Book r . 
 
 Mix'd with auxiliar Gods ; and what refounds 
 
 In fable or romance of Utfor's Son 
 Begirt with Eritijh and Armorlc Knights; 
 And all who fince, baptiz'd or infidel, 
 Joufted in Afpramont, or Montalkan, 
 Damafco, or Marocco, or Trebifond-,, 
 Or whom Biferta fent from Afric more, 
 When Charlemain with all his Peerage fell 
 By Fontarabbia. Thus far thefe beyond 
 Compare of mortal prowefs, yet obierv'd 
 Thir dread Commander: hee above the refl 
 In mape and gefture proudly eminent, 
 Stood, like a Town his form had yet not loll 
 All her original brightnefs ; nor appeared 
 Lefs than Arch-Angel ruin'd, and th' excefs 
 Of Glory obfcur'd: as when the Sun new rifen 
 Looks through the horizontal miity air 
 Shorn of his beams; or from behind the Moon 
 In dim eclips difaflrous twilight (heds 
 On half the Nations, and with fear of change 
 Perplexes Monarchs. Darken'd fo, yet mons 
 Above them all th' Arch-AngeL: but his face 
 Deep fears of thunder had intrench't; and care 
 Sat on his faded cheek, but under browes 
 Of dauntlefs courage, and confiderate pride 
 Waiting revenge: cruel his eye; but caft 
 
 Ver. 589. Analogy requires the emphatic bee, though not in the id or 
 id Edit. 
 
 Signs
 
 Book i. Paradife Loft. 
 
 610 
 
 620 
 
 630 
 
 bigns of remorfe and paffion,, to behold 
 The fellows of his crime,_the followers rather, 
 [Far other once beheld in blifs) condemn'd 
 For ever now to have thir lot in pain ; 
 VTillions of Spirits for his fault amerc'd 
 Of Heav'n, and from eternal fplendors flung 
 For his revolt, yet faithful ! how they ftood, 
 Thir glory wither'd: as when Heaven's fire 
 Hath fcath'd the foreft oaks, or mountain pines, 
 With linged top thir (lately growth, though bare, 
 Stands, on the blafted heath. He now prepar'd 
 To fpeak; whereat thir doubled ranks they bend 
 From wing to wing, and half inclofe him round 
 With all his Peers: Attention held them mute. 
 Thrice he eflay'd, and thrice in fpite of fcorn 
 Tears, fuch as Angels weep, burft forth: at laft 
 Words interwove with fighs found out thir wsy. 
 
 O Myriads of immortal Spi'rits, O Powers 
 Matchlefs, but with th' Almighty,. ..and that ftrife 
 Was not inglorious, though th' event was dire, 
 As this place teftifies, and this dire change 
 Hateful to utter: but what pow'r of mind, 
 Forfeeing or prefaging, from the depth 
 Of knowledge paft or prefent, could have fear'd, 
 How fuch united force of Gods, how fuch 
 
 As ftood like thefe, could ever know repulfe ? 
 
 For who can yet bcleeve, though after lofs, 
 
 Ver. 608. 614.. 616. 621. their, ift Edit. 
 
 That
 
 Paradife Loft. Book i . 
 
 That all thefe puiffant legions, whofe exile 
 Hath emptied Heav'n, mall fail to re-aicend 
 
 Self-rais'd, and repoffefs thir native feat ? 
 
 For mee, be witnefs all the Hoft of Heaven, 
 
 If counfels different, or danger fhunn'd 
 
 By mee, have loft our hopes. But he who reigns 
 
 Monarch in Heav'n, till then as one fecure 
 
 Sat on his throne, upheld by old repute, 
 
 Confent or cuftome ; and his regal ftate 
 
 Put forth at full, but ftill his ftrength conceal'd, 
 
 Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall. 
 
 Henceforth his might we know, and know our own j 
 
 So as not either to provoke, or dread 
 
 New warr, provok't: our better part remains, 
 
 To work in clofe defign, by fraud or guile, 
 
 What Force effected not : that hee no lefs 
 
 At length, from us may find, who overcomes 
 
 By force, hath overcome but half his foe. 
 
 Spaqe may produce new Worlds ; whereof fo rife 
 
 There went a fame in Heav'n that he ere long 
 
 Intended to create, and therein plant 
 
 A generation whom his choice regard 
 
 Should favour, equal to the fons of Heav'n : 
 
 Thither, if but to pry, fhall be perhaps 
 
 Ver. 634. tbir, ad Edit. 635, 637. me, ift Edit. 637. be. OH the ftrength 
 of the analogical principle, I once had determined for the doubles here; but 
 neither the ift er id Edit, have it. And it is better not ; iince the emphafis 
 is on mee, hi the fame line, and k is fo fpeft in the iA. He is then haH/ly flid 
 over, and the emphafis is on reignt. This is truly charaaeriftic, and has 
 great; force of numbers and of expreflion, 647. he, ift and id Edit. 
 
 Our
 
 Book i. Paradife Loft. 
 
 
 660 
 
 6 7 c 
 
 680 
 
 Our firft eruption ; thither or elfewhere : 
 For this infernal Pit (hall never hold 
 Celeftial Spi'rits in bondage, nor th' Abyfs 
 Long under darknefs cover. But thefe thoughts 
 Full Counfel rnuft mature : Peace is defpair'd ; 
 For who can think fubmilTion ? Warr then, Warr, 
 Open or underftood, muft be refolv'd. 
 
 He fpake ; and to confirm his words, out-flew 
 Millions of flaming fwords, drawn from the thighs 
 Of mighty Cherubim ; the fudden blaze 
 Far round illumin'd Hell : highly they rag'd 
 Againft the High/eft, and fierce with grafped arms 
 Clafli'd on thir founding fhields the din of war/ - o 
 Hurling defiance tow'ard the vault of Heaven. 
 
 There flood a hill not far, whofe grbfly top 
 Belch'd fire and rowling fmoak ; the re It entire 
 Shone with a glofly fcurrF; undoubted fign 
 That in his womb was hid metallic ore, 
 The work of fulphur. Thither, wing'd with fpeed, 
 A numerous Brigad haften'd : as when bands 
 Of Pioners with fpade and pickax arm'd 
 Forerun the royal Camp, to trench a field, 
 Or caft a rampart. Mammon led them on : 
 Mammon, the lead erected Spi'rit that fell 
 
 From Heav'n; for e'en in Heav'n his looks and 
 
 thoughts 
 Were always downward bent; admiring more 
 
 Ver. 668. tbir, ad Edit. 
 
 The
 
 Paradife Loft. . Book i. 
 
 The riches of Heav'n's pavement, trod'n gold, 
 
 Than aught, divine or holy, elfe, enjoy'd 
 
 In vifion Beatific : by him firft 
 
 Men alfo,_and by his fuggeftion taught, 
 
 Ranfack'c} the Center, and with impious hands 
 
 Rifled the bowels of thir mother Earth 
 
 For treasures, better hid. Soon had his crew 
 
 Open'd into the frill a ( fpacious wound, 
 
 And digg'd out ribs of gold. Let none admire 
 
 That riches grow in Hell ; that foyle may beft 
 
 Deferve the pretious bane. And here let thofe 
 
 Who boaft in mortal things, and wond'ring tell 
 
 Of Babel, and the works oi\Mempbian Kings, 
 
 Learn hovfc thir greateft Monuments of Fame, 
 
 And Strength and Art, are eafily out-done 
 
 By Spirits reprobate, and in an hour 
 
 What in an age they with incefTant toyle 
 
 And hands innumerable fcarce perform. 
 
 Nigh on the plain, in many cells prepar'd, 
 
 That underneath had. veins of liquid fire 
 
 Sluic'd from the lake, a fecond multitude 
 
 With wond'rous art founded the mafTy ore, 
 
 Severing, each kinde, and fcumm'd the bullion drofs : 
 
 A third as foon had form'd within the ground 
 
 A various mold, and from the boyling cells 
 
 By ftrange conveyance fill'd each hollow nook; 
 
 As in an Organ, from one blaft of wind 
 
 Vcr, 703. found out, ad Edit. 
 
 To 
 E 2 
 
 690 
 
 700
 
 Book I. Paradife Loft. 
 
 710 
 
 720 
 
 73 
 
 To many a row of pipes the found-board breathes. 
 
 Anon, out of the Earth, a Fabric huge 
 
 Rofe, like an Exhalation, with the (bund 
 
 Of dulcet Symphonies and Voices fweet, 
 
 Built like a Temple, where Pilaftefs round 
 
 Were fet, and Doric pillars, overlaid 
 
 With golden Architrave j nor did there want 
 
 brnice or Freeze, with bofly fcalptures graven : 
 The Roof was fretted Gold. Not Babilon y 
 Nor great Alcairo fuch magnificence 
 Equal'd in all thir glories,, to inmrine 
 Be/us or Serapis thir Gods, or feat 
 Thir kings, when Egypf with AJJyrla ftrove 
 In wealth and luxurie. Th' afcending Pile 
 Stood fix'd her (lately highth: and ftrait the dores, 
 Opening thir brafen foulds, dill-over wide 
 Within, her ample fpaces, o're the fmooth 
 And level pavement: from the arched roof 
 Pendant by futtle magic many a row 
 Of ftarry lamps and blazing cretfets, fed 
 With Naptba and ^fpbaltus, yielded light 
 As from a iky. The hafty Multitude 
 Admiring enter'd ; and the Work fome praife, 
 And fame the Architect: his hand was known 
 In Heav'n by many a tow'red ftructure high, 
 
 ~Ver. 717 7x1. Btntley gives thefe lines, beginning with not and ending 
 with luxurie, to his ready Receiver, the ideal Editor. One /honld hardly be 
 lorry if the Poem fairly were without them j but we muft not fhake the whole 
 to kee ourlelves from inequalities, incident to the greateft genius. 
 
 Where
 
 Paradife Loft. Book i . 
 
 Where fceptcr'd Angels held thir refidence, 
 And, fat as Princes, whom the fupreme. King 
 Exalted to fuch pow'r, and gave to rule, 
 Each in his Hierarchic, the Orders bright. 
 Nor was his name unheard or imador'd 
 In ancient Greece; and vnAufonian land 
 *Men call'd him, Mulciber - 3 and how he fell 
 From Heav*n, they fabled, thrown by angry Jove 
 Sheer o're the cryftal battlements : from morn 
 To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve, 
 A fummer's day; and with the fetting Sun 
 Dropt from the zenith like a falling Star, 
 On Lemnos th' fiL'gean ile : thus they relate, 
 Erring; for hee with this rebellious rout 
 Fell long before; nor aught avail'd him now 
 T" have built in Heav'n high tow'rs ; nor did he Ycape 
 By all his Engins, but was headlong fent 
 With his induftrious crew, to build in Hell. 
 
 Mean while the winged Haralds, by command 
 Of fov'ran Pow'r, with awful Ceremony 
 
 Per. 735. / have deled the accent on fupreme, ivbich I Jo not believe to have 
 been meant bj MiLTON. What I think on thit <verfe and its pronunciation is 
 too long for a Note here ; but may be explained if eiier I publijb my Letters 
 upon RHYTHM ; written te a Clergyman in this neighbourhood, ivbo unites 
 to much profejfional learning, the knowledge and the rarely cultivated feeling, 
 though in a mufical age, of " the fecret power, of Harmony in Tones and 
 Numbers hid." At prefent, I Jball fay only, that I have marked the fufpenjive 
 paujt on the jirjt and loft fcmipede \ ivbich Jets them off, like the unaccented rtote 
 in the beginning of an Air, detached from tkt Bar, and compensated at the end of 
 the phrafe cr cadence. And thofe nvbo have conjidered this fubjett, or attended to 
 Steele'j Prcfodia Rationalis, or Mitford on the Harmony of Language (for 
 thus I venture to name the Author of that valuable Effay), ivill judge what the 
 Pronunciation vjas meant to be by the Poet. 747. he, ift and zd Edit. 
 
 And
 
 Book i. Paradife Loft. 
 
 760 
 
 77 
 
 And Trumpet's found, throughout the Hoft proclame 
 
 A folemn Council; forthwith to be held 
 
 At Pandamoniumi the high Capital 
 
 Of Satan and his Peers : thir Summons call'd 
 
 From every band and fquared regiment 
 
 By place or choice the worthieft ; they anon, 
 
 With hunderds and with thoufands, trooping came/ 
 
 Attended: all accefs was throng'dj the Gates 
 
 And Porches wide, but chief the fpacious Hall 
 
 (Though like a cover'd field, where champions bold 
 
 Wont ride in arm'd, and at the Soldaris chair 
 
 Defy'd the beft of Panim chivalry 
 
 To mortal combat, or. carreer with lance) 
 
 Thick fwarm'd, both on the ground and in the air 
 
 Bruih't with the hifs of ruiHing wings. As Bees 
 
 In fpring time, when the Sun with Taurus rides, 
 
 Poure forth thir populous youth about the Hive 
 
 In clufters : they among frefh dews and flowers 
 
 Fly to and fro, or on the fmoothed plank, 
 
 The fuburb of thir ftraw-built Cittadel, 
 
 New rubb'd with baulme, expatiate and confer 
 
 Thir flate affairs. So thick the aery crowd 
 
 Swarm'd, and were ftraiten'd : till, the fignal given, 
 
 Behold a wonder ! They but now who feem'd 
 
 Vtr. 760. Hunderds. Thus the Orthography is marked, correc^d from 
 hundred,, in the Errata of 1668 ; and in the sd Edit, it is carefully cbferved. 
 
 Ver. 763. Here again Beat ley summons his Phantom, the Editor, to take 
 away four lines ; which have Itrong evidence of MILTON, though the paren- 
 thetic comparifon breaks the dcfcnption more than we can willingly admit. 
 
 In
 
 Paradife Loft. Book i. 
 
 In bignefs to furpafs Earth's Giant Sons, 
 
 Now lefs than fmalleft dwarfs, in narrow room 
 
 Throng numberlefs, like that pygmean race 
 
 Beyond the Indian mount : or faerie Elves, 
 
 Whofe midnight revels, by a forreft fide 
 
 Or fountain, fome belated Peafant fees, 
 
 Or dreams he fees, while over-head the Moon. 
 
 Sits Arbitrefs, and neerer to the Earth 
 
 Wheels her pale courfe -, they on thir mirth and dance 
 
 Intent,, with jocond Mulic charm his ear; 
 
 At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds. 
 
 Thus incorporeal Spi'rits to fmalleft forms 
 
 Reduc'd thir fhapes immenfe, and were at large, 
 
 Though without number ftill, amidft the Hall 
 
 Of that infernal Court. But far within, 
 
 And in thir own dimenfions, like themfelves, 
 The great Seraphic Lords and Cherubim 
 In clofe recefs and fecret conclave, fat : 
 A thoufand Demi-gods on golden feats, 
 Frequent and full After fhort filence then, 
 And fummons read, the great Confult began. 
 
 Ver. 786. Carr. This reading of Bentley I was almoft tempted to infert. 
 But I think it againft the rules of critical probability to fuppofe the word in 
 the Text could have taken its place. 
 
 The End of the Firji Book. 
 
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