Serpent though brute, unable to transfer 165 Concern'd not Man, (since he no further knew,) Concern'd not Mun, (since he no further knew,)] This is badly expressed. The meaning is, As man was not to be let into the mystery of the redemption at this time, it did not concern him to know that the Serpent was but the instrument of the Devil. When Milton wrote this, I fancy he had it not then in his thoughts to make Michael reveal to Adam in the last book the doctrine of redemption; or if he did intend it, he forgot that a theological comment on those words in Genesis would ill agree with what was to follow. Warburton. 175. Because thou hast done this, &c.] As near as may be to the very words of Scripture, Gen. iii. 14, 15. And the Lord God said unto the Serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field: upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of 170 175 thy life and I will put enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his keel. Our author was certainly here more in the right than ever in adhering religiously to the words of Scripture, though he has thereby spoiled the harmony of his verse. He thought without doubt that to mix any thing of his own would be a violation of decency, and a profanation, like that of Uzzah's putting forth his hand to the ark of God. And the sentence is very well explained by him, that it was pronounced immediately upon the Serpent as made the instrument of mischief and vitiated in nature, but is to be applied mediately to Salan, the old Serpent, though in mysterious terms: and as the author explains how the sentence was to be understood before be relates it, so he shews afterwards how it was fulfilled. Upon thy belly grovelling thou shalt go, Her seed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise his heel. So spake this oracle, then verified When Jesus son of Mary, second Eve, Saw Satan fall like lightning down from heaven, 182.-oracle, then verified When Jesus son of Mary, &c.] Here is a manifest indication, that, when Milton wrote this passage, he thought Paradise was chiefly regained at our Saviour's resurrection. This would have been a copious and sublime subject for a second poem. The wonders then to be described would have erected even an ordinary poet's genius; and in episodes he might have introduced his conception, birth, miracles, and all the history of his administration, while on earth. And I much grieve, that instead of this he should choose for the argument of his Paradise Regained the fourth chapter of Luke, the temptation in the wilderness; a dry, barren, and narrow ground, to build an epic poem on. In that work he has amplified his scanty materials to a surprising dignity; but yet, being cramped down by a wrong choice, without the expected applause. Bentley. Though Milton entitled his second poem "Paradise Regained," it is not to be supposed that he considered the salvation of men effected by the defeat of the Tempter in the 180 wilderness. See the hymn of the angels at the conclusion of the poem. Par. Reg. iv. 633. Hail, Son of the Most High, heir of both worlds, Queller of Satan! on thy glorious work Now enter; and begin to save mankind. E. 184. Saw Salan fall like lightning down from heaven, &c.] Here are several allusions to Scripture; as particularly to Luke x. 18. I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Prince of the air, so he is called, Eph. ii. 2. the prince of the power of the air. Spoiled principalities and powers, triumphed in open shew, according to Col. ii. 15. And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. And with ascension bright captivity led captive, led captive those who had led us captive. Ps. lxviii. 18. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive, applied to our Saviour by St. Paul, Eph. iv. 8. The air the realm of Satan, who is therefore called the prince of the power of the air, as we quoted before. Whom he shall tread at last under Prince of the air; then rising from his grave 185 190 195 On Adam last thus judgment he pronounc'd. Because thou' hast hearken'd to the' voice of thy wife, And eaten of the tree, concerning which I charg'd thee, say'ing, Thou shalt not eat thereof: 200 Curs'd is the ground for thy sake; thou in sorrow our feet: Rom. xvi. 20. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet. We see by these instances what use our author had made of reading the Scriptures. 192. And to the Woman thus his sentence turn'd, &c.] Gen. iii. 16. Unto the Woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband; and he shall rule over thee. 197. On Adam last thus judgment he pronounc'd, &c.] He is equally exact in reporting the sentence pronounced upon Adam. Gen. iii. 17, 18, 19. And ; unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life: thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground, for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. We quote these passages at length, that without any trouble they may be compared with the poem. Shalt eat thereof all the days of thy life; 205 So judg'd he Man, both judge and saviour sent,. And th' instant stroke of death denounc'd that day 210 Remov'd far off; then pitying how they stood Before him naked to the air, that now Their nakedness with skins of beasts, or slain, 214. the form of servant to assume, &c.] Alluding to Phil. ii. 7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant. As when he washed his servants' feet, John xiii. 216. -he clad 215 Eve came by the skins of beasts; and therefore our author adds they were either slain, but he does not say whether by one another, or for sacrifice, or for food; or they shed their coats like snakes, and were repaid with new ones, a notion which we Their nakedness with skins of may presume he borrowed from beasts,] Gen. iii. 21. Unto Adam also and to his wife, did the Lord God make couts of skins, and clothed them. And our author, we see, understands it literally, though it is sufficient if it was done by the divine providence and direction. But some commentators torment themselves and the text by asking how Adam and some commentator rather than advanced of himself. It seems too odd and extravagant to be a fancy of his own, but he might introduce it out of vanity to shew his reading. Pliny indeed mentions some lesser creatures shedding their skins in the manner of snakes, but that is hardly authority sufficient for such a notion as this. And thought not much to clothe his enemies: In glory as of old; to him appeas'd All, though all-knowing, what had pass'd with Man 220 225 Mean while ere thus was sinn'd and judg'd on earth, Within the gates of hell sat Sin and Death, 219. And thought not much to clothe his enemies:] Dr. Bentley says that this line is certainly of the editor's manufacture, and quite superfluous; because it divides what is naturally connected, and changes the sentiments, from a family under a gracious father, to the condition of enemies. But I do not see that it divides any natural connexion: and as for changing the sentiments, it does it to a beauty, not to a fault: for it shews more goodness in a man to clothe his enemy, than only one of his family. Milton seems to have had in his thoughts what St. Paul says, Rom. v. 10. When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son. Milton again had much the same sentiment, when he makes Adam say in ver. 1059. Clothed us unworthy. Pearce. 222. —with his robe of righteousness,] Isa. Ixi. 10. He hath clothed me with the garments of 250 230. -sat Sin and Death,] We are now to consider the imaginary persons, or Sin and Death, who act a large part in this book. Such beautiful extended allegories are certainly some of the finest compositions of genius; but, as I have before observed, are not agreeable to the nature of an heroic poem. This of Sin and Death is very exquisite in its kind, if not considered as a part of such a work. The truths contained in it are so clear and open, that I shall not lose time in explaining them; but shall only observe, that |