Wide hovering, all the clouds together drove From under heav'n; the hills to their supply The transition which the poet makes from the vision of the deluge, to the concern it occasioned in Adam, is exquisitely graceful, and copied after Virgil, though the first thought it introduces is rather in the spirit of Ovid, How didst thou grieve then, Adam, to behold &c. I have been the more particular in my quotations out of the eleventh book of Paradise Lost, because it is not generally reckoned among the most shining books of this poem; for which reason the reader might be apt to overlook those many passages in it which deserve our admiration. The eleventh and twelfth are indeed built upon that single circumstance of the removal of our first parents from Paradise; but though this is not in itself so great a subject as that in most of the foregoing books, it is extended and diversified 740 Vapour, and exhalation dusk and moist, Sent up amain; and now the thicken'd sky No more was seen; the floating vessel swum 745 750 all dwellings, and them with all their pomp deep under water rolled, than in mentioning so particularly and minutely the flood sweeping away corn, and trees, and cattle, and men, and houses, with their household gods? and yet these are none of the least shining passages in the Latin poet. 743. Like a dark ceiling stood ?] Ceiling may be thought too mean a word in poetry, but Milton had a view to its derivation from cœlum (Latin,) cielo (Italian,) heaven. Richardson. 752. -of mankind, so numerous late, All left, in one small bottom swum imbark'd.] See Vida's Chris. 1. i. Omnibus hic pauci extinctis mor. talibus ibant Inclusi ligno summas impune per undas. Thyer. How didst thou grieve then, Adam, to behold Of tears and sorrow' a flood thee also drown'd, O visions ill foreseen! better had I Liv'd ignorant of future, so had borne My part of evil only, each day's lot Enough to bear; those now, that were dispens'd At once, by my foreknowledge gaining birth 755 760 765 With thought that they must be. Let no man seek 770 Henceforth to be foretold what shall befall Him or his children; evil he may be sure, Which neither his foreknowing can prevent, 765. each day's lot Enough to bear ;] Matth. vi. 34. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 766. -dispens'd The burd'n of many ages,] Distributed, dealt out in parcels, to be a sufficient burden, the load of many ages. Dispensare from penso to weigh; thence comes the word pensum, the quantity of wool that was weighed out to the maids to spin, thence it means a task in general, and to dispense is to distribute these tasks to every one. The word is used with great propriety, and in the true antique sense. See also iii. 579. Richardson. 770. Let no man seek &c.] This monition was not impertinent at a time when the folly of casting nativities was still in Warburton. use. 773. Which neither his foreknowing can prevent,] Dr. Bentley says, that nothing follows as sequel to neither, and supposes he gave it, Which never his foreknowing can prevent. And he the future evil shall no less 775 780 All would have then gone well, peace would have crown'd Peace to corrupt no less than war to waste. 785 To whom thus Michael. Those whom last thou saw'st In triumph and luxurious wealth, are they First seen in acts of prowess eminent And great exploits, but of true virtue void; 790 Who having spilt much blood, and done much waste Subduing nations, and achiev'd thereby Fame in the world, high titles, and rich prey, Shall change their course to pleasure, ease, and sloth, Surfeit, and lust, till wantonness and pride But neither is not always followed by nor, but sometimes by and; and I wonder the Doctor should object to this manner of speaking, when it is so frequent and so elegant in Latin. Vide quid agas, ne neque illi prosis, et tu pereas. Terence Eun. Homo neque meo judicio stultus, et suo valde sapiens. Cicero de Oratore. 795 Raise out of friendship hostile deeds in peace. Shall with their freedom lost all virtue lose Against invaders; therefore cool'd in zeal Thenceforth shall practise how to live secure, 800 Shall leave them to enjoy; for th' earth shall bear Justice and temp'rance. truth and faith forgot; The paths of righteousness, how much more safe, 810 815 Of them derided, but of God observ'd Shall build a wondrous ark, as thou beheld'st, 798. Shall with their freedom lost all virtue lose] Milton every where shews his love of liberty; and here he observes very rightly, that the loss of liberty is soon followed by the loss of all virtue 820 and religion. There are such sentiments in several parts of his prose works, as well as in Aristotle and other masters of politics. 821. A world devote to uni |