Bred only and completed to the taste

Of lustful appetence, to sing, to dance,

To dress, and troll the tongue, and roll the eye.
To these that sober race of men, whose lives
Religious titled them the sons of God,
Shall yield up all their virtue, all their fame
Ignobly, to the trains and to the smiles
Of these fair atheists, and now swim in joy,
Ere long to swim at large; and laugh, for which
The world ere long a world of tears must weep.
To whom thus Adam of short joy bereft.
O pity' and shame, that they who to live well

621. To these that sober race of men, &c.] As we read in Gen. vi. 2. The sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. It is now generally agreed, that this passage is to be understood of the sons of Seth, the worshippers of the true God, making matches with the idolatrous daughters of wicked Cain; and Milton very rightly puts this construction it here, though elsewhere he seems to give into the old exploded conceit of the angels becoming enamoured of the daughters of men. See iii.

upon

463. and the note there, and likewise v. 447. and Par. Reg. ii. 178, &c.

627. The world ere long a world of tears must weep.] Dr. Bentley observes that this world and world is a jingle, and that a world of tears is a low expression. He would therefore read a flood of tears: as Milton

620

625

speaks in ver. 757. But if this verse be blameable on this account, yet our poet has used the same way of speaking in ix. 11.

That brought into this world a world of woe.

I think that the foregoing part of this sentence should be pointed thus,

-and now swim in joy, Ere long to swim at large; and laugh, for which

The world ere long a world of tears must weep.

For swimming in joy and swimming at large are opposed to each other, as are likewise laughing and weeping a world of tears.

Pearce.

As the sense is so much improved by this pointing, we cannot but prefer it to Milton's which was thus:

own,

and now swim in joy (Ere long to swim at large) and laugh; for which

The world ere long a world of tears must weep.

Enter'd so fair, should turn aside to tread
Paths indirect, or in the mid way faint!
But still I see the tenor of Man's woe

Holds on the same, from Woman to begin.
From Man's effeminate slackness it begins,

630

Said th' Angel, who should better hold his place
By wisdom and superior gifts receiv'd.
But now prepare thee for another scene.

He look'd, and saw wide territory spread
Before him, towns, and rural works between,
Cities of men with lofty gates and towers,
Concourse in arms, fierce faces threat'ning war,
Giants of mighty bone, and bold emprise ;

Part wield their arms, part curb the foaming steed,
Single or in array of battle rang'd

Both horse and foot, nor idly must'ring stood;
One way a band select from forage drives
A herd of beeves, fair oxen and fair kine
From a fat meadow ground; or fleecy flock,
Ewes and their bleating lambs over the plain,
Their booty; scarce with life the shepherds fly,

635

640

645

650

638. He look'd and saw wide territory spread &c.] The next vision is of a quite contrary nature, and filled with the horrors of war. Adam at the sight of it melts into tears, and breaks out in that passionate speech, - what are these, Death's ministers, not men &c.

Addison. 642. emprise ;] An old word

for enterprise. It is used in the Mask.

Alas! good vent'rous youth, I love thy courage yet, and bold emprise.

645. -nor idly must'ring stood;] One cannot perceive the pertinence of this without supposing that it hinted at the circumstances of the land-army at that time. Warburton.

But call in aid, which makes a bloody fray;
With cruel tourneament the squadrons join ;
Where cattle pastur'd late, now scatter'd lies
With carcases and arms th' insanguin'd field
Deserted: Others to a city strong

Lay siege, incamp'd; by battery, scale and mine,
Assaulting; others from the wall defend

With dart and javelin, stones and sulphurous fire;
On each hand slaughter and gigantic deeds.
In other part the scepter'd heralds call

651. —which makes a bloody fray;] So it was altered for the better in the second edition; it was tacks a bloody fray in the first edition; which is not so plain and intelligible.

660. In other part the scepter'd heralds call &c.] It may be noted here once for all, that in this visionary part Milton has frequently had his eye upon his master Homer, and several of the images which are represented to Adam are copies of the descriptions on the shield of Achilles, Iliad. xviii.

His eyes he open'd, and beheld a field,

Part arable and tilth, whereon were sheaves

New reap'd, the other part sheepwalks and folds.

Is not this Homer's description
a little contracted? ver 550, &c.

Εν δ' ετίθει τέμενος βαθυληϊον ενθα δ'
Βριθοι

Ημων, οξείας δρεπανας εν χερσιν έχον

655

660

Another field rose high with waving grain ;

With bended sickles stand the reaper

train,

Here stretch'd in ranks the levell'd swarths are found,

Sheaves heap'd on sheaves, here thicken up the ground. Pope.

And ver. 587, &c.

Εν δε νόμον ποιησε περικλυτος Αμφιο
Yunris

Εν καλη βήσση μεγαν οιων αργενναίων,
Σταθμους τε, κλισίας τι, κατηρεφίας

ίδε σήκους.

Next this, the eye the art of Vulcan leads

Deep thro' fair forests, and a length of meads;

And stalls, and folds, and scatter'd cotts between,

And fleecy flocks that whiten all the

scene.

The vision of marriages,

They light the nuptlal torch, and bid invoke,

Hymen, then first to marriage rites invok'd:

With feast and music all the tents resound.

Is it not a most beautiful and exact copy of Homer? ver. 491,

&c.

Εν τη μεν ρα γαμοι τ' εσαν ειλαπι

και τε

Νύμφας δ' ἐκ θαλαμων, δαΐδων ὑπο λαμ

πομενάων,

To council in the city gates: anon

Grey-headed men and grave, with warriors mix'd,

Assemble, and harangues are heard, but soon
In factious opposition, till at last

Of middle age one rising, eminent

In wise deport, spake much of right and wrong,
Of justice, of religion, truth and peace,
And judgment from above: him old and young
Exploded and had seiz'd with violent hands,

Had not a cloud descending snatch'd him thence
Unseen amid the throng: so violence
Proceeded, and oppression, and sword-law
Through all the plain, and refuge none was found.
Adam was all in tears, and to his guide
Lamenting turn'd full sad; O what are these,
Death's ministers, not men, who thus deal death

Alternate, each th' attesting scep

tre took,

And rising solemn, each his sentence spoke.

The description of the shield of Achilles is certainly one of the finest pieces of poetry in the whole Iliad, and our author has plainly shown his admiration and affection for it by borrowing so many scenes and images from it: but I think we may say, that they do not like other copies fall short of the originals, but generally exceed them, and receive this additional beauty, that they are most of them made representations of real histories and matters of fact.

661. To council in the city gates:] For there assemblies were anciently held, and the judges used to sit, Gen. xxxiv. 20. Deut. xvi. 18. xxi. 19. Zech. viii. 16.

665. Of middle age one rising,]

665

670

675