done before or after him, and made the Sublimity of his Style equal to that of his Sentiments. I have been the more particular in these Observations on Milton's Style, because it is that Part of him in which he appears the moft fingular. The Remarks I have here made upon the Practice of other Poets, with my Obfervations out of Ariftotle, will perhaps alleviate the Prejudice which fome have taken to his Poem upon this Account; tho' after all, I muft confefs, that I think his Style, tho' admirable in general, is in fome Places too much ftiffened and obfcured by the frequent Ufe of those Methods, which Ariftotle has prescribed for the raifing of it. THIS Redundancy of those several Ways of Speech, which Ariftotle calls foreign Language, and with which Milton has fo very much enriched, and in fome Places darkened the Language of his Poem, is the more proper for his Ufe, becaufe his Poem is written in Blank Verfe. Rhyme, without any other Affiftance, throws the Language off from Profe, and very often makes an indifferent Phrase pass unregarded; but where the Verse is not built upon Rhymes, there Pomp of Sound, and Energy of Expreffion, are indifpenfably neceffary to fupport the Style, and keep it from falling into the Flatnefs of Profe. THOSE who have not a Tafte for this Elevation of Style, and are apt to ridicule a Poet when he departs from the common Forms of Expreffion, would do well to fee how Ariftotle has treated an ancient Author, called Eu clid, for his infipid Mirth upon this Occafion. Mr. Dryden used to call this Sort of Men his Profe Criticks. I fhould, under this Head of the Language, confider Milton's Numbers, in which he has made ufe of feveral. Elifions, that are not cuftomary among other English Poets, as may be particularly obferved in his cutting off the Letter Y, when it precedes a Vowel. This, and fome other Innovations in the Measures of his Verse, has varied his Numbers in fuch a manner, as makes them incapable of fatiating the Ear, and cloying the Reader, which the fame uniform Measure would certainly have done, and which the perpetual Returns of Rhyme never fail to do in long narrative Poems. I fhall close thefe Reflections upon the Language of Paradife Loft, with obferving No. 286. ferving that Milton has copied after Homer, rather than Virgil, in the Length of his Periods, the Copiousness of his Phrases, and the running of his Verses into one another. 6 Nomina honefta prætenduntur vitiis L Tacit. Mr. SPECTATOR, York, Jan. 18. 1712. Pretend not to inform a Gentleman of fo juft a Tafte, whenever he pleases to use it; but it may not be amifs to inform your Reader that there is. a falfe Delicacy as well as a true one.. True Delicacy, as I take it, confifts in Exactness of Judgment and Dignity of Sentiment, or if you will, Purity of Affection, as this is oppofed to Corruption and Groffness. There are Pedants in Breeding as well as in Learning. The Eye that cannot bear the Light is not delicate but • fore. A good Conftitution appears in the Soundness * and Vigour of the Parts, not in the Squeamishness of 'the Stomach: And a falfe Delicacy is Affectation, not • Politeness. What then can be the Standard of Delicacy but Truth and Virtue? Virtue, which, as the Satyriít 6 long fince obferved, is real Honour; whereas the other Diftinctions among Mankind are meerly titular. Judging by that Rule, in my Opinion,and in that of many of your virtuous Female Readers, you are fo far from deferving Mr. Courtly's Accufation, that you feem too gentle, and to allow too many Excufes for an enormous Crime, which is the Reproach of the Age, and is ⚫ in all its Branches and Degrees exprefly forbidden by that Religion we pretend to profefs; and whofe Laws, in a Nation that calls itfelf Chriftian, one would think 'fhould take Place of thofe Rules which Men of corrupt Minds, and thofe of weak Understandings follow. I know not any thing more pernicious to good Manners, than the giving fair Names to foul Actions; for this 6 con 6 6 6 6. 6 confounds Vice and Virtue, and takes off that natural Horror we have to Evil. An innocent Creature, who would start at the Name of a Strumpet, may think it pretty to be called a Mistress, especially if her Seducer has taken Care to inform her, that a Union of Hearts is the principal Matter in the Sight of Heaven, and that 6 the Bufinefs at Church is a meer idle Ceremony. Who knows not that the Difference between obscene and modest Words expreffing the fame Action, confifts only in the acceffary Idea, for there is nothing immodeft in Letters and Syllables. Fornication and Adultery are modeft Words, because they express an Evil Action as criminal,and so as to excite Horror and Averfion: Whereas Words reprefenting the Pleasure rather than the Sin, < are for this Reason indecent and dishoneft. Your Papers would be chargeable with something worse than Indelicacy, they would be Immoral, did you treat 6 the deteftable Sins of Uncleannefs in the fame manner as you rally an impertinent Self-love, and an artful Glance; as thofe Laws would be very unjuft, that 'fhould chaftife Murther and Petty Larceny with the fame Punishment. Even Delicacy requires that the Pity 'fhewn to diftreffed indigent Wickednefs, firft betrayed into, and then expelled the Harbours of the Brothel, 'fhould be changed to Deteftation, when we confider pampered Vice in theHabitations of the Wealthy. The most free Person of Quality, in Mr. Courtly's Phrase, ⚫ that is to speak properly, a Woman of Figure who has forgot her Birth and Breeding, difhonoured her Relations and her felf, abandoned her Virtue and Reputation, together with the natural Modefty of her Sex, and rif ⚫ qued her very Soul, is fo far from deferving to be trea'ted with no worfe Character than that of a kind Woman, (which is doubtless Mr. Courtly's Meaning, if he has any) that one can scarce be too fevere on her, in as much as the fins against greater Restraints, is less exposed, and liable to fewer Temptations, than Beauty in Poverty and Distress. It is hoped therefore, Sir, that 'you will not lay afide your generous Defign of expofing that monftrous Wickedness of the Town, whereby a Multitude of Innocents are facrificed in a more barbarous Manner than thofe who were offered to Moloch. 6 6 • The No. 286. The Unchafte are provoked to fee their Vice expofed, 6 and the Chafte cannot rake into fuch Filth without Danger of Defilement; but a meer SPECTATOR may look into the Bottom, and come off without partaking in the Guilt. The doing fo will convince us you purfue publick Good, and not merely your own Advantage: But if your Zeal flackens, how can one help thinking that Mr. Courtly's Letter is but a Feint to get off from a Subject, in which either your own, or the private and bafe Ends of others to whom you are partial, or those of whom you are afraid, would not en'dure a Reformation ? I am, Sir, your humble Servant and Admirer, fo long as you tread in the Paths of Truth, Virtue and Honour. Mr. SPECTATOR, Trin. Coll. Cantab. Jan. 12, 1711-12. 'I' Tis my Fortune to have a Chamber-Fellow, with whom, tho' I agree very well in many Sentiments, yet there is one in which we are as contrary as Light and Darkness. We are both in Love; his • Mistress is a lovely Fair, and mine a lovely Brown. Now as the Praife of our Miftreffes Beauty employs ⚫ much of our Time, we have frequent Quarrels in entring upon that Subject, while each fays all he can to defend his Choice. For my own Part, I have racked my Fancy to the utmoft; and fometimes, with the greatest "Warmth of Imagination, have told him, that Night ⚫ was made before Day, and many more fine Things, tho' 'without any effect: Nay, laft Night I could not forbear faying, with more Heat than Judgment, that the Devil ought to be painted white. Now my Defire is, Sir, that you would be pleased to give us in Black and White your Opinion in the Matter of Difpute between us; which will either furnish me with fresh and prevailing Arguments to maintain my own Tafte, or make me ' with less Repining allow that of my Chamber-Fellow. 'I know very well that I have JackCleveland and Bond's "Horace on my Side; but then he has fuch a Band of Rhymers and Romance-Writers, with which he oppo⚫ fes me, and is fo continually chiming to the Tune of • Golden • Golden Treffes, yellow Locks, Milk, Marble, Ivory, 6 I Silver, Swans, Snow, Dazies, Doves, and the Lord knows what; which he is always founding with fo • much Vehemence in my Ears, that he often puts me into a brown Study how to answer him; and I find that I'm in a fair Way to be quite confounded, without your timely Affiftance afforded to, .6 SIR, T Your humble Servant, Philobrune. ATATATATATATATATATAT No. 287. Tuesday, January 29. I Ω Φιλτάτη γῆ μήτερ, ὡς σεμνὸν σφοδρ ̓ ἔε Menand. Look upon it as a peculiar Happiness, that were I to chufe of what Religion I would be, and under what Government I would live, I fhould moft certainly give the Preference to that Form of Religion and Government which is established in my own Country. In this Point I think I am determined by Reason and Conviction; but if I fhall be told that I am acted by Prejudice, I am fure it is an honest Prejudice, it is a Prejudice that arifes from the Love of my Country, and therefore such an one as I will always indulge. I have in feveral Papers endeavoured to express my Duty and Efteem for the Church of England, and design this as an Effay upon the Civil Part of our Conftitution. Having often entertained my felf with Reflections on this Subject, which I have not met with in other Writers. THAT Form of Government appears to me the most reasonable, which is moft conformable to the Equality that we find in human Nature, provided it be confiftent with publick Peace and Tranquility. This is what may properly be called Liberty, which exempts one Man from |