But to destruction facred and devote, 210 Say heav'nly Pow'rs, where fhall we find fuch love? Which of ye will be mortal to redeem Man's mortal crime, and juft th' unjuft to fave? 215 Dwells in all Heaven charity fo dear? He afk'd, but all the heav'nly quire stood mute, And filence was in Heav'n: on Man's behalf Patron or interceffor none appear'd, Much less that durft upon his own head draw 220 Muft upon Rev. VIII. 1. where upon a certain occafion it is faid, There was filence in Heaven. And fo, as there was filence in Hell, when it was propos'd who fhould be fent on the dangerous expedition to deftroy mankind, there is likewife filence in Heaven, when it is ask'd who would be willing to pay the price of their redemption. Satan alone was fit to undertake the one, as the Son of God the other. But tho' the filence is the fame in both places, the difference of the expreffion is remarkable. In Hell it is faid all fat mute, II. 420, as there the infernal peers were Must have been loft, adjudg'd to Death and Hell 225 Father, thy word is past, Man fshall find grace; And shall grace not find means, that finds her way, The speedieft of thy winged meffengers, To vifit all thy creatures, and to all 230 Comes unprevented, unimplor'd, unfought? Can never feek, once dead in fins and loft; 235 Account Prevenient grace defcending, &c. 2 Tim. I. 9. Not according to our works, but according to his own purpofe and grace. Pf. LXXXVIII, 13. But unto thee have I cry'd, O Lord, and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee. Here the favor if it comes, comes not unprevented; prayer prevents or goes before God's goodness. Richardfon. 236. Bebold me then; me for him, life for life I offer; on me let thine anger fall; Account me Man ;] The frequent and vehement repetition of me here is Account me Man; I for his fake will leave Freely put off, and for him lastly die 240 Well pleas'd; on me let Death wreck all his rage; Under his gloomy pow'r I fhall not long Lie vanquish'd; thou haft giv'n me to poffefs grave Though now to Death I yield, and am his due 245 259 My vanquisher, spoil'd of his vaunted spoil; 249. Inglorious, -with corruption there to davell;] According to the Pfalmift, For thou wilt not leave my foul in Hell, neither fuffer thine Holy One to fee corruption, Pfal. XVI. 10. applied to our Saviour's refurrection by St. Peter, Acts II. 20, 21, &c. 252. Death his death's wound shall forry to obferve, that the quaint then receive, I am very conceit in this line is very inconfiftent with the character of the fpeaker, and unworthy of the majetty of the reft of the fpeech. Milton might perhaps be led into it by Inglorious, of his mortal sting disarm'd. grave: Then with the multitude of my redeem'd His words here ended, but his meek afpéct 260 265 To openly, triumphing over them in it, Col. II. 15. 259. Death laft,] According to St. Paul, The last enemy that shall be deftroy'd is Death, 1 Cor. XV. 26. 266. His words here ended, but bis meek afpéct. Silent yet pake, &c.] What a charming and lovely picture has Milton given us of God the Son confider'd as our Saviour and Redeemer? not in the leaft inferior in its way to that grander one in the 6th book, where he defcribes him cloathed with majefty and ter To mortal men, above which only fhone Glad to be offer'd, he attends the will Of his great Father. Admiration feis'd 270 All Heav'n, what this might mean, and whither tend Wond'ring; but foon th' Almighty thus reply'd. O thou in Heav'n and Earth the only peace Found out for mankind under wrath, O thou 275 My fole complacence! well thou know'ft how dear To me are all my works, nor Man the leaft, Though laft created; that for him I spare Thee from my bofom and right hand, to save, By lofing thee a while, the whole race loft. Thou therefore, whom thou only canft redeem, 280 Their nature alfo to thy nature join; And good and benevolent being. The ror, taking vengeance of his ene- imagination to a stronger idea of a mies. Before he reprefents him fpeaking, he makes divine compaf-mute eloquence, which our author fion, love without end, and grace has fo prettily exprefs'd in his filent without measure visibly to appear in yet fpake, is with no lefs beauty dehis face: ver. 140. and carrying on fcribed by Taffo at the end of Arthe fame amiable picture, makes mida's fpeech to Godfrey. Cant. 4. him end it with a countenance St. 65. breathing immortal love to mortal men. Nothing could be better contriv'd to leave a deep impreffion upon the reader's mind, and I believe one may venture to affert, that no art or words could lift the Ciò detto tace, e la rifpofta at tende Con atto, che'n filentio hà voce, e preghi. Thyer. 269. as a facrifice &c.] An allufion |