fteady meditation. For this reafon alfo I have placed the dramatick plans of Paradife Loft at the conclufion of the poet's fublimer "heroick fong;" and have fubjoined, to the tragedy of Samson Agonistes, the plans of Milton's other intended dramas. Michael. Of the tragedy or mystery there are two plans; THE PERSONS. Heavenly Love: Chorus of Angels. Lucifer. Adam, with the Serpent. Mofes. THE PERSONS. Divine Justice, Mercie, Wifdom, Heavenly Love. Michael. Hesperus, the evening-starre, Eve, Lucifer. Mofes apeλoyi, recounting how he affumed his true bodie; that it corrupts not, because of his [abode] with God in the mount; declares the like of Enoch; and Eliah; befides the puritie of the place, that certain pure winds, dews, and clouds, præferve it from corruption; whence exhorts to the fight of God; tells they cannot fee Adam in the state of innocence by reason of thire fin. Justice, Mercie, Wifdome, debating what should become of Man, if he fall. } debating ACT II. Heavenly Love. Evening-Starre. Chorus fing the marriage fong, and defcribe Paradice. ACT III. Lucifer contriving Adam's ruine. Chorus feares for Adam, and relates Lucifer's rebellion and fall. Conscience cites them to God's examination. Chorus bewailes, and tells the good, Adam hath loft. ACT V. Adam and Eve driven out of Paradice: præfented by an Angel with Labour, Grief, Hatred, Envie, Warre, Famine, Peftilence, Sickneffe, Difcontent, Ignorance, Fear; Mutes, to whom he gives thire names; likewise The next sketch, as Dr. Johnson has remarked, feems to have attained more maturity; and is entitled Adam unparadiz'd. The Angel Gabriel, either defcending or entering; fhewing, fince the globe was created, his frequency as much on Earth as in Heaven; describes Paradise, Next, the Chorus, fhewing the reafon of his coming to keep his watch after Lucifer's rebellion, by command from God; and withal expreffing his defire to fee and know more concerning this excellent and new creature, Man. The Angel Gabriel, as by his name fignifying a prince of power, tracing Paradife with a more free office, paffes by the station of the Chorus; and, defired by them, relates what he knew of Man; as the creation of Eve, with thire love and marriage. © After this, Lucifer appeares after his overthrow, bemoans himfelf, feeks revenge upon Man. The Chorus prepare refistance at his first approach. At laft, after difcourfe of enmity on either fide, he departs; whereat the Chorus fing of the battell and victorie in Heaven against him and his accomplices: as before, after the first Act, was fụng a hymn of the Creation . Heer again may appear Lucifer, relating and infulting in what he had don to the deftruction of Man. Man next, and Eve, having by this time bin feduc't by the Serpent, appears confusedly cover'd with leaves. Confcience, in a shape, accuses him. Juftice cites him to the place, whither Jehovah called for him. In the mean while, the Chorus entertains the stage, and is informed, by fome Angel, [of] the manner of his fall Adam then and Eve re Heer the Chorus bewails Adam's fall. turne, and accuse one another; but especially Adam layes the blame to his wife; is ftubborn in his offence. Juftice appears; reafons with him, convinces him. The Chorus admonishes Adam, and bids him beware Lucifer's example of impenitence'. The Angel is fent to banish them out of Paradife; but, before, It appears plain, in the next paragraph, that Milton intended to have marked the division of the Acts in this sketch, as well as in the preceding. Peck has divided them; and closes the first Act with Adam and Eve's love, &c. See his Mem. of Milton, 1740, p. 40. a End of the second Act. fourth Act. e End of the third Act, f End of the сся caufes to pafs before his eyes, in fhapes, a mask of all the evills of this life and world. He is humbl'd, relents, difpaires. At laft appeares Mercy, comforts him, promifes the Meffiah; then calls in Faith, Hope, and Charity; inftructs him. He repents; gives God the glory, fubmitts to his penalty. The Chorus briefly concludesh. Compare this with the former draught '. See my note on Par. L. B. xi. 489. h End of the fifth Act. i The reader may compare the allegorical characters, and their offices, in this and the preceding draught, with those in the Italian drama by Andreini; of which an ample account has been given in The Inquiry into the Origin of Paradise Lost. Phillips, the nephew of Milton, has told us, that Paradise Lost was first designed for a tragedy, and that in the fourth book of the Poem " there are ten verses, which, several years before the Poem was begun, were shewn to me, and some others, as designed for the very beginning of the said tragedy." Life &c. 1694, p. xxxv. These verses are the opening of Satan's celebrated address to the Sun. "O thou, that with surpassing glory crown'd, &c." Where see my note. No II. LAUDER'S INTERPOLATIONS. The following interpolations were publickly confeffed by Lauder, in a printed Letter to the Revd Mr. Douglas, &c. 1751," pp. 4-12; except the eighth, and the lines noticed, with the twenty-firft, in the Pfalterium, &c. Thefe, however, are marked as fuch in Mr. Bowle's copy of Lauder's Essay with the manuscript remarks of the acute detector. i. THE word " Pandamonium" interpolated in Mafenius. ii. "Angeli hoc efficiunt, cæleftia juffa fecuti ;" a line interpolated in Mafenius, to correfpond with Par. Loft, B. x, 668. "Some fay, he bid his Angels turn afcanfe, &c." iii. "Infernique canes populantur cuncta creata ;" a line interpolated in Mafenius, to answer these of Milton, Par. Loft, B. x. 616. "See, with what heat thefe dogs of Hell advance iv. "Quadrupedi pugnat quadrupes, volucrique volucris ; |