Potable gold, when with one virtuous touch 610 6.15 Shadow and two others which follow in the next page: but is it likely that the fame mistake should creep into three different places? Is it not more probable that Milton fpeaking of the fun faid here, becaufe he was then describing it, and expreffing its nature? This is poetical and common with Milton, as may be feen in many inftances. See my note on II. 362. where I the word bere, not meaning therefhow that Milton frequently ufes by a place prefent to him when he is fpeaking, but that place only which he is then speaking of. Pearce, 616.- -as when his beams at noon Culminate from th' equator, as they now Shot upward fill direct, ] The firft as is ufed by way of fimilitude, Shadow from body' opaque can fall; and th'air, No where fo clear, sharpen'd his visual ray To objects diftant far, whereby he foon The fame whom John faw alfo in the fun: 620 His back was turn'd, but not his brightness hid; Circled his head, nor lefs his locks behind 625 Illustrious on his fhoulders fledge with wings in the fense of like as; There was no fhadow but all fun-fhine, like as when his beams at noon culminate from th' equator, that is are vertical and fhoot directly from the equator, which is the reason why thofe who live under the equator, under the line, are called Afcii, and at noon caft no fhadows. The other as is used by way of reafon, in the fenfe of for as much as; There was no fhadow but all fun-fhine, for as much as his beams fhot now direally upward. 623. The fame whom John few alfo in the fun:] And I saw an Angel fanding in the fun. Rev. XIX. 17. 625. a golden tiar] A golden coronet of thining rays circled his head, yet nevertheless did not Glad was the Spirit impure, as now in hope 630 His journey's end and our beginning woe. But first he cafts to change his proper fhape, Which elfe might work him danger or delay: 635 And now a stripling Cherub he appears, Not of the prime, yet fuch as in his face Under a coronet his flowing hair In curls on either cheek play'd; wings he wore Of many a color'd plume sprinkled with gold, Before his decent steps a filver wand, 640 He drew not nigh unheard; the Angel bright, 645 Stand reprefenting the Angels; but I rather understand it that the swings ba wore were his habit, and they were certainly a habit fit for Speed fuccinc but fuccina I understand with Dr. Pearce, not in its firft and litteral fenfe girded or tuck'd up; but in the metaphorical fenfe, ready and prepar'd; as Fabius in Inft. Orat. II. 2. fays Proni fuccinétique &c. 644. His decent feps] The word decent in its common acceptation in our language will, I think, fcarcely come up to what our poet is here defcribing, and therefore we ought in juftice to him to recur to its Latin original. Hor. Od. III. XXVII. 53. Antequam turpis macies decentes 650 Stand ready at command, and are his eyes That run through all the Heav'ns, or down to th'Earth Bear his swift errands over moist and dry, O'er fea and land: him Satan thus accofts. Uriel, for thou of those fev'n Spirits that stand In fight of God's high throne, gloriously bright, 655 The first art wont his great authentic will Interpreter through highest Heav'n to bring, Where all his fons thy embaffy attend; And here art likelieft by supreme decree Like honor to obtain, and as his eye 660 To vifit oft this new creation round; All these his wondrous works, but chiefly Man, 650. and are his eyes &c.] An expreffion borrow'd from Zech. IV. 10. Thofe feven, they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth. The Jews therefore believed there were feven principal Angels, who were the captains and leaders as it were of the heavenly hoft. See Tobit XII. 15. Rev. I. 4. V. 6. VIII. 2. 654. Uriel,] His name is derived from two Hebrew words 665 Hath |