Our circuit meets full weft. As flame they part, Search through this garden, leave unfearch'd no nook; which was very proper for an eaftern gate, as the finest ivory cometh from the east; India mittit cbur, Virg. Georg. I. 57. and houses and palaces of ivory are mention'd as inftances of magnificence in Scripture, as are likewife doors of ivory in Ovid, Met. IV. 185. This flame, but this fimile is better fuit- 785. Half wheeling to the field, Lemnius extemplo valvas patefe- wheel to the right or left. Hume. cit eburnas. As all the Angels ftood in the ea- Bentley. 788. Ithuriel and Zephon,] Two This evening from the fun's decline arriv'd Who tells of fome infernal Spirit seen Hitherward bent (who could have thought?) escap'd The bars of Hell, on errand bad no doubt: Such where ye find, seise fast, and hither bring. So faying, on he led his radiant files, Dazling the moon; these to the bow'r direc 795 In fearch of whom they fought: him there they found Squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve, Affaying by his devilish art to reach The organs of her fancy', and with them forge Or if, infpiring venom, he might taint Th' animal spirits that from 796. and hither bring.] Dr. Bentley reads thither to the oppofit fide, the weft; where the parting fquadrons would meet after their half circuits; and accordingly (fays he) they brought Satan thither, to the western point, ver. 862. But there are twelve lines fince the weft was mention'd, and that was in another fpeech, at too great a diftance for thither to be referred to it. It is not mention'd in this fpeech, and I fee no reafon why we may not understand thefe words with Mr. Richardson, bring hither, that is to me wherefoever I happen to be. pure 800 blood arife 805 Like 804. Or if, infpiring venom, &c.] So Virg. Æn. VII. 351. where the ferpent, that the fury Alecto had flung upon Amata, creeps foftly over her, Vipeream infpirans animam- The conftruction is, Affaying to foft Like gentle breaths from rivers pure, thence raise 810 815 Back 816. Fit for the tun] 'Tis commonly call'd a barrel: but Milton for the fake of his verfe, and perhaps for the fake of a lefs vulgar term, calls it a tun from the French tonneau, any cask or veffel. 819. So ftarted up in his own fhape the Fiend. His planting himself at the ear of Eve under the form of a toad, in order to produce vain dreams and imaginations, is a circumftance that furprises the reader; as his ftarting up in his own form is wonderfully fine, both in the litteral defcription, and in the moral which is concealed under. Back ftept those two fair Angels half amaz'd 820 So fudden to behold the grifly king; Yet thus, unmov'd with fear, accoft him foon. Which of those rebel Spirits adjudg'd to Hell Com'ft thou, escap'd thy prifon? and transform'd, Why fatst thou like an enemy in wait, 825 Here watching at the head of these that sleep? Why afk ye, and fuperfluous begin ye know, Your meffage, like to end as much in vain? 830 To whom thus Zephon, anfw'ring scorn with scorn. it. His anfwer, upon his being difcover'd and demanded to give an account of himself, is conformable to the pride and intrepidity of his character. Zephon's rebuke, with the influence it had on Satan, is exquifitely graceful and moral. Addifon. 834. To whom thus Zephon,] Zephon is very properly made to anfwer him, and not Ithuriel, that each of them may appear as actors upon this occafion. Ithuriel with his fpear reftor'd the Fiend to Think his own fhape, and Zephon re- 835. Think not, revolted Spirit, known,] Dr. Bentley judges rightly enough that the prefent reading is faulty; for if the words thy shape the fame are in the ablative cafe put abfolutely, it is neceffary that undiminish'd should follow brightness: and accordingly the Daftar Think not, revolted Spirit, thy fhape the fame, 835 And felt how awful goodness is, and faw 845 His But without any alteration may we not understand shape and brightnefs as in the accufative cafe after the verb think? Think not thy shape the fame, or undiminish'd brightnefs to be known now, as it was formerly in Heaven. 845. Severe in youthful beauty, added grace] Virg. Æn. V. 344. Gratior et pulchro veniens in corpore virtus. 848. Virtue in her shape how lovely &c. What is faid here of feeing |