427 PARADISE LOST. воо к We are now entring upon the fixth book of Paradife Loft, in which the poet describes the battel of Angels; having raised his reader's expectation, and prepared him for it by feveral paffages in the preceding books. I omitted quoting thefe paffages in my obfervations upon the former books, having purposely referved them for the opening of this, the fubject of which gave occafion to them. The author's imagination was fo inflam'd with this great fcene of action, that wherever he speaks of it, he rifes, if poffible, above himfelf. Thus where he mentions Satan in the beginning of his poem, I. 44. &c. VI. But fee! the angry victor hath recall'd His minifters of vengeance and purfuit Back to the gates of Heav'n: the fulphurous hail Shot after us in ftorm, o'erblown hath laid The fiery furge, that from the precipice Of Heav'n receiv'd us falling; and the thunder, Wing'd with red lightning and impetuous rage, Perhaps hath spent his fhafts, and ceafes now To bellow through the vaft and boundless deep. A LL night the dreadless Angel unpursued 5 Lodge Pour'd out by millions her victorious bands Pursuing. vention and ftrength of imaginaIt requir'd great pregnancy of intion, to fill this battel with fuch circumftances as fhould raise and aftonish the mind of the reader; and at the fame time an exactness of judgment, to avoid every thing that might appear light or trivial. Those who look into Homer, are furpris'd to find his battels ftill rifing one above another, and improving in horror, to the conclufion of the Iliad. Milton's fight of Angels is wrought up with the fame beauty. It is ufher'd in with fuch figns of wrath as are fuitable to Omnipotence incenfed. The firft engagement is carried on under a cope of fire, occafion'd by the flights of innumerable burning darts and arrows which are dif charged from either hot. The fecond onfet is ftill more terrible, as it is filled with those artificial thunders, which feem to make the victory doubtful, and produce a kind ว Lodge and diflodge by turns, which makes through Heaven Grateful viciffitude, like day and night; Light iffues forth, and at the other door 10 To veil the Heav'n, though darkness there might well Seem twilight here: and now went forth the morn Such as in highest Heav'n, array'd in gold Shot through with orient beams; when all the plain 14. 16 20 25 Before vanish'd night, ] It is Both, in my opinion, very puerile. very abfurdly printed in fome editions, vanquif'd night. Thyer. 19. — war in procinct, ] The Roman foldiers were faid to stand in procintu, when ready to give the onfet. Hume. As if you fhould fay ready girded, 15. Shot through with orient beams;] This quaint conceit of night's being foot through &c is much below the ufual dignity of Milton's defcriptions. The Italian poets, even the very best of them, are fond in allufion to the Ancients, who of fuch boyish fancies, and there juft before the battel us'd to gird is no doubt but we are obliged to them for this. So Marino fpeaking of Night, Adon. Cant. 5. St. 120. E di tenebre armata uccife il giorno. their garments close to them, which on other occafions they wore very loofe. See Feftus. Richardfon. 29. Servant of God,] So the name of Abdiel fignifies in Hebrew. 34. Univerfal Before the feat fupreme; from whence a voice Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms; Than violence; for this was all thy care 30 35 To ftand approv'd in fight of God, though worlds 40 By |