ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

but carries with it a dignity which no fmoothness of verfe could give it; the words being almoft in the fame order as in Scripture."

Ver. 708. Mr. Stillingfleet thinks that the poet here alludes to the fong of Orpheus in Apoll. Rhod. Argon. i. 496, &c; and in v. 716 to the doctrine of Plato, who gave to each planet a prefiding Spirit.

Ver. 730. "Diva triformis," as Mr. Stillingfleet points out, Hor. Od. III. xxii, 4.

BOOK THE FOURTH.

Ver. 27. Sometimes towards Eden, which now in his view
Lay pleafant, his griev'd look he fixes fad ;] Mr. Stil.

lingfleet here points out Homer, Odyss. xiii, 197.

Στῆ δ ̓ ἄρ ̓ ἀναΐξας, καὶ ῥ ̓ ἔἰσιδε πατρίδα γαῖαν

Ωμωξέν τ ̓ ἄρ ̓ ἔπειτα α

Ver. 32. This fpeech bears a general refemblance to the first which Prometheus fpeaks in the tragedy of that name by Æfchylus; which, therefore, induces Mr. Stillingfleet to imagine (what really was intended by the poet) that this paffage would have been part of Milton's tragedy on the Fall of Man, and most probably the beginning of it,

Ver. 33. Look'ft from thy fole dominion like the God

Of this new world;] Drummond, in a Song, de.

fcribes the Sun" in highest top of heaven,

"Moft princely looking from that glorious height."

Ver. 37.

how I hate thy beams,] So, in the Hippo

lytus of Euripides, as Mr. Stillingfleet remarks, v. 355, edit.

Barnes.

ἐχθρὸν ἦμαρ, ἐχθρὸν εἰσορῶ φάος,

Ver. 79. In the Note, read

Ver. 82.

Try, what repentance can: what can it not?

and my dread of shame

Among the Spirits beneath, &c.] The reader may

compare the speech of Hector, to which Mr. Stillingfleet refers, in Iliad xxii, 99—198,

Ver. 386.

loth to this revenge] Mr. Stilling

fleet here refers to the Hercules Furens of Euripides, v. 858.

Ήλιον μαρτυρόμεσθα δρώσ', ἃ δρᾶν ἐ βέλομαι.

Ver. 450. In the Note, read fleep, and for fo waking to waking:

Ver. 458. After Dr. Newton's Note. "I cannot help remarking," fays Mr. Stillingfleet, "how the ftory of Narciffus is improved by this application. The fame might be said of almost every paffage Milton has borrowed from the ancients. The improvement is so obvious in one main circumftance, that it seems needless to mention it: Yet, as I do not remember that Mr. Addison has done it, I will juft obferve, that the want of bability that Narciffus, who had lived in fociety, fhould be fo far deceived as to take an image in the water for a reality, is here totally removed. We may apply to Milton on this occafion what Ariftotle fays of Homer, That he taught poets how to lye properly."

pro

Ver. 555. Herrick, in his Hefperides, praifing Canarie Sack, thus addreffes his beloved liquour, p. 86, edit. 1648.

"Thou mak'ft me nimble, as the winged Howers,

"To dance and caper on the heads of flowers,

And ride the fun-beams."

Ver. 641. The beautiful turn of the words in Theocritus, which Mr. Warton supposes Milton to have had in view, is thus imitated in a Sonnet by Drummond; with which also Milton might have been pleased:

"The Sun is fair, when he with crimson crown,
"And flaming rubies, leaves his eastern bed;
"Fair is Thaumantias in her crystal gown,

"When clouds engemm'd fhew azure, green, and red
To weftern worlds when wearied day goes down,
"And from heaven's windows each ftar fhews her head,
"Earth's filent daughter, Night, is fair though brown ;
"Fair is the Moon, though in love's livery clad :

"The Spring is fair, when it doth paint Aprile;
"Fair are the meads; the woods, the floods, are fair;
"Fair looketh Ceres with her yellow hair,
"And apples'-queen when rofe-cheek'd she doth smile.
"That heaven, and earth, and feas are fair, is true;
"Yet true, that all not please so much as you.”

1

Ver. 778. After Dr. Newton's Note. Mr. Stillingfleet's remark is, that the poet feems here to hint that all this attendance` of Angels was defigned only as a poetical embellishment. See Platoni's Opp. edit. Ficin. p. 537, where there is also a defcription of Saturn's reign refembling Milton's of Paradise.

Ver. 809.

high conceits ingendering pride.] So, in

Alexander's Tragedy of Jul. Cæfar, 1607.

"Thofe that by follie ingender pride

The poet is alfo fpeaking of those who deride the Omnipotent. like a proud fteed rein'd, went haughty on, Champing his iron curb: Compare Sir John Haring

Ver. 858.

ton's Orl. Fur. 1607. B. xxvii. ft. 56.

"While he that fately freed Frontino vewd,

"That proudly champing ftood upon his bit, &c."

And thus Sylvefter, Du Bart. 1621, p. 229.

"the angry feed, rifing and reining proudly."

Mr. Stillingfleet notices Æfchylus, with Mr. Thyer; and adds Apollon. Rhod. Argon. iv. 1606, of the horse:

Ἔσπεται.

ὁ δ ̓ ἐπ ̓ αὐχένι γαῦρος αερθεὶς

Ver. 903. After Mr. Bowle's Note. Skelton, in his Prologue to the Bouge of Courte, defcribes the Moon

fmylynge halfe in fcorne

"At our foly, and our vnstedfastneffe.” See the edit. of his Works, 1736, p. 59.

Ver. 929. And feconded thy elfe not dreaded spear.] So, in Virgil, En. xii. 894.

"Non me tua fervida terrent

"Dicta, ferox: dii me terrent, et Jupiter hoftis."

Ver. 971. After Dr. Newton's Note. Mr. Stillingfleet remarks that limitour in Chaucer means a friar reftrained to the exercife of his function in certain limits. See alfo the Gloffary to Urry's Chaucer, V. limitour.

Ver. 987. So Fairfax defcribes the refolute Soldan, in his tranflation of Taffo, B. ix. ft. 31.

[ocr errors]

as a mountain, or à cape of land,
"Affail'd with ftorms and feas on euery fide,
"Doth unremoued, ftedfaft, ftill withstand
Storme, thunder, &c.”

Ver. 1010. After Dr. Gillies's Note, read I Sam. xxii.43. "Then did I beat them as small as the duft of the earth, I did Ramp them as the mire of the ftreet."

BOOK THE FIFTH.

Ver. 13. Hung over her enamour'd,] Mr. Stillingfleet here refers to Lucretius, lib. i. 37.

"Atque ita fufpiciens tereti cervice reposta

"Pafcit amore avidos inhians in te, dea, visus ;

E que tuo pendet refupini fpiritus ore."

Ver. 30, &c. The breaks in Eve's narration, Mr. Stillingfleet obferves, are extremely beautifull, and adapted to the circum. ftance of one just awakened before the thoughts were well recollected.

Ver. 74. Here, happy creature, &c.] Mr. Stillingfleet points out the flattering addrefs of the Syrens to Ulyffes, Odyss. xii. 184. Asup' ay' iwv x. T. A. But this is an inftance, he adds, among many others, how Milton improved every hint which he took from the ancients.

Ver. 221.

the fociable Spirit,] So, in Homer, as Mr.

Stillingfleet points out, Iliad xxiv. 334.

Ερμεία, σοὶ γὰρ τε μάλιςὰ γε φίλτατὸν ἐσιν

̓Ανδρὶ ἑταιρίσσαι από

Ver. 331. So faying, &c.] Mr. Stillingfleet here refers to

Homer, Iliad ix. 205.

Ὣς φάτο Πάτροκλος δὲ φίλῳ ἐπεπείθεθ' ἑταίρῳ.

Αὐτὰρ ὅγε κρεῖον μέγα κάββαλεν κ. το λο

Ver. 568.

how laft unfold

The fecrets of another world, perhaps

Not lawful to reveal?] So, in Virgil, as Mr. Stil

lingfleet remarks, Æn. vi. 266.

"Sit mihi fas audita loqui: fit numine veftro

"Pandere res altâ terrâ et caligine merfos."

Ver. 607. And by myself have fworn,] From Ifaiah xlv. 23, to which Mr. Stillingfleet refers: "I have fworn by myself."

Ver. 656. The Muses thus fing around the throne of Jove, as Mr. Stillingfleet remarks, in Hefiod, Theog. v. 36. See Il. Penf. v. 47. But fee more particularly the laft Olympick Ode of Pindar.

Ver. 734. After Dr. Newton's Note. The Son of God is thus described in P. Fletcher's Purp. Isl. 1633, c. xii. ft. 78. "Upon his lightning brow Love proudly fitting "Flames out in power, fhines out in majestie:"

And perhaps lightning is also a participle in Milton.

Ver. 872. After Dr. Newton's Note. Mr. Stillingfleet refers to fimiles of the fame kind in Homer, Iliad ii. 209, and 394.

Ver. 890.

-left the wrath

Impendent &c.] A learned friend points out the Prometheus Vinct. of Efchylus, 1051-1053. Mr. Stillingfleet makes the fame reference; and adds, as a parallel to left the wrath diftinguish not, v. 892, Homer, Iliad xv. 137.

7

BOOK THE SIXTH.

Ver. 4. See alfo Fairfax's Taffe, B. i. ft. 71. "Aurora bright her cristall gates vnbard.”

Ver. 100.

in his fun-bright chariot fat,] A fine

improvement of Sylvefter, Du Bartas, edit. 1621, p. 12. "As now the fun, circling about the ball,

"(The Light's bright chariot,) doth enlighten all." Ver. 103. Then lighted from his gorgeous throne,] Mr. Stillingfleet here refers to Homer, Iliad iii. 29.

Αὐτίκα δ ̓ ἐξ ὀχέων σὺν τεύχεσιν άλτο χαμάζε,

Ver. 127. So pondering, and from his armed peers

Forth ftepping &c.] Here again Mr. Stillingflect

points out Homer, Iliad iii. 21.

Τὸν δ ̓ ὡς ἐν ἐνόησεν αρηίφιλος Μενέλαος

Ερχόμενον προπάροιθεν ὁμίλα, κι το λο

Ver. 194.

the tenth on bended knee &c.] Compare

Homer, Iliad v. 308, to which Mr. Stillingfleet refers

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »