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enamour'd in his youth) when it was wholly abftracted from material objects, was more at liberty to make fuch amazing excurfions into the Ideal World, when in compofing his Divine Work He was tempted to range

Beyond the vifible diurnal fphere.

With fo many accomplishments, not to have had fome faults and misfortunes, to be laid in the balance with the fame, and felicity, of writing PARADISE LOST, Wou'd have been too great a portion for humanity.

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POSTSCRIPT.

T

HE works of inferior Genius's have their infancy, and often receive additions of ftrength and beauty, in the feveral impreffions they undergo whilft their Authors live: but the following Poem came into the World, like the Persons whom it celebrates, in a state of maturity. However, though in the first Edition it was dispos'd into Ten Books only, MILTON thought proper in the Second to make a new divifion of it into Twelve: not, I fuppofe, with refpect to the Eneis (for he was, in both fenfes of the phrafe, above imitation) but more probably, because the length of the Seventh and Tenth requir da paufe in the Narration, he divided them each into Two: on which diftribution, to the beginning of those Books which are now the Eighth and Twelfth, he added the following Verses, which were neceffary to make a Connection.

Book VIII. ver. 1.

The Angel ended, and in Adam's ear
So charming left his voice, that he a-while
Thaught him fill Speaking; ftill flood fix'd to hear:
Then, as new-wak'd, thus gratefully reply'd.

The latter half of the verfe was taken from this in the firit Edition,

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To whom thus Adam gratefully reply'd.

Book

Book XII. ver. 1,

As one who in his journey bates at noon,
Though bent on fpeed: fo here th' Arch-Angei paus'd,
Betwixt the world deftroy'd, and world reftor'd;
If Adam ought perhaps might interpofe:

Then, with tranfition fweet, new speech refumes.

At the fame time the Author made fome new additions in other places of the Poem, which are here inferted for the fatisfaction of the curious.

Book V. ver. 637.

"" They eat, they drink, and with refection sweet "Are fill'd, before th' all-bounteous King, &c.

were thus enlarg'd in the Second Edition,

They eat, they drink, and in communion fweet
Quaff immortality, and joy, (fecure

Of furfeit, where full measure only bounds
Excefs) before th' all-bounteous King, &c.

Book XI. ver. 484. after,

"Intestine ftone, and ulcer,

these three verfes were added,

colick-pangs,

Damoniac phrenzy, moaping melancholy,
And moon-ftruck madness, pining atrophy;
Marafmus, and wide-wafting peftilence.

And ver. 551. of the fame Book (which was originally thus,

"Of rendring up. Michael to him reply'd)

receiv'd this addition,

Of rendring up, and patiently attend
My diffolution. Michael reply'd.

To what I have said in the Life, of our Author's having no Monument, it may not be improper to add; that I defir'd a Friend to enquire at St. Giles's Church; where the Sexton fhew'd him a small Monument, which he faid was fuppos'd to be MILTON's; but the Infcription had never been legible fince he was employ'd in that office, which he has poffefs'd about Forty Years. This, fure, cou'd never have happen'd in fo fhort a fpace of time, unless the Epitaph had been induftriously eras'd: and that fuppofition carries with it fo much inhumanity, that I think we ought to believe it was not erected to his Memory.

IN

IN

PARADISUM AMISSAM

SUM MI POETÆ

JOANNIS MILTONI.

Q

UI legis AMISSAM PARADISUM, grandia Magni
Carmina MILTONI, quid nifi cuncta legis ?

Res cunctas, & cunctarum primordia rerum,

Et fat, & fines continet ifte liber.

Intima panduntur magni penetralia mundi ;
Scribitur & toto quicquid in orbe latet:
Terræque, tractufque maris, coelumque profundum,
Sulphureufque EREBI, flammivomufque fpecus.
Quæque colunt terras, pontumque, & TARTARA cæca ;
Quæque colunt fummi lucida regna poli.
Et quodcunque ullis conclufum eft finibus ufquam;
Et fine fine CHAOS, & fine fine DEUS:
Et fine fine magis, (fi quid magis eft fine fine)
In CHRISTO erga homines conciliatus amor.
Hæc qui fperaret, quis crederet effe futura ?
Et tamen hæc hodiè terra BRITANNA legit.
quantos in bella Duces! quæ protulit arma!
Quæ canit,, & quantâ prælia dira tubâ!
Cœleftes acies! atque in certamine cœlum!
Et quæ cœleftes pugna deceret agros!
Quantus in ætheriis tollit fe LUCIFER armis !
Atque ipfo graditur vix MICHAELE minor!
Quantis, & quàm funeftis concurritur iris,
Dum ferus hic ftellas protegit, ille rapit!
Dum vulfos montes, ceu tela reciproca, torquent,

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