Less than Arch-Angel ruin'd, and th' excess 595 On half the nations, and with fear of change the prints of Michael and the Devil by Raphael, and of the fame by Guido, and of the laft judgment by Michael Angelo. 598.and with fear of change Perplexes monarchs.] It is faid that this noble poem was in danger of being fupprefs'd by the Licencer on account of this fimile, as if it contain'd fome latent treafon in it: but it is faying little more than poets have faid under the moft abfolute monarchies; as Virgil. Georg. I. 464. Ille etiam cæcos inftare tumultus Sæpe monet, fraudemque, et operta tumefcere bella. 600. bis face 605 The Deep fears of thunder bad intrencb'd,] Had cut into, had made trenches there, of the French trencher to cut. Shakefpear ufes the fame word fpeaking of a fear, It was this very word intrench'd it. All's well that ends well, Act. II.— 609.- amerc'd] This word is not used here in its proper lawfenfe, of mulct'd, fin'd, &c. but as Mr. Hume rightly obferves has a ftrange affinity with the Greek aMeow, to deprive to take away, as Homer has ufed it much to our purpose. Οφθαλμών μεν αμερσε, διδα τ' ηδείαν αοιδήν. The 610 The fellows of his crime, the followers rather The Muse amerc'd him of his eyes, but gave him the faculty of finging fweetly. Odyff. VIII. 64. And I very well remember to have read the word ufed in the fame fenfe fomewhere in Spenfer, but cannot at prefent turn to the place. 611. yet faithful how they food,] To fee the true construction of this we must go back to ver. 605 for the verb. The fenfe then is this, to behold the fellows of his crime condemn'd &c. yet how they ftood faithful. Richardfon. 612.as when Heaven's fire Hath feath'd &c.] Hath hurt, hath damag'd; a word frequently ufed in Chaucer, Spenfer, Shake Thrice fpear, and our old writers. This is a very beautiful and close fimile; it reprefents the majestic ftature, and wither'd glory of the Angels; and the laft with great propriety, fince their luftre was impair'd by thunder, as well as that of the tes in the fimile: and befides, the blasted heath gives us fome idea of that finged burning foil, on which the Angels were fanding. Homer and Virgil frequently ufe comparisons from trees, to exprefs the ftature or falling of a hero, but none of them are apply'd with fuch variety and propriety of circumftances as this of Milton. See An Fay upon Milton's imitations of the ancients, p. 24. Thrice he affay'd, and thrice in spite of scorn Tears, fuch as Angels weep, burst forth: at last 620 Words interwove with fighs found out their way. O Myriads of immortal Spi'rits, O Powers Matchless, but with th' Almighty, and that strife Was not inglorious, though th' event was dire, As this place teftifies, and this dire change 625 Hateful to utter but what pow'r of mind Foreseeing or prefaging, from the depth Of knowledge past or prefent, could have fear'd, How fuch united force of Gods, how fuch As stood like these, could ever know repulfe? 630 For who can yet believe, though after lofs, That all these puiffant legions, whose exile Hath emptied Heav'n, fhall fail to re-ascend Self-rais'd, and repoffefs their native seat? 635 By me, have loft our hopes. But he who reigns 640 Put forth at full, but ftill his ftrength conceal'd, Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall. Henceforth his might we know, and know our own, So as not either to provoke, or dread New war, provok'd; our better part remains 645 the third part of the ftars of Heaven, and caft them to the earth; and this opinion Milton hath exprefs'd in feveral places, II. 692. V. 710. VI. 156: but Satan here talks big and magnifies their number, as if their exile had emptied Heaven. 642. Which tempted our attempt,] Words tho' well chofen and fignificative enough, yet of jingling and unpleasant found, and like marriages between perfons too near of kin, to be avoided. Hume. This kind of jingle was undoubtedly thought an elegance by Milton, and many inftances of it may At be fhown not only in his works, but I believe in all the best pocts both ancient and modern, tho' the latter I am afraid have been fometimes too liberal of them. 647-that be no less &c.] Satan had own'd just before, ver. 642. that they had been deceiv'd by God's concealing his ftrength; He now fays, He alfo fhall find himself mistaken in his turn; He fhall find our cunning fuch as that tho' we have been overpower'd, we are not more than half fubdued. At length from us may find, who overcomes Space may produce new worlds; whereof so rife 650 A generation, whom his choice regard 655 But these thoughts Peace is defpair'd, 660 For |