POSTSCRIPT. I BELIEVE we might trace ftrong marks of a congenial difpofition in Milton and Du Bartas: at leaft we cannot but obferve much resemblance in their peculiar devotion of themselves to SACRED POETRY. The latter has a very pleasing poem on this fubject; which reads with a high spirit of originality in the language of Jofhua Sylvefter. I cannot refift the inclination I feel to lay the greater part of it before you; as it breathes fo exactly the fentiments, which Milton felt himself. What I fhall prefent to you, * We may compare Milton's account of his own Literary Projects as they feem fimilarly to have preffed in competition on his mind; and there to is about three-fourths of the poem in my folio. I have, in a few inftances, made fome have fubmitted to the pre-eminence of Sacred Poetry. "Time ferves not now, and perhaps I might seem too profufe, to give any certain account of what the mind at home, in the fpacious circuits of her mufing, hath liberty to propofe to herself, though of highest hope, and hardest attempting; whether that Epic form, whereof the two poems of Homer, and thofe other two of Virgil and Taffo, are a diffufe, and the book of Job a brief model; or whether the rules of Ariftotle are herein to be ftrictly kept, or Nature to be followed;- ——or whether thofe dramatic constitutions, wherein Sophocles and Euripides reign, fhall be found more doctrinal and exemplary to a nation ;- -or, if occafion fhall lead, to imitate thofe magnific odes and hymns, wherein Pindarus and Callimachus are in most things worthy. But thofe frequent fongs, throughout the Law and Prophets, beyond all these, not in their divine argument alone, but in the very critical art of compofition, may be easily made appear over all the kinds of lyric poefy to be incomparable. These abilities are the inspired gift of God,-and are of power, to inbreed and cherish in a great people the feeds of virtue and public civility; to allay the perturbations of the mind, and fet the affections in right tune; to celebrate or to fome immaterial alterations: but thefe are merely for the purpose of covering a few highly obfolete expreffions ; form a connection, where I have omitted fome ftanzas. Where I expect you principally to admire, I have been an exact tranfcriber. celebrate in glorious and lofty hymns the throne and equipage of God's Almightinefs, and what he works, and what he suffers to be wrought with high providence in his Church; to fing victorious agonies of Martyrs and of Saints, the deeds and triumphs of juft and pious nations doing valiantly, through faith, against the enemies of Chrift; to deplore the gene ́ral relapses of kingdoms and states from justice and God's true worship: laftly, whatfoever in Religion is holy and fublime, in Virtue amiable or grave, all these things with a solid and treatable fmoothnefs to point out and defcribe; teaching over the whole book of fanctity and virtue through all the inftances of example, with fuch delight, that whereas the paths of honesty and good life appear now rugged and difficult, though they be indeed easy and pleafant, they will then appear to all men eafy and pleafant, though they were rugged and difficult indeed.” Introduction to the Second Book of THE REASON OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT. URANIA. URANI A, OR THE HEAVENLY MUSE, SCARCE had the April of mine age begun, But, (as a pilgrim, at th' approach of night, Among the many flow'ry paths that lead Up to the mount, where, with green bays APOLLO Crowns happy numbers with immortal meed, I food confus'd and doubtful which to follow; One * One while I fought the Greecian fcene to drefs Anon to confecrate my country's ftory, Anon I thought the frolic fon to fing * I wished to have cited this and the two following stanzas, as inftances of Sylvefter's use of the word anon in tranfitions of description, (fee p. 66); but I referved them for this place. Perhaps this immediate paffage was in Milton's mind, when he leads his chearful man all at once to the theatre, Then to the well-trod stage ANON,——— + As I have juft fuppofed this ftanza to have been in Milton's mind in fpeaking of reprefentations of comedy; it may be fuppofed alfo to have contributed to his divifion of the fubjects of Grecian Tragedy on two occafions. Seu mæret Pelopeia domus, feu nobilis Ili, EL. i. 45. Prefenting Thebes or Pelops line, PENSEROSO, 99, |