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BOOK III.

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since God is light.

The Omnipotent began, by calling light into existence, as indispensably necessary to the great and glorious scene which was about to take place. God himself is called "Light, and in him is no darkness at all." Without it we could pursue no rational object, nor enjoy any real comfort. So if our minds are not enlightened with the knowledge of God, as he is revealed in the scriptures of truth, all our works will be done in disorder, and the end of them will be misery. There can be no fitness, regularity or utility in what we do, unless we walk by this light, and conform to its unerring directions. "Thy word," says the psalmist, "is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my paths." Psalms, cxix. 105. Whose fountain who shall tell.

Where is the way where light dwelleth? Job, xxxviii. 19.

and at the voice.

Oh! Thou, whose mighty voice, "Let there be
light,"

Dread chaos heard, when the great sun from night
Burst forth, and dæmon shadows fled away,

And the green earth sprung beautiful to day ;

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Oh! merciful in judgment, hear our prayer;
Behold the world which thou hast made so fair,
And man, the mourner, man, the sinner, spare!
Rev. W. L. BOWLES.

14 Escap'd the Stygian pool.

Tartarus, or the infernal regions.

With other notes than to th' Orphéan lyre.

As

Orpheus received his lyre from Apollo, upon which he played with such a masterly hand, that the most rapid rivers ceased to flow, the savage beasts forgot their wildness, and the mountains came to listen to his song; Eurydice was the nymph who made an impression on the musician's heart, and their nuptials were celebrated. Eurydice was running on the grass, a serpent bit her foot, and she died of the wound; her loss was severely felt by Orpheus, and he resolved to recover her, or perish in the attempt. With his lyre in his hand, he gained admission into the palace of Pluto, who was charmed with the melody of his strains: and, as the poets say, the wheel of Ixion stopped; Tantalus forgot his thirst; the Furies, Pluto and Proserpine relented, and promised to restore Eurydice, on condition, that he should not look on her, till he came to the confines of the regions; he gladly accepted the conditions, and, when in sight of the upper regions, he looked, and saw her vanish from his sight. He attempted to follow; but was refused admittance, and the only comfort now remaining was his lyre. He separated himself from society, and the Thracian women, whom he had offended by his coldness, attacked him while they celebrated the orgies of Bacchus, tore his body in

pieces, and threw his head into the Hebrus, which articulated the words, Eurydice, Eurydice, as it was carried down the stream into the Ægean Sea. Orpheus, after death, received divine honours, the muses gave an honourable burial, and his lyre became one of the constellations in the heavens. 19 Taught by the heavenly muse.

22

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Apollo wos worshipped under the names of Phoebus and the Sun, and represented as the god of the fine arts.

but thou

Revisit'st not these eyes, that roll in vain.
Where couldst thou words of such a compass find?
Whence furnish such a vast expanse of mind?
Just heaven thee like Tiresias to requite,
Rewards with prophecy thy loss of sight.

ANDREW Marvel.

where the muses haunt.

The nine muses were the fabulous daughters of Jupiter and Mnemosyne or Memory; the goddesses of the arts and sciences, music and poetry, and are called, by the poets, the daughters of Memory, because it is to that mental endowment, mankind are indebted for their progress in knowledge. They are represented as dancing in· a circle, round Apollo and singing in chorus; to intimate the near and indissoluble connection which exists between the liberal arts and sciences. They are said to inhabit the mountains Parnassus, Picrus and Pindus.

30 Thee, Sion.

Sing us one of the songs of Sion. Psalms, cxxxvii. 3.

30 Blind Thamyris.

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And Dorian, fam'd for Thamyris disgrace,
Superior once of all the tuneful race,
Till, vain of mortal's empty praise, he strove
To match the seed of cloud-compelling Jove.
Too daring bard! whose unsuccessful pride
Th' immortal muses of the light of day
Depriv'd his eyes, and snatch'd his voice away;
No more his heavenly voice was heard to sing,
His hand no more awaked the silver string.
HOMER'S ILIAD.

and blind Moonides.

A sir-name of Homer.

36 And Tiresias.

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A celebrated prophet of Thebes: he was deprived of sight, in disputing with the gods; it is said that Jupiter made him amends, by bestowing on him the gift of prophecy.

and Phineas prophets old. A king of Thrace: the cause of his blindness is a matter of dispute; some say, it was inflicted on him for cruelty to his grandson; others, that it proceeded from his having rashly attempted to develope futurity.

42 Day or the sweet approach of even or morn.

Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. Psalms, lxv. 8. 51 So much the rather thou, celestial light. Shine inward.

For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ.

For which cause we faint not; but, though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 2 Cor. iv. 6, 16.

58 High thron'd above all height.

I saw Jehovah sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. Isaiah, vi. 1.

Addison remarks, that, if Milton's majesty forsakes him any where, it is where the divine persons are introduced as speakers. One may, I think, observe, that the author proceeds with a kind of fear and trembling, whilst he describes the sentiments of the Almighty. He dares not give his imagination full play; but chuses to confine himself to such thoughts, as are drawn from the books of the most orthodox divines, and to such expressions as may be met with in scripture. The beauties, therefore, which we are to look for in these speeches, are not of a poetical nature, nor so proper to fill the mind with sentiments of grandeur, as with thoughts of devotion. The survey of the whole creation, and of every thing transacted in it, is a prospect worthy of omnicience.

63 The radiant image of his glory sat,

His only son.

That this great, this illustrious, this divine person, should have laid aside these robes of celestial light, to array himself in mortal flesh; not only that he might reveal his Father's will, and speak to us in his name, but that he might redeem us to God by his blood! What shall we say? ? We will receive the message he brings us, with all thankfulness: we will seek his favour

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