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examples, however, of the beautiful and the pathetick, abundant proofs of the poet's skill in the interefting management of his fubject. "Milton," Mr. Dunfter excellently obferves, "opened his inimitable Poem with the fublimely grand horrour of the Infernal regions; from whence he foared at once into the Celestial Manfions and the Heaven of Heavens; and then carried us into the beautiful fcenes of a Terrestrial Paradife, with every delightful circumstance attendant on Human Beings in a state of the purest Innocence and trueft Happiness. Having alternated in these three various regions, through the progress of his argument to the catastrophe of it, he, in the tenth book, intimates and prepares us for the great change, elementary as well as moral, introduced into the world by the Fall of Man,-and the confequent entrance of Sin and Death. The eleventh and twelfth books gradually bring us into the World, in the state in which we are actually placed in it; and in this state the poet leaves us with admonitions of the most falutary kind for our conduct in it, fo as best to regain that happiness which our first parents had loft, and that further fecured to us everlastingly and unchangeably in a bleffed eternity. When we thus confider the four different Regions, in which the fcene of the Poem is in fact laid, we can well account for what the criticks have faid refpecting the eleventh and twelfth books falling fhort of the majefty, fublimity, and beauty of the reft. In cenfuring the Poem in this respect, they in fact wish that whatever relates to this world, and the fate of mankind in it fince the Fall, had been omitted, and that the fcene and defcriptions had been confined to the delights of the happy feat, the fublime horrors of the 'dark fojourn, and the divine glories of the empyreal regions and the heaven of heavens.' But Milton, even while

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rapt above the pole' he meditated his vast defign, was fully aware that he was standing upon the earth,' and writing to the inhabitants of it for their inftruction as well as their delight. A poem, however wonderfully pregnant with the delectare, will be wanting in its most effential part, if it does not close with the monere, or materially involve it. This, I much incline to believe, could not have been done in the prefent poem, in a more judicious, momentous, dignified, and truly poetical manner, than that of our author."

Nor can I think that the perufal of Paradife Loft is "a duty

rather than a pleasure;" that "we read Milton for inftruction, retire *haraffed and overburdened, and look elsewhere for recreation." To thefe cold remarks I could oppofe the teftimony of numbers, who have thought it no difparagement to their taste and judgement to confefs that they have perused it many times, and always with increafed delight. Yes: if we listen obediently to the poet's fong, perhaps we shall acknowledge fenfations fimilar to those with which our first parent is described to have been fo powerfully affected:

"The Angel ended, and in Adam's ear

"So charming left his voice, that he a while

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Thought him still speaking, still stood fix'd to hear, "Then, as new wak'd, thus gratefully replied.

"What thanks fufficient, &c." TODD.

This literary disgust is also noticed in the second volume of this edition, p. 278.

APPENDIX TO PARADISE LOST,

CONTAINING

PLANS OF SIMILAR SUBJECTS,

Intended for

TRAGEDIES,

BY MILTON:

From his own MS, in Trinity College, Cambridge.

IN the library of Trinity College, Cambridge, is a thin folio manufcript, marked, in the year 1799, when I was obligingly permitted by the Master and Fellows of that fociety to examine it, Miscell. R. iii. 4. It is handfomely bound; and to the infide of one of the covers is pafted a paper with this infcription, "Membra hæc eruditiffimi et pænè divini Poetæ olim miferè disjecta et paffim fparfa, poftea verò fortuitò inventa, et in unum denuo collecta à CAROLO MASON ejufdem Collegii Socio, et inter Mifcellanea repofita, deinceps eâ quâ decuit religione fervari voluit THOMAS CLARKE, nuperrimmè hujufce Collegii, nunc verò Medii Templi Londini, Socius, 1736." Thefe papers were found by Dr. Mason, above-mentioned, who was alfo Woodwardian profeffor at Cambridge, among other old and neglected manuscripts belonging to Sir Henry Newton Puckering", a con

. Afterwards Master of the Rolls, and Knight.

b Mr. Warton says that Sir Henry "had so great an affection for this college, in which he had been educated, that in his eightieth year he desired to be readmitted: and, residing there a whole summer, presented to the new library, just then finished, his own collection of books, amounting to near four thousand volumes. He was son of Sir Adam Newton, tutor to Prince Henry; and many papers written by that prince, or relating to him, are involved in the collection. Sir Henry took the name of Puckering in remembrance of his uncle, Sir Thomas Puckering of Warwickshire, a learned and accomplished man, brother-in-law to Sir Adam Newton, son of lord Keeper

fiderable benefactor to the Library. They contain two draughts of a letter to a friend, who had importuned Milton to take orders; the following plans of Paradife Loft in the form of a tragedy, or mystery; the plans or fubjects of feveral other intended tragedies, all in the poet's own hand; and entire copies of many of his fmaller poems, in the fame hand, except in a few inftances, exhibiting his firft thoughts and fubfequent corrections.

These variations, Mr. Warton has obferved, have been imperfectly and incorrectly printed by Dr. Birch. Various Readings of this MS. have been alfo admitted into Dr. Newton's edition of all Milton's poetical works; as have fuch, which relate to the respective pieces, and which have been more minutely investigated, in Mr. Warton's two editions of Milton's smaller poems. Upon a careful examination of this manuscript, I have discovered a few peculiarities, or variations of expreffion, which have escaped the notice of thofe who have preceded me in defcribing this literary curiofity; and which will be found in their proper places. For I have added, at the end of each particular poem, as of Lycidas, Arcades, and Comus; and at the end of each series of poems, as of Sonnets, Odes, and Mifcellanies ;* the several Various Readings refpectively belonging to them. In this arrangement I hope to gratify the reader; who, after reading the finished poem, may then trace without interruption, (to use the language of Dr. Johnson respecting the imperfect rudiments of Paradife Loft,) the gradual growth and expanfion of great works in their feminal state; and obferve how they are fometimes fuddenly advanced by accidental hints, and fometimes flowly improved by

Puckering, a companion of the studies of Prince Henry. Many of the books were presents to the prince from authors or editors. In Dr. Duport's Hora subseciva, a poem is addressed to this preserver of Milton's Manuscripts, Ad D. Henricum Puckeringum, alias Newtonum, Equitem baronettum. Cantabr. 1676. 8vo. pp. 222, 223. This sir Henry had a son, pupil to Dr. Duport, at Trinity college, but who died before his father."

I find a copy of verses addressed to Sir Henry, which escaped Mr. Warton's notice, in Thos. Jordan's Muses Melodie in a consort of Poetrie, where his poetical taste is thus quaintly praised:

"Excellent Sir, I know you use to sip
"Much of the Muses fair good fellowship.
"Leander and lov'd Hero's life and death,
"With all the Verse since queen Elizabeth,
"Lifts not the front of fansie up so high
"As you can when your genius will comply."

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