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From one till half an hour after two. Drove to the 'Change. Cheapened a couple of fans.

Till four. At dinner. Mem. Mr. Froth passed by in his new liveries.

From four to six. Dressed; paid a visit to old Lady Blithe and her sister, having before heard they were gone out of town that day.

From six to eleven. At basset. Mem. Never set again upon the ace of diamonds.

Thursday. From eleven at night to eight in the morning. Dreamed that I punted* to Mr. Froth. From eight to ten. Chocolate. Read two acts in Aurengzebe a-bed.

From ten to eleven. Tea-table. Sent to borrow Lady Faddle's Cupid for Veny. Read the playbills. Received a letter from Mr. Froth. Mem. Locked it up in my strong box.

Rest of the morning. Fontange, the tire-woman, her account of my lady Blithe's wash. Broke a tooth in my little tortoise-shell comb. Sent Frank to know how my Lady Hectic rested after her monkey's leaping out at window. Looked pale. Foutange tells me my glass is not true. Dressed by three.

From three to four. down.

Dinner cold before I sat

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From ten to twelve. In conference with my mantuamaker. Sorted a suit of ribbons. Broke iny blue china cup.

From twelve to one. Shut myself up in my chamber, practiced Lady Betty Modley's skuttle. One in the afternoon. Called for my flowered handkerchief. Worked half a violet leaf in it. Eyes ached and head out of order. Threw by my work, and read over the remaining part of Aurengzebe.

From three to four. Dined.

From four to twelve. Changed my mind, dressed, went abroad, and played at crimp till midnight. Found Mrs. Spitely at home. Conversation: Mrs. Brilliant's necklace false stones. Old Lady Loveday going to be married to a young fellow that is not worth a groat. Miss Prue gone into the country. Tom Townley has red hair. Mem. Mrs. Spitely whispered in my ear, that she had something to tell me about Mr. Froth; I am sure it is

not true.

Between twelve and one. Dreamed that Mr. Froth lay at my feet, and called me Indamora.

Saturday. Rose at eight o'clock in the mornizg. Sat down to my toilette.

From eight to nine. Shifted a patch for half an hour before I could determine it. Fixed it above my left eyebrow.

From mine to twelve. Drank my tea and dressed. From twelve to two. At chapel. A great deal of good company. Mem. The third air in the new opera. Lady Blithe dressed frightfully.

From three to four. Dined. Miss Kitty called upon me to go to the opera before I was risen from table.

From dinner to six. Drank tea. Turned off a footman for being rude to Veny.

A term in the game of basset. tA pace of affected precipitation.

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Sunday. Indisposed.

Monday. Eight o'clock. Waked by Miss Kitty. Aurengzebe lay upon the chair by me. Kitty repeated without book the eight best lines in the play. Went in our mobs to the dumb man, according to appointment. Told me that my lover's name began with a G. Mem. The conjurert was within a letter of Mr. Froth's name, etc.

"Upon looking back into this journal, I find that I am at a loss to know whether I pass my time well or ill; and indeed never thought of considering how I did it before I perused your speculations upon that subject. I scarce find a single action in these five days that I can thoroughly approve of, except in the working upon the violet-leaf, which I am resolved to finish the first day I am at leisure. As for Mr. Froth and Veny, I did not think they took up so much of my time and thoughts as I find they do upon my journal. The latter of them I will turn off, if you insist upon it; and if Mr. Froth does not bring matters to a conclusion very suddenly, I will not let my life run away in a dream. Your humble Servant, "CLARINDA."

"

To resume one of the morals of my first paper, and to confirm Clarinda in her good inclinations, I would have her consider what a pretty figure she would make among posterity, were the history of her whole life published like these five days of it. I shall conclude my paper with an epitaph written by an uncertain author on Sir Philip Sidney's sister, a lady who seems to have been of a temper very much different from that of Clarinda. The last thought of it is so very noble, that I dare say my reader will pardon me the quotation.

L.

ON THE COUNTESS DOWAGER OF PEMBROKE.
"Underneath this marble hearse
Lies the subject of all verse,
Sidney's sister, Pembroke's mother;
Death, ere thou hast kill'd another,
Fair and learn'd, and good as she,
Time shall throw a dart at thee."

No. 324.] WEDNESDAY, MAR. 27, 1711-12.
O curvæ in terris animæ, et coelestium inanes!
PERS, Sat. ii. 61.

O souls, in whom no heavenly fire is found,
Flat minds, and ever groveling on the ground!
DRYDEN.

"MR. SPECTATOR,

"THE materials you have collected toward a general history of clubs, make so bright a part of your SPECULATIONS, that I think it is but a justice we all owe the learned world, to furnish you with such assistances as may promote that useful work.

* A huddled economy of dress so called. +Duncan Campbel.

The motto prefixed to this paper in its original form in folio, was taken from Juvenal:

Sævis inter se convenit ursis.
Even bears with bears agres.

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"Your most humble Servant, PHILANTHROPOS."

March 10, 1711-12.

66

The following letter is of a quite contrary nature; but I add it here that the reader may observe, at the same view, how amiable ignorance may be, when it is shown in its simplicities; and how detestable in barbarities. It is written by an the hands of a lady of good sense, wrapped about honest countryman to his mistress, and came to a thread paper, who has long kept it by her as an image of artless love.

"To her I very much respect, Mrs. Margaret Clark.

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For this reason I could not forbear communica- | pressions from your admonitions. But I beg you ting to you some imperfect informations of a set would recommend to their perusal your ninth of men (if you will allow them a place in that Speculation. They may there be taught to take species of being) who have lately erected them- warning from the club of Duelists; and be put in selves into a nocturnal fraternity, under the title mind, that the common fate of those men of honof the Mohock Club, a name borrowed, it seems, or was to be hanged. from a sort of cannibals in India, who subsist "I am, Sir, upon plundering and devouring all the nations about them. The president is styled Emperor of the Mohocks; and his arms are a Turkish crescent, which his imperial majesty bears at present in a very extraordinary manner engraved upon his forehead. Agreeable to their name, the avowed design of their institution is mischief; and upon this foundation all their rules and orders are framed. An outrageous ambition of doing all possible hurt to their fellow-creatures, is the great cement of their assembly, and the only quali fication required in the members. In order to exert this principle in its full strength and perfection, they take care to drink themselves to a pitch, that is, beyond the possibility of attending to any motions of reason or humanity; then make a general sally, and attack all that are so unfortunate as to walk the streets through which they patrol. Some are knocked down, others cut and carbonadoed. To put the watch to a total rout, and mortify some of those inoffensive militia, is reckoned a coup d'éclat. The particular talents by which these misanthropes are distinguished from one another, consist in the various kinds of barbarities which they execute upon their prisoners. Some are celebrated for a happy dexterity in tipping the lion upon them; which is performed by squeezing the nose flat to the face, and boring out the eyes with their fingers. Others are called the dancing-masters, and teach their. scholars to cut capers, by running swords through their legs; a new invention whether originally French I cannot tell. A third are the tumblers, whose office it is to set women on their heads, and commit certain indecencies, or rather barbarities, on the limbs which they expose. But these I forbear to mention, because they cannot but be very shocking to the reader as well as the Spectator. In this manner they carry on a war against mankind and by the standing maxims of their policy, are to enter into no alliances but one, and that is offensive and defensive with all bawdy: houses in general, of which they have declared themselves protectors and guarantees.

"I must own, Sir, these are only broken, incoherent memoirs of this wonderful society; but they are the best I have been yet able to procure for, being but of late established, it is not ripe for a just history; and, to be serious, the chief design of this trouble is to hinder it from ever being so. You have been pleased, out of a concern for the good of your countrymen, to act, under the character of Spectator, not only the part of a lookeron, but an overseer of their actions; and whenever such enormities as this infest the town, we immediately fly to you for redress. I have reason to believe, that some thoughtless youngsters, out of a false notion of bravery, and an immoderate fondness to be distinguished for fellows of fire, are insensibly hurried into this senseless, scanda lous project. Such will probably stand corrected by your reproofs, especially if you inform them, that it is not courage for half a score fellows, mad with wine and lust, to set upon two or three soberer than themselves; and that the manners of Indian savages are not becoming accomplishments to an English fine gentleman. Such of them as have been bullies and scowerers of a long standing, and are grown veterans in this kind of service, are, I fear, too hardened to receive any im

Lovely, and O that I could write loving Mrs Margaret Clark, I pray you let affection excuse presumption. Having been so happy as to enjoy the sight of your sweet countenance and comely body, sometimes when I had occasion to buy treacle or liquorish powder at the apothecary's shop, I am so enamored with you, that I can no more keep close my flaming desires to become your servant. And I am the more bold now to write to your sweet self, because I am now my own man, and may match where I please; for my father is taken away, and now I am come to my living, which is ten yard land, and a house; and there is never a yard landt in our field, but it is as well worth ten pounds a year as a thief is worth a halter, and all my brothers and sisters are provided for: beside, I have good household stuff, though I say it, both brass and pewter, linens and woolens; and though my house be thatched, yet, if you and I match, it shall go hard but I will have one-half of it slated. If you think well of this motion, I will wait upon you as soon as my new clothes are made, and hayharvest is in. I could, though I say it, have good * The rest is torn off; and posterity must be contented to know, that Mrs. Margaret Clark was very pretty; but are left in the dark as to the name of her lover.-T.

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*This letter was really conveyed, in the manner here mentioned, to a Mrs. Cole, the wife of a churlish attorney, in or near Northampton, who would not suffer her to correspond with anybody. It was written by a substantial freeholder in given to Steele by his friend, the ingenious antiquary, Mr. Northamptonshire, whose name was Gabriel Bullock, and Browne Willis. Mrs. Cantrell, nicce to Mrs. Cole, fortunately remembered what was torn off from the letter by a child at play, so that it is given here entire on good authority.-P.

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WILL HONEYCOMB diverted us last night with an account of a young fellow's first discovering his passion to his mistress. The young lady was one, it seems, who had long before conceived a favorable opinion of him, and was still in hopes that he would some time or other make his advances. As he was one day talking with her in company of her two sisters, the conversation happening to turn upon love, each of the young ladies was, by way of raillery, recommending a wife to him; when to the no small surprise of her who languished for him in secret, he told them, with a more than ordinary seriousness, that his heart had been long engaged to one whose name he thought himself obliged in honor to conceal; but that he could show her picture in the lid of his snuff-box. The young lady, who found herself most sensibly touched by this confession, took the first opportunity that offered of snatching his box out of his hand. He seemed desirous of recovering it; but finding her resolved to look into the lid, begged her, that, if she should happen to know the person, she would not reveal her name. Upon carrying it to the window, she was very agreeably surprised to find there was nothing within the lid but a little looking-glass; on which, after she had viewed her own face with more pleasure than ever she had done before, she returned the box with a smile, telling him she could not but admire his choice.

Will, fancying that this story took, immediately fell into a dissertation on the usefulness of looking glasses; and, applying himself to me, asked if there were any looking-glasses in the times of the Greeks and Romans; for that he had often observed, in the translations of poems out of those languages, that people generally talked of seeing themselves in wells, fountains, lakes, and rivers. Nay, says he, I remember Mr. Dryden, in his Ovid, tells us of a swinging-fellow, called Polypheme, that made use of the sea for his lookingglass, and could never dress himself to advantage but in a calm.

My friend Will, to show us the whole compass of his learning upon this subject, further informed us, that there were still several nations in the world so very barbarous as not to have any looking-glasses among them; and that he had lately read a voyage to the South Sea, in which it is said that the ladies of Chili always dressed their heads over a basin of water.

I am the more particular in my account of Will's last night's lecture on these natural mirrors, as it seems to bear some relation to the following letter, which I received the day before.

"SIR,

"I have read your last Saturday's observations on the fourth book of Milton with great satisfaction, and am particularly pleased with the hidden moral which you have taken notice of in several parts of the poem. The design of this letter is to desire your thoughts, whether there may not also be some moral couched under that

place in the same book, where the poet lets us know, that the first women immediately after her creation ran to a looking-glass, and became so enamored of her own face, that she had never removed to view any of the other works of nature, had she not been led off to a man? If you think. fit to set down the whole passage from Milton, your readers will be able to judge for themselves, and the quotation will not a little contribute to the filling up of your paper.

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Your humble Servant, "R. T."

The last consideration urged by my querist is so strong, that I cannot forbear closing with it. The passage he alludes to is part of Eve's speech to Adam, and one of the most beautiful passages in the whole poem.

That day I oft remember, when from sleep

I first awak'd, and found myself repos'd

Under a shade of flow'rs, much wond'ring where
And what I was, whence thither brought, and how.
Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound
Of waters issu'd from a cave, and spread
Into a liquid plain, and stood unmov'd,
Pure as th' expanse of heaven: I thither went
With unexperienc'd thought, and laid me down
On the green bank, to look into the clear
Smooth lake, that to me seem'd another sky
As I bent down to look, just opposite
A shape within the watery gleam appear'd,
Bending to look on me: I started back,
It started back; but pleas'd I soon return'd,
Pleas'd it return'd as soon with answering looks
Of sympathy and love: there I had fix'd
Mine eyes till now, and pin'd with vain desire,
Had not a voice thus warn'd me: "What thou seest,
What there thou seest, fair creature, is thyself;
With thee it came and goes: but follow me,
And I will bring thee where no shadow stays
Thy coming and thy soft embraces; he
Whose image thou art, him shalt thou enjoy
Inseparably thine: to him shalt bear
Multitudes like thyself, and thence be called
Mother of human race." What could I do.
But follow straight, invisibly thus led?
Till I espied thee, fair indeed and tall,
Under a plantain; yet, methought, less fair,
Less winning soft, less amiably mild,

Than that smooth watery image; back I turn'd;
Thou following criedst aloud, "Return, fair Eve!
Whom fly'st thou? Whom thou fly'st, of him thou art,
His flesh, his bone; to give thee being, I lent
Out of my side to thee, nearest my heart,
Substantial life, to have thee by my side,
Henceforth an individual solace dear:
Part of my soul, I seek thee, and thee claim
My other half!"-With that thy gentle hand
Seiz'd mine; I yielded, and from that time see
How beauty is excell'd by manly grace
And wisdom, which alone is truly fair.
So spake our general mother-

X.

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it, have given me encouragement to send you a state of my case, by which you will see, that the matter complained of is a common grievance both to city and country.

"I am a country gentleman of between five and six thousand a year. It is my misfortune to have a very fine park and an only daughter; upon which account I have been so plagued with deer-stealers and fops, that for these four years past I have scarce enjoyed a moment's rest. I look upon my-ing, and told me she had been visiting a relation, self to be in a state of war; and am forced to keep a constant watch in my seat, as a governor would do that commanded a town on the frontier of an enemy's country. I have indeed pretty well secured my park; having for this purpose provided myself of four keepers, who are left-handed, and handle a quarter-staff beyond any other fellows in the country. And for the guard of my house, beside a band of pensioner-matrons and an old maiden relation whom I keep on constant duty, I have blunderbusses always charged, and fox-gins planted in private places about my garden, of which I have given frequent notice in the neigh borhood; yet so it is, that in spite of all my care, I shall every now and then have a saucy rascal ride by, reconnoitering (as I think you call it) under my windows, as sprucely dressed as if he were going to a ball. I am aware of this way of attacking a mistress on horseback, having heard that it is a common practice in Spain; and have therefore taken care to remove my daughter from the road-side of the house, and to lodge her next the garden. But to cut short my story. What can a man do after all? I durst not stand for member of parliament last election, for fear of some ill consequence from my being off my post. What I would therefore desire of you is, to promote a project I have set on foot, and upon which I have written to some of my friends, and that is. that care may be taken to secure our daughters by law, as well as our deer; and that some honest gentleman, of a public spirit, would move for leave to bring in a bill for the better preserving of the female game. "I am, Sir,

"Your humble Servant."

"Mile-End Green, March 6, 1711-12.

'MR. SPECTATOR,

"Here is a young man walks by our door every
day about the dusk of the evening. He looks up
at my window, as if to see me; and if I steal to-
ward it to peep at him, he turns another way, and
looks frightened at finding what he was looking for.
The air is very cold; and pray let him know, that,
if he knocks at the door, he will be carried to the
parlor fire, and I will come down soon after, and
give him an opportunity to break his mind.
"I am, Sir,

"Your most humble Servant,
"MARY COMFIT."

"If I observe he cannot speak, I'll give him time to recover himself, and ask him how he does."

"DEAR SIR,

pregnancy with them, would not only have hand-
somely defrayed the charges of the month, but of
their education too; her fancy being so exorbitant in
the first year or two, as not to confine itself to the
usual objects of eatables and drinkables, but run-
ning out after equipages and furniture, and the
like extravagances. To trouble you only with a
few of them; when she was with child of Tom,
my eldest son, she came home one day just faint-
whose husband had made her a present of a
chariot and a stately pair of horses: and that she
was positive she could not breathe a week longer,
unless she took the air in the fellow to it of her
own within that time. This, rather than lose an
heir, I readily complied with. Then the furni-
ture of her best room must be instantly changed
or she should mark the child with some of the
frightful figures of the old-fashioned tapestry.
Well, the upholsterer was called, and her longing
saved that bout. When she went with Molly, she
had fixed her mind upon a new set of plate, and
as much china as would have furnished an Indian
shop: these also I cheerfully granted, for fear of
being father to an Indian pagod. Hitherto I found
her demands rose upon every concession; and had
she go on, I had been ruined; but by good
fortune, with her third, which was Peggy, the
height of her imagination came down to the corner
of a venison-pasty, and brought her once even
upon her kness to gnaw off the ears of a pig from
the spit. The gratifications of her palate were
easily preferred to those of her vanity: and some-
times a partridge, or a quail, or a wheat-ear, or
the pestle of a lark, were cheerfully purchased;
nay, I could be contented though I were to feed
her with green-peas in April, or cherries in May.
But with the babe she now goes, she is turned girl
again, and fallen to eating of chalk, pretending it
will make the child's skin white; and nothing will
serve her but I must bear her company, to prevent
its having a shade of my brown. In this, how-
ever, I have ventured to deny her. No longer ago
than yesterday, as we were coming to town, she
saw a parcel of crows, so heartily at breakfast on
a piece of horse-flesh, that she had an invincible
desire to partake with them, and (to my infinite
surprise) begged the coachman to cut her off a
slice, as if it were for himself, which the fellow
did; and as soon as she came home, she fell to it
with such an appetite, that she seemed rather to
devour than eat it. What her next sally will be I
cannot guess; but, in the meantime, my request to
you is, that if there be any way to come at these
wild unaccountable rovings of imagination by
reason and argument, you'd speedily afford us
your assistance. This exceeds the grievance of
pin-money; and I think in every settlement there
ought to be a clause inserted, that the father
should be answerable for the longings of his
daughter. But I shall impatiently expect your
thoughts in this matter, and am,
"Sir, your most obliged, and

"T. B."

"Most faithful, humble Servant, "Let me know whether you think the next child will love horses as much as Molly does

china-ware."-T.

-Major rerum mihi nascitur ordo.

"I beg you to print this without delay, and by the first opportunity give us the natural causes of longing in women: or put me out of fear that my wife will one time or other be delivered of some- No. 327.] SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1711-12 thing as monstrous as anything that has yet appeared to the world; for they say the child is to bear a resemblance of what was desired by the mother. I have been married upward of six years, have had four children and my wife is now big with the fifth. The expenses she has put me to, iu procuring what she has longed for during her

VIRG., En. vii, 48. A larger scene of action is display'd.-DRYDEN. WE were told in the foregoing book, how the evil spirit practiced upon Eve as she lay asleep in order to nspire her with thoughts of vanity,

pride, and ambition. The author, who shows a won- | courtship of Milton's Adam, and could not be derful art throughout his whole poem, for preparing heard by Eve in her state of innocence, excepting the reader for the several occurrences that arise only in a dream produced on purpose to taint her in it, founds, upon the above-mentioned circum-imagination. Other vain sentiments of the same stance, the first part of the fifth book. Adam, kind, in this relation of her dream, will be obvious to every reader. Though the catastrophe of upon his awaking, finds Eve still asleep, with an unusual discomposure in her looks. The posture the poem is finely presaged on this occasion, the in which he regards her is described with a ten-particulars of it are so artfully shadowed, that derness not to be expressed, as the whisper with they do not anticipate the story which follows in which he awakens her is the softest that ever was the ninth book. I shall only add, that though the vision itself is founded upon truth, the circonveyed to a lover's ear. cumstances of it are full of that wildness and inconsistency which are natural to a dream. Adam, conformable to his superior character for wisdom, instructs and comforts Eve upon this occasion: So cheer'd he his fair spouse, and she was cheer'd, But silently a gentle tear let fall

His wonder was, to find awaken'd Eve
With tresses discompos'd, and glowing cheek,
As through unquiet rest: he, on his side
Leaning half-raised, with looks of cordial love
Hung over her enamor'd, and beheld
Beauty, which, whether waking or asleep,
Shot forth peculiar graces; then, with voice
Mild as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes,
Her hand soft touching, whisper'd thus: "Awake,
My fairest, my espous'd, my latest found,
Heav'n's last best gift, my ever new delight,
Awake: the morning shines, and the fresh field
Calls us; we lose the prime, to mark how spring
Our tender plants, how blows the citron grove,
What drops of myrrh, and what the balmy reed,
How nature paints her colors, how the bee
Sits on the bloom extracting liquid sweet."

Such whispering wak'd her, but with startled eye
On Adam, whom embracing, thus she spake:

"O sole, in whom my thoughts find all repose,
My glory, my perfection! glad I see
Thy face, and morn return'd-

I cannot but take notice, that Milton, in the conferences between Adam and Eve, had his eye very much upon the book of Canticles, in which there is a noble spirit of eastern poetry, and very often not unlike what we meet with in Homer, who is generally placed near the age of Solomon. I think there is no question but the poet in the preceding speech remembered those two passages which are spoken on the like occasion, and filled with the same pleasing images of nature.

"My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away! for, lo! the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, come away!

and

"Come, my beloved! let us go forth into the field, let us get up early into the vineyards, let us see whether the vine flourish, whether the tender grapes appear, and the pomegranates bud forth."

His preferring the garden of Eden to that
-Where the sapient king

Held dalliance with his fair Egyptian spouse,
shows that the poet had this delightful scene in
his mind.

Eve's dream is full of those high conceits engendering pride, which, we are told, the devil endeavored to instil into her. Of this kind is that part of it where she fancies herself awakened by Adam in the following beautiful lines:

"Why sleep'st thou, Eve? Now is the pleasant time,
The cool, the silent, save where silence yields
To the night-warbling bird, that now awake
Tunes sweetest his love-labor'd song: now reigns
Full-orb'd the moon, and with more pleasing light
Shadowy sets off the face of things. In vain,
If none regard. Heav'n wakes with all his eyes,
Whom to behold but thee, nature's desire,
In whose sight all things joy, with ravishment,
Attracted by thy beauty still to gaze!"

An injudicious poet would have made Adam talk through the whole work in such sentiments as these: but flattery and falsehood are not the

From either eye, and wip'd them with her hair;
Two other precious drops, that ready stood
Each in their crystal sluice, he, ere they fell,
Kiss'd, as the gracious signs of sweet remorse
And pious awe, that fear'd to have offended.

The morning hymn is written in imitation of one of those psalms where, in the overflowing of gratitude and praise, the Psalmist calls not only upon the angels, but upon the most conspicuous parts of the inanimate creation to join with him in extolling their common Maker. Invocations of this nature fill the mind with glorious ideas of God's works, and awaken that divine enthusiasm which is so natural to devotion. But if this calling upon the dead parts of nature is at all times a proper kind of worship, it was in a particular manner suitable to our first parents, who had the creation fresh upon their minds, and had not seen the various dispensations of Providence, nor consequently could be acquainted with those many topics of praise which might afford matter to the devotions of their posterity. I need not remark the beautiful spirit of poetry which runs through the whole hymn, nor the holiness of that resolution with which it concludes.

Having already mentioned those speeches which are assigned to the persons in this poem, I proceed to the description which the poets give us of Raphael. His departure from before the throne, and his flight through the choirs of angels, is finely imagined. As Milton everywhere fills his with circumstances that are marvelous poem and astonishing, he describes the gate of heaven as framed after such a manner, that it opened of itself upon the approach of the angel who was to pass through it.

-Till at the gate

Of heav'n arriv'd, the gate self-open'd wide
On golden hinges turning, as by work
Divine, the sovereign Architect had fram'd.

The poet here seems to have regarded two or three passages in the 18th Iliad, as that in particular where, speaking of Vulcan, Homer says, that he had made twenty tripods running on golden wheels; which, upon occasion, might go of themselves to the assembly of the gods, and, when there was no more use for them, return again after the same manner. Scaliger has rallied Homer very severely upon this point, as M. Dacier has endeavored to defend it. I will not pretend to determine whether, in this particular of Homer, the marvelous does not lose sight of the probable. As the miraculous workmanship of Milton's gates is not so extraordinary as this of the tripods, so I am persuaded he would not have mentioned it, had not he been supported in it by a passage in the Scripture, which speaks of wheels in heaven that had life in them, and moved of themselves, or stood still, in conformity with the cherubim whom they accompanied.

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