Forth rufh'd with Whirlwind found The Chariot of paternal Deity, Flashing thick flames, Wheel within Wheel undrawn, I queftion not but Bofu, and the two Daciers, who are for vindicating every thing that is cenfured in Homer, by fomething parallel in Holy Writ, would have been very well pleafed had they thought of confronting Vulcan's Tripodes with Ezekiel's Wheels. RAPHAEL's Defcent to the Earth, with the Figure of his Perfon, is represented in very lively Colours. Several of the French, Italian and English Poets have given a loose to their Imaginations in the Defcription of Angels: But I do not remember to have met with any fo finely drawn, and fo conformable to the Notions which are given of them in Scripture, as this in Milton. After having fet him forth in all his Heavenly Plumage, and reprefented him as alighting upon the Earth, the Poet concludes his Defcription with a Circumstance, which is altogether new, and imagined with the greatest Strength of Fancy. Like Maia's Son he flood, RAPHAEL's Reception by the Guardian Angels; his paffing through the Wildernefs of Sweets; his diftant Appearance to Adam, have all the Graces that Poetry is capable of beftowing. The Author afterwards gives us a particular Description of Eve in her Domeftick Employ. ments. So faying, with difpatchful Looks in hafte THOUGH in this, and other Parts of the fame Book, the Subject is only the Housewifry of our first Parent, it is is fet off with fo many pleafing Images and ftrong Expreffions, as make it none of the leaft agreeable Parts in this Divine Work. THE natural Majefty of Adam, and at the fame time his fubmiffive Behaviour to the Superior Being, who had vouchfafed to be his Gueft; the folemn Hail which the Angel beftows upon the Mother of Mankind, with the Figure of Eve miniftring at the Table, are Circumstances which deserve to be admired. RAPHAEL's Behaviour is every way suitable to the Dignity of his Nature, and to that Character of a fociable Spirit, with which the Author has fo judiciously introduced him. He had received Inftructions to converse with Adam, as one Friend converses with another, and to warn him of the Enemy, who was contriving his Deftruction: Accordingly he is reprefented as fitting down at Table with Adam, and eating of the Fruits of Paradife. The Occafion naturally leads him to his Difcourfe on the Food of Angels. After having thus entered into Converfation with Man upon more indifferent Subjects, he warns him of his Obedience, and makes a natural Tranfition to the Hiftory of that fallen Angel, who was employ'd in the Circumvention of our firft Parents. HADI followed Monfieur Bofu's Method in my first Paper on Milton, I should have dated the Action of Paradife Loft from the Beginning of Raphael's Speech in this Book, as he fuppofes the Action of the Eneid to begin in the fecond Book of that Poem. I could alledge many Reafons for my drawing the Action of the Æneid rather from its immediate Beginning in the first Book, than from its remote Beginning in the fecond; and fhew why I have confidered the facking of Troy as an Episode, according to the common Acceptation of that Word. But as this would be a dry unentertaining Piece of Criticifm, and perhaps unneceffary to thofe who have read my firft Paper, I fhall not enlarge upon it. Which ever of the Notions be true, the Unity of Milton's Action is preferved according to either of them; whether we confider the Fall of Man in its immediate Beginning, or proceeding from the Refolutions taken in the infernal Council, or in its more remote Beginning, or proceeding from the firft Revolt of the Angels in Heaven. The Occafion which Milton afligns affigns for this Revolt, as it is founded on Hints in Holy Writ, and on the Opinion of fome great Writers, fo it was the most proper that the Poet could have made ufe of. THE Revolt in Heaven is described with great Force of Indignation and a fine Variety of Circumstances. The learned Reader cannot but be pleafed with the Poet's Imitation of Homer in the laft of the following Lines. At length into the Limits of the North That Structure in the Dialect of Men HOMER mentions Perfons and Things, which he tells us in the Language of the Gods are called by different Names from those they go by in the Language of Men. Milton has imitated him with his ufual Judgment in this particular Place, wherein he has likewife the Authority of Scripture to juftify him. The Part of Abdiel, who was the only Spirit that in this infinite Hoft of Angels preserved his Allegiance to his Maker, exhibits to us a noble Moral of religious Singularity. The Zeal of the Seraphim breaks forth in a becoming Warmth of Sentiments and Expreffions, as the Character which is given us of him denotes that generous Scorn and Intrepidity which attends heroick Virtue. The Author doubtless defigned it as a Pattern to those who live among Mankind in their present State of Degeneracy and Corruption. So fpake the Seraph Abdiel, faithful found Unfbaken, unfeduc'd, unterrify'd; His Loyalty he kept, his Love, his Zeal: To fwerve from Truth, or change his conftant Mind, B 4 Superior, Superior, nor of Violence fear'd ought; And, with retorted Scorn, his Back he turn'd On those proud Tow'rs to fwift Deftruction doom'd. L N° 328. Monday, March 17. · Nullum me à labore reclinat etium. Mr. SPECTATOR, A Hor. SI believe this is the firft Complaint that ever was made to you of this nature, fo you are the first Perfon I ever could prevail upon my self to lay it before. When I tell you I have a healthy vigo-. rous Conftitution, a plentiful Eftate, no inordinate Defires, and am married to a virtuous lovely Woman, who 'neither wants Wit nor Good-nature, and by whom I have a numerous Offspring to perpetuate my Family, you will naturally conclude me a happy Man. But, notwithstanding thefe promifing Appearances, I am fo 'far from it, that the Profpect of being ruin'd and undone, by a fort of Extravagance which of late Years is in a lefs degree crept into every fashionable Family, deprives me of all the Comforts of my Life, and renders me the moft anxious miferable Man on Earth. My Wife, who was the only Child and darling Care of an indulgent Mother, employ'd her early Years in learning all thofe Accomplishments we generally understand by Good-breeding and polite Education. She fings, dances, plays on the Lute and Harpficord, paints prettily, is a perfect Miftrefs of the French Tongue, and has made a confiderable Progrefs in Italian. She is befides excellently skill'd in all domeftick Sciences, as Preferving, Pickling, Paftry, making Wines of Fruits of our own Growth, Embroidering, and Needleworks of every Kind. Hitherto you will be apt to think there is very little ⚫ Cause of Complaint; but fufpend your Opinion till I have further explain'd my felf, and then I make no queftion you will come over to mine. You are not to imagine I find fault that she either poffeffes or takes ⚫ delight delight in the Exercife of thofe Qualifications I juft now mention'd; 'tis the immoderate Fondness fhe has ⚫ to them that I lament, and that what is only defign'd ⚫ for the innocent Amusement and Recreation of Life, is become the whole Business and Study of hers. The ⚫ fix Months we are in Town (for the Year is equally • divided between that and the Country) from almost • Break of Day till Noon, the whole Morning is laid out ⚫ in practising with her feveral Masters; and to make up the Loffes occafion'd by her Abfence in Summer, every • Day in the Week their Attendance is requir'd; and as they are all People eminent in their Profeffions, their • Skill and Time must be recompenfed accordingly: So how far thefe Articles extend, I leave you to judge. Limning, one would think, is no expenfive Diverfion, but as the manages the Matter, 'tis a very confiderable • Addition to her Disbursements; which you will eafily believe, when you know fhe paints Fans for all her Female Acquaintance, and draws all her Relations • Pictures in Miniature; the first must be mounted by no body but Colmar, and the other fet by no body but Charles Mather. What follows, is ftill much worse than the former; for as I told you, fhe is a great Artist at •her Needle, 'tis incredible what Sums fhe expends in Embroidery; For befides, what is appropriated to her perfonal Ufe, as Mantua's, Petticoats,Stomachers, Handkerchiefs, Purses, Pin-cushions, and Working-Aprons, fhe keeps four French Proteftants continually employ'd ⚫ in making divers Pieces of fuperfluous Furniture, as Quilts, Toilets, Hangings for Clofets, Beds, WindowCurtains, Eafy-Chairs, and Tabourets: Nor have I any hopes of ever reclaiming her from this Extravagance, while fhe obftinately perfifts in thinking it a notable piece of good Housewifry, becaufe they are made at 'home, and fhe has had fome share in the Performance. • There would be no end of relating to you the Parti⚫culars of the annual Charge, in furnishing her StoreRoom with a Profufion of Pickles and Preferves; for ⚫ she is not contented with having every thing, unless it be done every way, in which the confults an Hereditary Book of Receipts; for her female Ancestors have been always fam'd for good Housewifry, one of whom 6 6. |