Ch. 11

FURTHER DISCUSSED

171

feast, still there will be to the earnest seeker such wonders spread before him, such unfathomable wisdom, that his reward will be hardly less. For there are in the great palace of Nature sights which cannot escape the most untrained eye, and also other sights so lofty and so mysterious that they are the despair of the wisest observer, and lead him to seek a further explanation from within rather than from without. Poets never sing more sweetly than when, with due regard to the aspects of Nature, they happily describe in true and simple language those outward symbols that she has, so wondrous fair, yet scarcely noticed by the mass of mankind.1 The mind that has a faculty for these pursuits acknowledges and accepts their lucid presentment. Whatever else it may be engaged upon, this is ever present with them. But to penetrate beneath the surface of such mysteries as these is beyond man's power: they lie too deep; the labour is too great.

"In this practised contemplation of Nature's beauties all the old philosophers rejoiced exceedingly. Here King Solomon and David his father, as every one knows, found illustrious arguments for religious duty; here Adam himself rejoiced with no mean joy when he was privileged to view the origin and disposition of the universe, and to distinguish the animals, however widely differing, each with its appropriate name. Nay, even the Incomprehensible and Eternal Artist," 3 after He had completed His work of the world, seemed to rejoice in it, and to rest as one that was satisfied."

"Do you therefore," said Politian, "wish us all to become philosophers and adepts in the chemistry of Nature, and in these studies to wear away our lives?" "Yes, indeed I do," said Joseph, "if you are such adepts

1 Have we not here something akin to Milton's famous description of true poetry as being "simple, sensuous, and passionate"?

Cf. Paradise Lost, v. 153:

These are Thy glorious works, Parent of Good.

These allusions to Adam are Miltonic.

3 Lat. immensus atque aeternus Opifex. Immensus is an unusual epithet for the Deity, but is in the Athanasian Creed, Latin translation.

as to be able to extract the meaning of the Divine goodness, and such philosophers as to look at common things with no common views. The average sensual man measures every pleasure by his desire and lust, and so grows dull to the sense of God's goodness, which should be the supreme whet to all our joys. Philosophers also have been wont to let their studies end in the desire for knowledge and fame only, and have not used them as they ought to God's praise and glory. Now, the special advantage of natural science is to rise from Nature to Nature's God, tracing His footsteps everywhere therein.1

"Ah!" said Politian, "how earnestly I desire to embrace this great truth, and to hear it elucidated by you. Tell us, therefore, if you will, by what great arguments you would assert that this world of ours and all that is therein is the created work of God Himself, and not merely a state of things arising from fate or some attendant Spirit or Genius inherent in it." 2

Cf. Paradise Lost, v. 511:

In contemplation of created things,
By steps we may ascend to God.

This theory of Politian as to the origin of the universe being attributed to some inherent Genius has come into some favour since the doctrine of Evolution has been established, especially with such philosophers as cannot accept naked Atheistic Materialism.

Dr. John Beattie Crozier finds an Unknown Power behind the intellectual development of mankind, a co-ordinating Power, an Unknown X, a Genius of the World, which is not ourselves, and which makes steadily for moral ends in such a way as we mortals would call intelligent and moral (History of Intellectual Development, i. 14, etc.). And as with mind, so also with matter. The apparent progressive march and improvement of the inorganic worlds, as shown in the modern facts of Evolution, seem to point to an Unknown X, some Genius inherent in matter of the same kind as here hinted at by Politian. In fact, not only in education and civil prudence, but also in philosophy, the author of our Romance shows himself in many points a long way ahead of his time. He is clearly a learned man of original and independent mind who has read and thought much, but, with it all, has fully and conscientiously submitted himself to the Divine revelation of God's Word as he could best interpret it in the Holy Scriptures. Such a man was Milton par excellence!

Ch. I]

THE UNIVERSE

173

Joseph answered and said: "You ask me to expound a mighty theme indeed, nor do I know one more profitable, for it is hardly conceivable how little real belief men have in God and His constant presence everywhere.”

However, as Joseph was just about to commence his discourse, the setting sun withdrew his rays, the shades of evening began to gather round, and the damp mists to arise from the ground. All this was by no means favourable for the speaker's lungs, so he checked himself, and said it would be better to keep his promise on the morrow.1

1 These discussions on Nature and Art in the foregoing chapter were stock academical subjects at both our Universities in Milton's time and even long afterwards. The poems known as Carmina Quadragesimalia (i.e. Lent Term exercises) have no title more often met with at the head of a poetical attempt than "An melior, ars vel natura?" or something similar. Milton took the side of Nature, and uses all the stock arguments in the most skilful and poetic manner, while he adds several strokes of genius all his own. This part of Nova Solyma seems to hail from his college days.

Q

CHAPTER II

THIRD DAY IN NOVA SOLYMA

UITE early next morning, as Joseph did not appear, the youths went to his chamber to find him. He was not there, but a picture hanging in front of his bed at once arrested their attention. They recognised it directly, it was so like life, and so like her whose features were impressed on their inmost soul. In fact, it was Joseph's sister sitting under the sacred vine as they had first of all beheld her. It seemed to them a spirit or ghost rather than a painting; they even fancied, as is not unusual, that the eyes of the picture moved and followed them. They gazed eagerly and took their fill, both artist and subject receiving due meed of praise. Often afterwards they would repeat this visit; indeed, the picture became a shrine where they as lovers worshipped their almost Divine ideal, and the unsubstantial canvas kept the love of the absent one warm in their hearts. It was on this first occasion that a mirror in a window recess caught the eye of Eugenius on account of an inscription he saw thereon. It ran thus:

O thou who in this glass thyself dost view,
With face so fair,

Forget not that the glass is fragile-so are you-
A fragile pair.'

While Eugenius was reading this, Politian strolled into the adjoining library, whence he heard sounds of reciting

1 The Latin is:

Qui faciem pulchram speculo meditaris in isto

Heu fragili vitro sis memor esse parem.

Bk. II, Ch. II] A MORNING HYMN

175

or singing. It was Joseph. His early morning thoughts had roused, it seems, such a cheerful sense of God's goodness in bringing him back home again out of such trials and dangers, that he must needs relieve his mind in a joyous song of home and fatherland:

O sacred top of Solyma,1

How lovely is the place

Where stands the city of our King,
Where faithful saints rejoice and sing
Of mercy, love, and grace!

The Latin song begins: O sacrum Solymae, jugum. The word "top," by which I have translated jugum, is one which Milton seems to prefer to any other when he has to refer to a summit of a hill or mountain. He uses this expression "top" nearly twenty times in Paradise Lost.

The "sacred top of Solyma" will remind lovers of Milton of the beginning of Paradise Lost:

Say, Heavenly Muse, that on the secret top

Of Oreb or of Sinai didst inspire

That shepherd, who first taught the chosen seed.

For it was on the two words put in italics that the famous Master of Trinity made the first of his eight hundred emendations, and perhaps as good as any of them, which, however, is not saying much. Dr. Bentley suggested that as Milton was perfectly blind, and had to dictate to an amanuensis, many mistakes arose in the text from the scribe not quite catching or understanding the spoken word, "Secret top of Oreb" was a clear case of this at least, so thought the Doctor. "Sacred top" was what Milton dictated, and was misunderstood, and it is shown at some length how unsuitable the epithet "secret was. To the many arguments Bentley gives there may be added this, that Milton had probably Sylvester's Du Bartas in mind, for therein is said of Moses that he "Upon Mount Horeb learn'd the eternal law;" and of Mount Sinai it is said:

On his sacred top

,,

A whirling flame round like a ball doth wrap. And if Nova Solyma is by Milton, the "sacred top of Solyma" will somewhat strengthen the Doctor's position.

Of course it is well known how miserably the great emendator of the classics failed in the task of correcting Milton. But it is only fair that he should have his due, if anything in our text should appear to favour him, especially as I have, in a note to another passage of the third book (note to "Sin "), rather discounted the one successful shot he has always been allowed to score out of so many-i.e. ichorous, his emendation for nectarous.