The accounts, which Raphael gives of the battle of angels and the creation of the world, have in them thofe qualifications which the criticks judge requifite to an episode. They are nearly related to the principal action, and have a just connexion with the fable.

The EIGHTH BOOK opens with a beautiful defcription of the impreffion which this difcourfe of the Archangel made on our first parents. Adam afterwards, by a very natural curiofity, inquires concerning the motions of thofe celeftial bodies which make the most glorious appearance among. the fix days works. The poet here, with a great deal of art, reprefents Eve as withdrawing, from this part of their converfation, to amusements more fuitable to her fex. He well knew that the episode in this book, which is filled with Adam's account of his paffion and cfteem for Eve, would have been improper for her hearing; and has therefore devised very juft and beautiful reafons for her retiring.

The Angel's returning a doubtful answer to Adam's inquiries was not only proper for the moral reason which the poet affigns, but because it would have been highly abfurd to have given the fanction of an Archangel to any particular fyftem of philofophy. The chief points in the Ptolemaick and Copernican hypotheses are described with great concifenefs and perfpicuity,

and at the fame time dreffed in very pleafing and poetical images.

Adam, to detain the Angel, enters afterwards upon his own hiftory, and relates to him the circumstances in which he found himfelf upon his creation; as alfo his converfation with his Maker, and his first meeting with Eve. There is no part of the Poem more apt to raise the attention of the reader, than this difcourfe of our great ancestor; as nothing can be more surprising and delightful to us, than to hear the fentiments that arose in the first Man, while he was yet new and fresh from the hands of his Creator. The poet has interwoven every thing which is delivered upon this fubject in Holy Writ with fo many beautiful imaginations of his own, that nothing can be conceived more just and natural than this whole episode. As our author knew this fubject could not but be agreeable to his reader, he would not throw it into the relation of the fix days works, but reserved it for a distinct episode, that he might have an opportunity of expatiating upon it more at large. Before I enter on this part of the Poem, I cannot but take notice of two fhining paffages in the dialogue between Adam and the Angel. The first is that wherein our ancestor gives an account of the pleasure he took in converfing with him, which contains a very noble moral:

For, while I fit with thee, I feem in Heaven; "And sweeter thy discourse is to my ear "Than fruits of palm-tree pleasantest to thirst "And hunger both, from labour, at the hour "Of sweet repaft; they fatiate, and foon fill, "Though pleasant; but thy words, with grace divine "Imbued, bring to their sweetness no fatiety."

The other I fhall mention, is that in which the Angel gives a reason why he should be glad to hear the story Adam was about to relate :

"For I that day was abfent, as befel,
"Bound on a voyage uncouth and obfcure,
"Far on excurfion towards the gates of Hell;

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Squar'd in full legion (such command we had) "To fee that none thence iffued forth a spy, “Or enemy, while God was in his work; "Left he, incens'd at fuch eruption bold, "Deftruction with Creation might have mix'd.”

There is no queftion but our poet drew the image in what follows from that in Virgil's fixth book, where Æneas and the Sybil stand before the adamantine gates, which are there described as fhut upon the place of torments; and listen to groans, the clank of chains, and the noise of iron whips, that were heard in those regions of pain and forrow:

the

"Faft we found, faft fhut,

"The difmal gates, and barricado'd strong;
"But long ere our approaching heard within
"Noife, other than the found of dance or fong,

"Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage."

Adam then proceeds to give an account of his condition and sentiments immediately after his creation. How agreeably does he represent the posture in which he found himself, the delightful landskip that furrounded him, and the gladnefs of heart which grew up in him on that occafion! He is afterwards described as furprised at his own existence, and taking a survey of himself, and of all the works of nature. He likewise is represented as discovering, by the light of reason, that he, and every thing about him, must have been the effect of fome Being infinitely good and powerful; and that this Being had a right to his worship and adoration. His firft addrefs to the fun, and to those parts of the creation which made the most distinguished figure, is very natural and amufing to the imagination. His next fentiment, when upon his first going to fleep he fancies himself losing his existence, and falling away into nothing, can never be fufficiently admired. His dream, in which he ftill preserves the consciousness of his existence, and his removal into the garden which was prepared for his reception, are alfo circumftances finely imagined, and grounded upon what is delivered in facred story.

These, and the like wonderful, incidents in this part of the work, have in them all the

beauties of novelty; at the fame time that they have all the graces of nature.

They are fuch as none but a great genius could have thought of; though, upon the perufal of them, they feem to rife of themselves from the fubject of which he treats. In a word, though they are natural, they are not obvious; which is the true character of all fine writing.

The impreffion, which the interdiction of the tree of life left in the mind of our first parent, is defcribed with great strength and judgement; as the image of the feveral beasts and birds paffing in review before him is very beautiful and lively.

Adam, in the next place, defcribes a conference which he held with his Maker upon the fubject of folitude. The poet here represents the Supreme Being, as making an effay of his own work, and putting to the trial that reasoning faculty with which he had endued his creature. Adam urges, in this divine colloquy, the impoffibility of his being happy, though he was the inhabitant of Paradife, and Lord of the whole creation, without the conversation and fociety of fome rational creature, who fhould partake those bleffings with him. This dialogue, which is fupported chiefly by the beauty of the thoughts, without other poetical orna