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Bayer. Staatsbibliothek

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Printed for J. Johnson, W. J. and J. Richardson, R. Baldwin, Otridge and Son,
J. Sewell, J. Nichols, F. and C. Rivington, T. Payne, G. and J. Robinson,
J. Walker, J. Mathews, W. Lowndes, J. Scatcherd, Vernor and Hood, Ogilvy
and Son, J. Nunn, G. Wilkie, Clarke and Son, R. Lea, E. Jefferey, Carpenter
and Co. Longman and Rees, Cadell, Jun. and Davies, and J. Mawman;

By Bye and Law, St. John's-Square, Clerkenwell.

M. DCCC.I.

BIBLIOTHECA

REGIA MOVACENSIS.

Bayerische Staatsbibliothek

MÜNCHEN

Bayerische
Staatsbisof

MUNOREA

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS

ON

PARADISE REGAINED *.

THAT the Paradife Regained has been confiderably underrated by the world, feems of late to be an opinion almost generally admitted. But perhaps we shall state the fact more correctly, if we say that it has been neglected, rather than under-rated; that it has been more unknown, than not admired. This is fo mach the cafe, that I apprehend fome of the warmeft panegyrifts of the Paradife Loft have never honoured this Poem with a perusal; or only with a cafual and moft unfair one, under a cloud of prejudices against it.-A critick, whofe tafte, judgement, and candour are unqueftioned, has given it abfolutely no place at all among the Works of its Author. "If I might venture to place Milton's Works according to their degrees of poetick excellence," fays. Dr. Jofeph Warton, "it fhould be perhaps in the following order, PARADISE LOST, COMUS, SAMSON AGONISTES, LYCIDAS, L'ALLEGRO, IL PENSEROSO." (See concluding note to the Lycidas, in Warton's Edition of Milton's Juvenile Poems!) I fhould hope that PARADISE REGAINED flipped accidentally out of the lift indeed what the late Mr. Warton has faid of the Comus, I do not hefitate to apply to the Poem before us, and to hazard freely my unqualified opinion, that "the Author is here inferiour only to his own Paradife Loft."

* I have ventured to form the remarks of the learned editor of Paradife Regained, fubjoined in his elegant edition of 1795 to the end of each book, into a Preliminary Difcourse; as correfponding, in this modification, with the design of Mr. Addifon's critical effay on Paradife Loft; which is, to point out ftrongly the particular beauties of the Poem to the reader's notice; or, in other words, to tell him the delicious fare which he may expect, and to bid him "fit down, and feed, and welcome at the table."

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