In rea'son, and is judicious, is the scale
By which to heav'nly love thou may'ft ascend,
Not funk in carnal pleasure, for which caufe
Among the beafts no mate for thee was found.

To whom thus half abash'd Adam reply'd.
Neither her outfide form'd so fair, nor ought
In procreation common to all kinds
(Though higher of the genial bed by far,
And with mysterious reverence I deem)

So much delights me, as thofe graceful acts,
Those thousand decencies that daily flow
From all her words and actions mix'd with love
And sweet compliance, which declare unfeign'd

αλλά αγέθαι, αρχομένον απο των δε των καλων εκείνο ενεκα το καλό, απ επανιέναι ώσπερ επαναβαθμοις χρωμένου απο ενθ επι δυο, και απο δυαν επι παντα τα καλά σως ματα, και απο των καλων σωμα των επι τα καλα επιτηδευματα, και απο των καλών επιτηδευμα TWVET! Ta Hara palnpara es' αν απο των μαθημάτων επ' εκείνο το μαθημα τελεύτησε, ὁ εςιν εκ αλλά η αυτό εκανε το καλο μας θημα, και γνω αυτο τελευτῶν ὁ 951 naλo". Plat. Conviv. p. 211. tom. 3. Edit. Serrani This is the more probable from what Milton fays in the account which he gives of himfelf. "Thus from the laureat "fraternity of poets, riper years,

595

600

Union

" and the ceafelefs round of study "and reading, led me to the fhady fpaces of philofophy; but chiefly

66

to the divine volumes of Plato, "and his equal Xenophon: where "if I should tell ye what I learnt "of chastity and love, I mean that "which is truly fo" &c. Apol. for Smectymn. p. 111. Vol. 1. Edit. 1738. Thyer.

591. and is judicious,] To be judicious means here to choole proper qualities in Eve for the object of love; to love her only for what is truly amiable: not for the fenfe of touch whereby mankind is propagated, ver. 579, &c; but for what Adam found higher in her fociety, human, and rational, ver. 586, &c. Pearce.

Union of mind, or in us both one foul;
Harmony to behold in wedded pair

More grateful than harmonious found to th' ear.
Yet these subject not; I to thee disclose

- What inward thence I feel, not therefore foil'd,
Who meet with various objects, from the sense
Variously representing; yet still free

605

Approve the best, and follow what I approve.
To love thou blam'ft me not, for love thou fay'st
Leads up to Heav'n, is both the way and guide;
Bear with me then, if lawful what I ask;

610

Love not the heav'nly Spi'rits, and how their love 615 Express they, by looks only', or do they mix

595. To whom thus half abash'd

Adam reply'd.] Adam's difcourfe, which follows the gentle rebuke he received from the Angel, fhows that his love, however violent it might appear, was ftill founded in reafon, and confequently not improper for Paradise. Addifon.

To whom thus half abash'd Adam reply'd.

This verfe might have been turn'd otherwise,

To whom thus Adam half abash'd reply'd,

and many perhaps will think that it runs smoother thus. But let the reader confider again, whether the verfe

Irra

as it is in Milton does not better exprefs the fhame and modeft confufion of Adam.

598. Though higher of the genial bed by far,] The genial bed, fo Horace, Ep. I. I. 87. lectus genialis. And with myfterious reverence 1 deem. He had applied this epithet to marriage before in IV. 743.

Nor Eve the rites Myfterious of connubial love refus'd: And again, ver 750.

Hail wedded love, myfterious law.

He means by it fomething that was not proper to be divulg'd, but ought to be kept in religious filence and rever'd like the mysteries. 618. To

H 2

Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch?

To whom the Angel with a smile that glow'd Celestial rofy red, love's proper hue,

Anfwer'd. Let it fuffice thee that thou know'st 620

Us happy', and without love no happiness.

Whatever pure thou in the body' enjoy'st

(And pure

thou wert created) we enjoy

In eminence, and obftacle find none

Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclufive bars; 625 Eafier than air with air, if Spi'rits embrace,

pure

Total they mix, union of pure with
Defiring; nor reftrain'd conveyance need

As

thefe verfes Dr. Bentley would throw out: he has feveral objections to them; but they will be all anfwer'd by confidering the sense of the paífage. Raphael had faid that Spirits mix total; that is one circumftance, in which they differ from men: here he adds another circumftance of their

difference, viz. they are fo unreftrain'd that they need no conveyance, that is, need not move to meet one another, as our flesh does to mix with other flesh, and one foul with another foul, mediante corpore. In fewer words, Spirits (fays Raphael) not only mix total, but they mix at a diftance, and without approaching each other. This is Milton's fenfe; and now that unintelligible ftuff (as the Doctor calls it) need conveyance, as foul to mix with foul, is become

As flesh to mix with flesh, or foul with foul.
But I can now no more; the parting fun
Beyond the earth's green Cape and verdant Iles
Hefperian fets, my signal to depart.

Be strong, live happy', and love, but first of all
Him whom to love is to obey, and keep

630

His great command; take heed left paffion sway 635
Thy judgment to do ought, which else free will
Would not admit; thine and of all thy fons
The weal or woe in thee is plac'd; beware.
I in thy persevering shall rejoice,

And all the Bleft: ftand faft; to ftand or fall

very eafy to be underfood. Pearce. 630. But I can now no more; the parting fun &c.] The converfation was now become of fuch a nature that it was proper to put an end to it: And now the parting fun beyond the earth's green Cape, beyond Cape de Verd the most western point of Africa, and verdant Iles, the ilands of Cape de Verd, a knot of fmall ilands lying off Cape de Verd, fubject to the Portuguese, Hefperian fets, fets weftward, from Hefperus the evening star appearing there, my fignal to depart, for he was only to ftay till the evening, V. 376.

- for these mid hours, till evening rise,

I have at will. And he very properly clofes his dif. courfe with thofe moral inftructions,

640 Free

which should make the most lafting impreffion on the mind of Adam, and to deliver which was the principal end and defign of the Angel's coming.

634. Him whom to love is to obey,] For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments. 1 John V.3. His great command every body will readily understand to be the command not to eat of the forbidden tree, which was to be the trial of Adam's obedience.

637. Would not admit ;] Admit is used in the Latin fenfe, as in Terence, Heaut. V. II. 3. Quid ego tantum fceleris admifi mifer? What great wickedness have I committed?

637.-thine and of all thy fons &c.] In te omnis domus inclinata recumbit. Virg. An. Xil. 59. H 3

644-whom

Free in thine own arbitrement it lies.
Perfect within, no outward aid require;
And all temptation to tranfgrefs repel.

So faying, he arofe; whom Adam thus
Follow'd with benediction. Since to part,
Go heav'nly Gueft, ethereal Meffenger,
Sent from whofe fovran goodness I adore.
Gentle to me and affable hath been
Thy condefcenfion, and shall be' honor'd ever
With grateful memory: thou to mankind
Be good and friendly ftill, and oft return.

645

650

So

this fenfe therefore it is not improper to be ufed towards fuperiors. But what ftile is that (fays the Doctor) Since to part? It means, Since we are to part. If the expreffion is abbreviated, fo was the time of Raphael's ftay with Adam. He was just upon the point of going, and therefore Adam might choose brevity of fpeech, that he might express all he had to fay before the ArchAngel withdrew himself. No need then for Dr. Bentley's emendation of this fort,

644.- whom Adam thus] Adam's fpeech at parting with the Angel has in it a deference and gratitude agreeable to an inferior nature, and at the fame time a certain dignity and greatnefs fuitable to the father of mankind in his state of innocence. Addifon. 645. Follow'd with benediction. Since to part,] What's here? fays Dr. Bentley: Adam give benediction, his bleffing to an ArchAngel, when the less is blefed of the better? But benediction does not fignify bleffing here in the fenfe which the Doctor gives to the word. Benedicere Domino, to blefs God is a Benediction here is not bleffing, as 'tis common phrate in religious offices. And fo in a lower fenfe men may ufually understood, but well fpeakbe faid to biefs Angels; for bene-ing, thanks. So Milton has explain'd diction is (properly speaking) only the word Parad. Reg. III. 127. giving them good words, or withing Glory and benediction, that is them well. See Pial. CIX. 17. In

Follow'd with valediction, loath to
Pearce.

part.

thanks.

Rickardfon.

652. Sa