to Paradife firft tending, when behold

Sathan

they found the Aperture, III. 526. where Sathan had Enter'd Looking In they Saw whom they fought, and saw him Making his way, returning towards Chaos, his Road (as he judg'd) to Hell, but least the Difficulty of Paffage back fhould Discourage him, Sin and Death instead of perfuing their first intended Journey to Paradife, Turn'd to Obferve Sathan, to Shew him what they had done to make his Paffage Eafy, and they Met at the foot of the Bridge, the very place Sin and Death intended (349) that they might prevent his Plunging a Second time into that Dangerous Abortive Gulp, that Wide Interrupt.

328 Betwixt the Centaure and the Scorpion Steering

His Zenith,

Alluding to a Ship Steering her Course betwixt two Iflands; So Sathan directed his way betwixt these two Signs of the Zodiac, Upwards, the Zenith is over-head. Exceedingly Poetical! And a Fine Picture! Sathan Dijguis'd (as v. 330) in the Appearance of an Angel no doubt, Mounting Upwards Among • Innumerable Conftellations, the Sun Rifing, and All Shining with His, and their Own Peculiar Light. the Twelve Signs are alfo Conftellations, or Numbers of Fix'd Stars to

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455

which Aftronomers have given Names from Imaginary Figures in the Heavens.

329 while the Sun in Aries rofe: as it does in March. This Notion of Milton, that the World was Created in the Spring hath been the General Opinion of the Fathers, and most of the Learned. Taffo Difputes upon it in his Dialogue of the Father of a Family, and Determines for Spring; as Dante at the Beginning of His Poem; and our Chaucer in his Tale of the Nun's Friest, v. 1302. whan that the Moneth in whiche the Worlde began

that hight March in whiche God first makid Man.

After all, 'tis true Milton Here expressly fays 'twas Spring, but 'tis Such a Spring as has alfo all the Beauties and Advantages of Summer and Autumn together with it; if at leaft it may be faid there was any Diftinction of Seaons before the Fall, for then,

Univerfal Pan

Knit with the Graces and the Hours in

Pontifice is the Art Pontifical, the Art of Bridge making (v. 312) the Art for the Bridge which is the Effect of it. Ufual, and Beautiful in Poetry.

364 Such Fatal Confequence Unites us Three: Such a neceffary Connection of things following One upon another as the Links of a Chain.

371 Portentous

not only Vaftly, Monftrously great, but Prefaging Somthing Horrible. Gabinium & Pifonem duo Reipub. Portenta ac pene Funera.

Cic. de Provinc. Conf.

381 His Quadrature, a Square. Milton has in View the Opinion of Gaffendus, &c. that the Heaven of Heavens, the Empyreum, is Square; as he alfo had, II. 1047. See Rev. xxi. 16. Let Him take His Square, Thou haft Thy Round Empire, a Boaft, as if That were all the Difference. So IX. 99. and v. 467.

386

(for I Glorie in the Name, Antagonist of Heaven's Almightie King) the Word Sathan Signifies Antagonist, I. 81.

396 With thefe Succeffes

with what has happen'd. 'tis the Italian Senfe of the Word Succeffes. quefti Succeffi.

397

thefe Numerous Orbs,

they were upon the Great Orb of the New Creation, which contain'd all the Leffer.

413

Planets, Planet-ftruck

See the Note on IX. 648.

426 Paragon'd.

So liken'd as to be Nearly Equall'd to him.

Bactria, a confiderable Province of the Ancient Perfia put Here for the Whole Empire.

446 of Richeft Texture,

moft Richly Woven.

457 Divan

the most Solemn Council among the Turks is call'd a Divan.

458

Who with Hand

Silence, and with thefe Words Attention
Won.

the Motion of his Hand won Silence, and his Words Attention.

as IX. 63. be Rode with Darkness.

480

Hor. Od. IV. 4, 44.

Per Siculas equitavit Undas.

bow I found

This refers to u. 469. Long were to tell

&c.

481

Fame in Heav'n.

See II. 346. and Note.

517 According to his Doom v. 172.

523 with Complicated Monsters Head and Taile, Complicated, Twifted, Mix'd, Confounded One among Another, Heads and Tails together, a Horrid Heap!

524 Scorpion, &c.

Scorpion, refembling a Craw-fifh; it Seizes with its two Claws, and with its Tail Poisons, Benuming in a Moment. Afp, rarely Seen Extended, ufually in a Circular Figure. Amphif fbana, faid to have a Head at Both Ends. Hydrus, the Water-Snake. Ellops a Dumb Serpent that gives no Notice by Hiffing, to avoid him. Dipfas, whofe Bite occafions Horrible Thirst.

525 Drear

Sad, Dreadful. I. 180.