2

the Wealth of Ormus and of Ind, the Richest Product of India, or Comodity Sold at Ormus, the Great Mart of That part of the World, is Diamonds; These are Therefore rightly call'd the Wealth of Ormus and India.

4 Show'rs on her Kings Barbaric Pearl and Gold, Show'rs, a Beautiful Metaphor! These Treafures come down as Rain, Given Freely. On her Kings, who have the Greatest Share of Wealth.

Barbaric, the Greeks call'd all Other Nations Barbarians, but more efpeciaily the Perfians as the moft Confiderable They were Acquainted with, and Their Enemies. and they were Famous for their Treafures of this Kind, as in truth the Oriental Pearl and Gold is the Fineft in the World.

Milton Here, as Throughout, not only in This Poem, but in All he Wrote, Verfe or Profe, writes like an Antient, a Greek, and it gives a Noble Beauty to his Works.

the Lofty Throne of Satan Glitters with Diamond Pearland Gold (fee v. 271) or with a Greater Luftre, whatever Materials 'twas built with, than Thefe can give with Us. bue as High and as Rich and Glorious as it is, 'tis

in Pandemonium, 'tis in Hell; not indeed in the Horrible Dungeon where the Flames fhot forth Visible Darkness, not on the Boyling Ocean, the Lake of Liquid Fire, but on the Burning Marle, the Dreary Plain, Forlorn and Wild, where there is but a fort of Catching, Flathing, Glimmering, Pale Light which the Livid Flames are permitted to give at a great Distance; 'tis on the Refting found by the Sole of Unbleft Feet, a Solid Fire, a Shatter'd, Broken, Ruin'd, Burning Country, an Infernal Etna, a Land Impregnated with Fire, Vaulted with Fire, Surrounded with Fire. the Throne fhines indeed but with fuch a Falfe Imitated Light as the Damn'd are permitted to get from what they can find in that Desert Soil (II. 270.) There fits the Ruin'd Arch-Angel, whofe Face Deep Scars of Thunder had Intrench'd, &c.

16

and from Defpair Thus High Uplifted beyond Hope, Afpires Beyond Thus High,

Rais'd from the Defpair into which he was at first plung'd, and Thus High Beyond what he Hop'd when he began to rife he Still Aims Higher.

10" Defpairs not: Heaven cannot be Loft to "Immortal Vigour tho' Deprefs'd: Their Rifing will be more Glorious than if No Fall "had been. Tho' he had a Right by Nature by

"the

"the Laws, by Election, and by Merit, yet "their late Defeat as it is in part recover'd "hath Much more Eftablished him in the "Throne; not Now to be Envy'd,as in Heav'n; "nor Contested for, being more Expos'd to Danger: with This Advantage then to Uni

on of their Powers, Agreement intheir Sen"timents and Fidelity to one another they "Renew the War, whether Open or Secret is "the Prefent Question".

it is to be noted Satan fhows in the Strongeft Light the Hazard his High Place Expofes him to, but conceals his Ambition; He fays All he Aims at is to Claim their Antient Right, not only the Heaven they had been Driven from, but that Independance they pretended

to.

44

the Strongest and the Fierceft Spirit the Characters of the Speakers are Firmly Expreft, and what Each fays Perfectly Answers the Pictures given of them.

"Moloc is for War; Pretends not to Craft, "Unfeasonable Now when Millions are waiting Impatient for the Signal: they may turn "the Victors Artillery upon his Own Hoft. "He Answers the Objection that 'tis Difficult "to Scale Heaven: Afcent is Natural to them: "and the Other of Incurring Greater Punishment: to be More Deftroy'd is to be Annihilat"ed. why then fear his Utmoft Wrath which "will Either Quite Confume them, (Better "than

E 2

"than to be Eternally Miferable) Or, if That "cannot be, they fhall be able to Disturb him, "and So have the pleasure of Revenge.'

"

He is for Warr, the Reafon given is that Nothing is to be Loft, they have a Chance to Gain. But 'tis his Own Natural Inclination by which he is Chiefly Guided; So it will be found the Reft are perhaps. 'tis the Cafe of Us all when we think we are moft Reasonable.

50

be Reck'd not

Reckon'd not, made no Account of.

ibid. Thereafter

in Confequence of, Accordingly, agreeably to that Careless Difpofition of Mind.

54 55 Stand and Sit.

are Metaphorical, and no Contradiction therefore; Stand, as being Prepar'd, and Sit, as Idly Lingering a like manner of Expreffing himself fee XI. 1. Compar'd with the laft Lines of the Xth Book.

68

— and his Throne it felf

Mix'd with Tartarean Sulphur andStrange Fire, his own Invented Torments.

mix'd with. The Mount of God, or his Throne, V. 642, 656. is faid VI. 56 to be Darken'd with Clouds and Encompass'd with Flames, the Sign of Wrath Awak’d.

8

with

Thefe

Thefe Moloc here Threatens to Mix Tartarean, Infernal Black Fire, Strange, that is Forreign; not from Heaven but Hell, in Imitation of Thofe Torments God Himfelf Invented, fee v. 61. &c.

119" Belial fhould be for OpenWar if theRea"fon offer'd for it did not moft Diffuade him. "He who Is for it builds on Defpair and Ut

ter Diffolution after fome Revenge had, but "Heaven is too well Watch'd and Guarded, " and the Throne of God Safe. Suppose An"nihilation. Still worfe! 'tis Doubtful whe"ther God Can So Destroy them, Certainly he "never Will to do Them a Pleasure. Nor is "the Prefent Condition the Worft that May "be; and This in Time May Abate; or They, "Enur'd to it, be Lefs Senfible. Advifes to 'Acquiefce,and leave All to Time and Chance.

He differs from Moloc, thinks Nothing is to be Gain'd, but Something may be Loft. Not that he is for Peace; no Submiffion, Repentance, Pardon; but Advises Patience in hopes of a Change for the Better, in the Mean time perfifting in Hate, Envy, &c.

132 Impregnable

that render all Access

Access is put for the Gates which give Access, 'tis a Greek Figure. He has So explain'd it Himself I. 761.

E 3

All