With this piece ended his controverfies; and he from this time gave himself up to his private studies and his civil employment. As fecretary to the Protector he is fuppofed to have written the Declaration of the reasons for a war with Spain. His agency was confidered as of great importance; for when a treaty with Sweden was artfully fufpended, the delay was publickly imputed to Mr. Milton's indifpofition; and the Swedish agent was provoked to exprefs his wonder, that only one man in England could write Latin, and that man blind. Being now forty-feven years old, and seeing himfelf difencumbered from external interruptions, he seems to have recollected his former purposes, and planned three great works for his future employment. An epick poem, the hiftory of his country, and a dictionary of the Latin tongue. To collect a dictionary feems a work of all others least practicable in a state of blindness, because it depends upon perpetual and minute infpection and collation, Nor would Milton probably have begun it, after he had loft his eyes; but, having had it always before him, he continued it, fays Philips, almost to his dyingday; but the papers were fo difcompofed and deficient, that they could not be fitted for the prefs. The compilers of the Latin dictionary, printed afterwards at Cambridge, had the use of them in three folios; but what was their fate afterwards is not known. To compile a history from various authors, when they can only be confulted by other eyes, is not eafy, nor poffible, but with more skilful and and attentive help than can be commonly obtained; and it was probably the difficulty of confulting and comparing that stopped Milton's narrative at the Conqueft; a period at which affairs were not yet very intricate, nor authors very numerous. For the fubject of his epick poem, after much deliberation, long chufing, and beginning late, he fixed upon Paradife Loft; a defign fo comprehenfive, that it could be juftified only by fuccefs. He had once defigned to celebrate king Arthur, as appears from his verfes to Manfus; but Arthur was referved, fays Fenton, to another destiny. It appears, by fome sketches of poetical projects left in manufcript, and to be feen in a library at Cambridge, that he had digested his thoughts on this fubject into one of those wild dramas which were anciently called Myfteries; and Philips had feen what he terms part of a tragedy, beginning with the first ten lines of Satan's addrefs to the Sun. These myfteries confift of allegorical perfons; fuch as Justice, Mercy, Faith. Of the tragedy or myftery of Paradife Loft there are two plans: The Perfons. Michael. Chorus of Angels. Lucifer. Adam, with the Death. The Perfons. Labour. Adam. Paradife Loft. The Perfons. Mofes, poo, recounting how he affumed his true body; that it corrupts not, because it is with God in the mount; declares the like of Enoch and Eliah; befides the purity of the place, that certain pure winds, dews and clouds, preferve it from corruption; whence exhorts to the fight of God; tells, they cannot fee Adam in the state of innocence, by reafon of their fin, Juftice, debating what should become of Mercy, Wisdom, man, if he fall. Chorus of Angels finging a hymn of the Creation. Heavenly Love. Evening Star. АСТ II, Chorus fing the marriage-fong, and describe Paradife. ACT III. Lucifer, contriving Adam's ruin. Chorus Chorus feats for Adam, and relates Lucifer's rebellion and fall. Confcience cites them to God's examination. Chorus be wails, and tells the good Adam has loft, ACT V. Adam and Eve driven out of Paradise. presented by an angel with Labour, Grief, Hatred, En-1 vy, War, Famine, Pesti lence, Sickness, Difcon- Mutes. tent, Ignorance, Fear, Death, To whom he gives their names. Likewise Winter, Heat, Tempeft, &c. Faith, Hope, Charity, comfort him, and inftruct him. Chorus briefly concludes. Such was his first design, which could have produced only an allegory, or mystery. The following sketch feems to have attained more maturity. Adam unparadifed: The angel Gabriel, either defcending or entering; fhewing, fince this globe was created, his frequency as much on earth as in heaven describes Paradife. Next, the Chorus, fhewing the reafon of his coming to keep his watch in Paradife, after Lucifer's rebellion, by command from God; and withal expreffing his defire to fee and know more concerning this excellent new creature, man. The angel Gabriel, as by his name fignifying a prince of power, power, tracing Paradife with a more free office, paffes by the station of the Chorus, and, defired by them, relates what he knew of man; as the creation of Eve, with their love and marriage. After this, Lucifer appears, after his overthrow; bemoans himself, feeks revenge on man. The Chorus prepare refiftance at his first approach. At last, after discourse of enmity on either fide, he departs; whereat the Chorus fings of the battle and victory in heaven, against him and his accomplices: as before, after the first act, was fung a hymn of the creation. Here again may appear Lucifer, relating and infulting in what he had done to the deftruction of man. Man next, and Eve having by this time been feduced by the Serpent, appears confufedly covered with leaves. Confcience, in a fhape, accufes him; Juftice cites him to the place whither Jehovah called for him. In the mean while, the Chorus entertains the stage, and is informed by fome angel the manner of the Fall. Here the Chorus bewails Adam's fall; Adam then and Eve return; accufe one another; but efpecially Adam lays the blame to his wife; is stubborn in his offence. Juftice appears, reafons with him, convinces him. The Chorus admonisheth Adam, and bids him beware Lucifer's example of impenitence. The angel is fent to banish them out of Paradise; but before causes to pafs before his eyes, in fhapes, a mask of all the evils of this life and world. He is humbled, relents, defpairs at last appears Mercy, comforts him, promises the Meffiah; then calls in Faith, Hope, and Charity; inftructs him; he repents, gives God the glory, |