There he fhall first lay down the rudiments His weakness shall o'ercome Satanic strength, They now, and men hereafter may discern, 160 From what consummate virtue I have chose 165 Again, the words confummate virtue are ambiguous, and may be referred to the divine nature of Chrift as well as the human. Their prefent connexion applies them directly to the human nature: but they had a fecret reference, I conceive, in the poet's meaning to the majefty of that heavenly part of him, which denominates Chrift in the holy Scriptures the wisdom of God and the power (or virtue) of God, O durau, Dei virtutem, Lat. Vulg. 1 Cor. I. 24. Hunc tamen folum primogenitum divini nominis appellatione dignatus eft, patria fcilicet uirtute, ac majeftate pollentem. Effe autem fummi Dei filium, qui fit poteftate maxima præditus, non tantùm voces prophetarum, fed etiam Sibylla um vaticinia deVOL. I. 170 So fpake th' eternal Father, and all Heaven Admiring stood a space, then into hymns Burft forth, and in celestial measures mov'd, Circling the throne and finging, while the hand Sung with the voice, and this the argument. Victory' and triumph to the Son of God Now entring his great duel, not of arms, Admiring food a pace,] We cannot but take notice of the great art of the poet in fetting forth the dignity and importance of his fubject. He reprefents all beings as interested one way or other in the event. A council of Devils is fummon'd; an affembly of Angels is held upon the occafion. Satan is the fpeaker in the one, the Almighty in the other. Satan expreffes his diffidence, but ftill refolves to make trial of this Son of God; the Father declares his purpofe of proving and illuftrating his Son. The infernal crew are diftracted and furpris'd with deep difmay; all Heaven ftands a while in admiration. The fiends are filent thro' fear and grief; the Angels burft forth into finging with joy and the affured hopes of fuccefs. And their attention is thus engaged, the better to engage the attention of the reader. while the hand 171. But Sung with the voice,] We have pretty near the fame phrase in Tibullus. III. IV. 41. Sed poftquam fuerant digiti cum voce locuti, Edidit hæc dulci triftia verba modo. And the word hand is used by Mil- There thou fhalt hear and learn By voice or hand. Arcades, 77 If my inferior hand or voice could hit Inimitable founds. I have fometimes indulg'd a fufpicion, that the poet dictated, -while But to vanquish by wisdom hellish wiles. Be frustrate all ye ftratagems of Hell, -while the harp Sung with the voice; but the few authorities alledged put the prefent reading out of question. Calton. 174. Now entring his great duel, There is, I think a meannefs in the customary fenfe of this term that makes it unworthy of these Speakers and this occafion; and yet it is obfervable, that Milton in his Paradife Loft makes Michael use the very fame word where he is fpeaking to Adam of the fame thing, XII. 386. To whom thus Michael. Dream not of their fight, As of a duel, &c. The Italian duello, if I am not mistaken, bears a ftronger fenfe, and this, I fuppofe Milton had in view. Thyer. If it be not a contradiction, it is inaccurate at leaft in Milton, to make an Angel fay in one place Dream not of their fight as of a duel; and afterwards to make theAngels 175 180 So exprefs it by the metaphor of a duel, Now entring his great duel. He lays the accent on the laft 175. But to vanquish by visdom] fyllable in vanquish, as elsewhere in triumph; and in many places, in my opinion, he imitates the Latin and Greek profody, and makes a vowel long before two confonants. Fortin. 176. The Father knows the Son; therefore fecure Ventures his filial virtue, though faid by the Angels, if they also had untry'd,] Could this have been known this Son to be the eternal Word, who created all things; and who had before driven this Tempter, and all his powers out of Heaven? The incarnation was generally believed by the Fathers to have been a fecret to Angels, till they learned it from the Church. See Huetii Origeniana. Lib. 2. Cap. 2. Quæft. 5. 18. As to the time and means of their information, Milton feems to be particular. C 2 Calton. 182. Se So they in Heav'n their odes and vigils tun'd: Mean while the Son of God, who yet fome days Lodg'd in Bethabara where John baptiz'd, Mufing and much revolving in his breast, How beft the mighty work he might begin ! 185 Of Saviour to mankind, and which way firft Thought 182. So they in Heav'n their odes called mattins. Mr. Sympfon pro and vigils tun'd: Mean while the Son of GodHow nearly does the poet here adhere to the fame way of fpeaking he had used in Paradife Loft on the fame occafion. III. 416. Thus they in Heav'n above the ftarry sphere Their happy hours in joy and hymning fpent. Mean while &c. Thyer. 182.—their odes and vigils tun'd:] This is a very uncommon expreffion, and not eafy to be understood, unless we fuppofe that by vigils the poet meant thofe fongs which they fungwhile they kept their watches. Singing of hymns is their manner of keeping their wakes in Heaven. And I fee no reason why their evening service may not be called vigil, as the morning fervice is poses a flight alteration, - their odes in vigils tun'd, that is, each watch when reliev'd fung fo and fo: but as we have explain'd the word, there feems to be no occafion for any alteration. 183. who yet fome days Lodg'd in Bethabara where John baptiz'd,]The poet, I prefume, faid this upon the authority of the first chapter of St. John's Gofpel, where feveral particulars, which happenedfeveral days together,are related concerning the Son of God, and it is faid ver. 28. Thefe things were aone in Bethabara beyond Fordan, where John was baptizing. 189. One day forth walk'd alone, the Spirit leading, And his deep thoughts,] This is wrong pointed in all the editions thus, One Thought following thought, and ftep by step led on, He enter'd now the bord'ring defert wild, And with dark fhades and rocks environ'd round, His holy meditations thus purfu'd. O what a multitude of thoughts at once Awaken'd in me fwarm, while I confider What from within I feel myself, and hear What from without comes often to my ears, Ill forting with my present state compar'd! When I was yet a child, no childish play One day forth walk'd alone, the But at moft there fhould be only a 195 200 Το |