M ,r..... UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES 818 PROITI .S \> .1 E C E ft'l/StJ;,./ <,. tmt.ArC&flBu ,', /// >U/.r ,r.S J//, A.-/, ./.*, . Hy lA.'/'sy. MILTON'S PARADISE REGAINED; WITH SELECT NOTES SUBJOINED: TO WHICH IS ADDED A COMPLETE COLLECTION MISCELLANEOUS POEMS, EOTH ENGLISH AND LATIN. LONDON: rintetJ 62 8. Bengleg; B. C. FOR T. LONCMAN, LAW, J. JOHNSON, DILLY, C. O. AND J. ROBINSON, W. RICHARDSON, W. OTRIDGE AND SON, R.BALDWIN, F. AND C. RIVINGTON, J. SCATCHERD, OGILVY AND SPEARE, W. LOWNDES, G. AND T. WILKIE, G. KEARSLEY, VERNOR AND HOOD, T. CADELL, JUNIOR, AND W. DAVIES, AND S. HAYES. 1796. : -: :| $\U\;\ A\ v1SC PREFACE. The firft volume contained the jewels of Milton's tranfeendant genius, regularly fet and wrought into one grand complete work, forming a fuperb diadem or brilliant necklace of exquifite workmanfhip in the compofition, as well as of immenfe value in the materials. The prefent volume is enriched with diamonds and pearls of equal beauty, though fcattered and de- tached; and may be compared to thofe fmaller pieces which the Daedalean hand of the fame artift con- defcends to execute in miniature. To praife the well known and univerfally admired poems which fill this volume would be pointing out the luftre of the fun, or the beautiful colours of the rainbow. Defcription indeed muft ever fail in attempting to give adequate ideas of thofe delicate and refined excellences which are perceived by the of tafte. Who can communicate words ^ fenfibility by ^t the fragrance of the hyacinth or honeyfuckle? Milton's Latin poems have never been fufEciently commended. They are beautiful beyond mofl of the poetical productions in modern Latin. They are jl-< v I .- *-o_j PARADISE REGAINED. BOOK I. I, who ere while the happy garden fung, By one man's difobedience loft, now ling Recover'd Paradife to all mankind, By one man's firm obedience fully try'd Through all temptation, and the tempter foil'd In all his wiles, defeated and repuls'd, And Eden rais'd in the wafte wildernefs. Thou Spirit, who ledft this glorious eremite Into the defert, his victorious field, Againft the fpiritual foe, and brought'ft him thence By proof th' undoubted Son of God, infpire, As thou art wont, my prompted fong, elfe mute; And bear through height or depth of nature's bounds With profp'rous wing full fumm'd, to tell of deeds Above heroic, though in fecret done, And unrecorded left through many an age; Worthy t' have not remain'd fo long unfung. Now had the great Proclaimer, with a voice 4 PARADISE REGAINED. BOOK I. More awful than the found of trumpet, cry'd Repentance, and Heav'n's kingdom nigh at hand To all baptiz'd: to his great baptifm flock'd With awe the regions round, and with them came From Nazareth the fon of Jofeph deem'd To the flood Jordan, came as then obfcure, but the foon Unmark'd, unknown ; him Baptift Defciy'd, divinely warn'd, and witnefs bore As to his worthier, and would have refign'd To him his heav'nly office, nor was long His witnefs unconfirm'd: on him baptiz'd Heav'n open'd, and in likenefs of a dove The Spi'rit defcended, while the Father's voice From Heav'n pronounc'd him his beloved Son. That heard the Adverfary; who, roving ftill About the world, at that aflembly fam'd Would not be laft, and with the voice divine Nigh thunder-ftruck, th' exalted man, to whom Such high atteft was giv'n, a while furvey'd wonder then with With ; envy fraught and rage Flies to his place, nor refts, but in mid air To council fummons all his mighty peers, Within thick clouds and dark ten-fold involv'd, A gloomy confiftory; and them amidft With looks aghaft and fad he thus befpake. " O ancient Pow'rs of air, and this wide worldj For much more willingly I mention air, This our old conqueft, than remember Hell, Our hated habitation well ; ye know How many ages, as the years of men, This univerfe we have poffefs'd, and rul'd BOOK I. PARADISE REGAINED. 5 In manner at our will th' affairs of earth, Since Adam and his facile confort Eve Loft Paradife, deceiv'd by me; though fince With dread attending when that fatal wound Shall be infli&ed by the feed of Eve Upon my head : long the decrees of Heav'n Delay, for longeft time to him is fhort; And now too foon for us the circling hours This dreaded time have compafs'd, wherein we Muft bide the ftroke of that long threaten'd wound, At leaft if fo we can, and by the head Broken be not intended all our power To be infring'd, our freedom and our being, In this fair empire won of earth and air; For this ill news I bring, the woman's feed, Deftin'd to this, is late of woman born : His birth to our juft fear gave no fmall caufe, But his growth now to youth's full flow'r, difplaying All virtue, grace, and wifdom to achieve Things higheft, greateft, multiplies my fear. Before him a geat prophet, to proclaim His coming, is lent harbinger; who all Invites, and in the confecrated ftream Pretends to wafh off fin, and fit them fo Purified to receive him pure, or rather To do him honour as their king : all come, And he himfelf among them was baptiz'd, Not thence to be more pure, but to receive The teftimony' of Heav'n, that who he is Thenceforth the nations may not doubt : I faw The prophet do him reverence; on him, rifing 6 PARADISE REGAINED. BOOK I. Out of the water, Heav'n above the clouds Unfold her cryftal doors; thence on his head A perfect dove defcend, whate'er it meant; And out of Heav'n the fov' reign voice I heard, This is my Son belov'd, in him am pleas'd. His mother then is mortal, but his lire He who obtains the monarchy of Heaven; And what will he not do to' advance his Son; His firft-begot we know, and fore have felt, When his fierce thunder drove us to the deep : Who this is we muft learn, for man he feems In all his lineaments, though in his face The glimpfes of his father's glory ftiine. Ye fee our danger on the utmoft edge Of hazard, which admits no long debate, But muft with fomething fudden be oppos'd; Not force, but well couch'd fraud, well woven fnares: Ere in the head of nations he appear Their king, their leader, and fupreme on earth. I, when no other durft, fole undertook The difmal expedition to find out And ruin Adam, and th' exploit perform'd Succefsfully; a calmer voyage now Will waft me; and the way found profp'rous once Induces beft to hope of like fuccefs." He ended, and his words impreffion left Of much amazement to th' infernal crew, Diftracled and furpris'd with deep difmay At thefe fad tidings; but no time was then For long indulgence to their fears or grief: Unanimous they all commit the care BOOK I. PARADISE REGAINED. 7 And management of this main enterprize To him their great dictator, whole attempt At firft againft mankind fo well had thriv'd In Adam's overthrow, and led their march From Hell's deep-vaulted den to dwell in light, Regents, and potentates, and kings, yea gods Of many a pleafant realm, and province wide. So to the coaft of Jordan he directs His eafy fteps, girded with fnaky wiles, Where he might likelieft find this new-declar'd, This man of men, attefted Son of God, Temptation and all guile on him to try; So to fubvert whom he fufpe6ted rais'd To end his reign on earth, fo long enjoy'd: But contrary unweeting he fulfill'd The purpos'd counfel pre-ordain'd and fix'd Of the molt High, who, in full frequence bright Of Angels, thus to Gabriel fmiling fpake. " Gabriel, this day by proof thou fhalt behold, Thou and all Angels converfant on earth With man or men's affairs, how I begin To verify that folemn meffage late, On which I fent thee to the Virgin pure In Galilee, that fhe fhould bear a fon Great in renown, and call'd the Son of God; Then told'ft her, doubting how thefe things could be To her a virgin, that on her fhould come The Holy Ghoft, and the pow'r of the Higheft O'er-fhadow her: this man born and now up-grown, To fhow him worthy of his birth divine And high prediction, henceforth I expofe 8 PARADISE REGAINED. BOOK I. To Satan; let him tempt and now affay His utmoft fubtlety, becanfe he boafts And vaunts of his great cunning to the throng Of his apoftafy; he might have learnt Lefs overweening, fince he fail'd in Job, Whofe conftant perfeverance overcame "Whate'er his cruel malice could invent. He now fliall know I can produce a man Of female feed, far abler to refill All his folicitations, and at length All his vaft force, and drive him back to Hell; Winning by conquer! what the firft man loft By fallacy furpris'd. But firft I mean To exercife him in the wildernefs; There he fhall firft lay down the rudiments ^)f his great warfare, ere I fend him forth To conquer Sin and Death, the two grand foes, By humiliation and ftrong fufferance: His weaknefs fhall o'ercome Satanic ftrength, And all the world, and mafs of finful flefh; That all the Angels and ethereal Powers, They now, and men hereafter may difcern, From what confummate virtue I have chofe This perfect man, by merit call'd my Son, To earn falvation for the fons of men." ake th' eternal and all Heaven P <fd ~fsJS *P Father, \ y Admiring ftood a fpace, then into hymns Burft forth, and in celeftial meafures mov'd, Circling the throne and ringing, while the hand Sung with the voice, and this the argument.