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Milton's Paradise Lost.

of incidents. He is sometimes dry and harsh, and too often the metaphysician and divine. But the general tenor of his work is interesting, elevated, and affecting. The artful change of his objects, and the scene, laid now in heaven, now on earth, and now in hell, affords sufficient diversity; while unity of plan is perfectly supported. Calm scenes are exhibited in the employments of Adam and Eve in Paradise, and busy scenes, and great actions, in the enterprises of Satan and in the wars of angels. The amiable innocence of our first parents and the proud ambition of Satan, afford a happy contrast through the whole poem, which gives it an uncommon charm. But the conclusion perhaps is too tragic for epic poetry.

The subject naturally admits no great display of characters; but such as could be introduced, are properly supported. Satan makes a striking figure; and is the best drawn character in the poem. Milton has artfully given him a mixed character, not altogether void of some good qualities. He is brave, and faithful to his troops. Amid his impiety, he is not without remorse. He is even touched with piety for our first parents; and from the necessity of his situation, justifies his design against them. He is actuated by ambition and resentment, rather than by pure malice. The characters of Beelzebub, Moloch, and Belial, are well painted. The good angels, though described with dignity, have more unifor. mity of character. Among them however the mild condescension of Raphael, and the tried fidelity of Abdiel, form proper characteristic distinctions. The attempt to describe God Almighty himself was too bold, and accordingly most un

Milton's Paradise Lost.

successful. The innocence of our first parents is delicately painted. In some speeches perhaps Adam appears too knowing and refined for his situation. Eve is hit off more happily. Her gentleness, modesty, and frailty, are expressively characteristic of the female character.

Milton's great and distinguishing excellence is his sublimity. In this, perhaps, he excels even Homer. The first and second books of Paradise Lost, are almost a continued series of the highest sublime. But his sublimity differs from that of Homer; which is always accompanied by impetuosity and fire. The sublime of Milton is a calm and amazing grandeur. Homer warms and hurries us along; Milton fixes us in a state of elevation and astonishment Homer's sublimity appears most in his description of actions; Milton's in that of wonderful and stupendous objects.

But, while Milton excels most in sublimity, his work abounds in the beautiful, the pleasing, and the tender. When the scene is in Paradise, the imagery is gay and smiling. His descriptions show a fertile imagination; and in his similes he is remarkably happy. If faulty, it is from their too frequent allusions to matters of learning, and to ancient fables. It must also be confessed that there is a falling off in the latter part of Paradise Lost.

The language and versification of Milton have high merit. His blank verse is harmonious and diversified; and his style is full of majesty. There may be found indeed some prosaic Poes in his poem. But in a work so long and so harmonious these may be forgiven.

Dramatic Poetry.

Paradise Lost, amid beauties of every kind, has many inequalities. No high and daring genius was ever uniformly correct. Milton is too frequently theological and metaphysical; his words are often technical; and he is affectedly ostentatious of his learning. Many of his faults however are to be imputed to the pedantry of his age. He discovers a vigour, a grasp of genius, equal to every thing great; sometimes he rises above every other poet; and sometimes he falls below himself.

DRAMATIC POETRY....TRAGEDY.

In all civilized nations dramatic poetry has been a favorite amusement. It divides itself into the two forms of tragedy and comedy. Of these, tragedy is the most dignified; as great and serious objects interest us more than little and ludicrous ones. The former rests on the high passions, the virtues, crimes, and sufferings of mankind; the latter on their humours, follies, and pleasures; and ridicule is its sole instrument.

Tragedy is a direct imitation of human manners and actions. It does not, like an epic poem, exhibit characters by description or narration ; it sets the personages before us, and makes them act and speak with propriety. This species of writing, therefore, requires deep knowledge of the human heart; and, when happily executed, it has the power of raising the strongest emotions.

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Dramatic Poetry.

In its general strain and spirit, tragedy is favorable to virtue. Characters of honour claim our respect and approbation; and, to raise indignation, we must paint a person in the odious colours of vice and depravity. Virtuous men, indeed, are often represented by the tragic poet as unfortunate; for this happens in real life. But he always engages our hearts in their behalf ; and never represents vice as finally triumphant and happy. Upon the same principle, if bad men succeed in their designs they are yet finally conducted to punishment. It may therefore be concluded that tragedies are moral compositions.

It is affirmed by Aristotle, that the design of tragedy is to purge our passions by means of pity and terror. But perhaps it would have been more accurate, to have said, that the object of this species of composition is to improve our virtuous sensibility. If a writer excite our pity for the afflicted, inspire us with proper sentiments on beholding the vicissitudes of life, and stimulate us to avoid the misfortunes of others by exhibiting their errors, he has accomplished all the moral purposes of tragedy.

In a tragedy it is necessary to have an interesting story, and that the writer conduct it in a natural and probable manner. For the end of tragedy is not so much to elevate the imagination, as to affect the heart. This principle, which is founded on the clearest reason, excludes from tragedy all machinery, or fabulous intervention of gods. Ghosts alone, from their foundation in popular belief, have maintained their place in tragedy.

Dramatic Poetry.

To promote an impression of probability, the story of a tragedy, according to some critics, should never be a pure fiction, but ought to be built on real facts. This, however, is carrying the matter too far. For a fictitious tale, if properly conducted, will melt the heart as much as real history. Hence the tragic poet mixes many fictitious circumstances with well known facts. Most readers never think of separating the historical from the fabulous. They attend only to what is probable, and are touched by events, that resemble nature. Accordingly some of the most affecting tragedies are entirely fictitious in their subjects. Such are the Fair Penitent, Douglas, and the Orphan.

In its original, tragedy was rude and imperfect. Among the Greeks it was at first nothing more than the song which was sung at the festival of Bacchus. These songs were sometimes sung by the whole company, and sometimes by separate bands, answering alternately to each other, and making a chorus. To give this entertainment some variety, Thespis, who lived about five hundred years before the Christian era, introduced a person between the songs, who made a recitation in verse. Eschylus, who lived fifty years after him, introduced a dialogue between two persons or actors, comprehending some interesting story; and placed them on a stage adorned with scenery. The drama now began to assume a regular form; and was soon after brought to perfection by Sophocles and Euripides.

It thus appears that the chorus was the foundation of tragedy. But, what is remarkable, the dramatic dialogue, which was only an addition

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