Conscia, vel sub aquis gemmas. Sic denique in ævum Ibit cunctarum series justissima rerum; Donec flamma orbem populabitur ultima, late De Idea Platonica quemadmodum Aristoteles DICITE, sacrorum præsides nemorum deæ, Memoria mater, quæque in immenso procul Would so imblaze the forehead of the deep, &c. 64. Probably he recollected Horace, Od. iii. iii. 49. Aurum irrepertum, et sic melius si- E. *This poem is replete with fanciful and ingenious allusions. It has also a vigour of expression, a dignity of sentiment, and elevation of thought, rarely found in very young writers. † I find this poem inserted at full length, as a specimen of unintelligible metaphysics, in a scarce little book, of universal burlesque, much in the manner of Tom Brown, seemingly published about the year 1715, and entitled, "An Essay towards the "Theory of the intelligible world 65 "intuitively considered. De 66 5 signed for forty nine Parts, "&c. by Gabriel John. En"riched with a faithfull account "of his ideal voyage, and illus"trated with poems by several 66 hands; as likewise with other strange things, not insuffer"ably clever, nor furiously to "the purpose. Printed in the 66 year One thousand seven hun"dred et cætera." 12mo. See p. 17. 3. This is a sublime personification of Eternity. And there is great reach of imagination in one of the conceptions which follows, that the original archetype of Man may be a huge giant, stalking in some remote unknown region of the earth, and lifting his head so high as to be dreaded by the gods, &c. v. 21. Quis ille primus, cujus ex imagine 10 15 20 25 16. The i in sempiternus is unquestionably long. Symmons: 17. In another place, he makes the heaven ninefold. 18. That part of the moon's orb nearest the earth. 19. See Virgil, Æn. vi. 713. -Animæ, quibus altera fato Corpora debentur, Lethæi ad fluminis undam, Eternos latices et longa oblivia po tant. But this is Plato's philosophy, 1. 25. Tiresias of Thebes. Non hunc silente nocte Pleïones nepos Ter magnus Hermes, ut sit arcani sciens, At tu, perenne ruris Academi decus, t (Hæc monstra si tu primus induxti scholis) Ad Patrem.* NUNC mea Pierios cupiam per pectora fontes 27. -Pleiones nepos] Mercury. Ovid, Epist. Heroid. xv. 62. Atlantis magni Pleionesque nepos. 29. Non hunc sacerdos novit Assyrius,] Sanchoniathon, the eldest of the profane historians. His existence is doubted by Dodwell, and other writers. 33. Ter magnus Hermes,] Hermes Trismegistus, an Egyptian philosopher, who lived soon after Moses. See Il Pens. v. 88. "With thrice-great Hermes, &c." 35. At tu, perenne, &c.] You, Plato, who expelled the poets from your republic, must now bid them return, &c. See Plato's Timæus and Protagoras. Plato and his followers communicated their notions by emblems, fables, symbols, parables, allegories, and a variety of mystical representations. Our author characterises Plato, Par. Reg. b. iv. 295. The next to fabling fell and smooth conceits. *According to Aubrey, Milton's father, although a scrivener, was not apprenticed to that trade: he was bred a scholar and of Christ Church, Oxford, and that he took to trade in consequence of being disinherited. Milton was therefore writing to his father in a language which he understood. Aubrey adds, that he was very ingenious, and delighted in music, in which he instructed his son John. MS. Ashm. ut supr. See note on v. 66. below. 5 10 Volvere laxatum gemino de vertice rivum ; 9915 20 Carmen amant superi, tremebundaque Tartara carmen 25 And made Hell grant what love did seek. And below, of Orpheus, v. 54. where see the note. 25. Phœbades,] The priestesses of Apollo's temple at Delphi, who always delivered their oracles in verse. Our author here recollected the Ion of Euripides. To Phemonoe, one of the most celebrated of these poetical ladies, the Greeks were indebted for hexameters. Others found Carmina sacrificus sollennes pangit ad aras, Cum nondum luxus, vastæque immensa vorago it more commodious to sing in the specious obscurity of the Pindaric measure. Homer is said to have borrowed many lines from the responses of the priestess Daphne, daughter of Tiresias. It was suspected, that persons of distinguished abilities in poetry were secretly placed near the 35 40 45 50 oracular tripod, who immediately clothed the answer in a metrical form, which was almost as soon conveyed to the priestess in waiting. Phœbas is a word in Ovid. See our author, above, El. vi. 73. 37. Immortale melos, &c.] See Lycidas, v. 176. |