tures. It is quaint, rough, sincere, and devotional, abounding in odd conceits and infelicitous expressions, yet sometimes rising into sublimer strains through the influence of its divine subject. In its narrative it takes Milton's view of the origin of sin, the agency of Satan, the consequent depravity of the race, and the hope of the sinner through redemption. In placing the two works side by side, the noble simplicity of Milton's design stands out more clearly than ever before. While Milton's subject is illustrated with the full glow of the poet's fire, and enriched with the varied splendors of a world-wide knowledge, still the unity of the idea remains intact. The other poet is more discursive, and often leaves his main subject, led away by the suggestions of a word or a simile, to give us his thoughts upon modern times, the encroachments of Rome, the quarrels of Church and State in his own land, and the evil doings of the Puritents. The character of Satan-standing forth complete in lurid splendor -is all Milton's own; while in every instance where the similarity of thought is remarkable, he towers loftily above his fellow, and transfigures all he appropriates. In the form of verse and choice of words also Milton proves his superior taste and the purity of his genius. The earlier poem is written in rhyme, in which the imagination is often fettered; and the sense sacrificed; the latter is in the easy flow of blank verse, where every thought finds fit expression. We will now give, in verification of these statements a few quotations from each work, for comparison. We are all familiar with the open ing lines of the Paradise Lost: Of man's first disobedience, and the fruit That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen seed, In the beginning how the heavens and earth Rose out of chaos. Here is the introduction of the other poem: The author first doth God's assistance crave, Throughout the work, that he his help may have, The sacred Sabbath, Satan's envious gall, The woman framed, and man's most dismal fall, Heaven's judgments just to all man's future charge. We next cite Milton's invocation:— And chiefly Thou, O Spirit, that dost prefer first Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread, Now hear Peyton: O glorious God! Inspirer of my muse! Unfolding still to God's immortal glory They both allude to the war in Heaven: His pride Had cast him out from heaven, with all his host He trusted to have equalled the most High The angels which against the Lord did swell They feel the torments of ten thousand pains. They both speak of the Fall: What cause Moved our grand Parents, in that happy state, Adam, what made thee wilfully at first That, hadst thou stood in innocency framed, Death, sin, and hell, the world, and all thou 'dst tamed Then hadst thou been a monarch from thy birth: God's only darling in heaven and earth: What might be the cause That thou shouldst break, thy Holy Maker's laws, When of a thousand that might make us weep, In all the world thou had'st but one to keep, Cursed be that Devil that first thy sense belied! If thou hadst lived, then we had never died. -PEYTON, There is in both these works a curious person. ification of Sin, under the form of Medusa. The descriptions are remarkably similar, though Milton places her as "portress of Hell's gate," while Peyton introduces her as ascending from the lower regions, to poison the mind of Cain for the commission of his unprecedented crime. Peyton says of her: Medusa (damned,) in foul, black, ugly clothes And again: But when Medusa from Hell's deepest vaults, To come aloft into the open air, With her foul breath, infectious, poisoned hair, And thus Milton: The one seemed woman to the waist and fair, Within, unseen. We turn now to a pleasanter theme,—the description of Paradise. Here both employ their sweetest numbers, and here, as everywhere, Mil ton far excels, though there are many striking points of resemblance between the two pictures. They both endeavor to determine the spot,Milton by a general allusion to the boundaries of Eden, while the other mentions the various situations which have been ascribed to the garden, and dwells longest upon the beauties of Mount Amara, in Ethiopia, which place Milton also mentions as Mount Amara-by some supposed True Paradise, under the Ethiop line By Nilus' head. Peyton however concludes that "The goodly region in the Syrian land," is "the likeliest place indeed" for this renowned seat. He speaks of The treasures of that pleasant land,The fruitful regions in the same which stand, The goodly rivers, and brave mounting hills, — Sweet, temperate airs, on every side that fills The downy plains with such a fragrant smell As winged Fame into our ears doth tell,— The spicy trees, and brave, delightful flowers, The dainty walks, and gilt, aspiring towers, And all things else that man could well desire, Or discontent of nature may require. And Milton says: Thus was this place A happy rural seat of various view: Groves, whose rich trees wept odorous gums and balm; Others whose fruit, burnished with golden rind, If true here only, and of delicious taste; Of some irriguous valley spread her store,- |