EXAMPLE 19.

He scarce had ceased when the superior Fiend
Was moving towards the shore; his pond'rous shield,
Ethereal temper, massy, large and round,

Behind him cast; the broad circumference
Hung on his shoulders like the moon, whose orb
Through optic glass the Tuscan artist views (a)
At evening from the top of Fesolé, (b)
Or in Valdarno, (c) to descry new lands,
Rivers, or mountains, on her spotty globe.
His spear (to equal which the tallest pine
Hewn on Norwegian hills to be the mast
Of some great ammiral (d) were but a wand,)
He walked with, to support uneasy steps

Over the burning marle; (e) not like those steps
On heaven's azure; and the torrid clime

Smote on him sore besides, vaulted with fire.-Milton.
(See Gov. Exam. Questions for 1853.)

Before he had well done speaking, Satan, the great leader of the hellish crew, was advancing towards the coast, with his heavy oval shield of heavenly workmanship, and enormous size, slung behind him; the wide compass of which resting on his shoulders, resembled the moon, whose orb the celebrated artist of Tuscany employed his evenings in examining through optic glasses from the highest towers of Fesolé, or else, from the valleys of the Arnon, to discover mountains, rivers, or new lands on its variegated surface. He walked with a spear (in comparison with which the loftiest pines cut on the hills of Norway, fit for the mast of a large man-of-war, were only as a small twig) to enable him to sustain his painful passage over the fiery lake; unlike those happy flights he once enjoyed in heavenly skies; the heat of heil embarrassed him greatly, being surrounded and covered with fire.

NOTES.

(a) The Tuscan artist' here meant is Galileo, an excellent astronomer, and native of Florence, the capital of Tuscany. He invented glasses whereby he discovered spots in the sun; mountains, rivers, &c., in the moon. For his discoveries he was imprisoned five years by the Inquisition, condemned by Pope Urban VIII., forced to recant at sixty, and died at seventy-eight years of age, A.D. 1642.

(b) Fesolé' was an ancient city of Tuscany near Florence, the residence of the Tuscan Augurs. Here the great Galileo resided, and made his astronomical observations from the top of the tower thereof.

(c) Valdarno,' a pleasant valley on the river Arno, which runs through Tuscany and by Florence into the Tuscan Sea.

(d) Ammiral,' a large man-of-war' ship.

(e) 'Marle,' a kind of clay used for enriching or fattening land.

PARSING OF EXAMPLE 19.

The past part. of the verb 'cease,' used after 'had' and relating to the pronoun He.'

An irreg. intrans. verb, indic. mood, past tense, third per., sing., agreeing with its nom. Fiend.'

The present part. of the verb move,' used after ' was,' and relating to 'Fiend.'

A noun in the nominative case absolute. (His shield being cast behind him.)

A common noun, obj. case, governed by the prep. of' understood. (His shield of ethereal temper.)

Adj., relating to 'shield,' (large and round, the same).

A preposition, relating its antecedent 'cast' to its object 'him.'

The past part. of 'cast' used after 'being' understood, and relating to shield.'

A noun, nominative case to the verb 'hung.'

A noun, obj. case, gov. by the prep. to' or 'unto' understood. (Like to the moon.)

A noun, obj. case, governed by the trans. verb 'views.'

A prep., expressing relation between the antecedent 'views' and the object' glass.'

A prep., expressing relation between the antecedent 'views' and the object evening."

A prep., expressing relation between the antecedent views' and the object 'top.'

A prep., expressing relation between 'top' and 'Fesolé.'

A prep., expressing relation between 'views' and Valdarno.'

A possessive adj. relating to 'globe,' or (it may be parsed) a personal pronoun used in the fem. gender by personification (being applied to the moon) possessive case, gow. by 'globe.'

A noun, obj. case, gov. by the prep. with.' (He walked with his spear).

A rel. agreeing with its antecedent 'spear' and obj. case gov. by 'equal.'

Past part. of hew,' relating to 'pine' or 'trees' understood. (Tallest pine-trees hewn.)

A

prep.,

used here as the sign of the infinitive mood. An intrans. verb, infin. mood, gov. by 'hewn,' or some elliptical word, as fit to be the mast,' or 'intended to be the mast.'

A common noun, nom. case, after the verb 'to be.'

An irreg. intrans. verb, agreeing with its nom. ' pine' or rather 'trees'
understood.

An adverb, modifying 'were' (when but means 'only 'it is an adverb).
A common noun, nominative case after 'were.'

A prep., expressing relation between' walk' and 'spear.'

A reg. trans. verb, infin. mood, governing steps,' and gov. by an elliptical word, such as 'may' or 'order.' (That he may support his uneasy steps, or, in order to support, &c.)

A participial adj. qualifying 'marle.'

A plural noun, obj. case, gov. by the prep 'to' understood. (Like to those steps.)

A sing. noun, obj. case, gov. by the prep. ' on.'

A sing. noun, nom. case to the verb 'smote.'

An adj. used adverbially, modifying' smote.'

The-past participle of 'vault,' relating to 'clime.'

Shorn

From behind.

Twilight

Sheds

On

Nations

With

PARSING.

A personal pro. representing Satan,' nom. case to stood. (He stood.)
An adj., positive degree, relating to ' He.' (He eminent in shape, &c.)
A sing. noun, obj. case, gov. by the preposition 'to' understood.
(Like to a tower)

A personal pro. representing form,' used in the fem. gen. (His form
had not lost her) because forma' in Latin is feminine, poss. case,
gov. by brightness. (Her brightness.)

Intrans. verb, past tense, agreeing with its nom. 'he' understood. (Nor appeared he less.)

A sing. noun, nom. case to appears' or 'does' understood. (Less than an archangel appears.)

The past participle of ruin,' relating to 'archangel.' (Archangel ruined or ruined archangel.)

Def. article, contracted by apocope,' and relating to excess. (The excess of glory.) See Figures of Speech.

A sing. noun, obj. case, gov. by the prep. ' with' understood. (With
the excess of glory.)

The past participle of obscure,' relating to 'glory.'
scured.)

(Of glory ob

(Newly risen.)

A sing. noun, nom. case to looks.' (The sun looks.)
An adj. used adverbially, relating to risen.'
The past participle of 'rise;' relating to sun.
A prep. showing the relation between looks
through the air.)

(The sun newly risen.) and air.' (Looks

The past participle of 'shear,' relating to 'sun.' (The sun shorn of his beams.)

A prepositional phrase, relating 'sheds' to 'moon.' (Sheds from behind the moon.)

A noun, obj. case, gov. by the verb 'sheds. (Sheds disastrous twilight.)

A trans. verb, agreeing with its nom. 'he' or sun understood. (Or when he sheds, &c.)

A prep. showing the relation between 'sheds,' and 'half.' (Sheds on half.)

A plu. noun, obj. case, gov. by the prep. of' understood. (Half of the nations.)

A prep. showing the relation between 'perplexes' and 'fear.' (Perplexes with fear.)

Perplexes. . A trans. verb, governing monarchs,' and agreeing with 'he' understood. (He perplexes monarchs.)

EXAMPLE 21.

Forthwith upright he rears from off the pool
His mighty stature; on each hand the flames,
Driven backward, slope their pointing spires, and roll'd
In billows, leave ' th' midst a horrid vale.

Then with expanded wings he steers his flight

Aloft, incumbent on the dusky air,

That felt unusual weight; till on dry land
He 'lights, if it were land that ever burn'd
With solid, as the lake with liquid fire
And such appear'd in hue, as when the force
Of subterranean wind transports a hill
Torn from Pelorus*, or the shatter'd side
Of thundering Etna, whose combustible
And fuell'd entrails thence conceiving fire,
Sublim'd with mineral fury, aid the winds,
And leave a singed bottom all involv'd

With stench and smoke; such resting found the sole
Of unblest feet. Milton.

*Pelorus, a promontory of Sicily, now called Cape Faro, about two miles from Italy.

EXAMPLE 22.

But see! the angry Victor hath recalled
His ministers of vengeance and pursuit

Back to the gates of Heaven; the sulphurous hail,
Shot after us in storm, o'erblown, hath laid
The fiery surge, that from the precipice

Of Heaven received ns falling; and the thunder,
Winged with red lightning and impetuous rage,
Perhaps hath spent his shafts, and ceases now
To bellow through the vast and boundless deep.
Let us not slip th' occasion, whether scorn,
Or satiate fury, yield it from our foe.-Milton.

But look, the frowning conqueror hath recalled the executioners of his vengeance back to heaven; the fiery hail that was so violently discharged after us, is now blown over, and has laid the burning flood, which received us as we fell from the precipice of heaven; and that furious thunder, with red lightning, which followed us, has spent its force; for now it ceases to roar through the great and boundless abyss: then let us not lose this opportunity, whether scorn or satisfied fury concede it to us from our enemy.

(a) In ancient writings the word his' is used for the possessive case of the pronoun 'it. Many instances of this are to be found in the scriptures; as

'The laver and "his" foot.'

If the salt have lost "his" savour.'

(b) The full phrase is 'Let us not let slip the occasion.' Milton drops one 'let.'