markable paffage: after suggesting that the Mofaic hiftory of Adam and Eve is purely allegorical, and defigned as an incentive to virtue, he fays, "Una notte fognai, che "Moifè mi porse gratiofa efpofitione, e mifteriofo fignifi"cato con parole talį apunto:

“Dio fà parte all' huom di se stesso con l'intervento "della ragione, e dispone con infallibile sentenza, che fignoreggiando in lui la medefma fopra le fenfuali "voglie, prefervato il pomo del proprio core dalli ap"petiti difordinati, per guiderdone di giufta obbedienza "li trasforma il mondo in Paradifo. Di quefto s'io par"laffi, al ficuro formarei heroico poema convenevole a "femidei."

“One night I dreamt that Mofes explained to me the : mystery, almost in these words:

"God reveals himself to man by the intervention of "reason, and thus infallibly ordains that reafon, while fhe "fupports her fovereignty over the fenfual inclinations in

man, and preferves the apple of his heart from licen"tious appetites, in reward of his juft obedience tranf"forms the world into Paradife,—Of this were I to speak, "affuredly. I might form an heroic poem worthy of “demi-gods.”

It strikes me as poffible that these last words, afligned to Mofes in his vifion by Troilo Lancetta, might operate on the mind of Milton like the queftion of Ellwood, and prove, in his prolific fancy, a kind of rich graft on the

idea he derived from Andreini, and the germ of his greatest production.

A fceptical critic, inclined to discountenance this conjecture, might indeed obferve, it is more probable that Milton never saw a little volume not published until after his return from Italy, and written by an author fo obfcure, that his name does not occur in Tirabofchi's elaborate hiftory of Italian literature; nor in the patient Italian chronicler of poets, Quadrio, though he bestows a chapter on early dramatic compofitions in profe.-But the mind, that has once ftarted a conjecture of this nature, must be weak indeed, if it cannot produce new shadows of argument in aid of a favourite hypothefis.-Let me therefore be allowed to advance, as a prefumptive proof of Milton's having feen the work of Lancetta, that he makes a fimilar ufe of Mofes, and introduces him to speak a prologue in the sketch of his various plans for an allegorical drama. It is indeed poffible that Milton might never fee the performances either of Lancetta or Andreini -yet conjecture has ground enough to conclude very fairly, that he was acquainted with both; for Andreini wrote a long allegorical drama on Paradife, and we know that the fancy of Milton first began to play with the subject according to that peculiar form of compofition.Lancetta treated it also in the shape of a dramatic allegory; but faid, at the fame time, under the character of Moses, that the subject might form an incomparable epic

poem;

poem; and Milton, quitting his own hafty sketches of allegorical dramas, accomplished a work which anfwers to that intimation.

After all, I allow that the province of conjecture is the region of shadows; and as I offer my ideas on this topic rather as phantoms that may amuse a lover of poetical speculation, than as folid proofs to determine a cause of great moment, I am perfuaded every good-natured reader will treat them with indulgence: affuredly I shall feel neither anger, nor inclination to contend in their defence, if any feverer critic,

"Irruat, & fruftra ferro diverberet umbras."

In mentioning the imperfect rudiments of Paradife Loft, Johnson fays, very juftly, "It is pleafant to fee great "works in their feminal ftate, pregnant with latent pof"fibilities of excellence; nor could there be any more "delightful entertainment than to trace their gradual "growth and expanfion, and to obferve how they are "fometimes suddenly advanced by accidental hints, and "fometimes flowly improved by steady meditation." Such entertainment would indeed be peculiarly delightful in -respect to Milton. It is in fome meafure beyond our reach, because, if we except his sketches of plans for an allegorical drama, no real evidence is left concerning the origin and progrefs of his magnificent conception: but fuppofition is often a pleasant substitute for abfolute knowledge; and in the hope that it may prove fo in the present case,

let me advance in this fhadowy research, and after accounting for the first flashes of Milton's fubject on his fancy, pursue the vein of conjecture, in confidering various ideas that might influence him in the profecution of his work.

When Adam engaged the fancy of Milton, however that perfonage might firft be impreffed upon it as a subject of verse, many circumftances might confpire to confirm his afcendency. The work of different arts, which the poet furveyed in his travels, had, perhaps, a confiderable influence in attaching his imagination to our first parents.—He had most probably contemplated them not only in the colours of Michael Angelo, who decorated Rome with his picture of the creation, but in the marble of Bandinelli, who had executed two large ftatues of Adam and Eve, which, though they were far from fatisfying the taste of connoiffeurs, might ftimulate even by their imperfections the genius of a poet. In recollecting how painting and sculpture had both exercised their respective powers on thefe hallowed and interefting characters, the muse of Milton might be tempted to contend with the fifter arts. I must confefs, however, that Richardson, a fond idolater of thefe arts and of Milton, is rather inclined to believe that they did not much occupy the attention of the poet, even during his refidence in Italy: yet I am persuaded he must have been greatly ftruck by the works of Michael Angelo, a genius whom he refembled fo much in his grand characteristic, mental mag

nificence!

nificence! and to whom he was infinitely fuperior in the attractive excellencies of delicacy and grace. In touching on a point of refemblance between the poet and this pre-eminent artift, we cannot fail to obferve the abun'dance and variety of charms in the poetry of Milton. All the different perfections, which are affigned as characteristics to the most celebrated painters, are united in this marvellous poet. He has the fublime grandeur of Michael Angelo, the chafte fimplicity of Raphael, the sweetness of Correggio, and the richness of Rubens. In his Sampfon we may admire the force of Rembrandt, and in his Comus the grace and gaiety of Albano and Pouffin: in short, there is no charm exhibited by painting, which his poetry has failed to equal, as far as analogy between the different arts can extend. If Milton did not pay much attention in his travels to thofe works of the great painters that he had opportunities of furveying (which I cannot think probable) it is certain that his own works afford a most excellent field to exercife and animate the powers of the pencil *.. The article in which I apprehend

* The learned, ingenious, enthufiaftic Winckelman has advanced, in his moft celebrated work, a very different opinion; but the ardour with which this extraordinary man had ftudied and idolized the antients, rendered him deplorably prefumptuous and precipitate in several of his ideas relating to modern genius, and particularly in what he has afferted of Milton. Some paffionate admirers of antiquity feem to lament the fall of paganifm, as fatal to poetry, to painting, and to fculpture; but a more liberal and enlightened fpirit of

criticism may rather believe, what it is very poffible, I apprehend, to demonftrate, that chriftianity can hardly be more favourable to the purity of morals, than it might be rendered to the perfection of thefe delightful arts. Milton himself may be regarded as an obvious and complete proof that the pofition is true as far as poetry is concerned. In what degrees the influence of the Chriftian religion can affect the other two, it may be pleafing, and perhaps ufeful, to confider in fome future compofition devoted to their advancement.

a painter