Had I followed Monsieur Bossu’s Method in my first Paper of Milton, I should have dated the Action of Paradise Lost from the Beginning of Raphael’s Speech in this Book, as he supposes the Action of the AEneid to begin in the second Book of that Poem.  I could allege many Reasons for my drawing the Action of the AEneid rather from its immediate Beginning in the first Book, than from its remote Beginning in the second; and shew why I have considered the sacking of Troy as an Episode, according to the common Acceptation of that Word.  But as this would be a dry unentertaining Piece of Criticism, and perhaps unnecessary to those who have read my first Paper, I shall not enlarge upon it.  Whichever of the Notions be true, the Unity of Milton’s Action is preserved according to either of them; whether we consider the Fall of Man in its immediate Beginning, as proceeding from the Resolutions taken in the infernal Council, or in its more remote Beginning, as proceeding from the first Revolt of the Angels in Heaven.  The Occasion which Milton assigns for this Revolt, as it is founded on Hints in Holy Writ, and on the Opinion of some great Writers, so it was the most proper that the Poet could have made use of.

The Revolt in Heaven is described with great Force of Imagination and a fine Variety of Circumstances.  The learned Reader cannot but be pleased with the Poets Imitation of Homer in the last of the following Lines.

  At length into the Limits of the North
  They came, and Satan took his Royal Seat
  High on a Hill, far blazing, as a Mount
  Rais’d on a Mount, with Pyramids and Towrs
  From Diamond Quarries hewn, and Rocks of Gold,
  The Palace of great Lucifer, (so call
  That Structure in the Dialect of Men
  Interpreted)—­

Homer mentions Persons and Things, which he tells us in the Language of the Gods are call’d by different Names from those they go by in the Language of Men.  Milton has imitated him with his usual Judgment in this particular Place, wherein he has likewise the Authority of Scripture to justifie him.  The Part of Abdiel, who was the only Spirit that in this infinite Host of Angels preserved his Allegiance to his Maker, exhibits to us a noble Moral of religious Singularity.  The Zeal of the Seraphim breaks forth in a becoming Warmth of Sentiments and Expressions, as the Character which is given us of him denotes that generous Scorn and Intrepidity which attends Heroic Virtue.  The Author doubtless designed it as a Pattern to those who live among Mankind in their present State of Degeneracy and Corruption.

  So spake the Seraph Abdiel, faithful found
  Among the faithless, faithful only he;
  Among innumerable false, unmov’d,
  Unshaken, unseduc’d, unterrify’d;
  His Loyalty he kept, his Love, his Zeal: 
  Nor Number, nor Example with him wrought
  To swerve from truth, or change his constant Mind,
  Though single.  From amidst them forth