The Parts of Adam and Eve, or the human Persons, come next under our Consideration.  Milton’s Art is no where more shewn than in his conducting the Parts of these our first Parents.  The Representation he gives of them, without falsifying the Story, is wonderfully contriv’d to influence the Reader with Pity and Compassion towards them.  Tho Adam involves the whole Species in Misery, his Crime proceeds from a Weakness which every Man is inclined to pardon and commiserate, as it seems rather the Frailty of Human Nature, than of the Person who offended.  Every one is apt to excuse a Fault which he himself might have fallen into.  It was the Excess of Love for Eve, that ruin’d Adam, and his Posterity.  I need not add, that the Author is justify’d in this Particular by many of the Fathers, and the most orthodox Writers.  Milton has by this means filled a great part of his Poem with that kind of Writing which the French Criticks call the Tender, and which is in a particular manner engaging to all sorts of Readers.

Adam and Eve, in the Book we are now considering, are likewise drawn with such Sentiments as do not only interest the Reader in their Afflictions, but raise in him the most melting Passions of Humanity and Commiseration.  When Adam sees the several Changes in Nature produced about him, he appears in a Disorder of Mind suitable to one who had forfeited both his Innocence and his Happiness; he is filled with Horrour, Remorse, Despair; in the Anguish of his Heart he expostulates with his Creator for having given him an unasked Existence.

  Did I request thee, Maker, from my Clay
  To mould me Man? did I sollicite thee
  From Darkness to promote me? or here place
  In this delicious Garden?  As my Will
  Concurr’d not to my Being, twere but right
  And equal to reduce me to my Dust,
  Desirous to resign, and render back
  All I received—­

He immediately after recovers from his Presumption, owns his Doom to be just, and begs that the Death which is threatned him may be inflicted on him.

 —­Why delays
  His Hand to execute, what his Decree
  Fix’d on this day?  Why do I overlive? 
  Why am I mock’d with Death, and lengthened out
  To deathless Pain? how gladly would I meet
  Mortality my Sentence, and be Earth
  Insensible! how glad would lay me down,
  As in my Mothers Lap? there should I rest
  And sleep secure; his dreadful Voice no more
  Would thunder in my Ears:  no fear of worse
  To me and to my Offspring, would torment me
  With cruel Expectation—­

This whole Speech is full of the like Emotion, and varied with all those Sentiments which we may suppose natural to a Mind so broken and disturb’d.  I must not omit that generous Concern which our first Father shews in it for his Posterity, and which is so proper to affect the Reader.