Criticism on Milton's Paradise lost From 'The Spectator' 31 December, 1711- 3 May, 1712 .. . Saturday, March 29. 1712. WDNGINUS has obferved, that there may! be a Loftinefs in Sentiments, where there I is no Paffion, and brings Inftances out of I Ancient Authors tofupport this his Opinion. J The Pathetick, as that great Critick ob-ferves, may animate and inflame the Sublime, but isnot effential to it. Accordingly, as he further remarks,we very often find that thofe, who excell moft inflirring up the Paffions, very often want the Talent ofWriting in the Great and Sublime manner; and fo onthe co
Criticism on Milton's Paradise lost From 'The Spectator' 31 December, 1711- 3 May, 1712 .. . Saturday, March 29. 1712. WDNGINUS has obferved, that there may! be a Loftinefs in Sentiments, where there I is no Paffion, and brings Inftances out of I Ancient Authors tofupport this his Opinion. J The Pathetick, as that great Critick ob-ferves, may animate and inflame the Sublime, but isnot effential to it. Accordingly, as he further remarks,we very often find that thofe, who excell moft inflirring up the Paffions, very often want the Talent ofWriting in the Great and Sublime manner; and fo onthe contrary. Milton has fhewn himfelf a Mailer inboth thefe ways of Writing. The Seventh Book,which we are now entering upon, is an Inftance ofthat Sublime, which is not mixt and workd up withPaffion. The Author appears in a kind of compofedand fedate Majefty; and tho the Sentiments donot give fo great [an] Emotion as thofe in theformer Book, they abound with as magnificent 102 CRITICISM OF BOOK VII. The Sixth Book, like a troubled Ocean, reprefentsGreatnefs in Confufion; the Seventh affects theImagination like the Ocean in a Calm, and fills theMind of the Reader without producing in it anything like Tumult or Agitation. The Critiek abovementioned, among the Ruleswhich he lays down for fucceeding in the Sublimeway of Writing, propofes to his Reader, that he mouldimitate the moil celebrated Authors who have gonebefore him, and have been engaged in Works of thefame nature; as in particular that if he writes on aPoetical Subject, he mould confider how Homer wouldhave fpoken on fuch an Occafion. By this meansone great Genius often catches the Flame fromanother, and writes in his Spirit, without copyingfervilely after him. There are a thoufand ShiningPaffages in Virgil, which have been lighted up byHomer. Milton, though his own natural Strength of Geniuswas capable of furnifhing out a perfect Work, hasdoubtlefs very much raifed and ennobled his Concep-tions,
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