condemned for the lownefs of the images introduced but furely without reafon; for, with regard to numbers, they put the principal subject in a strong light.

The foregoing comparisons operate by refemblance; others have the fame effect by contrast.

York. I am the laft of Noble Edward's fons,

Of whom, thy father, Prince of Wales, was firft;
In war, was never lion rag'd more fierce ;
In peace, was never gentle lamb more mild;
Than was that young and princely gentleman.
His face thou haft, for even fo look'd he,
Accomplish'd with the number of thy hours.
But when he frown'd, it was against the French,
And not against his friends. His noble hand
Did win what he did fpend; and spent not that
Which his triumphant father's hand had won.
His hands were guilty of no kindred's blood,
But bloody with the enemies of his kin.
Oh, Richard! York is too far gone with grief,
Or else he never would compare between.

Richard II. a 2. fc. 3.

Milton has a peculiar talent in embellishing the principal fubject by affociating it with others that are agreeable; which is the third end of a comparifon. Similes of this kind have, befide, a feparate effect they diverfify the narration by new images that are not strictly neceffary to the comparison they are fhort epifodes, which,

without drawing us from the principal fubject, afford great delight by their beauty and variety;

He scarce had ceas'd, when the fuperior fiend
Was moving toward the fhore; his pond'rous fhield,
Ethereal temper, maffy, large, and round,

Behind him caft; the broad circumference
Hung on his fhoulders like the moon, whofe orb
Through optic glafs the Tufcan artist views
At ev'ning from the top of Fefole,
Or in Valdarno, to defcry new lands,
Rivers, or mountains, in her fpotty globe.

Thus far thefe, beyond

Milton, b. 1.

Compare of mortal prowefs, yet obferv'd
Their dread commander. He, above the reft
In fhape and gesture proudly eminent,
Stood like a tow'r; his form had yet not loft
All her original brightness, nor appear'd
Lefs than archangel ruin'd, and th' excefs
Of glory obfcur'd: as when the fun new-rifen
Looks through the horizontal misty air
Shorn of his beams; or from behind the moon
In dim eclipfe, difaftrous twilight sheds
On half the nations, and with fear of change
Perplexes monarchs.

Milton, b. 1.

As when a vulture on Imaus bred,

Whofe fnowy ridge the roving Tartar bounds,
Diflodging from a region fcarce of prey

To gorge the flesh of lambs, or yeanling kids,
On hills where flocks are fed, flies toward the fprings

Of

Of Ganges or Hydafpes, Indian ftreams,
But in his way lights on the barren plains
Of Sericana, where Chineses drive

With fails and wind their cany waggons light:
So on this windy fea of land, the fiend
Walk'd up and down alone, bent on his prey.

Yet higher than their tops

Milton, b. 3.

The verdurous wall of Paradife up fprung:
Which to our general fire gave prospect large
Into this nether empire neighbouring round.
And higher than that wall, a circling row
Of goodlieft trees loaden with fairest fruit,
Bloffoms and fruits at once of golden hue,
Appear'd, with gay enamel'd colours mix'd,
On which the fun more glad imprefs'd his beams
Than in fair evening cloud, or humid bow,

When God hath fhow'r'd the earth; fo lovely feem'd
That landscape: and of pure now purer air
Meets his approach, and to the heart infpires
Vernal delight and joy, able to drive
All fadness but defpair: now gentle gales
Fanning their odoriferous wings difpenfe
Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole
Thofe balmy spoils. As when to them who fail
Beyond the Cape of Hope, and now are paft
Mozambic, off at fea north-eaft winds blow
Sabean odour from the spicy fhore

Of Arabie the Bleft; with fuch delay

Well pleas'd they flack their course, and many a league,

Chear'd with the grateful finell, old Ocean fmiles.

With regard to fimiles of this kind, it will readily occur to the reader, that when a resembling fubject is once properly introduced in a fimile, the mind is tranfitorily amufed with the new object, and is not diffatisfied with the flight interruption. Thus, in fine weather, the momentary excurfions of a traveller for agreeable profpects or elegant buildings, chear his mind, relieve him from the languor of uniformity, and without much lengthening his journey in reality, fhorten it greatly in appearance.

Next of comparisons that aggrandize or elevate. These affect us more than any other fort: the reafon of which may be gathered from the chapter of grandeur and fublimity; and, without reasoning, will be evident from the following inftances.

As when a flame the winding valley fills,

And runs on crackling fhrubs between the hills,
Then o'er the ftubble up the mountain flies,
Fires the high woods, and blazes to the fkies,
This way and that, the spreading torrent roars;
So fweeps the hero through the wafted thores.
Around him wide, immenfe deftruction pours,
And earth is delug'd with the fanguine fhow'rs.

Iliad xx. 569.

Through blood, through death, Achilles ftill proceeds, O'er flaughter'd heroes, and o'er rolling fteeds.

A's when avenging flames with fury driv'n

On guilty towns exert the wrath of Heav'n,

The

The pale inhabitants, fome fall, some fly,
And the red vapours purple all the sky:
So rag'd Achilles; Death, and dire dismay,
And toils, and terrors, fill'd the dreadful day.

Iliad, xxi. 605.

Methinks, King Richard and myself should meet
With no lefs terror than the elements

Of fire and water, when their thund'ring fhock,
At meeting tears the cloudy cheeks of heaven.

Richard II. at 3. Sc. 5..

As rufheth a foamy ftream from the dark fhady steep of Cromla, when thunder is rolling above, and dark brown night refts on the hill: fo fierce, fo vast, so terrible, rush forward the fons of Erin. The chief, like a whale of Ocean followed by all its billows, pours valour forth as a stream, rolling its might along the shore.

Fingal, b. 1.

As roll a thoufand waves to a rock, fo Swaran's hoft came on; as meets a rock a thousand waves, fo Inisfail met Swaran.

Ibid.

I beg peculiar attention to the following fimile, for a reason that fhall be mentioned:

Thus breathing death, in terrible array,
The close compacted legions urg'd their way:
Fierce they drove on, impatient to destroy;
Troy charg'd the firft, and Hector firft of Troy.
As from fome mountain's craggy forehead torn,
A rock's round fragment flies with fury borne,