RB23. a. 10871

To the Right Honourable

JOHN Lord SOMMERS,

Baron of Evesham.

My Lord,

T was Your Lordship's Opinion and Encouragement that occafion'd the first Appear

ing of this Poem in the Folio Edition, which from thence has been fo well receiv'd, notwithstanding the Price of it was Four Times greater than before, the Sale enA 2 creas'd

Year. The Work is now generally known and esteem'd ;~~ and I having the Honour to hear Your Lordship say, that a smaller Edition of it would be grateful to the World, immediately refolv'd upon Printing it in this Volume, of which I moft humbly beg Your Acceptance, from,

My LORD,

Your Lordship's

Ever Obliged Servant.

IN

IN

Paradifum Amiffam

Summi Poetæ

JOHANNIS MILTONI.

Vi legis Amiffam Paradisum, grandia magni

Qarmina Miltoni, quid nifcunttalegia

Res cunctas, & cunctarum primordia rerum,
Et fata, & fines continet ifte liber.
Intima Panduntur magni penetralia mundi,↓↓
Scribitur & toto quicquid in Orbe later.
Terraque, tracufque maris, cœlumque profundum,
Sulphureumque Erebi, flammivomumque specus.
Quaque colunt terras, Pontumque & Tartara caca,
Quaque colunt fummi lucidă regna Péli.
Et quodcunque ullis conclufum eft finibus ufquam,
Et fine fine Chaos, & fine fine Deus:
Et fine fine magis, fi quid magis eft fine fine,
In Chrifto erga homines conciliatus amor.
Hec qui fperaret quis crederet esse futurum ?
Et tamen hac hodie terra Britanna legit.
O quantos in bella Duces! que protulit arma !
Que canit, & quanta prælia dira tuba ! ¡
Cæleftes acies! atque in certamine Cœlum!
Et qua Cæleftes pugna deceret agros !
Quantus in atheriis tollis se Lucifer armis !
Atque ipfo graditur vix Michaele miner!
A 3

Quantis,

Quantis, & quam funeftis concurritur iris

Dum ferus hic ftellas protegit, ille rapit!
Dum vulfos Montes cen Tela reciproca torquent,
Et non mortali defuper igne pluunt :
Stat dubius cui fe parti concedat Olympus,
Et metuit pugna non fuperesse fua.
At fimul in calis Meffia infignia fulgent,
Et currus animes, armaque digna Deo,
Horrendumque rota ftrident, & faeva rotarum
Erumpunt torvis fulgura luminibus;
Et flamma vibrant, & vera tonitrua rauco
Admiftis flammis infonuere Polo:
Excidit attonitis mens omnis, & impetus amnis,
Et caffis dextris irrita Tela cadunt.
Ad poenas fugiunt, & ceu foret Orcus afylum
Infernis certant candere fe tenebris..
Cedite Romani Scriptores, cedite Graii,

Et quos fama recens vel celebravit anus.
Hec quicunque leget tantum ceciniffe putabit
Mæonidem ranas, Virgilium culices,

Samuel Barrow, M. D.

On