_SIR,_
I am now to consider _Milton_'s Versification under the same Heads as
I have considered _Virgil_'s, so far as there is Opportunity of doing
it.
I. To begin with _The Varying of the Pause_, which is the Soul of all
Versification in all Languages. Verse is Musick, and Musick is more or
less pleasing as the Notes are more or less varied, that is, raised or
sunk, prolonged or shortned. In order to judge of the varying of
_English_ Versification, I first endeavour'd (as I have already said,
with respect to the _Latin_) to find out the common Pause in _English_
Verse, that is, where the Voice naturally makes some sort of Stop when
a Verse is read. To this purpose I look'd into Mr. _Cowley_'s
_Davideis_ (for it would be of no use to quote such Authors as
_Quarles_ and _Ogilby_, who never had any Reputation for Poetry; but
this Gentleman has been stil'd, and is at present recorded in
_Westminster-Abbey_, as _Anglorum Pindarus_, _Maro_, _Flaccus_) and
there I soon found the common Pause to be upon the last Syllable of
the second Foot. For Example:
"I sing the Man | who _Judah_'s Sceptre bore
In that Right-hand, | which held the Crook before;
Who from best Poet, | best of Kings _did_ grow:
The two chief Gifts | Heav'n could on Man bestow.
Much Dangers first, | much Toil did he sustain,
Whilst _Saul_ and Hell | crost his strong Fate in vain.
Nor did his Crown | less painful Work afford--
Here we have seven Lines, and all of them, except the third, paus'd in
the same place.
Thus I discovered from _Cowley_ in _English_ what I perceived from
_Ovid_ in _Latin_. I then turned to the _Paradise Lost_, and there I
found _Milton_ even surpasses _Virgil_ in this particular. _Virgil_
uses the common Pause at the fifth Line of the _Georgicks_, but
_Milton_ does not use it till he comes to the sixth Line in his
_Paradise Lost_.
"Of Man's first Disobedience | and the Fruit
Of that forbidden Tree | whose mortal Taste
Brought Death into the World | and all our Woe,
With Loss of _Eden_ | 'till one greater Man
Restore us | and regain the blissful Seat,
Sing Heavenly Muse |--
It would be needless to produce more Examples to this purpose; and I
believe I may venture to affirm that the Verse is varied at least with
as much Skill in the _Paradise Lost_, as even in the _Georgick_
itself: I am inclinable to think with more, because in this respect
the _English_ Language surpasses the _Latin_, by reason of its
Monosyllables, of which I have said enough for any body at all versed
in these Matters, to be able to make out what is here advanc'd. But
before I quit this Article, I will observe that it is to the artful
and uncommon varying the Pause, that the Harmony is owing in those two
celebrated Lines of Sir _John Denham_.
"Tho' deep | yet clear; | tho' gentle | yet not dull.
Strong | without Rage, | without o'erflowing | full.
This is one of those Mysteries in Versification which the late Duke of
_Bucks_ would not suffer Mr. _Dryden_ to communicate to the Publick.
To the same Art is owing the Delicacy of two of the finest Lines in
all the _Latin_ Tongue.
"_Te | dulcis conjux | te | solo in littore | secum,
Te | veniente die | te | decedente | canebat._
Of the same Nature are many Lines in _Milton_, of which this is one:
"Him first | Him last | Him midst | and without End.
II. I come now to the second Particular: _The Inversion of the
Phrase_. Every Page affords Instances of this Nature.
"--Him the Almighty Pow'r
Hurl'd headlong flaming from the ethereal Sky.
Again,
"--Up stood the Corny Reed
Embattell'd in her Field.--
Again,
"--Him the most High
Rapt in a balmy Cloud with winged Steeds
Did, as thou saw'st, Receive.