103 



LITERARY NOTICES, No. IX. 



A CRITIQUE ON PARADISE LOST, 



BEING the first of two lectures on the same subject 

 delivered in the ATHENAEUM of the PLYMOUTH IN- 

 STITUTION, by #, NELSON BARNES, B. A. 

 Member of the Institution and Principal of the Ply- 

 mouth Classical School. 

 p. p, 24. Thomas Bond and Daniel May, Plymouth. 



About sixty critical works have already been sub- 

 mitted to the public on the writings of Milton by 

 Addison, Voltaire, Rolli, De Magny, Bently, Meadow- 

 court, Warburton, Benson, Peck, Pearson, Lander, 

 Douglas, Johnson, Dodd, Blair, Hayley and a host of 

 others of less note ; yet the mine seems unexhausted 

 and inexhaustible. Mr. Barnes has lately put forth 

 his claim as a critic and in his little book has displayed 

 considerable originality, judgment and reading. 



There are few young men who, though possessed of 

 Mr. Barnes' literary acquirements and critical discrimi- 

 nation, would have ventured upon so daring a design as 

 to question the right of such a * universally admired 

 writer as Milton to the high rank he has been judged 

 entitled to among Poets ; and the first paragraph of his 

 critique shows that he was fully aware of the difficulties 

 and dangers besetting such a task. 



" To sit in judgment on a king, even though the sentence should 

 be an acquittal from imputation accompanied by a declaration of 

 loyalty, would still by many be pronounced treason. The task 

 then is a dangerous one to examine the right of Milton to the 

 throne of poetry ; or granting that, to criticise the works of the 

 anointed of the Muses. Among the traitors of one age, however, 

 are to be found the heroes and patriots of another a fact which 

 should teach men not to tremble at a name. At the name then 

 of a poetical traitor I shall not start ; but with a courage emulating 

 at least that of Milton's self, when serving those who brought a 



* Milton's works have been published, wholly or in part, in 150 

 English editions ; and the following translations have also appear- 

 ed ; Greek 6, Latin 18, Italian 9, French 15, Dutch and Ger- 

 man 11, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian 3. 



