Ancient Epic Poevi . 1 4 S 



could man be subjected to the influence of 

 Milton's devils ; and, if suffering under this in- 

 fluence, had still his refuge in an Almighty, 

 wise and beneficent being. From the tyranny 

 of Homer's gods man had no refuge what- 

 ever. In the court of Homer's heaven all was 

 discord and misrule ; god was opposed to god, 

 and all the pretended power of Jove was 

 impotent to reconcile the contending deities, 

 or by awe reduce them to submission. Milton's 

 Satan was truly sovereign, and an union of 

 sentiment and design pervaded the whole of his 

 gloomy domain. Milton's devils, though wick- 

 ed beyond the stile of Homer's gods, are uni- 

 formly grand, they exhibit that sublime of the ter- 

 rific, which the epic aspires to. Homer's gods, 

 though wicked enough,areasfoolish and freakish 

 as they are wicked, they are not superior to what 

 we may conceive of the lowest rabble in 

 Milton's hell. I enter not into the heaven of 

 Milton, and, perhaps, it would have been as 

 well, if he had not so familiarly unveiled that 

 sacred region. But there Homer presents no 

 parallel, and the comparison fails. Tlie picture 

 of man also in the two poems is greatly in favour 

 of Milton, and shews the advantage, which is 

 derived to the mind, that has deceived a purer 

 ind nobler faith. Indeed to illustrate this ad- 

 vantage and by contrast rxeite a stronger im- 



