102 



the action, we shall iudeed obtain a larger number of acting persons ; 

 but the characters of these spiritual agents are necessarily so devoid of 

 individuality, that nothing attributed to any of them could not have 

 been equally performed by any of the rest. It is the same person acting 

 under different names. The archangel Raphael relates to Adam the fall 

 of Lucifer ; Michael draws the veil from future ages ; Abdiel returns 

 faithful from the rebellious spirits. What is there in the pecuUarity 

 of Raphael, that would make him less fit to relate the murder of Abel 

 than the battle of the spiritual hosts, or to prove his fidelity to God like 

 Abdiel ; he cannot be thought either less prophetic or less faithful than 

 his fellow angels. On the other hand — is not Satan the whole Satanic 

 host? What are Beelzebub and Moloch and Belial in the Paudemoniac 

 council, but the expression of some slight shade of thought ? Their 

 harangues might have been embodied in a lengthened monologue of 

 Satan ; there would be no inconsistency if the hesitation of Belial was 

 put into the mouth of Satan as a momentaiy doubt.* And gi-auted 

 that in the council there is a fundamental and irreconcilable difference 

 of sentiment, is there not perfect uniformity of action ? In the battle 

 the exploits of one might as well have been ascribed to another, there 

 is a variety of names but no variety of individual character. 



What is the cause of this defect? Is the poet to blame or the 

 subject ? No doubt Milton might have vaiied the monotonous una- 

 nimity of hell by introducing discord, angry feelings, distrust, treason, 

 mutual accusation and recrimination, and other varieties of evil passions 

 among the followers of Satan. On the other hand he was debarred 

 by the nature of his subject from making these beings reaUy interesting 

 to man by an admixture of virtues.-f 



* Not so monologue-like is the debate in the council of the Greets (Iliad, II. Book.) The 

 parts of Agamemnon and Thersitcs are different in every respect. 



+ He has preferred representing them in perfect concord, (II. 496 — " Devil with devil 

 damned firm concord holds," J perhaps to preserve conformity with Scripture. To introduce 

 a variety of other evil passions was very difficult. Mil'on hardly attempted it, and where 

 he did, he failed. 



ITiis concord is no virtue, as Milton would have it appear, but conspiiacy. — The poet says 

 of BeUal, II., lU:— 



" nis thoughts were low, 

 To vice industrious, yet to nobler deeds 

 Timorous and slotliful." 

 What " noble deeds" can be attributed to a fallen angel? Not surely the war with the 

 Almighty, which Belial dissuaded. Yet it would almost appear so, for (verse 227) he is said 

 to have " counselled ignoble ease and peaceful sloth." We cannot justify the poet for 

 calling the rebellion of the evil spirits a noble deed. It is a blemish of a different kind, 

 though flowing from the same source, to make Mammon, (I. 679,1 



" The least erected spirit that fell 

 From Heaven ; for e'en in Heaven his looks and thoughts 



