126 



other hand, when the adverb stands in the relation of object to the 

 verb, being the result of the verbal action, it may be expressed in Greek 

 and Latin by the adjective in the neuter gender, vSv iyeKacr^ dulce 

 ridebat, he smiled sweetly, i.e. the sweetness being the effect of the 

 smiling. It is this use of the adjective, instead of the adverb, which 

 Milton has especially intndaced into his poem. But he has thereby 

 sometimes made his meaning rather obscure, the inflexibility of the 

 English language not furnishing hitn with a distinctive mark for the 

 neuter gender, e.g. — 



v. 733. " To whom the Son, with calm aspect and clear, 

 Lightning Di\'ine, ineffable, serene, 

 Made answer." 

 To show the obscurity of this passage I will transcribe Dr. Newton's 

 note : — " If lightning is a participle, the adjective divi7ie is to be taken 

 adverbially, as if it had been VirjlUmng diviaehj: but it is rather a sub- 

 stantive, and in Scripture the Angel's couotenance is said to have been 

 like lightning. Dan..t. 6, Matt, xxviii. 3." To such a dilemma the learned 

 commentator is reduced. In my opinion he is aUogethcr wrong. I 

 fail to see the cogency of his argument. To compare the Messiah to 

 lightning in this place seems highly improper ; and what is serene and 

 ineffable lightning ? There can be no doubt, in my opinion, that Milton 

 intended the three adjectives, divine, ineffable, serene, to qualify the 

 participle liijhining. But the mere possibility of Dr. Newton's mistake 

 is a sufficient condemnation of the Uceuse taken by the poet. 



In imitation of the use of the Latin infinitive perfect, where an 

 infinitive present is expected, we find, that Milton has the following 

 construction : — 



VI. 19. " And found 



Already known what he for news had thought 

 To have reported." 

 I. 38. " By whose aid aspiiing, 



To set hhnself in glory above his peers, 

 He trusted to have equalled the most High." 

 The intransitive verb, as is well known, is destitute of a passive voice. 

 In Latin, however, the third person singular is formed, so that it is 

 quite usual to say venitur, ventum est, &c. In English, however, to 

 say " it has been come" would hardly pass curreut, I beUeve. Yet 

 Milton, VI. 335, has the following passage : — 



" Forthwith on all sides to his aid xcas run 

 By angels many and strong." 

 It is difficult to introduce anything like a regular system into gram- 

 matical observations like the present, the more so, as I do not intend 

 to exhaust the subject, and, therefore, should have to leave many dis- 



