50 'Miltons Annotaiom and Commentators. [Jav. 



that " by labour and intense study" he niiglit leave something so written 

 to aftertimes, " as they should not willingly let it die." Can it be sup- 

 posed that, possessing this intention, he tailed to consult every work 

 within his reach ? In his days, books did not teem from the press as 

 now ; productions of merit were soon known to the comparatively (i:\v 

 literati ; and Milton, not only from inclination, but from his situation as 

 Latin Secretary to Cromwell, had ample opportunities of ascertaining 

 what works were published, and of obtaining them. Similarity of subject 

 will often excite corresponding ideas ; and perhaps no subject was more 

 likely to produce them than the fall and expulsion of our first parents. 

 Yet there are similarities so strong, and sometimes of a metiiphysicjil 

 character, which leave no doubts on the reflecting mind of their being 

 derived from a known source. I therefore coincide with the acute and 

 industrious compilers of the " Inquiry into the Origin of Paradise Lost," 

 in the belief that, among the materials consulted for this great work, 

 were, the Adamo of Andreini — the poem by Cedmon the Saxon, La 

 Scena Tragica d' Adamo da Troilo Lancetta, Benacense — Du Bartas, 

 Strage de gli Innocenti of Marino, Angeleida del Sig. Erasmo Valva- 

 sone — and probably many more.* From these and other sources 

 he added to the number of his ideas, and afterwards used the combina- 

 tions of thoughts, forms of expression, and general information he had 

 thus accumulated, often without remembering or considering from 

 where he had derived them. This, on a far more limited scale, is what 

 we all do in the common intercourse of life, and in our writings ; for it 

 is one of the greatest means of education. 



We find fewer observations on the Paradise Regained, and the clas- 

 sical references are not so numerous, because the epic is (to use Milton's 

 words) " brief and not diffuse," and the whole subject is far removed 

 from the tenor of thought among the poets of the heathen world. 



a 



THE FOURTH VOLUME OF THE ORLANDO FURIOSO, 



Translated into English Verse, by William Stewart Rose. 



We hail, with pleasure, the continuation of Mr. Rose's translation of 

 this great gothic poem. We do not use the word gothic in the sense it 

 usually bears, but to specify the model of the poem of Ariosto. 



By Avay of preface to our remarks, we will say a few words on the 

 subject of the gothic model. The stream of superstition which came 

 with increasing tide from the classic ages, attended lay the visions and 

 diemons of the Platonists, was filled to overflowing by the tributary 

 streams of drear and horror-striking chimaeras from the gloomy regions 

 of the north. The western world, then sunk into comparative barbarism, 

 drank deeply of this full and turbid stream, brought through their 

 countries by the northern ravagers. To this accumulation was added, 

 the sublimer and spectral superstitions attending on the Christian faith. 

 From this dark and mighty mass, the prodigies and enchantments of the 

 gothic ages took their rise. 



* The learned Mr. Walker lias quoted a very extraordinary passage (Chron. de 

 Monstrelat, vol. i. p. 39), which bears a stron<r resemblance tu the dialogue whicli 

 took place between 3IicliaeI and Satan diu'i'.ij the suspensian of vhe war in heaven. 



