ACCOUNT OF BOOKS... 
been accustomed to admire as a vo- 
tary of the unhallowed nine, turn- 
ing his back on the not unkind ob- 
ject of his former adoration (Thalia) 
to bring his offering to the epic 
muse, who does not appear so pro- 
pitious to his invocations. 
Beyond the difficulty of following 
so nearly in his subject the immor- 
tal Milton, without causing invidi- 
ous comparisons to be made, there 
is a sameness and tediousness in 
this poem which will, probably, al- 
ways prevent its becoming a popu- 
lar work. 
The passages in which our author 
shews most of the vis poctica, are 
those where he introduces the in- 
498 
fernal spirits ; but even here we are 
hurt by the too palpable imita- 
tions of Milton. We shall not at- 
tempt an analysis of a poem, the 
subject of which has been given 
with such beautiful simplicity by 
the Evangelist, as to defy the me- 
retricious embroidery of verse; 
but we shall select a passage or two, 
from which our readers may form 
some idea of the nature and execu- 
tion of the work. Satan, after hav- 
ing delivered his. injunctions to 
Mammon, the seducer of Judas 
Iscariot, is lifted up from the earth 
by a stormy gust, and carried out of 
sight ; the description is in a high 
degree sublime. * 
So spake the parting fiend in his last hour 
Prophetic, father though he were of lies : 
To him the inferior damon answer none 
Attempted, but in ghastly silence stood 
Gazing with horror on his chieftain’s face, 
That chang’d all hues by fits, as when the north, 
With nitrous vapours charg’d, convulsive shoots 
Its fiery darts athwart the trembling pole, 
Making heav’n’s vault a'canopy of blood ; 
So o'er the visage of th’ exorcis’d fiend 
Alternate gleams like meteors came and went ; 
And ever and anon he beat his breast, 
That quick and short with lab’ring pulses heay’d. 
One piteous look he upward turn’d, one sigh 
From his sad heart he fain had sent to heay’n, 
But ere the hopeless messenger could leave 
His quiv’ring lips, by sudden impulse seiz’d, 
He finds himself uplifted from the earth ; 
His azure wings, to sooty black now chang’d, 
In wide expanse from either shoulder stretch 
For flight involuntary: up he springs, 
Whirl'd in a fiery vortex round and round; 
As when the Lybian wilderness caught up 
In sandy pillar by the eddying winds 
Moves horrible, the grave of man and beast; 
Him thus ascending the fork’d lightning smites 
With sidelong volley, whilst loud thunders rock 
Heav’n's echoing vault, when all at once, behold ! 
Caught 
