1796.] 
ing to the objects from which the com- 
arifons are drawn. And firft, as to thofe 
taken from Lis 
THE HEAVENLY BODIES. 
Tt will appear extraordinary, ne amidft 
the numerous objeéts m nature which 
ee the eye of Homer, the abl eft of 
the fun, thould be fo little applied by 
to poetical ufe. I can find but one 
inftance in which this luminary is made, 
in its proper character, a fubjeét of com- 
parifon ; and this is comprized in a fingle 
line. Achilles,’ fhining in arms, is faid tO 
De like the dun in its alcention.”? 11. 
DAB eel tak 
Unaided by the example of Homer, it 
would feem that the genius of Virgil found 
irfelf unequal to the management of fo 
grand and’ dazzling an object: but our 
Milton has ventured, and nobly fucceed- 
ed, in his attempt to paint it; not, indeed, 
in meridian fplendour, but coehe its glory 
dimmed and obfcured ; 
as when the fun new rifen 
Looks thro’ the horizontal mifty air 
Shorn of his beams, or from behind the moon 
In dim eclipfe difaftrous twilight fheds 
On half the nations; darken’d fo, yet fhone 
Above them all, th’ Archangel. 
Par. L. i. 594. 


This eae fimile has an excellence, 
which may generally be met with in thofe 
of Milton, and, indeed, is necefiary to 
conftitute the perfeétion of this figure— 
its refemblance confifts not only in fenfible 
properties, butin character. Thus, itis 
not only the form of Satan, ftill retaining 
its brightnefs, though obfeured, which is 
compared to that of the fun behind a 
mift; but his malignant charadier is alfo 
expreffed by the ominous nature of an 
eclipfe, according to the fuperftitious no-. 
tions fo univerfally received concerning 
that phenomenon. 
Sun-/bine, though not the fun himfelf, 
is the fubject Gf cwo. other fimilies in 
Homer ie Milton. When Patroclus re- 
pels the hoftile fire from the Grecian 
fhips, the interval of returning repofe and. 
fafety to the Greeks, is exprefled in the 
following fimile : 
* As when the thunderer from the lofty top 
Of fome huge hill difpels the heavy cloud ; 
Sudden, the towers, the cliffs,the groves around 
Shine out, and boundlefs ether from above . 

* As Mr. 
and ornamented to give a faithful picture of the 
Criginal, I thall fubftitute a clofe, though much 
efs poetical, verfion of my qwn. (Mr, Cowper’ $. 
pad not appeared when this was written.) 
, 
Similes of Homer, 
Pope’s tranflation is too refined 
Virgil, and Milton. - 235 
Wide opens : thus, the hoftile fire repell’d, 
The Greeks fhart refpite gain’ d. 
DU, avin 2076 
The fiimilitude here confifts in the efeé?, 
not in the odjeé7s themfelves; for in thefe 
there is rather an oppofition, fire being 
extinguificd in one inftance, and lizht re- 
froredinthe other. But the effect of thefe 
circumftances on the mind is the fame in 
both cafes: joy and hope are reftored. 
Mr, Pope, indeed, contrary to all the 
commentators, and to the poet’s own ex- 
planation of his fimie, fuppofes the like- 
nefs to confift folely in obvious and fenfible 
appearances ; and thar the clearing away 
the fmoke after the extinétion of the fire ts 
meant to be refembled to the di/perjion of 
the cloud. But nothing appears to fupport 
this explanation. It may be added, that 
in the poetical language of the Jewith 
{criptures, zit and joy are ufed almof 
{ynonymoufly ; and there are examples of 
the fame imagery in the language of 
Homer himfelf. 
Milton, in his imitation of this fimile, 
has applied it to the fame pyrpofe. After 
Satan has taken upon himfelf the perilous 
exploratory voyage, which was to free 
the diabolic hoft from their terrible prifon, 
their returning hope and joy are expreffed 
in this beautiful fimilitude : 
As when from mountain tops the dufky clouds . 
Afcending, while the north wind fleeps, o’er~ 
fpread : 
Heaven’s cheerful face, the louring element 
Scowls o’er the darken’d land{cape {now or 
thower ; 
If chance the radiant fun’ with farewel fweet 
Extend his evening beam, the fields revive, 
The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds 
Atteft their joy, that hill and valley rings. 
Par. L. 11. 488. 
The moon is likewife the fubject of twe 
fimilar comparifons ‘in Homer and Mil- 
ton; but the Greek poet only touches 
upon what our countryman Improves into 
a noble piéture. Of Achilles, it is faid, 
And next he raifed his armple ponderous fhieid, 
Whence beam’d from far a luftre, like the. 
moon’s. Dr amis 7 36 
The fhield of Satan is thus reprefented ; 
See eee his pond’rous fhield 
Etherial temper, maffy, large,-and round, 
Behind him caft ; the broad Shanice 
Hung on his fhoulders like the meoon, whofe 
orb 
Thro’ optic glafs the Tufcan artift views, 
At evening, from the top of Fefole, 
Or in Waldarno, to defcry new lands, 
Rivers, or mountains, in her {potty globe. 
Par. L. i, 286. 
This 


