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Quantis, & quàm funeftis concurritur iris,
Dum ferus hic ftellas protegit, ille rapit!
Dum vulfos montes, ceu tela reciproca, torquent;
Et non mortali defuper igne pluunt;

Stat dubius cui fe parti concedat OLYMPUS;
Et metuit pugnæ non fupereffe fuæ.
At fimul in cœlis MESSI

infignia fulgent,
Et currus animes, armaque digna DEO;
Horrendùmque rotæ ftrident, & foeva rotarum
Erumpunt torvis fulgura luminibus;

Et flammæ vibrant, & vera tonitrua rauco
Admiftis flammis infonuere polo:
Excidit attonitis mens omnis, & impetus omnis,
Et caffis dextris irrita tela cadunt.

Ad poenas fugiunt, & (ceu foret ORCUS afylum)
Infernis certant condere fe tenebris.

Cedite ROMANI Scriptores, cedite GRAII,
Et quos FAMA recens, vel celebravit anus:
Hæc quicunque leget, tantùm ceciniffe putabit
MEONIDEM Ranas, VIRGILIUM Culices.

SAM. BARROW. M. D.

ON

ON PARADISE LOST.

WHEN T behold this

In flender book his vaft defign unfold: MESSIAH crown'd, GOD's reconcil'd decree, Rebelling Angels, the Forbidden Tree, Heav'n, Hell, Earth, Chaos, All! the argument Held me a while misdoubting his intent; That he would ruin (for I faw him ftrong) The Sacred truths to fable, and old fong; (So SAMPSON grop'd the Temple's pofts in fpight) The world o'erwhelming to revenge his fight.

Yet as I read, foon growing lefs fevere, I lik'd his project, the fuccefs did fear; Through that wide field how he his way fhould find, O'er which lame faith leads understanding blind; Left he perplex'd the things he would explain, And what was eafy, he should render vain.

Or if a work fo infinite he spann'd,
Jealous I was that fome lefs skilful hand
(Such as difquiet always what is well,
And by ill imitating would excell)

Might hence prefume, the whole creation's day
To change in scenes, and fhew it in a Play.

Pardon me, mighty POET! nor defpife
My causeless, yet not impious, furmife.
But I am now convinc'd, and none will dare
Within thy labors to pretend a fhare.

Thou haft not mifs'd one thought that could be fit;
And all that was improper doft omit:
So that no room is here for writers left,
But to detect their ignorance, or theft.

That

T

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