be
better satisfy'd about that Point than I am.

Upon this foot Mr. _Milton_, to grace his Poem, and give room for his
Towring Fancy, has gone a length beyond all that ever went before him,
since _Ovid_ in his _Metamorphosis_. He has indeed complimented GOD
_Almighty_ with a flux of lofty words, and great sounds; and has made a
very fine Story of the _Devil_, but he has made a meer _je ne scay Quoi_
of _Jesus Christ_. In one line he has him riding on a _Cherub_, and in
another sitting on a Throne, both in the very same moment of action. In
another place he has brought him in making a Speech to his _Saints_,
when 'tis evident he had none there; for we all know _Man was not
created till a long while after_; and no body can be so dull as to say
the _Angels_ may be called _Saints_, without the greatest absurdity in
nature. Besides, he makes CHRIST himself distinguish them, as in two
several Bands, and of differing Persons and Species, as to be sure they
are.

Stand still in bright array, _ye Saints_------
---- ------ -------- -------- Here stand,
_Ye Angels_. ------

_Par. Lost. lib._ vi. _fo._ 174.

So that CHRIST here is brought in drawing up his Army before the last
Battle, and making a Speech to them, to tell them they shall only stand
by in warlike order, but that they shall have no occasion to fight, for
he alone will engage the Rebels. Then in embattling his Legions, he
places the Saints here, and the Angels there, as if one were the main
Battle of Infantry, and the other the Wings of Cavalry. But who are
those Saints? they are indeed all of _Milton_'s own making; 'tis certain
there were no Saints at all in _Heaven_ or _Earth_ at that time; GOD and
his _Angels_ fill'd up the place; and till some of the _Angels_ fell,
and Men were created, had liv'd, and were dead, there could have been no
_Saints_ there. Saint _Abel_ was certainly the _Proto-Saint_ of all that
ever were seen in _Heaven_, as well as the Proto-martyr of all that have
been upon _Earth_.

Just such another Mistake, not to call it a Blunder, he makes about
_Hell_; which he not only makes LOCAL, but gives it a being before the
Fall of the _Angels_; and brings it in opening its mouth to receive
them. This is so contrary to the nature of the thing, and so great an
absurdity, that no Poetic License can account for it; for tho' Poesie
may form Stories, as Idea and Fancy may furnish Materials, yet Poesy
must not break in upon Chronology, and mak