ure of these tracts; allusions in the early prose
works to the story of Samson, and to the theme of _Paradise
Lost_; Milton's personal and public motives; his persuasive vein;
his political idealism; Johnson's account of his political
opinions; the citizen of an antique city; Milton's attitude
towards mediaeval romance, and towards the mediaeval Church; his
worship of liberty; and of greatness; his belief in human
capacity and virtue; Milton and Cromwell; Milton's clear logic;
his tenacity; his scurrility, and its excuse; his fierce and
fantastic wit; reappearance of these qualities in _Paradise
Lost_; the style of his prose works analysed and illustrated; his
rich vocabulary; his use of Saxon; the making of an epic poet 39

CHAPTER III
Paradise Lost: The Scheme

Vastness of the theme; scenical opportunities; the poetry independent
of the creed; Milton's choice of subject; King Arthur; _Paradise
Lost_; attractions of the theme: primitive religion, natural
beauty, dramatic interest; difficulties of the theme, and
forbidden topics; how Milton overcomes these difficulties by his
episodes, his similes, and the tradition that he adopts
concerning the fallen angels; the cosmography of _Paradise Lost_;
its chronology; some difficulties and inconsistencies; Milton's
spiritual beings, their physical embodiment; the poem no treasury
of wisdom, but a world-drama; its inhumanity, and artificial
elevation; the effect of Milton's simpler figures drawn from
rural life; De Quincey's explanation of this effect; another
explanation; the homelessness of Eden; the enchanted palace and
its engineer; the tyranny of Milton's imagination; its effect on
his diction 81

CHAPTER IV
Paradise Lost: The Actors. The Later Poems

Milton's argumentative end; its bearing on the scenes in Heaven; his
political bias, and materialism; Milton's Deity; his Satan; the
minor devils; Adam; Eve; personal memories; Adam's eulogy of Eve,
criticised by Raphael; Milton's philosophy of love and beauty;
the opinions of Raphael, of Satan, and of Mrs. Millamant; the
comparative merits of Adam and Eve; Milton's great epic effects;
his unity and large decorum; morning and evening; architectural
effects; the close of _Paradise Lost_; Addison and Bentley;
_Paradise Regained;_ the c