erson in his poem. Considering the
nature of his subject, he would be equally in danger of running into
this fault, from his faith in religion, and his love of rebellion; and
perhaps each of these motives had its full share in determining the
choice of his subject.

Not only the figure of Satan, but his speeches in council, his
soliloquies, his address to Eve, his share in the war in heaven, or in
the fall of man, shew the same decided superiority of character. To give
only one instance, almost the first speech he makes:

"Is this the region, this the soil, the clime,
Said then the lost archangel, this the seat
That we must change for Heaven; this mournful gloom
For that celestial light? Be it so, since he
Who now is sov'rain can dispose and bid
What shall be right: farthest from him is best,
Whom reason hath equal'd, force hath made supreme
Above his equals. Farewel happy fields,
Where joy for ever dwells: Hail horrors, hail
Infernal world, and thou profoundest Hell,
Receive thy new possessor: one who brings
A mind not to be chang'd by place or time.
The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a Heav'n of Hell, a Hell of Heav'n.
What matter where, if I be still the same,
And what I should be, all but less than he
Whom thunder hath made greater? Here at least
We shall be free; th' Almighty hath not built
Here for his envy, will not drive us hence:
Here we may reign secure, and in my choice
To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven."

The whole of the speeches and debates in Pandemonium are well worthy
of the place and the occasion--with Gods for speakers, and angels and
archangels for hearers. There is a decided manly tone in the arguments
and sentiments, an eloquent dogmatism, as if each person spoke from
thorough conviction; an excellence which Milton probably borrowed from
his spirit of partisanship, or else his spirit of partisanship from the
natural firmness and vigour of his mind. In this respect Milton
resembles Dante, (the only modern writer with whom he has any thing in
common) and it is remarkable that Dante, as well as Milton, was a
political partisan. That approximation to the severity of impassioned
prose which has been made an objection to Milton's poetry, and which is
chiefly to be met with in these bitter