His dark materials to create more worlds ;) Into this wild abyss the wary fiend Stood on the brink of hell, and look'd a while Pondering his voyage. After much difficulty this divine poem was licensed for the press, and published first at London, in 1667. To show how little the age in which Milton lived was worthy of so great a genius, we need only mention that on the completion of this great work, the poet could seli the copy for no more than fifteen pounds, the payment of which depended upon the sale of three arge editions; and his widow afterwards sold her iaims for eight pounds. Three years after the publication of "Paradise Lost," he published "Samson Agonistes," a tragedy in the purest style of the Greek Drama; and "Paradise Regained," the subject of which is said to have been suggested by the following circumstance: Elwood, a Quaker, who had read " Paradise Lost," in manuscript, on returning it, put this quaint interrogation: "What hast thou to say to Paradise Found?” We have only farther to mention that, worn out by the gout, our poet paid the debt of nature in 1674. 'r hy, wixty sixth year. The following sublime and affecting production was but lately discovered among the remains of our great epic poet, and is published in the recent Oxfort edition of Milton's Works: I am old and blind! Men point at me as smitten by God's frown; Yet I am not cast down. I am weak, yet strong; I murmur not that I no longer see; Poor, old, and helpless, I the more belong, O, merciful one! When men are farthest then thou art most near Thy glorious face Is leaning towards me; and its holy night On my bended knee 1 recognize thy purpose clearly shown: I have nought to fear; This darkness is the shadow of thy wing; Can come no evil thing. O! I seem to stand Trembling, where foot of mortal ne'er hath been, Visions come and go: Shapes of resplendent beauty round me throng. From angel lips I seem to hear the flow Of soft and holy song. Is it nothing now, When heaven is opening on my sightless eyes- In a purer clime My being fills with rapture-waves of thought Give me now my lyre! I feel the stirrings of a gift divine: REV RICHARD LUCAS, D. D. THERE is no other period in the history of Engla 1 that produced as many able polemic writers, as the seventeenth century. The enthusiasm and cruel persecutions that attended the first outbreak of the reformation in that country, had then much subsided, and both the great leading powers (Protestant and Papal) were made willing to consecrate their faith and creeds at the shrine of reason and revelation. This concession, so long sought for by the reformers, inspired and brought into the field many of the most learned and distinguished men of those spirit-stirring times. Their fervent discussions of holy writ, tempered with that moderation and zeal which an earnest inquiry after the truth always inspires, resulted in the discovery and establishment of those vital doctrines, in the propagation of which the Christian church has since been so eminently successful. In this arena of giant intellects, was spent the life of our author, a bright luminary, lighting up the path of the inquirer after truth, and by his profound learning vanquishing the advocates of error on every side. This eminent divine was of Welsh origin, the son of Mr. Richard Lucas, of Resteign, in Radnorshire, England, and was born in that county in the year 1648. He early evinced a strong desire for knowledge, and after a thorough training in the common branches of science, he was sent to Oxford, and entered a student of Jesus College, in 1664. Having taken both his degrees in arts, he entered into holy orders about the year 1672, and was afterwards master of the free school at Abergavenny; but being much esteemed for his talents in the pulpit, he was chosen vicar of St. Stephen's, Coleman-street, London, and lecturer of St. Olave, Southwark, in 1683. His sight began to fail in his youth, but he lost it totally about this time. The privation of this important sense in the full vigor of life and highest sphere of usefulness, might have been considered by some, (less noble,) a justifiable excuse for a retirement from the duties and re sponsibilities of public life. But he, true to that excellency of soul that characterized his former career, made up in energy and perseverance what he lost in sight, and continued to devote himself to the public good with such well-directed zeal as must merit the highest respect of all succeeding generations. Early in life, at an age when most young men spend their time in trifling amusements, this champion of the cross consecrated all his powers to th service of his divine Master, and was, therefore meekly resigned to whatever privation or affliction a benign Providence might assign him. As a testimonial of his resignation we quote the following from the preface of the author's work, en |