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Deferts rejoice and blofsom as the rofe.
Thanks to the mercy of Almighty Heaven,
For WASHINGTON to fair Columbia given!
Our Laws, of Freedom's chofen fons the choice,
Shall live, while truth or reason has a voice.
Nature convulf'd our Continent may shake,
And earth and skies in confternation quake ;
Yet ftill our laws and liberty fecure,

Tho' time and nature die, fhall firm endure.
In Heaven the work shall stand, like noontide Sun,
Spotless as virtue, pure as WASHINGTON.

CHAPTER CXXVII.

EXTRACT FROM MILTON'S PARADISE LOST.

The reading of Milton with propriety requires a method peculiar to itself. In his style there is a pomp of sound and energy of expression, which, if rightly done, demands from him who attempts to read it, a full, deep, level tone of voice, added to a kind of grandeur of utterance look and manner. An uncommon elevation and sublimity of diction is one of the chief characteristics of Paradise Lost, although in many places where the sentiment requires it, Milton softens into tenderness, and melts into the most heart-rending pathetic.

Begin with boldness in your look and manner.

"W HENCE, and what art thou, execrable shape,

"That dar'ft, tho' grim and terrible, advance "Thy mifcreated front athwart my way

"To yonder gates? Thro' them i mean to pafs,
"That be affured, with out leave afk'd of thee.
"Retire, or tafte thy folly; and learn by proof,
"Not to contend with fpirits of high Heaven."
(1) To whom the Goblin, full of wrath, repli'd ;
"Art thou that traitor-angel, art thou he,

"Who first broke peace in Heaven, and faith till then
"Unbroken; and in proud rebellious arms

"Drew after him the third part of Heaven's fons,
"Conjur'd against the highest; for which both thou
"And they, outcaft from God, are here condemn'd
"To waste eternal days in woe and pain?

(1) Speak this line in a lower tone of voice, then assume the boldness in your look and manner, recommended before.

x

And reckon't thou thyfelf with fpirits of Heaven, "Hell doom'd, and breath'ft defiance here, and fcorn

Where I reign king, and, to enrage thee more,

Thy king and lord? Back to thy punishment,
Falle fugitive, and to thy fpeed add wings;

"Left with a whip of fcorpions I purfue

“Thy ling'ring, or, with one stroke of this dart, "Strange horror feize thee, and pangs unfelt before."

CHAPTER CXXVIII.

SATAN'S ADDRESS TO THE SUN.

Let your tone of voice be full, and solemn.
THOU that, with furpaffing glory crown'd,
Look'it from thy fole dominion like the God
Of this new world; at whofe fight all the stars
Hide their diminish'd heads; to thee I call,
But with no friendly voice, and add thy name,
O Sun, to tell thee how I hate thy beams,
That bring to my remembrance from what ftate
I fell, how glorious once above thy sphere;
Till pride, and worse ambition threw me down,
Warring in Heaven against Heaven's matchlefs king,
Ah! wherefore he deferv'd no fuch return
From me, whom he created what I was,
In that bright eminence, and with his good
Upbraided none; nor was his fervice hard.
What could be lefs than to afford him praife,
The easiest recompence, and pay him thanks,
How due! Yet all his good prov'd ill in me,
And wrought but malice; lifted up fo high,
I difdain'd fubjection, and thought one flep higher
Would fet me highest, and in a moment quit
The debt of endless gratitude,

So burdenfome, ftill paying, ftill to owe,
Forgetful what from him I ftill receiv'd';
And understood not that a grateful mind
By owing owes not, but ftill pays, at once,
Indebted and difcharg'd; what burden then?
Oh had his powerful distiny ordain'd
Me fome inferior angel, I had floud

Then happy; no unbounded hope had rais'd
Ambition. Yet why not? Some other power
As great might have afpir'd, and me tho mean
Drawn to his part; but other powers as great
Fell not, but ftand unfhaken, from within
Or from without, to all temptations arm'd.

CHAPTER CXXIX.

SATAN'S LAMENTATION.

Read the following lines most affectingly, but with a kind of manly pathetic.

E miserable which way fhall I fly

ME

Infinite wrath, and infinite despair?
Oh then at last relent; is there no place
Left for repentance, none for pardon left?
None left but by fubmiffion; and that word
Difdain forbids me, and my dread of shame
Among the fpirits beneath, whom I feduc'd
With other promises and other vaunts
Than to fubmit, boasting I could fubdue
Th' Omnipotent. Ah me, they little know
How dearly I abide that boaft fo vain,
Under what torments inwardly I groan,
While they adore me on the throne of hell,
With diadem and fceptre high advanc'd,
The lower ftill I fall, only fupreme
In mifery; fuch joy ambition finds.
But fay I could repent, and could obtain
By act of grace my former ftate; how foon

Would height recal high thoughts, how foon unfay
What feign'd fubmiffion fwore! Eafe would recant
Vors made in pain, as violent and void.

For never can true reconcilement grow

Where wounds of deadly hate have pierc'd fo deep!
Which would but lead me to a worfe relapfe,
-And heavier fall; fo fhould I purchase dear
Short intermiffion bought with double fmart.
This knows my punisher! therefore as far
From granting he, as I from begging peace;
All hope excluded thus, behold instead
Of us outcast, exil'd, his new delight,

Mankind created, and for him this world.
So farewell hope, and with hope farewell fear,
Farewell remorfe; all good to me is left;
Evil be thou my good; by thee at least,
Divided empire with Heaven's King I hold,
By thee, and more than half perhaps will reign;
As man ere long, and this new world, fhall know.

CHAPTER CXXX.

EXTRACT FROM MILTON.

The foregoing extracts from Milton are sufficient examples to the scholar of that grandeur and sublimity of expression which requires in the reading, a suitable grandeur of utterance. The following extracts from the same incomparable poem possess a peculiar ease, and affecting simplicity of diction, and require an easy unaffected mode of delivery, mixing, occasionally, that dignity so obviously the characteristic of epic poetry.

The tenderness which breathes thro' the following ought to be read with a glow and softness of delivery.

H'

IS wonder was to find unwaken'd Eve

With treffes difcompos'd, and glowing cheek,
As thro' unquiet reft; he on his fide

Leaning half-rais'd, with looks of cordial love
Hung over her enamor'd, and beheld
Beauty, which, whether waking or afleep,
Shot forth peculiar graces; then with voice
Mild, as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes,
Her hand foft touching, whifperd'd thus; " Awake
My faireft, my efpous'd, my latest found,
Heaven's laft beft gift, my ever new delight,
Awake; the morning fhines, and the fresh field
Calls us; we lofe the prime, to mark how fpring
Our tender plants, how blows the citron grove,
What drops the myrtle, and what the balmy reed,
How nature paints her colours, how the bee
Sits on the bloom, extracting liquid fweet."
Such whispering wak'd her, but with startled eye,
On Adam, whom embracing, thus fhe fpake;
"O fole, in whom my thoughts find all repofe,
"My glory, my perfection, glad I fee

Thy face, and morn return'd."

CHAPTER CXXXI.

EVE'S SPEECH TO ADAM,

Let the following be read with the same glow and tenderness expression as before recommended.

7ITH thee converfing, I forget all time;

W

All feafons and their change, all please alike; Sweet is the breath of morn, her rifing sweet With charm of earliest birds; pleasant the fun When first on this delightful land he spreads His orient beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flower, Glitt'ring with dew; fragrant the fertile earth After soft showers; and fweet the coming on -Of grateful evening mild; then filent night With this her folemn bird, and this fair moon, And these the gems of Heaven, her starry train ; But neither breath of morn, when the afcends With charm of earliest birds; nor rifing fun On this delightful land; nor herb, fruit, flow'r, Glitt'ring with dew; 'nor fragrance after show'rs, Nor grateful evening mild; nor filent night. With this her folemn bird; nor walk by moon, Or glittering ftar light, without thee is fweet.

CHAPTER CXXXII.

ADAM'S ACCOUNT OF THE MANNER IN WHICH HE FOUND HIMSELF UPON HIS CREATION.

The following is simply beautiful. Let it be read in a manner entirely unrestrained.

S new wak'd from foundest sleep,

"AS

"Soft on the flowery herb I found me laid

In balmy fweat, which with his beams the fun "Soon dried, and on the reeking moisture fed. Straight towards Heaven my wand'ring eyes I turn'd, "And gaz'd awhile the ample sky, till rais'd "By quick instinctive motion, up I fprung, As thitherward endeavouring, and upright

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