Milton, as I observ'd already, is never to be mention'd as an Example in favour of Blank-Verse: To supply the Want of Rhyme in him, there are so many Arts of Verse, such Variety of Melody, that it would require no small Volume to point them out.
I have nothing more to add, but that it is a very surprizing thing, that Milton ever undertook to write in such a Stile as he has made use of, and yet more surprizing that he should be read by all sorts of People, considering that the Stile is more properly Latin or Greek than English.
I believe both these Things arise from the same Cause, which to me seems to be the English Bible; at least, as to the latter, it cannot be from any thing else. That Milton acquir'd his Stile from the Common Bible, is not at all improbable, though he understood the Original. It is certain he was entirely conversant with the Bible, and, in all Probability frequently made use of the English Translation. Now this Translation is, by Great Providence, (give me leave to call it so) adapted to the Latin and Greek Collocation, or Arrangement of Words; that is, the Words are placed in the English as they stand in those Languages, which, perhaps, you may not have so much attended to but that you may be glad to see some Examples of what[page 81] I am speaking of.
Psalm v. 3. My Voice shalt thou hear in the Morning, O Lord; in the Morning will I direct Prayer unto thee, and will look up.
Matthew xiii. 1. The same Day went Jesus out of the House, and sat by the Sea-side.
Matthew xxvii. 32. And as they came out, they found a Man of Cyrene, Simon by Name: Him they compelled to bear his Cross.
John ii. 11. This Beginning of Miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee.
John xii. 16. These things understood not his Disciples at the first.
John viii. 44. Ye are of your Father the Devil, and the Lusts of your Father will ye do.
"Verbo sensum cludere, multo, si compositio patiatur, optimum est.
In Verbis enim Sermonis vis inest."
Quintil.
By these Passages, and innumerable others that might be produc'd, it appears that the English Bible is translated in such a manner as I have mentioned above: And as we see many Places in the Paradise Lost, which are exactly taken from this Translation, Why may we not conclude Milton acquir'd much of his Stile from this Book? I can give an Instance of another very learned Person, who certainly learnt his way of Writing from it. I mean the late Dr. Clarke. Nothing can be more clear than his Stile, and yet nothing can be more like the Greek or Latin, agreeably to the English Bible. I beg leave to produce one Instance from his Exposition of the Church Catechism.
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