the works of providence, in the wonderful structure of the univerfe, and in the minutest plant that contains medicinal virtue, may I thus acquire from experience the power of foretelling what is likely to happen in future, by my knowledge of the paft. If, Melancholy, thou wilt give me these solid pleasures of the understanding, with thee I will choose to live.

Of every star that Heav'n doth shew, Spell-Endeavour to discover the meaning of.-Formerly, even near the time of Milton, mankind were inclined to believe that the stars had some influence upon human events. Men of good sense, who were versed in history, and who had acquired the habit of tracing events back to their causes, could frequently, when similar circumstances began again to actuate mankind, foretell the events which were likely to happen; for instance, it was not difficult, during the latter years of the french monarchy, to foretell a revolution; nor was it difficult to foresee, that slavery and democratic tyranny would ensue in France, after the death of the king.

Were people now, A. D. 1800, inclined to believe in what is called judicial astrology,

a man who had pretended to consult the stars, and who had predicted the events which have lately happened, would have passed for an astrologer and a prophet.

In peaceful times men are not so curious -about future events, as during foreign wars, or domestic tumults. The vulgar, not seeing any adequate cause for the great events which in such times happen before their eyes, are apt to attribute them to celestial influence. This aptitude arises from the nature of the association of our ideas: they have heard that in former public calamities it had been observed, that par ticular appearances of the stars accompanied particular events; and when they see the appearance of the same phenomena in the heavens, they expect a recurrence of the same events upon earth.

These pleasures, Melancholy, give,

And I with thee will choose to live.

Milton in his conclusion expresses no doubt of Melancholy's power to bestow the pleasures he has described, and therefore determines to live with her, if she will allow him to share them.

ODE TO FEAR.

Ir has already been said, that in poetry the virtues and the vices, the passions, and almost every feeling of the mind, are personified; that is, represented and addressed as animated beings.

In the ode we are going to explain, Fear is described as a nymph, or sylvan goddess, attended by many other ideal personages, such as Danger, Vengeance, Murder, &c. This is called an allegorical description; and the companions which the poet allegorically brings forward in the train of Fear are all such as are naturally connected with it, either as cause or effect. Danger, as a cause, produces Fear. Fear often produces Danger, as an effect. Vengeance justly causes Fear; as the consequences of Revenge, whether the efforts of sudden rage, or of slow malignity, are equally dreadful and dangerous, and are frequently the causes of Murder, another of the allegorical persons here introduced.-

"Thou, to whom the world unknown,
With all it's shadowy shapes, is shown,
Who seest appall'd th' unreal scene,
While Fancy lifts the veil between.
Ah! Fear, ah! frantic Fear,

I see, I see thee near;

I know thy hurried step, thy haggard eye,
Like thee, I start; like thee, disorder'd fly:
For lo! what monsters in thy train appear."

"O thou, to whom Fancy displays a world of visionary shapes; thou, who art terrified at the ideal scene thy own imagination forms; thou, who art frantic with terrour, O Fear, I behold thee approaching. I know thee by the hurried motion of thy steps, and by the wildness of thine eyes. I see thee start. I also start like thee. I see thee attempt to escape in confusion and disorder; and, like thee, with confusion and disorder I attempt to flee for lo! what monsters do I behold in thy train !— The horrour of the sight terrifies me in the same manner as it has appalled thyself."

:

Collins begins by addressing himself to Fear, as to a person, who has the power of seeing something more than is visible to mortal eyes, the power of seeing the shadowy shapes, or visionary figures of the unknown world, and of perceiving those things which exist only in the imagination. Thus he gives to Fear, as a

privilege, the power of producing certain effects on the mind, which every one has experienced.

While Fancy lifts the veil between.—The act of showing them is poetically described by lifting a veil or curtain, and displaying what was before concealed from the view.

Frantic Fear.-Fear is called frantic, because it sometimes affects the mind in the same manner as madness: any violent passion may be called an insanity or madness.

Hurried step.-Unsteady, in haste from the feelings of an agitated mind. It has been observed, that Milton* applies the verb to hurry, almost constantly to preternatural motion, or imaginary beings.

Haggard.-Wild, staring. Haggard is the name of a species of wild hawk, that cannot easily be tamed; and the term haggard is taken from the appearance of it's eyes. Hawking, or falconry, was a favourite sport among the great in former times; and many of the words. in our language are metaphors taken from that amusement.

For lo! what monsters in thy train appear.The monsters which equally terrify the nymph

*Notes to Vathek...