_the Devil_; and till you add to all
the rest some description of the company with whom all this is to be
suffer'd, _viz._ the _Devil and his Angels_.

Now who this _Devil and his Angels_ are, what share they have either
actively or passively in the eternal miseries of a future state, how far
they are Agents in or Partners with the sufferings of the place, is a
difficulty yet not fully discover'd by the most learned; nor do I
believe 'tis made less a difficulty by their medling with it.

But to come to the person and original of _the Devil_, or, as I said
before, of _Devils_; I allow him to come of an ancient family, for he is
from Heaven, and more truly than the _Romans_ could say of their
idoliz'd _Numa_, he is of the race of the Gods.

That _Satan_ is a fallen Angel, a rebel Seraph, cast out for his
Rebellion, is the general opinion, and 'tis not my business to dispute
things universally receiv'd; as he was try'd, condemn'd, and the
sentence of expulsion executed on him in Heaven, he is in this World
like a transported Felon never to return; His crime, whatever particular
aggravations it might have, 'tis certain, amounted to High-treason
against his Lord and Governor, who was also his Maker; against whom he
rose in rebellion, took up arms, and in a word, rais'd a horrid and
unnatural war in his dominions; but being overcome in battle, and made
prisoner, he and all his Host, whose numbers were infinite, all
glorious Angels like himself, lost at once their beauty and glory with
their Innocence, and commenc'd _Devils_, being transform'd by crime into
monsters and frightful objects; such as to describe, human fancy is
obliged to draw pictures and descriptions in such forms as are most
hateful and frightful to the imagination.

These notions, I doubt not, gave birth to all the beauteous Images and
sublime expressions in Mr. _Milton_'s majestick Poem; where, tho' he has
play'd the Poet in a most luxuriant manner, he has sinn'd against
_Satan_ most egregiously, and done the _Devil_ a manifest injury in a
great many particulars, as I shall shew in its place. And as I shall be
oblig'd to do _Satan_ justice when I come to that part of his History,
Mr. _Milton_'s admirers must pardon me, if I let them see, that tho' I
admire Mr. _Milton_ as a Poet, yet that he was greatly out in matters of
History, and especially the History of the _Devil_; in short, That he
has charged _Satan_ falsly in several particulars; and so he has _