d in
sacred Hebrew Poetry, in due place, and in a due manner; Bel boweth down,
Nebo stoopeth, says Isaiah. And what a noble Description has the same
Prophet of the Fall of Lucifer? Nor can I see why it may not be as
convenient and agreeable, as 'tis lawful to transplant 'em from Hebrew
Poetry to our own, if we use 'em as they did. And then for Angels,
Prophets, and Oracles, it wou'd be strange, if they shou'd not strike the
Mind as agreeably when real and true, as the Daemons, or Oracles, or
Prophets of the Heathens, form'd, as has been said, partly from mistaken
Fragments, or Traditions of sacred Story, partly indeed from the Juggles
of the Heathen Priests, and crafty Ambitious Daemons. On the whole, we
have all the Advantages they had, and yet more than they, for Heroic
Poetry in these matters. As for that Question of Boileau's, "What Pleasure
can it be to hear the howlings of repining Lucifer?" I think 'tis easier
to answer than to find out what shew of Reason he had for asking it, or
why Lucifer mayn't howl as pleasantly as either Cerberus, or Enceladus.
And let any one read but his Speech, in Milton's Paradise, almost equall'd
in Mr. Dryden's State of Innocence, and I'm mistaken if he's not of the
same Mind; or if he be not, and it gives him no pleasure, I dare affirm
'tis for want of a true taste of what's really admirable.

But Boileau comes to a stronger Objection, both against the Names and use
of these Daemons, by way of Machine, I mean, in Christian Poetry;

The Mysteries we Christians must believe
Disdain such shifting Pageants to receive.

Thus has his Translator turn'd him; and taking it in that Sence, the
meaning must be, that it disgraces Christianity, to mix its Mysteries with
Stories of Daemons, Angels, &c. But sure it can never be any disgrace, to
represent it really as it is, with the frequent Intervention of those
invisible and powerful Agents, both good and evil, in the Affairs of
Mankind, which our Saviour has both asserted and demonstrated in his
Gospel, both by Theory and Practice: Whence we learn, that there are
really vast numbers of these Spirits, some tempting, or tormenting, others
guarding and protecting Mortals: Nay, a subordination too among them, and
that they are always vigilant, some for our Destruction, others for our
Preservation, and that, as it seems, of every individual Man; and if this
be true in general, I'm sure 'tis probable In particular: Nor can it be
any disgrace to