om the thighs
3. Of mighty cherubim: the sudden blaze
4. Far round illumin'd hell; highly they rag'd
5. Against the Highest; and fierce with grasped _arms_
6. Clash'd on their sounding shields the din of war,
7. Hurling defiance tow'rd the _Vault_ of heaven.

In this passage, which is as perfect as human wit can make, the Doctor
alters three words. In the second line he puts _blades_ instead of
_swords_; in the fifth he puts _swords_ instead of _arms_; and in the
last line he prefers _walls_ to _vault_. All these changes are so many
defoedations of the poem. The word _swords_ is far more poetical than
_blades_, which may as well be understood of _knives_ as _swords_. The
word _arms_, the generic for the specific term, is still stronger and
nobler than _swords_; and the beautiful conception of _vault_, which is
always indefinite to the eye, while the solidity of _walls_ would but
meanly describe the highest Heaven, gives an idea of grandeur and
modesty.

Milton writes, book i. v. 63--

No light, but rather DARKNESS VISIBLE
Served only to discover sights of woe.

Perhaps borrowed from Spenser:--

A little glooming light, much like a shade.
_Faery Queene_, b. i. c. 2. st. 14.

This fine expression of "DARKNESS VISIBLE" the Doctor's critical
sagacity has thus rendered clearer:--

No light, but rather A TRANSPICIUOUS GLOOM.

Again, our learned critic distinguishes the 74th line of the first
book--

As from the centre thrice to the utmost pole,

as "a vicious verse," and therefore with "happy conjecture," and no
taste, thrusts in an entire verse of his own composition--

DISTANCE WHICH TO EXPRESS ALL MEASURE FAILS.

Milton _writes_,

Our torments, also, may in length of time
Become our elements. B. ii. ver. 274.

Bentley _corrects_--

_Then, AS WAS WELL OBSERV'D_ our torments may
Become our elements.

A curious instance how the insertion of a single prosaic expression
turns a fine verse into something worse than the vilest prose.

To conclude with one more instance of critical emendation: Milton says,
with an agreeable turn of expression--

So parted they; the angel up to heaven,
From the thick shade; and Adam to his bower.

Bentley "conjectures" these two verses to be inaccurate, and in lieu of
the last writes--

ADAM, TO RUMINATE ON PAST DISCOURSE.

And then our erudite critic reasons! as thus:--

After th