Milton, Byron, and Southey [pp. 430-440]

MILTON, BYRON, AND SOUTHEY.
ART. III.-MILTON, BYRON, AND SOUTHY
Paradise Lost.-MILTON.
Vision of Judgment.-By SOUTHEY.
Vision of Judgment.-By BYRON.
IT is impossible properly to appreciate the last-named poem
in one caption, unless it be taken in connection with the two
first named. Byron's primary object in writing it was to
lash and ridicule Southey, who had grossly abused him in his
preface to his apotheosis of George IIi., styled " The Vision
of Judgment." Without losing his temper, he has excoriated
and immortalized poor Southey. In effecting his purpose, it
became necessary to expose and ridicule the whole machinery
of which designing or superstitious priestcraft, and poets like
Dante and Milton, had invented and tried to annex to the
sublime simplicity and unity of the Christian faith.
It is supposed that Homer and Hesiod invented most of the
heathen mythology. Dante, Milton, and the Catholic priests
of the dark ages, seemed ambitious of performing a like work,
by peopling heaven and earth, and hell, with a brood of deities
and devils, giants, monsters, witches, sorcerers, gen;i, ghosts,
and hobgoblins-all claiming lineal and legitimate descent
from Holy Writ. To brush away these profane superstitions
which were deforming Christianity, was a laudable undertaking, and would have immortalized Byron had the manner
and spirit of the performance equalled its ability.
Unfortunately, in ridiculing and lashing the profanity and
impiety of others, Byron is sometimes irreverent, if not profane, himself. In exposing the monkish tales and legends
about Saint Peter, he was not justified in assailing the scriptural character of the apostle, and humorously portraying his
Celto-Irish lasty, but brave and generous temper, and rather
fickle disposition. Reverently handled, the human infirmities
of the good man in Scripture, afford the strongest evidence of
its historic truth, by precluding the suspicion of forgery: for
no one would forge imperfections to recommend a spurious
gospel. But such a theme must be cautiously and reverently
treated, else the medicine aggravates the disease it was intended to cure.
Byron is inexcusable for the terms of levity in which he
treats the character of the Apostle Peter, and it is no palliation
of his offence that his purpose was but to ridicule the super
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