Thus, as I told you, I only moralize upon the subject, but as to the difficulty, I must leave it as I find it, unless, _as I hinted at first_, I could prevail with Satan to set pen to paper, and write this part of his own History: No question, but he could let us into the secret; but to be plain, I doubt I shall tell so many plain truths of the _Devil_, in this History, and discover so many of his secrets, which it is not for his interest to have discover'd, that before I have done, the _Devil_ and I may not be so good friends as you may suppose we are; at least, not friends enough to obtain such a favour of him, tho' it be for public good; so we must be content till we come ont' other side the _Blue-Blanket_, and then we shall know the whole Story. But now, tho' as I said, I will not attempt to solve the difficulty, I may, I hope, venture to tell you, that there is not so much difficulty in it, as at first sight appears: and especially not so much as some people would make us believe; let us see how others are mistaken in it, perhaps, that may help us a little in the enquiry; for to know _what it is not_, is one help towards knowing _what it is_. Mr. _Milton_ has indeed told us a great many merry things of the Devil, in a most formal, solemn manner; till in short he has made a good PLAY of _Heaven_ and _Hell_; and no doubt if he had liv'd in our times, he might have had it acted with our _Pluto_ and _Proserpine_. He has made fine Speeches both for _God_ and the _Devil_, and a little addition might have turn'd it _a la modern_ into a _Harlequin Dieu & Diable_. I confess I don't well know how far the dominion of Poetry extends itself; it seems the Buts and Bounds of _Parnassus_ are not yet ascertain'd; so that for ought I know, by vertue of their antient privileges call'd _Licentia Poetarum_, there can be no _Blasphemy_ in _Verse_; as some of our Divines say there can be no _Treason_ in the _Pulpit_. But they that will venture to write that way, ought to be better satisfy'd about that Point than I am. Upon this foot Mr. _Milton_, to grace his Poem, and give room for his Towring Fancy, has gone a length beyond all that ever went before him, since _Ovid_ in his _Metamorphosis_. He has indeed complimented GOD _Almighty_ with a flux of lofty words, and great sounds; and has made a very fine Story of the _Devil_, but he has made a meer _je ne scay Quoi_ of _Jesus Christ_. In one line he has him riding on a _Cherub_, and in another sitting on a Throne, both in the very same moment of action. In another place he has brought him in making a Speech to his _Saints_, when 'tis evident he had none there; for we all know _Man was not created till a long while after_; and no body can be so dull as to say the _Angels_ may be called _Saints_, without the greatest absurdity in nature. Besides, he makes CHRIST himself distinguish them, as in two several Bands, and of differing Persons and Species, as to be sure they are.