Who in God's prefence, nearest to his throne,
Stand ready at command, and are his eyes

650

That run through all the Heaven's, or down to th'Earth Bear his swift errands, over moist and dry,

O'er fea and land: him Satan thus accofts.

Uriel, for thou of those seven spi'rits that stand
In fight of God's high throne, gloriously bright, 655
The first art wont his great authentic will
Interpreter through highest Heav'n to bring,
Where all his fons thy embassy attend;
And here art likelieft by supreme decree
Like honor to obtain, and as his eye
To vifit oft this new creation round;
Unspeakable desire to fee, and know

All these his wondrous works, but chiefly Man,
His chief delight and favor, him for whom
All these his works fo wondrous he ordain'd,
Hath brought me from the quires of cherubim
Alone thus wandring. Brightest seraph, tell
In which of all these shining orbs hath Man
His fixed feat, or fixed feat hath none,
But all these shining orbs his choice to dwell;
That I may find him, and with secret gaze

Or open admiration him behold,

660

665

670

On whom the great Creator hath bestow'd

Worlds, and on whom hath all these graces pour'd; That both in him and all things, as is meet,

675

The univerfal Maker we may praise;

Who justly hath driv'n out his rebel foes
To deepest Hell, and to repair that lofs
Created this new happy race of men

To ferve him better: wife are all his ways.
So fpake the falfe Diffembler unperceiv'd;
For neither man nor angel can difcern
Hypocrify, the only' evil that walks
Invisible, except to God alone,

680

By his permiffive will, through Heav'n and Earth:
And oft though Wisdom wake, Suspicion sleeps 686
At Wisdom's gate, and to Simplicity

Resigns her charge, while Goodness thinks no ill
Where no ill seems: which now for once beguil'd
Uriel, though regent of the Sun, and held
The sharpest fighted spi'rit of all in Heav'n;
Who to the fradulent impoftor foul
In his uprightness answer thus return'd.

690

Fair angel, thy defire which tends to know 'The works of God, thereby to glorify The great Work-master, leads to no excefs

695

That reaches blame, but rather merits praise

The more it seems excefs, that led thee hither
From thy empyreal manfion thus alone,

To witness with thine eyes what fome perhaps 700
Contented with report hear only' in Heav'n :
For wonderful indeed are all his works,
Pleasant to know, and worthiest to be all
Had in remembrance always with delight;

But what created mind can comprehend

Their number, or the wisdom infinite

705

710

That brought them forth, but hid their causes deep?
I saw when at his word the formless mafs,
This world's material mould, came to a heap:
Confufion heard his voice, and wild Uproar
Stood rul'd, ftood vaft Infinitude confin'd;
Till at his fecond bidding Darkness fled,
Light fhone, and order from disorder sprung:
Swift to their feveral quarters hafted then
The cumbrous elements, earth, flood, air, fire; 715
And this ethereal quintessence of Heav'n
Flew upward, fpirited with various forms
That roll'd orbicular, and turn'd to stars
Numberless, as thou feeft, and how they move;
Each had his place appointed, each his courfe; 720
The reft in circuit walls this universe.

Look downward on that globe, whofe hither fide
With light from hence, though but reflected, shines;
That place is Earth the feat of Man, that light
His day, which elfe as th' other hemisphere
Night would invade; but there the neighb'ring Moon
(So call that opposite fair star) her aid

Timely' interpofes, and her monthly round
Ştill ending, ftill renewing, through mid Heav'n,
With borrow'd light her countenance triform
Hence fills and empties to inlighten th' Earth,
And in her pale dominion checks the night.

725

730

That spot to which I point is Paradife,

Adam's abode, those lofty shades his bower.

Thy way thou canst not miss, me mine requires. 735
Thus faid, he turn'd; and Satan bowing low,
As to fuperior fpi'rits is wont in Heav'n,
Where honour due and reverence none neglects,
Took leave, and tow'ard the coast of Earth beneath,
Down from th' ecliptic, fped with hop'd fuccefs, 740
Throws his steep flight in many an aery wheel,
Nor stay'd, till en Niphates' top he lights.

The End of the Third Book,

Volume I.

P

BOOK IV.

The Argument.

Satan now in profpect of Eden, and nigh the place where he must now attempt the bold enterprife which he undertook alone against God and Man, falls into many doubts with himself, and many paffions, fear, envy, and defpair; but at length confirms himself in evil, journeys on to Paradife, whofe outward profpect and fituation is defcribed, overleaps the bounds, fits in the fhape of a cormorant on the tree of Life, as higheft in the garden, to look about him. The garden defcrib'd; Satan's first fight of Adam and Eve; his wonder at their excellent form and happy ftate, but with refolution to work their fall; overhears their difcourfe, thence gathers that the tree of Knowledge was forbidden them to eat of, under penalty of death; and thereon intends to found his temptation by feducing them to tranfgrefs: then leaves them a while, to know further of their state by fome other means. Mean while Uriel defcending on a funbeam warns Gabriel, who had in charge the gate of Paradife, that fome evil spirit had efcap'd the Deep, and pafs'd at noon by his fphere in the shape of a good angel down to Paradife, difcovered after by his furious geftures in the mount. Gabriel promifes to find him ere morning. Night coming on, Adam and Eve difcourfe of going to their reft their bower defcrib'd; their evening worship. Gabriel drawing forth his bands of night-watch to walk the round of Paradife, appoints two ftrong angels to Adam's bower, left the evil Spirit fhould be there doing fome harm to Adam or Eve fleeping; there they find him at the ear of Eve, tempting her in a dream, and bring him, though unwilling, to Gabriel; by whom queftion'd, he fcornfully answers, prepares refiftance, but hinder'd by a fign from Heaven, flies out of Paradife.

O FOR that warning voice, which he who faw
Th' Apocalyps heard cry in Heav'n aloud,
Then when the Dragon, put to fecond rout,
Cane furious down to be reveng'd on men,