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THUS faid, he turn'd; and SATAN bowing low As to fuperior fpirits is wont in heav'n, Where honour due, and reverence, none neglects, Took leave, and tow'rd the coaft of earth beneath Down from th' ecliptic, fped with hop'd fuccefs, Throws his steep flight in many an aery wheel; Nor staid, till on NIPHATES' top he lights.

The end of the third Bock.

740

THE

THE

FOURTH BOOK

OF

PARADISE LOST.

Satan, now in profpect of Eden, and nigh the place where he must now attempt the bold enterprize 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 shape of a cormorant on the Tree of Life, as the highest in the garden, to look about him. The garden defcribed; 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 fate by fome other means. Mean-while Uriel, defcending on a fun-beam, warns Gabriel, who had in charge the gate of Paradife, that fome evil spirit had escaped the deep, and paft at noon by his fphere in the shape of a good Angel down to Paradife, difcovered afterwards by his furious geftures in the mount: Gabriel promifes to find him out ere morning. Night comes on, Adam and Eve difcourfe of going to their reft: their bower defcribed; 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 fpirit 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, tho' unwilling, to Gabriel; by whom queftion'd, he fcornfully answers, prepares refiftance, but, hinder'd by a fign from heaven, flies out of Paradise.

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