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660

Andere at Ekellest, by Supreme decree,
Like bonour to obtain, and as his eye
To visit oft this new creation round;
Unspeakable desire to see, and know
Ail these his wondrous works, but chiefly Man,
is chief delight and favour; him for whom 664
All these his works so wondrous he ordain'd,
Hath brought me from the choirs of Cherubim
Alone thus wand'ring. Brightest Seraph, tell
In which of all these shining orbs hath Man
His fixed seat, or fixed seat hath none,
But all these shining orbs his choice to dwell,
That I may find him, and with secret gaze 671
Or open admiration him behold,
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 Universal Maker we may praise,
Who justly hath driv'n out his rebel foes
To deepest Hell; and to repair that loss
Created this new happy race of Men

To serve him better; wise are all his ways. 680
So spake the false Dissembler unperceiv'd;

For neaber Man nor Angel can discern
Hypovrsy, the only evil that walks

Ravisdle, except to God alone,

684

By his precarissave will, thro' Heav'n and Earth:

And od dough Wisdom wake, Suspicion sleeps

At Wision's gate, and to Simplicity

Kongos how cha yo, while Goodness thinks no i

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Po spake the false dissembler unperceived.

Printed for J. Barsons, 21, Paternoster Bow. Jart 1 1796

| Where no ill seems: which now for once

beguil'd

:

Uriel, though regent of the Sun, and held 690 The sharpest sighted Sp'rit of all in Heav'n;

Who to the fraudulent impostor foul

In his uprightness, answer thus return'd:

Fair Angel, thy desire, which tends to know

695

The works of God, thereby to glorify
The great Work-Master, leads to no excess
That reaches blame, but rather merits praise
The more it seems excess, that led thee hither

From thy empyreal mansion thus alone,

699

To witness with thine eyes what some perhaps Contented with report hear only' in Heav'n : For wonderful indeed are all his works, Pleasant to know, and worthiest to be all

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I saw when at his word the formless mass,
This world's material mould, came to a heap :
Confusion heard his voice, and wild Uproar 710
Stood rul'd, stood vast Infinitude confin'd;
Till at his second bidding Darkness fled,
Light shone, and Order from Disorder sprung:
Swift to their sev'ral quarters hasted then
The cumbrous elements, Earth, Flood, Air, Fire;

And this ethereal quintessence of Heav'n

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716

Flew upward, spirited with various forms,
That roll'd orbicular, and turn'd to stars

Numberless, as thou seest, and how they move:
Each had his place appointed, each his course;
The rest in circuit walls the universe.

721

Look downward on that globe, whose hither side With light from hence, tho' but reflected, shines; That place is Earth, the seat of Man; that light His day, which else, as th'other hemisphere, 725 Night would invade; but there the neighb'ring

moon

(So call that opposite fair star) her aid
Timely' interposes, and her monthly round
Still ending, still renewing, thro' mid Heav'n,
With borrow'd light her countenance triform 730
Hence fills and empties to enlighten th' Earth,
And in her pale dominion checks the night.
That spot to which I point is Paradise,
Adam's abode, those lofty shades his bow'r. 734
Thy way thou canst not miss, me mine requires.

Thus said, he turn'd; and Satan bowing low,
As to superior Sp'rits is wont in Heav'n,
Where honour due and rev'rence none neglects,
Took leave, and tow'rd the coast of earth beneath,
Down from th' ecliptic, sped with hop'd success,
Throws his steep flight in many an airy wheel,
Nor stay'd, till on Niphates' top he lights. 742

END OF THE THIRD BOOK.

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