Immutably his sovran will, the end

Of what we are.

But since thou hast vouchsaf'd

Gently, for our instruction, to impart

Things above earthly thought, (which yet concern'd
Our knowing, as to highest wisdom seem'd,)
Deign to descend now lower, and relate

(What may no less, perhaps, avail us known, )
How first began this heaven which we behold
Distant so high, with moving fires adorn'd
Innumerable; and this which yields or fills
All space, the ambient air wide interfus'd
Embracing round this florid earth; what cause
Mov'd the Creator, in his holy rest
Through all eternity, so late to build

In chaos; and the work begun, how soon
Absolv'd if unforbid thou may'st unfold

:

What we, not to explore the secrets ask
Of his eternal empire, but the more
To magnify his works, the more we know.

<< And the great light of day yet wants to run
Much of his race though steep; suspense in heaven,
Held by thy voice, thy potent voice, he hears,
And longer will delay to hear thee tell
His generation, and the rising birth
Of nature from the unapparent deep:
Or if the star of evening and the moon

Haste to thy audience, night with her will bring
Silence; and sleep, listening to thee, will watch;
Or we can bid his absence, till thy song
End, and dismiss thee ere the morning shine. »>
Thus Adam his illustrious guest besought;
And thus the godlike angel answer'd mild :

« This also thy request, with caution ask'd,
Obtain; though to recount almighty works
What words or tongue of seraph can suffice,
Or heart of man suffice to comprehend?

Yet what thou canst attain, which best may serve
To glorify the Maker, and infer

Thee also happier, shall not be withheld
Thy hearing; such commission from above
I have receiv'd, to answer thy desire
Of knowledge within bounds; beyond, abstain
To ask; nor let thine own invention hope
Things not reveal'd, which the invisible king,
Only omniscient, hath suppress'd in night;
To none communicable in earth or heaven:
Enough is left besides to search and know.
But knowledge is as food, and needs no less
Her temperance over appetite, to know
In measure what the mind may well contain;
Oppresses else with surfeit, and soon turns
Wisdom to folly, as nourishment to wind.

a Know then, that, after Lucifer from heaven
(So call him, brighter once amidst the host
Of angels, than that star the stars among,)
Fell with his flaming legions through the deep
Into his place, and the great Son return'd
Victorious with his saints, the Omnipotent
Eternal Father from his throne beheld

Their multitude, and to his son thus spake :

« At least our envious foe hath fail'd, who thought

All like himself rebellious, by whose aid

This inaccessible high strength, the seat

Of deity supreme, us dispossess'd,

He trusted to have seiz'd, and into fraud

Drew many, whom their place knows here no more :
Yet far the greater part have kept, I see,
Their station; heaven, yet populous, retains
Number sufficient to possess her realms,
Though wide, and this high temple to frequent
With ministeries due, and solemn rites:
But, lest his heart exalt him in the harm
Already done, to have dispeopled heaven,
My damage fondly deem'd, I can repair
That detriment, if such it be to lose

Self-lost and in a moment will create

:

Another world, out of one man a race
Of men innumerable, there to dwell,
Not here; till, by degress of merit rais'd,
They open to themselves at length the way
Up hither, under long obedience tried:

And earth be chang'd to heaven, and heaven to earth,
One kingdom, joy and union without end.
Meanwhile inhabit lax, ye powers of heaven;
And thou, my word, begotten Son, by thee
This I perform; speak thou, and be it done;
My overshadowing spirit and might with thee
I send along; ride forth, and bid the deep
Within appointed bounds be heaven and earth;
Boundless the deep, because I AM who fill
Infinitude, nor vacuous the space;
Though I, uncircumscrib'd myself, retire
And put not forth my goodness, which is free
To act or not; necessity and chance
Approach not me, and what I will is fate. »>

So spake the Almighty, and to what he spake

His word, the filial godhead, gave effect.
Immediate are the acts of God, more swift
Than time or motion; but to human ears
Cannot without process of speech be told,
So told as earthly notion can receive

Great triumph and rejoicing was in heaven,
When such was heard declar'd the Almighty's will:
Glory, they sung, to the Most High! good will
To future men, and in their dwellings peace!
Glory to him, whose just avenging ire
Had driven out the ungodly from his sight
And the habitations of the just; to him
Glory and praise! whose wisdom had ordain'd
Good out of evil to create; instead

Of spirits malign, a better race to bring
Into their vacant room, and thence diffuse

His good to worlds and ages infinite. »

So sang the hierarchies; meanwhile, the Son On his great expedition now appear'd, Girt with Omnipotence, with radiance crown'd Of majesty divine: sapience and love Immense, and all his Father in him shone. About his chariot numberless were pour'd Cherub and seraph, potentates and thrones, And virtues, winged spirits, and chariots wing'd From the armoury of God; where stand of old Myriads, between two brazen mountains lodg'd Against a solemn day, harness'd at hand, Celestial equipage; and now came forth Spontaneous; (for within them spirit liv'd, Attendant on their Lord :) heaven open'd wide Her ever-during gates, harmonious sound

On golden hinges moving, to let forth

The King of glory, in his powerful word

And spirit, coming to create new worlds.

On heavenly ground they stood; and from the shore
They view'd the vast immeasurable abyss
Outrageous as a sea, dark, wasteful, wild,
Up from the bottom turn'd by furious winds
And surging waves, as mountains, to assault
Heaven's height, and with the centre mix the pole.

« Silence, ye troubled waves, and thou deep, peace, »
Said then the omnific word; your discord end!
Nor staid; but, on the wings of cherubim
Uplifted, in paternal glory rode

Far into chaos, and the world unborn;

For chaos heard his voice. Him all his train
Follow'd in bright procession, to behold
Creation, and the wonders of his might.
Then staid the fervid wheels, and in his hand
He took the golden compasses, prepar'd
In God's eternal store, to circumscribe
This universe, and all created things :
One foot he center'd, and the other turn'd

Round through the vast profundity obscure ;

And said, thus far extend, thus far thy bounds,
This be thy just circumference, O world! »

Thus God the heaven created, thus the earth,
Matter unform'd and void : darkness profound
Cover'd the abyss: but on the watʼry calm
His brooding wings the spirit of God outspread,
And vital virtue infus'd, and vital warmth,
Throughout the fluid mass; but downward purg'd
The black tartareous cold infernal dregs,

D