Light fhone, and order from diforder sprung:
Swift to their several quarters hafted then

The cumbrous elements, earth, flood, air, fire;
And this ethereal quinteffence of Heaven
Flew upward, fpirited with various forms,
That roll'd orbicular, and turn'd to stars
Numberless, as thou feest, and how they move;
Each had his place appointed, each his course;
The reft in circuit walls this univerfe.
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

715

720

725

Night would invade; but there the neighb'ring moon (So call that oppofite fair star) her aid

Timely' interpofes, and her monthly round

Still ending, ftill renewing, through mid Heaven,
With borrow'd light her countenance triform
Hence fills and empties to inlighten th' Earth,
And in her pale dominion checks the night.
That spot to which I point is Paradise,
Adam's abode, thofe lofty fhades his bower.

730

Thy way thou canst not mifs, me mine requires. 735
Thus faid, he turn'd; and Satan bowing low,

As to fuperior Spi'rits is wont in Heaven,
Where honor 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 ftay'd, till on Niphates' top he lights.

THE END OF THE THIRD BOOK.

VOL. I.

H

THE

THE

FOURTH BOOK

O F

PARADISE LOST.

THE ARGUMENT.

Satan now in profpect of Eden, and nigh the place where he must now attempt the bold enterprise which he undertook alone against God and Man, falls into many doubts with himself, and many paffions, fear, envy, and despair; but at length confirms himself in evil, journeys on to Paradife whofe outward profpect and fituation is described, 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 state, but with refolution to work their fall; overhears their discourse, 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 fhape 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 anfwers, prepares refiftance, but hinder'd by a sign from Heaven, flies out of Para

PARADISE LOS T.

BO O K

IV..

For that warning voice, which he who faw
Th' Apocalyps heard cry in Heav'n aloud,
Then when the Dragon, put to fecond rout,
Came furious down to be reveng'd on men,
Woe to th' inhabitants on earth! that now,
While time was, our first parents had been warn'd
The coming of their fecret foe, and scap'd,'
Haply fo fcap'd his mortal fnare: for now
Satan, now first inflam'd with rage, came down,
The tempter ere th' accufer of man-kind,
To wreck on innocent frail man his lofs
Of that first battel, and his flight to Hell:
Yet not rejoicing in his fpeed, though bold
Far off and fearless, nor with cause to boast,
Begins his dire attempt, which nigh the birth
Now rolling boils in his tumultuous breast,
And like a devilish engin back recoils
Upon himself; horror and doubt distract ̈`
His troubled thoughts, and from the bottom stir
The Hell within him; for within him Hell
He brings, and round about him, nor from Hell
One step no more than from himself can fly