On high behefts his Angels to and fro Pafs'd frequent, and his eye with choice regard From Paneas the fount of Jordan's flood
To Beerfaba, where the Holy Land
Borders on Egypt and th” Arabian fhore;
So wide the opening feem'd, where bounds were fet To darkness, ftich as bound the ocean wave. Satan from hence, now on the lower stair That feal'd by fteps of gold to Heaven gate, Looks down with wonder at the fudden view Of all this world at once. As when a fcout Through dark and defert ways with peril gone All night, at last by break of chearful dawn Obtains the brow of fome high-climbing hill, Which to his eye discovers unaware The goodly prospect of fome foreign land First feen, or fome renown'd metropolis With glift'ring spires and pinnacles adorn'd Which now the rifing fun gilds with his beams : Such wonder feis'd, though after Heaven feen, The Spirit malign, but much more envy seis'd, At fight of all this world beheld fo fair. Round he furveys (and well might, where he stood So high above the circling canopy
Of night's extended shade) from caftern point Of Libra to the fleecy ftar that bears Andromeda far off Atlantic feas
Beyond th' horizon; then from pole to pole He views in breadth, and without longer paufe Down right into the world's firit region throws-
His flight precipitant, and winds with ease
Through the pure marble air his oblique way · Amongst innumerable stars, that fhone
Stars diftant, but nigh hand feem'd other worlds ; Or other worlds they seem'd, or happy iles, Like those Hefperian gardens fam'd of old, Fortunate fields, and groves, and flow'ry vales, Thrice happy iles, but who dwelt happy there He stay'd not to inquire: above them all The golden fun in fplendor likeft Heaven Allur'd his eye thither his course he bends Through the calm firmament, (but up or down, By center, or eccentric, hard to tell,
Or longitude,) where the great luminary Aloof the vulgar conftellations thick, That from his lordly eye keep distance due, Difpenfes light from far; they as they move
Their ftarry dance in numbers that compute
Days months and years, tow'ards his all-chearing lamp
Turn swift their various motions, or are turn'd
By his magnetic beam, that gently warms
The universe, and to each inward part
With gentle penetration, though unfeen,
Shoots invisible virtue ev'n to the deep;
So wondrously was set his station bright.
There lands the Fiend, a spot like which perhaps Aftronomer in the fun's lucent orb
Through his glaz'd optic tube yet never saw. The place he found beyond expreffion bright, Compar'd with ought on earth, metal or stone ;
Not all parts like, but all alike inform'd
With radiant light, as glowing ir'on with fire; If metal, part feem'd gold, part filver clear; If ftone, carbuncle moft or chryfolite, Ruby or topaz, to the twelve that shone In Aaron's breast-plate, and a stone besides. Imagin'd rather oft than elsewhere feen,
That stone, or like to that, which here below Philofophers in vain fo long have fought, In vain, though by their pow'rful art they bind Volatil Hermes, and call up unbound In various fhapes old Proteus from the sea, Drain'd through a limbec to his native form. What wonder then if fields and regions here Breathe forth Elixir pure, and rivers run Potable gold, when with one virtuous touch Th' arch-chemic fun, fo far from us remote, Produces, with terreftrial humor mix'd, Here in the dark fo many precious things Of color glorious, and effect so rare ?- Here matter new to gaze the Devil met Undazled; far and wide his eye commands; For fight no obftacle found here, nor shade, But all fun-fhine, as when his beams at noon Culminate from th' equator, as they now Shot upward still direct, whence no way round Shadow from body opaque can fall; and th' air No where fo clear, fharpen'd his visual ray To objects diftant far, whereby he foon Saw, within kèn a glorious Angel ftand,
The fame whom John faw alfo in the fun :
His back was turn'd, but not his brightness hid; Of beaming funny rays a golden tiar
Circled his head, nor less his locks behind Illuftrious on his fhoulders fledge with wings
Lay waving round; on fome great charge employ'd He feem'd, or fix'd in cogitation deep.
Glad was the Spi'rit impure, as now in hope
To find who might direct his wand'ring flight To Paradife the happy feat of Man, His journey's end and our beginning woe. But first he cafts to change his proper shape, Which elfe might work him danger or delay : And now a ftripling Cherub he appears,
Not of the prime, yet fuch as in his face Youth fmil'd celestial, and to every limb
Suitable grace diffus'd, fo well he feign'd:
Under a coronet his flowing hair
In curls on either cheek play'd; wings he wore
Of many a color'd plume sprinkled with gold, His habit fit for speed fuccinct, and held Before his decent steps a filver wand.
He drew not nigh unheard; the Angel bright, Ere he drew nigh, his radiant visage turn'd, Admonish'd by his ear, and strait was known Th' Arch-Angel Uriel, one of the seven Who in God's prefence, nearest to his throne,
Stand ready at command, and are his eyes
That run through all the Heav'ns, or down to th' Earth
Bear his fwift errands over moift and dry,
O'er fea and land: him Satan thus accofts.
Uriel, for thou of thofe feven Spirits that ftand 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 embaffy attend; And here art likelieft by fupreme decree Like honor to obtain, and as his eye To vifit oft this new creation round; Unspeakable desire to see, 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 wand'ring. 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 fecret.
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,
The universal Maker we may praife;
Who juftly 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
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