Confufion heard his voice, and wild Uproar Stood rul'd, stood vast infinitude confin'd; Till at his second bidding darkness fled, Light fhon, and order from disorder sprung: Swift to their feveral quarters hasted then The cumbrous elements, earth, flood, air, fire, And this ethereal quinteffence of heav'n Flew upward, fpirited with various forms, That rowl'd orbicular, and turn'd to starrs Numberless, as thou feest, and how they move; Each had his place appointed, each his course, The reft in circuit walles this universe.
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 else as th’other hemisphere
Night would invade, but there the neighbouring moon (So call that opposite fair starr) her aide Timely interpofes, and her monthly round Still ending, still renewing through mid heav'n, With borrow'd light her countenance triform Hence fills and empties to enlighten the earth, And in her pale dominion checks the night. That spot to which I point is Paradife, Adam's abode, those loftie fhades his bowre. Thy way thou canst not mifs, me mine requires. 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 toward the coaft of earth beneath, Down from th'ecliptic, fped with hop'd fuccefs,
Throws his steep flight in many an aerie wheele, Nor ftaid, till on Niphates top he lights.
The End of the Third Book.
FOR that warning voice, which he who saw Th'Apocalyps, heard cry in heaven aloud, Then when the dragon, put to fecond rout, Came furious down to be reveng'd on men, "Woe to the 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 mankind, To wreck on innocent frail man his lofs Of that first battle, and his flight to hell: Yet not rejoicing in his speed, though bold, Far off and fearlefs, nor with cause to boast, Begins his dire attempt, which nigh the birth Now rolling, boiles in his tumultuous breft, And like a devilish engine back recoiles Upon himself; horror and doubt distract His troubled thoughts, and from the bottom stirr The hell within him, for within him hell He brings, and round about him, nor from hell One step no more then from himself can fly By change of place: now confcience wakes despair That flumber'd, wakes the bitter memorie
Of what he was, what is, and what must be Worse;
of worfe deeds worse fufferings must enfue,
Sometimes towards Eden which now in his view Lay pleasant, his griev'd look he fixes fad, Sometimes towards heav'n and the full-blazing fun, Which now fat high in his meridian towre : Then much revolving, thus in fighs began.
O thou that with surpassing glory crown'd, Look'ft from thy föle dominion like the God Of this new world; at whofe fight all the stars Hide their diminisht heads; to thee I call, But with no friendly voice, and add thy name O fun, to tell thee how I hate thy beams That bring to my remembrance from what state I fell, how glorious once above thy fpheare; Till pride and worse ambition threw me down Warring in heav'n against heav'n's matchless king: Ah wherefore! he deferv'd no fuch return
whom he created what I was In that bright eminence, and with his good Upbraided none; nor was his fervice hard. What could be less than to afford him praise, The easiest recompence, and pay him thanks, How due! yet all his good prov'd ill in me, And wrought but malice; lifted up so high I fdein'd fubjection, and thought one step higher Would fet me highest, and in a moment quit The debt immenfe of endless gratitude, So burthenfome, ftill paying, still to owe; Forgetful what from him I still receiv'd, And understood not that a grateful mind By owing owes not, but still pays, at once Indebted and discharg'd; what burden then?
O had his powerful destiny ordain'd Me fome inferior angel, I had stood
Then happie; no unbounded hope had rais'd Ambition. Yet why not? fome other power
As great might have aspir'd, and me though mean Drawn to his part; but other powers as great Fell not, but stand unshak'n, from within Or from without, to all temptations arm'd, Hadft thou the fame free will and power to stand? Thou hadft: whom hast thou then or what to accufé, But heav'n's free love dealt equally to all?
Be then his love accurst, since love or hate, To me alike, it deals eternal woe.
Nay curs'd be thou; fince against his thy will Chofe freely what it now so justly rues. Me miferable! which way fhall I flie Infinite wrath, and infinite despaire ? Which way I flie is hell; myself am hell; And in the lowest deep a lower deep Still threatning to devour me opens wide, To which the hell I fuffer feems a 'heav'n. O then at last relent: is there no place Left for repentance, none for pardon left? None left but by fubmiffion; and that word Difdain forbids me, and my dread of shame Among the spirits beneath, whom I feduc'd With other promises and other vaunts Then to fubmit, boafting I could fubdue Th'Omnipotent. Ay me, they little know How dearly I abide that boast so vain, Under what torments inwardly I groane:
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