It feem'd, now seems a boundless continent
Dark, waste, and wild, under the frown of Night
Stariefs expos'd, and ever-threat ning ftorms
Of Chaos bluft'ring round, inclement sky;
Save on that fide which from the wall of Heaven,
Tho' diftant far, fome fmall reflection gains
Of glimmering air, less vex'd with tempest loud:
Here walk'd the Fiend at large in fpacious field.
As when a vulture, on Imaus bred,
Whofe fnowy ridge the roving Tartar bounds,
Diflodging from a region fcarce of prey,
To gorge the flesh of lambs or yeaning kids
On hills where flocks are fed, flies tow'rds the fprings
Of Ganges or Hydafpes, Indian streams;
But in his way lights on the barren plains
Of Sericana, where Chinefes drive
With fails and wind their cany waggons light:
So on this windy fea of land, the Fiend
Walk'd up and down alone, bent on his prey;
Alone, for other creature in this place
Living or lifelefs to be found was none;
None yet, but store hercafter from the earth
Up hither like aereal vapours flew
Of all things tranfitory' and vain, when fin
With vanity had fill'd the works of men;
Both all things vain, and all who in vain things
Built their fond hopes of glory, or lafting fame,
Or happiness in this or th' other life;
All who have their reward on earth, the fruits
Of painful fuperftition and blind zeal,
Nought feeking but the praife of men, here find
Fit retribution, empty as their deeds;
All th unaccomplish d works of Nature's hand,
Abortive, monitrous, or unkindly mix d,
Diffolv'd on earth, fleet hither, and in vain,
Till final diffolution, wander here,
Not in the neighbouring moon, as fome have dream'd;
Thofe argent fields more likely habitants,
Tranflated Saints, or middle Spirits hold
Betwixt th' angelical and human kind.
Hither of ill-join'd fons and daughters born
Firit from the ancient world thofe giants came
With many a vain exploit, tho' then renown'd:
The builders next of Babel on the plain
Of Sennaar, and still with vain defign
New Babels, had they wherewithal, would build :
Others came fingle; he who, to be deem'd
A god, leapt fondly into Ætna flames,
Empedocles; and he who to enjoy
Plato's Elyfium, leapt into the fca,
Cleombrotus; and many more too long,
Embryos and idiots, eremites and friers
White, black, and grey, with all their trumpery.
Here pilgrims roam, that stray'd fo far to feek
In Golgotha him dead, who lives in Heaven;
And they who, to be fure of Paradise,
Dying put on the weeds of Dominic,
Or in Francifcan think to pafs difguis'd;
They país the planets fev'n, and pass the fix'd,
And that crystalline sphere whofe balance weighs
The trepidation talk'd, and that first mov'd;
And now Saint Peter at Heav'n's wicket feems
To wait them with his keys, and now at foot
Of Heav'n's afcent they lift their feet, when lo
A violent crofs wind from either coaft
Blows them tranfverfe ten thoufand leagues awry
Into the devious air; then might ye fee
Cowls, hoods, and habits, with their wearers toft,
And flutter'd into rags, then reliques, beads,
Indulgences, difpenfes, pardons, bulls,
The fport of winds: all these upwhirl'd aloft
Fly o'er the backfide of the world far off
Into a Limbo large and broad, fince call'd
The Paradife of Fools, to few unknown
Long after, now unpeopled and untrod.
All this dark globe the Fiend found as he pass'd,
And long he wander'd, till at last a gleam
Of dawning light turn'd thither-ward in hafte
His travel'd steps: far diftant he defcries
Afcending by degrees magnificent
Up to the wall of Heav'n a ftructure high;
At top whereof, but far more rich, appear'd
The work as of a kingly palace gate,
With frontispiece of diamond and gold
Embellish'd; thick with fparkling orient gems
The portal fhone, inimitable on earth
By model, or by fhading pencil drawn.
The ftairs were fuch as whereon Jacob faw
Angels afcending and defcending, bands
Of guardians bright when he from Efau fled
To Padan-Aram, in the field of Luz
Dreaming by night under the open sky,
And waking cry'd, This is the gate of Heaven.
Each fair myfteriously was meant, nor stood
There always, but drawn up to heav'n fometimes
Viewless, and underneath a bright fea flow'd
Of jafper, or of liquid pearl, whereon
Who after came from earth, failing arriv'd,
Wafted by angels, or flew o'er the lake
Rapt in a chariot drawn by fiery steeds.
The ftairs were then let down, whether to dare
The Fiend by easy' afcent, or aggravate
His fad exclufion from the doors of blifs :
Direct against which open'd from beneath,
Juft o'er the blissful feat of Paradife,
A paffage down to th' Earth, a paffage wide,
Wider by far than that of after times
Over mount Sion, and, tho' that were large,
Over the Promis'd Land, to God fo dear,
By which, to visit oft those happy tribes,
On high behefts his angels to and fro
Pafs'd frequent, and his eye with choice regard
From Pancos, the fount of Jordan's flood
To Becríaba, where the Holy Land
Borders on Egypt and th' Arabian shore;
So wide the opening feem'd, where bounds were
To darkness fuch as bound the ocean wave. [fet
Satan frem hence, now on the lower stair
That feal'd by steps 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 laft by break of cheerful dawn
Obtains the brow of fome high-climbing hill,
Which to his eye difcovers unaware
The goodly profpcct 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 feiz'd, tho' after Heaven feen,
The Sp'rit malign, but much more envy feiz'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 fhade) from eastern point
Of Libra to the fleecy star that bears
Andromeda far off Atlantic feas
Beyond th' horizon; then from pole to pole
He views in breadth, and without longer paufe
Downright into the world's first region throws
His flight precipitant, and winds with eafe
Through the pure marble air his oblique way
Amongst innumerable ftars, that fhone
Stars diftant, but nigh hand seem'd other worlds:
Or other worlds they feem'd, or happy illes,
Like thofe Hefperian gardens fam'd of old,
Fortunate fields, and groves, and flow'ry vales,
Thrice happy ifles, but who dwelt happy there
He ftay'd not to inquire: above them all
The golden fun in fplendor likest Heaven
Allur d his eye thither his course he bends
Through the calm firmament, (but up or down,
By centre, 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'rds his all-cheering
lamp
Turn fwift their various motions, or are turn'd
By his magnetic beam, that gently warms
The univerfe, and to each inward part
With gentle penetration, though unfeen,
Shoots invifible virtue ev'n to the deep;
So wondrously was fet his ftation bright.
There lands the Fiend, a fpot like which perhaps
Aftronomer in the fun's lucent orb
Through his glaz'd optic tube yet never faw.
The place he found beyond expreffion bright,
Compar'd with ought on earth, metal or tone,
Not all parts like, but all alike inform'd
With radiant light, as glowing ir'n with fire;
If metal, part feem'd gold, part filver clear;
If ftone, carbuncle moft or cryfolite,
Ruby or topaz, to the twelve that hone
In Aaron's breaft-plate, and a stone befides
Imagin'd rather oft than elsewhere seen,
That ftone, or like to that, which here below
Philofophers in vain fo long have fought,
In vain, though by their powerful art they bind
Volatile Hermes, and call up unbound,
In various fhapes old Proteus from the fea,
Drain'd through a limbec to his naked 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-chimic fun, fo far from us remote,
Produces, with terreftrial humour mix'd,
Here in the dark fo many precious things
Of colour glorious, and effect fo rare ?
Here matter new to gaze the devil met
Undazzled far and wide his eye commands,
For fight no obftacle found here, or shade,
But all fun-fhine; as when his beams at noon
Culminate from th' Aquator; as they now
Shot upward till direct, whence no way round
Shadow from body opaque can fall, and th' air
(No where fo clear) fharpen'd his vifual ray
To objects distant far, whereby he foon
Saw within ken a glorious angel stand,
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
Circl'd his head, nor lefs his locks behind
Illuftrious on his fhoulders, fledge with wings,
Lay waving round: on fome great charge em-
ploy'd
He feem'd, or fixt in cogitation deep.
Glad was the fpirit 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 firft he cafts to change his proper shape,
Which elfe might work him danger, or delay:
And now a firippling Cherub he appears,
Not of the prime, yet fuch as in his face
Youth fmil'd celeftial, and to every limb
Suitable grace diffuf'd, fo well he feign'd.
Under a coronet his flowing hair
In curls on either check play'd; wings he wore
Of many a colour'd plume, fprinkl'd with gold:
His habit fit for fpeed fuccinct, and held
Before his decent iteps a filver wand.
He drew not nigh unheard, the angel bright,
E'er he drew nigh, his radiant vifage turn'd,
Admonish'd by his ear; and ftrait was known
Th' arch-angel Uriel, one of the fev'n
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 the
earth
Bear his fwift errands, over moift and dry,
O'er fea and land: him Satan thus accofts,
Uriel! for thou of thofe fev'n fpirits that fland In fight of God's high throne, gloriously bright, The first art wont His great authentic will Interpreter through higheft heav'n to bring, Where all his fons thy embaily attend:
And here art likelieft by fupreme decree
Like honour to obtain; and as his eye,
To vifit oft this new creation round,
Unfpeakable defire to fee, and know
All thefe his wondrous works, but chiefly Man,
His chief delight and favour; him, for whom
All these his works fo wondrous he ordain'd,
Hath brought me from the choirs of Cherubim
Alone this wand'ring: brightest Seraph! tell,
In which of all these fhining orbs hath man
His fixed feat, or fixed feat hath none,
But all these fhining orbs his choice to dwell;
That I may find him, and with fecret gaze,
Or open admiration, him behold
On whom the great Creator hath bestow'd
World, and on whom hath all these graces pour'd.
That both in him, and all things, as is meet,
The univerfal maker we may praife;
Who juftly hath driven 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 discern
Hypocrify, the only evil that walks
Invisible, except to God alone,
By his permiflive will, through heaven and earth:
And oft though wifdom wake, fufpicion fleeps
At wifdom's gate, and to fimplicity
Refigns her charge, while goodness thinks no ill
Where no ill seems) which now for once beguil'd
Uriel, though regent of the fun, and held
The fharpeft fighted fpirit of all in heav'n:
Who to the fraudulent impoftor foul,
in his uprightness answer thus return'd.'
Fair Angel! thy defire which tends to know
The works of God, thereby to glorify
The great work-mafter, leads to no excess
That reaches blame, but rather merits praise
The more it seems excefs, that led thee hither
From thy impyreal manfion thus alone,
To witness with thine eyes what fome perhaps,
Contented with report, hear only in Heav'n:
For wonderful indeed are all His works!
Pleafant to know, and worthieft to be all
Had in remembrance always with delight.
But, what created mind can comprehend
Their number, or the wisdom infinite
That brought them forth, but hid their caufes deep?
I faw when at His word the formlefs mafs,
This world's material mould, came to a heap;
Confufion heard His voice, and wild uproar
Stood rul'd, flood vaft infinitude confin'd:
Till at His fecond bidding darkness fled,
Light fhone, and order from disorder fprung.
Swift to their feveral quarters hafted then
The cumbrous elements, earth, flood, air, fire,
And this ethereal quinteffence of Heav'n
Flew upward, fpirited with various forms,
That roll'd orbicular, and turn'd to stars,
Numberlefs, as thou feeft, and how they move;
Each had his place appointed, each his courfe;
The reft in circuit walls this universe.
Look downward on that globe whofe hither fide
With light from hence, tho' but reflected, fhines:
That place is earth, the feat of Man; that light
His day, which elfe, as th' other hemifphere,
Night would invade; but there the neighbouring
(So call that opposite fair star) her aid
Timely interpofes, and her monthly round
Still ending, ftill renewing through mid heav'n,
With borrow'd light her countenance triform
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, thofe lofty fhades his bow'r;
Thy way thou can'ft not mifs, me mine requires.
Thus faid, he turn'd; and Satan bowing low
(As to fuperior spirits is wont in heav'n,
Where honour due, and reverence none neglects)
Took leave, and tow'rd the coaft of earth beneath,
Down from th' ecliptic, fped with hop'd fuccefs,
Throws his fteep flight in many an airy wheel;
Nor ftaid, till on Niphates' top he lights.
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 prospect and fituation is defcribed, overleaps the bounds, fits in the fhape of a cormorant on the tree of Life, as highest in the garden, to look about him. The garden described; Satan's first fight of Adam and Eve; his wonder at their excellent form and happy fate, but with refolution to work their fall; overhears their difcourfe; 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 farther of their state by fome other means. Meanwhile Uriel defcending on a fun beam warns Gabriel (who had in charge the gate of Paradife) that fome evil spirit had escaped the Deep, and past at noon by his sphere in the shape of a good Angel down to Paradife, discovered afterwards by his furious gestures in the mount: Gabriel promifes to find him e'er morning. Night coming on, Adam and Eve difcourfe of going to their reft their bower described; their evening worhip. Gabriel drawing forth his hands of night watch to walk the round of Paradise, appoints two strong Angels to Adam's bower, left the evil fpirit fhould be there doing fome harm to Adam or Eve fleeping; there they find him at the car of Eve, tempting her in a dream, and bring him, though unwilling, to Gabriel; by whom'question'd, he fcornfully answers, prepares refiftance, but, hinder'd by a fign from heav'n, flies out of Paradise.
O 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,
Wo to th' inhabitants on earth! that now,
While time was, our firft parents had been warn'd
The coming of their fecret foe, and 'fcap'd,
Happily, fo 'fcap'd his mortal fnare: for now
Satan, now firft inflam'd with rage, came down,
The tempter e'er 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 fpeed, tho' bold,
Far off and fearlefs, nor with caufe to boast,
Begins his dire attempt, which nigh the birth
Now rolling boils in his tumultuous breaft,
And like a devilish engine 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 ftep no more than from himself can fly
By change of place: now confcience wakes de-
fpair
That flumber'd, wakes the bittter memory
Of what he was, what is, and what muft be,
Worfe; of worfe deeds, worse suffering must enfue.
Sometimes tow'rds Eden, which now in his view
Lay pleafant, his griev'd look he fixes fad;
Sometime tow'rds Heaven and the full-blazing
Which now fat high in his meridian tower: [fun,
Then much revolving, thus in fighs began:
O thou that with furpaffing glory crown'd,
Look'it from thy fole dominion like the God
Of this new world; at whofe fight all the flars
Hide their diminish'd heads; to thee I call,
But with no friendly voice, and add thy name,
O Sun, to tell thee how I hate thy beams,
That bring to my remembrance from what state
I fell, how glorious once above thy fphere;
Till pride and worfe ambition threw me down, Warring in Heav'n against Heav'n's matchlefs King;
Ah wherefore! he deferv'd no fuch return
From me, whom he created what I was
In that bright eminence, and with his good
Upbraided none; nor was his service 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 fo high
I ideign'd fubjection, and thought one step higher
Would fet me high'ft, and in a moment quit
The debt immenfe of endless gratitude,
So burdensome still paying, ftill 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 pow'rful destiny ordain'd
Me fome inferior Angel, I had stood
Then happy; no unbounded hope had rais'd
Ambition. Yet, why not? fome other Power
As great might have aspir'd, and me, tho' mean,
Drawn to his part; but other Pow'rs as great
Fell not, but ftand unfhaken, from within
Or from without, to all temptations arm'd.
Hadft thou the fame free will and pow'r to ftand?
Thou hadft; whom haft thou then, or what, t' ac
cufe,
But Heav'n's free love dealt equally to all?
Be then his love accurs'd, fince love or hate,
To me alike, it deals eternal woe.
Nay curs'd be thou; fince against his thy will
Chose freely what it now fo justly rues.
Me miferable! which way fhall I fly
Infinite wrath, and infinite defpair?
Which way I fly is Hell; myfelf am Hell;
And in the lowest deep a lower deep
Still threat'ning to devour me opens wide,
To which the Hell I fuffer feems a Heaven.
O then at last relent: is there no place
Left for repentance, none for pardon left?
None left but by fubmiflion; and that word
Disdain forbids me, and my dread of fhame
Among the Sp'rits beneath, whom I feduc'd
With other promises and other vaunts
Than to fubmit, boasting I could fubdue
Th' Omnipotent. Ay me, they little know
How dearly I abide that boast so vain,
Under what torments inwardly I groan,
While they adore me on the throne of Hell.
With diadem and fceptre high advanc'd,
The lower till I fall, only fupreme
In mifery; fuch joy ambition finds.
But fay I could repent, and could obtain
By act of grace my former flate; how foon
Would height recall high thoughts, how foon unfay
What feign'd fubmiflion swore? ease would recant
Vows made in pain, as violent and void.
For never can true reconcilement grow,
Where wounds of deadly hate have pierc'd fo deep;
Which would but lead me to a worse relapfe
And heavier fall: fo fhould I purchase dear
Short intermiffion bought with double smart.
This knows my punisher; therefore as far
From granting he, as I from begging peace:
All hope excluded thus, behold instead
Of us out-caft, exil'd, his new delight,
Mankind created, and for him this world.
So farewell hope, and with hope farewell fear,
Farewell remorfe: all good to me is loft;
Evil be thou my good; by thee at least
Divided empire with Heav'n's king I hold,
By thee, and more than half perhaps will reign;
As Man e'er long, and this new world, fhall know.
Thus while he spake, each paflion dimm'd his
Thrice chang'd with pale ire, envy, and despair;
Which marr'd his borrow'd vifage, and betray'd
Him counterfeit, if any eye beheld.
For heav'nly minds from fuch distempers foul
Are ever clear. Whereof he foon aware,
Each perturbation, smooth'd with outward calm,
Artificer of fraud, and was the first
That practis'd falfehood under faintly fhew
Deep malice to conceal, couch'd with revenge:
Yet not enough had practis'd to deceive
Uriel once warn'd; whofe eye pursued him down
The way he went, and on th' Assyrian mount
Saw him disfigur'd, more than could befal
Spirit of happy fort: his geftures fierce
He mark'd, and mad demeanour, then alone,
As he fuppos'd, all unobferv'd, unseen.
So on he fares, and to the border comes
Of Eden, where delicious Paradise,
Now nearer, crowns with her inclosure green,
As with a rural mound, the champion head
Of a steep wilderness, whofe hairy fides
With thicket overgrown, grottefque and wild,
Accefs deny'd; and over head up grew
Infuperable height of loftieft fhade,
Cedar, and pine, and fir, and branching palm,
A fylvan fcene; and as the ranks afcend
Shade above fhade, a woody theatre
Of stateliest view. Yet higher than their tops
The verd'rous wall of Paradife up fprung:
Which to our general fire gave profpect large
Into his nether empire neighb'ring round.
And higher than that wall a circling row
Of goodlieft trees, loaden with faireft fruit,
Bloffoms and fruits at once of golden hue,
Appear'd, with gay enamel'd colours mix'd:
On which the fun more glad imprefs'd his beams
Than in fair evening cloud, or humid bow,
When God hath fhow'rd the earth; fo lovely feem'd
That landfkip: And of pure, now purer air
Meets his approach, and to the heart inspires
Vernal delight and joy, able to drive
All fadnefs but defpair: now gentle gales,
Fanning their odoriferous wings, difpenfe
Native perfumes, and whifper whence they ftolé
Thofe balmy fpoils. As when to them who fail
Beyond the Cape of Hope, and now are past
Mozambic, off at fea north-eaft winds blow
Sabean odours from the fpicy fhore
Of Araby the bleft; with fuch delay
Well pleas'd they flack their courfe, and many a
Cheer'd with the grateful fmell, old Ocean smiles;
So entertain'd thofe odorous fweets the Fiend
|