beaven; for that angels were long before this vifible
creation, was the opinion of many ancient fathers.
To find out the truth of this prophecy, and what to
determine thereon, be refers to a full council. What
bis affociates thence attempt. Pandemonium the pa-
lace of Satan rifes, fuddenly built out of the deep:
the infernal peers there fit in council.
F Man's firft difobedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree, whofe mortal taste
Brought death into the world, and all our woe,
With lofs of Eden, till one greater Man
Reftore us, and regain the blissful seat,
Sing heav'nly Mufe, that on the secret top
Of Oreb, or of Sinai, did'st inspire
That thepherd, who first taught the chosen seed,
In the beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth
Rofe out of Chaos: or if Sion hill
Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flow'd
Faft by the oracle of God; I thence
Invoke thy aid to my adventrous fong,
That with no middle flight intends to foar
Above the Aonian mount, while it pursues
Things unattempted yet in profe or rhime.
And chiefly Thou, O Spi'rit, that doft prefer
Before all temples th' upright heart and pure,
Inftruct me, for Thou know'ft; Thou from the first
Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread 20
Dove like fatft brooding on the vast abyss,
And mad'ft it pregnant: what in me is dark
Illumin, what is low raife and fupport;
That to the highth of this great argument
I may affert eternal Providence,
And justify the ways of God to Men.
Say firft, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view, Nor the deep tract of Hell, fay firft what caufe Mov'd our grand Parents, in that happy state, Favor'd of Heav'n fo highly, to fall off From their Creator, and tranfgrefs his will For one reftraint, lords of the world befides? Who first feduc'd them to that foul revolt? Th' infernal Serpent; he it was, whofe guile, Stirr'd up with envy and revenge, deceiv'd The mother of mankind, what time his pride Had caft him out from Heav'n, with all his host Of rebel Angels, by whofe aid aspiring To fet himself in glory 'bove his peers, He trufted to have equal'd the most High, If he oppos'd; and with ambitious aim Against the throne and monarchy of God Rais'd impious war in Heav'n and battle proud. With vain attempt. Him the almighty Power Hurl'd headlong flaming from th' ethereal fky, 45 With hideous ruin and combustion, down To bottomlefs perdition, there to dwell. In adamantin chains and penal fire,
Who durft defy th' Omnipotent to arms.
Nine times the space that measures day and night 50
To mortal men, he with his horrid crew
Lay vanquish'd, rolling in the fiery gulf
Confounded though immortal: But his doom
Referv'd him to more wrath; for now the thought
Both of loft happiness and lafting pain
55 Torments him; round he throws his baleful eyes, 'That witness'd huge affliction and difmay Mix'd with obdurate pride and freadfaft hate: At once, as far as Angels ken, he views The difmal fituation wafte and wild, A dungeon horrible, on all fides round
As one great furnace flam'd, yet from those flames No light, but rather darkness vifible
Serv'd only to discover fights of woe,
Regions of forrow, doleful shades, where peace 65
And reft can never dwell, hope never comes
That comes to all; but torture without end
Still urges, and a fiery deluge, fed
With ever-burning fulphur unconfum'd:
Such place eternal Justice had prepar'd
For those rebellious, here their pri'son ordain'd
In utter darkness, and their portion set
As far remov'd from God and light of Heaven,
As from the center thrice to th' utmost pole.
O how unlike the place from whence they fell!
There the companions of his fall, o'erwhelm'd
With floods and whirlwinds of tempestuous fire,
He foon difcerns, and welt'ring by his fide
One next himself in pow'r, and next in crime,
Long after known in Palestine, and nam'd
Beelzebub. To whom th' Arch-Enemy,
And thence in Heaven call'd Satan, with bold words
Breaking the horrid filence thus began.
If thou beeft he; but O how fall'n! how chang'd From him, who in the happy realms of light 85 Cloth'd with tranfcendent brightness didst outshine Myriads though bright! If he whom mutual league, United thoughts and counfels, equal hope
And hazard in the glorious enterprise,
Join'd with me once, now mifery hath join'd
In equal ru'in into what pit thou feest
From what highth fall'n, fo much the ftronger prov'd
He with his thunder: and till then who knew
The force of his dire arms? yet not for thofe,
Nor what the potent victor in his rage
Can elfe inflict, do I répent or change,
B
Though chang'd in outward luftre, that fix'd mind,
And high difdain from fenfe of injur'd merit,
That with the Mightieft rais'd me to contend,
And to the fierce contention brought along
Innumerable force of Spirits arm'd,
That durft diflike his reign, and me preferring,
His utmost pow'r with adverfe pow'r oppos'd
In dubious battle on the plains of Heaven,
And shook his throne. What though the field be lost?
All is not loft; th' unconquerable will,
And study of revenge, immortal hate,
And courage never to fubmit or yield,
And what is elfe not to be overcome;
That glory never thall his wrath or might
Extort from me. To bow and fue for grace
With fuppliant knee, and deify his power,
Who from the terror of this arm so late
Doubted his empire; that were low indeed,
That were an ignominy, and shame beneath
This downfall; fince by fate the ftrength of Gods
And this empyreal fubftance cannot fail,
Since through experience of this great event
In arms not worse, in forefight much advanc'd,
We may with more fuccefsful hope refolve
To wage by force or guile eternal war,
Irreconcileable to our grand foe,
Who now triumphs, and in the excess of joy
Sole reigning holds the tyranny of Heaven.
So fpake th' apoftate Angel, though in pain, 125 Vaunting aloud, but rack'd with deep defpair: And him thus anfwer'd foon his bold compeer. O Prince, O chief of many throned Powers, That led th' imbattel'd Seraphim to war Under thy conduct, and in dreadful deeds Fearless, indanger'd Heav'n's perpetual king,
And put to proof his high fupremacy,
Whether upheld by strength, or chance, or fate; To well I fee and rue the dire event,
That with fad overthrow and foul defeat
Hath loft us Heav'n, and all this mighty host
In horrible destruction laid thus low,
As far as Gods and heav'nly effences
Can perish: for the mind and fpi'rit remains
Invincible, and vigor foon returns,
Though all our glory's extinct, and happy state
Here Iwallow'd up in endless misery.
But what if he our conqu'ror (whom I now
Of force believe almighty, fince no less
Than fuch could have o'er-power'd fuch force as ours)
Have left us this our spi'rit and strength entire,
Strongly to fuffer and fupport our pains,
That we may fo fuffice his vengeful ire,
Or do him mightier service as his thralls
By right of war, whate'er his business be,
Here in the heart of Hell to work in fire,
Or do his errands in the gloomy deep;
What cam it then avail, though yet we feel
Strength undiminish'd, or eternal being
To undergo eternal punishment ?
Whereto with speedy words th' Arch-Fiend reply'd.
Fall'n Cherub, to be weak is miserable
Doing or fuffering: but of this be fure,
To do ought good never will be our task,
But ever to do ill our fole delight,
As bei'ng the contrary to his high will
Whom we resist. If then his providence
Out of our evil feek to bring forth good,
Our labour must be to pervert that end,
And out of good still to find means of evil;
Which oft-times may fucceed, so as perhaps
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