SUPPLEMENT TO LA BELLE ASSEMBLEE, OR, Well's COURT AND FASHIONABLE MAGAZINE; FOR THE FIRST VOLUME OF THE NEW SERIES. The Seventh Pumber. CONTAINING PARADISE LOST, BY MILTON. EMBELLISHED WITH AN ELEGANT PORTRAIT OF MILTON. LONDON: PRINTED BY AND FOR JOHN BELL, PROPRIETOR OF THE WEEKLY MESSENGER, SOUTHAMPTON-STREET, STRAND, JULY 1, 1810. Engraven from an original Picture, for the 7th being the supplimental Number to the New Series of La Belle Assemblée. Published July 1.1810, by J. Bell, Southampton Street, Strand, London. A POEM IN TWELVE BOOKS. BY JOHN MILTON. BOOK I. THE ARGUMENT. This first Book proposes, first in brief, the whole subject, Man's disobedience, and the loss thereupon of Paradise wherein he was placed: then touches the prime cause of his fall, the Serpent, or rather Satan in the Serpent; whe revolting from God, and drawing to his side many legions of Angels, was by the command of God driven out of heaven with all his crew into the great deep. Which action passed over, the poem hastens into the midst of things, pissenting Satan with his Angels now falling into hell described here, not in the centre (for heaven and earth may be supposed as yet not made, certainly not yet accursed) but in a place of utter darkness, fitliest called Chaos. Here Satan with his Angels lying on the burning lake, thunder-struck and astonished, after a certain space recovers, as from confusion, calls up him who next in order and dignity lay by him; they confer of their miserable fall, Satan awakens all his legions, who lay till then confounded. They rise, their numbers, array of battle, their chief leaders named, according to the idols knowu afterwards in Canaan and the countries adjoining. To these Satan directshis speech, comforts them with the hope of regaining heaven, but tells them lastly of a new world and new kind of creature to be created, according to an ancient prophecy or report in heaven; for that Angels were long before this visible creation, was the opinion of many ancient Fathers. To find out the truth of this prophecy, and what to determine thereon, he refers to a fuli council. What his associates thence attempt. Pandemonium the palace of Satan rises, suddenly built out of the deep. The infernal peers there sit in council. Or Man's first disobedience, and the fruit [Seed, the first Invoke thy aid to my advent'rous song, [view, Say first, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy The mother of mankind, what time his pride night To mortal men, he with his horrid crew Both of lost happiness and lasting pain [eyes, No light, but rather darkness visible, B |