No where fo clear, sharpen'd his vifual ray
To objects diftant far, whereby he foon
Saw within ken a glorious Angel stand,
The fame whom John faw allo in the fun:
His back was turn'd, but not his brightnefs hid;
Of beaming funny rays a golden tiar
Circled his head, nor lefs his locks behind
Illuftrious on his fhoulders fledg'd with wings
Lay waving round; on fome great charge employ'd
He feem'd, of fix'd in cogitation deep.
Glad was th' 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 fhape,
Which else might work him danger or delay: 635
And now a ftripling Cherub he appears,
Not of the prime, yet fuch as in his face
Youth fmil'd celeftial, 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 fprinkled with gold,
His habit fit for fpeed fuccinct, and held
Before his decent fteps a filver wand..
He drew not nigh unheard; the Angel bright, 645.
Ere he drew nigh, his radiant vifage turn'd,
Admonish'd by his ear, and ftrait was known.
Th' Arch-Angel Uriel, one of the feven
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,
G
Uriel, for thou of those fev'n Spi'rits that stand
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;
Unfpeakable defire to fee, 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 thefe fhining orbs hath Man
His fixed feat, or fixed seat hath none,
But all these fhining orbs his choice to dwell;
That I may find him, and with secret gaze
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 justly 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
So fpake the falfe diffembler unperceiv'd;
For neither Man nor Angel can discern
Hypocrify, the only' evil that walks
Invifible, except to God alone,
By his permiffive will, through Heav'n and Earth:
And oft though wifdom wake, fufpicion fleeps
At wisdom's gate, and to fimplicity
Refigns her charge, while goodness thinks no ill
Uriel, though regent of the fun, and held
Where no ill feems: Which now for once beguil'd
The sharpeft fighted Spi'rit 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 feems excefs, that lead thee hither
From thy empyreal manfion thus alone,
To witness with thine eyes what fome perhaps 700
Contented with report hear only' in Heaven:
For wonderful indeed are all his works,
Pleasant to know, and worthieft to be all
Had in remembrance always with delight;
But what created mind can comprehend
Their number, or the wifdom infinite
That brought them forth, but hid their caufes deep;
I faw when at his word the formless mafs,
This world's material mold, came to a heap:
Confufion heard his voice, and wild uproar
Stood rul'd, ftood vaft infinitude confin'd;
Till at his fecond bidding darkness fled,
Light fhone, and order from diforder sprung;
Swift to their several quarters hasted then
The cumbrous elements, earth, flood, air, fire; 715
And this ethereal quinteffence of Heaven
Flew upward, fpirited with various forms,
That roll'd orbicular, and turn'd to stars
Numberless as thou seeft, and how they move;
Each had his place appointed, each his courfe; 720
The reft in circuit walls this univerfe.
Look downward on that globe, whofe hither fide
With light from hence, though but reflected, fhines;
That place in earth the feat of Man, that light
His day, which elfe as th' other hemisphere 725
Night would invade; but there the neighb'ring moon
(So call that opposite fair star) her aid
Timely' interpofes, and her monthly round
Still ending, ftill renewing, through mid Heaven,
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 Paradife,
Adam's abode, those lofty shades his bower.
Thy way thou canst not mifs, me mine requires. 735
Thus faid, he turn'd, and Satan bowing low,
As to fuperior Spi'rits is wont in Heaven,
Where honor due and reverence none neglects,
Took leave, and tow'rd the coaft of earth beneath,
Down from th' ecliptic, fped with hop'd fuccefs, 740
Throws his steep flight in many an aery wheel,
Nor stay'd till on Niphates top he lights.
The End of the Third Book.
THE ARGUMEN T.
Satan now in profpect of Eden, and nigh the place where he must now attempt the bold enterprife which he undertook alone against God and Man, falls into many doubts with bimfelf, and many paffions, fear, envy, aud defpair; but at length confirms bimfelf in evil, journeys on to Paradife whole outward profpect 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 bim. The garden defcrib'd; Satan's firft fight of Adam and Eve; bis wonder at their excellent form and happy ftate, but with refolution to work their fall; overbears their difcourfe, thence gathers that the tree of knowledge was forbidden them to eat of, under penalty of death; and thereon intends to found bis temptation by feducing them to tranfgrefs: then leaves them a while, to know further of their fate by Jome other means. Mean while. Uriel defcending on a funbeam warns Gabriel, wha bad in charge the gate of Paradife, that fome evil Spirit had efcap'd the deep, and pafs'd at noon by his fphere in the shape of a good Angel down to Paradife, difcovered after by his furious geftures in the mount. Gabriel promises to find him ere morning. Night coming on, Adam and Eve difcourfe of going to their reft: their bower defcrib'd;
|