Escaped the Stygian pool, though long detain'd
In that obscure sojourn, while in my flight 15
Through utter and through middle darkness borne
With other notes than to th’Orphéan lyre
I sung of Chaos and eternal Night,
Taught by the heav'nly Muse to venture down
The dark descent, and up to re-ascend,

20
Though hard and rare : thee I revisit safe,
And feel thy sov'reign vital lamp: but thou
Revisit'st not these eyes, that roll in vain
To find thy piercing ray, and find no dawn;
So thick a drop serene hath quench'd their orbs, 25
Or dim suffusion veil'd. Yet not the more
Cease I to wander where the Muses haunt
Clear spring, or shady grove, or sunny hill,
Smit with the love of sacred song; but chief
Thee, Sion, and the flow'ry brooks beneath,

3C That wash thy hallow'd feet, and warbling flow, Nightly I visit: nor sometimes forget Those other two equall'd with me in fate, So were I equall'd with them in renown, Blind Thamyris and blind Mæonides,

35 And Tiresias and Phineus prophets old : Then feed on thoughts, that voluntary move Harmonious numbers ; as the wakeful bird Sings darkling, and in shadiest covert hid Tunes her nocturnal note. Thus with the year 40 Seasons return, but not to me returns Day, or the sweet approach of ev'n or morn, Or sight of vernal bloom, or summer's rose, Or flocks, or herds, or human face divine; But cloud instead, and ever-during dark

45 Surrounds me, from the cheerful ways of men Cut off, and for the Book of knowledge fair Presented with an universal blank Of Nature's works, to me expunged and rased,

17. Orpheus composed a hymn to night. 30. The brooks here mentioned were Kedron and Siloah. 35. Thamyris, a poet mentioned in Honer, II. ii. 593. Mæo. nides, Hon er, so named from his father Mæon. Tiresias was a Theban, and Phineus a king of Arcadia, both blind poets.

37. The melody of the verse is here particularly observable. 49. Rased, from the Latin radere, to rub out, in allusion to the manner in which the ancients, who wrote on waxen tablets, ob Viterated writing.

And Wisdom at one entrance quite shut out. 50
So much the rather thou, celestial Light,
Shine inward, and the mind through all her pow'rs
Irradiate, there plant eyes; all mist from thence
Purge and disperse, that I may see and tell
Of things invisible to mortal sight.

55
Now had th' Almighty Father from above,
From the pure empyréan where he sits
High throned above all highth, bent down his eye,
His own works and their works at once to view :
About him all the sanctities of Heav'n

60
Stood thick as stars, and from his sight received
Beatitude past utterance; on his right
The radiant image of his glory sat,
His only Son : on earth he first beheld
Our two first parents, yet the only two

65
Of mankind, in the happy garden placed,
Reaping immortal fruits of joy and love,
Uninterrupted joy, unrivall’d love,
In blissful solitude. He then survey'd
Hell and the gulf between, and Satan there 70
Coasting the wall of Heav'n on this side Night,
In the dun air sublime, and ready now
To stoop with wearied wings and willing feet
On the bare outside of this world, that seem'd
Firm land embosom’d, without firmament,

75
Uncertain which, in ocean or in air.
Him God beholding from his prospect high,
Wherein past, present, future, he beholds,
Thus to his only Son foreseeing spake :

Only begotten Son, seest thou what rage
Transports our Adversary ? whom no bounds
Prescribed, no bars of Hell, nor all the chains
Heap'd on him there, nor yet the main abyss
Wide interrupt can hold ; so bent he seems

On desperate revenge, that shall redound

85 Upon his own rebellious head. And now, Through all restraint broke loose, he wings his way Not far off Heav'n, in the precincts of light, Directly tow'rds the new-created world, And man there placed, with purpose to assay

90 If him by force he can destroy, or worse, By some false guile pervert; and shall pervert, For Ma will bearken to his glozing lies, And easily transgress the sole command, Sole pledge of his obedience : So will fall, 95 He and his faithless progeny. Whose fault? Whose but his own ? Ingrate, he had of me All he could have; I made him just and right, Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall. Such I created all th'ethereal Pow'rs

100 And Spirits, both them who stood and them who fail'd; Freely they stood, who stood. --and fell, who fell. Not free, what proof could they have giy'n sincere Of true allegiance, constant faith, or love, Where only what they needs must do appear’d, 105 Not what they would ? what praise could they receive? What pleasure I from such obedience paid, When will and reason (reason also is choice) Useless and vain, of freedom both despoil'd, Made passive both, had served necessity,

110 Not me? They therefore as to right belong'd, So were created, nor can justly accuse Their Maker, or their making, or their fate, As if predestination over-ruled Their will, disposed by absolute decree

115 Or high foreknowledge; they themselves decreed Their own revolt, not I. If I foreknew, Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault, Which had no less proved certain unforeknown. So without least impulse or shadow of fate, 120 Or aught by me immutably foreseen, They trespass, authors to themselves in all Both what they judge and what they choose ; for so I form'd them free, and free they must remain, Till they enthrall themselves; I else must change

117. If is here used in the sense of though.

Their nature, and revoke the high decree 120
Unchangeable, eternal, which ordain'd
Their freedom, they themselves ordain'd their fall.
The first sort by their own suggestion fell,
Self-tempted, self-depraved : Man falls, deceived 130
By th' other first: Man therefore shall find grace,
The other none: in mercy' and justice both,
Through Heav'n and Earth, so shall my glory' excel.
But mercy first and last shall brightest shine.

Thus while God spake, ambrosial fragrance fill's
All Heav'n, and in the blessed Spirits elect 136
Sense of new joy ineffable diffused.
Beyond compare the Son of God was seen
Most glorious; in him all his Father shone
Substantially express'd ; and in his face

140 Divine compassion visibly appear’d, Love without end, and without measure grace; Which utt'ring, thus he to his father spake :

O Father, gracious was that word which closed Thy sov'reign sentence, that Man should find grace ; For which both Heav'n and Earth shall high extol 146 Thy praises, with th' innumerable sound Of hymns and sacred songs, wherewith thy throne Encompass'd shall resound thee ever blest. For should Man finally be lost, should Man, 150 Thy creature late so loved, thy youngest son, Fall circumvented thus by fraud, though join'd With his own folly? that be from thee far, That far be from thee, Father, who art Judge Of all things made, and judgest only right.

155 Or shall the Adversary thus obtain His end, and frustrate thine ? Shall he fulfil His malice, and thy goodness bring to nought, Or proud return, though to his heavier doom, Yet with revenge accomplish'd, and to Hell 100 Draw after him the whole race of mankind By him corrupted ? Or, wilt thou thyself Abolish thy creation, and unmake, For him, what for thy glory thou hast made?

so should thy goodness and thy greatness both 165 Be question'd and blasphemed without defence.

To whom the great Creator thus reply'd : O Son, in whom my soul hath chief delight, Son of my bosom, Son who art alone My word, my wisdom, and effectual might, 170 All hast thou spoken as my thoughts are ; all As my eternal purpose hath decreed. Man shall not quite be lost, but saved who will, Yet not of will in him, but grace in me Freely vouchsafed. Once more I will renew 175 His lapsed pow'rs, though forfeit and enthrall’d By sin to foul exorbitant desires : Upheld by me, yet once more he shall stand On even ground against his mortal foe, By me upheld, that he may know how frail 180 His fall'n condition is, and to me owe All his deliv'rance, and to none but me Some I have chosen of peculiar grace Elect above the rest; so is my will: The rest shall hear me call, and oft be warn'd 185 Their sinful state, and to appease betimes Th’incensed Deity, while offer'd grace Invites; for I will clear their senses dark, What may suffice, and soften stony hearts To pray, repent, and bring obedience due. 190 To pray'r, repentance, and obedience due, Though but endeavour'd with sincere intent, Mine ear shall not be slow, mine eye not shut. And I will place within them as a guide My umpire Conscience; whom if they will hear, 195 Light after light well used they shall attain, And, to the end persisting, safe arrive. This my long suff'rance and my day of grace They who neglect and scorn, shall never taste; But hard be harden'd, blind be blinded more, 200 That they may stumble on, and deeper fall : And none but such from mercy I exclude. But yet all is not done: Man disobeying, Disloyal breaks his fealty, and sins Against the High Supremacy of Heav'n,

95 168. The reader will find Jesus Christ addressed by theme titles in different parts of Scripture.

E