ARGUMENT of Book IV.

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 mañ, 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 profpect and fituation is defcribed, overleaps the bounds, fits in the shape of a cormorant on the tree of life, as highest in the garden, to look about him. The garden defcribed; Satan's firft fight of Adam and Eve; his wonder at their excellent form and happy ftate; but with refolution to work their fall; overhears their difcourse, 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 transgress ; then leaves them a while, to know further of their State by fome other means. Mean while 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 paffed at noon by his fphere in the fhape of a good angel down to Paradise, bis furious geftares on the mount.

discovered after by Gabriel promises to

find him ere morning. Night coming on, Adam and Eve difcourfe of going to their reft their bower deferibed; their evening worship. Gabriel drawing forth his bands of night-watch to walk the round of Paradife, appoints two ftrong angels to Adam's bower, leß the evil spirit fhould be there doing fome harm to Adam or Eve fleeping; there they find him at the ear of Eve, tempting her in a dream, and bring him, though unavilling, to Gabriel: by whom questioned, he fcornfully answers; prepares refiftance, but hinder'd by a fign from heaven, flies out of Paradife.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK IV.

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,
Woe to th' inhabitants on earth! that now,
While time was, our first parents had been warn'd
The coming of their fecret foe, and scap'd,

Haply fo fcap'd his mortal fnare: for now
Satan, now first inflam'd with rage, came down,
The Tempter e'er th' Accufer of mankind,
To wreak on innocent rail man his lofs
Of that firft battle, and his flight to hell:
Yet not rejoicing in his speed, tho' bold,
Far off, and fearless, nor with cause to boast,
Begins his dire attempt; which nigh the birth
Now rolling boils in his tumultuous breast,
And like a devilish engine back recoils
Upon himself; horrour 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 step, no more than from himself, can fly
By change of place: now confcience wakes despair,
That flumber'd; wakes the bitter memory
Of what he was, what is, and what must be

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Worfe; of worfe deeds worfe fufferings must enfue.
Sometimes tow'ards Eden, which now in his view
Lay pleafant, his griev'd look he fixes fad;
Sometimes tow'ards heav'n, and the full-blazing Sun,
Which now fat high in his meridian tower:
Then much revolving, thus in fighs began.

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O thou that, with furpaffing glory crown'd, Look'ft from thy fole dominion like the God Of this new world; at whofe fight all the stars 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 1 fell, how glorious once above thy sphere; Till pride, and worse ambition, threw me down, 40 Warring in heav'n against heav'n's matchlefs King. Ah, wherefore! he deserv'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 fervice hard. What could be lefs, than to afford him praise, The eafieft recompence, and pay him thanks, How due! yet all his good prov'd ill in me, And wrought but malice; lifted up fo high

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I 'fdeind fubjection, and thought one step higher 50
Would fet me high'eft, and in a moment quit
The debt immenfe of endless gratitude,
So burdenfome still paying, ftill to owe,
Forgetful what from him I ftill 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 inferiour angel, I had flood

Then happy; no unbounded hope had rais'd
Ambition. Yet why not? fome other power

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As great might have aspir'd, and me though mean
Drawn to his part; but other powers as great
Fell not, but ftand unshaken, from within
Or from without, to all temptations arm'd.
HadЛt thou the fame free will and pow'r to stand?

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Thou hadft. Whom hast thou then, or what, to' acBut Heaven's free love, dealt equally to all?

Be then his love accurs'd, fince love or hate,

To me alike, it deals eternal woe.

[cufe,

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Nay curs'd be thou; fince against his thy will
Chofe freely what it now so justly rues.
Me miferable! which way fhall 1 fly
Infinite wrath, and infinite defpair?
Which way I fly is hell; myfelf am hell;
And, in the loweft deep, a lower deep
Still threatning 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 fubmiffion; and that word
Difdain forbids
me, and my

dread of fhame

Among the fpi'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 boaft fo 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 ftill I fall, only fupreme
In mifery fuch joy ambition finds.

But fay I could repent, and could obtain,

By act of grace, my former ftate; how foon

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Would height recall high thoughts, how foon unfay

What feign'd fubmiffion fwore? 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 worfe relapfe,
And heavier fall: fo fhould I purchase dear
Short intermiffion bought with double fmart.
This knows my punisher: therefore as far
From granting he, as I from begging peace :
All hope excluded thus, behold in stead
Of us outcast, exil'd; his new delight,
Mankind created, and for him this world.
So farewel hope, and with hope farewel fear,
Farewel remorfe: all good to me is loft;
Evil be thou my good; by thee at least
Divided empire with heaven's King I hold,
By thee, and more than half perhaps will reign;
As man ere long, and this new world, fhall know.

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Thus while he fpake, each paffion dimm'd his face Thrice chang'd with pale ire, envy, and despair; 115 Which marr'd his borrow'd vifage, and betray'd Him counterfeit, if any eye beheld.

For heav'nly minds from fuch diftempers foul
Are ever clear. Whereof he foon aware,

Each perturbation smooth'd with outward calm, 120
Artificer of fraud; and was the first

That practis'd falfehood under faintly fhow,
Deep malice to conceal, couch'd with revenge.

Yet not enough had practis'd to deceive

Uriel once warn'd; whofe eye purfu'd him down 125
The way he went, and on th' Affyrian mount
Saw him disfigur'd, more than could befall
Spirit of happy fort: his geftures fierce
He mark'd, and mad demeanour, then alone,
As he fuppos'd, all unobferv'd, unfeen.
So on he fares, and to the border comes
Of Eden, where delicious Paradife,

Now.nearer, crowns, with her inclosure green;

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