65 70 "Ambition. Yet, why not? some other power "As great might have aspir'd, and me, though mean, "Or from without, to all temptations arm'd. "Hadst thou the same free will and power to stand? "Be then his love accurs'd! since, love or hate 66 Nay, curs'd be thou! since, against his, thy will 75 "Which way I fly is hell; myself am hell; 66 "Still threatening to devour me, opens wide, "To which the hell I suffer seems a heaven. “O, then, at last relent! Is there no place 80"Left for repentance? none for pardon left?— "None left, but by submission! and that word "Disdain forbids me, and my dread of shame "Among the spirits beneath, whom I seduc'd "With other promises, and other vaunts 85 "Than to submit, boasting I could subdue "The Omnipotent! Ah me! they little know "How dearly I abide that boast so vain; "Under what torments inwardly I groan, "While they adore me on the throne of hell; 90" With diadem and sceptre high advanc'd, "The lower still I fall, only supreme "In misery: such joy ambition finds. "But say I could repent, and could obtain, "By act of grace, my former state; how soon 95" Would height recall high thoughts, how soon unsay "What feign'd submission swore: ease would recant "Vows made in pain, as violent and void; "For never can true reconcilement grow 100 105 "Where wounds of deadly hate have pierc'd so deep "Which would but lead me to a worse relapse, "And heavier fall: so should I purchase dear "Short intermission, bought with double smart. "This knows my punisher; therefore as far "From granting he, as I from begging peace. All hope excluded thus, behold, (instead "Of us, outcast, exil'd,) his new delight, "Mankind, created, and for him this world. "So farewell hope! and with hope, farewell fear! "Farewell remorse! all good to me is lost: 110"Evil, be thou my good! by thee, at least "Divided empire with heaven's King I hold— 66 By thee, and more than half perhaps, will reign; "As man ere long, and this new world, shall know." Thus while he spake, each passion dimm'd his face, 115 Thrice chang'd with pale ire, envy, and despair; Which marr'd his borrow'd visage, and betray'd Him counterfeit, if any eye beheld; For heavenly minds from such distempers foul That practis'd falsehood under saintly show, 125 Uriel once warn'd; whose eye pursued him down Spirit of happy sort: his gestures fierce He mark'd, and mad demeanour, then alone, 130 As he suppos'd, all unobserv'd, unseen. So, on he fares; and to the border comes Now nearer, crowns with her enclosure green, As with a rural mound, the champaign head 135 Of a steep wilderness, whose hairy sides With thicket overgrown, grotesque and wild, Access denied; and over-head up-grew Cedar, and pine, and fir, and branching palm140 A sylvan scene; and, as the ranks ascend Shade above shade-a woody theatre Of stateliest view. Yet higher than their tops The verdurous wall of Paradise up-sprung; Which to our general Sire gave prospect large 145 Into his nether empire neighbouring round: And higher than that wall a circling row Of goodliest trees, loaden with fairest fruit; Blossoms and fruits at once, of golden hue, Appear'd, with gay enamell'd colours mix'd; 150 On which the sun more glad impress'd his beams Than in fair evening cloud, or humid bow, When God hath shower'd the earth; so lovely seem'd That landscape; and of pure, now purer air Meets his approach, and to the heart inspires 155 Vernal delight and joy, able to drive All sadness but despair: now gentle gales, Of Araby the Blest; with such delay Well pleas'd they slack their course, and, many a league, 165 Cheer'd with the grateful smell old Ocean smiles : So entertain'd those odorous sweets the fiend, Who came their bane: though with them better pleas'd That drove him, though enamour'd, from the spouse 170 Of Tobit's son, and with a vengeance sent From Media post to Egypt, there fast bound. 175 As one continued brake, the undergrowth Of shrubs, and tangling bushes, had perplex'd On th' other side: which when the arch-felon saw, 180 Due entrance he disdain'd; and, in contempt, At one slight bound high over-leap'd all bound Lights on his feet. As when a prowling wolf, Whom hunger drives to seek new haunt for prey, 185 Watching where shepherds pen their flocks at eve, In hurdled cotes amid the field secure, Leaps o'er the fence with ease into the fold: Of some rich burgher, whose substantial doors, To them who liv'd; nor on the virtue thought 200 For prospect what, well us'd, had been the pledge Of immortality. So little knows 205 Any, but God alone, to value right The good before him, but perverts best things To worst abuse, or to their meanest use. Beneath him, with new wonder, now he views, In narrow room, nature's whole wealth; yea more, Of God the garden was, by him in th' east Or where the sons of Eden long before Our death, the tree of knowledge, grew fast by- Down the steep glade, and met the nether flood, Runs diverse, wandering many a famous realm Flowers worthy of Paradise, which not nice art In beds and curious knots, but nature boon Pour'd forth profuse on hill, and dale, and plain, Both where the morning sun first warmly smote 245 The open field, and where the unpierc'd shade Imbrown'd the noontide bowers. Thus was this place A happy rural seat of various view; Groves whose rich trees wept odorous gums and balm : 250 Hung amiable, (Hesperian fables true, |