THE ARGUMENT.

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 Man, 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 prospect and fituation is defcribed, overleaps the bounds, fits in the shape of a cormorant on the tree of life, as higheft in the garden, to look about him. The garden defcrib'd; 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 difcourfe, 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 tranfgrefs: then leaves them a while, to know further of their state by fome other means. Mean while Uriel defcending on a funbeam warns Gabriel, who had in charge the gate of Paradife, that fome evil Spirit had efcap'd the deep, and pafs'd at noon by his sphere in the shape of a good Angel down to Paradife, difcovered after by his furious gestures in the mount. Gabriel promises to find him ere morning. Night coming on, Adam and Eve difcourfe of going to their reit: their bower defcrib'd; 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, left 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 unwilling, to Gabriel; by whom queftion'd, he fcornfully anfwers, prepares refiftance, but hin der'd by a fign from Heaven, flies out of Paradise.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK IV.

For that warning voice, which he who saw
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 ere th' accufer of mankind,
To wreck on innocent frail man his lofs
Of that first battel, and his flight to Hell;
Yet not rejoicing in his speed, though bold
Far off and fearless, nor with caufe to boast,
Begins his dire attempt, which nigh the birth
Now rolling boils in his tumultuous breast,
And like a devilish engin back recoils
Upon himself; horror and doubt distract
His troubled thoughts, and from the bottom ftir
The Hell within him; for within him Hell
He brings, and round about him, nor from Hell
One ftep no more than from himself can fly

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By change of place: now conscience wakes despair
That flumber'd, wakes the bitter memory
Of what he was, what is, and what must be
Worfe; of worse deeds worse fufferings muft enfue.
Sometimes tow'ards Eden, which now in his view
Lay pleasant, his griev'd look he fixes fad;
Sometimes tow'ards Heav'n and the full-blazing fun,
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 ftate I fell, how glorious once above thy sphere; Till pride and worse ambition threw me down Warring in Heav'n against Heav'n's matchlefs king: Ah wherefore! he deferv'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 less than to afford him praise, The eafieft recompenfe, and pay him thanks, How due! yet all his good prov'd ill in me, And wrought but malice; lifted up fo high I fdeind fubjection, and thought one step higher Would fet me hig’heft, and in a moment quit The debt immense of endless gratitude,

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So

So burdenfome ftill 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 difcharg'd; what burden then?
O had his pow'rful destiny ordain'd

Me fome inferior Angel, I had flood

Then happy; no unbounded hope had rais'd
Ambition. Yet why not? fome other Power
As great might have afpir'd, and me though mean
Drawn to his part; but other Pow'rs as great
Fell not, but ftand unfhaken, from within
Or from without, to all temptations arm'd,

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Hadft thou the fame free will and pow'r to stand?

Thou hadft: whom haft thou then or what t' accuse,

But Heav'n's free love dealt equally to all?

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

To me alike, it deals eternal woe.

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Nay curs'd be thou; fince against his thy will

Chose freely what it now fo juftly rues.

Me miserable! which way fhall I fly
Infinite wrath, and infinite despair?
Which way I fly is Hell; myself am Hell;
And in the lowest 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
Disdain forbids me, and my dread of shame

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Among

Among the Spi'rits beneath, whom I feduc'd
With other promises and other vaunts
Than to fubmit, boafting I could fubdue
Th' Omnipotent. Ay 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.
With diadem and scepter high advanc'd,
The lower ftill I fall, only fupreme
In mifery; fuch joy ambition finds.

But fay I could repent, and could obtain

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By act of grace my former state; how foon
Would highth recall high thoughts, how foon unfay
What feign'd fubmiffion swore? eafe 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 worse relapse
And heavier fall: fo fhould I purchase dear
Short intermiffion bought with double smart.
This knows my punisher; therefore as far
From granting he, as I from begging peace:
All hope excluded thus, behold in stead
Of us out-caft, 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 Heav'n's king I hold,
By thee, and more than half perhaps will reign;

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As