Yet by experience taught we know how good, 826 And of our good and of our dignity

How provident he is, how far from thought

To make us less, bent rather to exalt

Our happy state under one head more near

830

United. But to grant it thee unjust,

That equal over equals monarch reign:

Thyself though great and glorious doft thou count, Or all angelic nature join'd in one,

Equal to him begotten Son? by whom

835

As by his Word the mighty Father made

All things, ev❜n thee; and all the Spirits of Heaven
By him created in their bright degrees,

Crown'd them with glory', and to their glory nam'd
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers,
Effential Pow'rs; nor by his reign obfcur'd,
But more illustrious made; fince he the head

16, 17. For by him were all things created that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth, vifible and invifible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him and for him, and be is before all things, and by him all things confift: and the conclufion of this fpeech is taken from the conclufion of Pfal. II.

841

One

840. Thrones, Dominations, Prince

doms, Virtues, Powers,] This verfe, which occurs fo often in this poem, is tranflated, as Mr. Lauder obferves, from the frontispiece of Heywood's Hierarchy of Angels,

Throni, Dominationes, Principatus, Virtutes, Poteftates.

The

One of our number thus reduc'd becomes;

His laws our laws; all honor to him done Returns our own. Cease then this impious rage, 845 And tempt not these; but haften to appease Th'incensed Father, and th' incensed Son, While pardon may be found in time befought. So fpake the fervent Angel; but his zeal None feconded, as out of feafon judg'd, Or fingular and rash, whereat rejoic'd

850

Th' Apoftate, and more haughty thus reply'd.
That we were form'd then say'st thou? and the work
Of fecondary hands, by task transferr'd

From Father to his Son? ftrange point and new! 855
Doctrin which we would know whence learn'd:whofaw

They are both taken from St. Paul, as we have just now quoted him.

861. when fatal courfe &c.] We may observe that our author makes Šatan a fort of fatalift. We Angels (fays he) were felf-begot, felf-rais'd by our own quick'ning pow'r, when the courfe of fate had completed its full round and period; then we were the birth mature, the production in due feafon, of this our native Heaven. No compliment to fatalism to put it into the mouth of the Devil.

864. Our puissance is our own;] It has been wonder'd that Milton

When

fhould conftantly pronounce this -word and puissant the adjective with two fyllables, when they would be more fonorous with three. But in this he conforms to the practice and example of the best writers. So Fairfax in his Taffo, Cant. 18. St. 55.

And 'gainst the northern gate my puiffance bend.

and Cant. 19. St. 72.

Of this your terrible and puissamt knight,

Tho' Spenfer. I find makes them sometimes

When this creation was? remember'ft thou

Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being?

We know no time when we were not as now;
Know none before us, felf-begot, felf-rais'd 860
By our own quick'ning pow'r, when fatal course
Had circled his full orb, the birth mature
Of this our native Heav'n, ethereal fons.
Our puiffance is our own; our own right hand
Shall teach us highest deeds, by proof to try
Who is our equal: then thou shalt behold
Whether by fupplication we intend
Address, and to begirt th'almighty throne
Beseeching or befieging. This report,
These tidings carry to th' anointed King;

fometimes three, as well as fometimes two fyllables. As ShakeSpear does likewise, 2 Hen. IV. A& I.

865

870 And

864. our own right hand

Shall teach us bigbeft deeds,] From Pfal. XLV. 4. Thine own right hand fball teach thee terrible things.

Upon the pow'r and puissance of Dextra mihi Deus, et telum quod miffile libro. Virg. Æn. X. 773Bentley.

the king,

and a little afterwards,

And come againft us in full puif-
Jance.

In the former line puissance is ufed
as two fyllables, and in the latter
as three. It was certainly better
in Milton to make it all the one or
all the other.

869. Befeeching or befieging.] Thofe which are thought the faults of Milton may be juftify'd by the authority of the beft writers. This fort of jingle is like that in Terence, Andria, A&t I. Sc. III. 13.

inceptio eft amentium, haud

amantium ;

and

And fly, ere evil intercept thy flight.

875

He faid, and as the found of waters deep
Hoarse murmur echo'd to his words applause
Through the infinite hoft; nor lefs for that
The flaming Seraph fearless, though alone
Incompafs'd round with foes, thus anfwer'd bold.
O alienate from God, O Spi'rit accurs'd,
Forfaken of all good; I fee thy fall
Determin'd, and thy hapless crew involv'd
In this perfidious fraud, contagion fpread

Both of thy crime and punishment: henceforth
No more be troubled how to quit the yoke
Of God's Meffiah; thofe indulgent laws
Will not be now vouchfaf'd; other decrees
Against thee are gone forth without recall;

880

885

That

and that in Shakespear, Hamlet, tranflation, Thou shalt braise them

A& I..

A little more than kin, and lefs than kind.

872. and as the found of waters deep] The voice of a great multitude applauding is in like manner compared, Rev. XIX. 6. to the voice of many waters.

887. Is now an iron rod to bruife and break] Alluding to Pfal. II. 9. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron or rather to the old

with a rod of iron, and break them in pieces like a potters weffel.

890. Thefe wicked tents devated,

left the wrath &c.] In allufion probably to the rebellion of Korah &c. Numb. XVI. where Mofes exhorts the congregation, faying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of thefe wicked men, left ge be confumed in all their fins, ver. 26. But the conftruction without doubt is deficient. It may be supply'd

That golden fcepter, which thou didst reject,
Is now an iron rod to bruife and break
Thy disobedience. Well thou didft advise,
Yet not for thy advice or threats I fly
These wicked tents devoted, left the wrath
Impendent, raging into fudden flame.
Distinguish not: for foon expect to feel
His thunder on thy head, devouring fire.

890

Then who created thee lamenting learn,

When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know. 895
So fpake the Seraph Abdiel faithful found
Among the faithlefs, faithful only he;
Among innumerable false, unmov'd,
Unfhaken, unfeduc'd, unterrify'd
His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal;

(as Dr. Pearce fays) by understanding but I fly before the word left. See the fame elliptical way of fpeaking in II.483. But it would be plainer and easier with Dr. Bentley's alteration, if there was any authority for it;

These wicked tents devote, but left the wrath &c.

896. So fpake the Seraph Abdiel faithful found &c.] The part of Abdiel, who was the only Spirit that in this infinite hoft of

900

Nor