To whom our general ancestor replied.

86

Daughter of God and Man, accomplish'd Eve, These have their course to finish round the Earth,

By morrow evening, and from land to land In order, though to nations yet unborn, Ministring light prepar'd, they set and rise; Lest total Darkness should by night regain Her old possession, and extinguish life, In Nature, and all things; which these soft fires Not only enlighten, but with kindly heat Of various influence foment and warm, Temper or nourish, or in part shed down Their stellar virtue on all kinds that grow On Earth, made hereby apter to receive Perfection from the Sun's more potent ray. These then, though unbeheld in deep of night, Shine not in vain; nor think, though men were [praise : That Heaven would want spectators, God want Millions of spiritual creatures walk the Earth Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep : All these with ceaseless praise his works behold

none,

Both day and night: how often from the steep
Of echoing hill or thicket have we heard
Celestial voices to the midnight air,
Sole, or responsive each to other's note,
Singing their great Creator? oft in bands
While they keep watch, or nightly rounding
walk,

With heavenly touch of instrumental sounds
In full harmonic number join'd, their songs
Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to Hea-
ven.' ""

Thus talking hand in hand alone they pass'd On to their blissful bower: it was a place Chos'n by the sovran Planter, when he fram'd All things to Man's delightful use; the roof Of thickest covert was inwoven shade Laurel and myrtle, and what higher grew Of firm and fragrant leaf; on either side Acanthus, and each odorous bushy shrub, Fenc'd up the verdant wall; each beauteous flower,

+

Iris all hues, roses, and jessamin, Rear'd high their flourish'd heads between, and Mosaic; underfoot the violet, [wrought Crocus, and hyacinth, with rich inlay Broider'd the ground, more colour'd than with stone

Of costliest emblem: other creature here, Bird, beast, insect, or worm, dust enter none,

Such was their awe of Man. In shadier bower
More sacred and sequester'd, though but feign'd,
Pan or Sylvanus never slept, nor nymph
Nor Faunus haunted. Here, in close recess,
With flowers, garlands, and sweet-smelling
herbs,

And heavenly quires the hymenean sung,
Espoused Eve deck'd first her nuptial bed;
What day the genial angel to our sire
Brought her, in naked beauty more adorn'd,
More lovely, than Pandora, whom the gods
Endow'd with all their gifts, and O too like
In sad event, when to the unwiser son
Of Japhet brought by Hermes, she ensnar'd
Mankind with her fair looks, to be aveng'd
On him who had stole Jove's authentic fire.

Thus, at their shady lodge arriv'd, both stood, The God that made both sky, air, Farth, and Both turn'd, and under open sky ador'd Heaven,

Which they beheld, the Moon's resplendent globe,
And starry pole: "Thou also mad'st the night,
Maker Omnipotent, and thou the day,
Which we, in our appointed work employ'd,
Have finish'd, happy in our mutual help
And mutual love, the crown of all our bliss
Ordain'd by thee; and this delicious place
For us too large, where thy abundance wants
Partakers, and uncropt falls to the ground.
But thou hast promis'd from us two a race
To fill the Earth, who shall with us extol
Thy goodness infinite, both when we wake,
And when we seek, as now, thy gift of sleep."
Observing none, but adoration pure
This said unanimous, and other rites
Which God likes best, into their inmost bower
Handed they went; and, eas'd the putting off
These troublesome disguises which we wear,
Straight side by side were laid; nor turn'd, I

These, lull'd by nightingales, embracing slept, And on their naked limbs the flowery roof Shower'd roses, which the morn repair'd. Sleep Blest pair; and O yet happiest, if ye seek [on, No happier state, and know to know no inore. Now had Night measur'd with her shadowy

cone

Half way up hill this vast sublunar vault,
And from their ivory port the cherubim,
Forth issuing at the accustom'd hour, stood arm'd
To their night watches in warlike parade;
When Gabriel to his next in power thus spake.
"Uzziel,half these draw off, and coast the south
With strictest watch; these other wheel the
north;

Our circuit meets full west." As flame they part,
Half wheeling to the shield, half to the spear.
From these, two strong and subtle spirits he call'd
That near him stood, and gave them thus in
charge.

"Ithuriel and Zephon, with wing'd speed Search through this garden, leave unsearch'd no nook;

But chiefly where those two fair creatures lodge,
Now laid perhaps asleep, secure of harm.
This evening from the Sun's decline arriv'd,
Who tells of some infernal spirit seen
Hitherward bent (who could have thought?)
escap'd
The bars of Hell, on errand bad no doubt:
Such, where ye find, seize fast, and hither bring."
So saying, on he led his radiant files,
Dazzling the Moon; these to the bower direct
In search of whom they sought him there they
found

:

Squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve, Assaying by his devilish art to reach

The organs of her fancy, and with them forge
Illusions, as he list, phantasms and dreams;
Or if, inspiring venom, he might taint
The animal spirits, that from pure blood arise
Like gentle breaths from rivers pure, thence raise
At least distemper'd, discontented thoughts,
Vain hopes, vain aims, inordinate desires,
Blown up with high conceits engendering pride.
Him thus intent Ithuriel with his spear
Touch'd lightly; for no falsehood can endure
Touch of celestial temper, but returns
of force to its own likeness: up he starts
Discover'd and surpris'd. As when a spark
Lights on a heap of nitrous powder, laid
Fit for the tun some magazine to store
Against a rumour'd war, the smutty grain,
With sudden blaze diffus'd, inflames the air :
So started up in his own shape the fiend.
Back stept those two fair angels, half amaz'd
So sudden to behold the grisly king;
Yet thus, unmov'd with fear, accost him soon.

"Which of those rebel spirits adjudg'd to Hell Com'st thou, escap'd thy prison? and, transform'd, Why sat'st thou like an enemy in wait, Here watching at the head of these that sleep?" "Know ye not then," said Satan, fill'd with

Your message, like to end as much in vain." To whom thus Zephon, answering scorn with

scorn.

"Think not, revolted spirit, thy shape the same, Or undiminish'd brightness to be known, As when thou stood'st in Heaven upright and pure;

scorn,

"Know ye not me? ye knew me once no mate For you, there sitting where ye durst not soar: Not to know me argues yourselves unknown, The lowest of your throng; or, if ye know, Why ask ye, and superfluous begiu

That glory then, when thou no more wast good, Departed from thee; and thou resemblest now Thy sin and place of doom obscure and foul. But come, for thou, be sure, shall give account To him who sent us, whose charge is to keep This place inviolable, and these from harm.»

So spake the cherub; and his grave rebuke Severe in youthful beauty, added grace Invincible: abash'd the Devil stood, And felt how awful goodness is, and saw Virtue in her shape how lovely; saw, and pin'd His loss; but chiefly to find here observ❜d His lustre visibly impair'd; yet seem'd Undaunted. "If I must contend," said he, "Best with the best, the sender not the sent, Or all at once; more glory will be won, Or less be lost." "Thy fear," said Zephon bold, "Will save us trial what the least can do Single against thee wicked, and thence weak."

The fiend replied not, overcome with rage; But, like a proud steed rein'd, went haughty on, Champing his iron curb: to strive or fly He held it vain; awe from above had quell'd His heart, not else dismay'd. Now drew they nigh [guards The western point, where those half-rounding Just met, and closing stood in squadron join'd, Awaiting next command. To whom their chief, Gabriël, from the front thus call'd aloud.

"O friends! I hear the tread of nimble feet Hasting this way, and now by glimpse discern Ithuriel and Zephon through the shade; And with them comes a third of regal port, But faded splendour wan; who by his gait And fierce demeanour seems the prince of Hell, Not likely to part hence without contest; Stand firm, for in his look defiance lours."

He scarce had ended, when those two approach'd, [found, And brief related whom they brought, where How busied, in what form and posture couch'd.

To whom with stern regard thus Gabriel spake. "Why hast thou, Satan, broke the bounds prescrib'd

To thy transgressions, and disturb'd the charge Of others, who approve not to trangress By thy example, but have power and right To question thy bold entrance on this place; Employ'd, it seems, to violate sleep, and those Whose dwelling God hath planted here in bliss?" To whom thus Sata with contemptuous [wise, "Gabriel! thou hadst in Heaven the esteem of And such I held thee; but this question ask'd Puts me in doubt. Lives there who loves his pain? [Hell, Who would not, finding way, break loose from Though thither doom'd? Thou wouldst thyself, no doubt,

brow.

And boldly venture to whatever place Farthest from pain, where thou mightst hope to change

stern.

"Not that I less endure or shrink from pain,
Insulting angel! well thou know'st I stood
Thy fiercest, when in battle to thy aid
The blasting vollied thunder made all speed,
And seconded thy else not dreaded spear.
But still thy words at random, as before,
Argue thy inexperience what behoves
From hard assays and ill successes past
A faithful leader, not to hazard all
Through ways of danger by himself untried:
1, therefore, I alone first undertook
To wing the desolate abyss, and spy
This new created world, whereof in Hell
Fame is not silent, here in hope to find
Better abode, and my afflicted powers
To settle here on Earth, or in mid air;
Though for possession put to try once inore
What thou and thy gay legions dare against;
Whose easier business were to serve their Lord
High up in Heaven, with songs to hymn his
throne,

And practis'd distances to cringe, not fight."
To whom the warrior-angel soon replied.
"To say and straight unsay, pretending first
Wise to fly pain, professing next the spy,
Argues no leader but a liar trac'd,
Satan, and couldst thou faithful add? O name,
O sacred name of faithfulness profan'd!
Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew?
Army of fiends, fit body to fit head.

Was this your discipline and faith engag'd,
Your military obedience, to dissolve
Allegiance to the acknowledg'd Power supreme?
And thou, sly hypocrite, who now wouldst seem

Within these hallow'd limits thou appear,
Back to the infernal pit I drag thoe chain'd,
And seal thee so, as henceforth not to scorn
The facile gates of Hell too slightly barr'd."

So threaten'd he; but Satan to no threats
Gave heed, but waxing more in rage replied.

"Then when I am thy captive talk of chains, Proud limitary cherub! but ere then Far heavier load thyself expect to feel From my prevailing arm, though Heaven's King Ride on thy wings, and thou with thy compeers,

Us'd to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels
In progress through the road of Heaven star-
pav'd."
[bright
While thus he spake, the angelic squadron
Turn'd fiery red, sharpening in mooned horns
Their phalanx, and began to hem him round
With ported spears, as thick as when a field
Of Ceres ripe for harvest waving bends
Her bearded grove of ears, which way the wind
Sways them; the careful ploughman doubting
stands,

Lest on the threshing floor his hopeful sheaves
Prove chaff. On the other side, Satan, alarm'd,
Collecting all his might, dilated stood,
Like Teneriff or Atlas, unremov'd:
His stature reach'd the sky, and on his crest
Sat Horrour plum'd; nor wanted in his grasp
What seem'd both spear and shield: now dreadful
deeds

Might have ensued, nor only Paradise
In this commotion, but the starry cope
Of Heaven perhaps, or all the elements
At least had gone to wrack, disturb'd and torn
With violence of this conflict, had not soon
The Eternal, to prevent such horrid fray,
Hung forth in Heaven his golden scales, yet seen
Betwixt Astrea and the Scorpion sign,
Wherein all things created first he weigh'd,
The pendulous round Earth with balanc'd air
In counterpoise, now ponders all events,
Battles and realms: in these he put two weights,
The sequel each of parting and of fight:
The latter quick up flew, and kick'd the beam;
Which Gabriel spying, thus bespake the fiend.

"Satan, I know thy strength, and thou know'st mine; Neither our own, but given: what folly then To boast what arms can do? since thine no

more

Than Heaven permits, nor mine, though doubled now

To trample thee as mire: for proof look up,
And read thy lot in yon celestial sign;
Where thou art weigh'd, and shown how light,
how weak,

If thou resist." The fiend look'd up, and knew
His mounted scale aloft: nor more; but fled
Murmuring, and with him fled the shades of

night.