In which of all these shining orbs hath man
His fixed feat, or fixed feat hath none,
But all these shining orbs his choice to dwell;
That I may find him, and with fecret

670

gaze

Or open admiration him behold,

On whom the great Creator hath bestow'd

Worlds, and on whom hath all these graces pour'd';
That both in him and all things, as is meet,

The univerfal Maker we may praise;
Who justly hath driven out his rebel-foes:
To deepeft hell, and, to repair that lofs,
Created this new happy race of men
To ferve him better: wife are all his ways..
So fpake the falfe diffembler unperceiv'd;
For neither man nor angel can difcern
Hypocrify, the only' evil that walks.
Invifible, except to God alone,.

675

680

By his permiffive will, through heav'n and earth: 685 And oft though wifdom wake, fufpicion fleeps

At wisdom's gate, and to fimplicity

Refigns her charge, while goodness thinks no ill
Where no ill feems: which now for once beguil'd
Uriel, though regent of the fun, and held
The sharpeft-fighted fpi'rit of all in heaven;
Who to the fraudulent impoftor foul,
In his uprightnefs, anfwer thus return'd:

Fair angel, thy defire which tends to know
The works of God, thereby to glorify
The great Work-mafter, leads to no excess

690

695

L. 694, Fair angel, &c.] In the answer which the angel returns to the disguised evil fpirit, there is fuch a becoming majesty as is al◄. together fuitable to a superior being. The part of it, in which he represents himself as prefent at the creation, is very noble in itself, and not only proper where it is introduced, but requifite to prepare the reader for what follows in the feventh book. In the following part of the fpeech he points out the earth with fuch circumstances, that the reader can fcarce forbear fancying himself employed on the fame diftant view of it. Addison.

That reaches blame, but rather merits praise
The more it seems excess, that led thee hither
From thy empyreal mansion thus alone,
To witness with thine eyes what some perhaps,
Contented with report hear only' in heaven:
For wonderful indeed are all his works,
Pleasant to know, and worthieft to be all
Had in remembrance always with delight;:

But what created mind can comprehend

Their number, or the wisdom infinite.

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705

That brought them forth, but hid their caufes deep?
I faw when at his word the formless mafs,

This world's material mould, came to a heap:.
Confufion heard his voice, and wild uproar
Stood rul'd, ftood vast infinitude confin'd;
Till at his fecond bidding darkness fled,
Light fhone, and order from disorder sprung ::
Swift to their feveral quarters hafted then
The cumbrous elements, earth, flood, air, fire;
And this ethereal quinteffence of heaven:
Flew upward, fpirited with various forms,.
That roll'd orbicular, and turn'd to stars
Numberless, as thou seeft, and how they move;
Each had his place appointed, each his courfe;
The reft in circuit walls this univerfe..

710

7155

720

Look downward on that globe, whofe hither fide,
With light from hence, though but reflected, shines ;
That place is earth, the feat of man; that light
His day, which else, as th' other hemifphere,
Night would invade; but there the neighb'ring moon
(So call that oppofite fair ftar) her aid

Timely' interpofes, and her monthly round:
Still ending, ftill renewing, through mid heav'n,
With borrow'd light her countenance triform
Hence fills, and empties, to enlighten the' earth,
And in her pale dominion checks the night..

725

730

That spot to which I point is Paradise,
Adam's abode, thofe lofty fhades his bower:
Thy way thou canst not mifs, me mine requires.

735

This said, he turn'd; and Satan bowing low, As to fuperior spi'rits is wont in heaven, Where honour due and reverence none neglects, Took leave, and tow'ard the coast of earth beneath, Down from the' ecliptick, fped with hop'd fuccefs, 740 Throws his fteep flight in many an airy wheel; Nor ftay'd, till on Niphates top he lights.

L. 740, Ecliptick,] of eclipfe; Lat. Gr. i. e. a defect of light. An aftronomical term. A great wide circle in the heavens, extending between the two tropicks, crofs the equator, wherein the fun moves through the twelve figns of the zodiack in his yearly courfe, and there the eclipfes do happen.

L. 741. In many an airy wheel.] This fportive motion is attributed to Satan for joy that he was now fo near his journey's end: And it is very properly taken notice of here, as it is faid to have been obferved by the angel Uriel afterwards, in B. IV. 1. 567.

I defcrib'd his way,

Bent on all speed, and mark'd his airy gait.

So beautifully do not only the greater, but even the minuter parts of this poem hang together. Newton.

L. 742, Niphates.] Lat. Gr. i. e. fnowy; because it is generally covered with fnow. It is a very high mountain, part of mount Taurus, between Armenia and Mefopotamia, not far from Paradise, and the fource of Euphrates and Tigris.

End of BooK THIRD

PARADISE LOS T.

BOOK THE FOURTH

SATAN now in profpect of Eden, and nigh the place where he must now attempt the bold enterprize which he undertook alone against God and man, falls into many doubts with himself, and many passions, fear, envy, and defpair; but at length confirms himself in evil, journeys on to Paradife, whose outward prospect and situation 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 first. 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 farther of their flate by fome other means. Meanwhile 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 passed at noon by his Sphere, in the shape of a good angel, down to Paradife, difcovered after by his furious geftures in the mount. Gabriel promifes to find him ere morning. Night coming on, Adam and Eve difcourfe of going to their reft: Their bower defcribed; their evening worhip. Gabriel, drawing forth his bands of night-watch to walk the round of Paradife, appoints two strong angels to Adam's bower, left the evil spirit should 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 questioned, he fcornfully anfwers; prepares. refiftance; but hindered by a sign from heaven, flies out of Paradife.