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The first book proposes, firft in brief, the whole fubject, man's difobedience, and the lofs thereupon of Paradife wherein he was plac'd. Then touches the prime caufe of his fall, the ferpent, or rather Satan in the ferpent; who revolting from GOD, and drawing to his fide many legions of Angels, was by the command of GOD driven out of heaven with all his crew into the great deep. Which action pass'd over, the Poem haftes into the midst of things, prefenting Satan with his Angels now fallen into hell, defcrib'd here, not into the centre (for heav'n and earth may be fuppos'd as yet'n't made, certainly not yet accurs'd) but in a place of utter darkness, fitlieft call'd Chaos: Here Satan with his Angels Lying on the burning lake, thunderfruck and aftonif'd, after a certain space recovers, as from confufion, calls up him whe next in order and dignity lay by him: they confer of their miferable fall. Satan awakens all his legions, who lay 'till then in the fame manner confounded: they rife; their num Bers, array of battle, their chief leaders nam'd, according to

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the idols known afterwards in Canaan, and the countries adjoining. To thefe Satan directs his fpeech, comforts them with hopes yet of regaining heaven; but tells them laftly of a new world, and a new kind of creature to be created, according to an antient prophefy or report in heaven: for that Angels were long before this vifible creation, was the opinion of many antient Fathers. To find out the truth of this prophefy, and what to determine thereon, he refers to a full council. What his associates thence attempt. Pandamonium, the palace of Satan, rifes, fuddenly built out of the deep: the infernal Peers there fit in council.

F Man's firft disobedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree,whose mortal taste
Brought death into the world and all

our woe,

With lofs of EDEN, till one Greater MAN
Restore us, and regain the blissful feat, 5
Sing heav'nly Mufe! that on the fe-
cret top

Of OREB, or of SINAI, didft infpire

That fhepherd, who first taught the chofen feed,
In the beginning how the heav'ns and earth
Rofe out of CHAOS. Or if SION hill
Delight thee more, and SILOE's brook that flow'd
Faft by the oracle of God; I thence
Invoke thy aid to my advent'rous fong:
That with no middle flight intends to foar
Above th' AONIAN mount, while it pursues
Things unattempted yet in profe or rhyme.

And chiefly thou, O SPIRIT! that doft prefer
Before all temples th' upright heart and pure,
Inftruct me, for thou know'ft: thou from the first
Waft prefent, and with mighty wings out-fpread,
Dove-like fat'ft brooding on the vast Abyss,
And mad'ft it pregnant: what in me is dark
Illumine! what is low, raise and support!
That to the height of this great argument
I may affert eternal Providence,
And justify the ways of GOD to men.

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Say

Say firft, (for heav'n hides nothing from thy view,
Nor the deep tract of hell) fay first what cause
Mov'd our grand parents, in that happy state
Favour'd of heav'n fo highly, to fall off
From their Creator, and tranfgrefs His will
For one restraint, lords of the world befides?
Who firft feduc'd them to that foul revolt?
Th' infernal ferpent! he it was, whofe guile,
Stirr'd up with envy and revenge, deceiv'd
The mother of mankind, what time his pride
Had caft him out from heav'n, with all his hoft
Of rebel Angels: by whofe aid afpiring
To fet himself in glory above his Peers,
He trufted to have equall'd the Moft High,
If He oppos'd: and with ambitious aim,
Against the throne and monarchy of GoD,
Rais'd impious war in heav'n, and battle proud,
With vain attempt. Him the Almighty Pow'r
Hurl'd headlong flaming from th' ethereal sky,
With hideous ruin and combustion, down
To bottomlefs perdition: there to dwell
In adamantine chains and penal fire,
Who' durft defy th' Omnipotent to arms.

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Nine times the fpace that measures day and night
To mortal men, he with his horrid crew
Lay vanquish'd, rolling in the fiery gulf,

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Confounded though immortal! But his doom

Referv'd him to more wrath: for now the thought

Both of loft happiness, and lafting pain,

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Torments him. Round he throws his baleful eyes,,

That witness'd huge affliction and difmay,

Mix'd with obdurate pride, and stedfast hate.

At once, as far as angels ken, he views.

The difmal fituation waste and wild ::

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A dungeon horrible, on all fides round,

As one great furnace, flam'd: yet from those flames
No light, but rather darkness visible,
Serv'd only to discover fights of woe:

Regions of forrow! doleful fhades! where peace
And reft can never dwell! hope never comes,
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That

That comes to all: but torture without end

Still urges, and a fiery deluge, fed

With ever-burning fulphur unconfum'd!
Such place eternal justice had prepar'd

For thofe rebellious; here their prifon ordain'd,
In utter darkness; and their portion set
As far remov'd from GoD, and light of heav'n,
As from the centre thrice to th' utmost Pole.
O how unlike the place from whence they fell!
There the companions of his fall, o'erwhelm'd
With floods and whirlwinds of tempeftuous fire,
- He foon difcerns: and welt'ring by his fide
One next himself in pow'r, and next in crime,
Long after known in PALESTINE, and nam'd
BEELZEBUB: To whom th' arch-enemy,

(And thence in heav'n call'd SATAN) with bold words
Breaking the horrid filence thus began.

If thou beeft He-But O how fall'n! how chang'd From him, who in the happy realms of light Cloath'd with tranfcendent brightness, didst outshine Myriads tho' bright! If He, whom mutual league, United thoughts and counfels, equal hope,

And hazard in the glorious enterprize,

Join'd with me once, now mifery hath join'd

In equal ruin! Into what pit thou feeft,

From what height fall'n; fo much the stronger prov’d
He with his thunder! and till then who knew
The force of thofe dire arms? Yet not for thofe,
Nor what the potent victor in his rage

Can elfe inflict, do I repent, or change

(Though chang'd in outward luftre) that fix'd mind
And high difdain, from fenfe of injur'd merit,
That with the Mightieft rais'd me to contend:
And to the fierce contention brought along
Innumerable force of fpirits arm'd,

That durft dislike his reign; and me preferring,
His utmost pow'r with adverfe pow'r oppos'd,
In dubious battle on the plains of heav'n,

And fhook his throne. What tho' the field be loft ?

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All is not loft; th' unconquerable will,
And study of revenge, immortal hate
And courage never to submit or yield;
(And what is elfe not to be overcome ?)
That glory never shall His wrath or might
Extort from me, to bow and fue for grace
With fuppliant knee, and deify his pow'r,
Who from the terror of this arm fo late
Doubted His empire. That were low indeed!
That were an ignominy and shame beneath
This downfal! fince (by fate) the ftrength of Gods,
And this empyreal substance cannot fail;
Since through experience of this great event,
(In arms not worfe, in forefight much advanc'd)
We may, with more fuccessful hope, refolve
To wage by force or guile eternal war,
Irreconcileable to our grand foe:
Who now triumphs, and in th' excess of joy
Sole reigning, holds the tyranny of heav'n.

So fpake th' apoftate Angel, though in pain;
Vaunting aloud, but rack'd with deep despair :
And him thus anfwer'd foon his bold compeer.

O Prince! O chief of many throned Powers, That led th' imbattel'd Seraphim to war Under thy conduct! and in dreadful deeds Fearless, indanger'd heav'ns perpetual King,

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And put to proof His high fupremacy:

Whether upheld by ftrength, or chance, or fate,

Too well I fee and rue the dire event,

That with fad overthrow and foul defeat

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Hath loft us heav'n: and all this mighty hoft.

In horrible deftruction laid thus low,

As far as Gods, and heav'.ly effences,

Can perifh: for the mind and spirit remains
Invincible, and vigour foon returns,
Though all our glory extinct, and happy ftate,
Here fwallow'd up in endless mifcry!
But what if He our conqu'ror (whom I now

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