On high behefts his Angels to and fro
Pafs'd frequent, and his eye with choice regard,
From PANEAS the fount of JORDAN'S flood,
TO BEERSABA where the HOLY LAND
Borders on ÆGYPT and th' ARABIAN shore)
So wide the opening feem'd, where bounds were fet
To darkness, fuch as bound the ocean wave.
SATAN from hence now on the lower stair,
That fcal'd by steps of gold to heaven-gate,
Looks down with wonder at the fudden view
Of all this world at once. As when a scout,
Thro' dark and defert ways with peril gone
All night, at last by break of chearful dawn
Obtains the brow of fome high-climbing hill,
Which to his eye discovers unaware
The goodly profpect of fome foreign land,
Firft feen; or fome renown'd metropolis,
With gliftering spires and pinnacles adorn'd,
Which now the rifing fun gilds with his beams:
Such wonder feiz'd, though after heaven seen,
The spirit malign; but much more envy seiz'd
At fight of all this world beheld so fair.
Round he furveys (and well might, where he food
So high above the circling canopy
Of night's extended fhade) from eastern point
Of LIBRA, to the fleecy ftar that bears
ANDROMEDA far off ATLANTIC feas,
Beyond th' horizon: then from Pole to Pole
He views in breadth; and without longer pause
Down-right into the world's first region throws
His flight precipitant, and winds with eafc
Through the pure marble air his oblique way,
Amongst innumerable stars, that shon
Stars diftant, but nigh hand feem'd other worlds:
Or other worlds they feem'd, or happy ifles,
Like thofe HESPERIAN gardens fam'd of old,
Fortunate fields, and groves, and flow'ry vales;
Thrice happy ifles! But who dwelt happy there
He ftaid not to inquire. Above them all
The golden fun, in fplendor likest heav'n,
Allur'd his eye: Thither his course he bends
Through the calm firmament: but up or down,
By centre or eccentric, hard to tell;
Or longitude, where the great luminary
Aloft the vulgar conftellations thick,
That from his lordly eye keep distance due,
Difpenfes light from far; they as they move
Their ftarry dance in numbers that compute
Days, months and years, tow'rds his all-chearing Lamp
Turn fwift their various motions, or are turn'd
By his magnetic beam, that gently warms
The univerfe, and to each inward part
With gentle penetration, though unseen,
Shoots invifible virtue even to the Deep;
So wondrously was fet his station bright!
There lands the fiend, a spot like which perhaps
Aftronomer in the fun's lucent orb
Through his glaz'd optic tube yet never faw.
'The place he found beyond expreffion bright,
Compar'd with ought on earth, metal, or stone:
Not all parts like, but all alike inform'd
With radiant light, as glowing iron with fire;
If metal, part feem'd gold, part filver clear :
If ftone, carbuncle moft or chryfolite,
Ruby or topaz; or the twelve that fhon
In AARON's breaft-plate: and a stone befides
(Imagin'd rather oft than elsewhere feen)
That ftone, or like to that which here below
Philofophers in vain fo long have fought,
In vain, though by their pow'rful art they bind
Volatil HERMES, and call up unbound
In various fhapes old PROTEUS from the sea,
Drain'd through a limbeck to his native form.
What wonder then if fields and regions here
Breathe forth elixir pure, and rivers run
Potable gold, when with one virtuous touch
Th' arc-chimic fun, fo far from us remote,
Produces, with terrestrial humour mix'd,
Here in the dark fo many precious things
Of colour glorious, and effect fo rare è̟
Here matter new to gaze the devil met
Undazled; far and wide his eye commands,
For fight no obstacle found here, nor fhade,
But all fun-fhine; as when his beams at noon
Culminate from th' Æquator; as they now
Shot upward ftill direct, whence no way round
Shadow from body opaque can fall, and th' air,
(No where fo clear,) fharpen'd his visual ray
To objects diftant far, whereby he foon
Saw within ken a glorious Angel stand,
The fame whom JOHN faw alfo in the fun :
His back was turn'd, but not his brightness hid:
Of beaming funny rays a golden tiar
Circled his head, nor lefs his locks behind
Illuftrious on his fhoulders, fledge with wings,
Lay waving round: on fome great charge employ'd
He feem'd, or fixt in cogitation deep.
Glad was the spirit impure, as now in hope
To find who might direct his wand'ring flight
To Paradise the happy feat of man,
His journey's end, and our beginning woe.
But first he cafts to change his proper shape,
Which elfe might work him danger or delay:
And now a stripling Cherub he appears,
Not of the prime, yet fuch as in his face
Youth fmil'd cœleftial, and to ev'ry limb
Suitable grace diffus'd, fo well he feign'd.
Under a coronet his flowing hair
In curls on either cheek play'd; wings he wore
Of many a colour'd plume, fprinkled with gold:
His habit fit for speed fuccinct, and held
Before his decent steps a filver wand.
He drew not nigh unheard, the Angel bright,
Ere he drew nigh, his radiant vifage turn'd,
Admonish'd by his ear; and ftraight was known
Th' Arch-Angel URIEL, one of the fev'n
Who in God's prefence, nearest to His throne,
Stand ready at command, and are his eyes
That run thro' all the heav'ns, or down to th' earth
Bear his swift errands, over moift and dry,
O'er fea and land: him SATAN thus accosts.
URIEL! for thou of those sev'n spirits that stand
In fight of God's high throne, gloriously bright,
The first art wont His great authentic will
Interpreter through highest heav'n to bring,
Where all His fons thy embaffy attend :
And here are likelieft by fupreme decree
Like honour to obtain; and as His eye,
To vifit oft this new creation round :
Unfpeakable defire to fee, and know
All these His wondrous works, but chiefly man,
His chief delight and favour; him for whom
All these His works fo wondrous He ordain'd,
Hath brought me from the choirs of Cherubim
Alone thus wandring: brighteft Seraph! tell
In which of all these fhining orbs hath man
His fixed feat, or fixed feat hath none,
But all these fhining orbs his choice to dwell:
That I may find him, and with fecret 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 praife;
Who juftly hath driven out His rebel foes
To deepest hell; and, to repair their loss,
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 discern Hypocrify (the only evil that walks
Invifible, except to God alone,
By His permiffive will, through heav'n and earth:
And oft though wifdom wake, fufpicion fleeps
At wifdom'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 fharpeft-fighted fpirit of all in heav'n:
Who to the fraudulent impoftor foul,
In his uprightness answer 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 excefs
That reaches blame, but rather merits praise
The more it seems excefs, that led thee hither
From thy empyreal mansion thus alone,
To witness with thine eyes what fome perhaps,
Contented with report, hear only in heav'n:
For wonderful indeed are all His works!
Pleasant to know, and worthiest to be all
Had in remembrance always with delight.
But what created mind can comprehend
Their number, or the wisdom infinite
That brought them forth, but hid their caufes deep?
I faw when at his word the formlefs mafs
This world's material mold, came to a heap:
Confufion heard his voice, and wild uproar
Stood rul'd, ftood vaft infinitude confin'd:
Till at His fecond bidding darkness fled,
Light fhon, and order from diforder fprung.
Swift to their several quarters hafted then
The cumbrous elements, earth, flood, air, fire,
And the ethereal quinteffence of heav'n
Flew upward, fpirited with various forms,
That rowl'd orbicular, and turn'd to stars,
Numberless, as thou seeft, and how they move;
Each had his place appointed, each his course;
The rest in circuit walls this universe.
Look downward on that globe whose hither fide
With light from hence, tho' but reflected, fhines;
That place is earth, the feat of man; that light
His day, which elfe, 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,
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