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With borrow'd light her countenance triform
Hence fills, and empties, to enlighten th' earth,
And in her pale dominions checks the night.
That fpot to which I point is Paradife,
ADAM's abode, those lofty fhades his bow'r;
Thy way thou can'ft not mifs, me mine requires.

Thus faid, he turn'd: and SATAN bowing low (As to fuperior fpirits is wont in heav'n,

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Where honour due, and reverence, none neglects)
Took leave, and tow'rd the coaft of earth beneath,
Down from th' ecliptick, fped with hop'd fuccefs, 74%
Throws his fteep flight in many an aery wheel;
Nor ftaid, till on NIPHATES' top he lights.

The End of the third Book.

Bayerische
Staatsbibliothe
München

THE

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THE

FOURTH BOOK

O F

PARADISE LOST.

The ARGUMENT.

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Satan, now in profpect of Eden, and nigh the place where he muft now attempt the boid enterprize which he undertook alone against GOD and Man, falls into many doubts with himself, and many paffions, fear, envy, and defpair: but at length confirms himself in evil, journeys on to Paradife, whofe outward profpect and fituation is defcribed, overleaps the bounds, fits in the shape of a cormorant on the Tree of Life, as the highest in the garden, to look about him. The garden defcri bed; Satan's firft fight of Adam and Eve ; his wonder az their excellent form and happy ftate, but with refolution to work their fall; overhears their difcourse; 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 further of their fate by fome other means. Meanwhile Uriel descending on a fun-beam warns Gabriel (who hail in charge the gate of Paradife) that fome evil spirit had escaped the Deep, and paft at noot by his fphere in the shape of a good Angel down to Paradife, difcovered afterwards by his furious geftures in the mount I

'Gabriel

Gabriel promifes to find him out ere morning Night coming con, Adam and Eve difcourfe of going to their reft: their bower defcribed; their evening worship. Gabriel drawing forth his bands of night-watch to walk the round of Paradife, appoints two ftrong Angels to Adam's bower, left the evil Spirit fhould be there doing fome harm to Adam or Eve, sleeping; there they find him at the ear of Eve, tempting her in a dream, and bring him, tho' unwilling, to Gabriel; by whom queftion'd, he fcornfully answers, prepares refiftance, but hinder'd by a fign from heav'n, flies out of Paradife.

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FOR that warning voice, which he who faw Th'Apocalyps, heard cry in heav'n aloud, Then when the Dragon, put to fecond rout, Came furious down to be reveng'd on men, Wo to th' inhabitants on earth! that now, While time was, our firft parents had been warn'd The coming of their fecret foe, and feap'd, Haply fo fcap'd, his mortal fnare: for now SATAN, now firft inflam'd with rage, came down, (The tempter, ere th' accufer, of mankind,) To wreak on innocent frail man his lofs Of that firft battel, and his flight to hell. Yet not rejoicing in his speed, though bold, Far off and fearless, nor with cause to boast, Begins his dire attempt; which nigh the birth Now rowling, boils in his tumultuous breast, And like a devilish engine back recoils Upon himself: horror and doubt distract His troubled thoughts; and from the bottom ftir The hell within him, (for within him hell He brings, and round about him, nor from hell One step, no more than from himself, can fly By change of place:) now confcience wakes defpair, That flumber'd; wakes the bitter memory Of what he was, what is, and what must be, Worfe! of worse deeds worse fufferings muft enfue. Sometimes tow'rds EDEN, which now in his view Lay pleafant, his griev'd look he fixes fad :

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