Swarm'd and were ftraiten'd, till the fignal giv'n:
Behold a wonder! they but now who feem'd
In bigness to furpafs Earth's Giant fons,
Now less than fmalleft dwarfs, in narrow room
Throng numberless, like that pygmean race
Beyond the INDIAN mount, or Fairy Elves,
Whose midnight revels, by a foreft fide,
Or fountain, fome belated peasant fees,

780

Or dreams he fees, while over-head the moon
Sits arbitrefs, and nearer to the earth

785

Wheels her pale courfe; they on their mirth and dance

Intent, with jocund mufic charm his ear;

At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds.
Thus incorporeal fpirits to fmallest forms
Reduc'd their fhapes immenfe, and were at large, 790
Though without number ftill amidst the hall
Of that infernal court. But far within,
And in their own dimenfions like themselves,
The great Seraphic Lords and Cherubim,
In clofe recefs and fecret conclave fat;
A thoufand Demi-Gods on golden feats,
Frequent and full: after short filence then
And fummons read, the great confult began:

The end of the first Book.

195

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK II.

THE ARGUMENT.

The Confultation begun, Satan debates whether another battel be to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven: fome advife it, others diffuade. A third propofal is prefer'd, mentioned before by Satan, to fearch the truth of that prophecy or tradition in Heaven concerning another world, and another kind of creature, equal, or not much inferior to themselves, about this time to be created: their doubt who shall be fent on this difficult Search: Satan their chief undertakes alone the voyage, is honor'd and applauded. The council thus ended, the reft betake them feveral ways, and to feveral employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time 'till Satan return. He paffes on his journey to Hell gates, finds them shut, and who fat there to guard them, by whom at length they are open'd, and discover to him the great gulf between Hell and Heaven; with what difficulty he paffes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the fight of this new world which he fought.

H

IGH on a throne of royal ftate, which far
Out hone the wealth of OR MUS and

of IND,

Or where the gorgeous eaft with richest hand

Showrs on her Kings BARBARIC Pearl and Gold, SATAN exalted fat, by merit rais'd

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