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In that obfcure fojourn; while in my flight
Through utter and through middle darkness born,
With other notes than to th' ORPHEAN lyre,
I fung of CHAOS and eternal NIGHT;
Taught by the heav'nly Mufe to venture down
The dark defcent, and up to re- afcend,
Tho' hard and rare. Thee I revifit fafe,
And feel thy fov'reign vital lamp: but thou
Revifit'ft not thefe eyes, that rowl in vain
To find thy piercing ray, and find no dawn;
So thick a drop ferene hath quench'd their orbs,
Or dim fuffufion veil'd. Yet not the more
Cease I to wander, where the Muses haunt,
Clear fpring, or fhady grove, or funny hill,
Smit with the love of facred fong: but chief
Thee SION, and the flowry brooks beneath,
That wash thy hallow'd feet, and warbling flow,
Nightly I vifit: nor fometimes forget
Those other two equal'd with me in fate,
(So were I equal'd with them in renown!)
Blind THAMYRIS, and blind MAONIDES,
And TIRESIAS, and PHINEUS Prophets old.
Then feed on thoughts, that voluntary move
Harmonious numbers; as the wakeful bird
Sings darkling, and in fhadieft covert hid
Tunes her nocturnal note. Thus with the year
Seafons return, but not to me returns
Day, or the fweet approach of ev'n or morn,
Or fight of vernal bloom, or fummer's rofe,
Or flocks, or herds, or human face divine:
But cloud inftead, and ever-during dark
Surrounds me; from the chearful ways of men
Cut off; and for the book of knowledge fair,
Prefented with a univerfal blank

Of nature's works, to me expung'd and ras'd,
And wisdom at one entrance quite fhut out!
So much the rather thou cæleftial light,
Shine inward, and the mind through all her pow'rs

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Irra

Irradiate; there plant eyes; all mift from thence
Purge and difperfe; that I may fee and tell
Of things invifible to mortal fight.

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Now had th' Almighty FATHER from above, (From the pure empyrean where he fits High thron'd above all height) bent down his eye,

His own works and their works at once to view. About him all the Sanctities of Heav'n

Stood thick as ftars, and from his fight receiv'd
Beatitude paft utt'rance: on his right
The radiant image of his glory fat,
His only Son, On earth he first beheld
Our two first parents, yet the only two
Of mankind, in the happy garden plac'd,
Reaping immortal fruits of joy and love;
Uninterrupted joy, unrival'd love

In blissful folitude. He then furvey'd

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Hell and the gulf between, and SATAN there
Coafting the wall of Heav'n on this fide night,
In the dun air fublime; and ready now

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To ftoop with wearied wings, and willing feet
On the bare outfide of this world, that feem'd
Firm land imbofom'd without firmament;
Uncertain which, in ocean or in air.
Him Gop beholding from his profpect high,
Wherein paft, prefent, future he beholds,
Thus to his only SON forefeeing spake.

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Only begotten Son, feeft thou what rage Transports our adverfary, whom no bounds Prefcrib'd, no bars of Hell, nor all the chains Heap'd on him there, nor yet the main Abyss Wide interrupt, can hold? 'So bent he seems On defperate revenge, that fhall redound Upon his own rebellious head. And now Through all reftraint broke loofe, he wings his way Not far off Heav'n, in the precincts of light,

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Directly

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Directly towards the new created world,
And man there plac'd; with purpose to affay
If him by force he can deftroy, or worse,
By fome falfe guile pervert: and shall pervert;
For man will heark'n to his glozing lies
And easily tranfgrefs the fole command,
Sole pledge of his obedience: fo will fall,
He and his faithlefs progeny. Whose fault?
Whofe but his own? Ingrate! he had of me
All he could have: I made him juft and right,
Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall.
Such I created all th' ethereal Pow'rs,
And fpirits, both them who stood and them who fail'd:
Freely they stood who ftood, and fell who fell.
Not free, what proof could they have giv'n fincere
Of true allegiance, conftant faith or love,
Where only what they needs must do, appear'd, 105
Not what they would? what praife could they receive?
What pleasure I from fuch obedience paid,
When will and reafon (reafon alfo is choice)
Useless and vain, of freedom both defpoil'd,
Made paffive both, had ferv'd neceffity,
Not me. They therefore as to right belong'd,
So were created, nor can justly accufe
Their Maker, or their making, or their fate:
As if predeftination over - rul'd

Their will, difpos'd by abfolute decree,

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Or high fore-knowledge. They themselves decreed
Their own revolt, not I: if I fore- knew,
Fare-knowledge had no influence on their fault,
Wich had no lefs prov'd certain unforeknown.
So without leaft impulfe, or fhadow of fate,
Or ought by me immutably foreseen,
They trefpafs; authors to themselves in all,
Both what they judge and what they choofe; for fo
I form'd them free, and free they muft remain,
'Till they inthrall themfelves; I elfe muft change 125
Their nature, and revoke the high decree