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I look'd for some great change; to honour no
But trouble, as old Simeon plain foretold,..
That to the fall and rising he should be 1
Of many in Israel, and to a sign, ist zu в
Spoken against, that through my very soul)
A sword shall pierce: this is my favour'd lot,
My exaltation to afflictions highالأ
Afflicted I may be, it seems, and blest:
I will not argue that, nor will repine odwr
But where delays he now? some great intent
Conceals him: when twelve years he scarce had
I lost him, but so found, as well. I saw
[seen,
He could not lose himself, but went about dai
His Father's business; what he meant. I mus'd. I
Since understand; much more his absence now
Thus long to some great purpose he obscures.
But I to wait with patience am inur'd
My heart hath been a storehouse long of things,
And sayings laid up, portending strange events."

Thus Mary, pondering oft, and oft to mind

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Recalling what remarkably had pass'di
Since first her salutation heard, with thoughts
Meekly compos'd awaited the fulfilling
The while her Son, tracing the desert wild
Sole, but with holiest meditations ifed, won
Into himself descended, and at once ht
All his great work to come before him iset.
How to begin, how to accomplish best
His end of being on earth, and mission high:
For Satan with sly preface to returny sub001.
Had left him vacant, and with speed was gone
Up to the middle region of thick airtich
Where all his potentates in council sat:
There, without sign of boast, or sign of joy,
Solicitous and blank, he thus began:
Vers

P

"Princes, heaven'sancient sons, ethereal thronest

Demonian spirits now, from the element
Each of his reign reign allotted, rightlier call'd
Powers of fire, air, water air, water, and earth beneath

'So may we hold our place and these mild seats
Without new trouble,) such an enemy
Is risen to invade us, who no less
Threatens than our expulsion down to hell
I, as I undertook, and with the vote
Consenting in full frequence was empower'd,"
Have found him, view'd him, tasted him; but find
Far other labour to be undergone
Than when I dwelt with Adam, first of men
Though Adam by his wife's allurement fell,
However to this man inferior far';:
If he be man by mother's side, at least
With more than human gifts from heaven adorn'd
Perfections absolute, graces divine,
And amplitude of mind to greatest deeds. 411
Therefore I am return'd, lest confidence, 11
Of my success with Eve in Paradise
Deceive ye to persuasion over-sure
Of like succeeding here: I summon all
Rather to be in readiness, with hand
Or counsel to assist: lest I, who erst
Thought none my equal, now be over-match'd."

So spake the old serpent, doubting; and from all
With clamour was assur'd their utmost aid
At his command when from amidst them rose

Belial, the dissolutest spirit that fell,
The sensualist, and, after Asmodai,
The fleshliest incubus; and thus advis'd

"Set women in his eye, and in his walk,
Among daughters of men the fairest found:
Many are in each region passing fair
As the noon sky; more like to goddesses
Than mortal creatures, graceful and discreet,
Expert in amorous arts, enchanting tongues
Persuasive, virgin majesty with mild
And sweet allay'd, yet terrible to approach,
Skill'd to retire, and, in retiring, drawi
Hearts after them, tangled in amorous nets.
Such object hath the power to soften and tame

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Beverest temper, smooth the rugged'st brow,
Enerve, and with voluptuous hope dissolve,
Draw out with credulous desire, and lead
At will the manliest, resolutest breast,
As the magnetic hardest iron draws.
Women, when nothing else, beguil'd the heart
Of wisest Solomon, and made him build,,
And made him bow, to the gods of his wives."
To whom quick answer Satan thus return'd:
"Belial, in much uneven scale thou weighest
All others by thyself, because of old
Thou thyself dot'st on womankind, admiring
Their shape, their colour, and attractive grace,
None are, thou think'st, but taken with such toy
Before the Flood thou with thy lusty crew,
False-titled sons of God, roaming the earthy
Cast wanton eyes on the daughters of men,
And coupled with them, and begot a race.
Have we not seen, or by relation heard,
In courts and regal chambers how thou
In wood or grove, by mossy fountain-side,
In valley or green meadow, to to way-lay
Some beauty rare, Calisto, Clymene,

lurk'st,

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Daphne, or Semele, Antiopa,

Or Amymone, Syrinx, many more

Too long, then lay'st thy 'scapes on names ador'd,

Apollo, Neptune, Jupiter, or Pan,

Satyr, or Faun, or Sylvan? But these haunte

Delight not all; among the sons of men,
How many have with a smile made small accoun
Of beauty and her lures, easily scorn'd

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All her assaults, on worthier things intent!

Remember that Pellean conquerors

A youth, how all the beauties of the East
He slightly view'd, and slightly overpass'd;
How he, surnam'd of Africa, dismiss'd,
In his prime youth, the fair Iberian maid,
For Solomon, he liv'd at ease, and full,
Of honour, wealth, high fare, aim'd not beyond yo

Higher design than to enjoy his state
Thence to the bait of women lay eкрови, спача
But he, whom we attempt, is wiser far to ward
Than Solomon, of more exalted mind, dw 1A
Made and set wholly on the accomplishment
Of greatest things. What woman will you tind,
Though of this age the wonder and the fame,
On whom his leisure will vouchsafe an eve
Of fond desire? Or should she, confider
As sitting queen ador'd on beauty's throne,
Descend with all her winning charms begirtA
To enamour, as the zone of Venus once
Wrought that effect on Jove, so fables tells
How would one look from his majestic brow,
Seated as on the top of virtue's himplisten
Discountenance her despis'd, and put to tout
All her array; her female pride dejecte
Or turn to reverent awe! for beauty stands DA
In the admiration only of weak minded
Led captive; cease to admire, and all her plamee
Fall fiat, and shrink into a trivial toy,
At every sudden slighting quite abash'd. ve
Therefore with manlier objects we must try
His constancy; with such as have more shot
Of worth, of honour, glory, and popular praise,
Rocks whereon greatest men have oftest wreck'd
Or that which only seems to satisfyqollar A
Lawful desires of nature, not beyond

And now I know he hungers, where no food il-
Is to be found, in the wide wildernest woll
The rest commit to me, I shall let passed 10
No advantage, and his strength as oft assayed

A

He ceas'd, and heard their grant in loud no
claimed attered sale
Then forthwith to him takes a chosen band 11
Of spirits, likest to himself in guile,
To be at hand, and at his beck appear,
If cause were to unfold some active scene
Of various persona, each to know his parted

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