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Argues no leader but a liar trac'd,
Satan, and couldst thou faithful add? O name,
O sacred name of faithfulness profan'd!
Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew?
Army of fiends, fit body to fit head.
Was this your discipline and faith engag'd,
Your military obedience, to dissolve
Allegiance to th' acknowledg'd Power supreme?
And thou, sly hypocrite, who now wouldst

seem

Patron of liberty, who more than thou
Once fawn'd, and cring'd, and servilely ador'd
Heav'n's awful Monarch? Wherefore but in
hope

To dispossess him, and thyself to reign?
But mark, what I arreed thee now, Avaunt!
Fly thither whence thou fledst; if from this
hour

Within these hallow'd limits thou appear,
Back to th' inferual pit I drag thee chain'd,
And seal thee so, as henceforth not to scora
The facil gates of Hell too slightly barr'd.

So threaten'd he; but Satan to no threats
Gave heed, but waxing more in rage reply'd:

Then when I am thy captive talk of chains, Proud limitary cherub, but ere then Far heavier load thyself expect to feel From my prevailing arm, though Heaven's King

Ride on thy wings, and thou with thy compeers, Us'd to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels In progress through the road of Heav'n starpav'd.

Lest on the threshing floor his hopeful sheaves
Prove chaff. On t'other side Satan alarm'd
Collecting all his might dilated stood,
Like Teneriff or Atlas unremov'd:

His stature reach'd the sky, and on his crest
Sat Horror plum'd; nor wanted in his grasp
What seem'd both spear and shield: now dread-
ful deeds

Might have ensu’d, nor only Paradise
In this commotion, but the starry cope
Of Heav'n, perhaps, or all the elements
At least had gone to wreck, disturb'd and torn
With violence of this conflict, had not soon
Th' Eternal, to prevent such horrid fray
Hung forth in Heav'n his golden scales, yet

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more

Than Heav'n permits, nor mine, though doubled now

To trample thee as mire: for proof look up,

While thus he spake, th' angelic squadron | And read thy lot in you celestial sign,

bright,

Turn'd fiery red, sharp'ning in mooned horns Their phalanx, and began to hem him round With ported spears as thick as when a field Of Ceres ripe for harvest waving bends Her hearded grove of ears, which way the wind ways them; the careful ploughman doubting stands

Where thou art weigh'd, and shown how light,

how weak,

If thou resist. The Fiend look'd up, and knew His mounted scale aloft: nor more; but filed Murm'ring, and with him fled the shades of Night.

END OF THE FOURTH BOOK.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK V.

THE ARGUMENT.

Morning approached, Eve relates to Adam her troublesome dream; he likes it not, yet comforts her; they come forth to their day labours: their morning hymn at the door of their bower. God to render Man inexcusable sends Raphael to admonish him of his obedience, of his free estate, of his enemy near at hand, who he is, and why his enemy, and whatever else may avail Adam to know. Raphael comes down to Paradise, his appearance describ'd, his coming discern'd by Adam afar off sitting at the door of his bower; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choicest fruits of Paradise got together by Eve; their discourse at table: Raphael performs his message, minds Adam of his state and of his enemy; relates, at Adam's request, who that enemy is, and how he came to be so, beginning from his first revolt in Heaven, and the occasion thereof: how he drew his legions after him to the parts of the North, and there incited them to rebel with him, persuading all but only Abdiel a seraph, who in argument dissuades and opposes him, then forsakes him.

Now Morn her rosy steps in th' eastern clime |
Advancing, sow'd the Earth with orient pearl,
When Adam wak'd, so custom'd, for his sleep
Was airy light from pure digestion bred,
And temp'rate vapours bland, which th' only
sound

Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan,
Lightly dispers'd, and the shrill matin song
Of birds on every bough; so much the more
His wonder was to find unwaken'd Eve
With tresses discompos'd, and glowing cheek,
As through unquiet rest: he on his side
Leaning half rais'd, with looks of cordial love
Hung over her enamour'd, and beheld
Beauty, which whether waking or asleep,
Shot forth peculiar graces; then with voice
Mild, as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes,
Her hand soft touching, whisper'd thus. Awake
My fairest, my espous'd, my latest found,
Heav'n's last best gift, my ever new delight,
Awake; the morning shines, and the fresh field
Calls us; we lose the prime, to mark how
spring

Our tender plants, how blows the citron grove,
What drops the myrrh, and what the balmy
reed,

How Nature paints her colours, how the bee
Sits on the bloom extracting liquid sweet.

Such whisp'ring wak'd her, but with startled

eye

On Adam, whom embracing, thus she spake :

O sole in whom my thoughts find all repose, My glory, my perfection, glad I see

Thy face, and morn return'd; for I this night (Such night till this I never passed) have

dream'd,

If dream'd, not as I oft am wont, of thee,
Works of day past, or morrow's next design,
But of offence and trouble, which my mind
Knew never till this irksome night: Methought
Close at mine ear one call'd me forth to walk
With gentle voice, I thought it thine; it said,

Why sleep'st thou Eve? Now is the pleasant

time,

The cool, the silent, save where silence yields
To the night-warbling bird, that now awake
Tunes sweetest his love-labour'd song; now
reigns

Full orb'd the moon, and with more pleasing
light

Shadowy sets off the face of things, in vain,
If none regard; Heav'n wakes with all his eyes,
Whom to behold but thee, Nature's desire?
In whose sight all things joy, with ravishment.
Attracted by thy beauty still to gaze.

I rose as at thy call, but found thee not;
To find thee I directed then my walk;
Aud on, methought, alone I pass'd through.

ways

That brought me on a sudden to the tree
Of interdicted Knowledge: fair it seem'd,
Much fairer to my fancy than by day :
And as I wond'ring look'd, beside it stood
One shap'd and wing'd like one of those from,
Heav'n

By us oft seen; his dewy locks distill'd
Ambrosia; on that tree he also gaz'd;
And O! fair plaut, said he, with fruit sur-
charg'd,
[sweet,
Deigns uone to ease thy load, and taste thy
Nor God, nor Man? is knowledge so despis'd!
Or envy, or what reserve forbids to taste?
Forbid who will, none shall from me withhold
Longer thy offer'd good, why else set here?
This said, he paus'd not, but with vent'rous

arm

He pluck'd, he tasted; me damp horror chill'd

At such bold words vouch'd with a deed so
bold:

But he thus overjoy'd, O fruit divine,
Sweet of thysef but muca more sweet thus

cropt,

Forbidden here, it seems, as only fit
For gods, et able to male gods of men;

And why not gods of men, since good, the That wont to be more cheerful and serene

more

Communicated, more abundant grows,

The Author not impair'd, but honor'd more?
Here, happy creature, fair angelic Eve,
Partake thou also; happy though thou art,
Happier thou may'st be, worthier canst not be:
Taste this, and be benceforth among the gods
Thyself a goddess, not to earth confin'd,
But sometimes in the air, as we, sometimes
Ascend to Heav'n, by merit thine, and see
What life the gods live there, and such live
thou.

So saying, he drew nigh, and to me held,
Ev'n to my mouth of that same fruit held part
Which he had pluck'd; the pleasant savory
smell

So quicken'd appetite, that I, methought, Could not but taste. Forthwith up to the clouds

With him I flew, and underneath beheld The earth outstretch'd immense, a prospect wide [change And various wond'ring at my flight and To this high exaltation; suddenly

My guide was gone, and I, methought, sunk down,

And fell asleep; but O how glad I wak'd
To find this but a dream! Thus Eve her night
Related, and thus Adam answer'd sad :

Best image of myself and dearer half,
The trouble of thy thoughts this night in sleep
Affects me equally; nor can I like

This uncouth dream, of evil sprung I fear; Yet evil whence? in thee can harbour none, Created pure. But know that in the soul Are many lesser faculties, that serve Reason as chief; among these Fancy next Her office bolds of all external things, Which the five watchful senses represent, She forms imaginations, airy shapes, Which Reason joining or disjoining, frames All what we affirm or what deny, and call Our knowledge or opinion; then retires Into her private cell when Nature rests. Oft in her absence mimic Fancy wakes To imitate her; but misjoining shapes, Wild work produces oft, and most in dreams, Ill matching words and deeds long past or late. Some such resemblance methinks I find Of our last evening's talk, in this thy dream, But with addition strange; yet be not sad. Evil into the mind of God or man May come and go, so unapprov'd, and leave No spot or blame behind : which gives me hope That what thou didst in sleep abhor to dream, Waking thou never wilt consent to do.

Be not dishearten'd theu, nor cloud those looks

||

Than when fair Morning first smiles on the

world;

And let us to our fresh employments rise Among the groves, the fountains, and the flowers

That open now their choicest bosom'd smells, Reserv'd from night, and kept for thee in store. So cheer'd he his fair spouse, and she was

cheer'd,

But silently a gentle tear let fall
From either eye and wip'd them with her hair;
Two other precious drops that ready stood,
Each in their crystal sluce, he ere they fell
Kiss'd as the gracious signs of sweet remorse
And pious awe, that fear'd to have offended.

So all was clear'd, and to the field they haste. But first, from under shady arborous roof Soon as they forth were come to open sight Of day-spring, and the sun, who scarce up risen,

With wheels yet hovering o'er the ocean brim, Shot parallel to the earth his dewy ray, Discovering in wide laudskip all the east Of Paradise and Eden's happy plains, Lowly they bow'd adoring, and began Their orisons, each morning duly paid In various stile; for neither various stile || Nor holy rapture wanted they to praise Their Maker, in fit strains pronounc'd or sung Unmeditated, such prompt eloquence Flow'd from their lips in prose or numerous

verse,

More tuneable than needed lute or harp
To add more sweetness; and they thus began:
These are thy glorious works, Parent of
good,

Almighty, thine is universal frame,
Thus wondrous fair! Thyself how wondrous
then!

Unspeakable, who sitst above these heav'ns
To us invisible, or dimly seen

In these thy lowest works; yet these declare Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine.

Speak ye who best can tell, ye sons of Light,
Angels; for ye behold him, and with songs
And choral symphonies, day without night,
Circle his throne rejoicing; ye in Heav'n,
On Earth join all ye creatures to extol
Him first, him last, him midst, and without-
end.

Fairest of Stars, last in the train of Night,
If better thou belong not to the dawn,
Sure pledge of day, that crown'st the smiling
[sphere,

Morn

With thy bright circlet, praise him in thy While day arises, that sweet hour of prime,

Thou Sun, of this great world both eye and soul,

Acknowledge him thy greater, sound his praise In thy eternal course, both when thou climb'st, And when high noon hast gain'd, and when thou fall'st.

Moon that now meets the orient sun, now fly'st,

With the fix'd stars, fix'd in their orb that flies, And ye five other wand'ring fires that move In mystic dance not without song, resound His praise, who out of darkness called up light.

Air, and ye elements, the eldest birth

Of nature's womb, that in quaternion run
Perpetual circle, multiform, and mix

And nourish all things; let your ceaseless change

Vary to our great Maker still new praise.
Ye Mists and Exhalations that now rise
From hill or steaming lake, dusky or grey,
Till the sun paint your fleecy skirts with
gold,

In honour to the world's great Author rise, Whether to deck with clouds the uncolour'd sky,

Or wet the thirsty earth with falling showers,
Rising or falling still advance his praise.
His praise, ye Winds, that from four quarters
blow,

Breathe soft or loud; and wave your tops ye
Pines,

With every plaut, in sign of worship wave.
Fountains, and ye that warble as ye flow,
Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise.
Join voices all ye living Souls; ye Birds,
That singing up to Heaven gate ascend,
Bear on your wings and in your notes his
praise.

Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk
The earth, and stately tread, or slowly creep;
Witness if I be silent, morn or even,
To hill, or valley, fountain, or fresh shade
Made vocal by my song, and taught his
praise.

Hail! universal Lord, be bounteous still
To give us only good; and if the night
Have gather'd thought of evil or conceal'd,
Disperse it, as now light dispels the dark.

So pray'd they innocent, and to their thoughts

Firm peace recover'd soon and wonted calm. On to their morning's rural work they haste Among sweet dews and flow'rs; where any

row

Of fruit trees over-woody reach'd too far Their pamper'd boughs, and needed hands to

check

Fruitless embraces: or they led the vine No. VII.-N. S.

To wed her eim; she spous'd about him twines

Her marriageable arms, and with her brings
Her dow'r th' adopted clusters, to adorn
His barren leaves. Them thus employ'd be-
held

With pity Heav'n's high King, and to him cali'd

Raphael, the sociable Spirit, that deign'd
To travel with Tobias, and secur'd
His marriage with the scv'n-times wedded
maid.

Raphael, said he, thou bear'st what stir on earth

Satan from Hell, scap'd through the darksome gulf

Hath rais'd in Paradise, and how disturb'd
This night the human pair, how he designs
In them at once to ruin all mankind.
Go, therefore, half this day, as friend with
friend

Converse with Adam, in what bow'r or shade
Thou find'st him from the heat of upon re-

tir'd,

To respite his day-labour with repast,
Or with repose; and such discourse bring on
As may advise him of his happy state,
Happiness in his pow'r left free to will,
Left to his own free will, his will though
free,

Yet mutable; whence warn him to beware
He swerve not too secure: tell him withal
His danger, and from whom; what enemy,
Late fall'n himself from Heav'n, is plotting

now

The fall of others from like state of bliss;
By violence? No, for that shall be with-
stood;

But by deceit and lies; this let him know,
Lest wilfully transgressing he pretend
Surprisal, unadmonish'd, unforwarn'd.

So spake the eternal Father, and fulfill'd
All justice: nor delay'd the wing'd Saint
After his charge receiv'd; but from among
Thousand celestial Ardors, where he stood
Veil'd with his gorgeous wings, up springing
light

Flew through the midst of Heav'n; th'angelic quires,

On each hand parting, to his speed gave way Through all th' empyreal road; till at the

gate

Of Heav'n arriv'd, the gate self-open'd wide
On golden hinges turning, as by work
Divine the sov'reign Architect had fram'd.
From hence, no cloud, or to obstruct, his
sight,

Star interpos'd, however small he sees,
Not unconforms to other shining globes,

G

Earth and the gard'n of God, with cedars
crown'd

Above all bills. As when by night the glass
Of Galileo, less assur'd, observes
Imagin'd lands and regions in the moon :
Or pilot, from amidst the Cyclades
Delos or Samos first appearing, kens
A cloudy spot. Down thither prone in flight
He speeds, and through the vast ethereal sky
Sails between worlds and worlds, with steady
wing

Now on the polar winds, then with quick fan
Windows the buxom air: till within soar
Of tow'ring eagles, to all the fowls he seems
A Phoenix, gaz'd by all, as that sole bird,
When to enshrine his reliques in the sun's
Bright temple, to Egyptian Thebes he flies.
At once on th' eastern cliff of Paradise
He lights, and to his proper shape returns

Haste hither Eve, and worth thy sight behold

Eastward among those trees, what glorious
shape

Comes this way moving; seems another morn
Ris'n on mid-noon; some great behest from
Heaven

To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchsafe
This day to be our guest. But go with speed,
And what our stores contain, bring forth and
pour

Abundance, fit to honour and receive

Our heav'nly stranger: well may we afford
Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow
From large bestow'd, where Nature multiplies
Her fertile growth, and by disburd'ning grows
More fruitful, which instructs us not to spare.
To whom thus Eve: Adam, Earth's hallow'd
mold,

store,

A Seraph wing'd; six wings he wore, to shade Of God inspir'd, small store will serve, where
His lineaments divine; the pair that clad
Each shoulder broad, came mantling o'er his
breast

With regal ornament; the middle pair
Girt like a starry zone his waist, and round
Skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold
And colours dipt in Heav'n; the third his

feet

Shadow'd from either heel with feather'd mail,
Sky-tinctur'd grain. Like Maia's son he

stood

And shook his plumes, that heav'nly fragrance fill'd

All seasons, ripe for use hangs on the stalk;
Save what by frugal'storing firmness gains
To nourish, and superfluous moist consumes:
But I will haste, and from each bough and
brake,

Each plant and juciest gourd, will pluck such
choice

To entertain our angel guest, as he
Beholding shall confess, that here on earth
God hath dispens'd his bounties as in Heav'n.
So saying, with dispatchful looks in haste
She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent

The circuit wide. Straight knew him all the What choice to chuse for delicacy best,

bands

Of Angels under watch; and to his state,
And to his message high in honour rise;
For on some message high they guess'd him
bound,

What order so contriv'd as not to mix
Tastes, not well join'd, inelegant, but bring
Taste after taste upheld with kindliest change;
Bestirs her then, and from each tender stalk
Whatever Earth all-bearing mother yields

Their glittering tents he pass'd, and now is In India East or West, or middle shore

come

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And Eve within, due at her hour prepar'd
For dinner savoury fruits, of taste to please
True appetite, and not disrelish thirst,

In Pontus or the Punic coast, or where
Alcinus reign'd, fruit of all kinds, in coat
Rough or smooth rin'd, or bearded husk, or
shell,

She gathers, tribute large, and on the board
Heaps with unsparing hand; for drink the

grape

She crushes, inoffensive must, and meaths From many a berry, and from sweet kernels press'd

She tempers dulcet creams, nor these to hold Wants her fit vessels pure, then strows the ground

With rose and odors from the shrub unfum'd. Mean while our primitive great Sire, to meet

Of nectarous draughts between, from milky | His god-like guest walks forth, without more

stream,

Berry or grape; to whom thus Adam call'd:

train

Accompanied than with his own complete

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