like a Comet, that fires the Length of OPHIUCUS (b) in the ARTIC (c) Sky, and from his horrid Hair is believ'd to shake War and Peftilence. Each at the others Head levell'd his mortal Aim, their fatal Hands intending no fecond Stroke; and they caft fuch a Frown at one another, as when two black Clouds full of Thunder, come rattling on over the CASPIAN (d) Sea, then stand Front to Front, hovering for a Space, 'till the Winds blow a Signal for them to join their dark Encounter in the Midft of the Air; so these mighty Combatants frown'd, infomuch that Hell grew darker; fo match'd they ftood: For. never but once more was either of them ever like to meet fo great a Foe. And now great Deeds had been performed, of which all Hell would have rung, had not the other Snaky Form, that fat clofe by Hell Gate, and who kept the fatal Key, rifen up, and rufh'd between with hideous Outcry.

SHE cry'd, Oh Father! what does thy Hand design against thy onely Son? Oh Son! what Fury poffeffes

(b) Ophiucus; Lat. from the Gr. i. e. A Serpent-Bearer. An Aftron. T. A Northern Conftellation, called alfo the Serpent, representing a Man holding a Serpent in his, Hand; and confifts of 29 Stars, according to Ptolomy. The Fable is taken from Hereules, who fqueezed two Serpents to Death in his Cradle.

(a) Artic; Lat. Gr. An AAron. T. The Northern Circle, where there are two Stars that go by this Name, near the North Pole; the Great Bear and the Little Bear. The oppofite Pole is called Antartic, or the Southern Pole.

(b) Cafpian; Scyth. from the

Cafpii, an antient People, who dwelt upon the South Side of it. the Cafpian Sea is not a Sea properly fo called, nor a Bay of the Northern Ocean, as the Antients thought; but a Lake; and the greateft in the World. It lies between Perfia, Tartary, Georgia, and Mufcovy: about 3000 Miles in Compass; for tho' the Volga (which alone difcharges more Water in a Year, than all the other Rivers in Europe) and 100 Rivers befides, run into it yet it hath no vifible Outlet. Therefore fome think it rifeth up in the Perfian Gulf, after running under Ground above 2000 Miles.

feffes thee, to bend that mortal Dart against the Head of thy Father? And knoweft for whom too; for him who fits above, and only laughs at thee, who art ordain'd his Drudge, to execute whatever his Wrath commands, which he calls Juftice; his Wrath, which fometime or other will deftroy ye both.

THUS fhe fpoke, and at her Bidding the hellish Phantom forbore, and SATAN made Answer to her.

THY Outcry, and thy Words, which thou haft interpos'd, are fo ftrange, that my Hand has been prevented by them, from letting thee know by Deeds what I intend; 'till I know firft of thee what thou art, thus double form'd, and why on firft meeting me on this infernal Vale thou haft called me Father, and that horrid Shape my Son: I know thee not, nor ever 'till now faw a Sight more deteftable than thee and him.

To whom the Portress of the Gate of Hell made Answer,

HAST thou forgot me then? And do I feem fo very foul in thine Eye now, who was once efteem'd fo fair in Heaven, when at the Affembly, and in Sight of all the Seraphim, who combin'd with thee in bold Confpiracy against the great King of Heaven, all on a fudden a miferable Pain feiz'd on thee, thy Eyes grew dim, and fwam in Darknefs, while thy Head threw forth Flames thick and fast, 'till it open'd on the Left Side; from whence I fprung, a Goddess arm'd, moft like to thyfelf in Shape and Brightnefs of Countenance, then fhining heavenly fair: All the Hoft of Heaven were feiz'd with Amazement; they started back, being at first afraid, and called me SIN, and held me for an unlucky Omen; but grown more familiar, I pleas'd, and with attracting Graces, won. thofe who before were moft averfe, and thee chief of

all,

all, who viewing in me a perfect Image of thyfelf, becamest enamour'd of me, and fuch Joy didft often take with me in Secret, that my Womb conceiv'd a growing Burthen: Mean while War arofe in Heaven, and Battles were fought, whereon remain'd (for what elfe could) to our ALMIGHTY Foe a compleat Victory; to our Part Lofs and Defeat through all Heaven; down they fell, driven headlong from the Skies, into this Deep, and in the general Fall I fell alfo; at which Time this powerful Key was given into my Hand, with Charge to keep the Gates fhut for ever, which none can pass without my opening. Here I fat, penfive and alone; but not long, before my Womb, made pregnant by thee and now grown exceffively, felt prodigious Motion, and Pains of Child-birth; at last this odious Offfpring, whom thou feeft here, thine own Begotten, violently breaking his Way, tore through my Entrails; fo that distorted with Fear and Pain, my nether Parts grew thus transform'd: But he, my inbred Enemy, iffu'd forth, terribly fhaking his fatal Dart made to deftroy: I fled away, and cry'd out, DEATH! at that hideous Name Hell trembled, and figh'd from all her Caves, and refounded back, DEATH! I fled, but he purfu'd, (though more inflamed, it seems, with Luft, than with Rage) and being far fwifter, overtook me his Mother, quite overcome with Fear; and in forcible Embraces, and foul engendering with me in that Rape, begot thefe yelling Monsters, that as thou faweft furround me with ceafelefs Cry; with infinite Sorrow to me hourly conceiv'd, and hourly born; for when they lift they return into the Womb that bred them, and howl and

gnaw all my Bowels for their Food; then bursting forth, put me to fresh and terrible Pain, fo that I neither find Reft or Intermiflion. Directly oppofite and before my Eyes fits grim DEATH, my Son and Foe, who fets them on; and full foon would even devour me, his Parent, but that he well knows that his End

is involv'd with mine; he knows that I should prove a bitter Morfel and his Bane, whenever that shall happen; fo was it pronounc'd by Fate. But I forewarn thee, my Father! do thou fhun his deadly Arrow; neither vainly have Hope to be invulnerable in those bright Arms of thine, tho' they were made in Heaven, for that mortal Stroke there's none can refift, excepting HE who reigns above.

SHE finish'd here, and the fubtle Fiend foon learn'd what was beft for him to do; fo that now grown milder, he answer'd thus fmoothly:

DEAR Daughter! fince thou claimeft me to be thy Father, and fheweft me my fair Son here, (the dear Pledge of Dalliance which I had with thee in Heaven, Joys then sweet, now fad to mention, thro' the fatal Change that has befallen us, quite unthought of and unforeseen) I come not here as an Enemy, but to fet free from out this difmal and dark House of Pain, both him and thee, and all the Hoft of heavenly Spirits, that arm'd in our juft Pretences fell with us from on high; I now go from them alone, fo has it been my Choice, on this uncouth Errand, and expofe myfelf, one for all, to tread with lonely Steps the fathomlefs Deep, and thro' Immenfity fearch with wandering Enquiry a Place, which was foretold should be created; and if we may judge by concurring Signs it is now created; a large Globe, a Place of Blifs, on the Borders of Heaven, and already therein is plac'd a Race of upftart Creatures, to fupply, it may be, our vacant Room, tho' remov'd farther off, left Heaven being over-stock'd with too powerful a Multitude, new Broils might happen: Whether this be, or any Thing more fecret now defign'd, I am haftening to know; and this once known, I fhall foon return, and conduct ye to the Place, where thou and DEATH fhall dwell at Eafe, and filently and unfeen pass to

and

and fro; there fhall ye both be fed, and fill'd immeafurably, for all Things fhall be your Prey.

HE ceas'd here, for they both feem'd highly pleas'd, and DEATH grinn'd horrible a ghaftly Smile, at hearing that his Hunger fhould be fatisfy'd, and bleft his Maw, that was deftin'd to fo good an Hour; his bad Mother did not rejoice less, who thus fpake to her Father SATAN:

By the Command of Heaven's all-powerful King, and by due Right, I keep the Key of this infernal Pit; forbidden by him to unlock these Adamantinę Gates; DEATH ftands ready to interpofe his Dart against all Force, not fearing to be over-match'd by any Thing created: But what do I owe to his Commands above, who hates me, and hath thrust me down hither into this Gloom of profound Hell, to fit here employ'd in this hateful Office, once an Inhabitant of Heaven and heavenly-born, yet has doom'd me to remain here in perpetual Agony and Pain, encompass'd round with the Terrors and Clamours of my own Brood, that feed themselves with my Bowels? Thou art my Father, my Author, thou gavest me Being; whom should I obey and follow but thee? Thou wilt foon lead me to that new World of Light and Happiness, where among the Gods who live at Eafe, I fhall reign voluptuously at thy Right-Hand, Time without End.

As fhe faid this, fhe took from her Side the fatal Key, the fad Inftrument of all our Woe, and rolling her fnaky Train towards the Gate, forthwith drew up the great Portcullice; which, excepting herself, not all the combin'd Powers of Hell could once have mov'd; then turns the intricate Wards in the Keyhole, and with Eafe unfaftens every Bolt and Bar, tho' of maffy Iron, or of folid Rock: Upon a fud

den