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His chief delight and favour, him for whom
All these his works fo wond'rous he ordain'd,
Hath brought me from the Choirs of Cherubim
Alone thus wand'ring. Brighteft Seraph, tell
In which of all these shining Orbes hath Man
His fixed feat, or fixed feat hath none,
But all these fhining Orbes his choice to dwell;
That I may find him, and with secret gaze,

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Or open admiration him behold,

On whom the great Creator hath bestow'd

Worlds, and on whom hath all thefe graces powr'd:
That both in him and all things, as is meet,

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The Univerfal Maker we may praise ;

Who juftly hath driv'n out his Rebel Foes
To deepest Hell, and to repair their lófs
Created this new happy Race of Men
To ferve him better: Wife are all his ways.

So fpake the falfe diffembler unperceiv'd; For neither Man nor Angel can difcern Hypocrifie, the only evil that walks

Invifible, except to God alone,

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By his permiffive will, through Heav'n and Earth :

And oft though Wisdom wake, Sufpicion fleeps
At wisdom's Gate, and to fimplicitie

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Refign's her charge, while Goodness thinks no ill

Where no ill feems: Which now for once beguil'd
Uriel, though Regent of the Sun, and held
The sharpeft fighted Spirit of all in Heav'n :
Who to the fraudulent Impoftor foul
In his uprightness anfwer thus return'd.
Fair Angel, thy defire which tends to know
The works of God, thereby to glorifie
The great Work-Mafter, leads to no excess
That reaches blame, but rather merits praise
The more it feems excess, that led thee hither
From thy Empyreal Mansion thus alone,

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To witness with thine eyes what some perhaps
Contented with report hear only in Heav'n.
For wonderful indeed are all his works,
Pleasant to know, and worthieft to be all
Had in remembrance always with delight,
But what created mind can comprehend
Their number, or the wisdom infinite

That brought them forth, but hid their causes deep?
I faw when at his Word the formless Mass,
This world's material mould, came to an heap:
Confufion heard his voice, and wild Uproar
Stood rul'd, ftood vaft infinitude confin'd;'
Till at his fecond bidding Darkness fled,
Light shon, and Order from Disorder sprung.
Swift to their several Quarters hafted then

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The cumbrous Elements, Earth, Flood, Air, Fire, 715
And the Ethereal quinteffence of Heav'n
Flew upward, fpirited with various forms,
That rowl'd orbicular, and turn'd to Stars
Numberless, as thou feeft, and how they move;

Each had his place appointed, each his course,
The reft in circuit walls this Univerfe.

Look downward on that Globe whofe hither fide
With light from hence, tho' but reflected, fhines;
That place is Earth the feat of Man, that light
His day, which elfe as th' other Hemispheres
Night would invade, but there the neighb'ring Moon
(So call that oppofite fair Star) her aid
Timely interposes, and her monthly round

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Still ending, ftill renewing, through mid Heav'n,
With borrow'd light her countenance triform
Hence fills and empties to enlighten th' Earth,
And in her pale dominion checks the night.

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That Spot to which I point is Paradise,

Adam's abode, those loftie fhades his Bowre.

Thy way thou canst not miss, me mine requires.

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Thus

Thus faid, he turn'd; and Satan bowing low,

As to fuperior Spirits is wont in Heav'n,

Where honour due and reverence none neglects,

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Took leave, and towards the coaft of Earth beneath,
Down from th' Ecliptic, fped with hop'd fuccefs,
Throws his steep flight in many an Aerie wheele,
Nor ftaid, till on Niphates top he lights.

The End of the Third Book.

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The ARGUMENT..

Satan, now in profpect of Eden, and nigh the place where he must now attempt the bold enterprize which he undertook alone against God and Man, falls into many doubts with himself, and many paffions, fear, envy, and defpair; but at length confirms himself in evil, journeys on to Paradife, whose outward profpect and fituation is described, over-leaps the bounds, fits in the shape of a Cormorant on the Tree of life, as highest in the Garden to look about him. The Garden defcrib'd; Satan's first sight of Adam and Eve; his wonder at their excellent form and happy state, but with refolution to work their fall; overhears their discourse, thence gathers that the Tree of knowledge

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was forbidden them to eat of, under penalty of death; and thereon intends to found his Temptation, by feducing them to tranfgrefs ? 'then leaves them a while, to know further of their state by fome other means. Mean while Uriel defcending on a Sun-beam warns Gabriel, who had in charge the Gate of Paradife, that some evil Spirit had eScaped the Deep, and paft at Noon by his Sphere, in the shape of a good Angel down to Paradife, difcover'd' afterwards by his furious geftures in the Mount. Gabriel promifes to find him ere morning. Night coming on, Adam and Eve difcourse of going to their reft: their Bower defcribid. their Evening worship. Gabriel drawing forth his Bands of Night-watch to walk the round of Paradife, appoints two firong Angels to Adam's Bower, left the evil Spirit fhould be their doing fome harm to Adam or Eye fleeping; there they find him at the ear of Eve, tempting her in a dream, and bring him, tho' unwilling, to Gabriel; by whom question'd, he scornfully answers, prepares to refiftance, but binder'd by a Sign from Heaven, flies out of Paradife.

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