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From what high state of bliss, into what woe!
To whom our great progenitor. Thy words
Attentive, and with more delighted ear,

Divine instructor, I have heard, than when
Cherubick songs by night from neighbouring hills
Aereal musick send: Nor knew I not

To be both will and deed created free ;
Yet that we never shall forget to love
Our Maker, and obey him whose command
Single is yet so just, my constant thoughts

Assur'd me, and still assure: Though what thou tell'st
Hath pass'd in Heaven, some doubt within me move,
But more desire to hear, if thou consent,

The full relation, which must needs be strange,
Worthy of sacred silence to be heard;

And we have yet large day, for scarce the sun
Hath finish'd half his journey, and scarce begins
His other half in the great zone of Heaven.
Thus Adam made request; and Raphaël
After short pause assenting, thus began.

High matter thou injoin'st me, O prime of men, Sad task and hard: For how shall I relate

To human sense the invisible exploits

Of warring Spirits? how, without remorse,
The ruin of so many glorious once

And perfect while they stood? how last unfold
The secrets of another world, perhaps

Not lawful to reveal? yet for thy good

This is dispens'd; and what surmounts the reach
Of human sense, I shall delineate so,

By likening spiritual to corporal forms,

As many express them best; though what if Earth Be but the shadow of Heaven, and things therein Each to other like, more than on earth is thought? As yet this world was not, and Chaos wild Reign'd where these Heav'ns now roll, where Earth

now rests

Upon her center pois'd; when on a day (For time, though in eternity, applied To motion, measures all things durable

By present, past, and future,) on such day

As Heaven's great year brings forth, the empyreal host

Of Angels by imperial summons call'd,
Innumerable before the Almighty's throne
Forthwith, from all the ends of Heaven, appear'd
Under their Hierarchs in orders bright;
Then thousand thousand ensigns high advanc'd,
Standards and gonfalons 'twixt van and rear
Stream in the air, and for distinction serve
Of hierarchies, of orders, and degrees;
Or in their glittering tissues bear imblaz'd
Holy memorials, acts of zeal and love
Recorded eminent. Thus when in orbs
Of circuit inexpressible they stood,
Orb within orb, the Father Infinite,

By whom in bliss imbosom'd sat the Son,
Amidst as from a flaming mount, whose top
Brightness had made invisible, thus spake.
Hear, all ye Angels, progeny of light

Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers,
Hear my decree, which unrevok'd shall stand.
This day I have begot whom I declare

My only Son, and on this holy hill

Him have anointed, whom ye now behold
At my right hand; your head I him appoint;
And by myself have sworn, to him shall bow
All knees in Heaven, and shall confess him Lord:
Under his great vice-gerent reign abide
United, as one individual soul,

For ever happy: Him who disobeys,
Me disobeys, breaks union, and that day
Cast out from God and blessed vision, falls
Into utter darkness, deep ingulf'd, his place
Ordain'd without redemption, without end.

So spake the Omnipotent, and with his words
All seem'd well pleas'd; all seem'd, but were not all.
That day, as other solemn days, they spent

In

ز

song and dance about the sacred hill Mystical dance, which yonder starry sphere Of planets, and of fix'd, in all her wheels Resembles nearest, mazes intricate,

Eccentrick, intervolv'd, yet regular

Then most, when most irregular they seem;

And in their motions harmony divine

So smooths her charming tones, that God's own ear
Listens delighted. Evening now approach'd,
(For we have also our evening and our morn,
We ours for change delectable, not need ;)
Forthwith from dance to sweet repast they turn
Desirous; all in circles as they stood,
Tables are set, and on a sudden pil'd
With angels food, and rubied nectar flows
In pearl, in diamond, and massy gold,

Fruit of delicious vines, the growth of Heaven.
On flowers repos'd, and with fresh flow'rets crown'd,
They eat, they drink, and in communion sweet
Quaff immortality and joy, secure

Of surfeit, where full measure only bounds
Excess, before the all-bounteous King, who shower'd
With copious hand, rejoicing in their joy.

Now when ambrosial night with clouds exhal'd From that high mount of God, whence light and shade

Spring both, the face of brightest Heaven had chang'd
To grateful twilight, (for night comes not there
In darker veil,) and roseat dews dispos'd
All but the unsleeping eyes of God to rest;
Wide over all the plain, and wider far
Than all this globus earth in plain outspread
(Such are the courts of God) the angelick throng,
Dispers'd in bands and files, their camp extend

By living streams among the trees of life,
Pavilions numberless, and sudden rear'd

Celestial tabernacles, where they slept

Fann'd with cool winds; save those, who, in their

course,

Melodious hymns about the sovran throne
Alternate all night long; but not so wak'd
Satan; so call him now, his former name
Is heard no more in Heaven; he of the first,
If not the first Arch-Angel, great in power,
In favour and pre-eminence, yet fraught
Contemptuous; and his next subordinate
Awakening, thus to him in secret spake.

Sleep'st thou, Companion dear? What sleep can

close

Thy eye-lids? and remember'st what decree
Of yesterday, so late hath pass'd the lips

Of Heaven's Almighty. Thou to me thy thoughts
Wast wont, I mine to thee was wont to impart ;
Both waking we were one; how then can now
Thy sleep dissent? New laws thou seest impos'd;
New laws from him who reigns, new minds may
In us who serve, new counsels, to debate
What doubtful may ensue: More in this place
To utter is not safe. Assemble thou

Of all those myriads which we lead the chief;
Tell them, that by command, ere yet dim night
Her shadowy cloud withdraws, I am to haste,

raise

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