Satan, now in prospect of Eden, and nigh the place where he must now attempt the bold enterprise which he undertook alone against God and Man, falls into many doubts with himself, and many passions - fear, envy, and despair; but at length confirms himself in evil; journeys on to Paradise, whose outward prospect and situation is described; overleaps the bounds; sits, in the shape of a Cormorant, on the Tree of Life, as highest in the Garden, to look about him. The Garden described; Satan's first sight of Adam and Eve; his wonder at their excellent form and happy state, but with resolution to work their fall; overhears their discourse; thence gathers that the Tree of Knowledge was forbidden them to eat of under penalty of death, and thereon intends to found his temptation by seducing them to transgress; then leaves them a while, to know further of their state by some other means. Meanwhile Uriel, descending on a sunbeam, warns Gabriel, who had in charge the gate of Paradise, that some evil Spirit had escaped the Deep, and passed at noon by his Sphere, in the shape of a good Angel, down to Paradise, discovered after by his furious gestures in the Mount. Gabriel promises to find him ere morning. Night coming on, Adam and Eve discourse of going to their rest: their bower described; their evening worship. Gabriel, drawing forth his bands of night-watch to walk the rounds of Paradise, appoints two strong Angels to Adam's bower, lest the evil Spirit should be there doing some harm to Adam or Eve sleeping: there they find him at the ear of Eve, tempting her in a dream, and bring him, though unwilling, to Gabriel; by whom ques tioned, he scornfully answers; prepares resistance; but, hindered by a sign from Heaven, flies out of Paradise.

O FOR that warning voice, which he who

saw

The Apocalypse heard cry in Heaven aloud, Then when the Dragon, put to second rout, Came furious down to be revenged on men, Woe to the inhabitants on Earth! that now, While time was, our first parents had been

Disdain forbids me, and my dread of shame Among the Spirits beneath, whom I seduced

With other promises and other vaunts Than to submit, boasting I could subdue The Omnipotent. Ay me! they little know How dearly I abide that boast so vain,

Under what torments inwardly I groan.
While they adore me on the throne of
Hell,

With diadem and sceptre high advanced, 90
The lower still I fall, only supreme
In misery such joy ambition finds!
But say I could repent, and could obtain,
By act of grace, my former state; how

soon

In at the window climbs, or o'er the tiles; So clomb this first grand Thief into God's fold:

So since into his Church lewd hirelings climb.

Thence up he flew, and on the Tree of Life, The middle tree and highest there that grew,

Sat like a Cormorant; yet not true life Thereby regained, but sat devising death To them who lived; nor on the virtue thought

Of that life-giving plant, but only used
For prospect what, well used, had been the
pledge

Of immortality. So little knows
Any, but God alone, to value right

200

Which from his darksome passage now appears,

And now, divided into four main streams, Runs diverse, wandering many a famous realm

And country whereof here needs no account; But rather to tell how, if Art could tell How, from that sapphire fount the crispèd

brooks,

Rowling on orient pearl and sands of gold, With mazy error under pendent shades Ran nectar, visiting each plant, and fed 240