"Ambition. Yet, why not? some other power "As great might have aspir'd, and me, though mean, "Drawn to his part: but other powers as great "Fell not, but stand unshaken, from within, 65 "Or from without, to all temptations arm'd. 70 "Hadst thou the same free will and power to stand? Nay, curs'd be thou! since, against his, thy will "Chose freely what it now so justly rues. Me miserable! which way shall I fly "Infinite wrath, and infinite despair? 75"Which way I fly is hell; myself am hell; "And, in the lowest deep, a lower deep "Still threatening to devour me, opens wide, "To which the hell I suffer seems a heaven. "O, then, at last relent! Is there no place 80"Left for repentance? none for pardon left ?"None left, but by submission! and that word "Disdain forbids me, and my dread of shame "Among the spirits beneath, whom I seduc'd "With other promises, and other vaunts 85"Than to submit, boasting I could subdue "The Omnipotent! Ah 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; 90" With diadem and sceptre high advanc'd, "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 95" Would height recall high thoughts, how soon unsay "What feign'd submission swore: ease would recant "Vows made in pain, as violent and void; "For never can true reconcilement grow "Where wounds of deadly hate have pierc'd so deep 100 “Which would but lead me to a worse relapse, 103 ** All hope excluded thus, behold, (instead "Of us, outcast, exil'd,) his new delight, "Mankind, created, and for him this world. "So farewell hope! and with hope, farewell fear! Farewell remorse! all good to me is lost: 110 Evil, be thou my good! by thee, at least " "Divided empire with heaven's King I hold"By thee, and more than half perhaps, will reign; "As man ere long, and this new world, shall know.” Thus while he spake, each passion dimm'd his face, 113 Thrice chang'd with pale ire, envy, and despair; Which marr'd his borrow'd visage, and betray'd Him counterfeit, if any eye beheld; For heavenly minds from such distempers foul That practis'd falsehood under saintly show, 125 Uriel once warn'd; whose eye pursued him down Spirit of happy sort: his gestures fierce 130 As he suppos'd, all unobserv'd, unseen. With thicket overgrown, grotesque and wild, Access denied; and over-head up-grew Cedar, and pine, and fir, and branching palm140 A sylvan scene; and, as the ranks ascend Shade above shade-a woody theatre Of stateliest view. Yet higher than their tops When God hath shower'd the earth; so lovely seem'd 155 Vernal delight and joy, able to drive All sadness but despair: now gentle gales, Of Araby the Blest; with such delay Well pleas'd they slack their course, and, many a league, 165 Cheer'd with the grateful smell old Ocean smiles: So entertain'd those odorous sweets the fiend, Who came their bane: though with them better pleas'd That drove him, though enamour'd, from the spouse Lay waving round: on some great charge employ'd 630 Glad was the spirit impure, as now in hope His journey's end, and our beginning woe. But first he casts to change his proper shape, In curls on either cheek play'd; wings he wore, 645 He drew not nigh unheard; the angel bright, Who in God's presence, nearest to his throne, 650 Stand ready at command, and are his eyes That run through all the heavens, or down to the earth O'er sea and land: him Satan thus accosts. "Uriel! for thou of those seven spirits that stand 655"In sight of God's high throne, gloriously bright, "The first art wont his great authentic will 66 Interpreter through highest heaven to bring, "Where all his sons thy embassy attend; "And here art likeliest, by supreme decree, 660"Like honour to obtain, and, as his eye, "To visit oft this new creation round: 66 Unspeakable desire to see, and know, "All these his wondrous works, but chiefly man, "His chief delight and favour-him for whom 665 "All these his works so wondrous he ordained, "Hath brought me from the quires of Cherubim 670 "But all these shining orbs his choice to dwell; 675 "On whom the great Creator hath bestow'd 66 Worlds, and on whom hath all these graces pour'd; "That both in him and all things, as is meet, “The universal Maker we may praise, "Who justly hath driven out his rebel foes "To deepest hell; and, to repair that loss, "Created this new happy race of men 680 "To serve Him better. Wise are all his ways!" So spake the false dissembler unperceiv'd: For neither man, nor angel, can discern Hypocrisy, (the only evil that walks Invisible, except to God alone, 685 By his permissive will, through heaven and earth; And oft, though Wisdom wake, Suspicion sleeps At Wisdom's gate, and to Simplicity Resigns her charge, while Goodness thinks no ill Where no ill seems,) which now for once beguil'd 690 Uriel, though regent of the sun, and held 695 "Fair angel! thy desire, which tends to know "The works of God, thereby to glorify "The great Work-master, leads to no excess "That reaches blame, but rather merits praise, "The more it seems excess, that led thee hither "From thy empyreal mansion thus alone, 700"To witness with thine eyes what some, perhaps, "Contented with report, hear only in heaven: "For wonderful indeed are all his works, "Pleasant to know, and worthiest to be all |