THE measure is Englife heroic verfe without rhyme, as that of Homer in Greek, and Virgil in Latin 2 rybme being no necessary adjunct or true ornament of poem or good verfe, in longer works efpecially, but the invention of a barbarous age, to set off wretched matter and lame metre; grac'd indeed fince by the use of Some famous modern poets, carried away by cuftom, but much to their own vexation, bindrance, and confiraint, to express many things otherwife, and for the most part, worse than elfe they would have expressed them. Not without caufe, therefore, fome both Italian and Spanish poets of prime note, bave rejected rhyme both in longer and foorter works, as have also long fince our beft Englifo tragedies, as a thing of itself, to all judigious ears, trivial, and of no true musical delight; which confifts only in apt numbers, fit quantity of fyllables, and the fenfe variously drawn out from one verfe into another, not in the jingling found of like endings, a fault avoided by the learned ancients both in poetry and all good oratory. This negle&t, then, of rhyme, fa little is to be taken for a defect, though it may seem so perhaps to vulgar readers, that it rather is to be eficem→ ed an example fet, the firft in Englife, of ancient liberty recovered to beroic poem, from the troublesome and modern bondage of rhyming.
This First Book proposes, first in brief, the whole fubject, Man's disobedience, and the loss thereupon of Paradise wherein he was placed: then touches the prime caufe of his fall, the ferpent or rather Satan in the serpent; who, revolting from God, and drawing to his fide many legions of angels, was, by the command of God, driven out of heaven, with all his crew, into the great deep. Which action pas'd over, the Poem haftes into the midst of things, presenting Satan with his angels now falling into hell, defcrib'd here, not in the centre (for heaven and earth may be fuppofed as yet not made, certainly not yet accurs'd), but in a place of utter darkness, fitlieft call'd Chaos: here Satan, with his angels lying on the burning lake, thunder-ftruck and astonish'd, after a certain space, recover as from confufion, calls up him who next in order and dignity lay by him; they confer of their miferable fall. Satan awakens all his legions, who lay till then in the fame manner confounded: they rife; their numbers, array of battle, their chief leaders nam'd, according to the idols known afterwards in Canaan and the countries adjoining. To these Satan directs his speech, comforts them with hope yet of regaining heaven, but teils them, laftly, of a new world, and new kind of creature to be created, according to an ancient prophecy or report in heaven; for that angels were long before this visible creation, was the opinion of many ancient Fathers. To find out the truth of this prophecy, and what to determine thereon, he refers to a full council. What his affociates thence attempt. Pandemonium the palace of Satan rises, suddenly built, out of the deep : the infernal peers. there fit in council.
Or man's firft difobedience, and the fruit Of that forbidden tree, whofe mortal tafte Brought death into the world, and all our woe, With lofs of Eden, till one greater Man Reftore us, and regain the blifsful feat, Sing heav'nly Mufe, that on the fecret top Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire
That thepherd, who firft taught the chofen feed, In the beginning, how the heav'ns and earth Rofe out of chaos: or if Sion hill
Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flow'd Fait by the oracle of God; I thence Invoke thy aid to my advent'rous fong, That with no middle flight intends to foar Above th' Aonian mount, while it pursues Things unattempted yet in profe or rhyme. And chiefly Thou, O Spirit, that doft prefer Before all teniples the upright heart and pure, Inftruct me, for thou know'ft; thou from the firft Waft prefent, and, with mighty wings outspread,
Dove-like fatft brooding on the vast abyss, And mad'ft it pregnant: what in me is dark Illumine, what is low raife and fupport; That to the height of this great argument I may affert eternal providence, And juftify the ways of God to men.
Say firft, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view, Nor the deep tract of Hell, fay firft what caufe Mov'd our grand parents, in that happy state, Favour'd of Heav'n fo highly, to fall off From their Creator, and tranfgrefs his will, For one reftraint, lords of the world befides? Who first feduc'd them to that foul revolt? Th' infernal ferpent; he it was, whofe guile, Stirr'd up with envy and revenge, deceiv'd The mother of mankind, what time his pride Had caft him out from heav'n, with all his hoft Of rebel angels, by whose aid aspiring To fet himself in glory above his peers, He trusted to have equall'd the Moft High,
If he oppos'd; and, with ambitious aim, Against the throne and monarchy of God Raif'd impious war in heav'n and battle proud, With vain attempt. Him the Almighty Power Hurl'd headlong flaming from the ethereal sky, With hideous ruin and combuftion, down To bottomlefs perdition, there to dwell In adamantine chains and penal fire, Who durft defy th' Omnipotent to arms. Nine times the space that measures day and night To mortal men, he with his horrid crew Lay vanquish'd, rolling in the fiery gulf Confounded, though immortal; but his doom Referv'd him to more wrath; for now the thought Both of loft happinets and lafting pain Torments him; round he throws his baleful eyes, That witness'd huge affliction and difmay, Mixt with obdurate pride and stedfast hate : At once, as far as angels' ken, he views The difmal fituation wafte and wild;
A dungeon horrible on all fides round
All is not loft; th' unconquerable will, And study of revenge, immortal hate, And courage never to fubmit or yield, And what is elfe, not to be overcome? That glory never shall his wrath or might Extort from me. To bow and fue for grace With fuppliant knee, and deify his power, Who from the terror of this arm fo late Doubted his empire; that were low indeed; That were an ignominy, and fhame beneath This downfal; fince by fate the ftrength of gods And this empyreal substance cannot fail, Since through experience of this great event, In arms not worse, in forefight much advanc'd, We may with more fuccefsful hope refolve To wage by force or guile eternal war, Irreconcilable to our grand Foe,
Who now triumphs, and in th' excefs of joy Sole reigning holds the tyrany of heav'n.
So fpake the apoftate angel, though in pain, Vaunting aloud, but rack'd with deep defpair;
As one great furnace flam'd, yet from thofe flames And him thus anfwer'd foon his bold compeer: No light, but rather darkness visible, Serv'd only to difcover fights of woe, Regions of forrow, doleful fhades, where peace And reft can never dwell, hope never comes That comes to all; but torture without end Still urges, and a fiery deluge, fed With ever-burning fulphur unconfum'd: Such place eternal Juftice had prepar'd For thofe rebellious, here their prilon ordain'd In utter darkness, and their portion fet
As far remov'd from God and light of heav'n As from the centre thrice to th' utmoft pole. O how unlike the place from whence they fell! There the companions of his fall, o'erwhelm'd With floods and whirlwinds of tempestuous fire, He foon difcerns, and welt'ring by his fide One next himself in pow'r, and next in crime, Long after known in Paleftine, and nam'd Beelzebub. To whom th' arch-enemy, And thence in heav'n call'd Satan, with bold words Breaking the horrid filence, thus began:
ff thou beef he; but O how fall'n! how chang'd From him, who, in the happy realms of light, Cloth'd with tranfcendent brightnefs didit outshine Myriads though bright! If he whom mutual league, United thoughts and counfels, equal hope And hazard in the glorious enterprife, Jein'd with me once, now mifery hath join'd In equal ruin into what pit thou feeft From what height fall'n, so much theftronger prov'd He with his thunder: and till then who knew The force of thofe dire arms? yet not for those, Nor what the potent Victor in his rage Can elfe inflict, do I repent or change, Though chang'd in outward luftre, that fix'd mind, And high difdain from fenfe of injur'd merit, That with the Mightieft raif'd me to contend, And to the fierce contention brought along Innumerable force of fpirits arm'd,
That durft dislike his reign, and me preferring, His utmolt pow'r with adverfe pow'r oppof'd In dubious battle on the plains of Heav'n, And shook his throne. What though the field be loft?
O Prince! O Chief of many throned powers, That led th' imbattl'd feraphim to war Under thy conduct, and in dreadful deeds Fearlefs, endanger'd heav'n's perpetual King, And put to proof his high fupremacy, Whether upheld by ftrength, or chance, or fate, Too well I fee and rue the dire event, That with fad overthrow and foul defeat Hath loft us heaven, and all this mighty hoft In horrible deftruction laid thus low, As far as gods and heav'nly offences Can perifh: for the mind and spirit remains Invincible, and vigour foon returns, Though all our glory's extinct, and happy state Here fwallow'd up in enalefs mifery. But what if he our Conqu'ror (whom I now Of force believe Almighty, fince no lefs Than fuch could have o'erpow'r'd fuch force as ours) Have left us thus our spirit and ftrength entire Strongly to fuffer and support our pains, That we may lo fuffice his vengeful ire, Or do him mightier fervice as his thralls By right of war, whate'er his bufinefs be, Here in the heart of hell to work in fire, Or do his errands in the gloomy deep; What can it then avail, though yet we feel Strength undiminith'd, or eternal being To undergo eternal punishment? Whereto with speedy words th' arch-fiend reply'd:
Fall'n Cherub, to be weak is miferable, Doing or fuffering: but of this be furc, To do ought good never will be our task, But ever to do ill our fole delight, As being the contrary to his high will Whom we refift. If then his providence Out of our evil feek to bring forth good, Our labour must be to pervert that end, And out of good fall to find means of evil; Which oft-times may fucceed, fo as perhaps Shall grieve him, if I fail not, and disturb His inmoft counfels from their deftin'd aim. But fee the angry Victor hath recall'd His minifters of vengeance and purfuit
Back to the gates of heav'n: the fulph'rous hail Shot after us in ftorm, o'erblown, hath laid The fiery furge, that from the precipice Of heav'n receiv'd us falling; and the thunder, Wing'd with red lightning and impetuous rage, Perhaps hath spent his fhafts, and ceafes now Te bellow through the vast and boundless deep. Let us not flip th' occafion, whether scorn, Or fatiate fury yield it from our foe. Seeft thou yon dreary plain, forlorn and wild, The feat of defolation, void of light,
Save what the glimmering of thefe livid flames Cafts pale and dreadful? thither let us tend From off the toffing of these fiery waves; There reft, if any reft can harbour there, And re-affembling our afflicted powers, Confult how we may henceforth moft offend Our enemy, our own lofs how repair, How overcome this dire calamity, What reinforcement we may gain from hope, If not what refolution from defpair.
Thus Satan, talking to his nearest mate, With head up-lift above the wave, and eyes That fparkling blaz'd, his other parts besides Prone on the flood, extended long and large, Lay floating many a rood, in bulk as huge As whom the fables name of monstrous fize, Titanian, or Earth-born, that warr'd on Jove, Briareus or Typhon, whom the den By ancient Tarfus held, or that fea-beaft Leviathan, which God of all his works Created hugeft that swim th' ocean stream : Him haply lumb'ring on the Norway foam The pilot of fome fmall night-founder'd skiff, Deeming fome ifland, oft, as feamen tell, With fixed anchor in his scaly rind Moors by his fide under the lee, while night Invents the fea, and wished morn delays: So ftretch'd out huge in length the Arch-fiend lay Chain'd on the burning lake, nor ever thence Had rif'n or heav'd his head, but that the will Aad high permiffion of all-ruling Heaven Left him at large to his own dark designs, That with reiterated crimes he might Heap on himself damnation, while he fought Evil to others, and enrag'd might fee How all his malice ferv'd but to bring forth Infinite goodness, grace and mercy shewn On Man by him feduc'd; but on himself Treble confufion, wrath and vengeance pour'd. Forthwith upright he rears from off the pool His mighty ftature; on each hand the flames Driv'n backward flope their pointing fpires, and In billows, leave i' th' midst a horrid vale. [roll'd Then with expanded wings he steers his flight Aloft, incumbent on the dufky air That felt unufual weight, till on dry land He lights, if it were land that ever burn'd With folid, as the lake with liquid fire; And fuch appear'd in hue, as when the force Of fubterranean wind tranfports a hill Torn from Pelorus, or the shatter'd fide Of thundering Ætna, whofe combuftible And fuel'd entrails thence conceiving fire, Sublim'd with mineral fury, aid the winds,
And leave a finged bottom all involv'd With stench and smoke : such refting found the fole Of unbleft feet. Him followed his next mate, Both glorying to have feap'd the Stygian flood As gods, and by their own recover'd strength, Not by the fuff'rance of supernal Power.
Is this the region, this the foil, the clime, Said then the loft Arch-angel, this the feat That we must change for Heav'n, this mournful For that celestial light? Be it fo, fince he [gloom Who now is Sov'reign, can difpofe and bid What fhall be right: fartheft from him is beft, Whom reafon hath equall'd, force hath made fu- Above his equals. Farewell, happy fields [preme Where joy forever dwells: Hail Horrors, hail Infernal World, and thou profoundest Hell Receive thy new poffeffor; one who brings A mind not to be chang'd by place or time. The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a heav'n of hell, a hell of heav'n. What matter where, if I be ftill the fame, And what I fhould be, all but lefs than he Whom thunder hath made greater? Here at leaft We fhall be free; th' Almighty hath not built Here for his envy, will not drive us hence : Here we may reign secure, and, in my choice, To reign is worth ambition though in Hell: Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heav'n. But wherefore let we then our faithful friends, Th' affociates and copartners of our lofs, Lie thus astonish'd on th' oblivious pool, And call them not to share with us their part In this unhappy manfion, or once more, With rallied arms, to try what may be yet Regain'd in heav'n, or what more loft in hell? So Satan fpake, and him Beelzebub Thus anfwer'd: Leader of thofe armies bright, Which but th' Omnipotent none could have foil' If once they hear that voice, their livelieft pledge Of hope in fears and dangers, heard so oft In worst extremes, and on the perilous edge Of battle when it rag'd, in all affaults Their surest signal, they will foon resume New courage, and revive; though now they lic Grovelling and proftrate on yon lake of fire, As we e'er while, aftounded and amaz'd, No wonder, fall'n fuch a pernicious height.
He fearce had ceaf'd, when the superior Fiend Was moving tow'rd the fhore; his pond'rous fhicld, Ethereal temper, maffy, large and round, Behind him caft; the broad circumference Hung on his fhoulders like the moon, whofe or Through optic glass the Tuscan artist views At evening from the top of Fefole, Or in Valdarno, to defcry new lands, Rivers or mountains in her spotty globe. His fpear, to equal which the tallest pine, Hewn on Norwegian hills to be the mast Of fome great admiral, were but a wand, He walk'd with to fupport uneasy steps Over the burning marle, not like thofe fteps On heaven's azure, and the torrid clime Smote on him fore besides, vaulted with fire; Nathlefs he fo endur'd, till on the beach Of that inflamed fea he stood, and call'd
His legions, angel forms, who lay entranc'd Thick as autumnal leaves that ftrow the brooks In Valambrofa, where th' Etrurian fhades High over-arch'd embow'r; or fcatter'd fedge Aflote, when with fierce winds Orien arm'd Hath vex'd the Red-fea coaft, whofe waves o'er- Bufiris and his Memphian chivalry, While with perfidious hatred they pursued The fojourners of Goshen, who beheld From the fafe fhore their floating carcafes And broken chariot wheels: fo thick beftrown Abject and loft lay thefe, covering the flood, Under amazement of their hideous change. He call'd fo loud, that all the hollow deep Of hell refounded. Princes, Potentates, [loft, Warriors, th' flow'r of heav'n, once yours, now If fuch astonishment as this can feize Eternal fpirits; or have you chofen this place, After the toil of battle, to repofe
Your wearied virtue, for the ease you find 'To flumber here, as in the vales of Heav'n? Or in this abject pofture have you fworn To adore the Conqueror? who now beholds Cherub and feraph rolling in the flood With fcatter'd arms and enfigns, till anon His fwift purfuers from heav'n gates difcern Th' advantage, and defcending tread us down Thus drooping, or with linked thunderbolts Transfix us to the bottom of this gulf. Awake, arife, or be for ever fallen!
[fprung They heard, and were abafh'd, and up they Upon the wing, as when men wont to watch On duty, fieeping found by whom they dread, Rouse and beftir themselves e'er well awake. Nor did they not perceive the evil plight In which they were, or the fierce pains not feel; Yet to their General's voice they foon obey'd, Innumerable. As when the potent rod Of Amram's fon, in Egypt's evil day, Wav'd round the coaft, up call'd a pitchy cloud Of locufts, warping on the eastern wind, That o'er the realm of impious Pharaoh hung Like night, and darken'd all the land of Nile: So numberless were those bad angels feen, Hovering on wing under the cope of Hell, "Twixt upper, nether, and furrounding fires; Till, at a fignal giv'n, th' uplifted spear Of their great Sultan waving to direct Their courfe, in even balance down they light On the firm brimitone, and fill all the plain; A multitude, like which the populous North Pour'd never from her frozen loins, to pafs Rhene or the Danaw, when her barb'rous fons Came like a deluge on the South, and spread Beneath Gibraltar to the Lybian fands. Forthwith from every fquadron and each band The heads and leaders thither hafte, where ftood Their great Commander; godlike fhapes and forms Excelling human, princely dignities,
And powers that erft in Heaven fat on thrones; Though of their names in heav'nly records now Be no memorial, blotted out and ras'd By their rebellion from the books of Life. Nor had they yet among the fons of Eve
Through God's high fuff'rance for the trial of man, By fallities and lies the greatest part Of mankind they corrupted to forfake God their Creator, and th' invisible
Glory of him that made them to transform Oft to the image of a brute, adorn'd
With gay religions full of pomp and gold, And devils to adore for deities:
Then were they known to men by various names, And various idols through the heathen world. Say, Mufe, their names then known, who firft, who laft,
Rous'd from the flumber, on that fiery couch, At their great Emp'ror's call, as next in worth Came fingly where he ftood on the bare ftrand, While the promifcuous crowd flood yet aloof. The chief were thofe who from the pit of Hell Roaming to feek their prey on earth, durit fix Their feats long after next the feat of God, Their altars by his altar, gods ador'd Among the nations round, and durft abide Jehovah thund'ring out of Sion, thron'd Between the cherubim ; yea often plac'd Within his fanctuary itself their fhrines, Abominations; and with cursed things His holy rites and folemn feafts profan'd, And with their darkness durft affront his light. First Moloch, horrid king, befmear'd with blood Of human facrifice, and parent's tears, Though for the noife of drums and timbrels loud Their children's cries unheard, that pafs'd through To his grim idol. Him the Ammonite Worship'd in Rabba and her watry plain, In Argob and in Bafan, to the stream Of utmost Arnon. Nor content with fuch Audacious neighbourhood, the wisest heart Of Solomon he led by fraud to build
His temple right against the temple of God On that opprobrious hill, and made his grove The pleafant valley of Himmon, Tophet thence And black Gehenna call'd, the type of Hell. Next Chemos, th' obfcene dread of Moab's fons, From Aroar to Nebo, and the wild Of fouthmoft Abarim; in Hefebon And Horonaini, Seon's realm, beyond The flow'ry dale of Sibma, clad with vines, And leale to th' Afphaltic pool.
Peor his other name, when he entic'd Ifrael in Sittim on their march from Nile
To do him wanton rites, which cost them woc. Yet thence his luftful orgies he enlarg'd Ev'n to that hill of fcandal, by the grove Of Moloch homicide; luft hard by hate; Till good Jofiah drove them thence to Hell. With thefe came they, who from the bord'ring Of old Euphrates to the brook that parts [flood Egypt from Syrian ground, had general names Of Baalim and Afhtaroth, thofe male, These feminine. For fpirits, when they please, Can either fex affume, or both; fo foft And uncompounded is their effence pure, Not ty'd or manacl'd with joint or limb, Nor founded on the brittle strength of bones, Like cumb'rous flesh; but in what shape they choose
Got them new names, till wandring o'er the earth, Dilated or condens'd, bright or obscure,
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