3

This knows my punisher; therefore as farr

From granting hee, as I from begging peace:

All hope excluded thus, behold in stead [ 105 ]

Of us out-cast, exild, his new delight,

Mankind created, and for him this World.

So farewel Hope, and with Hope farewel Fear,

Farewel Remorse: all Good to me is lost;

Evil be thou my Good; by thee at least [ 110 ]

Divided Empire with Heavns King I hold

By thee, and more then half perhaps will reigne;

As Man ere long, and this new World shall know.

Thus while he spake, each passion dimmd his face

Thrice changd with pale, ire, envie and despair, [ 115 ]

Which marrd his borrowd visage, and betraid

Him counterfet, if any eye beheld.

For heavnly mindes from such distempers foule

Are ever cleer. Whereof hee soon aware,

Each perturbation smoothd with outward calme, [ 120 ]

Artificer of fraud; and was the first

That practisd falshood under saintly shew,

Deep malice to conceale, coucht with revenge:

Yet not anough had practisd to deceive

Uriel once warnd; whose eye pursud him down [ 125 ]

The way he went, and on th Assyrian mount

Saw him disfigurd, more then could befall

Spirit of happie sort: his gestures fierce

He markd and mad demeanour, then alone,

As he supposd all unobservd, unseen. [ 130 ]

So on he fares, and to the border comes

Of Eden, where delicious Paradise,

Now nearer, Crowns with her enclosure green,

As with a rural mound the champain head

Of a steep wilderness, whose hairie sides [ 135 ]

With thicket overgrown, grottesque and wilde,

Access denid; and over head up grew

Insuperable highth of loftiest shade,

Cedar, and Pine, and Firr, and branching Palm

A Silvan Scene, and as the ranks ascend [ 140 ]

Shade above shade, a woodie Theatre

Of stateliest view. Yet higher then thir tops

The verdurous wall of paradise up sprung:

Which to our general Sire gave prospect large

Into his neather Empire neighbouring round. [ 145 ]