Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/185

 BOOK FOURTH

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��To the Ocean Isles, and in the ascending

scale Of Heaven the stars that usher evening

rose:

When Satan, still in gaze as first he stood, Scarce thus at length failed speech recov- ered sad : " O Hell ! what do mine eyes with grief

behold ?

Into our room of bliss thus high advanced Creatures of other mould Earth - born perhaps, 360

Not Spirits, yet to Heavenly Spirits bright Little inferior whom my thoughts pur- sue With wonder, and could love; so lively

shines

In them divine resemblance, and such grace The hand that formed them on their shape

hath poured.

Ah ! gentle pair, ye little think how nigh Your change approaches, when all these

delights

Will vanish, and deliver ye to woe More woe, the more your taste is now of

joy :

Happy, but for so happy ill secured 370 Long to continue, and this high seat, your

Heaven, 111 fenced for Heaven to keep out such a

foe

As now is entered; yet no purposed foe To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn, Though I unpitied. League with you I

seek,

And mutual amity, so strait, so close, That I with you must dwell, or you with

me, Henceforth. My dwelling, haply, may not

please, Like this fair Paradise, your sense; yet

Such 379

Accept your Maker's work; he gave it me, Which I as freely give. Hell shall unfold, To entertain you two, her widest gates, And send forth all her kings; there will be

room,

Not like these narrow limits, to receive Your numerous offspring; if no better place, Thank him who puts me, loath, to this re- venge On you, who wrong me not, for him who

wronged.

And, should I at your harmless innocence Melt, as I do, yet public reason just 389

��Honour and empire with revenge enlarged By conquering this new World compels

me now To do what else, though damned, I should

abhor."

So spake the Fiend, and with necessity, The tyrant's plea, excused his devilish

deeds. Then from his lofty stand on that high

tree

Down he alights among the sportful herd Of those four-footed kinds, himself now

one, Now other, as their shape served best his

end

Nearer to view his prey, and, unespied, To mark what of their state he more might

learn 4 oo

By word or action marked. About them

round

A lion now he stalks with fiery glare; Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spied In some pourlieu two gentle fawns at play, Straight crouches close; then rising, changes

oft His couchant watch, as one who chose his

ground, Whence rushing he might surest seize them

both Griped in each paw: when Adam, first of

men,

To first of women, Eve, thus moving speech, Turned him all ear to hear new utterance

flow : 4 10

" Sole partner and sole part of all these

joys.

Dearer thyself than all, needs must the

Power

That made us, and for us this ample World, I Be infinitely good, and of his good As liberal and free as infinite; That raised us from the dust, and placed

us here

In all this happiness, who at this hand Have nothing merited, nor can perform Aught whereof he hath need; he who re- quires

From us no other service than to keep 420 This one, this easy charge of all the trees In Paradise that bear delicious fruit So various, not to taste that only Tree Of Knowledge, planted by the Tree of

Life ;

So near grows Death to Life, whate'er Death is

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