Like honor to obtain ; and as his eye,
660 To visit oft this new creation round: Unspeakable desire to fee, and know All these His wondrous works, but chiefly man, His chief delight, and favor ; him, for whom All these His works so wondrous He ordain'd, 663 Hath brought me from the choirs of Cherubim Alone thus wandring: brightest Seraph! tell In which of all these shining orbs hath man His fixed seat, or fixed seat hath none, But all these shining orbs his choice to dwell: 670 That I may find him, and with secret gaze, Or open admiration, him behold On whom the great Creator hath bestow'd Worlds, and on whom hath all these graces pour'd: That both in him, and all things, as is meet, 675 The universal Maker we may praise ; Who justly hath driv'n out his rebel foes To deepest hell; and, to repair their loss, Created this new happy race of men, To serve Him better : wise are all His ways ! 680
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, .
684 By His permissive will, through heav'n and earth: And oft though wisdom wake, suspicion Neeps 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
Uriel, though regent of the sun, and held The sharpeft-lighted fpirit of all in heav'n : Who to the fraudulent impoftor foul, In his uprightness answer thus return'd.
Fair Angel! thy desire, which tends to know The works of God, thereby to glorify The great work-mafter, leads to no excess That reaches blame, but rather merits praise The more it seems excess, that led thee hither From thy empyreal manfion thus alone, To witness with thine eyes what some perhaps, 700 Contented with report, hear only in heav'n : For wonderful indeed are all His works ! Pleasant to know, and worthiest to be all Had in remembrance always with delight. But, what created mind can comprehend 705 Their number, or the wisdom infinite That brought them forth, but hid their causes deep ? I saw when at His word the formless mass, This world's material mold, came to a heap : Confufion heard His voice, and wild uproar 710 Stood ruld, stood vaft infinitude confin'd: Till at His second bidding darkness fled, Light Thon, and order from disorder sprung. Swift to their several quarters hasted then The cumbrous elements, earth, food, air, fire, 715 And the ethereal quintessence of heav'n Flew upward, spirited with various forms, That rowld orbicular, and turn’d to stars, Numaberless, as thou seest, and how they move ;
Each had his place appointed, each his course ; 720 The rest in circuit walls this universe, Look downward on that globe whose hither side With light from hence, tho' but reflected, Tines : That place is earth, the seat of man; that light His day, which else, as th'other hemisphere, 725 Night would invade; but there the neighb'ring moon (So call that opposite fair (tar) her aid Timely interposes, and her monthly round Still ending, still renewing through mid heav'n, With borrow'd light her countenance triform 730 Hence fills, and empties, to enlighten th' earth, And in her pale dominion checks the night, That spot to which I point is paradise, Adam's abode, those lofty Thades his bow'r; Thy way thou can'ft not miss, me mine requires. 735
Thus faid, he turn'd; and Satan bowing low (As to superior spirits is wont in heav'n, Where honor due, and reverence, none neglects) Took leave, and tow'rd the coast of earth beneath Down from th'ecliptic, {ped with hop'd success, Throws his steep flight in many an aery wheel ; Nor staid, till on Niphates' top he lights.
The end of the third Book.
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