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CONTENTS.

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| THE LIFE OF JOHN | MILT | ON | | 1763 | * | 368 | - 60 | 20 | 10 | 49 | 6 | 1.23 | 14. 1 | | - | - 2 | | | 3777 |

| Introduction | 40 | | - 60 | 19 | 90 | 200 | 100 | 0.00 | | 4 | 0.0 | 40 | 100 | 27 | 10 | 2. | (4) | - 04 | xliii |

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK L

The First Book proposes, first in brief, the whole subject, man's disobedience, and the loss thereupon of Paradise, wherein he was placed; then touches the prime cause of his fall, the Serpent, or rather Satan in the Serpent; who, revolting from God, and drawing to his side many legions of angels, was, by the command of God, driven out of Heaven, with all his crew, into the great deep. Which action passed over, the Poem hastons into the midst of things, presenting Satan with his angels now falling into Hell, described here, not in the centre, for Heaven and Earth may be supposed as yet not made, certainly not yet accursed, but in a place of utter darkness, fitliest called Chaos. Here Satan, with his angels, lying on the burning lake, thunderstruck and astonished, after a certain space recovers, as from confusion, calls up to him who next in order and dignity lay by him; they confer of their miserabl; fall; Satan awakens all his legions, who lay till then in the same manner confounded. They rise; their numbers; array of battle; their chief leaders named, according to the idols known afterward in Canaan and the countries adjoining. To these Satan directs his speech, comforts them with hope yet of regaining Heaven, but tells them lastly of a new world, and a 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 associates thence attempt. Pandemonium, the palace of Satan, rises, suddenly built out of the deep: the infernal peers there sit in council.

BOOK II.

The consultation begun, Satan debates whether another battle be to be hazarded for the recovery of heaven

Some advise it, others dissuade: a third proposal is preferred, mentioned before by Satan, to search the truth

of that prophecy or tradition in heaven concerning another world, and another kind of creature, equal or

not much inferior to themselves, about this time to be created. Their doubt who shall be sent on this difficult search; Satan, their chief, undertakes alone the voyage, is honored and applauded. The council thus\nended, the rest betake them several ways, and to several employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time till Satan return. He passes on his journey to hell-gates; finds them shut, and who sat

there to guard them; by whom at length they are opened, and discover to him the great gulf between hell

and heaven; with what difficulty he passes through directed by Chaos, the power of that place, to the sight

of this new world which he sought

BOOK III.

God, siting on His throne, sees Satan flying towards this world, then newly created: shows him to the Son, who sat at His right hand; foretells the success of Satan in perverting mankind; clears His own justice and wisdom from all imputation, having created man free, and able enough to have withstood his tempter; yet de-