Page 81 of 239

83

In misery: such joy ambition finds. But say I could repent, and could obtain, By act of grace, my former state; how soon Would height recall high thoughts, how soon unsay What feigned submission swore! Ease would recant Vows made in pain, as violent and void: For never can true reconcilement grow Where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep: Which would but lead me to a worse relapse, And heavier fall: so should I purchase dear Short intermission, bought with double smart. This knows my Punisher; therefore as far From granting He, as I from begging, peace: All hope excluded thus, behold, instead Of us, outcast, exiled, his new delight, Mankind, created, and for him this world. So farewell hope; and with hope farewell fear; Farewell remorse: all good to me is lost. Evil, be thou my good: by thee at least

As man ere long, and this new world shall know. Thus while he spake, each passion dimmed his face, Thrice changed with pale, ire, envy, and despair; Which marred his borrowed visage, and betrayed Him counterfeit, if any eye beheld: For heavenly minds from such distempers foul Are ever clear. Whereof he soon aware, Each perturbation smoothed with outward calm, Artificer of fraud; and was the first That practised falsehood under saintly show, Deep malice to conceal, couched with revenge. Yet not enough had practised to deceive . Uriel, once warned; whose eye pursued him down The way he went, and on the Assyrian mount Saw him disfigured, more than could befall

Divided empire with heaven's king I hold,

By thee, and more than half perhaps will reign,

PARADISE LOST. BOOK IV.-128-163] Spirit of happy sort: his gestures fierce He marked, and mad demeanour, then alone As he supposed, all unobserved, unseen. 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 champaign head Of a steep wilderness, whose hairy sides With thicket overgrown, grotesque and wild, Access denied; and overhead up grew Insuperable height of loftiest shade, Cedar, and pine, and fir, and branching palm, A sylvan scene; and, as the ranks ascend Shade above shade, a woody theatre Of stateliest view. Yet higher than their tops The verdurous wall of Paradise up-sprung; Which to our general sire gave prospect large Into his nether empire neighboring round. And higher than that wall a circling row Of goodliest trees, loaden with fairest fruit, Blossoms and fruits at once, of golden hue, Appeared, with gay enamelled colours mixed; On which the sun more glad impressed his beams, Than in fair evening cloud, or humid bow, When God hath showered the earth: so lovely seemed That landscape; and of pure now purer air Meets his approach, and to the heart inspires Vernal delight and joy, able to drive All sadness but despair. Now gentle gales. Fanning their odoriferous wings, dispense Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole Those balmy spoils. As when to them who sail Beyond the Cape of Hope, and now are past Mozambic, off at sea north-east winds blow

Sabean odours from the spicy shore

Of Araby the Blest; with such delay