791

Thus incorporeal Spi'rits to smallest forms
Reduc'd their shapes immenfe, and were at large,
Though without number still amidst the hall
Of that infernal court. But far within,
And in their own dimenfions like themselves,
The great Seraphic Lords and Cherubim
In close recefs and fecret conclave fat
A thousand Demi-gods on golden seats,
Frequent and full, After fhort filence then
And fummons read, the great confult began,

Carmina vel cœlo poffunt deducere
lunam. Virg. Ecl, VIII. 69.
790. Reduc'd their shapes immenfe,
and were at large, &c.] Tho'
numberless they had fo contracted
their dimenfions, as to have room
enough to be Au large (French)
A large (Italian) and be yet in the
hall. So XI. 626.

Ere long to fwim at large.

Richardfon. 795. In clofe recefs and fecret conclave jat] It is not impro

795

bable that the poet might allude here to what is ftrictly and proper. ly call'd the conclave; for it is cer tain that he had not a much better opinion of the one than of the other of thefe affemblies.

797. Frequent and full.] So we have in Latin frequens fenatus, a full houfe. And he makes ufe of the fame expreffion in English profe, "The affembly was full and fre

quent according to summons." See his Hiftory of England in the reign of Edward the Confeffor,

The End of the First Book,

THE

SECOND BOOK

O F

PARADISE LOST.

G 4

THE ARGUMENT.

The confultation begun, Satan debates whether another battel be to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven Some advise it, others diffuade: A third propofal is preferr'd, mention'd before by Satan, to fearch 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 fhall be fent on this difficult fearch: Satan their chief undertakes alone the voyage, is honour'd and applauded. The council thus ended, the reft betake them feveral ways, and to feveral employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time till Satan return. He paffes on his journey to Hell gates, finds them fhut, and who fate there to guard them, by whom at length they are open'd, and difcover to him the great gulph between Hell and Heaven; with what difficulty he paffes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the fight of this new world which he fought.