Yet by experience taught we know how good, 826 And of our good and of our dignity

How provident he is, how far from thought

To make us lefs, bent rather to exalt

Our happy state under one head more near

830

United. But to grant it thee unjust,

That equal over equals monarch reign;

Thyfelf though great and glorious doft thou count, Or all angelic nature join'd in one,

Equal to him begotten Son? by whom

835

As by his Word the mighty Father made

All things, ev❜n thee; and all the Spirits of Heaven
By him created in their bright degrees,

Crown'd them with glory', and to their glory nam'd
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers,
Effential Pow'rs; nor by his reign obfcur'd,
But more illuftrious made; fince he the head

16, 17. For by him were all things created that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth, vifible and invifible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him and for bim, and he is before all things, and by him all things confift: and the conclufion of this fpeech is taken from the conclufion of Pfal. II.

84L

One

840. Thrones, Dominations, Prince

doms, Virtues, Powers,] This verfe, which occurs fo often in this poem, is tranflated, as Mr. Lauder obferves, from the frontispiece of Heywood's Hierarchy of Angels,

Throni, Dominationes, Principatus, Virtutes, Poteftates.

They

One of our number thus reduc'd becomes;

His laws our laws; all honor to him done
Returns our own. Ceafe then this impious rage, 845
And tempt not these; but haften to appease
Th'incenfed Father, and th' incenfed Son,
While pardon may be found in time befought.
So fpake the fervent Angel; but his zeal
None feconded, as out of feafon judg'd,
Or fingular and rash, whereat rejoic'd

850

Th' Apoftate, and more haughty thus reply'd.
That we were form'd then say'ft thou? and the work
Of fecondary hands, by task transferr'd

From Father to his Son? ftrange point and new! 855
Doctrin which we would know whence learn'd:whofaw

They are both taken from St. Paul, as we have juft now quoted him.

When

fhould conftantly pronounce this word and puiffant the adjective with 861.. when fatal courfe &c.] two fyllables, when they would be We may obferve that our author more fonorous with three. But in makes Šatan a fort of fatalift. We this he conforms to the practice Angels (fays he) were felf-begot, and example of the best writers. felf-rais'd by our own quick'ning So Fairfax in his Taffo, Cant. 18. pow'r, when the course of fate had St. 55. completed its full round and period;

then we were the birth mature, the production in due feafon, of this our native Heaven. No compliment to fatalism to put it into the mouth of the Devil.

864. Our puiffance is our own;] It has been wonder'd that Milton

And 'gainft the northern gate my

puiance bend.

and Cant. 19. St. 72.

Of this your terrible and puissant knight.

Tho' Spenfer I find makes them fometimes

When this creation was? remember'ft thou

Thy making, while the Maker gave

thee being?

We know no time when we were not as now;
Know none before us, felf-begot, felf-rais'd 860
By our own quick'ning pow'r, when fatal courfe
Had circled his full orb, the birth mature
Of this our native Heav'n, ethereal fons.
Our puiffance is our own; our own right hand
Shall teach us highest deeds, by proof to try
Who is our equal: then thou shalt behold
Whether by fupplication we intend
Address, and to begirt th'almighty throne
Befeeching or befieging. This report,
These tidings carry to th' anointed King;

865

870 And

864. our own right hand Sball teach us highest deeds,] From

fometimes three, as well as fometimes two fyllables. As Shakefpear does likewise, 2 Hen. IV. Pfal. XLV. 4. Thine own right hand fhall teach thee terrible things.

A& I.

Upon the pow'r and puissance of Dextra mihi Deus, et telum quod miffile libro. Virg. Æn. X. 773Bentley.

the king,

and a little afterwards,

And come against us in full puiffance.

In the former line puissance is ufed as two fyllables, and in the latter as three, It was certainly better

in Milton to make it all the one or all the other.

869. Befeeching or befieging. ] Thofe which are thought the faults of Milton may be juftify'd by the authority of the belt writers. This fort of jingle is like that in Terence, Andria, Act I. Sc. III. 13.

inceptio eft amentium, haud amantium;

and

And fly, ere evil intercept thy flight.

875

He faid, and as the found of waters deep Hoarse murmur echo'd to his words applause Through the infinite hoft; nor less for that The flaming Seraph fearless, though alone Incompafs'd round with foes, thus answer'd bold. O alienate from God, O Spi'rit accurs'd, Forfaken of all good; I fee thy fall Determin'd, and thy hapless crew involv'd

In this perfidious fraud, contagion spread

880

Both of thy crime and punishment: henceforth
No more be troubled how to quit the yoke
Of God's Meffiah; thofe indulgent laws
Will not be now vouchfaf'd; other decrees
Against thee are gone forth without recall;

885

That

That golden scepter, which thou didst reject,
Is now an iron rod to bruise and break
Thy disobedience. Well thou didst advise,
Yet not for thy advice or threats I fly

These wicked tents devoted, left the wrath
Impendent, raging into fudden flame
Diftinguish not: for foon expect to feel
His thunder on thy head, devouring fire.
Then who created thee lamenting learn,

890

When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know. 895
So fpake the Seraph Abdiel faithful found
Among the faithlefs, faithful only he;
Among innumerable falfe, unmov'd,
Unfhaken, unfeduc'd, unterrify'd
His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal;

(as Dr. Pearce fays) by underftanding but I fly before the word left. See the fame elliptical way of fpeaking in II.483. But it would be plainer and eafier with Dr. Bentley's alteration, if there was any authority for it;

These wicked tents devote, but left the wrath &'c.

896. So fpake the Seraph Abdiel faithful found &c.] The part of Abdiel, who was the only Spirit that in this infinite hoft of

900

Nor