Paradise Lost

The dark unbottom'd infinite abyss,

405

And through the palpable obfcure find out

His uncouth way, or spread his aery flight

Upborne with indefatigable wings

Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive

The happy ile? what strength, what art can then 410
Suffice, or what evafion bear him fafe

Through the strict fenteries and stations thick
Of Angels watching round? Here he had need
All circumfpection, and we now no lefs
Choice in our fuffrage; for on whom we fend, 415
The weight of all and our laft hope relies.
This faid, he fat; and expectation held
His look fufpenfe, awaiting who appear'd
To fecond, or oppose, or undertake
The perilous attempt: but all fat mutę,
Pond'ring the danger with deep thoughts; and each

66. calls the earth quafi magnam quandam infulam, quam nos orbem terræ vocamus. Ere he arrive the happy ile; fo the word arrive is ufed by our author in the Preface to the Judgment of Martin Bucer, p. 276. Edit. 1738. "And "he, if our things here below "arrive bim where he is &'c:" and again in his Treatife of civil power

420

in ecclefiaftical caufes, p. 553, "Let "him alfo forbear force left a "worfe woe arrive him." And Shakespear expreffes himself in the fame manner 3 Hen. VI. A& V.

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In others count'nance read his own difmay
Aftonish'd: none among the choice and prime

Of those Heav'n-warring champions could be found
So hardy as to proffer or accept

Alone the dreadful voyage; till at laft

425

Satan, whom now tranfcendent glory rais'd
Above his fellows, with monarchal pride
Conscious of highest worth, unmov'd thus fpake.
O Progeny of Heav'n, empyreal Thrones, 430
With reafon hath deep filence and demur
Seis'd us, though undismay'd: long is the way
And hard, that out of Hell leads up to light;
Our prison strong; this huge convex of fire,
Outrageous to devour, immures us round

435

440

Ninefold, and gates of burning adamant
Barr'd over us prohibit all egrefs.
These pass'd, if any pass, the void profound
Of uneffential Night receives him next
Wide gaping, and with utter loss of being
Threatens him, plung'd in that abortive gulf.
If thence he scape into whatever world,
Or unknown region, what remains him lefs
Than unknown dangers, and as hard escape?.
But I should ill become this throne, O Peers,
And this imperial fovranty, adorn'd
With fplendor, arm'd with pow'r, if ought propos'd
And judg'd of public moment, in the shape.
Of difficulty or danger could deter

muring them round ninefold, and, of the gates of burning adamant, he alludes to what Virgil fays in the fame book, of Styx flowing nine times round the damn'd, and of the gates of Hell.

-novies Styx interfufa coercet.

ver. 439. Porta adverfa ingens folidoque adamante columnæ. ver. 552.

445

feveral places.

434. this huge convex of fire,] 439. Of une fential Night] Unef This huge vault of fire, bending fential, void of being; darkness. down on all fides round us. Convex approaching nearest to, and being is fpoken properly of the exterior the beft refemblance of non-entity. furface of a globe, and concave of, YOL. I.

Hume.

450.- Where

Me from attempting. Wherefore do I affume 450
These royalties, and not refufe to reign,
Refufing to accept as great a fhare

Of hazard as of honor, due alike

To him who reigns, and fo much to him due
Of hazard more, as he above the rest

455

High honor'd fits? Go therefore mighty Powers,
Terror of Heav'n, though fall'n; intend at home,
While here shall be our home, what beft may ease
The prefent mifery, and render Hell

More tolerable; if there be cure or charm
To refpit, or deceive, or flack the pain
Of this ill manfion: intermit no watch

450.-Wherefore do I affume &c.] Our author has here caught the fpirit of Homer in that divine fpeech of Sarpedon to Glaucus, Iliad. XII. 310.

460