And flatter'd out of all, believing lies

Against his Maker; no decree of mine
Concurring to neceffitate his fall,
Or touch with lightest moment of impulfe
His free will, to her own inclining left
In even scale. But fall'n he is, and now
What refts, but that the mortal fentence pass
On his tranfgreffion, death denounc'd that day?
Which he prefumes already vain and void,
Because not yet inflicted, as he fear'd,

By fome immediate ftroke; but soon shall find
Forbearance no acquittance ere day end.

Juftice fhall not return as bounty fcorn'd.

45

50

But whom fend I to judge them? whom but thee 55 Vicegerent Son? to thee I have transferr'd

Against his Maker ;] Such as Satan had fuggested, that all things did not proceed from God, that God kept the forbidden fruit from them out of envy &c.

45.with lightest moment of impulfe] The fame metaphor that he had used before in VI. 239. and we juftify'd and explain'd it by Terence's paulo momento impellitur.

53. Forbearance no acquittance] These proverbial expreffions are very improper any where in an epic poem, but much more when they are made

All

to proceed from the mouth of God himself.

56. to thee I have transferr'd

eth no man, but hath committed all All judgment] For the Father judgjudgment unto the Son. John V. 22..

58. Eafy it may be feen] We have In the fecond edition and others it printed it thus after the first edition. In the fecond edition and others it is Ealy it might be feen, which is not so well.

According to that of the Pfalmift, 59. Mercy collegue with juftice,] Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness

All judgment, whether in Heav'n, or Earth, or Hell. Eafy it may be seen that I intend

Mercy collegue with juftice, fending thee

Man's friend, his mediator, his defign'd
Both ranfome and redeemer voluntary,
And deftin'd Man himself to judge Man fall'n.
So fpake the Father, and unfolding bright
Toward the right hand his glory, on the Son
Blaz'd forth unclouded deity; he full
Refplendent all his Father manifest

Exprefs'd, and thus divinely answer'd mild.
Father eternal, thine is to decree,
Mine both in Heav'n and Earth to do thy will
Supreme, that thou in me thy Son belov'd
May'st ever reft well pleas'd. I go to judge

60

65

70

On

71.1 go to judge &c] The fame divine Perfon, who in the foregoing parts of this poem interceded for our firft parents before their fall, overthrew the rebel Angels, and created the world, is now represented as defcending to Paradife, and pronouncing fentence upon the three offenders. The cool of the evening being a circumftance with which holy Writ introduces this great fcene, it is poetically defcribed by our author, who has alfo kept religiously to the form of words, in which the three feveral fentences

75

On earth these thy tranfgreffors, but thou know'st,
Whoever judg'd, the worst on me must light,
When time fhall be, for fo I undertook
Before thee'; and not repenting, this obtain
Of right, that I may mitigate their doom
On me deriv'd, yet I fhall temper fo
Juftice with mercy', as may illuftrate moft
Them fully fatisfy'd, and thee appease.

79

Attendence none shall need, nor train, where none
Are to behold the judgment, but the judg'd,
Those two; the third beft abfent is condemn'd,
Convict by flight, and rebel to all law:
Conviction to the ferpent none belongs.
Thus faying, from his radiant feat he rofe

85

Of

commonly used as a verb active, is here used as a verb neuter, and means no attendence will be wanting; and fo it is used likewise in III. 340.

Then thou thy regal scepter fhalt lay by,

For regal fcepter then no more fhall need,

God fhall be all in all.

84. Conviction to the ferpent none

ful against the ferpent, compell'd belongs.] No proof is needby Satan to be the ignorant inftrument of his malice against mankind,

now

Of high collateral glory': him Thrones and Powers, Princedoms, and Dominations miniftrant

Accompanied to Heaven gate, from whence

Eden and all the coaft in profpect lay.

Down he defcended strait; the speed of Gods

90

Time counts not, though with swifteft minutes wing'd,

Now was the fun in western cadence low

From noon, and gentle airs due at their hour

To fan the earth now wak'd, and usher in
The evening cool, when he from wrath more cool 95
Came the mild judge and interceffor both

To fentence Man: the voice of God they heard
Now walking in the garden, by soft winds
Brought to their ears, while day declin'd; they heard,

And

now mute and unable to answer for that is in other words, IV. 485. himself. Hume.

86. Of high callateral glory:] He ufes collateral, as he does most other words, in a sense agreeable to the etymology, fide by fide. The Son fat at the right hand of the Father, and rifing from thence he may properly be laid to rife from his feat of high collateral glory, or as it is elfewhere exprefs'd, VI. 747. from the right band of glory where he fat. The word was used before in VIII, 426.

Collateral love, and dearest amity,

to have thee by my fide Henceforth an individual folace dear.

92. Now was the fun in weflern cadence low

A

From noon, and gentle airs &c.] This beautiful defcription is founded upon this verfe Genefis III. 8. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the prefence of the Lord God among ft the trees of the garden..

P 2

102,- te

And from his presence hid themselves among

100

The thickeft trees, both man and wife, till God
Approaching, thus to Adam call'd aloud.
Where art thou Adam, wont with joy to meet
My coming feen far off? I miss thee here,
Not pleas'd, thus entertain'd with folitude,
Where obvious duty' ere while appear'd unfought:
Or come I lefs confpicuous, or what change
Absents thee, or what chance detains? Come forth.
He came, and with him Eve, more loath, though

firft

105

To' offend, discount'nanc'd both, and difcompos'd;

Love was not in their looks, either to God

Or to each other, but apparent guilt,

III

114

And shame, and perturbation, and defpair,
Anger, and obftinacy', and hate, and guile.
Whence Adam faltring long, thus answer'd brief.
I heard thee in the gard'n, and of thy voice
Afraid, being naked, hid myself. To whom

102.

to Adam call'd aloud. Where art thou Adam?] Gen. III. 9. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and faid unto him, Where art thou? It is curious to obferve how the poet paraphrafes

The

and inlarges upon the divine hiftorian.

116. I heard thee in the gard'n, and of thy voice

Afraid, being naked, bid myself. Gen. III. io. And he said, I heard

thy