cover'd within many Rows of fhining Lamps and blazing Lights, fed with NAPHTHA (c) and ASPHALTUS, (d) which from the arched Roof hung over the smooth Pavement; they were hung by fubtle Magic, and fent forth a Light as from a Sky. The hafty Multitude enter'd admiring; fome prais'd the Work, and fome the Architect; his Art was known in Heaven, by many a high Tower, where dignify'd Spirits held their Refidence, and fat as Princes; whom GoD had exalted to fuch Power, and given to rule the bright Orders, each in his facred Hierarchy. (e) Nor was he without a Name or Adoration in antient E 4 GREECE,

10. 11, 12. A large and fertile Country in Afia, joining io Chaldea, Mefopotamia, Armenia, &c. where the first grand Monarchy was founded about 115 Years after the Flood, and continu'd for 1300 or 1400 Years. Then it fell into the Hands of the Babylonians, Ninevites, Medes, Perfrans, Greeks, Romans, and now of the Turks fucceffively.

(c) Naphtha or Naptha; Lat. Gr. from the Chald. i. e. Dropping; a Kind of fat, chalky, and bituminous Clay, of a dark Colour, that takes Fire fooner than Brimftone; it will draw Fire to it from afar, and is not foon quenched. Famous Springs of it are at Baku in Perfia; they ufe it instead of Lamp Oil, and in their Fire-works. It yields a great Revenue to the Emperor of Perfta.

(d) Afphaltus; Lat. Gr. i. e. Unextinguishable. A Kind of fat burning Clay, like Pitch, found in Pits, and abounding near Sodom and Babylon. It was ufed inftead of Mortar, in buil

ding the Tower and Walls of Babylon, Gen. 11. 3. From thence the Lake of Sodom is called Afphaltites.

2.

(e) Hierarchy Fr. Lat. from the Gr. i. e. A facred Government. A Theolog. Term. Here, the moft glorious Government of the Holy Angels in Heaven. It confifts, as fome fay, of nine Orders, which are divided into the highest, middle, and loweft, viz. 1. Seraphims, Cherubims, and Thrones. Dominions, Principalities, and Powers. 3. Virtues, Angels, and Arch-Angels. The Holy Scriptures, especially St. Paul, Colo. 1. 16. mention those Degrees of holy Angels: But Dionyfius the Areopagite, and the Schoolmen explain and rank them as diftinctly as if they had been in Heaven and feen them. And doubtlefs there is as much

Variety in the Angels, as there is among Men, Animals, Plants. and Flowers, whereof there are not two of a Kind, in every Refpe&t alike; which is a lively

Demon

GREECE; and in ITALY Men call'd him MULCIBER (g) and feign'd how he fell from Heaven, thrown down by angry Jove, quite over the Bounds of Heaven; that he fell from Morning to Noon, and from Noon to Evening, a whole Summer's Day, and as the Sun fet dropt directly down like a Falling Star (b) upon LEMNOS. (i) Thus they erroneously relate it, for he fell long before with these rebellious Angels; nor was it of any Advantage to him now, that he had built many Towers in Heaven, neither did he escape by all his Engines and Contrivances, but was fent headlong, with all his Affociates, to build in Hell.

Demonstration of the infinite Wisdom and Power of the Maker.

(f) Greece, Lat. from the Gr. from Græcus, Son of Cecrops, who was one of the first Kings of it. An antient and noble Country in Europe, upon the Mediterranean and Egean Seas, and highly celebrated in Hiftory.

(g) Mulciber; Lat. i. e. A Melter or Softener of Iron. Vulcan, Jupiter's Son and Founder, and God of the Smiths. Vulcan is Tubal-Cain, Gen. 4. 22. His falling from Heaven is nothing else, than the Hiftory of the Fallen Angels, dreft up in a poetical Fable, which they had by long Tradition from Noah, Mofes, &c. and from thence it fpread over all the World. Vulcan was a famous Mafter Smith of Lemnos. But here, he is taken for fome grand Devil, whom Milton feigns to be the Architect, or Head-Workman of the Infernal Palace.

IN

(b) Falling-Star; Sax. Gr. A Philofoph. T. It is a fiery Meteor, gender'd in the Air, which appears like a Sky-Rocket, and flieth about; but when the fulphureous Spirits of it are confumed, it falleth, flashing like a real Star; therefore the Vulgar fancy it to be one, which is really impoffible in Nature.

(i) Lemnos; Lat. Gr. i. e. Well fix'd and abiding. A large Ifland in the Archipelago, 600 Miles round, oppofite to Mount Athos, dedicated to Vulcan; becaufe in his Fall, the Poets fay, he pitched there, continu'd in it, wrought at the Trade, and made Jupiter's Darts. Here he had a Temple, and was adored as a God. The Fire that breaks out of a fcorched Mountain, that burns up the Ground, fo that no Grafs nor Plant grows up to Perfection, but withereth, and makes a hideous Noife thereabout, gave Birth to this Fable. It is now call'd Stalimine corruptly by the Turks.

In the mean Time fome of the fallen Angels, by Command of SATAN, and with the Sound of Trumpets, with majestic Formality, proclaim throughout all the Hoft, a folemn Council to be held at PANDÆMONIUM, (k) the high Capital of SATAN and his Peers. Their Summons call'd thofe, who either by Place or Choice were the worthieft from every Band; they came attended with Hundreds and with Thoufands; all the Entrances were crowded, the Gates and wide Porches, but chiefly the fpacious Hall, (though it was for Largenefs like a Field, where Champions are accuftom'd to ride in arm'd, and defy their Enemy to push with the Lance, or to mortal Combat) for the Hall was full, both on the Ground and in the Air, which was crowded with ruftling Wings: As Bees in the Spring-Time pour forth their numerous Young in Swarms about the Hive, who fly to and fro among fresh Dews, and among fresh Flowers, by the Sides of their Hive, which is new rubb'd with Baulm, and is as the Suburb of their Straw-built City, where they expatiate and confer about their State and Labour: So thick those miferable Angels crowded about the Palace, but were ftreighten'd for Room, 'till the Signal was given; when there happen'd a Miracle; for they who but a little while fince feem'd to exceed the biggeft of Giants, (1) now throng'd without Number,

(k) Pandemonium; Milt. from the Gr. i. e. All-DevilsHall. The Infernal Court or Palace of all the Dæmons or Devils. OBS. Milton's pregnant Imagination, Wit, Elocution, and Learning, in the Compofition and Description of this Court, have far outdone Ovid's in his Description of the Palace of the Sun, and of all other antient Po

lefs

ets; so that nothing extant among them comes up to this.

(1) Giants; Lat. Gr. i. e. Earth-born; because the Poets feign'd they were the Sons of Titan and the Earth, after the Deluge, who made War with the Gods. Men of extraordina ry Stature. That there were fuch before the Flood and fince, is evident, from Gen. 6. 4. Num.

13.

lefs than the smallest Dwarfs, (m) and in very little Compass; fmall as Pigmies, (n) who live beyond the Mountains of INDIA; or than Fairy (0) Elves, (p) whofe Midnight Dancings by the Side of a Fountain or Foreft, fome belated Peasant fees, or at least dreams fo; while the Moon fhining bright, wheels her Course nearer to the Earth; they feeming to him intent on their Mirth and Dancing, charm his Ear with pleafant Mufick, and his Heart beats at once with Joy and with Fear. Thus these Spirits being incorporeal, reduc'd their immenfe Shapes to Forms that were exceeding small, and were at large, though ftill without Number, amidst the Hall of that infernal Court; but far within, like themselves, and in their own proper Shapes, fat in Privacy and fecret Council the Chiefs of the Seraphim and Cherubim, more than a Thoufand

13. 33. Deut. 3. 11. from antient Hiftory, and from modern Experience; for moft huge Bones of Men have been found in divers Places. Goliah was fix Cubits and a Span, Sam. 17. 4. i. e. fomewhat above 11 Feet English; befides many other Inftances.

(m) Dwarfs; Sax. Dut. Teut. i. e. Crooked, bunched; Perfons of a moft low Stature, little and small People. Such are the Laplanders, and fome little Men and Women in all Places.

(n) Pigmies; Gr. from the Heb. Gomed, i. e. A Cubit, or Palm of the Hand; becaufe they did not exceed a Cubit or a Foot and a half at moft in Height. A little People faid to live on the Mountains of India or Africa, who had Children at 5 Years of Age, died about eight,

Thousand Demi-Gods, (q) upon Seats of Gold. The Council was compleat and full, when after a fhort Silence, and the Summons being read, the grand Confultation began. (r)

The End of the FIRST BOOK.