he can subdue the Omnipotent.

He knows, too, that were he restored to his former high position among the angels in Heaven, his old ambition would awaken, for he is not willing to be second even when the first is God.

So after a long and terrible struggle, he makes his choice:

Farewell hope, and with hope, farewell fear;
Farewell remorse! all good to me is lost;

Evil, be thou my good; by thee at least

Divided empire with Heaven's King I hold;

As man ere long, and this new world shall know."

But the picture is too sad; let us turn to this brighter one of Adam and Eve in their "delicious Paradise."

"Overhead upgrcw

Insuperable' height of loftiest shade,

Cedar, and pine, and fir, and branching palm,
A silvan scene; and, as the ranks ascend

Shade above shade, a woody theatre

Of stateliest view. Yet higher than their tops
The verdurous? wall of Paradise up-sprung;

1Insuperable: not capable of being passed over. 2 Verdurous: covered with vegetation.

And higher than that wall a circling row
Of goodliest trees, laden with fairest fruit,
Blossoms and fruits at once, of golden hue
Appeared, with gay enamelled colors mixed:

On which the Sun more glad impressed his beams

Than on fair evening cloud, or humid bow,

When God hath showered the earth; so lovely seemed
That landscape."

Here in this beautiful Paradise, dwelt our first parents :

"The loveliest pair

That ever since in love's embraces met:

Adam, the goodliest man of men since born

His sons; the fairest of her daughters, Eve."

Their life in this delightful spot is like a beautiful dream. Toil and sorrow and sin are, to them, names unknown. Their labor in the garden is only enough to make them better enjoy the cool zephyr and the taste of the delicious fruits, which they can pluck from the tree as they recline on the soft, downy bank" damasked with flowers."

About them, play all the beasts of the earth; for

Damasked: adorned.

the time has not yet come when the lower animals flee before the approach of man. They hold sweet converse together, and Eve relates her first consciousness of existence :

"That day I oft remember, when from sleep

I first awaked, and found myself reposed

Under a shade on flowers, much wondering where
And what I was, whence thither brought, and how.
Not distant far from thence, a murmuring sound
Of waters issued from a cave, and spread
Into a liquid plain, then stood unmoved,
Pure as the expanse of Heaven; I thither went
With inexperienced thought, and laid me down
On the green bank, to look into the clear
Smooth lake, that to me seemed another sky.
As I bent down to look, just opposite,

A shape within the watery gleam appeared,
Bending to look on me; I started back,

It started back: but pleased I soon returned;

Pleased it returned as soon with answering looks

Of sympathy and love."

So the day passes in happy labor and peaceful rest, until evening comes on, and Twilight gray clothes all things in her sober livery.

SIR ROGER DE COVERLEY.