days: the angels celebrate with hymns the per. Yet scarce allay'd still eyes the current stream,
formance thereof, and his reascension into Heaven. Whose liquid murmur heard new thirst excites,

Proceeded thus to ask his heavenly guest.
Descend from Heaven, Urania, by that name “Great things, and full of wonder in our ears
If rightly thou art call’d, whose voice divine Far differing from this world, thou hast reveald,
Following, above the Olympian hill I soar, Divine interpreter! by favor sent
Above the flight of Pegaséan wing.

Down from the empyréan, to forewarn
The meaning, not the name, I call: for thou Us timely of what might else have been our loss,
Nor of the Muses nine, nor on the top

Unknown, which human knowledge could not reach:
of old Olympus dwell'st; but, heavenly-born, For which to the infinitely Good we owe
Before the hills appear’d, or fountain flow'd, Immortal thanks, and his admonishment
Thou with eternal Wisdom didst converse. Receive with solemn purpose to observe
Wisdom thy sister, and with her didst play Immutably his sovran will, the end
In presence of the Almighty Father, pleas'd Of what we are. But since thou hast vouchsaf'd
With thy celestial song. Up led by thee, Gently, for our instruction, to impart
Into the Heaven of Heavens I have presum'd, Things above earthly thought, which yet concern'd
An earthly guest, and drawn empyreal air, Our knowing, as to highest Wisdom seem'd,
Thy tempering: with like safety guided down, Deign to descend now lower, and relate
Return me to my native element :

What may no less perhaps avail us known, Lest from this flying sleed unrein'd, (as once How first began this Heaven which we behold Bellerophon, though from a lower clime,)

Distant so high, with moving fires adorn'd Dismounted, on the Aleian field I fall,

Innumerable; and this which yields or fills
Erroneous there to wander, and forlorn.

All space, the ambient air wide interfus'd
Half yet remains unsung, but narrower bound Embracing round this forid Earth? what cause
Within the visible diurnal sphere;

Mov'd the Creator in his holy rest
Standing on earth, not rapt above the pole, Through all eternity so late to build
More safe I sing with mortal voice, unchang'd In Chaos; and the work begun, how soon
To hoarse or mute, though fall’n on evil days, Absolv'd ; if unforbid thou may’st unfold
On evil days though fall'n, and evil tongues ; What we, not to explore the secrets, ask
In darkness, and with dangers compass'd round, of his eternal empire, but the more
And solitude; yet not alone, while thou

To magnify his works, the more we know.
Visit’st my slumbers nightly, or when morn And the great light of day yet wants to run
Purples the east : still govern thou my song, Much of his race though steep; suspense in Heaven
Urania, and fit audience find, though few.

Held by thy voice, thy potent voice, he hears,
But drive far off the bạrbarous dissonance And longer will delay to hear thee tell
Of Bacchus and his revellers, the race

His generation, and the rising birth
Of that wild rout that tore the Thracian bard Of Nature from the unapparent deep:
In Rhodope, where woods and rocks had ears Or if the star of evening and the Moon
To rapture, till the savage clamor drown'd Haste to thy audience, Night with her will bring
Both harp and voice: nor could the Muse defend Silence; and Sleep, listening to thee, will watch ;
Her son. So fail not thou, who thee implores : Or we can bid his absence, till thy song
For thou art heavenly, she an empty dream. End, and dismiss thee ere the morning shine."
Say, goddess, what ensued when Raphaël,

Thus Adam his illustrious guest besought : 'The affable archangel, had forewarn'd

And thus the godlike angel answerd mild. Adam, by dire example, to beware

“ This also thy request, with caution ask'd, A postacy, by what befell in Heaven

Obtain; though to recount almighty works To those apostates; lest the like befall

What words or tongue of seraph can suffice, In Paradise to Adam or his race,

Or heart of man suffice to comprehend ?
Charg'd not to touch the interdicted tree,

Yet what thou canst attain, which best may serve
If they transgress, and slight that sole command, To glorify the Maker, and infer
So easily obey'd amid the choice

Thee also happier, shall not be withheld
Of all tastes else to please their appetite,

Thy hearing; such commission from above
Though wandering. He, with his consorted Eve, I have receiv'd, to answer thy desire
The story heard attentive, and was fillid

Of knowledge within bounds; beyond, abstain
With admiration and deep muse, to hear

To ask; nor let thine own inventions hope
Of things so high and strange; things, to their thought Things not reveal'd, which the invisible King,
So unimaginable, as hate in Heaven,

Only Omniscient, hath suppress'd in night;
And war so near the peace of God in bliss, To none communicable in Earth or Heaven:
With such confusion : but the evil, soon

Enough is left besides to search and know.
Driven back, redounded as a flood on those But knowledge is as food, and needs no less
From whom it sprung; impossible to mix Her temperance over appetite, to know
With blessedness. Whence Adam soon repeal'd In measure what the mind may well contain;
The doubts that in his heart arose : and now Oppresses else with surfeit, and soon turns
Led on, yet sinless, with desire to know

Wisdom to folly, as nourishment to wind.
What nearer might concern him, how this world “ Know then, that, after Lucifer from Heaven
Of Heaven and Earth conspicuous first began; (So call him, brighter once amidst the host
When, and whereof created : for what cause, of angels, than ihat star the stars among)
What within Eden, or without, was done Fell with his flaming legions through the deep
Before his memory: as one whose drought Into his place, and the great Son return'd

Victorious with his saints, the Omnipotent

Attendant on their Lord! Heaven open'd wide Eternal Father from his throne beheld

Her ever-during gates, harmonious sound Their multitude, and to his Son thus spake : On golden hinges moving, to let forth

“• At least our envious foe hath fail'd, who thought The King of Glory, in his powerful Word All like himself rebellious, by whose aid

And Spirit, coming to create new worlds. This inaccessible high strength, the seat

On heavenly ground they stood : and from the shore Of Deity supreme, us dispossess'd,

They view'd the vast immeasurable abyss He trusted to have seiz'd, and into fraud

Outrageous as a sea, dark, wasteful, wild, Drew many, whom their place knows here no more: Up from the bottom turn'd by furious winds Yet far the greater part have kept, I see,

And surging waves, as mountains, to assault Their station ; Heaven, yet populous, retains Heaven's height, and with the centre mix the pole Number sufficient to possess her realms

“"Silence, ye troubled waves, and thou deep, Though wide, and this high temple to frequent

peace,' With ministeries due, and solemn rites :

Said then the omnific Word; 'your discord end!" But, lest his heart exalt him in the harm

Nor staid ; but, on the wings of cherubim
Already done, to have dispeopled Heaven, Uplifted, in paternal glory rode
My damage fondly deem'd, I can repair

Far into Chaos, and the world unborn;
That detriment, if such it be to lose

For Chaos heard his voice: him all his train Self-lost; and in a moment will create

Follow'd in bright procession, to behold Another world, out of one man a race

Creation, and the wonders of his might. Of men innumerable, there to dwell,

Then staid the fervid wheels, and in his hand
Not here; till, by degrees of merit rais'd,

He took the golden compasses, prepar'd
They open to themselves at length the way In God's eternal store, to circumscribe
Up hither, under long obedience tried ; [Earth, This universe, and all created things :
And Earth be chang'd to Heaven, and Heaven to One foot he center'd, and the other turn'd
One kingdom, joy and uniun without end.

Round through the vast profundity obscure ;
Meanwhile inhabit lax, ye powers of Heaven; And said, “Thus far extend, thus far thy bounds,
And thou my Word, begotten Son, by thee This be thy just circumference, 0 World!'
This I perform ; speak thou, and be it done! Thus God the Heaven created, thus the Earth,
My overshadowing spirit and might with thee Matter unformd and void : darkness profound
I send along; ride forth, and bid the deep Cover'd the abyss; but on the watery calm
Within appointed bounds be Heaven and Earth; His brooding wings the Spirit of God outspread,
Boundless the deep, because I am who fill And vital virtue infus'd, and vital warmth
Infinitude, nor vacuous the space.

Throughout the fluid mass; but downward purgd Though I, uncircumscrib'd myself, retire,

The black tartareous cold infernal dregs,
And put not forth my goodness, which is free Adverse to life: then founded, then conglob'd
To act or not, necessity and chance

Like things to like; the rest to several place
Approach not me, and what I will is fate.' Disparted, and between spun out the air;

“ So spake the Almighty, and to what he spake And Earth, self-balanc'd, on her centre hung. His Word, the filial Godhead, gave effect.

“ • Let there be light,' said God; and forthwith Immediate are the acts of God, more swift

Light Than time or motion, but to human ears

Ethereal, first of things, quintessence pure, Cannot without process of speech be told,

Sprung from the deep; and from her native east So told as earthly notion can receive.

To journey through the aery gloom began, Great triumph and rejoicing was in Heaven, Spher'd in a radiant cloud, for yet the Sun When such was heard declared the Almighty's will; Was not; she in a cloudy tabernacle Glory they sung to the Most High, good will Sojourn'd the while. God saw the light was good ; To future men, and in their dwellings peace : And light from darkness by the hemisphere Glory to him, whose just avenging ire

Divided : light the Day, and darkness Night, Had driven out the ungodly from his sight He nam'd. Thus was the first day even and morn: And the habitations of the just; to him

Nor past uncelebrated, nor unsung Glory and praise, whose wisdom had ordain'd By the celestial quires, when orient light - Good out of evil to create ; instead

Exhaling first from darkness they beheld ; Of spirits malign, a better race to bring

Birth-day of Heaven and Earth, with joy and shout Into their vacant room, and thence diffuse The hollow universal orb they fillid, His good to worlds and ages infinite.

And touch'd their golden harps, and hymning prais'd “ So sang the hierarchies : meanwhile the Son God and his works; Creator hiin hey sung, On his great expedition now appear'd,

Both when first evening was, and when first mom,
Girt with omnipotence, with radiance crown'd “ Again, God said, “Let there be firmament
Of majesty divine; sapience and love

Amid the waters, and let it divide
Immense, and all his father in him shone. The waters from the waters;' and God made
About his chariot numberless were pour'd

The firmament, expanse of liquid, pure,
Cherub, and seraph, potentates, and thrones, Transparent, elemental air, diffus'd
And virtues, winged spirits, and chariots wing'd In circuit to the uttermost convex
From the armory of God; where stand of old of this great round ; partition firm and sure,
Myriads, between two brazen mountains lodg'd The waters underneath from those above
Against a solemn day, harness'd at hand,

Dividing : for as Earth, so he the world
Celestial equipage ; and now came forth

Built on circumfluous waters calm, in wide Spontaneous, for within them spirit liv'd, Crystalline ocean, and the loud misrule

Of Chaos far remov'd ; lest fierce extremes

Again the Almighty spake, . Let there be lights Contiguous might distemper the whole frame: High in the expanse of Heaven, to divide And Heaven he named the Firmament: so even The day from night, and let them be for signs And morning chorus sung the second day.

For seasons, and for days, and circling years ; “ The Earth was form’d, but in the womb as yet And let them be for lights, as I ordain Of waters, embryon immature involvd,

Their office in the firmament of Heaven, Appear'd not: over all the face of Earth To give light on the Earth;' and it was so. Main ocean flow'd, not idle ; but, with warm And God made two great lights, great for their use Prolific humor softening all her globe,

To Man, the greater to have rule by day, Fermented the great mother to conceive, The less by night, altern; and made the stars, Satiate with genial moisture; when God said, And set them in the firmament of Heaven • Be gather'd now ye waters under Heaven To illuminate the Earth, and rule the day Into one place, and let dry land appear.'

In their vicissitude, and rule the night, Immediately the mountains huge appear

And light from darkness to divide. God saw, Emergent, and their broad bare backs upheave Surveying his great work, that it was good : Into the clouds; their tops ascend the sky: For of celestial bodies first the Sun So high as heav'd the tumid hills, so low

A mighty sphere he fram’d, unlightsome first, Down sunk a hollow bottom broad and deep, Though of ethereal mould: then form'd the Moon Capacious bed of waters: thither they

Globose, and every magnitude of stars, Hasted with glad precipitance, uprollid,

And sow'd with stars the Heaven, thick as a field : As drops on dust conglobing from the dry: Of light by far the greater part he took, Part rise in crystal wall, or ridge direct,

Transplanted from her cloudy shrine, and plac'd For haste ; such flight the great command impress'd In the Sun's orb, made porous to receive On the swift floods: as arinies at the call

And drink the liquid light; firm to retain Of trumpet (for of armies thou hast heard) Her gather'd beams, great palace now of light. Troop to their standard ; so the watery throng, Hither, as to their fountain, other stars Wave rolling after wave, where way they found, Repairing, in their golden urns draw light, If steep, with torrent rapture, if through plain, And hence the morning-planet gilds her horns ; Soft-ebbing ; nor withstood them rock or hill; By tincture or reflection they augment But they, or under ground, or circuit wide Their small peculiar, though from human sight With serpent error wandering, found their way, So far remote, with diminution seen. And on the washy ooze deep channels wore ; First in his east the glorious lamp was seen, Easy, ere God had bid the ground be dry, Regent of day, and all the horizon round All but within those banks, where rivers now Invested with bright rays, jocund to run Stream, and perpetual draw their humid train. His longitude through Heaven's high road ; the grey The dry land, Earth; and the great receptacle Dawn, and the Pleiades, before him danc'd, Of congregated waters, he callid Seas :

Shedding sweet influence : less bright the Moon, And saw that it was good; and said, “Let the Earth But opposite in levellid west was set Put forth the verdant grass, herb yielding seed, His mirror, with full face borrowing her light And fruit-tree yielding fruit after her kind, From him ; for other light she needed none Whose seed is in herself upon the Earth.'

In that aspect, and still that distance keeps He scarce had said, when the bare Earth, till then Till night; then in the east her turn she shines, Desert and bare, unsightly, unadorn'd,

Revolv'd on Heaven's great axle, and her reign Brought forth the tender grass, whose verdure clad With thousand lesser lights dividual holds, Her universal face with pleasant green;

With thousand thousand stars, that then appear'd Then herbs of every leaf, that sudden flower'd Spangling the hemisphere: then first adorn'd Opening their various colors, and made gay With their bright luminaries that set and rose, ller bosum, smelling sweet: and, these scarce blown, Glad evening and glad morn crown'd the fourth day. Forth flourish'd thick the clustering vine, forth crept “ And God said, “Let the waters generate The swelling gourd, up stood the corny reed Reptile with spawn abundant, living soul: Embattled in her field, and the humble shrub, And let fowl fly above the Earth, with wings And bush with frizzled hair implicit: last

Display'd on the open firmament of Heaven.' Rose, as in dance, the stately trees, and spread And God created the great whales, and each Their branches hung with copious fruit, or gemma Soul living, each that crept, which plenteously Their blossoms: with high woods the hills were The waters generated by their kinds ; crown'd,

And every bird of wing after his kind; With tufts the valleys, and each fountain side ; And saw that it was good, and bless'd them, saying, With borders long the rivers : that Earth now · Be fruitful, multiply, and in the seas, Seem'd like to Heaven a seat where gods might And lakes, and running streams, the waters fill: dwell,

And let the fowl be multiplied on the Earth.' Or wander with delight, and love to haunt Forthwith the sounds and seas, each creek and bay, ller sacred shades: though God had yet not rain's With fry innumerable swarm, and shoals Upon the Earth, and man to till the ground Of fish that with their fins, and shining scales, None was; but from the Earth a dewy mist Glide under the green wave, in sculls that oft Went up, and water'd all the ground, and each Bank the mid sea: part single, or with mate, Plant of the field; which, ere it was in the Earth, Graze the sea-weed their pasture, and through groves God made, and every herb, before it grew Of coral stray; or, sporting with quick glance, On the green stem: God saw that it was good : Show to the Sun their wav'd coats dropt with gold, So even and morn recorded the third day. Or, in their pearly shells at ease, attend

4

:

names,

Moist nutriment; or under rocks their food At once came forth whatever creeps the ground, In jointed armor watch: on smooth the seal, Insect or worm : those wav'd their limber fans And bended dolphins play: part huge of bulk For wings, and smallest lineaments exact Wallowing unwieldy, enormous in their gait, In all the liveries deck'd of summer's pride, Tempest the ocean: there leviathan,

With spots of gold and purple, azure and green : Hugest of living creatures, on the deep

These, as a line, their long dimension drew, Stretch'd like a promontory sleeps or swims, Streaking the ground with sinuous trace ; not all And seems a moving land ; and at his gills Minims of nature ; some of serpent-kind, Draws in, and at his trunk spouts out, a sea. Wondrous in length and corpulence, involvid Meanwhile the tepid caves, and fens, and shores, Their snaky folds, and added wings. First crept Their brood as numerous hatch, from the egg that The parsimonious emmet, provident soon

Of future ; in small room large heart inclos'd ; Bursting with kindly rupture forth disclos’d Pattern of just equality perhaps Their callow young; but feather'd soon and Redge Hereafter, join'd in her popular tribes They summ'd their pens; and, soaring the air sub-Of commonalty: swarming next appeard lime,

The female bee, that feeds her husband drone With clang despis'd the ground, under a cloud Deliciously, and builds her waxen cells In prospect; there the eagle and the stork With honey stor'd: the rest are numberless, On cliffs and cedar tops their eyries build : And thou their natures know'st, and gav'st them Part loosely wing the region, part more wise In common, rang'd in figure, wedge their way, Needless to thee repeated : nor unknown Intelligent of seasons, and set forth

The serpent, subtlest beast of all the field, Their aery caravan, high over seas

Of huge extent sometimes, with brazen eyes
Flying, and over lands, with mutual wing And hairy mane terrific, though to thee
Easing their flight; so steers the prudent crane Not noxious, but obedient at thy call.
Her annual voyage, borne on winds; the air “ Now Heaven in all her glory shone, and rollid
Floats as they pass, sann'd with unnumber'd plumes : Her motions, as the great first Mover's hand
From branch to branch the smaller birds with song First wheel'd their course : Earth in her rich attire
Solac'd the woods, and spread their painted wings Consummate lovely smild; air, water, earth,
Till even; nor then the solemn nightingale By fowl, fish, beast, was flown, was swum, was walk'd
Ceas'd warbling, but all night tun'd her soft lays: Frequent; and of the sixth day yet remain'd:
Others, on silver lakes and rivers, bath'd

There wanted yet the master-work, the end
Their downy breast; the swan with arched neck, of all yet done; a creature, who, not prone
Between her white wings mantling proudly, rows And brute as other creatures, but endued
Her state with oary feet; yet oft they quit With sanctity of reason, might erect
The dank, and, rising on stiff pennons, tower His stature, and upright with front serene
The mid aëreal sky: others on ground

Govern the rest, self-knowing; and from thience
Walk'd firm; the crested cock whose clarion sounds Magnanimous to correspond with Heaven,
The silent hours, and the other whose gay train But grateful to acknowledge whence his good
Adorns him, colord with the florid hue

Descends, thither with heart, and voice, and eyes of rainbows and starry eyes. The waters thus Directed in devotion, to adore With fish replenish'd, and the air with fowl, And worship God Supreme, who made him chief Evening and morn solemniz'd the fifth day. Of all his works : therefore the Omnipotent “ The sixth, and of creation last, arose

Eternal Father (for where is not he
With evening harps and matin; when God said, Present?) thus to his Son audibly spake.
• Let the Earth bring forth soul living in her kind, " "Let us make now Man in our image, Man
Catile, and creeping things, and beast of the Earth, In our similitude, and let them rule
Each in their kind.' The Earth obey'd, and straight Over the fish and fowl of sea and air,
Opening her fertile womb teem'd at a birth Beast of the field, and over all the Earth,
Innumerous living creatures; perfect forms, And every creeping thing that creeps the ground.'
Limb’d and full grown: out of the ground up rose, This said, he form'd thee, Adam, thee, O man,
As from his lair, the wild beast, where he wons Dust of the ground, and in thy nostrils breath'd
In forest wild, in thicket, brake, or den;

The breath of life ; in his own image he
Among the trees in pairs they rose, they walk d: Created thee, in the image of God
The cattle in the fields and meadows green: Express ; and thou becam'st a living soul.
Those rare and solitary, these in flocks

Male he created thee; but thy consórt
Pasturing at once, and in broad herds upsprung. Female, for race; then bless'd mankind, and said,
The grassy clods now calv'd; now half appear'd · Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the Earth;
The lawny lion, pawing to get free

Subdue it, and throughout dominion hold His hinder parts, then springs, as broke from bonds, Over fish of the sea, and fowl of th' air, And rampant shakes his brinded mane ; the ounce, And every living thing that moves on th’ Earth.' The libbard, and the tiger, as the mole

Wherever thus created, for no place Rising, the crumbled earth above them threw Is yet distinct by name, thence, as thou know'st, In hillocks : the swift stag from under ground He brought thee into this delicious grove, Bore up his branching head ; scarce from his mould This garden, planted with the trees of God, Behemoth, biggest born of Earth, upheav'd Delectable both to behold and taste; His vastness : fleec'd the flocks and bleating rose, And freely all their pleasant fruit for food As plants : ambiguous between sea and land Gave thee ; all sorts are here that all tho Earth The river-horse, and scaly crocodile.

yields,

ܪ

.

Variety without end; but of the tree,

Thou hast repellid; while impiously they thought Which, tasted, works knowledge of good and evil, Thee to diminish, and from thee withdraw Thou may‘st not; in the day thou eat'st, thou diest; The number of thy worshippers. Who seeks Death is the penalty imposed; beware,

To lessen thee, against his purpose serves And govern well thy appetite; lest Sin

To manifest the more thy might: his evil Surprise thee, and her black attendant Death.' Thou usest, and from thence creat'st more good

“Here finish'd he, and all that he had made Witness this new-made world, another Heaven View'd, and behold all was entirely good; From Heaven-gate not far, founded in view So even and morn accomplish'd the sixth day: On the clear hyaline, the glassy sea ; Yet not till the Creator from his work

Of amplitude almost immense, with stars Desisting, though unwearied, up return’d, Numerous, and every star perhaps a world Up to the Heaven of Heavens, his high abode ; Of destin'd habitation; but thou know'st Thence to behold this new-created world,

Their seasons : among these the seat of men. The addition of his empire, how it show'd

Earth, with her nether ocean circumfus'd, In prospect from his throne, how good, how fair, Their pleasant dwelling-place. Thrice happy men, Answering his great idea. Up he rode

And sons of men, whom God hath thus advanc'd! Follow'd with acclamation, and the sound

Created in his image there to dwell
Symphonious of ten thousand harps, that tun'd And worship him; and in reward to rule
Angelic harmonies; the Earth, the air

Over his works, on earth, in sea, or air,
Resounded, (thou remember'st, for thou heard'st,) And multiply a race of worshippers
The Heavens and all the constellations rung, Holy and just: thrice happy, if they know
The planets in their station listening stood, Their happiness, and persevere upright!
While the bright pomp ascended jubilant.

“So sung they, and the empyréan rung Open, ye everlasting gates!' they sung,

With halleluiahs: thus was sabbath kept. Open, ye Heavens! your living doors ; let in And thy request think now fulfillid, that ask'd The great Creator from his work return'd

How first this world and face of things began, Magnificent, his six days' work, a world ;

And what before thy memory was done
Open, and henceforth oft; for God will deign From the beginning; that posterity,
To visit oft the dwellings of just men,

Inform’d by thee, might know: if else thou seek'st Delighted ; and with frequent intercourse

Aught not surpassing human measure, say."
Thither will send his winged messengers
On errands of supernal grace.' So sung
The glorious train ascending: he through Heaven,

BOOK VIII.
That open'd wide her blazing portals, led
To God's eternal house direct the way;

THE ARGUMENT.
A broad and ample road, whose dust is gold
And pavement stars, as stars to thee appear, Adam inquires concerning celestial motions ;
Seen in the galaxy, that milky way,

doubtfully answered, and exhorted to search Which nightly, as a circling zone, thou seest

rather things more worthy of knowledge : Adam Powder'd with stars. And now on Earth the assents; and, still desirous to detain Raphael, seventh

relates to him what he remembered since his own Evening arose in Eden, for the Sun

creation; his placing in Paradise ; his talk with Was set, and twilight from the east came on, God concerning solitude and fit society; his first Forerunning night; when at the holy mount meeting and nuptials with Eve : his discourse Of Heaven's high-seated top, the imperial throne with the angel thereupon; who, after admonitions Of Godhead fix'd for ever firm and sure,

repeated, departs.
The filial Power arriv'd, and sat him down
With his great Father! for he also went The angel ended, and in Adam's ear
Invisible, yet staid, (such privilege

So charming left his voice, that he awhile
Hath Omnipresence, and the work ordain'd, Thought him still speaking, still stood fix'd to hear
Author and End of all things; and, from work Then, as new wak'd, thus gratefully replied.
Now resting, bless'd and hallow'd the seventh day “ What thanks sufficient, or what recompense
As resting on that day from all his work,

Equal, have I to render thee, divine But not in silence holy kept: the harp

Historian, who thus largely hast allay'd Had work and rested not; the solemn pipe, The thirst I had of knowledge, and vouchsaf'd And dulcimer, all organs of sweet stop,

This friendly condescension to relate All sounds on fret by string or golden wire, Things else by me unsearchable; now heard Temper'd soft tunings, intermix'd with voice With wonder, but delight, and, as is due, Choral or unison : of incense clouds,

With glory attributed to the high Fuming from golden censers, hid the mount. Creator? Something yet of doubt remains, Creation and the six days' acts they sung: Which only thy solution can resolve. • Great are thy works, Jehovah! infinite [tongue When I behold this goodly frame, this world, Thy power! what thought can measure thee, or Of Heaven and Earth consisting; and compute Relate thee? Greater now in thy return

Their magnitudes; this Earth a spot, a grain, Than from the giant angels: thee that day An atom, with the firmament compar'd Thy thunders magnified; but to create

And all her number'd stars, that seem to roll
Is greater than created to destroy.

Spaces incomprehensible, for such
Who can impair thee, Mighty King, or bound Their distance argues, and their swift return
Thy empire? Easily the proud attempt

Diurnal,) merely to officiate light
Of spirits apostate, and their counsels vain. Round this opacious Earth, this punctual spot,