Page images
PDF
EPUB

Up to the wall of Heav'n a structure high;
At top whereof, but far more rich appear'd
The work as of a kingly palace gate,
With frontispiece of diamond and gold
Embellifh'd; thick with fparkling orient gems
The portal fhone, inimitable on earth
By model, or by fhading pencil drawn.
The stairs were fuch as whereon Jacob faw
Angels afcending and defcending, bands

Of guardians bright, when he from Efau fled
To Padan-Aram, in the field of Luz

Dreaming by night under the open sky,

505

510

And waking cry'd, This is the gate of Heaven. 515
Each stair mysteriously was meant, nor stood
There always, but drawn up to Heav'n fometimes
Viewless; and underneath a bright fea flow'd
Of jafper, or of liquid pearl, whereon

Who after came from earth, failing arriv'd

520

Wafted by Angels, or flew o'er the lake

Rapt in a chariot drawn by fiery fteeds.

The stairs were then let down, whether to dare
The Fiend by easy' ascent, or aggravate

His fad exclufion from the doors of bliss:

525

Direct against which open'd from beneath,

Juft o'er the blifsful feat of Paradife,

A paffage down to th' Earth, a paffage wide,
Wider by far than that of after-times

Over mount Sion, and, though that were large,
Over the Promis'd Land to God fo dear,

530

By which, to visit oft those happy tribes,

On

On high behefts his Angels to and fro

Pafs'd frequent, and his eye with choice regard
From Paneas the fount of Jordan's flood

To Beërfaba, where the Holy Land

Borders on Egypt and th' Arabian shore;

535

540

So wide the opening feem'd, where bounds were set
To darknefs, fuch as bound the ocean wave.
Satan from hence, now on the lower stair
That fcal'd by fteps of gold to Heaven gate,
Looks down with wonder at the fudden view
As when a fcout

545

Of all this world at once.
Through dark and defert ways with peril gone
All night, at last by break of chearful dawn
Obtains the brow of fome high-climbing hill,
Which to his eye difcovers unaware
The goodly profpect of fome foreign land
Firft feen, or fome renown'd metropolis
With glift'ring fpires and pinnacles adorn'd
Which now the rifing fun gilds with his beams:
Such wonder feis'd, though after Heaven feen,
The Spi'rit malign, but much more envy feis'd,
At fight of all this world beheld so fair.
Round he furveys (and well might, where he ftood
So high above the circling canopy

Of night's extended fhade) from eastern point
Of Libra to the fleecy ftar that bears
Andromeda far off Atlantic feas
Beyond th' horizon; then from pole to pole
He views in breadth, and without longer paufe
Down right into the world's first region throws

550

560

His flight precipitant, and winds with ease
Through the pure marble air his oblique way
Amongst innumerable stars, that shone

Stars distant, but nigh hand seem'd other worlds;
Or other worlds they feem'd, or happy iles,
Like those Hefperian gardens fam'd of old,
Fortunate fields, and groves, and flow'ry vales,
Thrice happy iles, but who dwelt happy there
He stay'd not to inquire: above them all
The golden fun in fplendor likeft Heaven
Allur'd his eye: thither his course he bends
Through the calm firmament, (but up or down,
By center, or eccentric, hard to tell,

Or longitude,) where the great luminary
Aloof the vulgar conftellations thick,

565

570

575

That from his lordly eye keep diftance due,
Dispenses light from far; they as they move
Their ftarry dance in numbers that compute

580

Days months and years, tow'ards his all-chearing lamp
Turn swift their various motions, or are turn'd
By his magnetic beam, that gently warms

The universe, and to each inward part

With gentle penetration, though unfeen,

585

Shoots invifible virtue ev'n to the deep;

So wondrously was fet his station bright.
There lands the Fiend, a spot like which perhaps
Aftronomer in the fun's lucent orb

Through his glaz'd optic tube yet never faw.
The place he found beyond expreffion bright,
Compar'd with ought on earth, metal or stone;

590

Not

Not all parts like, but all alike inform'd

With radiant light, as glowing ir'on with fire;
If metal, part feem'd gold, part filver clear;
If stone, carbuncle most or chryfolite,
Ruby or topaz, or the twelve that fhone
In Aaron's breast-plate, and a stone besides
Imagin'd rather oft than elsewhere seen,
That stone, or like to that, which here below
Philofophers in vain fo long have fought,
In vain, though by their pow'rful art they bind
Volatil Hermes, and call up unbound
In various shapes old Proteus from the sea,
Drain'd through a limbec to his native form.
What wonder then if fields and regions here
Breathe forth Elixir pure, and rivers run
Potable gold, when with one virtuous touch
Th' arch-chemic fun, fo far from us remote,
Produces, with terreftrial humor mix'd,
Here in the dark so many precious things
Of color glorious, and effect fo rare ?
Here matter new to gaze the Devil met
Undazled; far and wide his eye commands;
For fight no obftacle found here, nor shade,
But all fun-fhine, as when his beams at noon
Culminate from th' equator, as they now
Shot upward ftill direct, whence no way round
Shadow from body opaque can fall; and th' air
No where fo clear, sharpen'd his visual ray

595

600

605

619

615

620

To objects diftant far, whereby he foon

Saw within ken a glorious Angel ftand,

The

The fame whom John faw alfo in the fun:

His back was turn'd, but not his brightness hid;
Of beaming funny rays a golden tiar

Circled his head, nor less his locks behind
Illuftrious on his shoulders fledge with wings

625

Lay waving round; on fome great charge employ'd He feem'd, or fix'd in cogitation deep.

Glad was the Spi'rit impure, as now in hope

630

To find who might direct his wand'ring flight
To Paradise the happy feat of Man,

His journey's end and our beginning woe.

But first he cafts to change his proper shape,

Which elfe might work him danger or delay:

635

And now a stripling Cherub he appears,

Not of the prime, yet such as in his face
Youth fmil'd celestial, and to every limb
Suitable grace diffus'd, so well he feign'd:

Under a coronet his flowing hair

640

In curls on either cheek play'd; wings he wore

Of many a color'd plume sprinkled with gold,

His habit fit for speed fuccinct, and held
Before his decent steps a filver wand.

He drew not nigh unheard; the Angel bright, 645
Ere he drew nigh, his radiant visage turn'd,
Admonish'd by his ear, and strait was known
Th' Arch-Angel Uriel, one of the feven
Who in God's presence, nearest to his throne,
Stand ready at command, and are his eyes
That run through all the Heav'ns, or down to th' Earth
Bear his fwift errands over moist and dry,

3

650

O'er

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »