His flight precipitant, and winds with ease
Through the pure marble air his oblique way Amongst innumerable stars, that shone
Stars diftant, but nigh hand feem'd other worlds; Or other worlds they feem'd, or happy iles, Like thofe Hefperian gardens fam'd of old, Fortunate fields, and groves, and flow'ry vales, Thrice happy iles, but who dwelt happy there He ftay'd not to inquire: above them all The golden fun in fplendor likeft Heaven Allur'd his eye thither his courfe 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, That from his lordly eye keep diftance due, Difpenfes light from far; they as they move
Their ftarry dance in numbers that compute
Days months and years, tow'ards his all-chearing lamp
There lands the Fiend, a fpot 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 ;
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 moft or chryfolite, Ruby or topaz, to the twelve that shone In Aaron's breaft-plate, and a stone befides. Imagin'd rather oft than elfewhere feen, 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 fea, 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 fo many precious things Of color glorious, and effect fo rare ? Here matter now 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, fharpen'd his vifual ray To objects diftant far, whereby he foon Saw within ken a glorious Angel ftand,
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 lefs his locks behind
Illustrious on his shoulders fledge with wings
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
To find who might direct his wand'ring flight
To Paradife 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: And now a stripling Cherub he appears,
Not of the prime, yet fuch as in his face Youth fmil'd celeftial, and to every limb Suitable grace diffus'd, so well he feign'd:
Under a coronet his flowing hair
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, 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 seven 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 swift errands over moist and dry,
O'er fea and land: him Satan thus accofts.
Uriel, for thou of thofe feven Spi'rits that ftand
In fight of God's high throne, gloriously bright, 655 The first art wont his great authentic will Interpreter through highest Heav'n to bring, Where all his fons thy embaffy attend; And here art likelieft by fupreme decree Like honor to obtain, and as his eye To vifit oft this new creation round; Unspeakable defire to fee, and know
All thefe his wondrous works, but chiefly Man, His chief delight and favor, him for whom All thefe his works fo wondrous he ordain'd, Hath brought me from the quires of Cherubim Alone thus wand'ring. Brightest Seraph, tell In which of all these thining orbs hath Man His fixed feat, or fixed feat hath none, But all these shining orbs his choice to dwell; That I may find him, and with fecret gaze
Or open admiration him behold,
On whom the great Creator hath bestow'd
Worlds, and on whom hath all these graces pour'd;
That both in him and all things, as is meet,
The univerfal Maker we may praife;
Who justly hath driv'n out his rebel foes • To deepest Hell, and to repair that lofs Created this new happy race of Men To serve him better: wife are all his ways. So fpake the falfe diffembler unperceiv'd; For neither Man nor Angel can difcern
Hypocrify, the only' evil that walks
Invisible, except to God alone,
By his permiffive will, through Heav'n and Earth: 685 And oft, though wifdom wake, fufpicion fleeps At wifdom's gate, and to fimplicity
Refigns her charge, while goodness thinks no ill Where no ill feems: Which now for once beguil'd Uriel, though regent of the fun, and held
The fharpeft-fighted Spirit of all in Heaven; Who to the fraudulent impoftor foul
In his uprightnefs anfwer, thus return'd.
Fair Angel, thy defire, which tends to know The works of God, thereby to glorify The great Work-mafter, leads to no excess That reaches blame, but rather merits praise The more it feems excefs, that led thee hither From thy empyreal mansion thus alone, To witness with thine eyes what fome perhaps Contented with report hear only' in Heaven: For wonderful indeed are all his works, Pleasant to know, and worthieft to be all Had in remembrance always with delight;; But what created mind can comprehend Their number, or the wifdom infinite.
That brought them forth, but hid their causes deep? I faw when at his word the formless mafs, This world's material mold, came to a heap: Confufion heard his voice, and wild uproar Stood rul'd, ftood vaft intnitude confin'd; Till at his fecond bidding darkness fled,.
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