When all creation started into birth, The infant elements receiv'd a law 200 From which they swerv'd not since. That under force Of that controlling ordinance they move, And need not his immediate hand who first Thus dream they, and contrive to save a God 205 Th' incumbrance of his own concerns, and spare The great artificer of all that moves The stress of a continual act, the pain Of unremitted vigilance and care, As too laborious and severe a task. 210 215 So vast in its demands, unless impell'd 220 The Lord of all, himself through all diffus'd, Whose cause is God. He feeds the secret fire, 225 Slow circling ages are as transient days; Whose work is without labour; whose designs And whose benificence no charge exhausts. 230 Him blind antiquity profan'd, not serv'd. With self-taught rights, and under various names, And Flora, and Nertumnus; peopling earth 235 That were not; and commending as they would To each some province, garden, field, or grove. One spirit--His But shows some touch, in freckle, streak, or stain, Their balmy odours, and imparts their hues, 240 245 250 255 And these dissolving snows, and this clear stream 260 Who, then, that has a mind well strung and tun'd To contemplation, and within his reach A scene so friendly to his fav'rite task, Would waste attention at the checker'd board. 265 His host of wooden warriours to and fro 270 Across a velvet level, feel a joy Akin to rapture, when the bauble finds Its destin'd goal of difficult access. Nor deems he wiser him, who gives his noon 275 280 285 Frequents the crowded auction: station'd there With glass at eye, and cataloge in hand, Here unmolested, through whatever sign 290 295 300 And prink their hair with daisies, or to pick A cheap but wholesome salad from the brook These shades are all my own. The tim'rous hare, 306 Scarce shuns me; and the stock-dove, unalarm'd, Sits cooing in the pinetree, nor suspends His long love ditty for my near approach. Drawn from his refuge in some lonely elm, 310 That age or injury has hallow'd deep, He has outslept the winter, ventures forth, 315 Ascends the neighb'ring beech; there whisks his brush, And perks his ears, and stamps, and cries aloud, With all the prettiness of feign'd alarm, And anger insignificantly fierce. The heart is hard in nature, and unfit For human fellowship, as being void 320 Of sympathy, and therefore dead alike To love and friendship both, that is not pleas'd 325 Nor feels their happiness augment his own. The bounding fawn, that darts across the glade The horse as wanton, and almost as fleet, That skims the spacious meadow at full speed, 330. Then stops, and snorts, and, throwing high his heels, Starts to the voluntary race again; The very kine that gambol at high noon, The total herd receiving first from one, 335 Though wild their strange vagaries, and uncouth To give such an act and utt'rance as they may 340 Who form'd him from the dust, his future grave, 350 God set the diadem upon his head, And angel choirs attended. Wond'ring stood The new made monarch, while before him pass'd, The creatures summon'd from their various haunts, 356 Vast was his empire, absolute his pow'r, Or bounded only by a law, whose force 'Twas his sublimest privilege to feel And own-the law of universal love. He rul'd with meekness, they obey'd with joy; And no distrust of his intent in theirs. So Eden was a scene of harmless sport, 360 Where kindness on his part who rul'd the whole, 365 Begat a tranquil confidence in all, And fear as yet was not, nor cause for fear. But sin marr'd all; and the revolt of man, That source of evils not exhausted yet, Was punish'd with revolt of his from him. 370 Thy groves and lawns then witness'd! Ev'ry heart, A jealousy and an instinctive fear, And, conscious of some danger, either fled 375 Precipitate the loath'd abode of man, Or growl'd defiance in such angry sort, As taught him too to tremble in his turn. Thus harmony and family accord Were driv'n from Paradise; and in that hour 380 The seeds of cruelty that since have swell'd Were sown in human nature's soil. Hence date the persecution and the pain, That man inflicts on all inferiour kinds, 385 Regardless of their plaints. To make him sport, Or his base gluttony, are causes good |