With these, that never fade, the fpirits elect
Bind their refplendent locks, inwreath'd with beams; Now in loofe garlands thick thrown off the bright Pavement, that like a sea of jasper shon, Impurpled with cœleftial rofes fmil'd.
Then crown'd again, their golden harps they took; Harps ever tun'd, that glitt'ring by their fide Like quivers hung, and with preamble sweet Of charming symphony they introduce Their facred fong, and waken raptures high;
No voice exempt; no voice but well could join 370 Melodious part, fach concord is in heav'n. Thee Father firft they fung, Omnipotent, Immutable, Immortal, Infinite,
Eternal King! Thee Author of all Being, Fountain of Light, Thy self invisible Amidft the glorious brightness where thou fit'st Thron'd inacceffible, but when thou shad'st The full blaze of thy beams, and thro' a cloud Drawn round about thee like a radiant shrine, Dark with exceffive bright, thy skirts appear: Yet dazle heav'n, that brightest Seraphim Approach not, but with both wings veil their eyes. Thee next they fang of all creation first,
Begotten Son, Divine Similitude!
In whofe confpicuous count'nance, without cloud Made visible, th' Almighty Father shines,
Whom else no creature can behold: on Thee Imprefs'd, th' effulgence of his glory abides; 'Transfus'd on Thee his ample Spirit rests.
He heav'n of heav'ns, and all the pow'rs therein, By Thee created; and by Thee threw down Th' afpiring Dominations. Thou that day Thy Father's dreadful thunder did'ft not spare; Nor ftop thy flaming chariot, wheels, that shook Heav'n's everlasting Frame, while o'er the necks Thou drov'ft of warring Angels difarraid. 396 Back from purfuit thy Pow'rs with loud acclaim Thee only extoll'd, Son of thy Father's might, To execute fierce vengeance on His foes;
Not fo on Man: him thro' their malice fall'n, 400 Father of mercy and grace! Thou didst not doom So ftrictly, but much more to pity incline. No fooner did Thy dear and only Son, Perceive Thee purpos'd not to doom frail man So ftrictly, but much more to pity inclin'd, He to appease Thy wrath, and end the ftrife Of mercy and justice in thy face difcern'd, Regardless of the blifs wherein he fat Second to Thee, offer'd himself to die For Man's offenfe. O unexampl'd love! Love no where to be found lefs than Divine! Hail Son of God, Saviour of men! Thy name Shall be the copious matter of my fong Henceforth, and never shall my harp Thy praise Forget, nor from thy Father's praise disjoin.
Thus they in heav'n, above the starry sphear, Their happy hours in joy and hymning spent. Mean-while upon the firm opacous globe Of this round world, whose first convex divides,
The luminous inferior orbs, inclos'd
From Chaos, and th' inroad of darkness old, Satan alighted walks. A globe far off
It seem'd, now feems a boundless continent Dark, waste, and wild, under the frown of night Starlefs expos'd, and ever-threatning ftorms 425 Cf Chaos bluftring round, inclement sky!
Save on that fide which from the wall of heav'n (Tho' distant far) some small reflection gains
Of glimm'ring air, less vex'd with tempeft loud. Here walk'd the fiend at large in spacious field. 430 As when a vultur on Imaus bred,
(Whofe fnowy ridge the roving Tartar bounds) Diflodging from a region scarce of prey,
To gorge the flesh of lambs, and weanling kids, 434 On hills where flocks are fed, flies tow'rd the fprings Of Ganges, or Hydafpes, (Indian streams)
But in his way lights on the barren plains Of Sericana, where Chineses drive
With fails and wind their cany waggons light: So on this windy fea of land, the fiend Walk'd up and down alone, bent on his prey; Alone, for other creature in this place Living, or livelefs, to be found was none; None yet, but ftore hereafter from the earth Up hither like aëreal vapors flew,
Of all things tranfitory and vain, when fin With vanity had fill'd the works of men: Both all things vain, and all who in vain things But their fond hopes of glory, or lafting fame,
Or happiness in this or th' other life:
All who have their reward on earth, the fruits Of painful superstition, and blind zeal, Nought seeking but the praise of men, here find Fit retribution, empty as their deeds:
All th' unaccomplish'd works of nature's hand, 455 Abortive, monstrous, or unkindly mix'd, Diffolv'd on earth, fleet hither, and in vain, Till final diffolution, wander here:
Not in the neighb'ring moon, as fome have dream'd: (Those argent fields more likely habitants, Tranflated faints, or middle fpirits hold, Betwixt th' angelical and human kind)
Hither, of ill-join'd fons and daughters born, First from the ancient world those giants came, With many a vain exploit, tho' then renown'd: 465` The builders next of Babel on the plain Of Sennaar, and still with vain design
New Babels, had they wherewithal, would build : Others came fingle; he who to be deem'd A God, leap'd fondly into Etna flames, Empedocles: and he who to enjoy
Plato's Elyfium, leap'd into the fea, Cleombrotus: and many more too long,
Embryoes, and idiots, eremits, and friars
White, Black, and Grey, with all their trumpery: Here Pilgrims roam, that stray'd fo far to feek In Golgotha Him dead, who lives in heav'n: And they who to be fure of Paradife, Dying put on the weeds of Dominic,
Or in Franciscan think to pass disguis'd;
They pass the Planets fev'n, and pass the Fix'd, And that chrystalline sphere whose ballance weighs The Trepidation talk'd, and that First-mov'd: And now faint Peter at heav'n's wicket seems To wait them with his keys, and now at foot 485 Of heav'n's afcent they lift their feet: when lo! A violent cross-wind from either coast
Blows them transverse, ten thousand leagues awry Into the devious air: then might ye fee
Cowles, hoods, and habits, with their wearers, toft, And flutter'd into rags: then Reliques, Beads, 491 Indulgences, Difpenfes, Pardons, Bulls,
The sport of winds! All these up-whirl'd aloft Fly o'er the backside of the world far off, Into a Limbo large, and broad, fince call'd The Paradife of Fools; to few unknown Long after now unpeopl'd, and untrod. All this dark globe the fiend found as he pafs'd; And long he wander'd, till at last a gleam Of dawning light turn'd thither-ward in hafte 500 His travel'd steps: far diftant he descries, Afcending by degrees magnificent
Up to the wall of heav'n, a structure high ; A top whereof, but far more rich, appear'd The work as of a kingly palace-gate, With frontispiece of diamond, and gold Imbellish'd; thick with sparkling orient gems The portal fhon, inimitable on earth, By model, or by fhading pencil, drawn.
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