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Lib. VII

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The ARGUMENT.

Raphael at the request of Adam relates how and wherefore this world was first created; that God, after the expelling of Satan and his Angels out of Heaven, declar'd his pleasure to create another World and other Creatures to dwell therein; fends his Son with Glory and attendance of Angels to perform the work of Creation in fix days: the Angels celebrate with Hymns the performance thereof, and his reafcenfion into Heaven.

Efcend from Heav'n Urania, by that name.

divine

Following, above th' Olympian Hill I foare,
Above the flight of Pegafean wing.
The meaning, not the Name I call: for thou
Nor of the Mufes nine, nor on the top
Of old Olympus dwell'ft, but Heav'nly born,
Before the Hills appear'd, or Fountain flow'd,
Thou with Eternal wisdom didst converse,
Wisdom thy Sifter, and with her didst play
In presence of th' Almighty Father, pleas'd
With thy Celestial Song. Up led by thee
Into the Heav'n of Heav'ns I have prefum'd,
An Earthly Gueft, and drawn Empyreal Aire,
Thy tempring; with like fafety guided down
Return me to my Native Element:

Left from this flying Steed unrein'd, (as once
Bellerophon, though from a lower Clime)
Difmounted, on th'Aleian Field I fall

Erroneous there to wander and forlorne.
Half yet remains unfung, but narrower bound.
Within the visible Diurnal Spheare;

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Standing on Earth, not rapt above the Fole,
More fafe Ì Sing with mortal voice, unchang'd
To hoarce or mute, though fall'n on evil days, 25
On evil days though fall'n, and evil tongues;
In darkness, and with dangers compast round,
And folitude; yet not alone, while thou
Vifit'ft my flumbers Nightly, or when Morn

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Purples the Eaft: ftill govern thou my Song,
Urania, and fit audience find, though few.
But drive far off the barbarous diffonance
Of Bacchus and its revellers, the Race

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Of that wild Rout that tore the Thracian Bard
In Rhodope, where Woods and Rocks had Ears 35
To rapture, till the favage clamour dround

Both Harp and Voice; nor could the Mufe defend
Her Son. So fail not thou, who thee implores:
For thou art Heav'nly, she an empty dream.
Say Goddefs, what enfu'd when Raphael,
The affable Arch-Angel, had forewarn'd
Adam by dire example to beware
Apoftafie, by what befel in Heav'n

To thofe Apoftates, left the like befall
In Paradife to Adam or his Race,

Charg'd not to touch the interdicted Tree,

If they tranfgrefs, and flight that fole conimand,
So easily obey'd amid the choice

Of all taftes elfe to please their appetite,

Though wandring. He with his conforted Eve
The ftory heard attentive, and was fill'd
With admiration, and deep Mufe to hear

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Of things fo high and ftrange, things to their thought
So unimaginable as hate in Heav'n,

And War fo near the Peace of God in Blifs

With fuch confufion: but the evil foon
Driv'n back redounded as a flood on those

From whom it fprung, impoffible to mix
With Bleffednefs. Whence Adam foon repeal'd

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