Stars diftant, but nigh hand feem'd other worlds;
Or other worlds they feem'd, or happy ifles,
Like thofe Hefperian gardens fam'd of old,
Fortunate fields, and groves, and flow'ry vales;
Thrice happy ifles, but who dwelt happy there
He ftay'd not to inquire. Above them all
The golden Sun, in fplendour likeft Heaven,
Allur'd his eye; thither his course he bends'
Through the calm firmament, (but up or down,
By centre, 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-cheering
Turn fwift their various motions, or are turn'd [lamp By his magnetic beam, that gently warms
The univerfe, and to each inward part
With gentle penetration, though unseen,
Shoots invifible virtue ev'n to the deep;
So wondrously was fet his ftation bright.
There lands the fiend, a spot like which perhaps
Aftronomer in the Sun's lucent orb
Through his glaz'd optic tube yet never faw.
The place he found beyond expreffion bright,
Compar'd with aught on earth, metal or ftone;
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, to the twelve that shone
In Aaron's breaftplate, and a ftone befides
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, tho' by their pow'rful art they bind
Volatile Hermes, and call up unbound
In various fhapes old Proteus from the sea,
Drain'd thro' 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 humour mix'd,
Here in the dark fo many precious things
Of colour glorious, and effect fo rare ?
Here matter new to gaze the Devil met
Undazzled ; far and wide his eye commands;
For fight no obstacle found here, nor fhade,
But all funshine, as when his beams at noon
Culminate from th' equator, as they now
Shot upward still direct, whence no way round
Shadow from body' opaque can fall; and th' air,
No where fo clear, fharpen'd his visual ray
To objects diftant far, whereby he foon
Saw within ken a glorious angel ftand,
The fame whom John saw also in the Sun :
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 fhoulders fledge with wings
Lay waving round; on fome great charge employ'd /
He feem'd, or fix'd in cogitation deep.
Glad was the fpi'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 ftripling 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, fo well he feign'd:
Under a coronet his flowing hair
In curls on either cheek play'd; wings he wore
Of many a colour'd plume, fprinkled with gold;
His habit fit for speed fuccinct, and held
Before his decent fteps a filver wand.
He drew not nigh unheard; the angel bright,
Ere he drew nigh his radiant vifage turn'd,
Admonish'd by his ear, and strait was known
Th' archangel Uriel, one of the feven
Who in God's prefence, nearest to his throne,
Stand ready at command, and are his eyes
That run thro' 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 fev'n fpirits that ftand In fight of God's high throne, gloriously bright, 655 The first art wont his great authentic will Interpreter thro' highest heav'n to bring, Where all his fons thy embaffy attend; And here art likelieft by fupreme decree Like honour to obtain; and as his To vifit oft this new creation round; Unfpeakable defire to fee, and know
All these his wond'rous works, but chiefly man,
His chief delight and favour, him for whom
All these his works fo wond'rous he ordain'd,
Hath brought me from the quires of Cherubim
Alone thus wand'ring. Brigheft Seraph, tell
In which of all thefe fhining 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 secret gaze
Or open admiration him behold,
On whom the great Creator hath bestow'd
Worlds, and on whom hath all thefe graces pour'd;
That both in him and all things, as is meet,
The univerfal Maker we may praise ;
Who juftly hath driv'n out his rebel-foes
To deepest hell, and, to repair that lofs
Created this new happy race of men
To ferve 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
Invifible, except to God alone,
By his permiffive will, thro' heaven and earth:
And oft the' wifdom wake, fufpicion fleeps
At wisdom's gate, and to fimplicity
Refigns her charge, while goodness thinks no ill Where no ill feems: which now for once beguil'd Uriel, tho' regent of the Sun, and held
The sharpeft-fighted fpi'rit 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-master, leads to no excess
That reaches blame, but rather merits praise
The more it seems excefs, that led thee hither
From thy empyreal manfion thus alone,
To witness with thine eyes what fome perhaps, 700
Contented with report, hear only'in heaven:
For wonderful indeed are all his works,
Pleasant to know, and worthiest to be all
Had in remembrance always with delight;
But what created mind can comprehend
Their number, or the wisdom infinite
That brought them forth, but hid their caufes deep?
I faw when at his word the formless mafs,
This world's material mould, came to a heap :
Confufion heard his voice, and wild uproar
Stood rul'd, ftood vaft infinitude confin'd;
Till at his fecond bidding darkness fled,
Light fhone, and order from diferder fprung:
Swift to their feveral quarters hasted then
The cumbrous elements, earth, flood, air, fire;
And this ethereal quinteffence of heaven
Flew upward, fpirited with various forms,
That roll'd orbicular, and turn'd to stars
Numberless, as thou feeft, and how they move;
Each had his place appointed, each his courfe; 720
The reft in circuit walls this universe.
Look downward on that globe, whofe hither fide,
With light from hence, tho' but reflected, shines ;
That place is earth, the feat of man; that light
His day, which elfe, as th' other hemisphere,
Night would invade; but there the neighb'ring moon
(So call that oppofite fair ftar) her aid
Timely' interpofes, and her monthly round
Still ending, ftill renewing, thro' mid heav'n,
With borrow'd light her countenance triform
Hence fills, and empties, to enlighten th' earth,
And in her pale dominion checks the night.
That fpot to which I point is Paradise,
Adam's abode, thofe lofty fhades his bower;
The way thou canst not mifs, me mine requires.
Thus faid, he turn'd; and Satan bowing low,
As to fuperiour fpi'rits is wont in heaven,
Where honour due and reverence none neglects,
Took leave, and tow'ard the coaft of earth beneath,
Down from th' ecliptic, fped with hop'd fuccefs, 740
Throws his fteep flight in many an airy wheel;
Nor stay'd, till on Niphates top he lights.
|