Amongst innumerable ftars, that shone
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Stars diftant, but nigh hand seem'd other worlds:
Or other worlds they feem'd, or happy ifles,
Like thofe HESPERIAN gardens fam'd of old,
Fortunate fields, and groves, and flow'ry vales;
Thrice happy ifles! But who dwelt happy there
He ftaid not to inquire. Above them all
The golden fun, in fplendor likeft heav'n,
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
Aloft the vulgar conftellations thick,
That from his lordly eye keep distance due,
Difpenfes light from far; they as they move.
Their ftarry dance in numbers that compute
Days, months and years, tow'rds his all-chearing lamp
Turn fwift their various motions, or are turn'd
By his magnetic beam, that gently warms
The univerfe, and to each inward part
With gentle penetration, though unseen,
Shoots invifible virtue even to the Deep;
So wondrously was fet his station bright!
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 expression bright,
Compar'd with ought on earth, metal, or stone :
Not all parts like, but all alike inform'd
With radiant light, as glowing iron with fire;
If metal, part feem'd gold, part filver clear :
If ftone, carbuncle molt, or chryfolite,
Ruby, or topaz; or the twelve that fhone
In AARON's breaft-plate: and a stone befides,
Imagin'd rather oft than elfewhere feen,
That ftone, 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 naked 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-chimic fun, fo far from us remote,
Produces, with terrestrial humor 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
Undazled; far and wide his eye commands,
For fight no obstacle found here, or shade,
But all funshine; 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, tharpen'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
Illuftrious on his fhoulders, fledge with wings,
Lay waving round: on fome great charge employ'd
He feem'd, or fixt in cogitation deep.
Glad was the fpirit 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 thape,
Which elfe might work him danger, or delay: 635
And now a ftripling Cherub he appears,
Not of the prime, yet fuch as in his face
Youth fmil'd cœleftial, 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 fpeed fuccinct, and held
Before his decent steps 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 ftrait was known
Th' Arch-Angel URIEL, one of the fev'n
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 fwift errands, over moift and dry,
O'er fea and land: him SATAN thus accofts
URIEL! for thou of those sev'n spirits that stand In fight of GOD's high throne, gloriously bright, The first art wont his great authentic will Interpreter through highest heav'n to bring, Where all his fons thy embassie attend: And here are likelieft by fupreme decree Like honour to obtain; and as his eye, To vifit oft this new creation round: Unfpeakable desire to sec, and know All thefe his wondrous works, but chiefly man, His chief delight, and favour; him, for whom All these his works fo wondrous he ordain'd, Hath brought me from the choirs of Cherubim Alone thus wand'ring: brighteft Seraph! tell In which of all these 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 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 praise ;
Who justly hath driven out his rebel foes
To deepest hell; and, to repair their 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, through heav'n and earth:
And oft though wifdom wake, fufpicion fleeps
At wifdom's gate, and to fimplicity
Refigns her charge, while goodnefs thinks no ill
Where no ill feems, which now for once beguil'd
URIEL, though regent of the fun, and held`
The sharpeft-fighted fpirit of all in heav'n:
Who to the fraudulent impoftor foul,
In his uprightness 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 excefs
That reaches blame, but rather merits praise
The more it seems excefs, that led thee hither
From thy empyreal manfion thus alone,
To witnefs with thine eyes what fome, perhaps, 700 Contented with report, hear only in heav'n:
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 causes deep?
I faw when at his word the formless mass,
This world's material mold, 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 diforder sprung.
Swift to their feveral quarters hafted then
The cumbrous elements, earth, flood, air, fire, 715
And the ethereal quinteffence of heav'n
Flew upward, fpirited with various forms,
That rowl'd orbicular, and turn'd to ftars,
Numberless, as thou feest, and how they move;
Each had his place appointed, each his course;
The reft in circuit walls this universe.
Look downward on that globe whofe hither fide
With light from hence, tho' but reflected, fhines
That place is earth, the seat of man; that light
His day, which elfe, as th' other hemifphere,
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, till renewing through 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 bow'r :
Thy way thou can'st not mifs, me mine requires.
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