Andere at Ekellest, by Supreme decree, Like bonour to obtain, and as his eye To visit oft this new creation round; Unspeakable desire to see, and know Ail these his wondrous works, but chiefly Man, is chief delight and favour; him for whom 664 All these his works so wondrous he ordain'd, Hath brought me from the choirs of Cherubim Alone thus wand'ring. Brightest Seraph, tell In which of all these shining orbs hath Man His fixed seat, or fixed seat hath none, But all these shining orbs his choice to dwell, That I may find him, and with secret gaze 671 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, 675 The Universal Maker we may praise, Who justly hath driv'n out his rebel foes To deepest Hell; and to repair that loss Created this new happy race of Men
To serve him better; wise are all his ways. 680 So spake the false Dissembler unperceiv'd;
For neaber Man nor Angel can discern Hypovrsy, the only evil that walks
Ravisdle, except to God alone,
By his precarissave will, thro' Heav'n and Earth:
And od dough Wisdom wake, Suspicion sleeps
At Wision's gate, and to Simplicity
Kongos how cha yo, while Goodness thinks no i
Po spake the false dissembler unperceived.
Printed for J. Barsons, 21, Paternoster Bow. Jart 1 1796
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Where no ill seems: which now for once
Uriel, though regent of the Sun, and held 690 The sharpest sighted Sp'rit of all in Heav'n;
Who to the fraudulent impostor foul
In his uprightness, answer thus return'd:
Fair Angel, thy desire, 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 excess, that led thee hither
From thy empyreal mansion thus alone,
To witness with thine eyes what some perhaps Contented with report hear only' in Heav'n : For wonderful indeed are all his works, Pleasant to know, and worthiest to be all
I saw when at his word the formless mass, This world's material mould, came to a heap : Confusion heard his voice, and wild Uproar 710 Stood rul'd, stood vast Infinitude confin'd; Till at his second bidding Darkness fled, Light shone, and Order from Disorder sprung: Swift to their sev'ral quarters hasted then The cumbrous elements, Earth, Flood, Air, Fire;
And this ethereal quintessence of Heav'n
Flew upward, spirited with various forms, That roll'd orbicular, and turn'd to stars
Numberless, as thou seest, and how they move: Each had his place appointed, each his course; The rest in circuit walls the universe.
Look downward on that globe, whose hither side With light from hence, tho' but reflected, shines; That place is Earth, the seat of Man; that light His day, which else, as th'other hemisphere, 725 Night would invade; but there the neighb'ring
(So call that opposite fair star) her aid Timely' interposes, and her monthly round Still ending, still renewing, thro' mid Heav'n, With borrow'd light her countenance triform 730 Hence fills and empties to enlighten th' Earth, And in her pale dominion checks the night. That spot to which I point is Paradise, Adam's abode, those lofty shades his bow'r. 734 Thy way thou canst not miss, me mine requires.
Thus said, he turn'd; and Satan bowing low, As to superior Sp'rits is wont in Heav'n, Where honour due and rev'rence none neglects, Took leave, and tow'rd the coast of earth beneath, Down from th' ecliptic, sped with hop'd success, Throws his steep flight in many an airy wheel, Nor stay'd, till on Niphates' top he lights. 742
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