THE

SEVENTH BOOK

OF

PARADISE LOS T.

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, declared 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.

PARADISE LOST.

D

BOOK VII.

ESCEND from Heav'n, Urania, by that name.
If rightly thou art call'd, whofe voice divine
Following, above th' Olympian hill I: foar,
Above the flight of Pegaféan 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 didft converse,
Wisdom thy fifter, and with her didst play
In prefence of th' almighty. Father, pleas'd
With thy celeftial fong. Up led by thee
Into the Heav'n of Heav'ns I have prefum'd,
An earthly gueft, and drawn empyreal air,
Thy temp'ring; with like fafety guided down
Return me to my native element:

Left from this flying fteed unrein'd, (as once
Bellerophon, though from a lower clime)
Difmounted, on th' Aleian field I fall

Erroneous there to wander and forlorn,

Half
yet remains unfung, but narrower bound
Within the vifible diurnal fphere;

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Standing

Standing on earth, not rapt above the pole,
More fafe I fing with mortal voice, unchang'd
To hoarfe or mute, though fall'n on evil days,
On evil days though fall'n, and evil tongues;
In darkness, and with dangers compass'd round,
And folitude; yet not alone, while thou
Vifit'ft my flumbers nightly, or when morn
Purples the eaft: ftill govern thou my fong,
Urania, and fit audience find, though few.
But drive far off the barbarous dissonance
Of Bacchus and his revelers, the race

Of that wild rout that tore the Thracian bard
In Rhodope, where woods and rocks had ears
To rapture, till the favage clamor drown'd
Both harp and voice; nor could the Muse defend
Her fon. So fail not thou, who thee implores :

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For thou art heav'nly, fhe an empty dream.

Say Goddess, what enfued when Raphaël,

The affable Arch-Angel, had forewarn'd

Adam by dire example to beware
Apoftafy, by what befel in Heaven

To thofe apoftates, left the like befal
In Paradife to Adam or his race,

Charg'd not to touch the interdicted tree,

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If they tranfgrefs, and flight that fole command,

So eafily obey'd amid the choice

Of all taftes elfe to please their appetite,

Though wand'ring. He with his conforted Eve 50
The story heard attentive, and was fill'd
With admiration and deep muse, to hear

Of