Yet scarce allay'd still eyes the current stream, Great things, and full of wonder in our ears, Down from the empyrean to forewarn 76 Us timely of what might else have been our loss, But since thou hast vouchsaf'd 80 Gently for our instruction to impart Things above earthly thought, which yet concern'd Our knowing, as to highest wisdom seem'd, Deign to descend now lower, and relate What may no less perhaps avail us known; 85 72 interpreter] So Mercury is called in Virgil. 'Interpres Divûm.' En. iv. 378. Newton. 84 relate] So in the Adamus Exul of Grotius, p. 16. Adam says to the angel: 'Age, si vacabit, (scire nam perfectius Quæ facta fuerint, ante me factum, potes) Narra petenti, quomodo, quoque ordine Tam magna numeris machina impleta est suis.' 30 Embracing round this florid earth; what cause 90 In chaos, and the work begun, how soon And longer will delay to hear thee tell His generation, and the rising birth Or if the star of ev'ning and the moon 1 335 95 100 Haste to thy audience, night with her will bring 105 Thus Adam his illustrious guest besought; 90 florid] Globous. Bentl. MS. 110 99 heav'n] In the first edition there was no comma after 'heaven ;' Pearce altered the punctuation. 103 unapparent] dogaros. Bentl. MS. 108 End] for ending dismiss thee;' so ii. 917, 'Stood, and look'd' for 'standing look'd.' Todd. Yet what thou canst attain, which best may serve 115 To glorify the Maker, and infer Thee also happier, shall not be withheld Of knowledge within bounds; beyond abstain Know then, that after Lucifer from heav'n, 123 night] Hor. Od. iii. 29. 29. 'Prudens futuri temporis exitum Caliginosa nocte premit Deus.' Thyer. 129 surfeit] See Davenant's Gondibert, c. viii. st. 22. 120 125 130 135 Eternal Father from his throne beheld Their multitude, and to his Son thus spake. At least our envious foe hath fail'd, who thought All like himself rebellious, by whose aid He trusted to have seiz'd, and into fraud 140 145 150 Drew many, whom their place knows here no more: 155 161 And earth be chang'd to heav'n, and heav'n to earth, One kingdom, joy and union without end. Meanwhile inhabit lax, ye powers of heav'n, And thou my Word, begotten Son, by thee 139 least] Mr. Thyer saith, "That I do not like taking liberties with the text, or I should read "at last.” ' This I perform, speak thou, and be it done. 165 170 175 180 So spake th' Almighty, and to what he spake His Word, the Filial Godhead, gave effect. Immediate are the acts of God, more swift Than time or motion, but to human ears Cannot without process of speech be told, So told as earthly notion can receive. Great triumph and rejoicing was in heav'n, When such was heard declar'd the Almighty's will; Glory they sung to the Most High, good will To future men, and in their dwellings peace; Glory to him, whose just avenging ire Had driven out th' ungodly from his sight And th' habitations of the just; to him Glory and praise, whose wisdom had ordain'd Good out of evil to create, in stead 185 173 fate] Todd has quoted Plato's Timæus, ed. Serrani, vol. iii. p. 41. Bentley cites Lucan, v. ver. 91. Jortin, Statii Theb. i. 212. Thyer, Claud. de R. Pros. ii. 306. and Tasso Gier. Lib. iv. 17. 'Sia destin cio, ch' io voglio.' 182 the] Bentley reads 'to God most high,' which Newton approves. |