Father, to see thy face, wherein no cloud With thee thy manbood also lo this throne; Man, Tbroves, Princedoms, Powʻrs, Dominions, I Glad to be offer'd, he attends the will reduce: Of his great father. Admiration seiz'd All knees to thee shall bow, of them that All Heav'o what this might mean, and w bither bide tend [ply'd: In Heav'n, or Earth, or under Earth in Hell. Wond'ring; but soon th’ Almighty thus re When thou attended gloriously from Heav'n O thon in Heav'n and Eartb the only peace Shalt in the sky appear, and from thee send Found out for Mankind under wrath, O thou The summoning arch-angels to proclaim My sole complacence! well thou know'st how | Thy dread tribunal; fortbwith froin ali winds dear The living, and forthwith the cited dead To me are all my works, nor Man the least, Of all past ages, to the general doom Though last created; that for him I spare Shall basten, such a peal shall rouse their Thee from my bosom and right hand, to save, sleep. By lusing thee a while, the whole race lost. Then all thy saiuts assembled, thou shalt judge Thou, therefore, whom thou only canst re Bad men and angels; they arraigo'd shall sink deem, Beneath thy sentenec; Hell, ber oumbers full, Their nature also to thy nature join ; Thenceforth shall be for ever sbut. Mean And be thyself Man among men on earth, while (spring Made Hesh, when time shall be, of Virgin seed, The world shall burn, and from her ashes By wond'rous birth: be thou in Adam's room New Heav'ıı and Earth, wherein the just shall The head of all Maokind, though Adam's son, dwell, As in him perish all mnen, so in thee, And after all their tribulations long As from a second root, shall be restor'd See golden days, fruitful of golden deeds, As many as are restor’d, without thee none. With joy and love triumphing, and fair truth. His crime makes guilty all his sons; thy i Then thou thy regal scepter sbalt lay by, merit For regal seeptreihen no more shall need, Imputed shall absolve them wbo renounce God shall be all in all. But all ye gods, Their own both righteous and unrighteous Adore him, who to compass all ibis dies; deeds, Adore the Son, and honor bin is ne. And live in thee transplanted, and from thee Nor sooner had th'Almighly ceasvi, but all Receive new life. Su Mau, as is most just, The multitude ofangels, with a shout Shall satisfy for Man, be judg'd and die, Loud as frum numbers without number, sweet And dying rise, and rising with him raise Astrom blest voices, uttering joy, Heav'il rung His brethren, ransow'd with his own dear life. With jubilee, and loud hosannas fill'd So heav'nly love shall outdo hellish hate, Th'eternal regions: lowly reverent Giving to deatlı, and dying to redeem, Towards either throue ibey bow, and to the Su dearly to redeem what hellisho hate ground So easily destroy'd, aud still destroys With solemın atloration down tbey cast Ju those who, when they may, accept not Their crowns inwore with amarant and gold; grace. Tininortal amarant, a tow'r which once Nor shalt thou, by descending to assume In Paradise, fast by the tree of Life, Mau's nature, lessen or degrade thine own. Began to bloom; but so for man's ollence Because thou hast, though throu'd in highest To Heny'u remov'd, where first it grew, there bliss grows, Equal to God, and equally enjoying And flow'rs aloft shading the fount of Life, Godlike fruition, quitted all to save And where the river of Bliss through midst of A world from utter loss, and hast been found Heav'ni By merit more than birthright Son of God, Rolls o’er Elysian flow'rs her amber stream; Found wortbiest to be so by being good, With these that never fade the spirits elect Far more than great or high; because in thee Bind their resplendent locks iuwreath'd with Love batb abounded inore than glory abounds, beains, (bright Therefore thy bumiliation shall exalt Now in loose garlands thick tbrown oft, the Pavement, that like a sea of jasper sbone, Hail! Son of God, Saviour of Meu, thy game Impirpled with celestial roses smild. Shall he the copious matter of my Song praise sphere, Thee, Father, first they sung Omnipotent, Tbeluminous inferior orbs inclos'd From Chaos and tb'inroad of Darkness old, Eternal King; thee .duthor of all being, Satan alighted walks : a globe far off Fountain of light, thyself invisible It seenid, now seems a boundless continent Amidst the glorious brightness where thou Dark, waste, and wild, under the frown of sitst Night Save on that side which from the wall of [gains Dark with excessive brighit thy shirts appear, Though distant far, some small reflection Yet dazzle Hextv'n, that brighiest seraphim of glimmering air less vex'd with tempest Approach noi, but with buth wings veil their loud: [field, Here walk'd the Fiend at large in spacious Whose snowy ridge the roving Tartar bounds, To gorge the flesh of lainbs or yeanling kids Made visible, th' almighty Father sbines, Ou bills where flocks are fed, flies toward the Whom else no creature can bebold; on thee springs With sails and wiod their cany waggons light: None yet, but store bereafter from the earth Both all things vain, and all who in rais All who have their reward on earth, the fruits Nought seeking but the praise of men, here So strictly, but much more to pity incline : find No sovner did thy dear and only Son Fit retribution, empty as their deeds ; hand, Till final dissolution, wander bert, Not in the weigbh'ring moon, as some have For Man's offence. O unexampled love, dream'd; Love no where to be found less than divine! Those argent fieids more likely habitants, Translated Saints, or middle Spirits hold To Padan-Aram, in the field of Luz, times The builders next of Babel on the plain Viewless; and underneath a bright sea flow'd Of Sennaar, and still with vain design Of jasper, or of liquid pearl, whereon New Babels, had they wherewithal, would || Who after came from earth, sailing arriv’d, build: Wafted by angels, or flew o'er the lake Others came siugle; he who to be deem'd Rapt in a chariot drawn by fiery steeds. A god, leap'd fondly into Ætna flames, The stairs were then let down, whether to dare Einpedocles; and he who to enjoy The Fieud hy easy ascent, or aggravate Platu's Elysium, leap'd into the sea, His sad exclusion from the doors of bliss : Cleombrotus; and many more too long, Direct against which open'd from beneath, Embryos anıl idiots, eremites and friars Just o'er the blissful seat of Paradise, White, black, and grey, with all their | A passage down to th' earth, a passage wide, trumpery. Wider by far than that of after-times Here pilgrims roam, that stray'd so far to seek | Over mount Sion, and, though that were In Golgotha bim dead who lives in Heaven; large, And they who to be sure of Paradise Over the Promis'd Land to God so dear, Dying put on the weeds of Dominic, By which, to visit oft those happy tribes, Or in Franciscan think to pass disguis d ; On high behests his angels to and fro They pass the planets sev'n, and pass the fix’d, Pass’d frequent, and his eye with choice And that crystalline sphere whose balance regard weighs From Paneas the fount of Jordan's food The trepidation talk'd, and that first mov'd; To Bëersaba, where the Holy Land And now Saint Peter at Heav'n's wicket seems Borders on Egypt and th’Arabian shore; To wait them with his keys, and now at foot So wide the opening seem'd, where bounds Of Heav'n's ascent they lift their feet, when lo, were set A violent cross wind from either coast To darkness, such as bound the ocean wave. Blows them transverse ten thousand leagues Satan from hence, now on the lower stair awry That scald by steps of gold to Heaven gate, Into the devious air; then might ye see Looks down with wonder at the sudden view Cowls, hoods, and habits with their wearers Of all this world at once. Ay when a scout tost Through dark and deser: ways with peril gone And Aatter'd into rags, then reliques, beads, All night; at last by break of cheerful dawn Indulgences, dispenses, pardons, bulls, Obtains the brow of some high-climbing hill, The sport of winds : all these upwhirl'd aloft || Which to his eye discovers unaware Fly o'er the backside of the world far off The goodly prospect of some foreign land Into a limbo large and broad, since callid First seen, or some renown'd metropolis The Paradise of Fools, tu few unknown With glist'ring spires and pinnacles adorn'd, Long after, uow unpeopled, and untrod. Which now the rising sun gilds with bis All this dark globe the Fiend found as he beams : pasy'd, Such wonder seiz'd, though after Heaven seen, And long he wander'd, till at last a gleam The sp'rit malign, but much more envy Of dawning light turn'd thither-ward in baste seiz'd His travel'd steps : far distant he descries At sight of all this world beheld so fair. Ascending by degrees magnificent Rouud he surveys (and well might, where he Up to the wall of Heav'n a structure high, stood At top whereof, but far more rich, appear'd So high above the circling canopy The work as of a kingly palace gate, Of night's extended shade) fronı eastern point With frontispiece of diamond and gold Of Libra to the fleecy star that bears Embellish'd; thick with sparkling orient gems Andromeda far off Atlantic seas The portal shone, inimitable on earth Beyond tl'horizon; then from pole to pole By model, or by shading pencil drawn. He views in breadth, and without louger pause The stairs were such as whereon Jacob saw Down right into the world's first region Angels ascending and descending, bands throws Of guardians bright, when he from Esau tled His Aight precipitant, and winds with ease Vo. IV.V.S. Continued from the Poetical Part of No. III. E Through the pure marble ait bis oblique way But all san shine, as when his beams at noou Amongst ipuumeralle stars, that shone Culminate from the equator, as they now Slas distant, but uigh baud sceou'd other Shot upward still direct, whence no way round worlds; Shačow from budy opaque cau fall; and thi* Or etler worlds they seem'd, or happy isles, air Like those Hesperian gardens fau'd of old, No wbere so clear, sharpen'd his visual ray Fortunate fields, and groves, and fluw’ry vales, To objects distant far, wherely he soon Thricc happy isles, but why dwelt bappy Saw within ken a gloriors Angel stand, there The same hom Joliu saw also in the sun : He stay'd not to enquire: above them all llis back was tu:u'd, but not luis brightuess The golden sun in splendour likest Heaven bid; A Hur'd his eye: thither his course be bends of beaming sumy rays a golden tiar Through the calm firmament, but up or Circled his tead, nor less lijs locks behind down Illustrious on lis shoulders fledge with sings By centre, or eccentric, hard to tell, Lay waving rouud; on some great charge Or longitude) where the great luruinary employ'd Aloof ihe vulgar constellations thick, He seem'd, or fix'd in cogitation deep. That froin bis lordly eye keep distauce due, Glad was the spirit inipure, as pow in hope Dispenses light froin far; they as they love To find who might direct bis wand'ring tight 'Their starry dance in numbers that compute To Paradise, the happy seat of Man, Days, ukuthis, and years, towards. his all. His journey's end, and our begiuving woe. cheering lain But first lie casts to change his proper shape, Tum swill their various motions, or are turn'd Which else wight work him danger or delay : By his ignetic beam, that gently warins And now a stripling Cherub he appears, The universe, and to each inward part Not of the prime, yet such as in his face With gentle penetration, though unseen, Youth smild celestial, and to every limb Shoots invisible virtue ev'u to the deep; Suitable grace diffus'd, su well he feigud: So wondrously was set his statiou bright. Uuder a corouet his flowing hair There lauds the fiend, a spul like which lu curis on either cheek play'd; wings lie wore perhaps Of many a colourd pluwe sprinkled wità Astrouomer in the sun's lucent orbe gold, Through his glaz'd optic lube yet never saw. His habit fit for speed succinct, and held The place he fuund beyond expressiou bright, Before his decent steps a silver waud. Cumpai'd wilbaught ou earth, melal or lle drew hot nigk unheard ; the Angel bright, stone; Ere he drew nigh, his rauliaut visage turu’d, Not all parts like, but all alike inform'd Admonishid by his ear, and straight was With radiant light, as glowing iron with fire; kaowa If metal, part seeni'd gold, part silver clear; Tb’Archangel Uriël, one of the seven If stone, carbuncle most or chrysolite, Who iv Guil's presence, nearest to his throne, Ruby or topaz, to the twelve that shoue Stand read: at command, and are bis eyes In Aaron's breast.plate, and a stone besides That run througb all the Beav'us, or duia to Ipagin'd rather of than elsewhere seen, th' carth That stone, or like to that which here below Bear bis swift errands over muisi and dry, Philosophers in vain so long have sought, Our sea and laud: bin Satan thus accosts. lo vain, though by their pow'rful ast they Uriel, for thou of thuse sev’n Spirits that bind stand (tright, Volatile Hermes, and call up unbound lu sight of God's bigb throne, gloriously lu various shapes old Proteus from the sea, The first art wout his great authentic will Draind through a limbed to his native forms. luterpreter through bighest lieav'ır to bring, What wonder then it fields and regious liere Where all his sons thy embassy altend; Breathe forth elixir pure, and rivers ruu And lacre are likeliest by supreine decree Portable gold, when with one virtuous touch Like honour to obtain, and as his eye Man, dain'd, moon Hail brought me from the quires of Cherubim I saw when at bis word the formless mass, Aloue tbus wand’iny. Brightest Seraph, || This world's material moald, came to a beap: tell Confusion hearil his voice, and wild uproir Ju which of all these shining orbs hath Man Stood rnl'd, stood vest infinitude confin'd; His Excel seat, or fixed seat hath none, Till at his second bidding darkness Bled, But all these shining orbs bis choice to dwell; | Liglit shone, and order from disorder sprong: That I may find him, and with secret gaze Swift to their several quarters basted then Or open admiration him be bold, The cumbrous elements, earth, flood, air, fire; On whom the great Creator bath bestow'd And this ethereal quintessence of Heaven Worlds, and on whom bath all these graces Flew upward, spirited with various forms, pouried; That rolld orbicular, and turn’d to stars That both in him and all things, as is meet, Numberless, as thou seest, and how they Tbe universal Maker we may praise; move; [course; Who justly hath driv'n ont bis rebel fues Each had bis place appointed, each his To dorpest Hell, and to repair that loss The rest in circuit walls this universe. Created this new happy race of Men Look downward on that globe, whose hither To serve him better: wise are all his ways. side, [sbin s ; Su spake the false dissembler uperceiv'd; With light from hence, though but refle leid, For neither Mau nor Angel cau discera That place is Earth, the seat of Man,that light Hypocrisy, the only evil that walks His day, which cise as th'other hemispliere Juvisible, except to God alone, Night would invade; but there the neighb'ring By bis permissive will, through Heav'n and Earth: (So call that opposite fair star) her aid And oft thonglı wisdom wake, suspicion sleeps Timely interposes, and her moutbly round At wisdom's gate, and to simplicity Still ending, still renewing, through mid Resigns her charge, while gooduess thinks no Heaven, (beguild With borrow'd light her countenance triform Where no ill seems: which pow for once Gence fills and empties to epilghten thi Uriel, thongh regent of the sun, and held Earth, The sharpest sighted Spirit of all in Heaven; And in her pale dominion checks the night. Who to the fraudulent impostor fou! That spot to which I point is Paradise, In bis uprightness answer thus return'dl. Adam's abude, those lofty shades his bower. Fair Angel, thy desire which tends to know Thy way thou canst not miss, me mine reThe works of God, therely to glorify quires. [low, The great lork-master, leails to no excess Thus said, he turo'd; and Satan bowing That reaches blame, but rather incrits praise As to superior Spirits is wont in Heaven, The more it seems excess, that led thice hither | Where honour due and reverence none neFrom thy empyreal mausion tbus alone, glects, (beneath, To witness with thine eyes what some perhaps || Took leave, and toward the coast of earth Contented with report hear only in Heav'n; Down from th' ecliptic, sped with hop?d For wonderful indeed are all his works, success, Pleasant to know, and worthiest to be all Throws his steep flight in many an airy wheel, Had in remembrance always with delight; Nor stay'd, till on Niphates' top he lights. But what created wind can comprehend Tbeir number, or the wisdom infinite END OF THE THIRD BOOK. That brought them forth, but bid their causes decp? E 2 |