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How mean the Order and Perfection fought
In the best Product of the human Thought,
Compar'd to the great Harmony that reigns
In what the Spirit of the World ordains!

Now if the Sun on Earth tranfmits his Ray,
Yet does not fcorch us with too fierce a Day;
How small a Portion of his Pow'r is giv'n
To Orbs more diftant, and remoter Heav'n?
And of thofe Stars, which our imperfect Eye
Has doom'd and fix'd to one Eternal Sky,
Each by a native ftock of Honor great,

May dart ftrong Influence, and diffuse kind Heat,
It felf a Sun; and with transmissive Light
Enliven Worlds deny'd to human Sight:
Around the Circles of their ambient Skies
New Moons may grow or wane, may set or rife;
And other Stars may to thofe Suns be Earths;
Give their own Elements their proper Births;
Divide their Climes, or elevate their Pole;
See their Lands flourish, and their Oceans roll;
Yet these great Orbs thus radically bright,
Primitive Founts, and Origins of Light,

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Inter fe alternis poffunt (ut quifque profundo
Ætheris in gremio propiùfve aut longiùs abfit)
Igne minore Aftrum vel nobiliore videri;
Altoque in Spatio, cui cœlum nomen & aer,
Mille fimul Terræ, Lunæ, Solesque latere
Immenfi, quos noftra incaffum lumina quærunt.

Necquicquam effufum fpatiis crefcentibus orbem Metiri, aut certum meditamur ponere centrum; Sphæra ingens fe expandit adhuc, nefcitque teneri Limite vel ficto, mentemque irridet inanem.

Quò tot diffugere igitur radiantia Monftra, Quêis veftri attonitum conceptus æthera complent? Effigies vanæ qua mundi in parte manebunt? Chaldæi nempe in cerebro, pictifque tabellis.

Hoc Problema tamen, quod Opinio parturit ægra, Progeniem Veri fas fit concedere; Stellas

Has cœli nitidas, quæ fic terrentque juvantque
Mirantes oculos, trepidos lætofque tuendo,

Effe orbes modulo numeroque & fine carentes.
An verò hi pandunt radios, fphærafque revolvunt,
Nempè tibi ut placeant, tibi lucis munera præftent,

May each to other (as their diff'rent Sphere
Makes or their Distance, or their Height appear)
Be feen a nobler, or inferior Star;

And in that Space, which We call Air and Sky,
Myriads of Earths, and Moons, and Suns may lye
Unmeafur'd, and unknown by human Eye.

In vain We measure this amazing Sphere,

And find and fix it's Centre here or there;
Whilft it's Circumf'rence, fcorning to be brought
Ev'n into fancy'd Space, illudes our vanquish'd Thought.

Where then are all the radiant Monsters driv'n, With which your Gueffes fill'd the frighten'd Heav'n? Where will their fictious Images remain?

In Paper Schemes, and the CHALDEAN's Brain.

This Problem yet, this Offspring of a Guess,
Let Us for once a Child of Truth confefs;
That these fair Stars, thefe Objects of Delight,
And Terror, to our fearching dazl'd Sight,
Are Worlds immense, unnumber'd, infinite:
But do these Worlds difplay their Beams, or guide
Their Orbs, to serve thy Ufe, to please thy Pride?

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Nil nifi pulvis, Homo; conclufus corporis arcto
Limite, curriculoque ævi breviore coactus?
Jure pari minima in terris Formicula jactet
In fua Caucaseum veftigia furgere Clivum :
Sic Limax, magnos Lebani fe extendere faltus,
Quêis ipfe incedat latè, & fibi colligat escam:
Sic tenuiffima Concha, inhians in littoris ora
Latè exporrecti circum vafta æquora, dicat,
Eminùs incultum pendere per aera faxum,
Ipfa equidem fundo ut lateat fecurior imo;
Oceanique omnes pariter concurrere vires,
Ut levet ipfa fitim, teftamque agitata nitescat.

Intrepidis Dea fe rapiens fublimius alis
Corporeos orbes, Coelumque locale relinquit:
Quêis formata animis Superûm gens priftina, quærit,
Aut ubi fint campi quos incoluere creati.

Impavido MICHAELI audacia LUCIFER arma
(Sic fancti memorant antiquo carmine Vates)
Oppofuit, Cherubefque aufi concurrere, telis
Tela adverfa tulere & fcuta minantia scutis :
Plaufit ovans Cœlum, tremuitque doloribus Orcus.
Hæ quænam formæ, quas veftra volumina narrant?
Ut ftabat bene fida, ut perfida turma peribat!

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Thy felf but Duft, thy Stature but a Span,
A Moment thy Duration; foolish Man!

As well may the minuteft Emmet fay,
That CAUCASUS was rais'd, to pave his Way:
The Snail, that LEBANON'S extended Wood
Was deftin'd only for his Walk, and Food;
The vileft Cockle, gaping on the Coast

That rounds the ample Seas, as well may boast,
The craggy Rocks projects above the Sky,
That He in Safety at it's Foot may lye;

And the whole Ocean's confluent Waters fwell,
Only to quench his Thirft, or move and blanch his Shell.

A higher Flight the vent'rous GODDESS tries,
Leaving material Worlds, and local Skies:
Enquires, what are the Beings, where the Space,
That form'd and held the ANGELS ancient Race.
For Rebel LUCIFER with MICHAEL fought
(I offer only what Tradition taught) ·
Embattl'd Cherub against Cherub rofe;

Did Shield to Shield, and Pow'r to Pow'r oppose:
Heav'n rung with Triumph: Hell was fill'd with Woes.
What were these Forms, of which your Volumes tell,
How fome fought great, and others recreant fell?

Thefe

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