Tow'ards either throne they bow, and to the ground With folemn adoration down they caft
Their crowns, inwove with amarant and gold ;- Immortal amarant, a flower which once-
In Paradise, fast by the tree of life,
Began to bloom; but foon for man's offence
To heav'n remov'd, where firft it grew, there grows,
And flowers aloft shading the fount of life,
And where the riv'r of blifs through midit of heav'n Rolls o'er Elyfian flow'rs her amber stream:
With thefe, that never fade, the spirits elect
Bind their refplendent locks, inwreath'd with beams, Now in loofe garlands thick thrown off, the bright Pavement, that like a fea of jafper fhone, Impurpled with celeftial rofes fmil'd.
Then crown'd again, their golden harps they took; Harps ever tun'd, that glittering by their fide 366 · Like quivers hung, and with preamble sweet- Of charming fymphony they introduce Their facred fong, and waken raptures high; No voice exempt, no voice but well could join Melodious part, fuch concord is in heaven. Thee, Father, first they fung omnipotent, Immutable, immortal, infinite,
Eternal King; thee Author of all being,
Fountain of light, thyfelf invisible
Amidst the glorious brightnefs where thou fitt'st
Thron'd inacceffible; but when thou fhad'ft
The full blaze of thy beams, and through a cloud. Drawn round about thee like a radiant fhrine, Dark with excefive bright thy fkirts appear;
Yet dazzle heaven, that brightest feraphim Approach not, but with both wings veil their eyes. Thee next they fang of all creation first, Begotten Son, divine fimilitude,
In whofe confpicuous count'nance, without cloud 385 G3.
Made vifible, th' almighty Father fhines, Whom elfe no creature can behold; on thee Imprefs'd th' effulgence of his glory' abides, Transfus'd on thee his ample Spirit rests.
He heav'n of heav'ns, and all the powers therein, 390 By thee created; and by thee threw down Th' afpiring dominations: thou that day Thy Father's dreadful thunder didft not fpare, Nor ftop thy flaming chariot-wheels, that fhook Heav'n's everlasting frame, while o'er the necks 395 Thou drov't of warring angels difarray'd. Back from purfuit thy pow'rs with loud acclaim Thee only' extoll'd, Son of thy Father's might, To execute fierce vengeance on his foes.
Not fo on man: him through their malice fall'n, 400 Father of mercy' and grace, thou didst not doom So ftrictly, but much more to pity' incline: No fooner did thy dear and only Son Perceive thee purpos'd not to doom frail man So ftrictly, but much more to pity' inclin'd, He to appease thy wrath, and end the ftrife Of mercy' and juftice in thy face difcern'd, Regardless of the blifs wherein he fat Second to thee, offer'd himself to die For man's offence. O unexampled love! Love no where to be found lefs than divine! Hail Son of God, Saviour of men! thy name Shall be the copious matter of my fong Henceforth, and never fhall my harp thy praise Forget, nor from thy Father's praife disjoin.
Thus they in heav'n, above the starry sphere, Their happy hours in joy and hymning fpent. Mean while upon the firm opacous globe
Of this round world, whose first convex divides The luminous inferior orbs inclos'd From Chaos, and th' inroad of darkness old.
Satan alighted walks: a globe far off
It feem'd, now seems a boundless continent Dark, waste, and wild, under the frown of night Starlefs expos'd, and ever-threat'ning ftorms Of Chaos bluft'ring round, inclement sky; Save on that fide which from the wall of heav'n, Though diftant far, fome fmall reflection gains Of glimm'ring air, lefs vex'd with tempeft loud. Here walk'd the fiend at large in fpacious field: 430 As when a vulture on Imaus bred,
Whofe fnowy ridge the roving Tartar bounds, Diflodging from a region fcarce of prey,
To gorge the flesh of lambs or yeanling kids,
On hills where flocks are fed, flies toward the fprings Of Ganges or Hydafpes, Indian ftreams;
But in his way lights on the barren plains Of Sericana, where Chinefes drive
With fails and wind their cany wagons light. So on this windy fea of land, the fiend Walk'd up and down alone, bent on his prey; Alone, for other creature in this place, Living or lifeless, to be found was none; None yet, but flore hereafter from the earth Up hither like aëriab vapours flew
Of all things tranfitory' and vain, when fin With vanity had fill'd the works of men ; Both all things vain, and all who in vain things Built their fond hopes of glory' or lasting fame, Or happiness in this or th' other life;
All who have their reward on earth, the fruits Of painful fuperftition and blind zeal,
Nought feeking but the praise of men, here find Fit retribution, empty as their deeds;
All th' unaccomplish'd works of Nature's hand, 455 Abortive, monftrous, or unkindly mix'd,
Diffolv'd on earth, fleet hither, and in vain,
Till final diffolution, wander here;
Not in the neighb'ring moon, as fome have dream'd;. Thofe argent fields more likely habitants, Tranflated faints, or middle fpirits hold Betwixt th' angelical and human kind: Hither of ill-join'd fons and daughters born Firft from the ancient world thofe giants came With many a. vain exploit, tho' then renown'd: 465 The builders next of Babel on the plain
Of Sennaar, and still with vain design
New Babels, had they wherewithal, would build : Others came fingle; he who to be deem'd A god, leap'd fondly into Etna flames, Empedocles; and he who to enjoy Plato's Elyfium, leap'd into the fea, Cleombrotus; and many more too long,.
Embryos, and idiots, eremites, and friers
White, black, and gray, with all their trumpery. 475 Here pilgrims roam, that stray'd so far to seek In Golgotha him dead, who lives in, heav'n; And they who, to be fure of Paradise,
Dying put on the weeds of Dominic,
Or in Franciscan think to pafs difguis'd;
They pafs the planets feven, and pafs the fix'd, And that cryftalline sphere whofe balance weighs The trepidation talk'd, and that first mov'd; And now Saint Peter at heav'n's wicket feems To wait them with his keys, and now at foot Of heav'n's afcent they lift their feet, when lo
A violent crofs wind from either coaft
Blows them tranverfe, ten thousand leagues awry Into the devious air; then might ye fee
- Cowls, hoods, and habits, with their wearers, toft 490: And flutter'd into rags; then reliques, beads, Indulgences, difpenfes, pardons, bulls,
The fport of winds: all thefe upwhirl'd aloft
Fly o'er the backside of the world far off Into a limbo large and broad, fince call'd The Paradife of Fools, to few unknown Long after, now unpeopled and untrod. All this dark globe the fiend found as he pafs'd; And long he wander'd, till at last a gleam Of dawning light turn'd thitherward in hafte His travell'd fteps: far diftant he defcries, Afcending by degrees magnificent
Up to the wall of heav'n, a ftructure high; At top whereof, but far more rich, appear'd The work as of a kingly palace-gate, With frontispiece of diamond and gold Embellifh'd;' thick with fparkling orient gems The portal fhone, inimitable on earth By model, or by fhading pencil drawn. The stairs were fuch as whereon Jacob faw Angels afcending and defcending, bands Of guardians bright, when he from Efau fled To Padan-Aram, in the field of Luz .. Dreaming by night under the open sky,"
And waking cry'd, This is the gate of heav'n. 515). Each stair mysteriously was meant, nor flood- There always, but drawn up to heav'n fometimes Viewless; and underneath a bright fea flow'd Of jafper, or of liquid pearl, whereon Who after came from earth failing arriv'd, Wafted by angels, or flew o'er the lake Rapt in a chariot drawn by fiery fteeds. The stairs were then let down, whether to dare The fiend by eafy' afcent, or aggravate His fad exclufion from the doors of blifs: Direct against which open'd from beneath, Juft o'er the blissful feat of Paradife, A paffage down to th' earth, a paffage wide, Wider by far than that of after-times
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