Her son. Standing on earth, not rapt above the pole, More safe I sing with mortal voice, unchang’d 25 To hoarse or mute, though fall’n on evil days; On evil days though fall’n, and evil tongues ; Visit'st my slumbers nightly; or when morn 30 Purples the east. Still govern thou my song, Urania! and fit audience find, though few : Of that vile rout that tore the Thracian bard 35 In Rhodope, where woods and rocks had ears To rapture, till the savage clamour drown'd So fail not thou who thee implores; The affable archangel, had forewarn'd To those apostates : lest the like befal 45 In Paradise to Adam, or his race, Charg'd not to touch the interdicted tree, Of all tastes else to please their appetite, 50 Though wand'ring. He, with his consorted Eve, So unimaginable, as hate in heaven, With such confusion: but the evil, soon 60 The doubts that in his heart arose : and now, Led on, yet sinless, with desire to know When, and whereof created for what cause65 What within Eden, or without, was done Before his memory, as one whose drought Proceeded thus to ask his heavenly guest: “Far diff'ring from this world, thou hast reveal'd, “Us timely of what might else have been our loss 75 “Unknown, which human knowledge could not reach; “For which to the infinitely Good we owe “ Immutably his sov'reign will—the end 80 “ Of what we are. But since thou hast vouchsaf'd “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 “How first began this heaven which we behold “ All space, the ambient air, wide interfus'd, Through all eternity, so late to build “ Absolv'd ; if unforbid thou may'st unfold 95 “ What we, not to explore the secrets, ask, “Of his eternal empire, but the more To magnify his works, the more we know. “ And the great light of day yet wants to run “Much of his race, though steep, suspense in heaven 100 “ Held by thy voice: thy potent voice he hears, “And longer will delay to hear thee tell “Or if the star of evening, and the moon, 105 “ Haste to thy audience, night with her will bring “Silence; and sleep, list’ning to thee, will watch ; Thus Adam his illustrious guest besought; 110 And thus the godlike angel answer'd mild: “ This also thy request, with caution ask'd, “Or heart of man suffice to comprehend ? 115 “ Yet what thou canst attain, which best may serve “ To glorify the Maker, and infer “I have receiv'd, to answer thy desire “ To ask; nor let thine own inventions hope Only Omniscient, hath suppress'd in night, “ To none communicable in earth or heaven: 125 “Enough is left besides to search and know : “But knowledge is as food, and needs no less “Oppresses else with surfeit, and soon turns 130 “ Wisdom to folly, as nourishment to wind. “Know then, that, after Lucifer from heaven “ Fell with his flaming legions through the deep 135 “Into his place, and the great Son return'd “ Victorious with his saints, the Omnipotent “At least our envious foe hath fail'd, who thought 140 “. All like himself rebellious, by whose aid “ « This inaccessible high strength, the seat “ Drew many, whom their place knows here no more : 145 Yet far the greater part have kept, I see, « « Their station : heaven, yet populous, retains Though wide, and this high temple to frequent "• With ministeries due, and solemn rites: 150 But, lest his heart exalt him in the harm Already done, to have dispeopled heaven, “ • Self-lost; and in a moment will create 155 66 • Another world-out of one man a race “ earth- “ This I perform; speak thou, and be it done! 165 “My overshadowing Spirit and Might with thee “• I send along: ride forth, and bid the deep Infinitude; nor vacuous the space, “• And put not forth my goodness, which is free 160 " Approach not me; and what I will is fate.' “ So spake the Almighty, and to what he spake 175 “His Word, the filial Godhead, gave effect. “ Immediate are the acts of God, more swift “So told, as earthly notion can receive. “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 185 “Had driven out the ungodly from his sight “ And the habitations of the just—to him Glory and praise, whose wisdom had ordain'd “Good out of evil to create instead “Of spirits malign, a better race to bring 190 “ Into their vacant room, and thence diffuse “ His good to worlds, and ages infinite ! “ So sang the Hierarchies. Meanwhile the Son Against a solemn day, harness'd at hand, Spontaneous, for within them spirit liv’d, “Her ever-during gates, harmonious sound ! “ And Spirit, coming to create new worlds. 210 “ On heavenly ground they stood; and from the shore 195 200 |