Left from this flying fteed unrein'd, as once
BELLEROPHON, though from a lower clime,
Difmounted, on th' ALEIAN field I fall,
Erroneous there to wander, and forlorn.
Half yet remains unfung; but, narrower bound,
Within the vifible diurnal sphere :
Standing on earth, not rap'd above the pole,
More fafe I fing with mortal voice; un-chang'd
To hoarfe, or mute, though fall'n on evil days,
On evil days though fall'n, and evil tongues;
In darkness, and with dangers compafs'd round,
And folitude! Yet, not alone, while thou
Vifit'ft my flumbers nightly; or, when morn
Purples the caft.
thou
govern my fong,
URANIA! and fit audience find, though few.
But, drive far off the barbarous diffonance
Of BACCHUS, and his revellers; the race
Of that wild rout that tore the THRACIAN bard
In RHODOPE, where woods, and rocks, had ears
To rapture, 'till the favage clamour drown'd
Both harp, and voice; nor could the mufe defend
Her fon. So fail not thou, who thee implores :
For, thou art heav'nly; fhe, an empty dream.
SAY, Goddefs, what enfu'd when RAPHAEL, 40 The affable Arch-Angel, had fore-warn'd ADAM, by dire example, to beware
Apoftafy, by what befel in heav'n
To thofe apoftates; left the like befall
In Paradife to ADAM, or his race,
Charg'd not to touch the interdicted tree,
If they tranfgrefs, and flight that fole command;
So eafily obey'd, amid the choice
Of all taftes elfe to please their appetite,
Though wand'ring.-He, with his conforted EVE,
The story heard attentive, and was fill'd
With admiration, and deep mufe, to hear
Of things fo high, and strange; things, to their thought,
So un-imaginable, as hate in heav'n,
And war fo near the peace of GOD in blifs,
With fuch confufion: but, the evil, foon
Driv'n back, redounded, as a flood, on those
From whom it fprung; impoffible to mix
With blessedness. Whence ADA M foon repeal'd
The doubts that in his heart arofe: and now
Led on, yet finless, with defire to know
What nearer might concern him, how this world
Of heav'n, and earth confpicuous, first began;
When, and whereof created: for what cause;
What within EDEN, or without, was done
Before his memory; as one whofe drouth,
Yet fcarce allay'd, ftill eyes the current stream,
Whofe liquid murmur heard, new thirst excites,
Proceeded thus to afk his heav'nly gueft.
GREAT things, and full of wonder in our ears, 70 Far diff'ring from this world, thou haft reveal'd, Divine interpreter! by favour fent
Down from the empyrean, to fore-warn
Us timely of what might elfe have been our lofs
Unknown; which human knowledge could not reach:
For which to th' infinitely Good we owe
Immortal thanks, and his admonishment
Receive, with folemn purpose to obferve
Immutably his fovereign will, the end
Of what we are. But, fince thou haft vouchfaf'd 80
Gently, for our inftruction, 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 lefs, perhaps, avail us known,
How first began this heav'n, which we behold
Distant fo high, with moving fires adorn'd
Innumerable; and this which yields, or fills,
All space, the ambient air wide interfus'd,
Embracing round this florid earth: what caufe
Mov'd the Creator, in his holy rest
Through all eternity, fo late to build
In CHAOS; and the work begun, how foon
Abfolv'd if un-forbid thou may't unfold
What we, not to explore the fecret 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 fteep, fufpenfe in heav'n
Held by thy voice; thy potent voice he hears,
And longer will delay, to hear thee tell
His generation, and the rifing birth
Of nature from the un-apparent deep :
Or, if the ftar of ev'ning, and the moon
Hafte to thy audience, night with her will bring 105
Silence; and fleep, lift'ning to thee, will watch;
Or, we can bid his abfence, 'till thy song
End, and dismiss thee ere the morning fhine.
THUS ADAM his illuftrious gueft befought; And thus the God-like angel anfwer'd mild.
THIS alfo thy requeft, with caution afk'd,
Obtain though to recount almighty works,
What words, or tongue of feraph, can fuffice!
Or, heart of man fuffice to comprehend!
Yet, what thou can't attain, which best
To glorify the Maker, and infer
Thee alfo happier, fhall not be with-held
Thy hearing fuch commiffion from above
I have receiv'd, to answer thy defire
Of knowledge within bounds: beyond, abstain
To afk; nor let thine own inventions hope
Things not reveal'd, which th' invifible king,
Only omniscient, hath fupprefs'd in night;
To none communicable in earth, or heav'n :
Enough is left befides to fearch, and know.
But, knowledge is as food, and needs no lefs
Her temperance over appetite, to know
In measure what the mind may well contain:
Oppreffes elfe with furfeit, and foon turns
Wisdom to folly, as nourishment to wind.
KNOW then, that after LUCIFER from heav'n
So call him, brighter once amidst the hoft
Of angels, than that ftar the stars among,
Fell with his flaming legions through the deep
Into his place, and the great SON return'd
Victorious with his faints, th' omnipotent
Eternal FATHER from his throne beheld
Their multitude, and to his Son thus fpake.
AT least our envious foe hath fail'd, who thought All like himself rebellious, by whofe aid
This in-acceffible high ftrength, the feat
Of Deity fupreme, US dif-poffeft,
He trusted to have feiz'd, and into fraud
Drew many, whom their place knows here no more :
Yet, far the greater part have kept, I fee,
Their ftation: heav'n, yet populous, retains
Number fufficient to poffefs her realms,
Though wide; and this high temple to frequent
With minifteries due, and folemn rites.
But, left his heart exalt him, in the harm
Already done, to have difpeopled heav'n,
My damage fondly deem'd! I can repair
That detriment, if fuch it be, to lofe
Self-loft; and in a moment will create
Another world; out of one man, a race
Of men innumerable, there to dwell,
Not here; 'till by degrees of merit rais'd,
They open to themselves at length the way
Up hither; under long obedience try'd:
And earth be chang'd to heav'n, and heav'n to earth,
One kingdom, joy, and union without end.
Mean-while inhabit lax, ye Pow'rs of heav'n!
And thou my WORD, begotten SoN! by thee
This I perform: fpeak thou, and be it done.
My over-fhadowing SPIRIT, and might, with thee
I fend along ride forth, and bid the deep,
Within appointed bounds, be heav'n and earth :
Boundless the deep, because I AM who fill
Infinitude: nor vacuous the space;
Though I, uncircumfcrib'd my felf, retire,
And put not forth my goodness; which is free
To act, or not: Neceffity, and Chance,
Approach not me; and what I will is fate.
So fpake 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 fuch was heard declar'd th' Almighty's will:
Glory they fung to the moft High! good will
To future men, and in their dwellings peace!
Glory to him! whofe juft avenging ire
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