Their facred song, and waken raptures high;
No voice exempt, no voice but well could join 370 Melodious part, fuch concord is in Heav'n.
Thee, Father, first they fung Omnipotent,
Immutable, Immortal, Infinite,
Eternal King; thee Author of all being,
Fountain of light, thyself invisible
Amidst the glorious brightness where thou sitst
Thron'd inacceffible, but when thou shad'st
The full blaze of thy beams, and through a cloud
Drawn round about thee like a radiant fhrine,
Dark with exceffive bright thy skirts appear,
Yet dazle Heav'n, that brightest seraphim
Approach not, but with both wings veil their eyes.
Thee next they fang of all creation first,
Begotten Son, Divine Similitude,
In whofe confpicuous count'nance, without cloud
Made visible, th' almighty Father shines,
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 pow'rs therein 390
By thee created, and by thee threw down
Th' afpiring Dominations: thou that day
Thy Father's dreadful thunder didst not spare,
Nor stop thy flaming chariot wheels, that shook
Heav'n's everlasting frame, while o'er the necks 395
'Thou drov'st of warring angels difarray'd.
Back from purfuit thy powers with loud acclame
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,
Father of mercy' and grace, thou didst not doom
So strictly, 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 Justice in thy face discern'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 Song
Henceforth, and never shall my Harp thy praise
Forget, nor from thy Father's praise disjoin.
Thus they in Heav'n, above the starry sphere,
Their happy hours in joy and hymning spent.
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
Volume I.
Starless expos'd, and ever-threatning storms
Of Chaos bluft'ring round, inclement sky;
Save on that fide which from the wall of Heav'n,
Though distant far, some small reflection gains
Of glimmering air, less vex'd with tempest loud:
Here walk'd the Fiend at large in spacious field. 430
As when a vultur on Imaus bred,
Whofe fnowy ridge the roving Tartar bounds,
Diflodging from a region scarce of prey
To gorge the flesh of lambs or yeanling kids
On hills where flocks are fed, flies tow'ard the springs
Of Ganges or Hydafpes, Indian streams,
But in his way lights on the barren plains
Of Sericana, where Chineses drive
With fails and wind their cany waggons 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 store hereafter from the earth
Up hither like aeréal vapors flew
Of all things transitory' and vain, when Sin
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 seeking 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 some have dream'd;
Thofe argent fields more likely habitants,
Tranflated faints, or middle spirits hold
Betwixt th' angelical and human kind.
Hither of ill-join'd fons and daughters born
First from the ancient world those giants came
With many a vain exploit, though then renown'd:
The builders next of Babel on the plain
Of Sennaar, and still with vain defign
New Babels, had they wherewithal would build :
Others came single; he who to be deem'd
A god leap'd fondly into Ætna 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 fo far to feek
In Golgotha him dead, who lives in Heav'n;
And they who to be fure of Paradife
Dying put on the weeds of Dominic,
Or in Franciscan think to pafs difguis'd;
They pass the planets fev'n, and pass the fix'd,
And that crystallin sphere whose balance weighs
The trepidation talk'd, and that first mov'd;
And now Saint Peter at Heav'n's wicket seems
To wait them with his keys, and now at foot
Of Heav'n's afcent they lift their feet, when lo
A violent cross wind from either coast
Blows them tranfverfe 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 these upwhirl'd aloft
Fly o'er the backfide 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 pass'd,
And long he wander'd, till at last a gleam
Of dawning light turn'd thither-ward in hafte 500
His travell'd steps: far diftant he defcries
Afcending by degrees magnificent
Up to the wall of Heav'n a structure high :
At top whereof, but far more rich appear'd
The work as of a kingly palace gate,
With frontispiece of diamond and gold
Embellish'd. thick with sparkling orient gems
The portal fhone, inimitable on earth
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