By model, or by fhading pencil drawn.
The stairs were such 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 stood
There always, but drawn up to Heav'n fometimes
Viewless; and underneath a bright sea 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 steeds.
The stairs were then let down, whether to dare
The Fiend by eafy' ascent, or aggravate
His fad exclufion from the doors of blifs:
Direct against which open'd from beneath,
Juft o'er the blissful seat of Paradise,
A paffage down to th' Earth, a passage wide,
Wider by far than that of after times
Over Mount Sion, and, though that were large, 530
Over the Promis'd Land to God so dear,
By which, to vifit oft those happy tribes,
On high behests his angels to and fro
Pafs'd frequent, and his eye with choice regard
From Panæas the fount of Jordan's flood
To Beërfaba, where the Holy Land
Borders on Egypt and th' Arabian shore;
So wide the opening seem'd, where bounds were fet
To darkness, fuch as bound the ocean wave.
Satan from hence, now on the lower stair
That fcal'd by steps of gold to Heaven gate,
Looks down with wonder at the fudden view
Of all this world at once. As when a fcout
Through dark and desert ways with peril gone
All night, at laft by break of cheerful dawn
Obtains the brow of fome high-climbing hill,
Which to his eye difcovers unaware
The goodly profpect of some foreign land
First feen, or fome renown'd metropolis
With glift'ring fpires and pinnacles adorn'd,
Which now the rifing fun gilds with his beams:
Such wonder feis'd, though after Heaven feen,
The spi'rit malign, but much more envy feis'd,
At fight of all this world beheld fo fair.
Round he furveys (and well might, where he stood So high above the circling canopy
Of Night's extended fhade) from eastern point
Of Libra to the fleecy ftar that bears
Andromeda far off Atlantic feas
Beyond th' horizon; then from pole to pole
He views in breadth, and without longer pause
Down right into the world's first region throws
His flight precipitant, and winds with case
Through the pure marble air his oblique way
Amongst innumerable stars, that shone
Stars diftant, but nigh hand seem'd other worlds;
Or other worlds they feem'd, or happy iles,
Like those Hefperian gardens fam'd of old,
Fortunate fields, and groves, and flow'ry vales,
Thrice happy iles, but who dwelt happy there
He stay'd not to inquire: above them all
The golden fun in fplendor likest Heav'n
Allur'd his eye: thither his course he bends
Through the calm firmament, (but up or down,
By center, or eccentric, hard to tell,
Or longitude,) where the great luminary
Aloof the vulgar constellations thick,
That from his lordly eye keep distance due,
Difpenfes light from far; they as they move
Their ftarry dance in numbers that compute,
Days months and years,tow'ards his all-cheering lamp
Turn swift their various motions, or are turn'd
By his magnetic beam, that gently warms
The universe, and to each inward part
With gentle penetration, though unfeen,
Shoots invisible virtue ev'n to the deep;
So wondrously was set his station bright.
There lands the Fiend, a spot like which perhaps
Aftronomer in the fun's lucent orb
Through his glaz'd optic tube yet never faw. 599
The place he found beyond expression bright,
Compar'd with ought on earth, metal or stone;
Not all parts like, but all alike inform'd
With radiant light, as glowing ir'on with fire;
If metal, part seem'd gold, part filver clear;
If stone, carbuncle most or chryfolite,
Ruby or topaz, to the twelve that shone
In Aaron's breast-plate, and a stone befides
Imagin'd rather oft than elsewhere feen,
That stone, or like to that which here below
Philofophers in vain so long have fought,
In vain, though by their powerful art they bind
Volatil Hermes, and call up unbound
In various shapes old Proteus from the sea,
Drain'd through a limbec to his native form.
What wonder then if fields and regions here
Breathe forth elixir pure, and rivers run
Potable gold, when with one virtuous touch
Th' arch-chemic Sun, fo far from us remote,
Produces, with terreftrial humour mix'd,
Here in the dark fo many precious things
Of color glorious, and effect fo rare?
Here matter new to gaze the devil met
Undazled; far and wide his eye commands;
For fight no obstacle found here, nor fhade,
But all fun-fhine, as when his beams at noon
Culminate from th' equator, as they now
Shot upward ftill direct, whence no way round
Shadow from body' opaque can fall; and th' air
No where fo clear, sharpen'd his visual ray
To objects diftant far, whereby he foon
Saw within ken a glorious angel stand,
The fame whom John faw alfo in the fun :
His back was turn'd; but not his brightness hid;
Of beaming funny rays a golden tiar
Circled his head, nor less his locks behind
Illuftrious on his fhoulders fledge with wings
Lay waving round; on some great charge employ'd He feem'd, or fix'd in cogitation deep.
Glad was the fpi'rit impure, as now in hope
To find who might direct his wand'ring flight
To Paradife the happy feat of Man,
His journey's end and our beginning woe.
But first he cafts to change his proper shape,
Which elfe might work him danger or delay:
And now a stripling cherub he appears,
Not of the prime, yet fuch as in his face
Youth fmil'd celestial, and to every limb
Suitable grace diffus'd, fo well he feign'd:
Under a coronet his flowing hair
In curls on either cheek play'd; wings he wore
Of many a color'd plume sprinkled with gold,
His habit fit for speed fuccinct, and held
Before his decent steps a filver wand.
He drew not nigh unheard; the angel bright,
Ere he drew nigh, his radiant visage turn'd,
Admonish'd by his ear, and strait was known
Th' arch-angel Uriel, one of the feven
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