Thee next they sang of all creation first, Begotten Son, Divine Similitude,
In whose conspicuous count'nance, without cloud Made visible, the Almighty Father shines, Whom else no creature can behold: on thee Impress'd th' effulgence of his glory abides; Transfus'd on thee his ample Spirit rests.
He heaven of heavens and all the powers therein 390 By thee created, and by thee threw down. Th' aspiring 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 disarray'd. Back from pursuit thy powers with loud acclaim Thee only extoll'd, Son of thy Father's might, To execute fierce vengeance on his foes: Not so on man; him thro' their malice fall'n, Father of mercy and grace, thou didst not doom So strictly; but much more to pity incline. No sooner did thy dear and only Son Perceive thee purpos'd not to doom frail man So strictly, but much more to pity inclin❜d, He to appease thy wrath, and end the strife Of mercy and justice in thy face discern'd, Regardless of the bliss wherein he sat
394 shook] v. Fairfax's Tasso, ii. 91.
'Againe to shake Heav'n's everlasting frame.' Todd.
406 He] 'Than' or 'but' is understood before 'He,' to complete the sense.
Second to thee, offered himself to die For man's offence. O unexampled love, Love no where to be found less 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 heaven, 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 seem'd, now seems a boundless continent, Dark, waste, and wild, under the frown of night Starless expos'd, and ever-threat'ning storms Of Chaos blust'ring round, inclement sky; Save on that side which from the wall of heaven 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 vulture on Imaus bred,
Whose snowy ridge the roving Tartar bounds, Dislodging from a region scarce of prey
To gorge the flesh of lambs or yeanling kids
On hills where flocks are fed, flies toward the springs Of Ganges or Hydaspes, Indian streams;
412 Hail] Virg. Æn. viii. 301.
'Salve, vera Jovis proles, decus addite divis.' Newton.
But in his way lights on the barren plains Of Sericana, where Chineses drive
With sails and wind their cany waggons light: So on this windy sea 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 aërial vapours 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 superstition and blind zeal, Naught seeking but the praise of men, here find Fit retribution, empty as their deeds:
All th' unaccomplish'd works of nature's hand, Abortive, monstrous, or unkindly mix'd, Dissolv'd on earth, fleet hither, and in vain, Till final dissolution, wander here,
Not in the neighb'ring moon, as some have dream'd; Those argent fields more likely habitants, Translated saints, or middle spirits hold Betwixt th' angelical and human kind: Hither of ill-join'd sons and daughters born
433 Chineses] See Hudibras, iii. 1. 707.
'For though Chineses go to bed.'
459 moon] He means Ariosto Or. Fur. c. xxxiv. st. 70. Newton.
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 design
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 Elysium leap'd into the sea, Cleombrotus; and many more too long, Embryoes and idiots, eremits and friars,
White, black, and grey, with all their trumpery. 475 Here pilgrims roam, that stray'd so far to seek In Golgotha him dead, who lives in heaven; And they who to be sure of paradise Dying put on the weeds of Dominic, Or in Franciscan think to pass disguis'd; They pass the planets seven, and pass the fix'd, And that crystalline sphere whose balance weighs
473 too long] Bentley thinks that a line is here omitted; and Dr. Pearce agrees with him: but it does not appear to me necessary. I would read the verse
'Cleombrotus, and many more (too long :)
still I think the passage would read better thus transposed: 'Cleombrotus, and many more, too long.
Here Pilgrims roam that stray'd so far to seek
White, black, and grey, with all their trumpery.'
475 White] Carmelites, Dominicans, and Franciscans. So Ariosto Orl. Fur. xiv. 68. Frati, bianchi, neri, e bigi.' Ad. xliii. st. 175 Todd.
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 heaven's ascent they lift their feet, when, lo ! A violent cross wind from either coast Blows them transverse ten thousand leagues awry Into the devious air: then might ye see
Cowls, hoods, and habits with their wearers tost 490 And flutter'd into rags; then reliques, beads, Indulgences, dispenses, pardons, bulls, The sport of winds: all these upwhirl'd aloft Fly o'er the backside of the world far off, Into a limbo large and broad, since call'd The Paradise 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 thitherward in haste His travel'd steps; far distant he descries, Ascending by degrees magnificent Up to the wall of heaven, 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 Imbellish'd; thick with sparkling orient gems The portal shone, inimitable on earth By model or by shading pencil drawn.
493 sport] Virg. Æn. vi. 75.
507 orient] Petrarch Trionfo della morte, ii. 'Di gemme orientali incoronata.' Todd.
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