Paradise Lost: Book VII (1674)
Paradise Lost: Book VII (1674)
Original Text
John Milton, Paradise Lost, 2nd edn. (London: Samuel Simmons, 1674).
A transcription by Roy Flannagan of the second (1674) edition in John Milton's Complete Poetical Works
Reproduced in Photographic Facsimile.
A Critical Text Edition, ed.
Harris Francis Fletcher, III
(Urbana: University of Illinois
Press, 1948). PR 3551 F52 Robarts Library. As published in
Ian Lancashire, in collaboration with John Bradley,
Willard McCarty, Michael Stairs, and T. R. Wooldridge,
Using TACT and Electronic Texts: Text-Analysis
Computing Tools Vers. 2.1 for MS-DOS and PC DOS
(New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1996).
CD-ROM.
1DEscend from Heav'n Urania, by that name
2If rightly thou art call'd, whose Voice divine
3Following, above th' Olympian Hill I soare,
4Above the flight of Pegasean wing.
5The meaning, not the Name I call: for thou
6Nor of the Muses nine, nor on the top
7Of old Olympus dwell'st, but Heav'nlie borne,
8Before the Hills appeerd, or Fountain flow'd,
9Thou with Eternal wisdom didst converse,
10Wisdom thy Sister, and with her didst play
11In presence of th' Almightie Father, pleas'd
12With thy Celestial Song. Up led by thee
13Into the Heav'n of Heav'ns I have presum'd,
14An Earthlie Guest, and drawn Empyreal Aire,
15Thy tempring; with like safetie guided down
16Return me to my Native Element:
17Least from this flying Steed unrein'd, (as once
18Bellerophon, though from a lower Clime)
19Dismounted, on th' Aleian Field I fall
20Erroneous there to wander and forlorne.
21Half yet remaines unsung, but narrower bound
22Within the visible Diurnal Spheare;
23Standing on Earth, not rapt above the Pole,
24More safe I Sing with mortal voice, unchang'd
25To hoarce or mute, though fall'n on evil dayes,
26On evil dayes though fall'n, and evil tongues;
27In darkness, and with dangers compast round,
28And solitude; yet not alone, while thou
29Visit'st my slumbers Nightly, or when Morn
30Purples the East: still govern thou my Song,
31Urania, and fit audience find, though few.
32But drive farr off the barbarous dissonance
33Of Bacchus and his revellers, the Race
34Of that wilde Rout that tore the Thracian Bard
35In Rhodope, where Woods and Rocks had Eares
36To rapture, till the savage clamor dround
37Both Harp and Voice; nor could the Muse defend
38Her Son. So fail not thou, who thee implores:
39For thou are Heav'nlie, shee an emptie dreame.
40Say Goddess, what ensu'd when Raphael,
41The affable Arch-Angel, had forewarn'd
42Adam by dire example to beware
43Apostasie, by what befell in Heaven
44To those Apostates, least the like befall
45In Paradise to Adam or his Race,
46Charg'd not to touch the interdicted Tree,
47If they transgress, and slight that sole command,
48So easily obeyd amid the choice
49Of all tastes else to please thir appetite,
50Though wandring. He with his consorted Eve
51The storie heard attentive, and was fill'd
52With admiration, and deep Muse to hear
53Of things so high and strange, things to thir thought
54So unimaginable as hate in Heav'n,
55And Warr so neer the Peace of God in bliss
56With such confusion: but the evil soon
57Driv'n back redounded as a flood on those
58From whom it sprung, impossible to mix
59With Blessedness. Whence Adam soon repeal'd
60The doubts that in his heart arose: and now
61Led on, yet sinless, with desire to know
62What neerer might concern him, how this World
63Of Heav'n and Earth conspicious first began,
64When, and whereof created, for what cause,
65What within Eden or without was done
66Before his memorie, as one whose drouth
67Yet scarce allay'd still eyes the current streame,
68Whose liquid murmur heard new thirst excites,
69Proceeded thus to ask his Heav'nly Guest.
70Great things, and full of wonder in our eares,
71Farr differing from this World, thou hast reveal'd
72Divine interpreter, by favour sent
73Down from the Empyrean to forewarne
74Us timely of what might else have bin our loss,
75Unknown, which human knowledg could not reach:
76For which to the infinitly Good we owe
77Immortal thanks, and his admonishment
78Receave with solemne purpose to observe
79Immutably his sovran will, the end
80Of what we are. But since thou hast voutsaf't
81Gently for our instruction to impart
82Things above Earthly thought, which yet concernd
83Our knowing, as to highest wisdom seemd,
84Deign to descend now lower, and relate
85What may no less perhaps availe us known,
86How first began this Heav'n which we behold
87Distant so high, with moving Fires adornd
88Innumerable, and this which yeelds or fills
89All space, the ambient Aire wide interfus'd
90Imbracing round this florid Earth, what cause
91Mov'd the Creator in his holy Rest
92Through all Eternitie so late to build
93In Chaos, and the work begun, how soon
94Absolv'd, if unforbid thou maist unfould
95What wee, not to explore the secrets aske
96Of his Eternal Empire, but the more
97To magnifie his works, the more we know.
98And the great Light of Day yet wants to run
99Much of his Race though steep, suspens in Heav'n
100Held by thy voice, thy potent voice he heares,
101And longer will delay to heare thee tell
102His Generation, and the rising Birth
103Of Nature from the unapparent Deep:
104Or if the Starr of Eevning and the Moon
105Haste to thy audience, Night with her will bring
106Silence, and Sleep listning to thee will watch,
107Or we can bid his absence, till thy Song
108End, and dismiss thee ere the Morning shine.
109Thus Adam his illustrious Guest besought:
110And thus the Godlike Angel answerd milde.
111This also thy request with caution askt
112Obtaine: though to recount Almightie works
113What words or tongue of Seraph can suffice,
114Or heart of man suffice to comprehend?
115Yet what thou canst attain, which best may serve
116To glorifie the Maker, and inferr
117Thee also happier, shall not be withheld
118Thy hearing, such Commission from above
119I have receav'd, to answer thy desire
120Of knowledge within bounds; beyond abstain
121To ask, nor let thine own inventions hope
122Things not reveal'd, which th' invisible King,
123Onely Omniscient, hath supprest in Night,
124To none communicable in Earth or Heaven:
125Anough is left besides to search and know.
126But Knowledge is as food, and needs no less
127Her Temperance over Appetite, to know
128In measure what the mind may well contain,
129Oppresses else with Surfet, and soon turns
130Wisdom to Folly, as Nourishment to Winde.
131Know then, that after Lucifer from Heav'n
132(So call him, brighter once amidst the Host
133Of Angels, then that Starr the Starrs among)
134Fell with his flaming Legions through the Deep
135Into his place, and the great Son returnd
136Victorious with his Saints, th' Omnipotent
137Eternal Father from his Throne beheld
138Thir multitude, and to his Son thus spake.
139At least our envious Foe hath fail'd, who thought
140All like himself rebellious, by whose aid
141This inaccessible high strength, the seat
142Of Deitie supream, us dispossest,
143He trusted to have seis'd, and into fraud
144Drew many, whom thir place knows here no more;
145Yet farr the greater part have kept, I see,
146Thir station, Heav'n yet populous retaines
147Number sufficient to possess her Realmes
148Though wide, and this high Temple to frequent
149With Ministeries due and solemn Rites:
150But least his heart exalt him in the harme
151Already done, to have dispeopl'd Heav'n
152My damage fondly deem'd, I can repaire
153That detriment, if such it be to lose
154Self-lost, and in a moment will create
155Another World, out of one man a Race
156Of men innumerable, there to dwell,
157Not here, till by degrees of merit rais'd
158They open to themselves at length the way
159Up hither, under long obedience tri'd,
160And Earth be chang'd to Heav'n, & Heav'n to Earth,
161One Kingdom, Joy and Union without end.
162Mean while inhabit laxe, ye Powers of Heav'n,
163And thou my Word, begotten Son, by thee
164This I perform, speak thou, and be it don:
165My overshadowing Spirit and might with thee
166I send along, ride forth, and bid the Deep
167Within appointed bounds be Heav'n and Earth,
168Boundless the Deep, because I am who fill
169Infinitude, nor vacuous the space.
170Though I uncircumscrib'd my self retire,
171And put not forth my goodness, which is free
172To act or not, Necessitie and Chance
173Approach not mee, and what I will is Fate.
174So spake th' Almightie, and to what he spake
175His Word, the filial Godhead, gave effect.
176Immediate are the Acts of God, more swift
177Then time or motion, but to human ears
178Cannot without process of speech be told,
179So told as earthly notion can receave.
180Great triumph and rejoycing was in Heav'n
181When such was heard declar'd the Almightie's will;
182Glorie they sung to the most High, good will
183To future men, and in thir dwellings peace:
184Glorie to him whose just avenging ire
185Had driven out th' ungodly from his sight
186And th' habitations of the just; to him
187Glorie and praise, whose wisdom had ordain'd
188Good out of evil to create, in stead
189Of Spirits maligne a better Race to bring
190Into thir vacant room, and thence diffuse
191His good to Worlds and Ages infinite.
192So sang the Hierarchies: Mean while the Son
193On his great Expedition now appeer'd,
194Girt with Omnipotence, with Radiance crown'd
195Of Majestie Divine, Sapience and Love
196Immense, and all his Father in him shon.
197About his Chariot numberless were pour'd
198Cherub and Seraph, Potentates and Thrones,
199And Vertues, winged Spirits, and Chariots wing'd,
200From the Armoury of God, where stand of old
201Myriads between two brazen Mountains lodg'd
202Against a solemn day, harnest at hand,
203Celestial Equipage; and now came forth
204Spontaneous, for within them Spirit livd,
205Attendant on thir Lord: Heav'n op'nd wide
206Her ever during Gates, Harmonious sound
207On golden Hinges moving, to let forth
208The King of Glorie in his powerful Word
209And Spirit coming to create new Worlds.
210On heav'nly ground they stood, and from the shore
211They view'd the vast immeasurable Abyss
212Outrageous as a Sea, dark, wasteful, wilde,
213Up from the bottom turn'd by furious windes
214And surging waves, as Mountains to assault
215Heav'ns highth, and with the Center mix the Pole.
216Silence, ye troubl'd waves, and thou Deep, peace,
217Said then th' Omnific Word, your discord end:
218Nor staid, but on the Wings of Cherubim
219Uplifted, in Paternal Glorie rode
220Farr into Chaos, and the World unborn;
221For Chaos heard his voice: him all his Traine
222Follow'd in bright procession to behold
223Creation, and the wonders of his might.
224Then staid the fervid Wheeles, and in his hand
225He took the golden Compasses, prepar'd
226In Gods Eternal store, to circumscribe
227This Universe, and all created things:
228One foot he center'd, and the other turn'd
229Round through the vast profunditie obscure,
230And said, thus farr extend, thus farr thy bounds,
231This be thy just Circumference, O World.
232Thus God the Heav'n created, thus the Earth,
233Matter unform'd and void: Darkness profound
234Cover'd th' Abyss: but on the watrie calme
235His brooding wings the Spirit of God outspred,
236And vital vertue infus'd, and vital warmth
237Throughout the fluid Mass, but downward purg'd
238The black tartareous cold Infernal dregs
239Adverse to life: then founded, then conglob'd
240Like things to like, the rest to several place
241Disparted, and between spun out the Air,
242And Earth self ballanc't on her Center hung.
243Let ther be Light, said God, and forthwith Light
244Ethereal, first of things, quintessence pure
245Sprung from the Deep, and from her Native East
246To journie through the airie gloom began,
247Sphear'd in a radiant Cloud, for yet the Sun
248Was not; shee in a cloudie Tabernacle
249Sojourn'd the while. God saw the Light was good;
250And light from darkness by the Hemisphere
251Divided: Light the Day, and Darkness Night
252He nam'd. Thus was the first Day Eev'n and Morn:
253Nor past uncelebrated, nor unsung
254By the Celestial Quires, when Orient Light
255Exhaling first from Darkness they beheld;
256Birth-day of Heav'n and Earth; with joy and shout
257The hollow Universal Orb they fill'd,
258And touch't thir Golden Harps, and hymning prais'd
259God and his works, Creatour him they sung,
260Both when first Eevning was, and when first Morn.
261Again, God said, let ther be Firmament
262Amid the Waters, and let it divide
263The Waters from the Waters: and God made
264The Firmament, expanse of liquid, pure,
265Transparent, Elemental Air, diffus'd
266In circuit to the uttermost convex
267Of this great Round: partition firm and sure,
268The Waters underneath from those above
269Dividing: for as Earth, so he the World
270Built on circumfluous Waters calme, in wide
271Crystallin Ocean, and the loud misrule
272Of Chaos farr remov'd, least fierce extreames
273Contiguous might distemper the whole frame:
274And Heav'n he nam'd the Firmament: So Eev'n
275And Morning Chorus sung the second Day.
276The Earth was form'd, but in the Womb as yet
277Of Waters, Embryon immature involv'd,
278Appeer'd not: over all the face of Earth
279Main Ocean flow'd, not idle, but with warme
280Prolific humour soft'ning all her Globe,
281Fermented the great Mother to conceave,
282Satiate with genial moisture, when God said
283Be gather'd now ye Waters under Heav'n
284Into one place, and let dry Land appeer.
285Immediately the Mountains huge appeer
286Emergent, and thir broad bare backs upheave
287Into the Clouds, thir tops ascend the Skie:
288So high as heav'd the tumid Hills, so low
289Down sunk a hollow bottom broad and deep,
290Capacious bed of Waters: thither they
291Hasted with glad precipitance, uprowld
292As drops on dust conglobing from the drie;
293Part rise in crystal Wall, or ridge direct,
294For haste; such flight the great command impress'd
295On the swift flouds: as Armies at the call
296Of Trumpet (for of Armies thou hast heard)
297Troop to thir Standard, so the watrie throng,
298Wave rowling after Wave, where way they found,
299If steep, with torrent rapture, if through Plaine,
300Soft-ebbing; nor withstood them Rock or Hill,
301But they, or under ground, or circuit wide
302With Serpent errour wandring, found thir way,
303And on the washie Oose deep Channels wore;
304Easie, e're God had bid the ground be drie,
305All but within those banks, where Rivers now
306Stream, and perpetual draw thir humid traine.
307The dry Land, Earth, and the great receptacle
308Of congregated Waters he call'd Seas:
309And saw that it was good, and said, Let th' Earth
310Put forth the verdant Grass, Herb yielding Seed,
311And Fruit Tree yielding Fruit after her kind;
312Whose Seed is in her self upon the Earth.
313He scarce had said, when the bare Earth, till then
314Desert and bare, unsightly, unadorn'd,
315Brought forth the tender Grass, whose verdure clad
316Her Universal Face with pleasant green,
317Then Herbs of every leaf, that sudden flour'd
318Op'ning thir various colours, and made gay
319Her bosom smelling sweet: and these scarce blown,
320Forth flourish't thick the clustring Vine, forth crept
321The smelling Gourd, up stood the cornie Reed
322Embattell'd in her field: and the humble Shrub,
323And Bush with frizl'd hair implicit: last
324Rose as in Dance the stately Trees, and spred
325Thir branches hung with copious Fruit; or gemm'd
326Thir blossoms: with high woods the hills were crownd,
327With tufts the vallies and each fountain side,
328With borders long the Rivers. That Earth now
329Seemd like to Heav'n, a seat where Gods might dwell,
330Or wander with delight, and love to haunt
331Her sacred shades: though God had yet not rain'd
332Upon the Earth, and man to till the ground
333None was, but from the Earth a dewie Mist
334Went up and waterd all the ground, and each
335Plant of the field, which e're it was in the Earth
336God made, and every Herb, before it grew
337On the green stemm; God saw that it was good.
338So Eev'n and Morn recorded the Third Day.
339Again th' Almightie spake: Let there be Lights
340High in th' expanse of Heaven to divide
341The Day from Night; and let them be for Signes,
342For Seasons, and for Dayes, and circling Years,
343And let them be for Lights as I ordaine
344Thir Office in the Firmament of Heav'n
345To give Light on the Earth; and it was so.
346And God made two great Lights, great for thir use
347To Man, the greater to have rule by Day,
348The less by Night alterne: and made the Starrs,
349And set them in the Firmament of Heav'n
350To illuminate the Earth, and rule the Day
351In thir vicissitude, and rule the Night,
352And Light from Darkness to divide. God saw,
353Surveying his great Work, that it was good:
354For of Celestial Bodies first the Sun
355A mightie Spheare he fram'd, unlightsom first,
356Though of Ethereal Mould: then form'd the Moon
357Globose, and every magnitude of Starrs,
358And sowd with Starrs the Heav'n thick as a field:
359Of Light by farr the greater part he took,
360Transplanted from her cloudie Shrine, and plac'd
361In the Suns Orb, made porous to receive
362And drink the liquid Light, firm to retaine
363Her gather'd beams, great Palace now of Light.
364Hither as to thir Fountain other Starrs
365Repairing, in thir gold'n Urns draw Light,
366And hence the Morning Planet guilds her horns;
367By tincture or reflection they augment
368Thir small peculiar, though from human sight
369So farr remote, with diminution seen.
370First in his East the glorious Lamp was seen,
371Regent of Day, and all th' Horizon round
372Invested with bright Rayes, jocond to run
373His Longitude through Heav'ns high rode: the gray
374Dawn, and the Pleiades before him danc'd
375Shedding sweet influence: less bright the Moon,
376But opposite in leveld West was set
377His mirror, with full face borrowing her Light
378From him, for other light she needed none
379In that aspect, and still that distance keepes
380Till night, then in the East her turn she shines,
381Revolvd on Heav'ns great Axle, and her Reign
382With thousand lesser Lights dividual holds,
383With thousand thousand Starres, that then appeer'd
384Spangling the Hemisphere: then first adornd
385With thir bright Luminaries that Set and Rose,
386Glad Eevning and glad Morn crownd the fourth day.
387And God said, let the Waters generate
388Reptil with Spawn abundant, living Soule:
389And let Fowle flie above the Earth, with wings
390Displayd on the op'n Firmament of Heav'n.
391And God created the great Whales, and each
392Soul living, each that crept, which plenteously
393The waters generated by thir kindes,
394And every Bird of wing after his kinde;
395And saw that it was good, and bless'd them, saying,
396Be fruitful, multiply, and in the Seas
397And Lakes and running Streams the waters fill;
398And let the Fowle be multiply'd on the Earth.
399Forthwith the Sounds and Seas, each Creek and Bay
400With Frie innumerable swarme, and Shoales
401Of Fish that with thir Finns and shining Scales
402Glide under the green Wave, in Sculles that oft
403Bank the mid Sea: part single or with mate
404Graze the Sea weed thir pasture, and through Groves
405Of Coral stray, or sporting with quick glance
406Show to the Sun thir wav'd coats dropt with Gold,
407Or in thir Pearlie shells at ease, attend
408Moist nutriment, or under Rocks thir food
409In jointed Armour watch: on smooth the Seale,
410And bended Dolphins play: part huge of bulk
411Wallowing unweildie, enormous in thir Gate
412Tempest the Ocean: there Leviathan
413Hugest of living Creatures, on the Deep
414Stretcht like a Promontorie sleeps or swimmes,
415And seems a moving Land, and at his Gilles
416Draws in, and at his Trunck spouts out a Sea.
417Mean while the tepid Caves, and Fens and shoares
418Thir Brood as numerous hatch, from the Egg that soon
419Bursting with kindly rupture forth disclos'd
420Thir callow young, but featherd soon and fledge
421They summ'd thir Penns, and soaring th' air sublime
422With clang despis'd the ground, under a cloud
423In prospect; there the Eagle and the Stork
424On Cliffs and Cedar tops thir Eyries build:
425Part loosly wing the Region, part more wise
426In common, rang'd in figure wedge thir way,
427Intelligent of seasons, and set forth
428Thir Aierie Caravan high over Sea's
429Flying, and over Lands with mutual wing
430Easing thir flight; so stears the prudent Crane
431Her annual Voiage, born on Windes; the Aire
432Floats, as they pass, fann'd with unnumber'd plumes:
433From Branch to Branch the smaller Birds with song
434So1ac'd the Woods, and spred thir painted wings
435Till Ev'n, nor then the solemn Nightingal
436Ceas'd warbling, but all night tun'd her soft layes:
437Others on Silver Lakes and Rivers Bath'd
438Thir downie Brest; the Swan with Arched neck
439Between her white wings mantling proudly, Rowes
440Her state with Oarie feet: yet oft they quit
441The Dank, and rising on stiff Pennons, towre
442The mid Aereal Skie: Others on ground
443Walk'd firm; the crested Cock whose clarion sounds
444The silent hours, and th' other whose gay Traine
445Adorns him, colour'd with the Florid hue
446Of Rainbows and Starrie Eyes. The Waters thus
447With Fish replenisht, and the Aire with Fowle,
448Ev'ning and Morn solemniz'd the Fift day.
449The Sixt, and of Creation last arose
450With Eevning Harps and Mattin, when God said,
451Let th' Earth bring forth Foul living in her kinde,
452Cattel and Creeping things, and Beast of the Earth,
453Each in their kinde. The Earth obey'd, and strait
454Op'ning her fertil Woomb teem'd at a Birth
455Innumerous living Creatures, perfet formes,
456Limb'd and full grown: out of the ground up rose
457As from his Laire the wilde Beast where he wonns
458In Forrest wilde, in Thicket, Brake, or Den;
459Among the Trees in Pairs they rose, they walk'd:
460The Cattel in the Fields and Meddowes green:
461Those rare and solitarie, these in flocks
462Pasturing at once, and in broad Herds upsprung.
463The grassie Clods now Calv'd, now half appeer'd
464The Tawnie Lion, pawing to get free
465His hinder parts, then springs as broke from Bonds,
466And Rampant shakes his Brinded main; the Ounce,
467The Libbard, and the Tyger, as the Moale
468Rising, the crumbl'd Earth above them threw
469In Hillocks; the swift Stag from under ground
470Bore up his branching head: scarse from his mould
471Behemoth biggest born of Earth upheav'd
472His vastness: Fleec't the Flocks and bleating rose,
473As Plants: ambiguous between Sea and Land
474The River Horse and scalie Crocodile.
475At once came forth whatever creeps the ground,
476Insect or Worme; those wav'd thir limber fans
477For wings, and smallest Lineaments exact
478In all the Liveries dect of Summers pride
479With spots of Gold and Purple, azure and green:
480These as a line thir long dimension drew,
481Streaking the ground with sinuous trace; not all
482Minims of Nature; some of Serpent kinde
483Wondrous in length and corpulence involv'd
484Thir Snakie foulds, and added wings. First crept
485The Parsimonious Emmet, provident
486Of future, in small room large heart enclos'd,
487Pattern of just equalitie perhaps
488Hereafter, join'd in her popular Tribes
489Of Commonaltie: swarming next appeer'd
490The Female Bee that feeds her Husband Drone
491Deliciously, and builds her waxen Cells
492With Honey stor'd: the rest are numberless,
493And thou thir Natures know'st, & gav'st them Names,
494Needless to thee repeated; nor unknown
495The Serpent suttl'st Beast of all the field,
496Of huge extent somtimes, with brazen Eyes
497And hairie Main terrific, though to thee
498Not noxious, but obedient at thy call.
499Now Heav'n in all her Glorie shon, and rowld
500Her motions, as the great first Movers hand
501First wheeld thir course; Earth in her rich attire
502Consummate lovly smil'd; Aire, Water, Earth,
503By Fowl, Fish, Beast, was flown, was swum, was walkt
504Frequent; and of the Sixt day yet remain'd;
505There wanted yet the Master work, the end
506Of all yet don; a Creature who not prone
507And Brute as other Creatures, but endu'd
508With Sanctitie of Reason, might erect
509His Stature, and upright with Front serene
510Govern the rest, self-knowing, and from thence
511Magnanimous to correspond with Heav'n,
512But grateful to acknowledge whence his good
513Descends, thither with heart and voice and eyes
514Directed in Devotion, to adore
515And worship God Supream, who made him chief
516Of all his works; therefore the Omnipotent
517Eternal Father (For where is not hee
518Present) thus to his Son audibly spake.
519Let us make now Man in our image, Man
520In our similitude, and let them rule
521Over the Fish and Fowle of Sea and Aire,
522Beast of the Field, and over all the Earth,
523And every creeping thing that creeps the ground.
524This said, he formd thee, Adam, thee O Man
525Dust of the ground, and in thy nostrils breath'd
526The breath of Life; in his own Image hee
527Created thee, in the Image of God
528Express, and thou becam'st a living Soul.
529Male he created thee, but thy consort
530Female for Race; then bless'd Mankinde, and said,
531Be fruitful, multiplie, and fill the Earth,
532Subdue it, and throughout Dominion hold
533Over Fish of the Sea, and Fowle of the Aire,
534And every living thing that moves on the Earth.
535Wherever thus created, for no place
536Is yet distinct by name, thence, as thou knows't
537He brought thee into this delicious Grove,
538This Garden, planted with the Trees of God,
539Delectable both to behold and taste;
540And freely all thir pleasant fruit for food
541Gave thee, all sorts are here that all th' Earth yields,
542Varietie without end; but of the Tree
543Which tasted works knowledge of Good and Evil,
544Thou mai'st not; in the day thou eat'st, thou di'st;
545Death is the penaltie impos'd, beware,
546And govern well thy appetite, least sin
547Surprise thee, and her black attendant Death.
548Here finish'd hee, and all that he had made
549View'd, and behold all was entirely good;
550So Ev'n and Morn accomplish'd the Sixt day:
551Yet not till the Creator from his work
552Desisting, though unwearied, up returnd
553Up to the Heav'n of Heav'ns his high abode,
554Thence to behold this new created World
555Th' addition of his Empire, how it shew'd
556In prospect from his Throne, how good, how faire,
557Answering his great Idea. Up he rode
558Followd with acclamation and the sound
559Symphonious of ten thousand Harpes that tun'd
560Angelic harmonies: the Earth, the Aire
561Resounded, (thou remember'st, for thou heardst)
562The Heav'ns and all the Constellations rung,
563The Planets in thir station list'ning stood,
564While the bright Pomp ascended jubilant.
565Open, ye everlasting Gates, they sung,
566Open, ye Heav'ns, your living dores; let in
567The great Creator from his work returnd
568Magnificent, his Six days work, a World;
569Open, and henceforth oft; for God will deigne
570To visit oft the dwellings of just Men
571Delighted, and with frequent intercourse
572Thither will send his winged Messengers
573On errands of supernal Grace. So sung
574The glorious Train ascending: He through Heav'n,
575That open'd wide her blazing Portals, led
576To Gods Eternal house direct the way,
577A broad and ample rode, whose dust is Gold
578And pavement Starrs, as Starrs to thee appeer,
579Seen in the Galaxie, that Milkie way
580Which nightly as a circling Zone thou seest
581Pouderd with Starrs. And now on Earth the Seventh
582Eev'ning arose in Eden, for the Sun
583Was set, and twilight from the East came on,
584Forerunning Night; when at the holy mount
585Of Heav'ns high-seated top, th' Impereal Throne
586Of Godhead, fixt for ever firm and sure,
587The Filial Power arriv'd, and sate him down
588With his great Father (for he also went
589Invisible, yet staid (such priviledge
590Hath Omnipresence) and the work ordain'd,
591Author and end of all things, and from work
592Now resting, bless'd and hallowd the Seav'nth day,
593As resting on that day from all his work,
594But not in silence holy kept; the Harp
595Had work and rested not, the solemn Pipe,
596And Dulcimer, all Organs of sweet stop,
597All sounds on Fret by String or Golden Wire
598Temper'd sort Tunings, intermixt with Voice
599Choral or Unison: of incense Clouds
600Fuming from Golden Censers hid the Mount.
601Creation and the Six dayes acts they sung,
602Great are thy works, Jehovah, infinite
603Thy power; what thought can measure thee or tongue
604Relate thee; greater now in thy return
605Then from the Giant Angels; thee that day
606Thy Thunders magnifi'd; but to create
607Is greater then created to destroy.
608Who can impair thee, mighty King, or bound
609Thy Empire? easily the proud attempt
610Of Spirits apostat and thir Counsels vaine
611Thou hast repeld, while impiously they thought
612Thee to diminish, and from thee withdraw
613The number of thy worshippers. Who seekes
614To lessen thee, against his purpose serves
615To manifest the more thy might: his evil
616Thou usest, and from thence creat'st more good.
617Witness this new-made World, another Heav'n
618From Heaven Gate not farr, founded in view
619On the cleer Hyaline, the Glassie Sea;
620Of amplitude almost immense, with Starr's
621Numerous, and every Starr perhaps a World
622Of destind habitation; but thou know'st
623Thir seasons: among these the seat of men,
624Earth with her nether Ocean circumfus'd,
625Thir pleasant dwelling place. Thrice happie men,
626And sons of men, whom God hath thus advanc't,
627Created in his Image, there to dwell
628And worship him, and in reward to rule
629Over his Works, on Earth, in Sea, or Air,
630And multiply a Race of Worshippers
631Holy and just: thrice happie if they know
632Thir happiness, and persevere upright.
633So sung they, and the Empyrean rung,
634With Halleluiahs: Thus was Sabbath kept.
635And thy request think now fulfill'd, that ask'd
636How first this World and face of things began,
637And what before thy memorie was don
638From the beginning, that posteritie
639Informd by thee might know; if else thou seekst
640Aught, not surpassing human measure, say.
Publication Start Year
1667
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2002
Rhyme
Special Copyright
Transcription courtesy of Roy Flannagan.