BOOK VII.

THE ARGUMENT.

Raphael at the request of Adam relates how and wherefore this world was first created; that God, after the expelling of Satan and his Angels out of Heaven, declar’d his pleasure to create another World and other Creatures to dwell therein; sends his Son with Glory and attendance of Angels to perform the work of Creation in six dayes: the Angels celebrate with Hymns the performance thereof, and his reascention into Heaven.

  Descend from Heav'n Urania, by that name
  If rightly thou art call'd, whose Voice divine
  Following, above th' Olympian Hill I soare,
  Above the flight of Pegasean wing.
  The meaning, not the Name I call: for thou
  Nor of the Muses nine, nor on the top
  Of old Olympus dwell'st, but Heav'nlie borne,
  Before the Hills appeerd, or Fountain flow'd,
  Thou with Eternal wisdom didst converse,
  Wisdom thy Sister, and with her didst play                           10
  In presence of th' Almightie Father, pleas'd
  With thy Celestial Song. Up led by thee
  Into the Heav'n of Heav'ns I have presum'd,
  An Earthlie Guest, and drawn Empyreal Aire,
  Thy tempring; with like safetie guided down
  Return me to my Native Element:
  Least from this flying Steed unrein'd, (as once
  Bellerophon, though from a lower Clime)
  Dismounted, on th' Aleian Field I fall
  Erroneous, there to wander and forlorne.                             20
  Half yet remaines unsung, but narrower bound
  Within the visible Diurnal Spheare;
  Standing on Earth, not rapt above the Pole,
  More safe I Sing with mortal voice, unchang'd
  To hoarce or mute, though fall'n on evil dayes,
  On evil dayes though fall'n, and evil tongues;
  In darkness, and with dangers compast round,
  And solitude; yet not alone, while thou
  Visit'st my slumbers Nightly, or when Morn
  Purples the East: still govern thou my Song,                         30
  Urania, and fit audience find, though few.
  But drive farr off the barbarous dissonance
  Of Bacchus and his Revellers, the Race
  Of that wilde Rout that tore the Thracian Bard
  In Rhodope, where Woods and Rocks had Eares
  To rapture, till the savage clamor dround
  Both Harp and Voice; nor could the Muse defend
  Her Son. So fail not thou, who thee implores:
  For thou art Heav'nlie, shee an empty dreame.
  Say Goddess, what ensu'd when Raphael,                               40
  The affable Arch-angel, had forewarn'd
  Adam by dire example to beware
  Apostasie, by what befell in Heaven
  To those Apostates, least the like befall
  In Paradise to Adam or his Race,
  Charg'd not to touch the interdicted Tree,
  If they transgress, and slight that sole command,
  So easily obeyd amid the choice
  Of all tasts else to please thir appetite,
  Though wandring. He with his consorted Eve                           50
  The storie heard attentive, and was fill'd
  With admiration, and deep Muse to heare
  Of things so high and strange, things to thir thought
  So unimaginable as hate in Heav'n,
  And Warr so neer the Peace of God in bliss
  With such confusion: but the evil soon
  Driv'n back redounded as a flood on those
  From whom it sprung, impossible to mix
  With Blessedness. Whence Adam soon repeal'd
  The doubts that in his heart arose: and now                          60
  Led on, yet sinless, with desire to know
  What neerer might concern him, how this World
  Of Heav'n and Earth conspicuous first began,
  When, and whereof created, for what cause,
  What within Eden or without was done
  Before his memorie, as one whose drouth
  Yet scarce allay'd still eyes the current streame,
  Whose liquid murmur heard new thirst excites,
  Proceeded thus to ask his Heav'nly Guest.
  Great things, and full of wonder in our eares,                       70
  Farr differing from this World, thou hast reveal'd
  Divine Interpreter, by favour sent
  Down from the Empyrean to forewarne
  Us timely of what might else have bin our loss,
  Unknown, which human knowledg could not reach:
  For which to the infinitly Good we owe
  Immortal thanks, and his admonishment
  Receave with solemne purpose to observe
  Immutably his sovran will, the end
  Of what we are. But since thou hast voutsaf't                        80
  Gently for our instruction to impart
  Things above Earthly thought, which yet concernd
  Our knowing, as to highest wisdom seemd,
  Deign to descend now lower, and relate
  What may no less perhaps availe us known,
  How first began this Heav'n which we behold
  Distant so high, with moving Fires adornd
  Innumerable, and this which yeelds or fills
  All space, the ambient Aire wide interfus'd
  Imbracing round this florid Earth, what cause                        90
  Mov'd the Creator in his holy Rest
  Through all Eternitie so late to build
  In Chaos, and the work begun, how soon
  Absolv'd, if unforbid thou maist unfould
  What wee, not to explore the secrets aske
  Of his Eternal Empire, but the more
  To magnifie his works, the more we know.
  And the great Light of Day yet wants to run
  Much of his Race though steep, suspens in Heav'n
  Held by thy voice, thy potent voice he heares,                      100
  And longer will delay to heare thee tell
  His Generation, and the rising Birth
  Of Nature from the unapparent Deep:
  Or if the Starr of Eevning and the Moon
  Haste to thy audience, Night with her will bring
  Silence, and Sleep listning to thee will watch,
  Or we can bid his absence, till thy Song
  End, and dismiss thee ere the Morning shine.
  Thus Adam his illustrous Guest besought:
  And thus the Godlike Angel answerd milde.                           110
  This also thy request with caution askt
  Obtaine: though to recount Almightie works
  What words or tongue of Seraph can suffice,
  Or heart of man suffice to comprehend?
  Yet what thou canst attain, which best may serve
  To glorifie the Maker, and inferr
  Thee also happier, shall not be withheld
  Thy hearing, such Commission from above
  I have receav'd, to answer thy desire
  Of knowledge within bounds; beyond abstain                          120
  To ask, nor let thine own inventions hope
  Things not reveal'd, which th' invisible King,
  Onely Omniscient, hath supprest in Night,
  To none communicable in Earth or Heaven:
  Anough is left besides to search and know.
  But Knowledge is as food, and needs no less
  Her Temperance over Appetite, to know
  In measure what the mind may well contain,
  Oppresses else with Surfet, and soon turns
  Wisdom to Folly, as Nourishment to Winde.                           130
  Know then, that after Lucifer from Heav'n
  (So call him, brighter once amidst the Host
  Of Angels, then that Starr the Starrs among)
  Fell with his flaming Legions through the Deep
  Into his place, and the great Son returnd
  Victorious with his Saints, th' Omnipotent
  Eternal Father from his Throne beheld
  Thir multitude, and to his Son thus spake.
  At least our envious Foe hath fail'd, who thought
  All like himself rebellious, by whose aid                           140
  This inaccessible high strength, the seat
  Of Deitie supream, us dispossest,
  He trusted to have seis'd, and into fraud
  Drew many, whom thir place knows here no more;
  Yet farr the greater part have kept, I see,
  Thir station, Heav'n yet populous retaines
  Number sufficient to possess her Realmes
  Though wide, and this high Temple to frequent
  With Ministeries due and solemn Rites:
  But least his heart exalt him in the harme                          150
  Already done, to have dispeopl'd Heav'n,
  My damage fondly deem'd, I can repaire
  That detriment, if such it be to lose
  Self-lost, 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 tri'd,
  And Earth be chang'd to Heavn, & Heav'n to Earth,                   160
  One Kingdom, Joy and Union without end.
  Mean while inhabit laxe, ye Powers of Heav'n,
  And thou my Word, begotten Son, by thee
  This I perform, speak thou, and be it don:
  My overshadowing Spirit and might with thee
  I send 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 uncircumscrib'd my self retire,                            170
  And put not forth my goodness, which is free
  To act or not, Necessitie and Chance
  Approach not mee, and what I will is Fate.
  So spake th' Almightie, and to what he spake
  His Word, the Filial Godhead, gave effect.
  Immediate are the Acts of God, more swift
  Then time or motion, but to human ears
  Cannot without process of speech be told,
  So told as earthly notion can receave.
  Great triumph and rejoycing was in Heav'n                           180
  When such was heard declar'd the Almightie's will;
  Glorie they sung to the most High, good will
  To future men, and in thir dwellings peace:
  Glorie to him whose just avenging ire
  Had driven out th' ungodly from his sight
  And th' habitations of the just; to him
  Glorie and praise, whose wisdom had ordain'd
  Good out of evil to create, in stead
  Of Spirits maligne a better Race to bring
  Into thir vacant room, and thence diffuse                           190
  His good to Worlds and Ages infinite.
  So sang the Hierarchies: Mean while the Son
  On his great Expedition now appeer'd,
  Girt with Omnipotence, with Radiance crown'd
  Of Majestie Divine, Sapience and Love
  Immense, and all his Father in him shon.
  About his Chariot numberless were pour'd
  Cherub and Seraph, Potentates and Thrones,
  And Vertues, winged Spirits, and Chariots wing'd,
  From the Armoury of God, where stand of old                         200
  Myriads between two brazen Mountains lodg'd
  Against a solemn day, harnest at hand,
  Celestial Equipage; and now came forth
  Spontaneous, for within them Spirit livd,
  Attendant on thir Lord: Heav'n op'nd wide
  Her ever during Gates, Harmonious sound
  On golden Hinges moving, to let forth
  The King of Glorie in his powerful Word
  And Spirit coming to create new Worlds.
  On heav'nly ground they stood, and from the shore                   210
  They view'd the vast immeasurable Abyss
  Outrageous as a Sea, dark, wasteful, wilde,
  Up from the bottom turn'd by furious windes
  And surging waves, as Mountains to assault
  Heav'ns highth, and with the Center mix the Pole.
  Silence, ye troubl'd waves, and thou Deep, peace,
  Said then th' Omnific Word, your discord end:
  Nor staid, but on the Wings of Cherubim
  Uplifted, in Paternal Glorie rode
  Farr into Chaos, and the World unborn;                              220
  For Chaos heard his voice: him all his Traine
  Follow'd in bright procession to behold
  Creation, and the wonders of his might.
  Then staid the fervid Wheeles, and in his hand
  He took the golden Compasses, prepar'd
  In Gods Eternal store, to circumscribe
  This Universe, and all created things:
  One foot he center'd, and the other turn'd
  Round through the vast profunditie obscure,
  And said, thus farr extend, thus farr thy bounds,                   230
  This be thy just Circumference, O World.
  Thus God the Heav'n created, thus the Earth,
  Matter unform'd and void: Darkness profound
  Cover'd th' Abyss: but on the watrie calme
  His brooding wings the Spirit of God outspred,
  And vital vertue infus'd, and vital warmth
  Throughout the fluid Mass, but downward purg'd
  The black tartareous cold infernal dregs
  Adverse to life: then founded, then conglob'd
  Like things to like, the rest to several place                      240
  Disparted, and between spun out the Air,
  And Earth self-ballanc't on her Center hung.
  Let ther be Light, said God, and forthwith Light
  Ethereal, first of things, quintessence pure
  Sprung from the Deep, and from her Native East
  To journie through the airie gloom began,
  Sphear'd in a radiant Cloud, for yet the Sun
  Was not; shee in a cloudie Tabernacle
  Sojourn'd the while. God saw the Light was good;
  And light from darkness by the Hemisphere                           250
  Divided: Light the Day, and Darkness Night
  He nam'd. Thus was the first Day Eev'n and Morn:
  Nor past uncelebrated, nor unsung
  By the Celestial Quires, when Orient Light
  Exhaling first from Darkness they beheld;
  Birth-day of Heav'n and Earth; with joy and shout
  The hollow Universal Orb they fill'd,
  And touch't thir Golden Harps, & hymning prais'd
  God and his works, Creatour him they sung,
  Both when first Eevning was, and when first Morn.                   260
  Again, God said, let ther be Firmament
  Amid the Waters, and let it divide
  The Waters from the Waters: and God made
  The Firmament, expanse of liquid, pure,
  Transparent, Elemental Air, diffus'd
  In circuit to the uttermost convex
  Of this great Round: partition firm and sure,
  The Waters underneath from those above
  Dividing: for as Earth, so hee the World
  Built on circumfluous Waters calme, in wide                         270
  Crystallin Ocean, and the loud misrule
  Of Chaos farr remov'd, least fierce extreames
  Contiguous might distemper the whole frame:
  And Heav'n he nam'd the Firmament: So Eev'n
  And Morning Chorus sung the second Day.
  The Earth was form'd, but in the Womb as yet
  Of Waters, Embryon immature involv'd,
  Appeer'd not: over all the face of Earth
  Main Ocean flow'd, not idle, but with warme
  Prolific humour soft'ning all her Globe,                            280
  Fermented the great Mother to conceave,
  Satiate with genial moisture, when God said
  Be gather'd now ye Waters under Heav'n
  Into one place, and let dry Land appeer.
  Immediately the Mountains huge appeer
  Emergent, and thir broad bare backs upheave
  Into the Clouds, thir tops ascend the Skie:
  So high as heav'd the tumid Hills, so low
  Down sunk a hollow bottom broad and deep,
  Capacious bed of Waters: thither they                               290
  Hasted with glad precipitance, uprowld
  As drops on dust conglobing from the drie;
  Part rise in crystal Wall, or ridge direct,
  For haste; such flight the great command impress'd
  On the swift flouds: as Armies at the call
  Of Trumpet (for of Armies thou hast heard)
  Troop to thir Standard, so the watrie throng,
  Wave rowling after Wave, where way they found,

  If steep, with torrent rapture, if through Plaine,
  Soft-ebbing; nor withstood them Rock or Hill,                       300
  But they, or under ground, or circuit wide
  With Serpent errour wandring, found thir way,
  And on the washie Oose deep Channels wore;
  Easie, e're God had bid the ground be drie,
  All but within those banks, where Rivers now
  Stream, and perpetual draw thir humid traine.
  The dry Land, Earth, and the great receptacle
  Of congregated Waters he call'd Seas:
  And saw that it was good, and said, Let th' Earth
  Put forth the verdant Grass, Herb yeilding Seed,                    310
  And Fruit Tree yeilding Fruit after her kind;
  Whose Seed is in her self upon the Earth.
  He scarce had said, when the bare Earth, till then
  Desert and bare, unsightly, unadorn'd,
  Brought forth the tender Grass, whose verdure clad
  Her Universal Face with pleasant green,
  Then Herbs of every leaf, that sudden flour'd
  Op'ning thir various colours, and made gay
  Her bosom smelling sweet: and these scarce blown,
  Forth flourish't thick the clustring Vine, forth crept              320
  The smelling Gourd, up stood the cornie Reed
  Embattell'd in her field: add the humble Shrub,
  And Bush with frizl'd hair implicit: last
  Rose as in Dance the stately Trees, and spred
  Thir branches hung with copious Fruit; or gemm'd
  Thir Blossoms: with high Woods the Hills were crownd,
  With tufts the vallies & each fountain side,
  With borders long the Rivers. That Earth now
  Seemd like to Heav'n, a seat where Gods might dwell,
  Or wander with delight, and love to haunt                           330
  Her sacred shades: though God had yet not rain'd
  Upon the Earth, and man to till the ground
  None was, but from the Earth a dewie Mist
  Went up and waterd all the ground, and each
  Plant of the field, which e're it was in the Earth
  God made, and every Herb, before it grew
  On the green stemm; God saw that it was good:
  So Eev'n and Morn recorded the Third Day.
  Again th' Almightie spake: Let there be Lights
  High in th' expanse of Heaven to divide                             340
  The Day from Night; and let them be for Signes,
  For Seasons, and for Dayes, and circling Years,
  And let them be for Lights as I ordaine
  Thir Office in the Firmament of Heav'n
  To give Light on the Earth; and it was so.
  And God made two great Lights, great for thir use
  To Man, the greater to have rule by Day,
  The less by Night alterne: and made the Starrs,
  And set them in the Firmament of Heav'n
  To illuminate the Earth, and rule the Day                           350
  In thir vicissitude, and rule the Night,
  And Light from Darkness to divide. God saw,
  Surveying his great Work, that it was good:
  For of Celestial Bodies first the Sun
  A mightie Spheare he fram'd, unlightsom first,
  Though of Ethereal Mould: then form'd the Moon
  Globose, and everie magnitude of Starrs,
  And sowd with Starrs the Heav'n thick as a field:
  Of Light by farr the greater part he took,
  Transplanted from her cloudie Shrine, and plac'd                    360
  In the Suns Orb, made porous to receive
  And drink the liquid Light, firm to retaine
  Her gather'd beams, great Palace now of Light.
  Hither as to thir Fountain other Starrs
  Repairing, in thir gold'n Urns draw Light,
  And hence the Morning Planet guilds his horns;
  By tincture or reflection they augment
  Thir small peculiar, though from human sight
  So farr remote, with diminution seen.
  First in his East the glorious Lamp was seen,                       370
  Regent of Day, and all th' Horizon round
  Invested with bright Rayes, jocond to run
  His Longitude through Heav'ns high rode: the gray
  Dawn, and the Pleiades before him danc'd
  Shedding sweet influence: less bright the Moon,
  But opposite in leveld West was set
  His mirror, with full face borrowing her Light
  From him, for other light she needed none
  In that aspect, and still that distance keepes
  Till night, then in the East her turn she shines,                   380
  Revolvd on Heav'ns great Axle, and her Reign
  With thousand lesser Lights dividual holds,
  With thousand thousand Starres, that then appeer'd
  Spangling the Hemisphere: then first adornd
  With thir bright Luminaries that Set and Rose,
  Glad Eevning & glad Morn crownd the fourth day.

  And God said, let the Waters generate
  Reptil with Spawn abundant, living Soule:
  And let Fowle flie above the Earth, with wings
  Displayd on the op'n Firmament of Heav'n.                           390
  And God created the great Whales, and each
  Soul living, each that crept, which plenteously
  The waters generated by thir kindes,
  And every Bird of wing after his kinde;
  And saw that it was good, and bless'd them, saying,
  Be fruitful, multiply, and in the Seas
  And Lakes and running Streams the waters fill;
  And let the Fowle be multiply'd on the Earth.
  Forthwith the Sounds and Seas, each Creek & Bay
  With Frie innumerable swarme, and Shoales                           400
  Of Fish that with thir Finns & shining Scales
  Glide under the green Wave, in Sculles that oft
  Bank the mid Sea: part single or with mate
  Graze the Sea weed thir pasture, & through Groves
  Of Coral stray, or sporting with quick glance
  Show to the Sun thir wav'd coats dropt with Gold,
  Or in thir Pearlie shells at ease, attend
  Moist nutriment, or under Rocks thir food
  In jointed Armour watch: on smooth the Seale,
  And bended Dolphins play: part huge of bulk                         410
  Wallowing unweildie, enormous in thir Gate
  Tempest the Ocean: there Leviathan
  Hugest of living Creatures, on the Deep
  Stretcht like a Promontorie sleeps or swimmes,

  And seems a moving Land, and at his Gilles
  Draws in, and at his Trunck spouts out a Sea.

  Mean while the tepid Caves, and Fens and shoares
  Thir Brood as numerous hatch, from the Egg that soon
  Bursting with kindly rupture forth disclos'd
  Thir callow young, but featherd soon and fledge                     420
  They summ'd thir Penns, and soaring th' air sublime
  With clang despis'd the ground, under a cloud
  In prospect; there the Eagle and the Stork
  On Cliffs and Cedar tops thir Eyries build:
  Part loosly wing the Region, part more wise
  In common, rang'd in figure wedge thir way,
  Intelligent of seasons, and set forth
  Thir Aierie Caravan high over Sea's
  Flying, and over Lands with mutual wing
  Easing thir flight; so stears the prudent Crane                     430
  Her annual Voiage, born on Windes; the Aire
  Floats, as they pass, fann'd with unnumber'd plumes:
  From Branch to Branch the smaller Birds with song
  Solac'd the Woods, and spred thir painted wings
  Till Ev'n, nor then the solemn Nightingal
  Ceas'd warbling, but all night tun'd her soft layes:
  Others on Silver Lakes and Rivers Bath'd
  Thir downie Brest; the Swan with Arched neck
  Between her white wings mantling proudly, Rowes
  Her state with Oarie feet: yet oft they quit                        440
  The Dank, and rising on stiff Pennons, towre
  The mid Aereal Skie: Others on ground
  Walk'd firm; the crested Cock whose clarion sounds
  The silent hours, and th' other whose gay Traine
  Adorns him, colour'd with the Florid hue
  Of Rainbows and Starrie Eyes. The Waters thus
  With Fish replenisht, and the Aire with Fowle,
  Ev'ning and Morn solemniz'd the Fift day.
  The Sixt, and of Creation last arose
  With Eevning Harps and Mattin, when God said,                       450
  Let th' Earth bring forth Fowle living in her kinde,
  Cattel and Creeping things, and Beast of the Earth,
  Each in their kinde. The Earth obey'd, and strait
  Op'ning her fertil Woomb teem'd at a Birth
  Innumerous living Creatures, perfet formes,
  Limb'd and full grown: out of the ground up-rose
  As from his Laire the wilde Beast where he wonns
  In Forrest wilde, in Thicket, Brake, or Den;
  Among the Trees in Pairs they rose, they walk'd:
  The Cattel in the Fields and Meddowes green:                        460
  Those rare and solitarie, these in flocks
  Pasturing at once, and in broad Herds upsprung:
  The grassie Clods now Calv'd, now half appeer'd
  The Tawnie Lion, pawing to get free
  His hinder parts, then springs as broke from Bonds,
  And Rampant shakes his Brinded main; the Ounce,
  The Libbard, and the Tyger, as the Moale
  Rising, the crumbl'd Earth above them threw
  In Hillocks; the swift Stag from under ground
  Bore up his branching head: scarse from his mould                   470
  Behemoth biggest born of Earth upheav'd
  His vastness: Fleec't the Flocks and bleating rose,
  As Plants: ambiguous between Sea and Land
  The River Horse and scalie Crocodile.
  At once came forth whatever creeps the ground,
  Insect or Worme; those wav'd thir limber fans
  For wings, and smallest Lineaments exact
  In all the Liveries dect of Summers pride
  With spots of Gold and Purple, azure and green:
  These as a line thir long dimension drew,                           480
  Streaking the ground with sinuous trace; not all
  Minims of Nature; some of Serpent kinde
  Wondrous in length and corpulence involv'd
  Thir Snakie foulds, and added wings. First crept
  The Parsimonious Emmet, provident
  Of future, in small room large heart enclos'd,
  Pattern of just equalitie perhaps
  Hereafter, join'd in her popular Tribes
  Of Commonaltie: swarming next appeer'd
  The Femal Bee that feeds her Husband Drone                          490
  Deliciously, and builds her waxen Cells
  With Honey stor'd: the rest are numberless,
  And thou thir Natures know'st, and gav'st them Names,
  Needlest to thee repeated; nor unknown
  The Serpent suttl'st Beast of all the field,
  Of huge extent somtimes, with brazen Eyes
  And hairie Main terrific, though to thee
  Not noxious, but obedient at thy call.
  Now Heav'n in all her Glorie shon, and rowld
  Her motions, as the great first-Movers hand                         500
  First wheeld thir course; Earth in her rich attire
  Consummate lovly smil'd; Aire, Water, Earth,
  By Fowl, Fish, Beast, was flown, was swum, was walkt
  Frequent; and of the Sixt day yet remain'd;
  There wanted yet the Master work, the end
  Of all yet don; a Creature who not prone
  And Brute as other Creatures, but endu'd
  With Sanctitie of Reason, might erect
  His Stature, and upright with Front serene
  Govern the rest, self-knowing, and from thence                      510
  Magnanimous to correspond with Heav'n,
  But grateful to acknowledge whence his good
  Descends, thither with heart and voice and eyes
  Directed in Devotion, to adore
  And worship God Supream, who made him chief
  Of all his works: therefore the Omnipotent
  Eternal Father (For where is not hee
  Present) thus to his Son audibly spake.
  Let us make now Man in our image, Man
  In our similitude, and let them rule                                520
  Over the Fish and Fowle of Sea and Aire,
  Beast of the Field, and over all the Earth,
  And every creeping thing that creeps the ground.
  This said, he formd thee, Adam, thee O Man
  Dust of the ground, and in thy nostrils breath'd
  The breath of Life; in his own Image hee
  Created thee, in the Image of God
  Express, and thou becam'st a living Soul.
  Male he created thee, but thy consort
  Femal for Race; then bless'd Mankinde, and said,                    530
  Be fruitful, multiplie, and fill the Earth,
  Subdue it, and throughout Dominion hold
  Over Fish of the Sea, and Fowle of the Aire,
  And every living thing that moves on the Earth.
  Wherever thus created, for no place
  Is yet distinct by name, thence, as thou know'st
  He brought thee into this delicious Grove,
  This Garden, planted with the Trees of God,
  Delectable both to behold and taste;
  And freely all thir pleasant fruit for food                         540
  Gave thee, all sorts are here that all th' Earth yeelds,
  Varietie without end; but of the Tree
  Which tasted works knowledge of Good and Evil,
  Thou mai'st not; in the day thou eat'st, thou di'st;
  Death is the penaltie impos'd, beware,
  And govern well thy appetite, least sin
  Surprise thee, and her black attendant Death.
  Here finish'd hee, and all that he had made
  View'd, and behold all was entirely good;
  So Ev'n and Morn accomplish'd the Sixt day:                         550
  Yet not till the Creator from his work
  Desisting, though unwearied, up returnd
  Up to the Heav'n of Heav'ns his high abode,
  Thence to behold this new created World
  Th' addition of his Empire, how it shew'd
  In prospect from his Throne, how good, how faire,
  Answering his great Idea. Up he rode
  Followd with acclamation and the sound
  Symphonious of ten thousand Harpes that tun'd
  Angelic harmonies: the Earth, the Aire                              560
  Resounded, (thou remember'st, for thou heardst)
  The Heav'ns and all the Constellations rung,
  The Planets in thir stations list'ning stood,
  While the bright Pomp ascended jubilant.
  Open, ye everlasting Gates, they sung,
  Open, ye Heav'ns, your living dores; let in
  The great Creator from his work returnd
  Magnificent, his Six days work, a World;
  Open, and henceforth oft; for God will deigne
  To visit oft the dwellings of just Men                              570
  Delighted, and with frequent intercourse
  Thither will send his winged Messengers
  On errands of supernal Grace. So sung
  The glorious Train ascending: He through Heav'n,
  That open'd wide her blazing Portals, led
  To Gods Eternal house direct the way,
  A broad and ample rode, whose dust is Gold
  And pavement Starrs, as Starrs to thee appeer,
  Seen in the Galaxie, that Milkie way
  Which nightly as a circling Zone thou seest                         580
  Pouderd with Starrs. And now on Earth the Seaventh
  Eev'ning arose in Eden, for the Sun
  Was set, and twilight from the East came on,

  Forerunning Night; when at the holy mount
  Of Heav'ns high-seated top, th' Impereal Throne
  Of Godhead, fixt for ever firm and sure,
  The Filial Power arriv'd, and sate him down
  With his great Father (for he also went
  Invisible, yet staid (such priviledge
  Hath Omnipresence) and the work ordain'd,                           590
  Author and end of all things, and from work
  Now resting, bless'd and hallowd the Seav'nth day,
  As resting on that day from all his work,
  But not in silence holy kept; the Harp
  Had work and rested not, the solemn Pipe,
  And Dulcimer, all Organs of sweet stop,
  All sounds on Fret by String or Golden Wire
  Temper'd soft Tunings, intermixt with Voice
  Choral or Unison: of incense Clouds
  Fuming from Golden Censers hid the Mount.                           600
  Creation and the Six dayes acts they sung,
  Great are thy works, Jehovah, infinite
  Thy power; what thought can measure thee or tongue
  Relate thee; greater now in thy return
  Then from the Giant Angels; thee that day
  Thy Thunders magnifi'd; but to create
  Is greater then created to destroy.
  Who can impair thee, mighty King, or bound
  Thy Empire? easily the proud attempt
  Of Spirits apostat and thir Counsels vaine                          610
  Thou hast repeld, while impiously they thought
  Thee to diminish, and from thee withdraw
  The number of thy worshippers. Who seekes
  To lessen thee, against his purpose serves
  To manifest the more thy might: his evil
  Thou usest, and from thence creat'st more good.
  Witness this new-made World, another Heav'n
  From Heaven Gate not farr, founded in view
  On the cleer Hyaline, the Glassie Sea;
  Of amplitude almost immense, with Starr's                           620
  Numerous, and every Starr perhaps a World
  Of destind habitation; but thou know'st
  Thir seasons: among these the seat of men,
  Earth with her nether Ocean circumfus'd,
  Thir pleasant dwelling place. Thrice happie men,
  And sons of men, whom God hath thus advanc't,
  Created in his Image, there to dwell
  And worship him, and in reward to rule
  Over his Works, on Earth, in Sea, or Air,
  And multiply a Race of Worshippers                                  630
  Holy and just: thrice happie if they know
  Thir happiness, and persevere upright.
  So sung they, and the Empyrean rung,
  With Halleluiahs: Thus was Sabbath kept.
  And thy request think now fulfill'd, that ask'd
  How first this World and face of things began,
  And what before thy memorie was don
  From the beginning, that posteritie
  Informd by thee might know; if else thou seekst
  Aught, not surpassing human measure, say.                           640

  The End of the Seventh Book