Moon, that now meet'st the orient sun, now fly'st,
With the fix'd stars, fix'd in their orb that flies,
And ye five other wand'ring fires that move
In mystic dance not without song, resound
His praise, who out of darkness call'd up light.
Air, and ye elements the eldest birth

Of nature's womb, that in quaternion run
Perpetual circle, multiform, and mix

And nourish all things, let your ceaseless change
Vary to our great Maker still new praise.
Ye mists and exhalations that now rise
From hill or steaming lake, dusky or grey,
Till the sun paint your fleecy skirts with gold,
In honour to the world's great author rise,
Whether to deck with clouds the uncolour'd sky,
Or wet the thirsty earth with falling showers,
Rising or falling still advance his praise.

180

185

190

His praise, ye winds that from four quarters blow,
Breathe soft or loud; and wave your tops, ye pines,
With every plant, in sign of worship wave.
Fountains and ye that warble, as ye flow,
Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise:
Join voices, all ye living souls, ye birds,

195

177 five] Verum etiam quinque stellas, quæ vulgo vagæ nuncupantur.'

v. Apul. de Deo Socratis, ed. Delph. vol. ii.

181 quaternion] Heywood's Hier. p. 193.

'What ternions and classes be

In the cælestial hierarchie.'

p. 666.

That singing up to heaven-gate ascend,

Bear on your wings and in your notes his praise;
Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk
The earth, and stately tread, or lowly creep;
Witness if I be silent, morn or even,

To hill, or valley, fountain, or fresh shade,
Made vocal by my song, and taught his praise.
Hail universal Lord, be bounteous still
To give us only good; and if the night
Have gather'd aught of evil, or conceal'd,
Disperse it, as now light dispels the dark.

200

205

210

So pray'd they innocent, and to their thoughts Firm peace recover'd soon and wonted calm. On to their morning's rural work they haste, Among sweet dews and flowers, where any row Of fruit-trees overwoody reach'd too far Their pamper'd boughs, and needed hands to check Fruitless embraces; or they led the vine To wed her elm; she spous'd about him twines Her marriageable arms, and with her brings Her dow'r, th' adopted clusters, to adorn

215

His barren leaves. Them thus employ'd beheld With pity heaven's high King, and to him call'd 220 Raphael, the sociable spirit, that deign'd

198 heaven gate] So in Cymbeline, act ii. sc. 3.

‘Hark! hark, the lark at heaven's gate sings.' Newton.

200 Ye that] How could the fish witness? Bentl. MS.

206 give] Not unlike the Prayer of Clytemnestra in Soph. Elect. 646.

A. Dyce.

217 marriageable] See Apulei Apolog. p. 540. ed. Delph.

To travel with Tobias, and secur'd

His marriage with the seventimes-wedded maid.

226

230

Raphael, said he, thou hear'st what stir on earth Satan, from hell scap'd through the darksome gulf, Hath rais'd in paradise, and how disturb'd This night the human pair; how he designs In them at once to ruin all mankind: Go therefore, half this day as friend with friend Converse with Adam, in what bower or shade Thou find'st him from the heat of noon retir'd, To respit his day-labour with repast, Or with repose; and such discourse bring on, As may advise him of his happy state; Happiness in his power left free to will, Left to his own free will, his will though free, Yet mutable; whence warn him to beware He swerve not too secure: tell him withal

235

His danger, and from whom; what enemy,
Late fall'n himself from heaven, is plotting now 240
The fall of others from like state of bliss;

By violence? no; for that shall be withstood;
But by deceit and lies; this let him know,
Lest wilfully transgressing he pretend
Surprisal, unadmonish'd, unforewarn'd.

So spake th' eternal Father, and fulfill'd
All justice nor delay'd the winged saint
After his charge receiv'd; but from among
Thousand celestial ardours, where he stood

245

949 ardours] ardours' mean the 'seraphim.' It is one of the words used by Dante for angels. Todd.

Veil'd with his gorgeous wings, up springing light 250
Flew through the midst of heaven; th' angelic choirs,
On each hand parting, to his speed gave way
Through all th' empyreal road; till at the gate
Of heaven arriv'd, the gate self-open'd wide
On golden hinges turning, as by work
Divine the sov'reign Architect had fram'd.
From hence, no cloud, or, to obstruct his sight,
Star interpos'd, however small he sees,

Not unconform to other shining globes,

255

Earth and the garden of GOD, with cedars crown'd

Above all hills: as when by night the glass

Of Galileo, less assur'd, observes

Imagin'd lands and regions in the moon:
Or pilot from amidst the Cyclades

261

Delos, or Samos, first appearing kens

265

270

A cloudy spot. Down thither prone in flight
He speeds, and through the vast ethereal sky
Sails between worlds and worlds, with steady wing
Now on the polar winds, then with quick fan
Winnows the buxom air; till within soar
Of towering eagles, to all the fowls he seems
A phoenix, gaz'd by all, as that sole bird,
When, to inshrine his reliques in the sun's
Bright temple, to Egyptian Thebes he flies.
At once on th' eastern cliff of paradise
He lights, and to his proper shape returns

266 prone] Virg. Æn. iv. 253.

'Toto præceps se corpore ad undas
Misit.'

Newton.

275

A seraph wing'd: six wings he wore, to shade
His lineaments divine; the pair that clad

Each shoulder broad came mantling o'er his breast
With regal ornament; the middle pair

280

Girt like a starry zone his waist, and round
Skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold
And colours dipp'd in heaven; the third his feet
Shadow'd from either heel with feather'd mail
Sky-tinctur'd grain. Like Maia's son he stood, 235
And shook his plumes, that heavenly fragrance fill'd

277 shade] Statii Silv. iii. 4. 30.

'Ex humeris nullæ fulgentibus umbra.'

281 starry zone] Compare Marino's Sl. of the Innocents, p. 50, st xcvi. describing an angel.

'When in celestial colours art contends

With azure gold, and white with purest red.
For skirts girt at the waste, then each depends
Loosely, nor further than the knees are spread.
Which, lest thy waving be too much display'd,
A golden clasp restrains, with gems inlay'd.
Extended on his shining back a pair
Of ample wings their glorious colours show;
Most choice perfumes enrich his curling hair,
And to the air the graceful tresses flow,' &c.

285 son] See Dante, Il Purg. c. 8.

E vidi uscir dell' alto, e scender giue
Du' Angeli con due spade affocate,

Verdi, come fogliette pur mo nate,
Erano 'n veste, che da verdi penne
Percosse traén dietro e ventilate.'

286 shook] Sannaz de Partu Virg. i. 107.

'ingentes explicat alas

Ac tectis late insuetum diffundit odorem.

and Fairfax's Tasso, lib. i. st. 14. Newton. Told.