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PARADISE
LOST.
BOOK III.
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ail, holy light, ofspring of Heav’n firſtborn, Or of th' Eternal Coeternal beam
May I expreſs thee unblam’d? ſince God is light,
And never but in unapproached light
Dwelt from Eternitie, dwelt then in thee,
Bright effluence of bright eſſence increate.
Or hear'ſt thou rather pure Ethereal ſtream,
Whose Fountain who ſhall tell? before the Sun,
Before the Heavens thou wert, and at the voice
Of God, as with a Mantle didſt inveſt 10
The riſing world of waters dark and deep,
Won from the void and formleſs infinite.
Thee I re-viſit now with bolder wing,
Eſcap’t the Stygian Pool, though long detain’d
In that obſcure ſojourn, while in my flight
Through utter and through middle darkneſs borne
With
