136
��PARADISE LOST
��Drained through a limbec to his native
form. What wonder then if fields and regions
here
Breathe forth elixir pure, and rivers run Potable gold, when, with one virtuous
touch,
The arch-chimic Sun, so far from us re- mote, 609 Produces, with terrestrial humour mixed, Here in the dark so many precious things Of colour glorious and effect so rare ? Here matter new to gaze the Devil met Undazzled. Far and wide his eye com- mands;
For sight no obstacle found here, nor shade, But all sunshine, as when his beams at noon Culminate from the equator, as they now Shot upward still direct, whence no way
round Shadow from body opaque can fall; and
the air,
Nowhere so clear, sharpened his visual ray 620
To objects distant far, whereby he soon Saw within ken a glorious Angel stand, The same whom John saw also in the Sun. His back was turned, but not his brightness
hid;
Of beaming sunny rays a golden tiar Circled his head, nor less his locks behind Illustrious on his shoulders fledge with
wings Lay waving round: on some great charge
imployed
He seemed, or fixed in cogitation deep. Glad was the Spirit impure, as now in hope 630
To find who might direct his wandering
flight
To Paradise, the happy seat of Man, His journey's end, and our beginning woe. But first he casts to change his proper
shape,
Which else might work him danger or de- lay:
And now a stripling Cherub he appears, Not of the prime, yet such as in his face Youth smiled celestial, and to every limb Suitable grace diffused; so well he feigned. Under a coronet his flowing hair 640
In curls on either cheek played; wings he
wore
Of many a coloured plume sprinkled with gold;
��His habit fit for speed succinct; and held
Before his decent steps a silver wand.
He drew not nigh unheard; the Angel
bright,
Ere he drew nigh, his radiant visage turned, Admonished by his ear, and straight was
known
The Archangel Uriel one of the seven Who in God's presence, nearest to his
throne,
Stand ready at command, and are his
eyes 650
That run through all the Heavens, or down
to the Earth
Bear his swift errands over moist and dry, O'er sea and land. Him Satan thus ac- costs: " Uriel ! for thou of those seven Spirits
that stand In sight of God's high throne, gloriously
bright,
The first art wont his great authentic will Interpreter through highest Heaven to
bring.
Where all his Sons thy embassy attend, And here art likeliest by supreme decree Like honour to obtain, and as his eye 660 To visit oft this new Creation round Unspeakable desire to see and know All these his wondrous works, but chiefly
Man,
His chief delight and favour, him for whom All these his works so wondrous he or- dained,
Hath brought me from the quires of Cher- ubim Alone thus wandering. Brightest Seraph,
tell In which of all these shining orbs hath
Man
His fixed seat or fixed seat hath none, But all these shining orbs his choice to dwell 6 7
That I may find him, and with secret gaze Or open admiration him behold On whom the great Creator hath bestowed Worlds, and on whom hath all these graces
poured ;
That both in him and all things, as is meet, The Universal Maker we may praise; Who justly hath driven out his rebel foes To deepest Hell, and, to repair that loss, Created this new happy race of Men To serve him better. Wise are all his ways ! " 680
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