And all this Vegetable World appeared on my left Foot
As a bright sandal form'd immortal of precious stones & gold:
I stooped down & bound it on to walk forward thro' Eternity.
15There is in Eden a sweet River of milk & liquid pearl
Nam'd Ololon: on whose mild banks dwelt those who Milton drove
Down into Ulro: and they wept in long resounding songs
For seven days of eternity, and the river's living banks,
The mountains wail'd! & every plant that grew, in solemn sighs lamented.
20When Luvah's bulls each morning drag the sulphur Sun out of the Deep
Harness'd with starry harness, black & shining, kept by black slaves
That work all night at the starry harness: Strong and vigorous
They drag the unwilling Orb: at this time all the Family
Of Eden heard the lamentation and Providence began.
25But when the clarions of day sounded they drown'd the lamentation,
And when night came all was silent in Ololon; & all refused to lament
In the still night fearing lest they should others molest.
Seven mornings Los heard them, as the poor bird within the shell
Hears its impatient parent bird; and Enitharmon heard them:
30But saw them not, for the blue Mundane Shell inclos'd them in.
And they lamented that they had in wrath & fury & fire
Driven Milton into the Ulro; for now they knew too late
That it was Milton the Awakener: they had not heard the Bard,
Whose Song call'd Milton to the attempt; and Los heard these laments.
35He heard them call in prayer all the Divine Family;
And he beheld the Cloud of Milton stretching over Europe.
But all the Family Divine collected as Four Suns
In the Four Points of heaven, East, West & North & South,
Enlarging and enlarging till their Disks approach'd each other:
40And when they touch'd closed together Southward in One Sun
Over Ololon: and as One Man, who weeps over his brother
In a dark tomb, so all the Family Divine wept over Ololon.
Saying: Milton goes to Eternal Death! so saying they groan'd in spirit
And were troubled! and again the Divine Family groan'd in spirit!
45And Ololon said: Let us descend also, and let us give
Ourselves to death in Ulro among the Transgressors.
Is Virtue a Punisher? O no! how is this wondrous thing?
This World beneath, unseen before; this refuge from the wars
17
