P. 30 How wide the Gulf & Unpassable! between Simplicity & Insipidity.
MILTON
Contraries are Positives:
A Negation is not a Contrary.
BOOK THE SECOND
THERE is a place where Contraries are equally True:
This place is called Beulah. It is a pleasure lovely Shadow
Where no dispute can come, Because of those who Sleep.
Into this place the Sons & Daughters of Ololon descended
5With solemn mourning, into Beulah's moony shades & hills
Weeping for Milton: mute wonder held the Daughters of Beulah,
Enraptur'd with affection sweet and mild benevolence.
Beulah is evermore created around Eternity; appearing
To the Inhabitants of Eden around them on all sides.
10But Beulah to its Inhabitants appears within each district,
As the beloved infant in his mother's bosom round incircled
With arms of love & pity & sweet compassion. But to
The Sons of Eden the moony habitations of Beulah
Are from Great Eternity a mild & pleasant Rest.
15And it is thus Created. Lo, the Eternal Great Humanity
To whom be Glory & Dominion Evermore, Amen,
Walks among all his awful Family seen in every face:
As the breath of the Almighty such are the words of man to man
In the great Wars of Eternity, in fury of Poetic Inspiration,
20To build the Universe stupendous: Mental forms Creating.
But the Emanations trembled exceedingly, nor could they
Live, because the Life of Man was too exceeding unbounded.
His joy became terrible to them, they trembled & wept,
Crying with one voice: Give us a habitation & a place
25In which we may be hidden under the shadow of wings:
For if we, who are but for a time & who pass away in winter,
Behold these wonders of Eternity we shall consume:
But you, O our Fathers & Brothers, remain in Eternity
But grant us a Temporal Habitation, do you speak
30To us; we will obey your words as you obey Jesus
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