To think her part was done,

20 105 And that her reign had here its laft fulfilling; T She knew fuch harmony alone

Could hold all Heav'n and Earth in happier union. XI.

At last surrounds their fight

A globe of circular light,

That with long beams the fhame-fae'd night array'd;

The helmed Cherubim,

And fworded Seraphim,

.

1

A

Are feen in glittering ranks with wings display'd, a Harping in loud and folemn quire,

2115 With unexpreffive notes to Heav'n's new-born Heir

XII.

Such mufic (as 'tis faid)

Before was never made,

But when of old the fons of morning fung,

While the Creator great

His conftellations fet,

And the well-balanc'd world on hinges hung,

116. With unexpreffive notes] See Lycidas ver. 176.

119. But when of old the fons of morning fung, As we read in

120

And

And caft the dark foundations deep,

And bid the weltring waves their oozy channel keep. XIII, o utat aweb ?

Ring out ye cryftal Spheres,

wodna s má drū25 Once bless our human ears, bod 18 low preM have pow'r to touch our fenfes fo) b'zou!T And let your filver chimera sacabin dive Move in melodious time,

(If ye

And let the base of Heav'n's deep organ blow, 130

And with your ninefold harmony

Make up full confort to th' angelic fymphony.

And leprous Sin will melt from earthly mold, Y

And Hell itself will pass away,

W

139

And leave her dolorous manfions to the peering day.

131. And with your ninefold bar mony] There being nine infolded fpheres, as in Arçades ver. 64.

where fee the note.

Yea

143. Orb'd in a rainbow; and like glories wearing *

3651Mercy

2 XV.cmuch dich ade fils bпA

Yea Truth and Juftice then. wintow a bad brA

Will down return to men,

Orb'd in a rainbow; and like glories wearing

Mercy will fit between,

Thron'd in celeftial fheen,

A

With radiant feet the tiffued clouds down steering, And Heav'n, as at fome festival, kolumn si svolí Will open wide the gates of her high palace half A

The babe lies yet in smiling infancy,2 wo grewal

So both himself and us to glorify: 2 rowà ![W Yet first to those ychain'd in fleep,2

14455

XVII.

With fuch a horrid clang

As on mount Sinai rang,

While the red fire, and fmouldring clouds out brake:

The aged earth aghaft,

With terror of that blast,

Shall from the furface to the center fhake;

When at the world's laft feffion,

160

The dreadful Judge in middle air fhall spread his

throne.

XVIII.

And then at last our bliss

Full and perfect is,

But now begins; for from this happy day

Th' old Dragon under ground

In ftraiter limits bound,

165

Not

A mafs of folid fier burning bright

Roll'd up in mouldring fumes there burfteth out:

and XIII. 61.

And in each vein a mouldring fire there dwelt.

172. Svindges the fealy horror of

his folded tail.] Thefe images are plainly copied from Spenfer's defcription of the old dragon: and no wonder Milton was fond of it

Not half so far cafts his ufurped fway,

And wroth to fee his kingdom fail,

Swindges the fcaly horror of his folded tail.

XIX.

Runs through the arched roof in words deceiving. Apollo from his fhrine

With hollow fhriek the fteep of Delphos leaving.

No nightly trance, or breathed fpell

Infpires the pale-ey'd priest from the prophetic cell.