his arrows, from the four-fold visaged Four
distinct with eyes, and from the living wheels
distinct alike with multitude of eyes;
one spirit in them ruled, and every eye
glared lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire
among the accursed, that withered all their strength,
and of their wonted vigour left them drained,
exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fallen.
1244Yet half his strength he put not forth, but checked his thunder in mid volley; for he meant
not to destroy, but root them out of Heaven:
the overthrown he raised, and as a herd
of goats or timorous flock, together thronged,
drove them before him thunder-struck, pursued
with terrors and with furies, to the bounds
and crystal wall of Heaven; which, opening wide,
rolled inward, and a spacious gap disclosed
into the wasteful Deep. The monstrous sight
struck them with horror backward, but far worse
urged them behind: headlong themselves they threw
down from the verge of Heaven; eternal wrath
burnt after them to the bottomless pit.
Hell heard the unsufferable noise, Hell saw
Heaven running from Heaven, and would have fled
affrighted; but strict Fate had cast too deep
her dark foundations, and too fast had bound.
Nine days they fell: confounded Chaos roared,
and felt tenfold confusion in their fall
through his wild anarchy, so huge a rout
encumbered him with ruin: Hell at last
yawning received them whole, and on them closed;
Hell, their fit habitation, fraught with fire
unquenchable, the house of woe and pain.
TО sooner had the Almighty ceased, but all
the multitude of angels-with a shout
loud as from numbers without number, sweet
as from blest voices-uttering joy, Heaven rung
with jubilee, and loud Hosannas filled
the eternal regions. Lowly reverent
towards either throne they bow, and to the ground with solemn adoration down they cast
their crowns, inwove with amarant and gold;
immortal amarant, a flower which once
in Paradise fast by the Tree of Life
began to bloom; but soon, for Man's offence,
to heaven removed, where first it grew, there grows
and flowers aloft, shading the Fount of Life,
and where the River of Bliss through midst of heaven
rolls o'er Elysian flowers her amber stream:
with these that never fade the Spirits elect
bind their resplendent locks, inwreathed with beams.
Now in loose garlands thick thrown off the bright
pavement, that like a sea of jasper shone,
impurpled with celestial roses smiled.
Then, crowned again, their golden harps they took-
harps ever tuned that glittering by their side
like quivers hung-and with preamble sweet
of charming symphony they introduce
their sacred song, and waken raptures high;
no voice exempt, no voice but well could join
melodious part, such concord is in Heaven.
1246 THE SENSATIONS OF ADAM IMMEDIATELY AFTER
As new waked from soundest sleep,
soft on the flowery herb I found me laid,
straight toward heaven my wandering eyes I turned,
and gazed awhile the ample sky, till raised
by quick instinctive motion, up I sprung,
as thitherward endeavouring, and upright
stood on my feet. About me round I saw
hill dale and shady woods and sunny plains,
and liquid lapse of murmuring streams; by these,
creatures that lived and moved and walked or flew ;
birds on the branches warbling: all things smiled;
with fragrance and with joy my heart o'erflowed.
Myself I then perused, and limb by limb
surveyed, and sometimes went, and sometimes ran
with supple joints, as lively vigour led:
but who I was, or where, or from what cause,
knew not. To speak I tried and forthwith spake;
my tongue obeyed, and readily could name
whate'er I saw. 'Thou sun' said I 'fair light,
and thou enlightened earth, so fresh and gay,
ye hills and dales, ye rivers, woods and plains,
and ye that live and move, fair creatures, tell,
tell, if ye saw, how came I thus, how here:
not of myself; by some great Maker then,
in goodness and in power pre-eminent :
tell me, how may I know him, how adore,
from whom I have that thus I move and live,
and feel that I am happier than I know.'
So saying, a noble stroke he lifted high,
which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell
on the proud crest of Satan, that no sight
nor motion of swift thought, less could his shield
such ruin intercept. Ten paces huge
he back recoiled; the tenth on bended knee
his massy spear upstayed; as if on earth
winds underground, or waters forcing way,
sidelong had pushed a mountain from his seat,
half-sunk with all his pines. Amazement seized
the rebel Thrones, but greater rage, to see
thus foiled their mightiest; ours joy filled, and shout,
presage of victory, and fierce desire
of battle; whereat Michaël bid sound
the Archangel trumpet. Through the vast of Heaven
it sounded, and the faithful armies sung
Hosanna to the Highest: nor stood at gaze
the adverse legions, nor less hideous joined
the horrid shock. Now storming fury rose,
and clamour such as heard in Heaven till now
was never; arms on armour clashing brayed
horrible discord, and the madding wheels
of brazen chariots raged; dire was the noise
of conflict; overhead the dismal hiss
of fiery darts in flaming volleys flew,
and flying vaulted either host with fire.
So under fiery cope together rushed
both battles main, with ruinous assault
and inextinguishable rage: all Heaven
resounded, and had Earth been then, all Earth
had to her centre shook.
IS earth shall lead destruction; she shall endthe stars shall wonder why she comes no more on her accustomed orbit, and the sun
miss one of his eleven of light; the moon,
an orphan orb, shall seek for earth for aye,
through time's untrodden depths, and find her not;
no more shall morn, out of the holy east,
stream o'er the ambient air her level light,
nor evening, with her spectral fingers, draw
her star-sprent curtain round the head of earth;
her footsteps never thence again shall grace
the blue sublime of heaven. Her grave is dug:
I see the stars, night-clad, all gathering
in long and dark procession. Death's at work,
and, one by one, shall all yon wandering worlds,
whether in orbéd path they roll, or trail,
in an inestimable length of light,
their golden train of tresses after them,
cease; and the Sun, centre and sire of light,
the keystone of the world-built arch of Heaven,
be left in burning solitude. The stars,
which stand as thick as dewdrops on the fields
of heaven, and all they comprehend, shall pass:
the spirits of all worlds shall all depart
to their great destinies; and thou and I,
greater in grief than worlds, shall live as now.
P. J. BAILEY
THE POWER OF MUSIC
OY Music, minds an equal temper know,
if in the breast tumultuous joys arise,
Music her soft, assuasive voice applies;
or, when the soul is pressed with cares,
exalts her in enlivening airs.
Warriors she fires with animated sounds:
pours balm into the bleeding lover's wounds:
Melancholy lifts her head,
Morpheus rouses from his bed;
sloth unfolds her arms and wakes,
listening Envy drops her snakes;
intestine war no more our passions wage,
and giddy factions hear away their rage.
But when our country's cause provokes to arms,
how martial music every bosom warms!
so when the first bold vessel dared the seas,
high on the stern the Thracian raised his strain,
while Argo saw her kindred trees
descend from Pelion to the main:
transported demigods stood round,
and men grew heroes with the sound,
inflamed with glory's charms;
each chief his seven-fold shield displayed,
and half unsheathed the shining blade:
and seas and rocks and skies rebound
to arms! to arms! to arms!
1250 GYON FINDES MAMON IN A DELVe sunning
last he came unto a gloomy glade
covered with boughes and shrubs from heavens light,
whereas he sitting found in secret shade
an uncouth, salvage and uncivile wight,
of griesly hew and fowle ill favoured sight;
his face with smoke was tand, and eies were bleard, his head and beard with sout were ill bedight,
his cole-blacke hands did seeme to have been seard in smythes fire-spitting forge, and nayles like clawes appeard.
His yron cote, all overgrowne with rust,
was underneath enveloped with gold;
whose glistring glosse, darkned with filthy dust,
well yet appeared to have beene of old
a worke of rich entayle and curious mould,
woven with antickes and wyld ymagery;
and in his lap a masse of coyne he told,
and turned upside downe, to feede his eye
and covetous desire with his huge threasury.
And round about him lay on every side
great heapes of gold that never could be spent ;
of which some were rude owre, not purifide
of Mulcibers devouring element;
some others were new driven, and distent
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