And of thir doings God takes no account.

Were slunk, all but the wakeful Nightingale;

The starrie Host, rode brightest, till the Moon

Had in her sober Liverie all things clad;

Th unarmed Youth of Heavn, but nigh at hand

Betwixt these rockie Pillars Gabriel sat

Now falling with soft slumbrous weight inclines [ 615 ]

Celestial Armourie, Shields, Helmes, and Speares

Returnd on that bright beam, whose point now raisd [ 590 ]

Silence accompanied, for Beast and Bird, [ 600 ]

And ore the dark her Silver Mantle threw.

But in the Mount that lies from Ed九_九_藏_书_网en North,

I fear, hath venturd from the Deep, to raise

While other Animals unactive range,

To whom the winged Warriour thus returnd:

Impress the Air, and shews the Mariner

Now came still Eevning on, and Twilight gray

Mine eye pursud him still, but under shade

A Spirit, zealous, as he seemd, to know [ 565 ]

Chief of th Angelic Guards, awaiting night; [ 550 ]

Lost sight of him; one of the banisht crew

So promisd hee, and Uriel to his charge

She all night long her amorous descant sung;

And the regard of Heavn on all his waies; [ 62099lib•net ]

About him exercisd Heroic Games

Appointed, which declares his Dignitie,

Well known from Heavn; and since Meridian hour

Charge and strict watch that to this happie place

This day at highth of Noon came to my Spheare

Rising in clouded Majestie, at length

Impetuous winds: he thus began in haste. [ 560 ]

Gods latest Image: I describd his way

Uriel, no wonder if thy perfet sight,

In whatsoever shape he lurk, of whom

More of th Almighties works, and chiefly Man

On a Sun beam, swift as a shooting Starr

Incredible how swift, had thither ro藏书网wld

By shorter flight to th East, had left him there [ 595 ]

No evil thing approach or enter in;

But if within the circuit of these walks,

Amid the Suns bright circle where thou sitst,

Mind us of like repose, since God hath set

Rove idle unimploid, and less need rest;

From what point of his Compass to beware

When Adam thus to Eve: Fair Consort, th hour [ 610 ]

Arraying with reflected Purple and Gold

Labour and rest, as day and night to men

Beneath th Azores; whither the prime Orb,

Our eye-lids; other Creatures all day long

The vigilance here plact, 九九藏书网but such as come [ 580 ]

On purpose, hard thou knowst it to exclude

Where he first lighted, soon discernd his looks [ 570 ]

Of night, and all things now retird to rest

They to thir grassie Couch, these to thir Nests

In Autumn thwarts the night, when vapors fird

Spiritual substance with corporeal barr. [ 585 ]

The Clouds that on his Western Throne attend:

Alien from Heavn, with passions foul obscurd:

Man hath his daily work of body or mind

With living Saphirs: Hesperus that led [ 605 ]

Bent all on speed, and markt his Aerie Gate;

Apparent Queen unvaild

九九藏书

her peerless light,

Thither came Uriel, gliding through the Eeven [ 555 ]

Bore him slope downward to the Sun now falln

No Creature thence: if Spirit of other sort,

Thou tellst, by morrow dawning I shall know.

Silence was pleasd: now glowd the Firmament

Successive, and the timely dew of sleep

Gabriel, to thee thy course by Lot hath givn

Hung high with Diamond flaming, and with Gold.

Diurnal, or this less volubil Earth

So minded, have oreleapt these earthie bounds

See farr and wide: in at this Gate none pass

New troubles; him thy care must be to find. [ 575 ]