Ascending by degrees magnificent

Of Heavns ascent they lift thir Feet, when loe

Built thir fond hopes of Glorie or lasting fame,

Fit retribution, emptie as thir deeds;

The sport of Winds: all these upwhirld aloft

Translated Saints, or middle Spirits hold

And now Saint Peter at Heavns Wicket seems

Embryos and Idiots, Eremits and Friers

The work as of a Kingly Palace Gate [ 505 ]

Up hither like Aereal vapours flew [ 445 ]

Into a Limbo large and broad, since calld [ 495 ]

Fly ore the backside of the World farr off

With Sails and Wind thir canie Waggons light:

Into the devihttp://www•99lｉｂ•ｎｅtous Air; then might ye see

Of painful Superstition and blind Zeal,

All th unaccomplisht works of Natures hand, [ 455 ]

Of Ganges or Hydaspes, Indian streams;

Living or liveless to be found was none,

Of dawning light turnd thither-ward in haste [ 500 ]

Dislodging from a Region scarce of prey

Of all things transitorie and vain, when Sin

Long after, now unpeopld, and untrod;

The Portal shon, inimitable on Earth

The Trepidation talkt, and that first movd;

Indulgences, Dispenses, Pardons, Bulls,

And flutterd into Raggs, then Reliques, Beads,

First from hｔｔp://wwｗ•9９lｉb•ｎetthe ancient World those Giants came

Blows them transverse ten thousand Leagues awry

They pass the Planets seven, and pass the fixt,

Imbellisht, thick with sparkling orient Gemmes

Cowles, Hoods and Habits with thir wearers tost [ 490 ]

Up to the wall of Heaven a Structure high,

And long he wanderd, till at last a gleame

The Paradise of Fools, to few unknown

But in his way lights on the barren Plaines

All who have thir reward on Earth, the fruits

White, Black and Grey, with all thir trumperie. [ 475 ]

And that Crystalline Sphear whose ballance weighs

Others came s九*九*藏*书*网ingle; he who to be deemd

None yet, but store hereafter from the earth

Betwixt th Angelical and Human kinde:

Whose snowie ridge the roving Tartar bounds,

By Model, or by shading Pencil drawn.

His travelld steps; farr distant he descries

Platos Elysium, leapd into the Sea,

Walkd up and down alone bent on his prey,

Empedocles, and hee who to enjoy

So on this windie Sea of Land, the Fiend [ 440 ]

And they who to be sure of Paradise

In Golgotha him dead, who lives in Heavn;

Cleombrotus, and many more too long,

The builders next of Babel on the Plain

Of Sennaar, and still with99lib.net vain designe

Hither of ill-joynd Sons and Daughters born

Abortive, monstrous, or unkindly mixt,

As when a Vultur on Imaus bred,

A violent cross wind from either Coast

With Frontispice of Diamond and Gold

To gorge the flesh of Lambs or yeanling Kids

Dissolvd on earth, fleet hither, and in vain,

Both all things vain, and all who in vain things

Naught seeking but the praise of men, here find

On Hills where Flocks are fed, flies toward the Springs [ 435 ]

Or in Franciscan think to pass disguisd; [ 480 ]

Not in the neighbouring Moon, as some have dreamd;

With vanity had filld the work九-九-藏-书-网s of men:

A God, leapd fondly into Ætna flames [ 470 ]

Dying put on the weeds of Dominic,

Alone, for other Creature in this place

All this dark Globe the Fiend found as he passd,

Here Pilgrims roam, that strayd so farr to seek

New Babels, had they wherewithall, would build:

Of Sericana, where Chineses drive

With many a vain exploit, though then renownd: [ 465 ]

Till final dissolution, wander here,

To wait them with his Keys, and now at foot [ 485 ]

Or happiness in this or th other life; [ 450 ]

At top whereof, but farr more rich appeerd

Those argent Fields more likely habitants, [ 460 ]