Full little thought they then,

That the mighty Pan

Was kindly come to live with them below; Perhaps their loves, or else their sheep,

Was all that did their filly thoughts fo bufy keep.

When fuch mufic sweet

IX.

Their hearts and ears did greet,

As never was by mortal finger ftrook,

95

Divinely-warbled voice

Answering the ftringed noise,

As all their fouls in blissful rapture took:

The air fuch pleasure loath to lofe,

99

With thousand echo's ftill prolongs each heav'nly

clofe.

X.

Nature that heard such found,

Beneath the hollow round

Of Cynthia's feat, the aery region thrilling,

Now was almost won

103. the aery region thril ling,] Piercing the air. So in Spenfer, Faery Queen B. 1. Cant. 3. St. 42.

Το

With thrilling point of deadly

iron brand: and Cant. 6. St. 6. thrilling shrieks; and in other places.

116. With

To think her part was done,

And that her reign had here its laft fulfilling; She knew such harmony alone

105

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

XI.

At last surrounds their fight

A globe of circular light,

110

That with long beams the shame-fac'd night array'd;

The helmed Cherubim,

And fworded Seraphim,

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

115

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

Such mufic (as 'tis faid)

Before was never made,

XII.

But when of old the fons of morning sung,

While the Creator great

His conftellations fet,

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

120

And

116. With unexpreffive notes] Job XXXVIII. 7. When the morn

See Lycidas ver. 176.

ing ftars fang together, and all the

131. And

119. But when of old the fons of fons of God shouted for joy. morning fung, As we read in

C 4

And caft the dark foundations deep,

And bid the weltring waves their oozy channel keep. ST

(If ye

And let

have pow'r to touch our fenfes fo) ni F

your

filver chime

Move in melodious time,

A

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.

For if fuch holy fong

Inwrap our fancy long,

XIV,

Time will run back, and fetch the age of gold, 135

And speckled Vanity

Will ficken foon and die,

And leprous Sin will melt from earthly mold, friti

And Hell itself will pass away,

11397*

And leave her dolorous manfions to the peering day.

With radiant feet the tiffued clouds down steering, And Heav'n, as at some festival,

Will open wide the gates of her high palace hall,

But wifeft Fate fays no,

XVI.

This must not yet be so,

150

The babe lies yet in fmiling infancy, That on the bitter crofs

XVII.

With fuch a horrid clang

As on mount Sinai rang,

While the red fire, and fmouldring clouds out brake:

The aged earth aghast,

With terror of that blaft,..

Shall from the furface to the center fhake;

When at the world's laft feffion,

160

The dreadful Judge in middle air fhall fpread his

throne.

XVIII.

And then at last our blifs

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. Swindges 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