XXIV. But who, alas! shall teach my ruder breast Through all the world hast spread thy brightest shine, Kindle thy shepherd swain, with thy light flaming eyn. XXV. Sacred Thespio! which in Sinai's grove, First took'st thy being and immortal breath, With thy glad angel light my blind-fold footsteps guiding. And thou, dread Spirit! which at first didst spread On those dark waters thy all-opening light; Thou who of late (of thy great bounty led) This nest of hellish fogs, and Stygian night, And with unwonted day hast it endu'd ; Which late, both day, and thee, and most itself eschew'd. XXVII. Dread Spirit! do thou those sevʼral bands unfold; Both which thou sent'st, a needful supplement To this lost Isle, and which with courage bold, Hourly assail thy rightful regiment; And with strong hand oppress and keep them under. That Heav'n and Earth may sound, resound thy praise with wonder. XXVIII. The Island's prince, of frame celestial, Is rightly call'd th' all-seeing Intellect; Look, as the sun, whose ray and searching light, Soon back he flings the two bold vent'ring gleam, His strangest body is hot bodily, But matter without matter; never fill'd, And when he takes in most, readiest to take again. XXXI. Though travelling all places, changing none: Bid him soar up to Heav'n, and thence down throwing The centre search, and Dis' dark realm; he's gone, Returns, arrives, before thou saw'st him going: And while his weary kingdom safely sleeps All restless night he watch and warding keeps : Never his careful head on resting pillow sleeps. M XXXII. In ev'ry quarter of this blessed Isle Himself both present is, and president; With greedy lust and wrong, consumed art!) Doth share to each his due, and equal dole impart. He knows nor death, nor years, nor feeble age; Lies broke and wasted, open to his foes; And batter'd sconce now flat and even lies; Sooner than thought to that Great Judge he flies; Who weighs him just reward of good, or injuries. XXXIV. For he the judge's viceroy here is plac'd; Where thousand joys and pleasures ever new, And blessings thicker than the morning dew, With endless sweets rain down on that immortal crew. XXXV. There golden stars set in the crystal snow; There dainty joys laugh at white-headed caring; There day no night, delight no end shall know; Sweets without surfeit; fulness without sparing; And by its spending, growing happiness : There God himself in glory's lavishness Diffus'd in all, to all, is all full blessedness XXXVI. But if he here neglects his Master's law, And with those traitors 'gainst his Lord rebel, Pray'rs there are idle, death is woo'd in vain ; There's life that never lives, there's death that never dies. Hence while unsettled here he fighting reigns, Therefore while yet he lurks in earthly tent, For when away from this sad place he flies, XL. So curl'd-head Thetis, water's feared queen, Within the castle sit eight counsellors, That help him in this tent to govern well; Each in his room a sev'ral office bears : Three of his inmost private council deal In great affairs: five of less dignity Have outward courts, and in all actions pry, But still refer the doom to courts more fit and high. XLII. Those five fair brethren which I sung of late, For their just number called the Pentarchy; The other three, three pillars of the state: (The chiefest mansion of this glorious king) Which those five brethren's posts into his office bring. Of middle years, and seemly personage, Father of laws, the rule of wrong and right; *The common sense. 1 |