fib PARADISE LOST. BOOK III. Fly o'er the backfide of the world far off, into a Limbo large and broad, fince call'd 495 The Paradife of Fools, to few unknown Long after : now unpeopl'd, and untrod. All this dark globe the fiend found as he pafs'd, And long he wander'd, till at laft a gleam Of dawning light turn'd thither-ward in balk soo His travel'd fleps ; far diflant he defcries Afcending by degrees magnificent Up to the wall of heav'n a firuaure high ; At top whereof, but far more rich, appear'd The work as of a Kingly palace-gate, 505 With frontifpiece of diamond and gold itnbeliiIh'd ; thick with fparkling orient gems The portal Ihone, inimitable on earth By model, or by fhacling pencil drawn. The flairs were fuch as whereon Jacob faw 510 Angels accending and defcending, bands Of guardians bright, when he from Efau fled To Padan -aram in the field of Luz, Dreaming by night under the open fky, And waking cry'd, " This is the gate of heav'n," 515 Each flair myflerioufly was meant, nor flood There always, but drawn up to heav'n fometimes Viewlefs, and underneath a bright fea How'd Of jafper, or of liquid pearl, whereon Who after came from earth, fayling arriv'd, 520 Wafted by Angels, or flew o'er the lake Rap'd in a chariot drawn by fiery fleeds. The flairs were then let down, whether to dare The fiend by eafie accent, or aggravate His fad exclufion from the doors of blifs : 525 Dire.( sgainii which open'd from beneath, kilt o'er the blifsful feat of Paradife, A paflage down to th' earth, a patTage wide, (Wider
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=