80 PARADISE LOST. Boox fli Through the pure marble air his oblique way Amongfl innumerable Stars, that (hone 565 Stars diftant, but nigh hand feem'd other worlds : Or other worlds they feem'd, or happy Liles, Like thole Hefperian gardens farn'd of old, Fortunate fields and groves, and flow'ry vales ; Thrice happy ifles! But who dwelt happy there 57o He fiay'd not to inquire. Above them all The golden fun, in fplendor likeft heav'n, Allur'd his eye : thither his courfe he bends Through the calm firmament : but up or down, By centre or eccentric, hard to tell, 575 Or ltengitude where the great luminary Aloof the vulgar conftellations thick, That from his lordly eye keep diflance due, Difpenfes light from far ; they as they move Their (tarry dance in numbers that compute 58o Days, months and years, tow'rds his all-chearing lamp Turn fwift their various motions, or are turn'd By his magnetic beam, that gently warms The univerfe, and to each inward part With gentle penetration, though unreel), 58S Shoots invifible virtue even to the deep ; So wondroufly was fet his flation bright. There lands the fiend, a fpot like which perhaps Aftronomer in the fun's lucent orb Through his glaz'd Optic Tube yet never law. 590 The place he found beyond expreffion bright, Compared with ought on earth, metal or (Tone: Not all parts like, but all alike inform'd With radiant light, as glowing iron with fire ; If metal, part teem'd gold, part flyer clear : 595 If (lone, carbuncle molt or chryfolite, Ruby or topaz, or the twelve that fhone In Aaron's breatl-plate; and a ;tone befides (Imagin'd
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