第7章 6

Then staid the fervid Wheeles, and in his hand He took the golden Compasses, prepard [ 225 ] In Gods Eternal store, to circumscribe This Universe, and all created things: One foot he centerd, and the other turnd Round through the vast profunditie obscure, And said, thus farr extend, thus farr thy bounds, [ 230 ]

This be thy just Circumference, O World. Thus God the Heavn created, thus the Earth, Matter unformd and void: Darkness profound Coverd th Abyss: but on the watrie calme His brooding wings the Spirit of God outspred, [ 235 ] And vital vertue infusd, and vital warmth Throughout the fluid Mass, but downward purgd

The black tartareous cold Infernal dregs Adverse to life: then founded, then conglobd Like things to like, the rest to several place [ 240 ] Disparted, and between spun out the Air, And Earth self ballanct on her Center hung. Let ther be Light, said God, and forthwith Light Ethereal, first of things, quintessence pure

Sprung from the Deep, and from her Native East [ 245 ] To journie through the airie gloom began, Spheard in a radiant Cloud, for yet the Sun Was not; shee in a cloudie Tabernacle Sojournd the while. God saw the Light was good; And light from darkness by the Hemisphere [ 250 ] Divided: Light the Day, and Darkness Night

He namd. Thus was the first Day Eevn and Morn: Nor past uncelebrated, nor unsung By the Celestial Quires, when Orient Light Exhaling first from Darkness they beheld; [ 255 ] Birth-day of Heavn and Earth; with joy and shout The hollow Universal Orb they filld, And touchd thir Golden Harps, and hymning praisd

God and his works, Creatour him they sung, Both when first Eevning was, and when first Morn. [ 260 ] Again, God said, let ther be Firmament Amid the Waters, and let it divide The Waters from the Waters: and God made The Firmament, expanse of liquid, pure, Transparent, Elemental Air, diffusd [ 265 ]

In circuit to the uttermost convex Of this great Round: partition firm and sure, The Waters underneath from those above Dividing: for as Earth, so he the World Built on circumfluous Waters calme, in wide [ 270 ] Crystallin Ocean, and the loud misrule Of Chaos farr removd, least fierce extreames

Contiguous might distemper the whole frame: And Heavn he namd the Firmament: So Eevn And Morning Chorus sung the second Day. [ 275 ] The Earth was formd, but in the Womb as yet Of Waters, Embryon immature involvd, Appeerd not: over all the face of Earth Main Ocean flowd, not idle, but with warme

Prolific humour softning all her Globe, [ 280 ] Fermented the great Mother to conceave, Satiate with genial moisture, when God said Be gatherd now ye Waters under Heavn Into one place, and let dry Land appeer.