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Betwixt these rockie Pillars Gabriel sat
Chief of th Angelic Guards, awaiting night; [ 550 ]
About him exercisd Heroic Games
Th unarmed Youth of Heavn, but nigh at hand
Celestial Armourie, Shields, Helmes, and Speares
Hung high with Diamond flaming, and with Gold.
Thither came Uriel, gliding through the Eeven [ 555 ]
On a Sun beam, swift as a shooting Starr
In Autumn thwarts the night, when vapors fird
Impress the Air, and shews the Mariner
From what point of his Compass to beware
Impetuous winds: he thus began in haste. [ 560 ]
Gabriel, to thee thy course by Lot hath givn
Charge and strict watch that to this happie place
No evil thing approach or enter in;
This day at highth of Noon came to my Spheare
A Spirit, zealous, as he seemd, to know [ 565 ]
More of th Almighties works, and chiefly Man
Gods latest Image: I describd his way
Bent all on speed, and markt his Aerie Gate;
But in the Mount that lies from Eden North,
Where he first lighted, soon discernd his looks [ 570 ]
Alien from Heavn, with passions foul obscurd:
Mine eye pursud him still, but under shade
Lost sight of him; one of the banisht crew
I fear, hath venturd from the Deep, to raise
New troubles; him thy care must be to find. [ 575 ]
To whom the winged Warriour thus returnd:
Uriel, no wonder if thy perfet sight,
Amid the Suns bright circle where thou sitst,
See farr and wide: in at this Gate none pass
The vigilance here plact, but such as come [ 580 ]
Well known from Heavn; and since Meridian hour
No Creature thence: if Spirit of other sort,
So minded, have oreleapt these earthie bounds
On purpose, hard thou knowst it to exclude
Spiritual substance with corporeal barr. [ 585 ]
But if within the circuit of these walks,
In whatsoever shape he lurk, of whom
Thou tellst, by morrow dawning I shall know.
So promisd hee, and Uriel to his charge
Returnd on that bright beam, whose point now raisd [ 590 ]
Bore him slope downward to the Sun now falln
Beneath th Azores; whither the prime Orb,
Incredible how swift, had thither rowld
Diurnal, or this less volubil Earth
By shorter flight to th East, had left him there [ 595 ]
Arraying with reflected Purple and Gold
The Clouds that on his Western Throne attend:
Now came still Eevning on, and Twilight gray
Had in her sober Liverie all things clad;
Silence accompanied, for Beast and Bird, [ 600 ]
They to thir grassie Couch, these to thir Nests
Were slunk, all but the wakeful Nightingale;
She all night long her amorous descant sung;
Silence was pleasd: now glowd the Firmament
With living Saphirs: Hesperus that led [ 605 ]
The starrie Host, rode brightest, till the Moon
Rising in clouded Majestie, at length
Apparent Queen unvaild her peerless light,
And ore the dark her Silver Mantle threw.
When Adam thus to Eve: Fair Consort, th hour [ 610 ]
Of night, and all things now retird to rest
Mind us of like repose, since God hath set
Labour and rest, as day and night to men
Successive, and the timely dew of sleep
Now falling with soft slumbrous weight inclines [ 615 ]
Our eye-lids; other Creatures all day long
Rove idle unimploid, and less need rest;
Man hath his daily work of body or mind
Appointed, which declares his Dignitie,
And the regard of Heavn on all his waies; [ 620 ]
While other Animals unactive range,
And of thir doings God takes no account.