Round he surveys, and well might, where he stood [ 555 ]
So high above the cirg opie
Of Nights extended shade; from Eastern Point
Of Libra to the fleecie Starr that bears
Andromeda farr off Atlantic Seas
Beyond th Horizon; then from Pole to Pole [ 560 ]
He views ih, and without longer pause
Dht into the Worlds first Region throws
His flight precipitant, and windes with ease
Through the pure marble Air his oblique way
Amongst innumerable Starrs, that shon [ 565 ]
Stars distant, but nigh hand seemd other Worlds,
Or other Worlds they seemd, or happy Iles,
Like those Hesperian Gardens famd of old,
Fortunate Fields, and Groves and flourie Vales,
Thrice happy Iles, but who dwelt happy there [ 570 ]
He stayd not to enquire: above them all
The golden Sun in splendor likest Heaven
Allurd his eye: Thither his course he bends
Through the calm Firmament; but up or downe
By ter, or etric, hard to tell, [ 575 ]
Or Longitude, where the great Luminarie
Alooff the vulgar stellations thick,
That from his Lordly eye keep distance due,
Dispenses Light from farr; they as they move
Thir Starry dan hat pute [ 580 ]
Days, months, & years, towards his all-chearing Lamp
Turn swift thir various motions, or are turnd
By his Magic beam, that gently warms
The Univers, and to eaart
With gentle peion, though unseen, [ 585 ]
Shoots invisible vertue even to the deep:
So wondrously was set his Statiht.
There lands the Fiend, a spot like which perhaps
Astronomer in the Suns lut Orbe
Through his glazd Optic Tube yet never saw. [ 590 ]
The place he found beyond expressiht,
pard with aught oh, Medal or Stone;
Not all parts like, but all alike informd
With radiant light, as glowing Iron with fire;
If mettal, part seemd Gold, part Silver cleer; [ 595 ]
If stone, Carbuncle most or Chrysolite,
Rubie or Topaz, to the Twelve that shon
In Aarons Brest-plate, and a stone besides
Imagind rather oft then elsewhere seen,
That stone, or like to that which here below [ 600 ]
Philosophers in vain so long have sought,
In vain, though by thir powerful Art they binde
Volatil Hermes, and call up unbound
In various shapes old Proteus from the Sea,
Draind through a Limbec to his Native forme. [ 605 ]