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.