And God created the great Whales, and each

Soul living, each that crept, which plenteously

The waters generated by thir kindes,

And every Bird of wing after his kinde;

And saw that it was good, and blessd them, saying, [ 395 ]

Be fruitful, multiply, and in the Seas

And Lakes and running Streams the waters fill;

And let the Fowle be multiplyd on the Earth.

Forthwith the Sounds and Seas, each Creek and Bay

With Frie innumerable swarme, and Shoales [ 400 ]

Of Fish that with thir Finns and shining Scales

Glide under the green Wave, in Sculles that oft

Bank the mid Sea: part single or with mate

Graze the Sea weed thir pasture, and through Groves

Of Coral stray, or sporting with quick glance [ 405 ]

Show to the Sun thir wavd coats dropt with Gold,

Or in thir Pearlie shells at ease, attend

Moist nutriment, or under Rocks thir food

In jointed Armour watch: on smooth the Seale,

And bended Dolphins play: part huge of bulk [ 410 ]

Wallowing unweildie, enormous in thir Gate

Tempest the Ocean: there Leviathan

Hugest of living Creatures, on the Deep

Stretcht like a Promontorie sleeps or swimmes,

And seems a moving Land, and at his Gilles [ 415 ]

Draws in, and at his Trunck spouts out a Sea.

Mean while the tepid Caves, and Fens and shoares

Thir Brood as numerous hatch, from the Egg that soon

Bursting with kindly rupture forth disclosd

Thir callow young, but featherd soon and fledge [ 420 ]

They summd thir Penns, and soaring th air sublime

With clang despisd the ground, under a cloud

In prospect; there the Eagle and the Stork

On Cliffs and Cedar tops thir Eyries build:

Part loosly wing the Region, part more wise [ 425 ]

In common, rangd in figure wedge thir way,

Intelligent of seasons, and set forth

Thir Aierie Caravan high over Seas

Flying, and over Lands with mutual wing

Easing thir flight; so stears the prudent Crane [ 430 ]

Her annual Voiage, born on Windes; the Aire,

Floats, as they pass, fannd with unnumberd plumes:

From Branch to Branch the smaller Birds with song

Solacd the Woods, and spred thir painted wings

Till Evn, nor then the solemn Nightingal [ 435 ]

Ceasd warbling, but all night tund her soft layes:

Others on Silver Lakes and Rivers Bathd

Thir downie Brest; the Swan with Arched neck

Between her white wings mantling proudly, Rowes

Her state with Oarie feet: yet oft they quit [ 440 ]

The Dank, and rising on stiff Pennons, towre

The mid Aereal Skie: Others on ground

Walkd firm; the crested Cock whose clarion sounds

The silent hours, and th other whose gay Traine

Adorns him, colourd with the Florid hue [ 445 ]

Of Rainbows and Starrie Eyes. The Waters thus

With Fish replenisht, and the Aire, with Fowle,

Evning and Morn solemnizd the Fift day.