The Course of Time; A Poem, in Ten Books (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: I waited not, but swift on speediest wing, With unaccustomed thoughts conversing, back Retraced my venturous path from dark to light. Then up ascending, long ascending up, I hasted on; though whiles the chiming spheres, By God's own finger touched to harmony, Held me delaying, till I here arrived, Drawn upward by the eternal love of God, Of wonder full and strange astonishment, At what in yonder den of darkness dwells, Which now your higher knowledge will unfold. They answering said. To ask and to bestow Knowledge, is much of heaven's delight; and now Most joyfully what thou requirst we would; For much of new and unaccountable Thou bringst. Something indeed we heard before, In passing conversation slightly touched, Of such a place; yet, rather to be taught, Than teaching, answer, what thy marvel asks, We need; for we ourselves, though here, are but Of yesterday, creation's younger sous. But there is one, an ancient bard of Earth, Who, by the stream of life, sitting in bliss, Has oft beheld the eternal years complete The mighty circle round the throne of God; Great in all learning, in all wisdom great, And great in song; whose harp in lofty strain Tells frequently of what thy wonder craves, While round him, gathering, stand the youth of heaven, With truth and melody delighted both. To him this path directs, an easy path, And easy flight will bring us to his seat. So saying, they linked hand in hand, spread out Their golden wings, by living breezes fanned, And over heaven's broad champaign sailed serene. O'er hill and valley, clothed with verdure green, That never fades; and tree, and herb, and flower, That never fades; and many a river, rich With nectar, winding pleasantly, they passed; And mansion of celestial mould, and work Divine. And oft delicious music, sung By sain...