The majestical Invocation opens the Seventh Book of the _Paradise Lost_; and the Seventh Book of the _Paradise Lost_ is occupied from beginning to end in amplifying, with wonderful plenitude, exactness, beauty, and magnificence of description, the First Chapter in the Book of Genesis. In other words the Seventh Book of _Paradise Lost_ describes the Week of Creation—the six days of God’s working, and the seventh of His rest. Milton moulds, at the height of poetical power, into poetical form thoughts that are universal to the Spirit of Man. What then, we must ask, are the two Thoughts that rise in the Spirit of Man, looking with its awakened and instructed faculties upon the Universe of God? Assuredly one is, wonder at the adaptation of Means to Ends—that fitness of which all human Science is nothing but the progressive, inexhaustible revelation. This is that Eternal Wisdom, whom the Poet daringly finds a distinct inhabitant of the Empyrean. The other thought, insuppressibly arising upon the same contemplation, is, wonder of the overwhelming beauty that overflows the visible creation. This is the _Heavenly Muse, Urania_. The purpose of the Divine Mind to create the Useful Order of Things is impersonated as _Eternal Wisdom_. The purpose of the Divine Mind to create the Beauty of Things is impersonated under a name which the Poet boldly and reverently supplies. Milton’s description of the six days completely displays the two notions: it impresses the notion of Useful Order and Beauty. SEWARD. These verses, which introduce the Creation of Man on the sixth day, impress the two distinctly— “Now Heaven in all her glory shone;” —that is, for the Beautiful: ——“and roll’d Her motions, as the first great Mover’s hand First wheel’d their course;” —that is, for Useful Order. “Earth in her rich attire Consummate lovely smiled;” —that is, for Beauty. “Air, water, earth, By fowl, fish, beast, was flown, was swum, was walked, Frequent.” Here is again the Adaptation, the Useful Order, “Of all yet done;”— namely, Man;—again Design, Order, Wisdom. And when the whole work is finished, the _two characters_ are set side by side, as answering, in the Mind of the Creator, to His antecedent purpose. “Here finished He, and all that he had made View’d,—and behold all was intensely good; So even and morn accomplished the Sixth day: Yet not till the Creator, from his Work Desisting, though unwearied, up returned, Up to the Heaven of Heavens, his high abode, Thence to behold this new-created world, The addition of his empire, _how it showed_ _In prospect from his Throne, how_ GOOD, _how_ FAIR, _Answering his great Idea_.”