Like thine, it seems a vision or a dream; Though seen, we labour to believe it true! What involution! what extent! what swarms Of worlds, that laugh at earth! immensely great! Immensely distant from each other's spheres! What, then, the wondrous space through which they roll? At once it quite engulfs all human thought; 'Tis comprehension's absolute defeat. Nor think thou seest a wild disorder here; Through this illustrious chaos to the sight, Arrangement neat, and chastest order, reign. 1110 The path prescribed, inviolably kept, Upbraids the lawless sallies of mankind. Worlds, ever thwarting, never interfere; What knots are tied! how soon are they dissolved, And set the seeming married planets free! They rove for ever, without error rove; Confusion unconfused! nor less admire This tumult untumultuous; all on wing! In motion, all! yet what profound repose! What fervid action, yet no noise! as awed 1120 To silence, by the presence of their Lord; Or hush'd by His command, in love to man, And bid let fall soft beams on human rest, Restless themselves. On yon cerulean plain, In exultation to their God, and thine, They dance, they sing eternal jubilee, Eternal celebration of His praise. But, since their song arrives not at our ear, Their dance perplex'd exhibits to the sight Fair hieroglyphic of His peerless power. 1130 Mark how the labyrinthian turns they take, The circles intricate, and mystic maze, Weave the grand cipher of Omnipotence; 1133 To gods, how great! how legible to man! Leaves so much wonder greater wonder still? Where are the pillars that support the skies? What more than Atlantean shoulder props Th' incumbent load? What magic, what strange art, In fluid air these ponderous orbs sustains? Who would not think them hung in golden chains?-- 1140 And so they are; in the high will of heaven, Which fixes all; makes adamant of air, Or air of adamant; makes all of nought, Or nought of all; if such the dread decree. Imagine from their deep foundations torn The most gigantic sons of earth, the broad And towering Alps, all toss'd into the sea; And, light as down, or volatile as air, Their bulks enormous, dancing on the waves, In time, and measure, exquisite; while all 1150 The winds, in emulation of the spheres, Tune their sonorous instruments aloft; The concert swell, and animate the ball. Would this appear amazing? What, then, worlds, In a far thinner element sustain'd, And acting the same part, with greater skill, More rapid movement, and for noblest ends? More obvious ends to pass, are not these stars The seats majestic, proud imperial thrones, On which angelic delegates of heaven, 1160 At certain periods, as the Sovereign nods,