Cause him to sacrifice his fame and peace To momentary madness, call'd delight. Idolater, more gross than ever kiss'd The lifted hand to Luna, or pour'd out The blood to Jove!--O Thou, to whom belongs All sacrifice! O Thou Great Jove unfeign'd! Divine Instructor! Thy first volume, this, For man's perusal; all in capitals! 1660 In moon, and stars (heaven's golden alphabet!) Emblazed to seize the sight; who runs, may read; Who reads, can understand. 'Tis unconfined To Christian land, or Jewry; fairly writ, In language universal, to mankind: A language, lofty to the learn'd: yet plain To those that feed the flock, or guide the plough, Or, from his husk, strike out the bounding grain. A language, worthy the Great Mind, that speaks! Preface, and comment, to the sacred page! 1670 Which oft refers its reader to the skies, As presupposing his first lesson there, And Scripture self a fragment, that unread. Stupendous book of wisdom, to the wise! 1674 Stupendous book! and open'd, Night! by thee. By thee much open'd, I confess, O Night! Yet more I wish; but how shall I prevail? Say, gentle Night! whose modest, maiden beams Give us a new creation, and present The world's great picture soften'd to the sight; Nay, kinder far, far more indulgent still, Say, thou, whose mild dominion's silver key 1682 Unlocks our hemisphere, and sets to view Worlds beyond number; worlds conceal'd by day Behind the proud and envious star of noon! Canst thou not draw a deeper scene?--and show The mighty Potentate, to whom belong These rich regalia pompously display'd To kindle that high hope? Like him of Uz,[71] I gaze around; I search on every side-- 1690 O for a glimpse of Him my soul adores! As the chased hart, amid the desert waste, Pants for the living stream; for Him who made her, So pants the thirsty soul, amid the blank Of sublunary joys. Say, goddess! where? Where blazes His bright court? where burns His throne? Thou know'st; for thou art near Him; by thee, round His grand pavilion, sacred fame reports The sable curtain drawn. If not, can none Of thy fair daughter train, so swift of wing, 1700 Who travel far, discover where He dwells? A star His dwelling pointed out below. Ye Pleiades! Arcturus! Mazaroth! And thou, Orion! of still keener eye! Say ye, who guide the wilder'd in the waves, And bring them out of tempest into port! 1706 On which hand must I bend my course to find Him? These courtiers keep the secret of their King; I wake whole nights, in vain, to steal it from them. I wake; and, waking, climb Night's radiant scale, From sphere to sphere; the steps by nature set For man's ascent; at once to tempt and aid;