Chapter 2 1

DE scend from Heavn Urania, by that name If rightly thou art called, whose Voice divine Following, above th Olympian Hill I soare, Above the flight of Pegasean wing. The meaning, not the Name I call: for thou [ 5 ] Nor of the Muses nine, nor on the top Of old Olympus dwellst, but Heavnlie borne, Before the Hills appeer, or Fountain flow, Thou with Eternal Wisdom didst converse, Wisdom thy Sister, and with her didst play [ 10 ] In presence of th Almightie Father, pleased With thy Celestial Song. Up led by thee Into the Heavn of Heavns I have presumed, An Earthlie Guest, and drawn Empyreal Aire,

Thy tempring; with like safetytie guided down [ 15 ] Return me to my Native Element: Least from this flying Steed unreind, (as once Bellerophon, though from a lower Clime) Dismounted, on th Aleian Field I fall Erroneous there to wander and forlorne. [ 20 ] Half yet remains unsung, but narrower bound Within the visible Diurnal Spheare; Standing on Earth, not rapt above the Pole, More safe I Sing with mortal voice, unchanging To hoarce or mute, though falln on evil days, [ 25 ] On evil days though falln, and evil tongues; In darkness, and with dangers compast round, And solitude; yet not alone, while thou

Visitst my slumbers Nightly, or when Morn Purples the East: still govern thou my Song, [ 30 ] Urania, and fit audience find, though few. But drive farr off the barbarous dissonance Of Bacchus and his Revellers, the Race Of that wilde Rout that tore the Thracian Bard In Rhodope, where Woods and Rocks had Eares [ 35 ] To rapture, till the savage clamor dround Both Harp and Voice; nor could the Muse defend Her Son. So fail not thou, who thee implores: For thou art Heavnlie, shee an empty dreame.