University of Virginia Library

Thus Noah's work was done. Wearied with toil,
At the down-going of the seventh eve,
Deep sleep fell upon Noah, as he lay
Within a tent, preserving duteous watch
About the appointed Ark. Even as grew
The Prophet's frame insentient, all the more
His inner sight was opened, and his soul
Had vision of high heaven. 'Twas noon of night;
The Sun was absent, but the Moon shone out
And ay the world of Stars. From orb to orb,
Was singing heard in answering echo-hymns.
One to another, in his hearing, called
The Watchers, to make ready; for the Thrones
Were planted, and their witness in the court
Was summoned, to be rendered when the Judge,
Antient of Days, should sit. Straightway the floor
Divided in the midst, and Noah's eye
Pierced upward; or his liberated soul
Soared thither. Up he soared, and soared until
He saw celestial palace opened wide,
Both walled, and paved with crystal stones, on ground
Of crystal, and the roof flashed sparkling down;
And, in a sky of water, floated there
Seraphic ardours, and about the walls
Burned flame, and blazed its portal all with fire:
Alternate heat of fire, and cold of ice
Amazed with fear who entered. On, and on,
Trembling with terrour, the winged Patriarch sped,
And to more spacious habitation still
Arrived; with tongues of fire surrounded; each
Vocal, like storms so loud, with words of zeal,
In praise, and prayer: a glorious place, and vast,
Majestic, and magnificent, and bright,
Excelling all report of magnitude
And splendour: fiery floor, and wall, and roof;
Lightning, and star-light interpenetrant,
With ceiling, and with pavement all ablaze.
—He dazzled looked, and saw a great white Throne,
And Him who sat thereon; Antient of Days,
In garment white as snow, and of his head
The hair was purest white. So was his Throne,
The fiery flame white in its purity;
A living throne by Cherubim up-borne,
Wheeling self-moved in orbs of burning fire:
And from before him issued fiery streams,
And from beneath the effulgent Throne of Life,
Rivers of flame impetuous gushed, and foamed,
And from too near approach warned off, and kept,
With voice of hymn, and anthem, song, and psalm,
The thousand thousands ministering to him.
Yea, myriads of myriads stood there,
In the full presence of his Majesty,
With veils upon their faces, for the light
More mighty than the sun, more white than snow.

And Noah saw two Books—two sealèd Books,
And they were opened; and another Book—
The Book of Life. The Dead, both small and great,
In terrour watched their opening; for the Sea
Gave up her dead; and Death, and Hades both
Delivered up their dead—and all were there.

So sate the Judge, for grand assize prepared:
And, at his side, was One to minister,
Whom, but for the great glory of his face,
That dazzled even prophetic dreamer's eye,
Noah had deemed Elihu's very self;
But now in doubt, for even the Lord of Doom,
Antient of Days, himself like semblance cast
From the bright radiance; but it came in rays,
And those so keen, no sight could scrutiny
Aspect of person whence such emanate,
And bring report of likeness sure. Nought sure
Was there and then, but that great Doom approached,
Nay, was then sitting; and the midst One was
The Angel of the Judgement. On his left,
Stood the strong form of Death, a seraph armed,
With brow severe—the form of Death, and Time;
Not like the Spectre on the Pale Horse, seen
By Japhet in his vision, but more like
The Archangel who foretold the coming Doom
To Noah, from the rainbow, standing on
The earth, and on the sea. He gazed again,
And even from him Elihu's countenance,
Only less gracious, sterner, and in frowns,
Looked out. In front of the mysterious Three,
(Like those who once partook of Noah's board,
Travellers, and guests, yet glorious now as gods,)
The Accusers—Satan, and Azaziel—stood.

Then said the Antient One. ‘I have looked on earth:
Flesh wholly hath its way corrupted there:
And now the End of all before me comes,
Yet fit that each Accuser first be heard,
And Witnesses, that Mercy may find hope
Of palliation, rescue, and redeem.’

Hereat rose Satan: and, behold, to him
A Roll came flying, a huge Volume; swift
It came, and darkened where it flew. Soon seized,
The Fiend unfolded, and displayed its breadth,
And length—and then exclaimed,

‘Behold—behold—
The Book of Curses. On this side, and that,
Writ are transgressions manifold. All crimes
By all have been committed on the earth:
Even at his hearth whom thou hast favoured so,
Sin, well thou knowest, is found. In every house,
This Roll should enter, and remain, and burn:
That were the fitting end—a flood of fire,
Utterly to consume, and not of water,
Only to cleanse, and that but outwardly—
The Doom of Fire, let it come on the World.’

This said, from midst the Throne a Voice commanded,
To give the Roll of Accusation up;
Right willingly obeyed. Azaziel next
Was loud in menace.

‘Wherefore Fire alone?
Why not Annihilation? Why should Fire
Be? Let the Elements dissolve—for all
Is evil—Wherefore Nothing not?’

‘To be,’
It was replied, ‘is good; and not to be
Nor good, nor evil. What I make is good.
Where are the Witnesses?’

Then slow approached,
By Michael, and by Phanuel, on each side
Supported, the decrepit, withered form
Of melancholy Earth. In tears she came,
Before the Judge, and wept—and only wept—
Words found no way—tears only—only tears.
So she retired; those twain first having said:
‘Our words are written in the Opened Books,
Whence judged are all the dead, according to
The things which there are written, and the works
That they have done. Well-speed the Book of Life.’

Then followed all the Planets, and the Stars,
With the bright Moon herself; and testified
Of worship—and the Night also came on;
She, too, had votaries, but no worshippers,
Atheists, who doubted of her being even,
Whose badge they wore, and, haply, of their own.
Then came the Orb of Ocean, like a wheel
Instinct with life, cherubic; and his globe,
Else watery pure, was dotted o'er with blood—
Blood shed in war unrighteous, robbery,
And murther, and the trade in human flesh,
To slavery forced or sold, no terms premised
Of mutual good, protection, or what else
For service should be rendered. Next appeared
The Heavens, and the full Air; for they had heard
Wails, sighs, and curses sore. The hirèd Man
Had toiled but for the wind, and with the east
His belly had been filled; and 'mong the poor
The Labourer was numbered. Wife, and child
Sobbed loud, and loud in execration shrieked;
Whence the sad Airs had borne, upon their wings,
Their lamentations to the ear of God:
For all are Angels, and can sympathize
With human sorrow; sacred Messengers;
Appointed Ministers of will divine;
Spirits, both felt, and feeling. And the Seas,
And Heavens have potent Spirits; and the Moon,
The Stars, and Clouds; Thunder, and Lightning, too;
And Angels dwell in Frost, and rule in Hail;
Snow hath a Spirit, solitary he,
And vapourous; Mist, also, gorgeous still,
Summer or winter, or by day or night—
The glittering Dews, and the baptizing Rain.

These rose before the Judge, and with them rose
The Spirit of the Deep; and witness bore,
That he into his bosom had received
Methuselah, descending through the earth,
By earthquake; and, according to his charge,
Had broken up the Fountains of the Abyss,
And one revealed to air, upboiling thus,
And visible, impatient to expect
Heaven's Windows opening, and their Spirits thence
Co-operant descending. Nature next,
Complained of outrage, not in groves, and glens,
But violation in the heart, and flesh
Of reprobated man; and after her
Came Hherem, and reported sensual crimes,
Akin to brute, and worse. Dim Hades last,
And Hell, presented from their storehouse, Wrongs,
And ghosts of Misery, and shades of Guilt,
Madness, and Apathy, and Fear, and Wo;
And worst the evil Tongue, and evil Heart;
Malice, and Envy, and licentious Thoughts;
And passions, Love and Lust, Horrour and Hope;
Fancy, and Understanding; Reason, too,
Gone wild in speculation, and in act
Lost in the sense; and Sense itself; and Sin
And Death—a multitude of phantasies
Thronging: and Plagues substantial—Famine real,
Spiritual Famine, hunger of the soul,
And of the heart, and Thirst—eternal Thirst:
And Will perverse, Perdition, and blind Hate,
Anarchy, Chaos, and the Second Death.

There was the world's first martyr, Abel; nor
Was absent Cain, his brother. Him had God
Repentance granted, blest him to become
The Father of a People, and to found
Arts, and a city, polities, and arms;
Defective, yet the best imperfect man,
Heroic though, and virtuous, might achieve.
Then Cain bowed down his face before the Throne,
Unconscious yet of transit from the Deep—
If yet such was, whereof I cannot tell—
Exclaiming thus—

‘And has my Lord come down
To Hades, seeking him he lost? Thy face
To me is turned again, whom long I've known
The Reconciled, since to my carnal heart
That sign miraculous was once vouchsafed.
I do confess my sin, and will repeat
Thy mercies in the hearing of the ear
Of the great congregation. Of old time
Thou broughtst to me thy Sister, and thy Bride,
Eternal Wisdom; that, in hours of toil,
I might with her be solaced, whose delights
Were with the sons of Adam. Often she
Met me when at my work, and from the ground
Allured my upward gaze, and taught me how
To sweeten labour, by deriving thence
Knowledge, and prescience, whether of the soil,
Or of the seasons, moving so my heart
To piety, and worship of the heavens.
With Abel she disported too, and drew
The Veil from the Invisible for him;
Hence he had visions often wished by me,
Produce of leisure, such as I desired,
Yet wanted faith to win, mid earthly cares,
And habits firmly fixed. Yet ne'ertheless
Would thoughts grow on my mind, erroneous thoughts;
Of God in anger, who had doomed the ground,
To task the sweat of man, and sacrifice
Demanded, knowing not the spotless Lamb
Was an accepted body; purified
Of appetites, and lusts; and consecrate
To truth, in danger, and in death devote.
Then came to me a Form like to thy own,
Sterner, but beautiful; a Fury, clad
In radiance of angelic loveliness;
And words of wisdom spake, and knowledge deep,
And argument sublime, of all that Death
Should teach the soul. O fool, who then forgot
With Life dwells Wisdom, with true Being, Truth;
All else illusion, unsubstantial, vain.
How, then, he led me into Hades' realms,
Avoiding yet this better Paradise,
And what he shewed me there of phantoms fond,
Brood of the idle brain, thou knowest well;
Nor would it profit to repeat at large
Void fancies—dreamy lies. Thus then, seduced
From Wisdom in my anger, I returned;
And, in the Fury wrath enslaved me to,
My brother smote—and perished. Hence from me
Men learned to slay the Brethren, (all are such,)
In duel, or in war; till needs at length
A flood of waters stay the flood of crime.
Meantime, old Wisdom parted from the world,
And here awaited thee, thy Sister-Bride;
Whom late I found again, when, Angel-met,
I left my wearied flesh, as travelling home
From Adam's burial in too deep despair,
And gained what ne'er I hoped—a home indeed.’

Whereto the Antient One. ‘In three-fold wise,
And three-fold dispensation, hath the Age,
Now consummate, made manifest the Truth,
Whereof I am the Life. Thus He who spurned
At prohibition, that he might approve
Knowledge of evil, was from Eden sent;
And Cain, transgressing, was exiled to Naid;
And sons of God, betrayed by carnal love,
Daughters of Men in marriage who conjoined,
Accumulating guilt, shall earth cast out
To Hades, first baptized within the waves
Of utter Deluge, where-above shall soar
The Ark, expectant of the World Restored.’

Only not there was Uriel. And it seemed
To Noah in his Vision, Satan rose,
And spake in taunting wise. ‘Of man was I,’
He said, ‘the Watcher, and Ambition hurled
Me from my former place, my archial seat.
Sure, He who rules the day may rather brood
High thoughts, conceiving like emprize, more like
To prosper. Be it given me to tempt
The Seraph, I would prove his faith perverse.’

Straight Word returned to him, ‘A lie is in
Thy mouth, and be the Seraph's faith approved.’

So Satan on his mission passed away;
And, in his place, came on a Spirit stern,
Over the seven celestial Cataracts
Prime Watcher. ‘The dread Angel of the Deep’—
Exclaimed he—‘cries, for answer to my sphere;
How long? how long?’ Hereat the Souls of Men,
Complaining of oppression when on earth,
Took up the cry—‘How long? O Lord, how long?
Speed justice, God of gods, and King of kings.
Avenge our blood, the blood that still is shed
Of righteous men—haste, Lord; let judgement haste.’

Then rose the Antient One, who made the days,
The Eternal of the ages, terrible
In indignation, terrible in wrath.
—‘Have I not sworn? and cometh not even now
The Seraph of the hairy Star, whose course
The dispensation of the time completes,
Of Uriel now expected, with his Orb,
And the round Moon's, in dread conjunction met,
Whence Deluge shall descend? For he hath heard
The Almighty Oath whereby the heavens were hung,
Ere the worlds were that orb the eternal depth—
And the firm earth was founded on the flood,
And from the secret fountains of the hills,
Rivers, from time's beginning to his end,
Issued in ceaseless motion, and flow on,
For ever and for ever. By its power,
The sea, and his deep bed, were formed; and fixed
The limitary sands that should restrain
His fury; and therefrom the great abyss
Received her strength, to keep her stated place,
Aye irremoveable. Thereby the Sun,
And Moon, and Stars are ordered, and obey
Unswerving high command; also the Winds,
The Thunders, and the Lightnings, Hail, and Frost,
Treasures of Dew, and Snow, and Rain, reserved
For Judgement, and for Mercy—by this Oath
Are they established, guided, and preserved.
—Have I not sworn? hear, and record the Oath.
Thus saith Jehovah; I created Man,
And will destroy him from the face of earth,
Both Man, and Beast, and creeping things, and fowls
Of air, whom it repents me I have made;
But in my eyes hath Noah favour found.’

Hereat, into the circle sudden came
Cherubic Chariot, and received at once
The Thronèd One, and Wisdom his espoused,
Who at his feet had there been sitting;—while
Hymn hymeneal rose, as they were borne,
Ascending from mid Hades to high Heaven,
Thus; ‘Holy; holy; holy; Father; God;
Who gave to Adam Law. Hosanna; Son
Divine; who Truth to righteous Abel shewed;
And Hallelujah to the Spirit sing,
Who dwelt with Seth, and unto Enosh taught
Jehovah's Name. Elohim holiest,
Who but Jehovah our Eloah is?
Hath he not heard the Spirit, and the Bride?
Thrice holy he—Eternal—Wise, and Good.’