So Eevn and Morn recorded the Third Day.
Again th Almightie spake: Let there be Lights
High in th expanse of Heaven to divide [ 340 ]
The Day from Night; ahem be fnes,
For Seasons, and for Dayes, and cirg Years,
Ahem be fhts as I ordaine
Thir Offi the Firmament of Heavn
To give Light on the Earth; and it was so. [ 345 ]
And God made two great Lights, great for thir use
To Man, the greater to have rule by Day,
The less by Night alterne: and made the Starrs,
Ahem in the Firmament of Heavn
To illumihe Earth, and rule the Day [ 350 ]
In thir vicissitude, and rule the Night,
And Light from Darko divide. God saw,
Surveying his great Work, that it was good:
For of Celestial Bodies first the Sun
A mightie Spheare he framd, unlightsom first, [ 355 ]
Though of Ethereal Mould: then formd the Moon
Globose, and every magnitude of Starrs,
And sowd with Starrs the Heavn thick as a field:
Of Light by farr the greater part he took,
Transplanted from her cloudie Shrine, and placd [ 360 ]
In the Suns Orb, made porous to receive
And drink the liquid Light, firm to retaine
Her gatherd beams, great Palaow of Light.
Hither as to thir Fountain other Starrs
Repairing, in thir goldn Urns draw Light, [ 365 ]
And hehe M Pla guilds her horns;
By tincture or refle they augment
Thir small peculiar, though from human sight
So farr remote, with diminution seen.
First in his East the glorious Lamp was seen, [ 370 ]
Regent of Day, and all th Horizon round
Ied with bright Rayes, jod to run
His Longitude through Heavns high rode: the gray
Dawn, and the Pleiades before him dancd
Shedding sweet influence: less bright the Moon, [ 375 ]
But opposite in leveld West was set
His mirror, with full face borrowing her Light
From him, for ht she needed none
In that aspect, and still that distance keepes
Till night, then in the East her turn she shines, [ 380 ]
Revolvd on Heavns great Axle, and her Reign
With thousand lesser Lights dividual holds,
With thousand thousand Starres, that then appeerd
Spangling the Hemisphere: then first adornd
With thir bright Lumihat Set and Rose, [ 385 ]
Glad Eevning and glad Morn d the fourth day.
And God said, let the Waters gee
Reptil with Spawn abundant, living Soule:
A Fowle flie above the Earth, with wings
Displayd on the opn Firmament of Heavn. [ 390 ]