And God created the great Whales, and each
Soul living, each that crept, which plenteously
The waters geed by thir kindes,
And every Bird of wing after his kinde;
And saw that it was good, and blessd them, saying, [ 395 ]
Be fruitful, multiply, and in the Seas
And Lakes and running Streams the waters fill;
Ahe Fowle be multiplyd on the Earth.
Forthwith the Sounds and Seas, each Creek and Bay
With Frie innumerable swarme, and Shoales [ 400 ]
Of Fish that with thir Finns and shining Scales
Glide uhe green Wave, in Sculles that oft
Bank the mid Sea: part single or with mate
Graze the Sea weed thir pasture, and through Groves
Of Coral stray, or sp with quick glance [ 405 ]
Show to the Sun thir wavd coats dropt with Gold,
Or in thir Pearlie shells at ease, attend
Moist nutriment, or under Rocks thir food
In jointed Armour watooth the Seale,
And bended Dolphins play: part huge of bulk [ 410 ]
Wallowing unweildie, enormous in thir Gate
Tempest the O: there Leviathan
Hugest of living Creatures, on the Deep
Stretcht like a Promontorie sleeps or swimmes,
And seems a moving Land, and at his Gilles [ 415 ]
Draws in, and at his Trunck spouts out a Sea.
Mean while the tepid Caves, and Fens and shoares
Thir Brood as numerous hatch, from the Egg that soon
Bursting with kindly rupture forth disclosd
Thir callow young, but featherd soon and fledge [ 420 ]
They summd thir Penns, and s th air sublime
With g despisd the ground, under a cloud
In prospect; there the Eagle and the Stork
On Cliffs and Cedar tops thir Eyries build:
Part loosly wing the Region, part more wise [ 425 ]
In d in figure wedge thir way,
Intelligent of seasons, a forth
Thir Aierie Caravan high over Seas
Flying, and over Lands with mutual wing
Easing thir flight; so stears the prudent e [ 430 ]
Her annual Voiage, born on Wihe Aire,
Floats, as they pass, fannd with unnumberd plumes:
From Branch to Branch the smaller Birds with song
Solacd the Woods, and spred thir painted wings
Till Evn, nor then the solemn Nightingal [ 435 ]
Ceasd warbling, but all night tund her soft layes:
Others on Silver Lakes and Rivers Bathd
Thir downie Brest; the Swan with Arched neck
Between her white wings mantling proudly, Rowes
Her state with Oarie feet: yet oft they quit [ 440 ]
The Dank, and rising on stiff Pennons, towre
The mid Aereal Skie: Others on ground
Walkd firm; the crested Cock whose clarion sounds
The silent hours, and th other whose gay Traine
Adorns him, colourd with the Florid hue [ 445 ]
Of Rainbows and Starrie Eyes. The Waters thus
With Fish replenisht, and the Aire, with Fowle,
Evning and Morn solemnizd the Fift day.