And Earth, from the beginning, hath, alsō,
In all her changes, and with all her nations,
Circling the sun, rejoicing or in woe,

A loving Sister with the constellations,

Clasped with her arms the heavens, in mystick dance, For days and years and times and generations.

-But though all Motions from this source advance, Itself at rest immoveable remains,

Exempt from change, necessity, and chance.

Here in pure unity true Sabbath reigns,
Original-eternal-final proof,
Prime archetype of all our orb contains-

An intellectual Paradigme whereof
The World of Sense is but a Parable;
A Fable wrought in an intricate woof;
A Mystery-not without an Oracle,
But misinterpreted-neglected-scorned-
"Shadowy of truth," and symbolizing well;

A Theatre,.. how gorgeously adorned!
A Stage of scenes illusive and of men
Drest in disguises phantast and suborned-

Awhile the Actors play their part—agen
The sovran and the slave are equal both,
Yet nothing changed but the appearance then.

-And Life hath many circles, each the growth
From this mid point, and perfect more or less,
As near or farther from its fount it floweth ;

And all Reality diminishes,

By distance from the centre whence it rays,
And Motion varies even to nothingness.

-Ye who by secret and untrodden ways,
Though none of death, led by the Spirit of Light,
Have followed to the land where light displays

Itself.. Light sovran and intensely bright,
Authentical and holy, yet wherein
Our Spirits look with unconsumed sight,

Though in death living, yet absolved from sin
For His dear sake who died upon the Cross; .
Though venturous the voyage we begin,

Say soothly so, our toil is gain not loss,
Not void but fulness; that your kind
Whate'er is not ideal is but dross.

may learn,

-This is the City John did once discern,

Descend from heaven apocalyptical,

Whereof "his thoughts do breathe, his words do burn.”

Beautiful City! Mother of us all!

Vision of Peace! white Bride of the Most High,
Whose Glory clothes thine apostolick wall!

Angels thy gates encompass lovingly,
Equal in all dimensions as beseems,
And like an Angel's thy capacity.

Death is not in thee, nay-no fierce extremes-
No Temple hast thou, neither Sun nor Moon--
God is thy Temple-and thy Light he beams.

Lo-every Nation brings to thee a boon ..
Thy gates shall not be shut at all by day,
Nor night be thine, Land of perpetual Noon..
To thee the Kings of Earth their homage pay..
But no defiled thing shall enter thee,
Loving a lie, or tempting to betray.

-Holy who of thy Charter is born free,
Freely his thirst is at thy Fount allayed,
Water of Life, a River pure as he.

Amidst thy Street, on either bank displayed,
The Tree of Life, whose very leaves are healing,
Shall yield its monthly fruit and never fade..

Happy all they who wait for thy revealing!

PART THE FIRST.

THE CAPTIVITY.

"The whole Creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body."

ROMANS viii. 22, 23.