316. From ‘Comus’ iv

The Spirit epiloguizes:	TO the Ocean now I fly,
	And those happy climes that ly
	Where day never shuts his eye,
	Up in the broad fields of the sky:
	There I suck the liquid ayr	5
	All amidst the Gardens fair
	Of Hesperus, and his daughters three
	That sing about the golden tree:
	Along the crispèd shades and bowres
	Revels the spruce and jocond Spring,	10
	The Graces, and the rosie-boosom’d Howres,
	Thither all their bounties bring,
	That there eternal Summer dwels,
	And West winds, with musky wing
	About the cedar’n alleys fling	15
	Nard, and Cassia’s balmy smels.
	Iris there with humid bow,
	Waters the odorous banks that blow
	Flowers of more mingled hew
	Than her purfl’d scarf can shew,	20
	And drenches with Elysian dew
	(List mortals, if your ears be true)
	Beds of Hyacinth, and roses
	Where young Adonis oft reposes,
	Waxing well of his deep wound	25
	In slumber soft, and on the ground
	Sadly sits th’ Assyrian Queen;
	But far above in spangled sheen
	Celestial Cupid her fam’d son advanc’t,
	Holds his dear Psyche sweet intranc’t	30
	After her wandring labours long,
	Till free consent the gods among
	Make her his eternal Bride,
	And from her fair unspotted side
	Two blissful twins are to be born,	35
	Youth and Joy; so Jove hath sworn.
	But now my task is smoothly don,
	I can fly, or I can run
	Quickly to the green earths end,
	Where the bow’d welkin slow doth bend,	40
	And from thence can soar as soon
	To the corners of the Moon.
	Mortals that would follow me,
	Love vertue, she alone is free.
	She can teach ye how to clime	45
	Higher then the Spheary chime;
	Or if Vertue feeble were,
	Heav’n it self would stoop to her.

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