Classic Poem

In Prospects op'ning wide to our large view
A Countrey far remov'd, yet near in shew.
Our Eye , quick as Heav'ns great-short Journies makes,
Measures the Bounds , and Distance over-takes.
The Vallies , humbly falling here, surveys,
Who, on themselves in Streams betwixt 'em, gaze.
Ascending there, with prouder Hills does rise,
Hills , seen far off above the falling Skies .
Strayes in the Woods uncut , and those cut down ,
The Wood of Buildings , throng'd into a Town .
If, besides these, ought in the Prospect lives,
Which Life adds to the whole, and Motion gives;
Flying Fowl , above, moving Men below,
With those Sight flies , with these, it does but goe .
The diff'ring Shapes and Species seen in Air ,
Which fill'd, and furnish't out the Hemisphere ;
In the same Order pass into the Eye ,
And in that small Sphere, Plains and Mountains lie,
Their Greatness undiminish't, and their Height ;
Invading yet no other Object 's Right :
Each , filling by it self, its intire Place ,
Distinguish't from the rest , by distant Space .
The Eye , with unknown Art , does all contain,
And with like Art , transmits 'em to the Brain .
The Landschape 's vary'd Scene resembled there ,
The same appears in Fancy 's Hemisphere .
Hills , whose blue Height at distance fill'd the Eye ,
Like Hills , in the High Countries of the Sky ;
Seem in the Thought as full of lofty State,
High without raising, without swelling great :
Vales , without falling, low ; and new Vales seen
Without Reflexion , in the Streams between.
The Woods , where Beasts , or herded Men abide,
As thick are planted there , and near their side
Fantastick People too, in false Fields move,
And Fowl , in larger Fields of Air above;
Swift, as the winged Thought , that feigns their flight ,
Yet never soaring out of inward Sight ;
Though with their fancied Wings , they higher flie ,
And traverse all th' imaginary Sky .

Fancy , all these Resemblances does trace,
Each Figure frames, and for each Figure, place .
Moulds all the Shapes, shapeless it self, as Air ,
Abounding yet, with all presented there .
Though void of Colour , as the naked Light ,
Or what no less is unadorn'd, the Sight ;
Does Clouds in Thoughts of sev'ral Colours show,
And all the gaudy Pride o'th' Heav'nly Bow :
Gilding these Clouds , a brighter Thought does run,
Shines without Beams , and seems to mock the Sun .
Yet blinding not the Intellectual View ,
Though it breaks forth, as glorious as the true .
The Image of the radiant Excellence
Copied from Art , or copied from the Sense .
Huge , as that Sun , which Notion does descry,
Or small as that , which strikes th' unlearned Eye ;
When seeming there, to fix his wandring Light ;
He fills the little shining Globe of Sight ;
While the Heav'ns inclos'd in those small Spheres ,
Straitned no more, then in the Spheres above,
The little Heav'ns there abridg'd, the Mind move,
Far more enlarg'd presents, and unconfin'd .
What in Extent is vast, in Depth , or Height ,
All that approaches near to Infinite ;
Extremest Distances , and endless Space ,
The Mind , without dilating does embrace,
Climbs Precipices , of unknown Access ;
Sounds Gulfs , unfathomably Bottomless ;
And in it self, th' Advantages presents
Of Prospects from great Deeps , or vast Ascents :
The Stars above obscur'd by greater Light ,
Shining below, as in some Pit 's false Night ;
Without descending into Darkness there,
Sees better, in its own enlightned Sphere .
Then, like as it were lifted up on high ,
The Earth 's low Globe , it does far off descry;
Small, as one of the Moon 's Earth-spots in show,
Which seems a point of Land to those below.
The Mind extending thus its large survey
Beyond the Bounds of Darkness , and of Day ,
All Objects sees, it Self alas! alone
Hid to it self, and to it self unknown .
What Bright Things dazle not, nor Great confound,
Nor in the Multitude of many 's drown'd ;
Surmounting all , is with it Self o're-come,
Knows all Abroad , and Stranger is at Home .