he orbs of the firmament; the joyfulness associated with the
onward career of the new-born Sun; the subdued illumination of the
full-orbed Moon, and the thousand thousand stars that spangle the
nocturnal sky--all these afforded Milton a rich field in which his
imagination luxuriated, and in the description of which he found
subject-matter worthy of his gifted intellect.

Milton gives an ampler and more detailed description of the new universe
in his narration of Satan's journey through space in search of this
world, and brings more vividly before the imagination of his readers the
glories of the celestial regions. The fiend, having emerged from the
dark abyss of Chaos into a region of light, first beheld the new
creation from such a distance that to his view it appeared as a star
suspended by a golden chain from the Empyrean. This stellar conception
of the poet's harmonised with the views of the Ptolemaists, who believed
that the universe was of limited extent, and though its dimensions were
vast beyond comprehension, it was, nevertheless, enclosed by the tenth
sphere or Primum Mobile. It was on the surface of this sphere that Satan
alighted, and over which he wandered, until attracted by a beam of light
that appeared through an opening at its zenith, where, by means of a
stair or ladder, communication was maintained between the new universe
and Heaven above. Hither the undaunted fiend hied, and, standing on the
lower steps of this structure, momentarily paused to gaze upon the
glorious sight which burst upon his view before directing his flight
down into the newly created universe. Milton then describes his progress
through the stellar regions, his landing in the Sun and what he saw
there, and the termination of his journey when he descends from the
ecliptic down to the Earth. In doing so the poet gives a wonderfully
beautiful description of the starry universe, of the Sun, Moon, and
Earth (Book III. 540-742), enhanced and adorned with his own poetic
imaginings derived from fable, philosophy, and science.

Milton makes more frequent allusion to the Sun than to any of the other
orbs of the firmament. This we should expect: the poet always gives the
orb the precedence which is his due, and never fails, when the occasion
requires it, to surround him with the 'surpassing glory' which marks his
pre-eminence above all other occupants of the sky. The Moon, his
consort--peerless in the subdued effulgence of her borrowed light;