The Præparative

Summary

My Body being dead, my Limbs unknown;

Before I skill'd to prize

Those living Stars, mine Eys;

Before or Tongue or Cheeks I call'd mine own,

Before I knew these Hands were mine,

Or that my Sinews did my Members join;

When neither Nostril, foot, nor Ear,

As yet could be discern'd, or did appear;

I was within

A House I knew not, newly cloath'd with Skin.

Then was my Soul my only All to me,

A living endless Ey,

Scarce bounded with the Sky,

Whose Power, and Act, and Essence was to see:

I was an inward Sphere of Light,

Or an interminable Orb of Sight,

Exceeding that which makes the Days,

A vital Sun that shed abroad his Rays:

All Life, all Sense,

A naked, simple, pure Intelligence.

I then no Thirst nor Hunger did perceiv;

No dire Necessity

Nor Want was known to me:

Without disturbance then I did receiv

The tru Ideas of all Things,

The Hony did enjoy without the Stings.

meditating inward Ey

Gazing at Quiet did within me ly,

And all things fair

Delighted me that was to be their Heir.

For Sight inherits Beauty; Hearing, Sounds;

The Nostril, sweet Perfumes,

All Tastes have secret Rooms

Within the Tongue; the Touching feeleth Wounds

Of Pain or Pleasure; and yet I

Forgat the rest, and was all Sight or Ey,

Unbody'd and devoid of Care,

Just as in Hev'n the Holy Angels are:

For simple Sense

Is Lord of all created Excellence.

Being thus prepar'd for all Felicity;

Not præpossest with Dross,

Nor basely glued to gross

And dull Materials that might ruin me,

Nor fetter'd by an Iron Fate,

By vain Affections in my earthy State,

To any thing that should seduce

My Sense, or els bereav it of its Use;

I was as free

As if there were nor Sin nor Misery.