Hence the centrality in all explanations of Marvell's procedures of the description of the Commonwealth from The First Anniversary: The common-wealth does through their centres all Draw the circumf'rence of the public wall; The crossest spirits here do take their part, Fast'ning the
contignation which they thwart; And they, whose nature leads them to divide, Uphold, this one, and that the other side; But the most equal still sustain the height, And they as pillars keep the work upright; While the resistance of opposed minds, The fabric as with arches stronger binds, Which on the basis of a senate free, Knit by the roof's protecting weight agree.
The common-wealth does through their centres all Draw the circumfrence of the public wall; The crossest spirits here do take their part, Fast'ning the
contignation which they thwart; And they, whose nature leads them to divide, Uphold, this one, and that the other side: But the most equal still sustain the height, And they as pillars keep the work upright.
BVILDINGS stand by the benefit of their foundations that susteine and support them, & of their butteresses that comprehend and embrace them, and of their
contignations that knit and unite them: The foundations suffer them not to sinke, the butteresses suffer them not to swerue, and the
contignation & knitting suffers them not to cleaue; The body of our building is in the former part of this verse: It is this, hee that is our God is the God ofsaluation and salutes; of saluation in the plurali, so it is in the originall; the God that gives vs spirituall and temporall saluation too.