Why plowing, building, ruling and the rest,
Or most of those Arts whence our lives are blest,
By cursed Cain’s race invented be,
And blest Seth vext us with Astronomie.
Donne (1573-1631) is “vext” with Astronomy, presumably because at that time Kepler (1571-1630) and Galileo (1564-1642) were affirming the Copernican system and making other discoveries supposed to be dangerous to religion.
Some prize his blindfold sight; and there be they
Who kissed his wings which brought him yesterday
And thank his wings to-day that he is flown.