ТНЕ

EIGHTH BOOK

O F

PARADISE LOST.

A

The ARGUMENT.

DAM inquires concerning celestial Motions; is doubtfully anfwer'd, and exborted to search rather after Things more worthy of Knowledge. Adam affents to the Advice of Raphael, and being ftill defirous to detain him, relates to him what he remember'd fince his own Creation; his being plac'd in Paradife, and talking with GOD concerning Solitude and fit Society. Adam relates his first Meeting and Nuptials with Eve; his Difcourfe with the Angel thereupon, who after repeated Admonitions departs.

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CHA P. I.

Adam inquires concerning Celestial Motions; is doubtfully anfwer'd, and exhorted to fearch rather after Things more worthy of Knowledge.

HE Angel ended his Difcourfe, and his Voice remain'd ftill fo charming in the Ear of ADAM, that he for a while thought him still speaking, and continued attentive to hear; then like one newly awaken'd from Sleep, made this

grateful Anfwer:

DIVINE Hiftorian! what Thanks or Recompence fufficient, or equal to thy Goodness, have I to render thee! who thus largely hath allay'd the Thirst I had of Knowledge, and vouchfaf'd in fuch friendly Condefcenfion to relate Things, by me elfe unfearchable, and now heard with great Wonder, but great. Delight; and (as is due) with Glory attributed to the high CREATOR. Yet I have fome Doubts remaining, which can alone be clear'd up by thee.

WHEN I behold this fair Frame the World, confifting of Heaven and Earth, and compute their Magnitude; this Earth being but a Spot, a Grain of Sand, an Atom, compar'd with the Firmament, and the prodigious Number of Stars that are therein, that feem to rowl incomprehenfible Spaces, (as their Diftance argues, and their daily and fwift Return witneffes) meerly to bring Light round this dark Earth, this little Spot, only to bring one Day and one Night in all their vaft Survey, and be ufelefs befides: When I reafon, I often admire how wife and frugal Nature could act fuch Difproportions; to create fuperfluously

fo

fo many nobler and much greater Bodies, to this one Ufe; (for any Thing which appears to the contrary) and impofe upon their Orbs fuch reftlefs Revolutions, repeated every Day; while the Earth remaining without Motion, (that might move better, and in far lefs Compafs) being attended by Bodies more noble than herself, attains her End, and does not move at all, and receives as Tribute her Warmth and Light, brought to her from fuch great Distance, and with fuch incredible Swiftness, as is not to be defcrib'd.

OUR first Father fpoke thus, and feem'd by his Countenance entering into abftrufe and studious Thoughts; which when Ev E perceiv'd, fhe rofe from her Seat, where fhe fat at fome Distance, though in Sight, and (with Lowlinefs; yet withfuch Dignity and Grace, as whoever faw could not but wifh fhe would stay,) went forth among her Fruits and Flowers to fee how they throve; for they were her Nursery, budding and blooming under her Tendance and Care. Yet fhe did not go, as not being delighted with fuch Difcourfe, or that her Ear was not capable of hearing Arguments upon the highest Subjects, but fhe referv'd fuch Pleafure when ADAM fhould relate it to her, when they fhould be by themfelves; fhe preferr'd her Hufband to be the Relater before the Angel, and chofe rather to afk of him; the knew he would mix his Difcourfe with agreeable Digreffions, and folve high Difpute with conjugal Careffes; for it was not Words alone from his Lips that pleas'd her, (When meet now Pairs fo join'd in Love and mutual Honour?) She went forth with a Demeanour like a Goddefs, and not unattended, for a Pomp of winning Graces waited on her as a Queen, and created Defire in all Eyes, to wish to have her ftill in Sight. And RAPHAEL made this benevolent Reply to the Doubt propos'd by ADAM:

I Do not blame thee for enquiring or fearching, for Heaven is as the Book of GOD fet before thee, wherein thou may'ft read his wond'rous Works, and learn his Seafons, Hours, Days, Months, or Years. To attain this, if thou judge aright, it fignifies nothing to know whether Heaven moves, or the Earth; the reft the great Architect did wifely to conceal from MAN or Angel; and not divulge his Secrets to be canvafs'd by them, who ought only to admire: Or if they have a Mind to conjecture, he hath left his Fabrick of the Heavens to their Difputes, perhaps to fee the Weakness of their strange Opinions hereafter; when they come to model Heaven, and to compute the Motions, Distance, and Situation of the Stars, how they will govern the mighty Frame; how build, unbuild, and contrive to fave Appearances; (a) how incumber the Sphere with Centric and Excentric, with Cycle (b) and Epicycle (c), Orb (d) within Orb : Thus I guefs already by thy reafoning, who art to lead thy Offfpring, and fuppofeft, that bright and greater Bodies fhould not ferve the leffer that are not bright, nor run fuch Journeys through Heaven, the Earth

(a) Appearances; Fr. Lat. An Aftrolog. T. The Rifings, Motions, Places and Influences of the Planets. Here is a strong and pleafant Confutation of Judiciary Aftrology, with fome of its abfurd Terms, by way of a Digreffion.

(b) Cycle; Lat. Gr. i. e. A Circle. An Aftrol. T. A continual Revolution of Planets, which goeth on from the firit Number to the laft without any Interruption; and then returns to the laft, as the Cycle of the Sun, &c.

(c) Epicycle; Lat. Gr. i. e.

A Circle above a Circle. An Aftrolog. T. A leffer Circle, whofe Center is in the Circumference of the greater Circle, i. e. one Cycle within another, or Orb in Orb, as Planets, having their Center different from the Center of the Earth, &c.

(d) Orb; Fr. Lat. An Aftron. T. An hollow Sphere or Globe, ufed by Aftronomers and Aftrologers to demonftrate the Motions, and Distances of Places, Globes or Spheres were first invented by Archimedes, an excellent Mathematician of Sicily, about A. M. 3730.

Earth all the while fitting ftill, and alone receiving the Benefit. Firft confider, that Greatnefs or Brightnefs does not imply Excellence: The Earth, though not gliftering and being fo fmall in Comparison of Heaven, may contain more Plenty of folid Good than the Sun, that though it fhines is barren, whofe Virtue works no Effect upon itself, but in the fruitful Earth; there his Beams, (which would be otherwife unactive) when they are receiv'd, firft find their Vigour. Yet it is not to the Earth that thofe bright Luminaries do their Office, but to thee, the Earth's Inhabitant: And for the wide Circuit of Heaven, let it fpeak the high Magnificence of the Maker, who built fo fpaciously, and ftretch'd out his Line fo far, that MAN may know he dwells in an Edifice too large for him to fill; that he is lodg'd in a fmall Partition; and that the reft is ordain'd to Uses best known to his Lord. Attribute the Swiftnefs of those numberlefs Circles to his Omnipotence, that could add to material Subftances Speed almoft fpiritual. Me thou wilt not think flow, who fince the Morning fet out from Heaven, where GoD refides, and before Noon arriv'd in EDEN; a Distance not to be exprefs'd by any Numbers that have Name; but this I urge, admitting Motion in the Heavens, to fhow that invalid which mov'd thee to doubt it; not that I affirm it to be fo, though it feems fo to thee, who hast thy Dwelling upon Earth. GOD being minded to remove his Ways from human Senfe, plac'd Heaven fo far from Earth, that if earthly Sight fhould prefume to pry, it might err in Things that are too high, and gain no Advantage. What if the Sun fhould be the Centre to the World, and other Stars, incited by their own and his attractive Virtue, move about him. in various Circles? In fix of them thou feeft their wand'ring Course, fometimes high, fometimes low; then hid, then progreffive; then going backwards, or ftanding ftill; (that is, in Appearance) and what if

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