Their pleasant dwelling-place. Thrice happy men, And sons of men, whom God hath thus advanc'd, And worship him, and in reward to rule 630 "So sung they, and the empyrean rung 635 Inform'd by thee might know; if else thou ster'st Cught, not surpassing human measure, say.” 6-10 11* END OF BOOK SEVENTH. PARADISE LOST. BOOK VIII. THE ARGUMENT. Adam inquires concerning celestial motions; is doubtfully answered, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledge Adam assents, and, still desirous to detain Raphul, relates to him what he remembered since his own creation, his placing in Paradise, his talk with God concerning solitude and fit society, his first meeting and nuptials with Eve; his discourse with the angel thereupon, who, after admonitions repeated, departs. THE angel ended, and in Adam's car Thought him still speaking, still stood fix'd to hear: "What thanks sufficient, or what recompense 5 Equal have I to render thee, divine Historian! who thus largely hast allay'd The thirst I had of knowledge, and vouchsaf'd 10 Things else by me unsearchable, now heard When I behold this goodly frame, this world, 15 And all her number'd stars, that seem to roll Round this opacous earth, this punctual spot, That better might with far less compass move, So spake our sire, and by his count'nance seem'd Ent'ring on studious thoughts abstruse, which Eve Perceiving, where she sat retir'd in sight With lowliness majestic from her seat, 41 And grace that won who saw to wish her stay, And, touch'd by her fair tendance, gladlier grew. Adam relating, the sole auditress; 45 Of what was high: such pleasure she reserv'd 50 Her husband the relater she preferr'd Before the angel, and of him to ask Chose rather; he, she knew, would intermix Grateful digressions, and solve high dispute 55 With conjugal caresses; from his lip Not words alone pleas'd her. (O! when meet now Such pairs, in love and mutual honour join'd ?) 60 Into all eyes to wish her still in sight. "To ask or search I blame thee not, for heaven Is as the book of God before thee set, Wherein to read his wondrous works, and learn His seasons, hours, or days, or months, or years; This to attain, whether heaven move or earth, Imports not if thou reckon right; the rest From man or angel the great Architect Did wisely to conceal, and not divulge His secrets to be scann'd by them who ought Rather admire; or if they list to try Conjecture, he his fabric of the heavens Hath left to their disputes, perhaps to move His laughter at their quaint opinions wide Hereafter, when they come to model heaven And calculate the stars, how they will wield The mighty frame, how build, unbuild, contrive To save appearances, how gird the sphere With centric and eccentric scribbled o'er, Cycle and epicycle, orb in orb; Already by thy reasoning this I guess Who art to lead thy offspring, and supposest 65 70 75 80 85 100 That man may know he dwells not in his own; Lodg'd in a small partition, and the rest 105 Ordain'd for uses to his Lord best know The swiftness of those circles attribute, Though numberless, to his omnipotence, That to corporeal substances could add Speed almost spiritual: me thou think'st not slow, Who since the morning hour set out from heaven Where God resides, and ere mid-day arriv'd In Eden; distance inexpressible But this I urge, By numbers that have name. 109 115 To thee who hast thy dwelling here on earth. God, to remove his ways from human sense, Plac'd heaven from earth so far, that earthly sight, If it presume, might err in things too high, 121 And no advantage gain. What if the sun Be centre to the world, and other stars, By his attractive virtue and their own Incited, dance about him various rounds? 1.25 Their wand'ring course now high, now low, then hid, In six thou seest; and what if seventh to these A night; which needs not thy belief, austrious of herself, fetch day Travelling east, and with her part averse From the sun's beam meet night, her otner part 130 135 Still luminous by his ray. What if that light, 140 Enlight'ning her by day, as she by night This earth? reciprocal, if land be there, Fields and inhabitants. Her spots thou seest 145 As clouds, and clouds may rain, and rain produce Fruits in her soften'd soil, for some to eat Allotted there; and other suns perhaps With their attendant moons thou wilt descry 150 |