Adam inquires concerning celeftial motions, is doubtfully anfwer'd, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledge: Adam affents; and, ftill defirous to detain Raphael, relates to him what he remember'd fince his own creation, his placing in Paradife, his talk with God concerning folitude and fit fociety, his first meeting and nuptials with Eve, his difcourfe with the Angel thereupon; who after admonitions repeated departs.
HE Angel ended, and in Adam's ear
So charming left his voice, that he a while
Thought him ftill speaking, ftill stood fix'd to hear;
Then as new wak'd thus gratefully reply'd.
What thanks fufficient, or what recompenfe
Equal have I to render thee, divine
Hiftorian, who thus largely haft allay'd
The thirst I had of knowledge, and vouchfaf'd
This friendly condefcenfion to relate
Things elfe by me unfearchable, now heard
With wonder, but delight, and, as is due,
With glory attributed to the high
Creator? fomething yet of doubt remains,
Which only thy folution can refolve.
When I behold this goodly frame, this world
Of Heav'n and Earth confifting, and compute
Their magnitudes, this earth, a fpot, a grain,
An atom, with the firmament compar'd
And all her number'd stars, that feem to roll
Spaces incomprehenfible (for fuch
Their distance argues and their swift return
Diurnal) merely to officiate light
Round this opacous earth, this punctual spot,
One day and night, in all their vast survey
Ufelefs befides; reafoning I oft admire,
How nature wife and frugal could commit
Such difproportions, with fuperfluous hand
nobler bodies to create,
Greater fo manifold to this one ufe,
For ought appears, and on their orbs impose
Such reftlefs revolution day by day
Repeated, while the fedentary earth,
That better might with far less compass move,
Serv'd by more noble than herself, attains
Her end without leaft motion, and receives,
As tribute, fuch a fumless journey brought
Of incorporeal speed, her warmth and light ;
Speed, to defcribe whofe fwiftnefs number fails.
So fpake our fire, and by his count'nance feem'd Entring on studious thoughts abstruse, which Eve 40 Perceiving where the fat retir'd in fight,
With lowlinefs majestic from her feat,
And grace that won who faw to wish her stay,
Rose, and went forth among her fruits and flowers,
To vifit how they profper'd, bud and bloom,
Her nursery; they at her coming fprung,
And touch'd by her fair tendence gladlier grew.
Yet went the not, as not with fuch discourse
Delighted, or not capable her ear
Of what was high: fuch pleasure she referv'd,
Adam relating, the fole auditrefs :
Her husband the relator fhe preferr'd
Before the Angel, and of him to ask
Chofe rather; he, fhe knew, would intermix
Grateful digreffions, and folve high dispute
With conjugal careffes; from his lip
Not words alone pleas'd her. O when meet now
Such pairs, in love and mutual honor join'd?
With Goddefs-like demeanour forth she went,
Not unattended, for on her as queen
A pomp of winning graces waited still,
And from about her shot darts of defire
Into all eyes to wish her still in fight.
And Raphael now to Adam's doubt propos'd
Benevolent and facil thus reply'd.
To ask or search I blame thee not, for Heaven
Is as the book of God before thee fet,
Wherein to read his wondrous works, and learn
His feafons, hours, or days, or months, or years :
This to attain, whether Heav'n move or Earth,
Imports not, if thou reckon right; the rest
From Man or Angel the great Architect
Did wifely to conceal, and not divulge
His fecrets to be fcann'd by them who ought
Rather admire; or, if they lift to try
Conjecture, he his fabric of the Heavens
Hath left to their difputes, 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 fave appearances, how gird the sphere
With centric and eccentric fcribled o'er,
Cycle and epicycle, orb in orb:
Already by thy reafoning this I guefs,
Who art to lead thy offspring, and supposest
That bodies bright and greater should not serve
The lefs not bright, nor Heav'n fuch journeys run,
Earth fitting ftill, when the alone receives
The benefit: confider firft, that great
Or bright infers not excellence: the earth
Though, in comparison of Heav'n, so small,
Nor glift'ring, may of folid good contain
More plenty than the fun that barren fhines,
Whofe virtue on itself works no effect,
But in the fruitful earth; there first receiv'd
His beams, unactive elfe, their vigor find.
Yet not to earth are those bright luminaries
Officious, but to thee earth's habitant.
And for the Heav'n's wide circuit, let it speak
'The Maker's high magnificence, who built
So fpacious, and his line ftretch'd out fo far ;
That Man may know he dwells not in his own ;
An edifice too large for him to fill,
Lodg'd in a fmall partition, and the rest
Ordain'd for ufes to his Lord best known.
The fwiftnefs of thofe circles attribute,
Though numberlefs, to his omnipotence,
That to corporeal fubftances could add
Speed almost spiritual; me thou think'st not flow, 110 Who fince the morning hour fet out from Heaven
Where God refides, and ere mid-day arriv'd
|