Adam enquires concerning celestial motions; is doubtfully answered, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledge: Adam assents, and, still desirous to detain Raphael, 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 ear
So charming left his voice, that he a while
Thought him still speaking, still stood fix'd to hear; Then, as new-wak'd, thus gratefully replied. "What thanks sufficient, or what recompense Equal have I to render thee, divine Historian, who thus largely hast allay'd The thirst I had of knowledge, and vouchsaf'd This friendly condescension, to relate Things else by me unsearchable, now heard With wonder, but delight, and, as is due, With glory attributed to the high Creator? Something yet of doubt remains, Which only thy solution can resolve. When I behold this goodly frame, this world, Of Heav'n and Earth consisting, and compute Their magnitudes, this earth a spot, a grain, An atom, with the firmament compar'd
And all her number'd stars, that seem to roll Spaces incomprehensible (for such
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 Useless besides; reasoning, I oft admire, How nature, wise and frugal, could commit Such disproportions, with superfluous hand So many nobler bodies to create,
Greater so manifold, to this one use,
For ought appears, and on their orbs impose Such restless revolution, day by day Repeated, while the sedentary earth,
That better might with far less compass move, Serv'd by more noble than herself, attains Her end without least motion, and receives, As tribute, such a sumless journey brought Of incorporeal speed, her warmth and light; Speed, to describe whose swiftness number fails." 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,
And grace that won who saw to wish her stay, Rose, and went forth among her fruits and flowers, To visit how they prosper'd, bud and bloom, Her nursery; they at her coming sprung,
And, touch'd by her fair tendance, gladlier grew. Yet went she not, as not with such discourse
Delighted, or not capable her ear
Of what was high: such pleasure she reserv'd,
Adam relating, she sole auditress;
Her husband the relator she preferr'd
Before the Angel, and of him to ask
Chose rather; he, she knew, would intermix
Grateful digressions, and solve high dispute
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?
With Goddess-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 desire Into all eyes to wish her still in sight. And Raphael now, to Adam's doubt propos'd, Benevolent and facile thus reply'd.
"To ask or search I blame thee not, for Heaven Is as the book of God before thee set,
Wherein to read his wond'rous works, and learn His seasons, 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 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
That bodies bright and greater should not serve
The less not bright, nor Heav'n such journies run, Earth sitting still, when she alone receives
The benefit. Consider first, that great
Or bright infers not excellence: the earth Though, in comparison of Heav'n, so small, Nor glist'ring, may of solid good contain More plenty than the sun that barren shines, Whose virtue on itself works no effect, But in the fruitful earth; there, first receiv'd, His beams, unactive else, their vigour find. Yet not to earth are those bright luminaries Officious, but to thee earth's habitant.
And for the Heaven's wide circuit, let it speak The Maker's high magnificence, who built So spacious, and his line stretch'd out so far;
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