And multiply a race of worshippers
Holy and just thrice happy, if they know
Their happiness, and perfevere upright!
So fung, they, and the empyrean rung
With hallelujahs: Thus was Sabbath kept,
And thy request think now fulfill'd,
How first thisw orld and face of things began,
And what before thy memory was done
From the beginning, that pofterity
Inform'd by thee might know. If else thou seek'st
Ought, not surpaffing human meafure, fay, 640
The End of the Seventh Book.
The Angel ended, and in Adam's ear
So charming left his voice, that he a while
Thought him ftill fpeaking, ftill ftood fix'd to
Then, as new'd, thus gratefully reply'd.
What thanks fufficient,
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;
With wonder, but delight; and, as is due,
With glory attributed to the high
Creator. Something yet of doubt remains,
Which only thy folution can resolve.
When I behold this goodly frame, this world 15
Of Heav'n and earth confifting; 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 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 vaft survey
Ufelefs befides: reafoning I oft admire,
How Nature, wife and frugal, could commit
Such disproportions; with fuperfluous hand,
So many nobler bodies to create,
Greater fo manifold to this one use,
For ought appears, and on their orbs impose 30 Such restless, revolution day by day
Repeated, while the fedentary earth,
That better might with far lefs compass move,
Serv'd by more noble than herself, attains
Her end without leaft motion; and receives, 35
As tribute, fuch a fumlef's journey brought
Of incorporeal speed; her warmth and ligth;
Speed, to defcribe whose swiftness number
fails.
So fpake our fire, and by his count'nance
Entring on studious thoughts abftrufe; which
Perceiving, where she sat retir'd in sight,
With lowliness majestic from her feat,
And grace, that won who faw to wifh her stay; Rofe, and went forth among her fruits and
To vifit how they profper'd, but and bloom, 45
Her nursery they at her coming sprung,
And touch'd by her fair tendance gladlier grew,
Yet went she not, as not with fuch difcourfe
Delighted, or not capable her ear
Of what was high: fnch pleasure she referv'd,
Adam relating, fhe fole auditress:
Her husban the relater she preferr❜d
Before the Angel, and of him to ask
Chofe rather: he, The knew, would intermix Grateful digreffions, and folve high difpute 55 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 Goddes like demeanour forth fhe went;
Not unattended! for on her, as Queen,
A pomp of winning Graces waited' ftill,
And from about her fhot darts of defire
Into all eyes, to wifh her still in fight.
And Raphael now, to Adam's doubt propos'd,
Benevolent and facil thus reply'd.
To afk or fearch I blame thee not, for
Is as the book of God before thee fet,
Wherein to read his wondrous works, and
His feafons, hours, or days, or months or years:
This to attain, whether Heav'n move or
Imports not, if thou reckon right; the reft
From man or angel, the great Architect
Did wifely to conceal; and not divulge
His fecrets, to be scann'd by them, who ought
Rather admire. Or, if they lift to try
Conjecture, he his fabric of the Heav'ns,
Hath left to their disputes, perhaps to move
His laughter at their quaint opinions wide
Hereafter; when they come to model Heav'n,
And calculate the stars, how they will wield 80
The mighty frame; how build, unbuild,
To save appearances; how gird the sphere
With centric and eccentric scribl'd o'er,
Cycle and epicycle, orb in orb.
Already by thy reasoning this I guess,
Who art to lead thy offspring, and supposeft,
That bodies bright and greater should not serve
The lefs not bright, nor Heav'n fuch journeys
Earth fitting ftill, when she alone receives
The benefit. Confider firft, that great
Or bright infers not excellence: the earth
Though in comparison of Heav'n, so small,
Nor glistering, may of folid good contain
More plenty than the Sun, that barren fhines;
Whole virtue on itself works no effect,
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