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Their pleasant dwelling-place. Thrice happy Men
And sons of Men, whom God hath thus advanc'd !
Created in his image, there to dwell

And worship him; and in reward to rule
Over his works, on earth, in sea, of air,
And multiply a race of worshippers
Holy and just: Thrice happy, if they know
Their happiness, and persevere upright!
So sung they, and the empyréan rung
With halleluiahs: Thus was sabbath kept.
And thy request think now fulfill'd, that ask'd
How first this world and face of things began,
And what before thy memory was done
From the beginning; that posterity,

Inform'd by thee, might know: If else thou seek'st
Aught, not surpassing human measure, say.

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END OF THE SEVENTH BOOK.

THE

EIGHTH BOOK

OF

PARADISE LOST.

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 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.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK VIII.

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 recompence
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 attribúted to the high

Creator? Something yet of doubt remains,
Which only thy solution can resolve.

When I behold this goodly frame, this world,
Of Heaven 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 aught 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 countenance seem'd
Entering on studious thoughts abstruse; which Eve
Perceiving, where she sat retir'd in sight,
With lowliness majestick from her seat,

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