As clouds, and clouds may rain, and rain produce
Fruits in her softened soil, for some to eat
Alloted there; and other suns perhaps,
With their attendant moons, thou wilt descry
Communicating male and female light150
—Which two great sexes animate the World—
Stored in each orb perhaps with some that live.
For such vast room in nature unpossessed
By living soul, desert and desolate,
Only to shine, yet scarce to contribute
Each orb a glimpse of light, conveyed so far
Down to this habitable, which returns
Light back to them, is obvious to dispute.—
But whether thus these things or whether not,
Whether the sun, predominant in heaven,160
Rise on the earth, or earth rise on the sun,
He from the east his flaming road begin,
Or she from west her silent course advance,
With inoffensive pace, that spinning sleeps
On her soft axle, while she paces even,
And bears thee soft with the smooth air along,
Solicit not thy thoughts with matters hid;
Leave them to God above; him serve and fear
Of other creatures, as him pleases best,
Wherever placed, let him dispose; joy thou170
In what he gives to thee, this Paradise
And thy fair Eve; heaven is for thee too high
To know what passes there. Be lowly wise;
Page:Paradise lost by Milton, John.djvu/260
This page has been validated.
254
PARADISE LOST.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Paradise_lost_by_Milton%2C_John.djvu/page260-1024px-Paradise_lost_by_Milton%2C_John.djvu.jpg)