i86
��PARADISE LOST
��Their magnitudes this Earth, a spot, a
grain,
An atom, with the Firmament compared And all her numbered stars, that seem to
rowl
Spaces incomprehensible (for such 20
Their distance argues, and their swift re- turn
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 com- mit
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 im- pose 30 Such restless revolution day by day Repeated, while the sedentary Earth, That better might with far less compass
move,
Served 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
seemed
Entering on studious thoughts abstruse; which Eve 4 o
Perceiving, where she sat retired iu 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 prospered, bud and bloom, Her nursery; they at her coming sprung, And, touched 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 re- served, 50 Adam relating, she sole auditress; Her husband the relater she preferred Before the Angel, and of him to ask Chose rather; he, she knew, would inter- mix
Grateful digressions, and solve high dispute With conjugal caresses: from his lip
��Not words alone pleased her. Oh, when
meet now Such pairs, in love and mutual honour
joined ? With goddess-like demeanour forth she
went,
Not unattended; for on her as Queen 60 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 pro- posed
Benevolent and facile thus replied: " To ask or search I blame thee not; for
Heaven
Is as the Book of God before thee set, Wherein to read his wondrous works, and
learn His seasons, hours, or days, or months, or
years.
This to attain, whether Heaven move or Earth 70
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 scanned 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 Hea- ven,
And calculate the stars; how they will
wield 80
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 suppos-
est That bodies bright and greater should not
serve
The less not bright, nor Heaven such jour- neys run,
Earth sitting still, when she alone receives The benefit. Consider, first, that great 90 Or bright infers not excellence. The Earth, Though, in comparison of Heaven, so small, Nor glistering, may of solid good contain More plenty than the Sun that barren shines,
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