Of heav'n's high-seated top, th’imperial throne 585
Of Godhead, fix'd for ever firm and sure,
The Filial Pow'r arriv'd, and sat him down
With his great Father ; for he also went
Invisible, yet Itay'd, (such privilege
Hath Omnipresence), and the work, ordain'd,

590
Author and end of all things; and from work
Now refting, bless'd and hallow'd the seventh day,
As resting on that day from all his work:
But not in silence holy kept; the harp
Had work, and rested not; the folemn pipe, 295
And dulcimer, all organs of sweet stop,
All sounds on fret by string or golden wire
Temper'd soft tunings, intermix'd with voice
Choral or unison: of incense clouds,
Fuming from golden censers, hid the mount. 600
Creation and the six days acts they sung,
Great are thy works, Jehovah! infinite
Thy pow'r! what thought can measure thee, or tongue
Relate thee! greater now in thy return
Than from the giant-angels: thee that day 685
Thy thunders magnify'd; but to create
Is greater than created to destroy.
Who can impair thee, mighty King, or bound
Thy empire ? easily the proud attempt
Of spi'rits apoftate, and their counsels vain, 610
Thou haft repell’d, while impiously they thought
Thee to diminish, and from thee withdraw
The number of thy worshippers. Wbo seeks
To lessen thee, against his purpose ferves
To manifest the more thy might: his evil 615
Thou usest, and from thence creat'st more good.
Witness this new-made world, another heaven,
From heaven-gate not far, founded in view
On the clear hyaline, the glassy fea;

of

624

Of amplitude almost immense, with stars 620
Numerous, and every star perhaps a world
Of destin'd habitation; but thou knoiv'lt
Their seasons: among these the seat of men,
Earth, with her nether ocean circumfus'd,
Their pleasant dwelling place. Thrice happy men,
And soos of inen, 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 fea, or air,
And multiply a race of worshippers,

630 Holy and jult : thrice happy, if they know Their happiness, and persevere upright.

So sung they, and the empyréan rung With hallelujahs: thus was Sabbath kept. And thy request think now fulfill'd, that alk'd 635 How first this world 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 feek'st Ought, not surpalling human measure, say. 640

End of the SEVENTH Book.

M

ARC

ARGU: ARGUMENT of Book VIII.

Adam inquires concerning celestial motions; is doubt. fully answered, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledge : Adan afsents; and, fiill defirous to detain Raphael, relates to him wbat he remembered fince his own creation, his placing in Paradise, his talk with God concerning folitude and ft fociety, his first meeting and nuptials with Eve :: his disconrse with the angel thereuport, who, after admonitions repeated, departs.

PARADISE

PARADISE LOS T.

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VIII.

10

HE angel ended, and in Adam's ear

So charming left his voice, that he a while Thought him ftill speaking, ftill stood fix'd to hear; Then, as new wak'd, thus gratefully reply'd.

What thanks sufficient, or what recompense 5 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 condefcenfion to relate Things elfe 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 folution can resolve.

When I behold this goodly frame, this world 15 Of heav'n and earth confisting, 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 val survey M 2

Useless

20

Useless besides ; reasoning I oft admire,

25 How Nature wise and frugal could commit Such disproportions, with fuperfluous hand So many nobler bodies to create, Greater so manifold, to this one ufe, For ought appears, and on their orbs impose 30 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, 35 As tribute, such a fumless journey brought Of incorporeal speed, her warmth and light; Speed, to describe whose swiftness number fails.

So fpake our fire, and by his count'nance feem'd Ent’ring on studious thoughts abstruse; which Eve 40 Perceiving where she fat retir'd in fight, With lowliness majestic from her feat, 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, 45 Her nursery; they at her coming sprung, And touch'd by her fair tendence gladlier grew. Yet went she not, as not with such discourse Delighted, or not capable her ear Of what was high: such pleasure the reserv'd, so Adam relating, the sole auditress; Her husband the relator the preferr'd Before the angel, and of him to ask Chole rather; be, she knew, would intermix Grateful digreflions, and solve high dispute 53 With conjugal caresses; from his lip Not words alone pleas'd her. O when meet now Such pa in love and mutual honour join'd? With goddess-like deneanor forth the went,

Not