Of heav'n's high-feated top, th' imperial throne 585
Of Godhead, fix'd for ever firm and sure,
The Filial Pow'r arriv'd, and fat him down
With his great Father; for he also went
Invisible, yet stay'd, (such privilège

Hath Omniprefence), and the work, ordain'd, 590
Author and end of all things; and from work
Now refting, blefs'd and hallow'd the feventh day,
As refting on that day from all his work:
But not in filence holy kept; the harp
Had work, and refted not; the folemn pipe,
And dulcimer, all organs of fweet stop,
All founds on fret by ftring or golden wire
Temper'd foft tunings, intermix'd with voice
Choral or unifon: of incenfe clouds,

295

600

Fuming from golden cenfers, hid the mount.
Creation and the fix days acts they fung,

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

605

Thy thunders magnify'd; but to create

Is greater than created to deftroy.

Who can impair thee, mighty King, or bound
Thy empire? eafily the proud attempt

610

Of spirits apoftate, and their counfels vain,
Thou haft repell'd, while impiously they thought
Thee to diminish, and from thee withdraw
The number of thy worshippers. Who feeks
To leffen thee, against his purpose ferves
To manifest the more thy might his evil
Thou useft, 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 glaffy fea;

615

Of

620

Of amplitude almoft immenfe, with stars.
Numerous, and every ftar perhaps a world
Of deftin'd habitation; but thou know't
Their feafons: among thefe the feat of men,
Earth, with her nether ocean circumfus'd,
Their pleafant dwelling-place. Thrice happy men,
And fons 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 worlhippers,
Holy and just thrice happy, if they know
Their happiness, and perfevere upright.

624

630

So fung they, and the empyréan rung With hallelujahs: thus was Sabbath kept. And thy request think now fulfill'd, that afk'd 635 How firft 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 elfe thou feek'ft

Ought, not surpaffing human measure, fay.

END of the SEVENTH BOOK.

640

M

ARGU

ARGUMENT of Book VIII.

Adam inquires concerning celeftial motions; is doubt. fully anfwered, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledge: Adam affents; and, fiill defirous to detain Raphael, relates to him what he remembered fince his own creation, his placing in Paradife, his talk with God concerning folitude and fit fociety, bis firft meeting and nuptials with Eve: his difcourfe with the angel thereupon, who, after admonitions repeated, departs.

PARADISE

PARADISE LOS T.

BOOK

VIII.

HE angel ended, and in Adam's ear

So charming left his voice, that he a while. Thought him still speaking, ftill stood fix'd to hear; Then, as new wak'd, thus gratefully reply'd. What thanks fufficient, or what recompenfe Equal have I to render thee, divine Hiftorian, who thus largely haft allay'd The thirst I had of knowledge, and vouchsaf'd This friendly condefcenfion to relate Things elfe by me unfearchable, 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 folution can refolve.

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 feem 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 vast survey
M 2

20

Ufelels

Ufelefs befides; reasoning I oft admire,

25

How Nature wife and frugal could commit

Such disproportions, with fuperfluous hand
So many nobler bodies to create,
Greater fo manifold, to this one ufe,

For ought appears, and on their orbs impofe
Such restlefs revolution day by day
Repeated, while the fedentary earth,

30

That better might with far lefs compass move,
Serv'd by more noble than herself, attains
Her end without leaft motion, and receives,
As tribute, fuch a fumlefs journey brought
Of incorporeal speed, her warmth and light;
Speed, to defcribe whofe fwiftnefs number fails.

35

So fpake our fire, and by his count'nance feem'd Ent'ring on studious thoughts abftrufe; which Eve40 Perceiving where the fat retir'd in fight,

With lowliness majestic from her feat,

And grace that won who faw to with her stay,
Rofe, and went forth among her fruits and flowers,
To vifit how they profper'd, bud and bloom,

And touch'd by her fair tendence gladlier grew.

45

Her nursery; they at her coming fprung,

Yet went the not, as not with fuch difcourfe

Delighted, or not capable her ear

Of what was high: fuch pleasure she referv'd,

50

Adam relating, the fole auditress;

Her husband the relator the preferr'd

Before the angel, and of him to ask

Chofe rather; he, fhe knew, would intermix

Grateful digreffions, and folve high difpute
With conjugal careffes; from his lip

Not words alone pleas'd her. O when meet now Such pairs, in love and mutual honour join'd? With goddefs-like demeanor forth the went,

55

Not