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Numerous; and every star perhaps a world
Of desitined habitation; but thou know'st
Their seasons: among these the seat of men,
Earth, with her nether ocean circumfused,
Their pleasant dwelling place. Thrice happy men
And sons of men, whom God hath thus advanced!
Created in his image, there to dwell

And worship him; and in reward to rule
Over his works, on Earth, in sea, or 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 empyrean rung
With hallelujahs: thus was sabbath kept.
And thy request think now fulfilled, 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.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK VIII.

THE ARGUMENT.

Adam inquires concerning celestial notions: is doubtfully answered, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowl edge. 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 nuptuals 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 awhile
Thought him still speaking, still stood fix'd to hear
Then as new waked, thus gratefully replied:
What thanks sufficient, or what recompense

Equal, have I to render thee, divine
Historian, who thus largely hast allay'd

The thirst I had of knowledge, and vouchsafed
This friendly condescension to relate

Things, else 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 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 compared
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 opacious Earth, this punctual spot,
One day and night; in all her vast surveys
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,
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 seem'd
Entering on studious thoughts abstruse: which Eve
Perceiving, where she sat retired in 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 touch'd 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 reserved,
Adam relating, she sole auditress;

Her husband the relater she preferr'd

Before the Angel, and of him to ask

Chose rather; he, she knew, would intermix
Grateful digressions, and solve high dispute
With conjugal caresses; from his lip

Not words alone pleased her. O! when meet now
Such pairs, in love and mutual honor join'd?
With goddess-like demeanour forth she went,
Not unattended: for on her as queen
A pomp of winning graces waited still,
And from about her short darts of desire
Into all eyes, and wish her still din sight.
And Raphael now, to Adam's doubt proposed..
Bnevolent and facile thus replied:

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