The breath of life: in his own image he Express; and thou becam'st a living soul. Male he created thee, but thy consort Female for race; then bless'd mankind, and said, Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, 531 Subdue it, and throughout dominion hold Over fish of the sea, and fowl of th' air, And ev'ry living thing that moves on th' earth. 535 Is yet distinct by name, thence, as thou know'st And freely all their pleasant fruit for food 540 Gave thee; all sorts are here that all th' earth yields, Variety without end; but of the tree, Which, tasted, works knowledge of good and evil, Thou may'st not; in the day thou eat'st, thou dy'st; Death is the penalty imposed; beware, 545 And govern well thy appetite, lest Sin Surprise thee, and her black attendant Death. Here finish'd he, and all that he had made View'd, and behold all was entirely good; So even and morn accomplish'd the sixth day: 550 Desisting, though unweary'd, up return'd, 555 In prospect from his throne, how good, how fair, 560 563. The word station is a scientific term, and signifies the place of a planet when it appears at rest in its orbit. Open, ye everlasting gates, they sung; 565 Open, ye Heav'ns, your living doors: let in 570 The glorious train ascending. He through Heav'n, 578 A broad and ample road, whose dust is gold, Which nightly as a circling zone thou seest Powder'd with stars. And now on earth the seventh 580 Ev'ning arose in Eden, tor the sun Was set, and twilight from the east came on, Of Heav'n's high-seated top, th' imperial throne 585 Of Godhead, fix'd for ever firm and sure, The Filial Pow'r arrived, and sat him down Invisible) yet stay'd (such privilege Hath Omnipresence) and the work ordain'd 500 Author and End of all things, and from work Now resting, bless'd and hallow'd the sev'nth day, As resting on that day from all his work, 595 600 565. Ps. xxiv. 7. which was sung when the ark was carried into the sanctuary of the temple on Mount Sion. 581. There is a similar expression in Chaucer. 597. The divisions on the finger board of a violin are called frels. 599 Rev. viii. 3, 4. Thy pow'r! What thought can measure thee, or tongue Relate thee Greater now in thy return 605 Who can impair thee, mighty King, or bound Thy empire Easily the proud attempt 610 615 620 62-1 And worship him, and in reward to rule So sung they, and the empyréan rung With Halleluiahs. Thus was Sabbath kept. 630 And thy request think now fulfill'd, that ask'd 635 From the beginning, that posterity Inform'd by thee might know; if else thou seck'st Aught, not surpassing human measure, say. 610 605. Giant, not in allusion to their stature it is supposed, but to their ride and fierceness. 624. Nether, to distinguish it from the water? above the firmameul BOOK VIII. THE ARGUMENT. Adam inquires concerning celestial motions; is doubtfully anrwered, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledge: Adam assents: and, still desirous to detain Raphael, relates to him what he rentembered since his own creation, his placing in Paradise, his talk with God concerning solitude and fit society, his first meeting and nuptials with Eve, his discourse with the Angel thereupon; who, after admonitions repeated, departs. 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 reply'd: What thanks sufficient, or what recompense 5 With wonder, but delight, and, as is due, With glory attribúted to the High Creator? Something yet of doubt remains, 15 20 Their distance argues, and their swift return Round this opacous earth, this punctual spot, 15. Allusion is made in the following part of the discourse be ween Raphael and Adam, to the two most celebrated systems of astronomy, those of Ptolemy and Copernicus: the difference in which was, that the former made the earth, the latter the sun, the centre of the universe. Adam speaks in allusion to the Ptolemaic systeni, and the Angel answers by detailing the usual explanations formerly given of the difficulties alleged. 19. Number'd, Ps. cxlvii. 4. BOOK VIII. Useless besides; reasoning I oft admire For aught appears, and on their orbs imposa 30 That better might with far less compass move, 35 41 So spake our sire, and by his count'nance seem'd Ent'ring on studious thoughts abstruse; which Eve Perceiving where she sat retired in sigat, With lowliness majestic from her seat, And grace that won who saw to wish her stay, Rose, and went forth among her fruits and flow'rs, To visit how they prosper'd, bud and bloom, 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 45 Of what was high: such pleasure she reserved, 50 Adam relating, she sole auditress; Her husband, the relator, she preferr'd Before the Angel, and of him to ask Chose rather. He, she knew, would intermix Grateful digressions, and solve high dispute 55 With conjugal caresses; from his lip Not words alone pleased her. O when meet now Such pairs, in love and mutual honour join'd! 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 proposed, 65 To ask or search I blame thee not; for Heav'n 4s as the book of God before thee set, |