46 flecked.
47 on the smooth sea.
48 natural.
49 fully feathered their wings.
50 Seen from afar, the birds seemed to be a cloud.
51 separately.
52 spreading out.
53 lives.
54 streaked with darker color.
55 See Job xl. 15-24.
56 hippopotamus.
57 body; “involv’d”: gathered in their folds to obscure them.
58 Gen. iii. 1: “Now the serpent was more subtile than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.” The same line occurs as IX, 86, 560.
59 the object.
60 Ps. xxiv. 7: “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.”
61 a stop on a stringed instrument.
62 solo.
63 Gordon O’Brien discusses this recurrent image (in Renaissance Poetics and the Problem of Power, Chicago, 1956, especially pp. 113–15) as a correspondence between the mind of man (the “clear spirit” of Lycidas, 70) and the frame of heaven; derived from Rev. xv. 2, the figure embodies the concept of knowledge and the concept of power which come from God and are reflected back to Heaven.
64 unmeasurable.
BOOK VIII
THE ARGUMENT
Adam inquires concerning celestial Motions, is doubtfully answer’d, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledge: Adam assents, and still desirous to detain Raphael, relates to him what he remember’d 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 Adams Ear
So Charming left his voice, that he a while
Thought him still speaking, still stood fixt to hear;
Then as new wak’t thus gratefully repli’d.
5
What thanks sufficient, or what recompence
Equal have I to render thee, Divine
Hystorian, who thus largely hast allayd
The thirst I had of knowledge, and voutsaf’t
This friendly condescention to relate
10
Things else by me unsearchable, now heard
With wonder, but delight, and, as is due,
With glorie attributed to the high
Creator; something yet of doubt remains,
Which onely thy solution can resolve.
15
When I behold this goodly Frame, this World1
Of Heav’n and Earth consisting, and compute,
Thir magnitudes, this Earth a spot, a grain,
An Atom, with the Firmament compar’d
And all her numberd Starrs, that seem to rowl
20
Spaces incomprehensible (for such
Thir distance argues and thir swift return
Diurnal) meerly to officiate2 light
Round this opacous3 Earth, this punctual4 spot,
One day and night; in all thir vast survey
25
Useless besides, reasoning I oft admire,5
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,
30
For aught appeers, and on thir Orbs impose
Such restless revolution day by day
Repeated, while the sedentarie Earth,
That better might with farr less compass move,
Serv’d by more noble then her self, attains
35
Her end without least motion, and receaves,
As Tribute such a sumless6 journey brought
Of incorporeal speed, her warmth and light;
Speed, to describe whose swiftness Number fails.
So spake our Sire, and by his count’nance seemd
40
Entring on studious thoughts abstruse, which Eve
Perceaving where she sat retir’d 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 Flowrs,
45
To visit how they prosper’d, bud and bloom,
Her Nurserie; they at her coming sprung
And toucht by her fair tendance gladlier grew.
Yet went she not, as not with such discourse
Delighted, or not capable her ear
50
Of what was high: such pleasure she reserv’d,
Adam relating, she sole Auditress;
Her Husband the Relater she preferr’d
Before the Angel, and of him to ask
Chose rather; hee, she knew would intermix
55
Grateful digressions, and solve high dispute
With conjugal Caresses, from his Lip
Not Words alone pleas’d her. O when meet now
Such pairs, in Love and mutual Honour joyn’d?
With Goddess-like demeanour forth she went;
60
Not unattended, for on her as Queen
A pomp7 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 propos’d
65
Benevolent and facil8 thus repli’d.
To ask or search I blame thee not, for Heav’n
Is as the Book of God before thee set,
Wherein to read his wondrous Works, and learn
His Seasons, Hours, or Dayes, or Months, or Yeares:
70
This to attain, whether Heav’n move or Earth,
Imports not, if thou reck’n right, the rest
From Man or Angel the great Architect
Did wisely to conceal, and not divulge
His secrets to be scann’d by them who ought
75
Rather admire; or if they list to try
Conjecture, he his Fabric of the Heav’ns
Hath left to thir disputes, perhaps to move
His laughter at thir quaint Opinions wide9
Hereafter, when they come to model Heav’n
80
And calculate the Starrs, how they will weild
The mightie frame, how build, unbuild, contrive
To save appeerances,10 how gird the Sphear
With Centric and Eccentric scribl’d o’re,
Cycle and Epicycle, Orb in Orb:
85
Alreadie by thy reasoning this I guess,
Who art to lead thy ofspring, and supposest
That bodies bright and greater should not serve
The less not bright, nor Heav’n such journies run,
Earth sitting still, when she alone receaves
90
The benefit: consider first, that Great
Or Bright inferrs not Excellence: the Earth
Though, in comparison of Heav’n, so small,
Nor glistering, may of solid good contain
More plenty then the Sun that barren shines,
95
Whose vertue on it self works no effect,
But in the fruitful Earth; there first receav’d
His beams, unactive else, thir vigour find.
Yet not to Earth are those bright Luminaries
Officious, but to thee Earths habitant.
100
And for the Heav’ns wide Circuit, let it speak
The Makers high magnificence, who built
So spacious, and his Line stretcht out so farr;
That Man may know he dwells not in his own;
An Edifice too large for him to fill,
105
Lodg’d in a small partition, and the rest
Ordain’d for uses to his Lord best known.
T
he swiftness of those Circles attribute,
Though numberless, to his Omnipotence,
That to corporeal substances could add
110
Speed almost Spiritual; mee thou thinkst not slow,
Who since the Morning hour set out from Heav’n
Where God resides, and ere mid-day arriv’d
In Eden, distance inexpressible
By Numbers that have name. But this I urge,
115
Admitting Motion in the Heav’ns, to shew
Invalid that which thee to doubt it mov’d;
Not that I so affirm, though so it seem
To thee who hast thy dwelling here on Earth.
God to remove his wayes from human sense,
120
Plac’d Heav’n from Earth so farr, that earthly sight,
If it presume, might err in things too high,
And no advantage gain. What if the Sun
Be Center to the World, and other Starrs
By his attractive vertue11 and thir own
125
Incited, dance about him various rounds?
Thir wandring course now high, now low, then hid,
Progressive, retrograde, or standing still,
In six thou seest, and what if sev’nth to these
The Planet Earth, so stedfast though she seem,
130
Insensibly12 three different Motions move?
Which else to several Sphears thou must ascribe,
Mov’d contrarie with thwart obliquities,13
Or save the Sun his labour, and that swift
Nocturnal and Diurnal rhomb14 suppos’d,
135
Invisible else above all Starrs, the Wheel
Of Day and Night; which needs not thy beleef,
If Earth industrious of her self fetch Day
Travelling East, and with her part averse
From the Suns beam meet Night, her other part
140
Still luminous by his ray. What if that light
Sent from her through the wide transpicuous air,
To the terrestrial Moon be as a Starr
Enlightning her by Day, as she by Night
This Earth? reciprocal, if Land be there,
145
Feilds and Inhabitants: Her spots thou seest
As Clouds, and Clouds may rain, and Rain produce
Fruits in her soft’n’d Soil, for some to eat
Allotted there; and other Suns perhaps
With thir attendant Moons thou wilt descrie
150
Communicating Male and Femal15 Light,
Which two great Sexes animate the World,
Stor’d in each Orb perhaps with some that live.
For such vast room in Nature unpossest
By living Soul, desert and desolate,
155
Onely to shine, yet scarce to contribute
Each Orb a glimps of Light, conveyd so farr
Down to this habitable, which returns
Light back to them, is obvious to dispute.16
But whether thus these things, or whether not,
160
Whether the Sun predominant in Heav’n
Rise on the Earth, or Earth rise on the Sun,
Hee from the East his flaming rode begin,
Or Shee from West her silent course advance
With inoffensive17 pace that spinning sleeps
165
On her soft Axle, while she paces Eev’n,
And beares thee soft with the smooth Air along,
Sollicit not thy thoughts with matters hid,
Leave them to God above, him serve and fear;
Of other Creatures, as him pleases best,
170
Wherever plac’t, let him dispose: joy thou
In what he gives to thee, this Paradise
And thy fair Eve; Heav’n is for thee too high
To know what passes there; be lowlie wise:
Think onely what concerns thee and thy being;
175
Dream not of other Worlds, what Creatures there
Live, in what state, condition or degree,
Contented that thus farr hath been reveal’d
Not of Earth onely but of highest Heav’n.
To whom thus Adam cleerd of doubt, repli’d.
180
How fully hast thou satisfi’d mee, pure
Intelligence of Heav’n, Angel serene,
And freed from intricacies, taught to live,
The easiest way, nor with perplexing thoughts
To interrupt the sweet of Life, from which
185
God hath bid dwell farr off all anxious cares,
And not molest us, unless we our selves
Seek them with wandring thoughts, and notions vain.
But apt the Mind or Fancie is to roave
Uncheckt, and of her roaving is no end;
190
Till warn’d, or by experience taught, she learn,
That not to know at large of things remote
From use, obscure and suttle, but to know
That which before us lies in daily life,
Is the prime Wisdom; what is more, is fume,
195
Or emptiness, or fond impertinence,
And renders us in things that most concern
Unpractis’d, unprepar’d, and still to seek.
Therefore from this high pitch let us descend
A lower flight, and speak of things at hand
200
Useful, whence haply mention may arise
Of somthing not unseasonable to ask
By sufferance, and thy wonted favour deign’d.
Thee I have heard relating what was don
Ere my remembrance: now hear mee relate
205
My Storie, which perhaps thou hast not heard;
And Day is yet not spent; till then thou seest
How suttly to detain thee I devise,
Inviting thee to hear while I relate,
Fond, were it not in hope of thy reply:
210
For while I sit with thee, I seem in Heav’n,
And sweeter thy discourse is to my ear
Then Fruits of Palm-tree pleasantest to thirst
And hunger both, from18 labour, at the hour
Of sweet repast; they satiate, and soon fill,
215
Though pleasant, but thy words with Grace Divine
Imbu’d, bring to thir sweetness no satietie.
To whom thus Raphael answer’d heav’nly meek.
Nor are thy lips ungraceful, Sire of men,
Nor tongue ineloquent; for God on thee
220
Abundantly his gifts hath also pour’d
Inward and outward both, his image fair:
Speaking or mute all comliness and grace
Attends thee, and each word, each motion formes.
Nor less think wee in Heav’n of thee on Earth
225
Then of our fellow servant, and inquire
Gladly into the wayes of God with Man:
For God we see hath honour’d thee, and set
On Man his equal Love: say therefore on;
For I that Day was absent, as befell,
230
Bound on a voyage uncouth19 and obscure,
Farr on excursion toward the Gates of Hell;
Squar’d in full Legion (such command we had)
To see that none thence issu’d forth a spie,
Or enemie, while God was in his work,
235
Least hee incenst at such eruption bold,
Destruction with Creation might have mixt.
Not that they durst without his leave attempt,
But us he sends upon his high behests
For state, as Sovran King, and to enure20
240
Our prompt obedience. Fast we found, fast shut
The dism
al Gates, and barricado’d strong;
But long ere our approaching heard within
Noise, other then the sound of Dance or Song,
Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage.
245
Glad we return’d up to the coasts of Light
Ere Sabbath Eev’ning: so we had in charge.
But thy relation now; for I attend,
Pleas’d with thy words no less then thou with mine.
So spake the Godlike Power, and thus our Sire.
250
For Man to tell how human Life began
Is hard; for who himself beginning knew?
Desire with thee still longer to converse
Induc’d me. As new wak’t from soundest sleep
Soft on the flowrie herb I found me laid
255
In Balmie Sweat, which with his Beames the Sun
Soon dri’d, and on the reaking moisture fed.
Strait toward Heav’n my wondring Eyes I turnd,
And gaz’d a while the ample Skie, till rais’d
By quick instinctive motion up I sprung,
260
As thitherward endevoring, and upright
Stood on my feet; about me round I saw
Hill, Dale, and shadie Woods, and sunnie Plains,
And liquid Lapse of murmuring Streams; by these,
Creatures that liv’d, and mov’d, and walk’d, or flew,
265
Birds on the branches warbling; all things smil’d,
With fragrance and with joy my heart oreflow’d.
My self I then perus’d, and Limb by Limb
Survey’d, and sometimes went,21 and sometimes ran
With supple joints, as lively vigour led:
270
But who I was, or where, or from what cause,
Knew not; to speak I tri’d, and forthwith spake,
My Tongue obey’d and readily could name
What e’re I saw. Thou Sun, said I, fair Light,
And thou enlight’n’d Earth, so fresh and gay,
275
Ye Hills and Dales, ye Rivers, Woods, and Plains,
And ye that live and move, fair Creatures, tell,