The number of thy worshippers. Who seeks To lessen thee, against his purpose serves To manifest the more thy might his evil Thou usest, and from thence creat'st more good. Witness this new made world, another Heaven From Heav'n-gate not far, founded in view On the clear hyaline, the glassy sea; Of amplitude almost immense, with stars Numerous, and every star perhaps a world Of destin'd habitation; but thou know'st Their seasons: among these the seat of Men, Earth with her nether ocean circumfus'd,
Their pleasant dwelling-place. Thrice happy Men, 630 And sons of Men, 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 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 Halleluiahs; thus was sabbath kept.
And thy request think now fulfill'd, 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 Ought, not surpassing human measure, say.”
Adam enquires concerning celestial motions; is doubtfully answered, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledge: 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 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 a while Thought him still speaking, still stood fix'd to hear; Then, as new-wak'd, thus gratefully, reply'd. "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 vouchsaf'd 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 Heav'n and Earth consisting, 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 vast survey Useless besides; reasoning, I oft ad nire, How nature, wise and frugal, could commit Such disproportions, with superfluous hand So many nobler bodies to create,
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