Read The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems Online
Authors: John Milton,Burton Raffel
Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Literary Collections, #Poetry, #Classics, #English; Irish; Scottish; Welsh, #English poetry
627 | | Created in His image, there to dwell |
628 | | And worship Him, and in reward to rule |
629 | | Over His works, on earth, in sea, or air, |
630 | | And multiply a race of worshippers |
631 | | Holy and just. Thrice happy, if they know |
632 | | Their happiness, and persevere upright! |
633 | | |
634 | | With hallelujahs. Thus was sabbath kept. |
635 | | And thy request think now fulfilled, that asked |
636 | | How first this world and face |
637 | | And what before thy memory was done |
638 | | From the beginning, that |
639 | | Informed by thee, might know. If else thou seek’st |
640 | | Aught, not surpassing human measure, |
The End of the Seventh Book
BOOK VIII
THE ARGUMENT
Adam inquires 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.
1 | | |
2 | | So charming |
3 | | Thought him still speaking, still stood fixed |
4 | | Then, as new waked, thus gratefully replied: |
5 | | |
6 | | Equal, have I to render thee, divine |
7 | | |
8 | | The thirst I had of knowledge, and vouchsafed |
9 | | This friendly condescension to relate |
10 | | Things else by me unsearchable? |
11 | | With wonder, but delight, and as is due |
12 | | With glory attributed to the high |
13 | | Creator! Something yet of doubt remains, |
14 | | Which only thy solution |
15 | | When I behold this goodly frame, |
16 | | Of Heav’n and earth consisting, and compute |
17 | | Their magnitudes, this earth, a spot, a grain, |
18 | | An atom, with the firmament compared |
19 | | And all her numbered stars, that seem to roll |
20 | | Spaces incomprehensible ( for such |
21 | | Their distance argues, |
22 | | |
23 | | |
24 | | One day and night, in all her vast survey |
25 | | Useless besides, reasoning I oft admire |
26 | | How Nature wise and frugal could commit |
27 | | Such disproportions, with superfluous hand |
28 | | So many nobler bodies to create, |
29 | | Greater so manifold, to this one use |
30 | | (For aught appears), and on their orbs impose |
31 | | |
32 | | Repeated, while the sedentary |
33 | | That better might with far less compass |
34 | | Served by more |
35 | | Her end without least motion, and receives, |
36 | | |
37 | | Of incorporeal speed, her warmth and light— |
38 | | Speed, to describe whose swiftness number fails. |
39 | | |
40 | | Entering on studious thoughts abstruse, |
41 | | Perceiving, where she sat retired in |
42 | | With lowliness |
43 | | |
44 | | Rose and went forth among her fruits and flow’rs, |
45 | | To visit |
46 | | Her nursery. They at her coming sprung |
47 | | And, touched by her fair tendance, |
48 | | Yet went she not, as not with such discourse |
49 | | Delighted, or not capable her ear |
50 | | Of what was high: such pleasure she reserved, |
51 | | |
52 | | Her husband the relater she preferred |
53 | | Before the Angel, and of him to ask |
54 | | Chose |
55 | | Grateful |
56 | | With conjugal caresses: from his lip |
57 | | Not words alone pleased her. (O! when meet |
58 | | Such pairs, in love and mutual honor joined? |
59 | | With goddess-like demeanor forth she went, |
60 | | Not unattended, for on her, as queen, |
61 | | A pomp |
62 | | And from about her shot darts of desire |
63 | | Into all eyes, to wish her still in sight. |
64 | | And Raphael now, to Adam’s doubt proposed, |
65 | | Benevolent and facile, |
66 | | |
67 | | Is as the book of God before thee set, |
68 | | Wherein to read His wondrous works, and learn |
69 | | His seasons, hours, or days, or months, or years. |
70 | | This to attain, |
71 | | |
72 | | From man or Angel the great Architect |
73 | | Did wisely to conceal, and not divulge |
74 | | His secrets to be scanned |
75 | | |
76 | | Conjecture, He His fabric of the Heav’ns |
77 | | Hath left to their disputes, perhaps to move |
78 | | |
79 | | Hereafter. When they come to model |
80 | | And calculate the stars, how they will wield |
81 | | The mighty frame, how build, unbuild, contrive |
82 | | |
83 | | |
84 | | |
85 | | Already by thy reasoning this I guess, |
86 | | Who |
87 | | That bodies bright and greater should not serve |